The Nation Newspaper

Tag: governors

  • Governors’ extravagant lifestyles encourage corruption- Ribadu

    Governors’ extravagant lifestyles encourage corruption- Ribadu

    Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday advised governors and other political office holders to avoid extravagant lifestyles capable of encouraging corruption.

    Ribadu gave the advice at a retreat organised by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi – led Nigerian Governors’ Forum in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat, the third in the series, was attended by six governors and four deputy governors.

    Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Adams Oshhiomole (Edo), Abdul-Azeez Yari (Zamfara), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), attended the retreat while governors of Imo, Osun, Ogun and Imo were represented by their deputies.

    Ribadu said the tendency by the citizens to indulge in corrupt practices would be minimised if leaders lived moderate lives.

    “Show us how to behave and we will follow you, if we have less private jets,we see you live in moderation, we will follow and copy you, ” the former anti-graft boss said.

    He said that corruption was a major threat to development, saying Nigeria would be far better fighting it.

    Ribadu, who contested the presidential election under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011, called on state governments to put in place mechanisms to check corruption in their respective states.

    He said corruption was a deep-rooted malaise which could not be fought by centrally-controlled agencies alone.

    He said that the active involvement of the states in the fight against corruption would check leakages and promote development.

    “The states can do more and achieve more in the fight against corruption because they control a substantial amount of development resources.

    “If they leave the fight to centrally controlled agencies alone, we will not get the desired results.”

    Ribadu also urged state governments to put in place a sanction regime to punish offenders to serve as deterrence to others.

    Also speaking, Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd), the former Chairman, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), said there was the need to strengthen anti-corruption agencies to fight the menace.

    Akanbi said corrupt leaders were powerful and influential and urged heads of anti-corruption agencies to muster enough courage to bring them to justice.

    “The heads of these agencies must have the political will to fight corruption.

    “Without courage, you can’t fight the menace; these corrupt people are powerful and it takes courage to fight them.”

    In his remarks, Prof. Akin Oyebode, a don, said impunity was a major threat to the fight against corruption in the country.

    He urged relevant anti-graft agencies to enforce the various anti-corruption laws by ensuring appropriate sanctions for offenders.

  • What some of the governors said

    Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha: My heart bleeds for the inefficiency and corruption, which pervade the current government. I am concerned and worried as a citizen from the Igbo ethnic group, brought up in the North and empowered by the Southwest. I am worried that PDP has given Nigerians a bad cheque, which cannot be cashed in the bank of prosperity. I believe that in spite of the present difficulties under the PDP government, there is hope for our nation through the APC. We must preach the gospel of unity and deemphasize religion and ethnicity. I believe that a new Nigeria can only be made possible by the APC.

    Sokoto Governor, Wamakko: As we can all see and agree, APC is a movement aimed at restoring dignity and respect for Nigerians at home and abroad and developing our country. APC represents many steps away from rhetoric. It is time for action. The change we have been praying for is here.

    Zamfara Governor, Abdulazeez Yari: The coming together to form the APC was a necessity and not by accident. If rating agencies or the PDP were to be given a script to rate their performance in the last 15 years, corruption will be their number one achievement. PDP in the last 15 years of taking or seizing power has nothing on ground to show for it. APC is here to wipe out extreme poverty and I believe it will no longer be business as usual. I urge Nigerians to rise up and join the APC and its credible leaders to salvage the country.

    Kwara Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed: APC is a great opportunity for us as Nigerians to take our destiny in our hands. Anything that has not been done cannot be done, except with methods that have not been tried. The lacklustre performance of our present leadership and their deficiency in their human capital development has led to insecurity in the country. This has to change. Those benefiting from the inefficiencies in the system will not allow the change we require to happen, but we are determined to make the impossible possible.

    Nasarawa Gover

    nor, Tanko Al-

    Makura: APC is an alternative platform for the salvation of Nigeria. Nigeria has lost track under the current PDP government and corruption has become its worst enemy. Unless we go back to core values, which the APC represents, then we are doomed as a nation. The APC has come to correct the evils of the PDP. I have tackled corruption in my state in line with APC principles. It is high time we got serious by tackling corruption.

    Adamawa Governor, Murtala Nyako: PDP is today riding with impunity and wrong doings, which we could no longer tolerate. PDP has total disregard for the constitution of this country and its own constitution. They believe they are better and greater than the laws of the land. It is a party where 16 is greater than 19. It is said that two cannot work together except they are in agreement, but we could not agree with the PDP because they are evil. It was most fortunate that APC was formed and we promptly merged into it. The ingredients of any progressive nation remain freedom, peace and the promotion of the rule of law. Without the rule of law, no nation can make progress. It is obvious that the leadership of the PDP does not believe in the rule of law. They believe they are better than the laws of the land. No man should be God. No man should see himself to be more than any other Nigerian. This is why we must all go out there with our brooms and sweep out all the evils of the PDP, which have led to the incessant killings of our school children in the Northeast. The new Nigeria the APC is fighting for is aimed at restoring respect to Nigerians at home and abroad.

