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  • Ahmed, Ajibola, Omotoso battle for Kwara Govt House

    Ahmed, Ajibola, Omotoso battle for Kwara Govt House

    As Kwara State warms up for the governorship election, eyes are on three candidates-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed(All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Simeon Ajibola (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dr. Mike Omotoso (Labour Party). Correspondent ADEKUNLE JIMOH writes on their strengths and weaknesses as well as the issues that will shape the contest.

    The race to Kwara State Government House has begun. The contest is between Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Simeon Ajibola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The two candidates are from Kwara South Senatorial District. Ahmed is from Igbomina. Ajibola is Ekiti.

    Before the emergence of Ajibola as the standard bearer of the PDP, his party was enmeshed in a crisis. The party primaries were rancorous. The first shadow poll, which took place in December last year, was inconclusive. It was alleged that some powerful forces wanted to impose an anointed candidate. Eleven out of 12 aspirants cried foul. Ajibola, who has been elected senator thrice, was more vociferous. The aspirants accused the leadership of the party of scheming to impose a lawyer-turned politician on the chapter. However, when Ajibola emerged as the flag bearer, there was no jubilation in Kwara. The people did not take him serious.

    To observers, Ahmed has a bright chance at the poll. His structure-the Saraki structure-is solid and waxing stronger. Ajibola had rode on the same machinery to the Senate. When he deserted the structure, he was also deserted by the people. In fact, many people believe that the election is a litmus test for the Saraki Dynasty. The governor, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, said the structure is tested, trusted, strong, steady and sturdy, adding that it is capable of effectively warding off threats from the opposition. The opposition can only ignore the potency of the structure to its peril.

    However, Ajibola is optimistic. He defeated other aspirants at the primaries. These are former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Suleiman Ajadi (107 votes), former Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Prof Shuaib Abdulraheem (58), ex-Minister of Transport, Alhaji Bio Ibrahim (45), son of late governor Mohammed Lawal, Hakeem (33), Deacon John Dara (27), Jani Ibrahim (16) and Sunday Babalola (three votes. Others are former Land and Housing Commissioner Kale Belgore  (one vote) and Alhaji Abdullahi Sanusi (nil). The Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, said the outcome of the primary was a demonstration of internal democracy in the PDP.

    Accepting the ticket, Ajibola said: “We are all winners in this election as there is no victor, no vanquished in this Governorship Primary and indeed, in all primaries of PDP in Kwara.I urge that we should all work together to ensure that today’s victory translate into winning Kwara for PDP.”

    In the ruling party, Ahmed had no rival at the primaries. Thus, his attention was not diverted by party intrigue. His party supported him for a second term. Kwara APC chieftains said the governor has lived up to expectation by implementing people-oriented programmes.

    The seeming obstacle to Ahmed’s second term bid is the avowed determination of the Presidency to “recover” Kwara State from the APC.

    But, APC leaders have predicted that the federal might will collapse in Kwara. They explained that the Saraki Dynasty will survive by winning the election as a tribute to its founder and the strongman of Kwara politics, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki. Like his illustrious father, Dr. Bukola Saraki has not relented in paying prompt attention to peoples’ welfare like his father did when he was alive. Also, APC leaders have also endeared themselves to the populace by always making themselves available, whether there is election or not, thereby ministering to their needs.

    Senator Bukola Saraki has been sponsoring both Christians and Muslims in large numbers on pilgrimages to Israel and Saudi Arabia, apart from empowering women with fridges, grinding machines, and cash to enable them start small businesses. Recently, Saraki also committed N80 million to the provision of Ramadan gifts to Muslims in the state, irrespective of ethnic and political affiliations.

    Kwara has become a huge construction site under the Ahmed Administration. There were also monumental infrastructural projects executed by Saraki during his eight-year tenure as state governor. The former governor had turned Ilorin, the state capital to a modern and commercial centre. Ahmed has kept the vision alive by empowering transporters, students, youths, artisans and farmers. He has also tried to create employment opportunities for youths.

    The recent introduction of “Quickwin” Programme through which thousands of youths were engaged bears testimony to  this claim. Before the end of last year, government had planned to engage over 8,000 youths under this scheme. Many indigenes have hailed the initiative.

    The landmark achievements of Governor Ahmad between 2011 and now include employment of 10, 200 youths, empowerment of 41, 000 small business owners, provision  of  100 taxis to transporters, fees reduction at the state university, abolition of tuition fees in Senior Secondary Schools,  free notebooks for senior secondary students, 13 General hospitals equipped and 42 Primary Health centres rehabilitated, construction and rehabilitation of urban and rural roads.

    The governor has also expanded water supply. He has created a new generation of commercial farmers, connected 400 communities to the national grid and extended a globally-applauded community Health Insurance Scheme to cover about 80,000 Kwara indegenes.

    In the opinion of many stakeholders, Ahmed is a youth-friendly governor. He is perceived as a focused administrator. He started earning those credentials within weeks of taking office, with the engagement of 2,000 youths through Kwara Bridge Empowerment Scheme (KWABES).

    Not only did the government engaged 5, 000 youths under the scheme in three years, 2,000 of them are now in permanent employment in the civil service. It is on record that the state government has never defaulted in the payment of salaries since its inception.

    Despite the shortfall in the federal allocation to the state, the government is still able to pay civil servants and pensioners their monthly salaries promptly on the 25th of every month.

    The Ahmed Administration has also established International Vocational Centre in Ajase-Ipo, Kwara South,s to train youths on various vocational skill that could make them self-employed and employers of labour after the completion of their courses.

    The Harmony Advanced Medical Diagnostic Centre, the International Aviation College, both in Ilorin, and the New Nigerian Commercial Farming initiative in Shonga, Edu Local Government Area are also worthy of applause.