    Yobe Governor, Ibrahim Geidam: The legacy of any government is to make its country stronger and better. In the power sector, there was a drop of 924 megawatts of power in 2013 and since then it has continued to drop. In the last six months, the National Economic Council has not met. Today there is insecurity in the country, especially in the Northeast. The only solution to the problem of insecurity is the swearing in of an APC government in 2015. By the time the APC forms the government at the centre in 2015, insecurity will be over. The legacy of the PDP as far as I am concerned is corruption, arrogance and impunity.

    Ogun Governor,

    Ibikunle Amosun:

    APC is an idea, whose time has come. There is no better time for us to come together to salvage and rebuild our country. Let’s talk less of the things that divide us and more of the things that unite us. As APC government in Ogun State, we are investing in our youths through education. The most important thing is for us to develop our education for a better future. APC is out to entrench the rule of law and respect human dignity. I think the APC will do all the good things that the PDP has not been able to do in the last 15 years. APC will make our votes to count.

  • Governors condemn Yobe, Adamawa, Borno killings

    Governors condemn Yobe, Adamawa, Borno killings

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday condemned the killings of innocent students of a Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

    According to a statement issued by Amaechi, the Forum appealed to all aggrieved individuals and groups in the country to appreciate that violence can never be a solution to any problem.

    The statement reads: “We in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) hereby condemn the recent spate of killings in some parts of our country – Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states – by the Boko Haram sect. We are alarmed by the slaughter of 29 pupils at the Federal Government College in Yobe and the unprovoked attacks against defenceless people in those states.

    “We commiserate with the people and government of those states, the families of the victims, and pray God to give them and indeed every Nigerian the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “This is a very difficult period for our country and its people and we must collectively pray and rally round families, friends and fellow citizens affected by these tragedies. We must provide whatever support and save the lives of those still alive.

    “While security agencies should continue to do their jobs as professionally as possible, we appeal to all aggrieved individuals and groups in Nigeria to appreciate the fact that violence can never be a solution to any problem. We have no other country to call home and it is important that we understand the danger and futility of destroying our land in the pursuit of a selfish agenda.”

    While commending the efforts of the federal and state governments to get to the root of the killings and stop the violence, the Forum saluted security agencies for their selfless sacrifice in restoring calm to all parts of the country.

    “However, we also believe the time has come for the Federal Government to comprehensively review the strategies with which it is fighting this insurgency. The current approach is definitely not working, and it is important that all of us are humble and sincere enough to accept this reality and then work out a stronger and more workable strategy.

    “Of course, the Federal and state governments should not be left alone to fight the terrorists. Citizens need to help our security agencies with accurate and timely information. But government itself needs to engage new allies wherever they may be in the world.

    “We urge the Federal Government to continue to support affected states in the bid to check violence. The Federal Government should remain focused and continue to provide leadership until every part of Nigeria is rid of violence and insurgency.”

  • What the Constitution says about Council of State

    Sections 5 and 6 of the Third Schedule (Part 1) to the 1999 Constitution say: “The Council of State shall comprise the following persons – (a)The President, who shall be the Chairman(b) The Vice President, Who shall be the Deputy Chairman; (c )All former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of Government of the Federation; (d)All former Chief Justices of Nigeria; (e)The President of the Senate; (f)The Speaker of the House of Representatives; (g)All former Governors of the States of the Federation; and (h) The Attorney-General of the Federation

    “The Council shall have power to – Advise the President in the exercise of his powers with respect to the – (i) National Population census and compilation, publication and keeping of records and other information concerning the same. (ii) Prerogative of mercy. (iii) Award of National Honours. (iv) The Independent National Electoral Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission). (v) The National Judicial Council (including the appointment of the members, other than ex officio members of that Council), and (vi) the National Population Commission (including appointment of members of that Commission; and

    “Advise the President whenever requested to do so on the maintenance of public order within the Federation or any part thereof and on such other matters as the President may direct.”

    Sections 18 and 19 of the Third Schedule, Part 1to the 1999 Constitution say: ” The National Economic Council shall comprise the following members –

    a. The Vice President who shall be the Chairman

    b. The Governor of each State of the Federation; and

    c. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria established under the Central Bank of Nigeria Decree 1991 or any enactment replacing that Decree.

    “The National Economic Council shall have power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the co-ordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.”

  • We are suffering, Niger Deltans tell governors

    We are suffering, Niger Deltans tell governors

     As four of six Niger Delta governors gear up for the last year of their tenure, a team of Niger Delta Report reporters went round the states to seek the peoples’ expectation from their governors. Reports by Shola O’Neil, Precious Dikewoha, Nicholas Kalu, Kazeem Ibrahim, Mike Odiegwu, Osagie Otabor and Aiwerie Okungbowa.

    Godwin Ariwadu

    I want the government to create an atmosphere of peace in the state by using the spirit of 2014 to set up a peace reconciliation committee. As I am talking to you now, many youths are preparing for war this year through the advice of their godfathers. Already the politicians who are meant to be their role models are fighting one another because of 2015 election. So if we don’t use this year to make peace with one another, the crisis we saw last year may be little of what we may witness this year.

    Mrs. Kat Amadi (Trader)

    I want government to focus attention on fixing bad roads in Port Harcourt. Though the governor has tried in the area of road construction but that is not enough, there are many roads in bad shape – Nkpor, Rumuorlumini roads and the rest in Ikwerre ethnic nationality. If the governor who is our brother cannot come to our rescue this year who knows if the person that will take over from him will consider our plight.

    Endurance Ofurum

    I want the government of Rivers State to decongest Port Harcourt by relocating some of the ministries to areas like Ogoni, Degema and Igwuruta. This will help to minimize congestion and control population in Port Harcourt city and also stabilize house rent by making it affordable to low income earners.

    Elder Chidi Wihioka, politician

    2013 happened to be the year evil men wanted to take over the government of Rivers State but God disproved their plans. More militants came back to Port Harcourt last year to terrorize the people of Rivers State.  The year 2014 we believe will usher in more dividend of democracy through our great party APC.  And it will also be the year that Rivers people will stand against injustice and impunity. On the area of education more opportunity will be given to Rivers People through scholarship and other training especially the youths.

    Chikodi David Dike, former LGA committee boss

    It is a year to consolidate on the ongoing projects and other programmes initiated by Governor Chibuike Amaechi.  God will use Governor Amaechi to touch lives in 2014.  There is no community or Local Government in Rivers State that has not benefited from one   project or the other. For example, if you go to Ogbogoro, Ozuoba and other communities in Obio/Akpor you will see projects being executed by this administration.  2014 will be a year for the consolidation of those projects.

    Mike Elechi, retired Perm Sec

    This year 2014 we must pay attention to agriculture, I have always been an advocate that what the government announces every year as a budget for agriculture is just a paper work.  The theory cannot work; the budget government declared every year serve for a particular purpose which is not for the interest of the people.  Government knows those who can do well in the area of agriculture but they don’t partner with them, if government is serious in agriculture the entrepreneur must be empowered.
    The interest rate at the bank is high and an entrepreneur is not ready to pay 25 percent interest to bank because government has failed on their responsibility to empower and partner with the entrepreneur. For instance,   our soil is not productive, we expected the government to assist the farmers on the area of oil test and seedling instead of giving cash that may not be use for the purpose of which the money was given to them. So this year I want the government to be more proactive in the area of Agriculture.

    Chief Sir Raymond Chidah, Businessman

    I want the government to focus on service delivery.  We have all disappointed the society including the APC and PDP; the people have nothing to eat this year especially in Rivers State.  There was no money; some people even borrow to celebrate Xmas and New Year. The worst thing is that contracts were being awarded to non-indigene in the state. It is unfortunate that two Ikwerre men are fighting themselves.

    Micheal Ugwari, Student

    This year we are expecting that the government will focus on making the Local Government more accountable to the people. We know that for the few months now the state has not received an allocation from the Federal Government but we want the rural areas to feel the impact of the government. People are suffering nothing is happing at the locality.

    Dr Etim Okon Edet, Paramount Ruler of Bakassi

    For me the resettlement of my people is the most urgent thing that I need now. I don’t know whether people know that lives of people are involved in this thing. It’s like Nigeria has neglected its obligation and you know that know Nigeria willingly ceded that area, so I don’t know why it cannot in the same way resettle the people, so they can have a sense of livelihood.

    Samuel Una, a farmer in Yala LGA

    The governor should help us
    with roads in our area. There
    is a road that leads from Yahe to Benue state, it passes through Ukelle. The whole of Ukelle community we don’t have any road. We produce a lot of a lot like rice, cassava, yams but cannot transport them because the roads are bad and it is increasing poverty. We have few bore holes but they are not enough. We also need water. Here people still drink from ponds. We need pipe borne water. We also need a little empowerment at least for people to do farm work. We need loans and grants from government.

    Chinedu Okafor, Businessman

    The only thing I am begging the governor this year to do is to ensure the Calabar-Itu road is fixed. We all know that that road is the main nerve of this city and the terrible state it is in now is costing us a lot in terms of business. They say it is a Federal Road and that they should wait for the federal government, but it is like living in a house and you are waiting for the landlord to come and fix your toilet when he is not willing. Governor Imoke is going to be leaving soon and I believe if he can achieve that one thing, he would have engraved his name in gold in the hearts of Cross Riverians for a long time.

    Eyo Nsa-Itam, Chairman, C’Rivers NUT

    The government should re-introduce rural allowances and tax rebates for teachers. This would go a long way to motivate the teachers. The rural allowances and other allowances that the teachers were enjoying were removed. So many schools renovated without enough students. Despite financial constraints build more schools. The most important issue is the welfare of teachers. The working condition of the teacher is the learning condition of the student. If the teachers are happy, the children would also be happy.

    Esther Effanga, a nursing mother

    The most important thing the governor should make sure happens this year is the proper enforcement of free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years. They have been telling us and people all over the country believe that this is the situation here in the state. But we who are supposed to be benefiting from this are not. We still pay for various charges in the hospital for ourselves and our babies. I don’t know if maybe the money goes to the pockets of the hospital workers or whatever. The only thing that is free is the registration. We pay for tests and in most cases, the equipment are not available so we have to do tests outside. The doctors prescribe drugs for us and we go outside and buy them. Ordinarily everything should be free, but I can tell you it is not.

    Ogban Ebock

    We expect that the governor rounds up all the projects he has embarked on. We also expect he should midwife a new government to come and take over and continue the good works he is doing.

    Florence Ogar, nurse

    The government is doing well in the primary and secondary health sector, but lacks adequate manpower to effectively run the health sector. Some health centres that need about 50 workers, they have just 10 to 15. There are so many well trained health workers in the state. They should be employed so that the old and able hands would be able to bring them up, so that when the older ones retire, the younger ones can take over effectively.

    Victor Iyanam, former Commissioner for Justice

    The government should focus on uncompleted project especially the 20th Anniversary hospital because that was the only Akpabio’s initiative.  That hospital project should be completed, the Tropicana project should be completed as originally conceived and then there are so many road projects especially in Oro Nation. Right now, erosion has cut off part of Oro on the federal road. Just like the government was doing federal road elsewhere they should go and complete the one in Oro Nation. The governor is not contesting any election in 2015. So there is no reason why we should fall under no governance because of election.

    Clifford Thomas, A’Ibom CLO chair

    The development of human capacity development and improvement in the welfare of the people should be the area of focus for the government in 2014. When the governor promised 31 industries we thought it was a good idea. Now the people need jobs that will put food on their table. The infrastructure is there but it cannot transform to food. There is poverty and hunger in the land and the disparity between the rich and the poor is so wide. Government should do everything possible to stop capital flight. As it is today, more than 3.6million Akwa Ibom people are unemployed.

    Akanimo Edet (civil servant)

    We want the governor to
    complete some of the
    projects initiated by his administration and also guarantee the citizenry a stable political atmosphere as we move to the election year.”

    Tony Osauzo (Journalist)

    The governor should complete all on-going projects and engage in new ones according to available funds. Roads within the metropolis must be given priority in 2014.

    Kola Edokpaiyi, Activist

    What we are expecting from the state governor in 2014 is to complete all on-going projects before embarking on new ones. The central hospital, a lot of roads are yet to be completed. The governor should complete them. There is high unemployment rate in the state. Oshiomhole should address unemployment and create jobs. Insecurity is another area of concern.

    Oviawe Erhabor, Lawyer

    He must fulfil his campaign promises by making poverty history. Oshiomhole should work the talk. This is not the time for noise making. We must see evidence of what they have done. For the past one year, nothing was done in the state. The government must be responsible and accountable to the people. He must resume work at all facet of lives. There should be access to justice. 2014 will be a year of happiness if all things are done well. The government should invest massively in agriculture. Buildings have been done in schools. It is now time to employ quality teachers.

    Alagoa Morris, Human rights activist

    Commuters who ply the waterways regularly and whose work, business and livelihood depend on the creeks/ rivers are in constant fear now owing to the activities of sea pirates. Just as the Special State Security outfit code-named Operation Doo Akpoo is strategically position on land within the State capital and other communities, a marine division should also be created to adequately patrol and be strategically positioned to contain the menace of armed robbers in the rivers and creeks. This would also assist in reducing the criminal act of kidnapping in the state.

    Bright Igrubia, NYC chair

    We expect government to come out with the second phase of renunciation exercise which is rehabilitation exercise. The law which was passed and assented to by Governor Seriake Dickson in Section 3 (6) talks about rehabilitation through the Department of Social Affairs.
    Then, the Soghai students are back and need start-up packages where they can create value and add wealth and become economic change agent within the Bayelsa clime. Top on the agenda for 2014 is job creation.

    Seyifa Thomas, Yenagoa

    The government must direct its energy in creating jobs. There are many graduates in the state without jobs. There will be no sustainable security without first creating employments for youths.  Also the government should invest in building public relaxation centres for people in the state and for tourists. People should have options of where to go and relax whenever they feel like going out. Unlike other states, the only relaxation centres in Yenagoa, the state capital, are eateries.

    Torki Dauseye

    The government should try and complete the ongoing projects. Another thing that is very important is the budget implementation report. Last year the government did many projects but we did not have the budget implementation report.
    Some projects are overlapping. So we don’t know which budget is funding which project. We didn’t know the total budget used for overhead and how much was used for infrastructure. We need a budget implementation report and Auditor-General report so that we know how much is expended.

    Somina Johnbull, lawyer

    I expect the governor to main
    tain his focus and complete most
    of the projects he had embarked on in many sectors. He should complete and consolidate such projects. I have not been able to pinpoint any area of fiscal indiscipline. People are simply complaining that there is no money to share. We hope the governor continue to ensure prudent management of the state’s resources.

    Elizabeth Egbe, Coordinator, National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corp

    We want all ongoing road objects completed in 2014. We should also have access to quality healthcare, educational services and to participate in budget processes. The government should improve transport system for riverine people and give welfare packages for fishermen who have been neglected. The government should also ensure speedy passage of the Child Rights Act.

    Chief Steve Sokoh

    We in Udu Kingdom are suffering, but there is light at the end of the tunnel because we can see the fingerprints of the Governor coming back to develop Udu. My wish is that 2014 will be better than 2013.
    I want to single out infrastructure ,roads to be precise. The ongoing Delta Leisure Resorts, Oleri, Udu is presently incapacitated, because nothing is actually happening there now. If the project is revived it will have a multiplier effect in Udu Kingdom and Delta State at large. Work on the beautification on the median of the DSC expressway leading to the resort is epileptic. I want the type of infrastructure being enjoyed by the people of Uvwie, Effurun, and Warri South to spread to Udu. I know Dr Uduaghan has the heart to do it.”

    Chief David Ohwoekevwo, President-General, Agbarha-Otor

    Our community lacks a hospital and good network of motorable roads despite its contribution to national development as a major oil producing community. We feel marginalised; people are not benefitting from many government policies. I have to appreciate Governor Uduaghan for all he has been doing. In spite of the quantum of oil produced, Agbarha has no hospital whereas communities that are not up to Agbarha in size and population have .The hospital project approved before the exit of ex-Governor Felix Ibru has not gone 60% completion. One expects that projects like that should be completed and commissioned for the use of the community. Also many of our sons and daughters are graduates and they are unemployed They have resorted to riding Okada. Government should focus on employment this year. So that those people whose parents borrowed money to see through their education will relieve their parents of suffering. The government policy of automatic employment for first class graduate is not working because I have young graduates with first class degrees who have applied for job but he was not even invited for an interview. I want to believe that government is playing politics with this policy. Our roads should be well tarred so that the scourge of rural-urban migration will be reduced and also enhance the socio-economic life of the people”.

    Oghenejabor Ikimi, activist

    Deltans must join hands
    with government to fight
    official corruption and poverty in our polity as government alone cannot do it. Deltans must learn to expose corrupt leaders rather than worshipping them, this is because for every money looted, wasted  or mismanaged by public office holder and is allowed to go unpunished, same translates  into poverty, decay in public infrastructure, insecurity, massive unemployment. In addition, the Federal Government must as a priority strengthen and reposition the EFCC and ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau respectively for greater efficiency in 2014.

    Austin Eboh, Stanley Mukoro, civil servant

    Eboh said the Delta State Government should as a matter of urgency conduct the council poll as the subsisting transition committees have overstayed their relevance. This has made the conduct of the local government elections an urgent matter that cannot be delayed any further.
    Stanley Mukoro , a civil servant, could not agree less: Deltans have eagerly looked forward to the conduct of the local government elections, but that has not materialized. So we can only hope and expect that that should be a major priority to the State government.
    Also a speedy completion of all on-going projects especially roads and creation of jobs, particularly for the youths of this State are some of the expectation of Deltans in this New Year.”

  • Governors’ wives’ award coming

    The Most Valuable Governor’s Wives Award (MVGWA) ceremony has been scheduled to take place in Abuja on February 10, 2014.

    A statement made available to Abuja Review by the team leader Tom Obulu said the “MVGWA is designed to lead a new phenomenon in the assessment and recognition of the governors’ wives who are providing complementary help to the governors’ achievements.

    “The governors’ wives have become part of the democratic team that has been providing grassroots developments, hence, the institution of this award. The theme of the award is ‘Grassroots Transformation in Nigeria: The Roles of Governors’ Wives NGOs as Champion’.”

    He noted that the 36 governors’ wives were assessed based on their non-governmental organisations (NGO) project available in their domains and their impacts on the people were also considered.

    The statement added that 13 governors’ wives who were shortlisted came from votes cast by the people on the internet over a couple of months.

    Recounting the selection process, he said through the adoption of sustainability, empowerment, impact, change agent and corporate branding criteria, the MVGWA shortlisted six for the emerging recipients for the year 2012/2013.

    He reeled off the nominees in their alphabetical order of state: Mrs. Mercy Orji, wife of Abia State governor, Mrs. Ekaete Godswill Akpabio wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs. Yemisi Dosima, wife of Benue State governor and others.

    The statement further stated Abia State emerged from South-East zone with her family changing project entitled “Family Enhancement Initiative” and North Central Benue zone, wife of Benue State governor dazzled the region with her SEV- AV Foundation.

     

     

  • Governors converge for NGF meeting

    After several months’  break, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by its Chairman and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi met in Abuja Wednesday night.

    Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang had led a faction out of the NGF when Amaechi defeated him in the NGF Chairmanship election with 19 to 16 votes in May.

    Among the state governors who attended the meeting that started around 8.00pm at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro are Zamfara, Kwara, Lagos, Borno, Adamawa, Rivers, Ekiti, Imo, Osun

    The Deputy governors at the meeting include Jigawa and Oyo states.

    Outcome of the meeting is still unknown as the meeting was in progress as at the time of filing this report.

  • Governors to raise nine questions on economy

    Governors to raise nine questions on economy

    Governors are disturbed by the state of the economy, which has remained hazy to them.

    They are to raise nine issues on Thursday at the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), which has not been convened in the past three months.

    Many states have complained of being shortchanged in their monthly allocations. Some have been borrowing to pay their workers’ monthly wages, The Nation learnt at the weekend.

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo has summoned a NEC meeting, following the governors’ compliant that they are being kept in the dark about the economy’s health.

    The nine issues are:

    •Is it true that $50billion was unremitted to the Federation Account? Where is the money?

    •Is Nigeria is broke or not;

    •Why was the NEC consulted before 2014 Budget was presented to the National Assembly;

    •How much has Nigeria earned from its oil sales in 2013 and what percentage of the budget is funded by these receipts?

    •Is it really true that $5b is missing from Excess Crude Account

    •How much oil does Nigeria produce daily?

    •Is the benchmark price for oil in the 2013 budget is $79?

    •Is it a fact that crude oil was sold at prices that hovered about $110 per day throughout the year?

    Sections 18 and 19 of the 1999 Constitution states: “The Economic Council shall comprise the following members –

    (a) the Vice-President who shall be the Chairman;

    (b) the Governor of each State of the Federation; and

    (c) the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria established under the Central Bank of Nigeria Decree 1991 or any enactment replacing that Decree.

    “The National Economic Council shall have power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the co-ordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.”

    The governors have not been happy that the Presidency has kept NEC meeting in abeyance for about three months.

    According to sources, the governors had initially suspected that the delay in convening the meeting had to do with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis, but they later discovered that it had to do with the state of the economy.

    A governor said: “We are really unhappy that the VP has refused to convene NEC meeting for three months running, which is in breach of the 1999 Constitution.

    “The excuse from the Presidency for shifting the meeting has been that there is no money in the treasury and it would not want the governors to take it to task on it.

    “Our position is that this is a constitutional breach because we are expected to meet monthly.”

    Another governor, who also pleaded not to be named, said: “It is so sad that the Presidency forwarded the 2014 Budget to the National Assembly without consulting the NEC. This is an aberration.

    “They refused to summon NEC meeting so that we will not raise questions.”

    It was gathered that following pressure from governors on the state of the nation’s economy, Sambo fixed a NEC meeting for Thursday.

    A governor said: “We got a belated notice to come for NEC meeting on Thursday. I am unhappy because we had longed for the meeting in the last three months.

    “However some of us have met and the NEC will enable us to ask nine questions from the Federal Government.

    “These nine questions include some of those Governor Rotimi Amaechi had put in the public domain.”

    Since September 23, states have been experiencing shortfall as the monthly Federal Allocation and Appropriation Committee (FAAC) was aborted twice because of lack of cash to share.

    Oil production has been between 1.9m and 2.2.m barrels per day instead of the projected 2.5m barrels per day.

    At a stage, Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said it was a bit difficult to pay state government allocations in full.

    But the Director-General of Budget Office, Mr. Bright Okogwu and his colleague, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, said: “Nigeria is not broke but it is having cash flow problems.”

    In Akwa Ibom State, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Akpan said the state government secured a loan of N80 billion from Standard Chartered Bank of London in order to meet its obligations.

    In Benue State, Teachers have been on strike in the last one month over non-payment of minimum wage.

    A senior government official in Kaduna State said last night that the shortfall was affecting government activities in the state ‘tremendously.”

    He said: “I must tell you that the shortfall is affecting us greatly. You know that there are so many things that are at a standstill at the moment. It is because of the shortfall that this is happening,

    “You see people don’t know what is happening and so it is easy for them to criticise from outside. But when you get into the system, you discover that things are different.

    “Actually, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has put the whole thing in proper perspective. The states are suffering from the shortfall. But it is easier for him to speak out because he is from the opposition. But things are not easy for us at all”.

    In spite of that, the aide said the government is trying its best to ensure that workers’ salaries are not affected.

    Kano State Commissioner for Budget and Planning Alhaji Yusuf Bello Dambata said the state had been taking ingenious action to beat the shortfall.

    “We are trying to meet our promises to the people by blocking leakages.

    “We’ve intensified internally generated revenue and cut cost of governance.

    An Akwa Ibom Government House source, who preferred anonymity, explained that the effects of shortage in allocation from the federal government is affecting urban local government areas where are more concentration of primary schools.

    According to him, in Uyo local government area, due to the large concentration of primary schools, after deducting salaries of the primary school teachers nothing is left to pay salaries of more than 600 members of staff.

    His words: “Presenting, Uyo local government area owes its members of staff two months salaries. That of October and November has not been paid. The workers are not even sure of getting December salary.”

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola faulted the distortion in revenue allocation.

    He said: “We expect that as a country, we cannot continue to have this distortion in revenue collection and projection where the largest source of revenue comes from a single item. What it simply means is that we use revenue from our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) that we should have used to pay contractors to keep the public service going. So, that distorts so many things.”

  • Why we dumped PDP for APC, by governors

    Why we dumped PDP for APC, by governors

    There was a surge of excitement yesterday across the states whose governors defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Supporters of the governors in Rivers, Kwara and Adamawa hailed the decision.

    Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and his Adamawa State counterpart Murtala Nyako also spoke on why they took the decision.

    Amaechi said his state had suffered neglect under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. He said he decided to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) to protect Rivers’ interests.

    Nyako hinged his decision on the “injustice” suffered by the PDP in the state under the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur. He said all efforts to reverse the injustice failed.

    Apart from Amaechi and Nyako, Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed also joined the APC in what has been described as the biggest political cross movement since 1999.

    Other leaders of the New PDP, led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje including former Kwara State Governor Dr. Bukola Saraki also signed up.

    Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), noted that the issues he and the other aggrieved members of the G-7 raised were not resolved by President Jonathan and the PDP.

    Amaechi, who spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, shortly on arrival from Abuja, said: “Yes; we have joined the APC, after the meeting we had with (Gen) Muhammadu Buhari, (Asiwaju Bola) Tinubu and the interim Chairman of the APC (Chief Bisi Akande).

    “The governors met on Monday and decided that we must meet with the APC leadership and when we met with the APC leadership, it was important we took a position and the position we took is for the good of our democracy and to ensure that Nigeria moves forward.

    “We cannot continue the way we are, where we are. The picture painted by the PDP was as if we were begging to come back to the PDP and issues were not being looked into; issues were not being resolved and it is important that we resolve it one way or the other.”

    Giving an insight into the development, the NGF chairman said the new PDP decided that it was important that the members move into the APC and position themselves for the next elections.

    His words: “Rivers State must know that for me to have taken that decision, I had looked at the general interests of Rivers people. I was not elected to lead Nigeria; I was elected to lead Rivers State and I had looked at the interests of Rivers people and have seen that these interests were not protected in PDP.

    “I have seen the fact that we are losing our oil wells in Etche, in the Kalabari areas and that the more they continue to pilfer these oil wells, the more we will continue to lose our wealth.”

    In spite of quitting the ruling PDP, the NGF chairman maintained that he still held President Jonathan in high esteem and had no personal quarrel with him.

    Amaechi said: “The President (Jonathan) and I have no personal quarrel. It is important we put that in perspective. All the issues were issues that affect Rivers people, were issues that affect Nigerians and I am a Nigerian. I have to address those issues.

    “He is my President and I respect him. I respect his office, respect him as a person, respect the fact that he is older, but then as elected governor of Rivers State, I have the responsibility to lead Rivers State.

    “If you look at what is going on, the Federal Government is not able to fund the states anymore. They say oil theft, but oil theft is not enough reason for which we cannot fund ourselves.”

    On the state’s development, the NGF chairman said his administration was about to inaugurate about 300 primary schools, another 70 health centres to add to the 60 earlier inaugurated.

    He noted that his administration was about inaugurating the Kelsey Harrison Hospital, Emenike Street, Port Harcourt. Besides, there is a new hospital inside the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) in the state capital.

    The new hospital is a partnership between the Rivers government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Amaechi mentioned also the Mother and Child Hospital at the old site of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in the old Port Harcourt Township, popularly called Town, for which his administration had paid the NDDC about N960 million.

    The governor pointed out that for the mother and child hospital, the NDDC was expected to contribute about N900 million – to make it N1.8 billion.

    The NGF chairman said: “The new stadium (on Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway, near the Port Harcourt International Airport) is about to be completed. So, development is actually going on. We are working.”

    It was jubilation galore yesterday in Ilorin. Former – PDP members, loyalists, supporters and sympathisers across the 16 local government areas thronged the GRA secretariat of the former PDP.

    It was all drumming, dancing and shouting as the people came to solidarise with their leaders for joining the APC. The atmosphere was hilarious as they continually chanted APC.

    The chairman of the former New PDP, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani, told reporters that the merger spelt the death knell of PDP in the state.

    Said he: “Our leaders have spoken the mind of everybody in Kwara State, especially those of us in PDP. That is the end of PDP in Kwara state. We believe in what our leaders have done and we are now bona fide members of the APC. The PDP is dead in Kwara State.

    “We are going to carry everybody with the people we met on ground in the new APC in the state. What we know is that putting up the APC structure, there must be convention or congress. All that will be done and everybody will be carried along.

    “We in Kwara State have leaders and they are Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. According to tradition, we don’t have any particular party in Kwara State as a must. It is where our leaders pitch tent with that we go. We are Sarakites and we have our structure; anywhere we move to we do that en masse. All the executives of the wards, local councils and of the state will move en masse to the party our leaders said they have merged with.

    To a chieftain of the APC in the state, Alhaji Bashir O. Bolarinwa, merger “is a welcome development.”

    Nyako said with the high level of impunity under the Tukur leadership no decent man could remain with the PDP.

    The governor spoke at the Yola International Airport on arrival from Abuja. He warned that unless Nigerians rose to checkmate the excesses of the PDP leadership, which in his view had become more hardened than the worst military despotism, the country may be plunged into ethnic and religious war.

    “The current PDP leaders have hijacked the party and they seem to have no clue about what it is supposed to be doing at all. It has reduced politics to personal quarrels, blackmail and cheating and no decent man can remain in the party as its antics may lead the country to civil war,” he said.

    Nyako said the crises in the state chapter of PDP was a fallout of the unjust dissolution of the state executive by Tukur for selfish reasons, adding that all efforts to get the issue regularised proved abortive as the national chairman refused to heed the clarion call of well-meaning Nigerians to rescind his decision. Tukur hails from the state.

    Said the governor: “Many well meaning individuals have called on the national chairman to rescind his action and reinstate the state exco, but he vehemently refused to do so, and the President did not see anything wrong with that, despite the recommendation of many committees set up by the party that the exco be reinstated. We have written letters and articles to get the injustice redressed to no avail as the national chairman was hell-bent on achieving his odious aim.”

    He added that the country is in turmoil as a result of the failure of the leadership to uphold equity and fairness which, to him, has affected development.

    When he was asked whether they felt betrayed by the actions of the governors of Jigawa and Niger states who backed out from the defection to the APC, Nyako said the two governors said they were not yet ready to join the merger, “one of them said by the grace of God I shall join you in January.”

    Nyako will brief his supporters tomorrow on his discussion with the APC leadership.

    “I will convene a meeting with my supporters and inform them about our pact with the APC and the agreement reached,” he said

    According to the governor, part of the agreement reached with the APC leadership is that it is the governors that will oversee the affairs of the party in their states.

    The expected political activities and fanfare that should have characterised the defection of the Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from the New PDP to the APC appeared lukewarm yesterday.

    At the Government House, nothing had really changed as the PDP flag is still hoisted.

    On arrival in Kano yesterday, the governor settled for the day’s business by proceeding to the weekly council meeting.

    His supporters were seen at the Government House discussing the political development in hushed tones.

    The Director of Press to the Governor Mallam Halilu Baba Dantiye simply said: ‘’When things are clearer, everything will start kicking off.

  • Let the governors be

    It is dumbfounding how seven state governors are being hounded around as security men do everything to restrict access to them. Every citizen has an inalienable right to receive whoever pleases him within the precincts of his home or office. He also has the right to move freely except on the order of a court of law or by law enforcement agencies acting in the interest of the state and under the law.

    However, state governors of seven states have recently had their rights abridged by the police apparently on superior orders motivated by cheap politics. The governors of Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Rivers, Kwara and Adamawa States who have indicated their dissatisfaction with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur have been prevented from either meeting or playing host to people of their choice within the premises of their states’ liaison offices in Abuja.

    Uninvited, the police usually storm venues of their meeting with a view to chasing away visitors or disrupting the meetings. One is tempted to ask-on whose orders? Why is the state jittery over the impending exit of seven out of twenty-three governors? At the moment, there are only thirteen non-PDP governors. If seven should team up with them, the opposition would be going into the 2015 election with twenty governors to PDP’s sixteen. Wouldn’t the election be a test of strength? Is there any law that says an opposition party would win the contest just because the governor has defected to another political party?

    The PDP is afraid of its own shadows. When a political party becomes as jittery as the PDP is showing it is, it becomes open to recording avoidable mistakes. It could either become desperate and thus takes steps that alienate it, or it begins to lose confidence in itself ahead of the poll and that is the beginning of failure.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), as the main opposition party has gone after the disaffected governors. Leaders of the party have openly solicited defection of the seven and assured them that their future would be better in the new amalgam. This is probably not the time, forum or juncture to ask how the contradictions arising from movements from the PDP to the new party would be resolved.

    The main concern here is the use to which the PDP-controlled federal government is putting the Police Force in pursuit of partisan interests. It portends danger to the health of the country. What point is President Goodluck Jonathan making in preventing members of the PDP splinter group from meeting? Is the President so narrow-minded to believe that a state governor could be whipped into line simply because the security forces have been unleashed on him? Does the President think that Kawu Baraje, a former secretary, and later acting chairman of the party could be made to dump his chosen path simply by harassment by agents of the state?

    These are the wrong strategies. It is the wrong direction to travel. It is the wrong decision to take. It will not help the government or the party. The PDP leaders ought to conduct a serious soul search. Where did it get it wrong? Was it in deciding to push Jonathan forward in 2011? What could be done now?

    In any case, it is the business of the party what it makes of its journey to 2015. It is trite in political science that power is for the ruling party and incumbent to lose. An athlete who carelessly drops his baton knows that the race is over. The PDP and President Jonathan could afford to drop the baton, what they have no right to do is take panic measures that could provoke reactions that may threaten the health of the nation. Nigeria does not belong to the President and the crowd around me. It does not belong more to Jonathan than it does Omonijo. We are all stakeholders and are interested in ensuring that all enemies of the growth of democracy are kept out of the fold.

    The seven governors still have the right of association and a right of freedom of movement. Anyone trying to stop them is an enemy of Nigeria and all Nigerians and should be fiercely resisted. The political space is wide enough to accommodate all. In Ghana, when it pleased the people, the National Democratic Congress was made to quit the Government House, and, after a while, the NPP government, too, was served the quit notice. That is democracy at work.

    If governments can change without much rancour in Ghana, Senegal, Sierra-Leone and Benin Republic, why not Nigeria. All that we should be concerned about as we race to 2015 is that the will of the people must be done. For now, it must be sounded loud and clear: Let the governors go, if they so wish.