    The governor recently announced plans to upgrade 59 traditional institutions in the state. He also said that plans are in the offing to create local government development councils areas out of the existing 16 local governments. If the governor makes good his promise on the upgrading of traditional stools and the creation of more local government councils, that will give APC bloc votes from Kwara South and Kwara Central districts.

    While the grading of traditional rulers are of paramount importance to the people of Kwara South, the people of Kwara Central have been yearning for the creation of additional councils out of the existing five councils in Ilorin Emirate. According to an observer, Ahmed worked and is still working as if he will not have a second chance. He added that, for every hard work, there is a reward.

    But, Ajibola would have to depend largely on the support of the Presidency to make any appreciable impact in the election. The PDP candidate has never won any election without the support of the Saraki dynasty.

    At a rally, Ajibola assured the people that his government would not discriminate against non-indigenes. He promised to liberate them from what he described as bondage under the Saraki hegemony. He said indigenes and non indigenes would be given equal rights and treatment as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. “Whatever PDP government does for the state indigenes, would also be done for non indigenes”, Ajibola said.

    Ajibola promised free education, old age security trust, and welfare for all. “Our free health service to children below the age of five years and free pre and post natal treatment for pregnant women would include non Indigenes in the state”, he added.

    Dr Omotoso, a pharmacist, was adopted by the Labour Party (LP) its governorship candidate three weeks ago. He defected from the PDP, citing injustice. He complained that he was edged out of the House of Representatives primaries. He is popular for his medical mission under which no fewer than 5,000 people benefitted.

    The medical mission covered basic health solutions to improve the quality of lives of the people in the rural areas with free diagnostics, expert advice and provisions of free drugs including wheelchairs to all and sundry.

    The founder of Mike Omotosho Foundation also empowered women with N10 million micro credit loan scheme late last year. The Foundation has also trained 300 youths in Computer skills in Kwara South. But, Omotoso is perceived as an inexperienced politician. He lacks a rich political pedigree.

    However, it is being insinuated in some quarters that Dr Omotoso has connection with President Goodluck Jonathan. He was the North Central Coordinator of Jonathan Actualisation Movement (JAM). While some political analysts argued that the pharmacist is out to scuttle the ambition of his kinsman, Ajibola, who was said to be instrumental to his failure in his National Assembly primaries.

  • Life after Govt House

    Life after Govt House

    Siren. Convoy. A retinue of aides. Freebies upon freebies. Power almost beyond limit. These are the words and phrases that readily come to mind when one discusses power the Nigerian way.

    As governors, there is a larger-than-life image around individuals elected or rigged in. Sirens announce their arrival and exit from events. Aides have headache on their bosses’ behalf. Things happen at a governor’s say so. A governor once asked that a boy who insulted him should be beaten to a pulp and brought him. He thereafter gave his father money to rehabilitate him. The beating was carried out by men of our security agencies who are well aware that their action was unconstitutional. But who were they to disobey the governor? Such is the power of a governor.

    It is, however, a different kettle of fish after a governor has completed his tenure of office. Some of them even go broke and unable to sustain the life in power. The flipside of power is nothing like life in power.

    That perhaps explains why some governors have tried to make provisions for their lives after power to be close to their years in power. Until three days ago,  Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio was the darling of commentators. He has less than one year to complete his tenure. He plans to take a seat at the National Assembly thereafter. Whether or not he will succeed with this can only be determined by time. The reason behind the bashing of His Excellency  was  a law he assented to, which literally meant he did not have to work again for the rest of his life.

    If the law had endured, Akpabio’s headache would have become the state’s. His pain the state’s. His worries would have been sold to the state. He could rest and the state would bear the brunt for him. Many had wondered what more can a state do for the architect of Uncommon Transformation? How better can a state pay a man who is serving a second term of four years and is getting set to take a seat for another four years, in the first instance, at the Senate?

    By virtue of the controversial law, the state would have been paying the governor, effective from May 29 next year, N100 million annual medical allowance. He would have been entitled to a brand new official car and utility vehicle once every four years; a personal aide paid for by the government would have served him for the rest of his life; his security would have been sorted out by the government; and he would have been paid some N5 million annually as payout for a cook, chauffeurs and security guards.

    Additionally, His Excellency would have been entitled to a house either in Abuja or any part of the state at the expense of the government; a furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his annual basic salary must be paid to him once every four years; an annual maintenance and fuel allowance of 300 per cent of his annual basic salary and severance gratuity of 300 per cent of his annual basic salary must be paid to him.

    His Excellency, in the wisdom of the lawmakers, also deserved a yearly utility allowance of 100 per cent of basic salary. There was also a provision which mandated the government to bear the full cost of the burial of the beneficiary and pay a condolence allowance equivalent to the annual basic salary to his next of kin. The gesture would have been extended to his predecessors.

    Akwa Ibom rakes in an average of N15 billion every month. It is on top of the chart of the top 10 on the Federal Allocation. Let us not talk about its debts which are some N150 billion. It is also instructive to add that despite Akwa Ibom’s wealth, poverty still walks on all fours in the state. Many of its citizens can still not afford three square meals and life is certainly not sweet for these people ravaged by extreme poverty. Only a fraction of the state’s population enjoys the chunk of its wealth. What the majority benefits from is nothing but crumbs.

    For a fact, Akpabio did not score first by assenting to this bill, which some have vowed was his idea in the first place. One or two governors had done something similar.

    On Tuesday, Akpabio put a seal to the whole debate by initiating a reversal. He said the state government has sent a bill to the House of Assembly requesting that a section of the controversial state Pension Act be expunged.

    He also asked the lawmakers that the act reverts to the status quo, according to a statement by the government on Tuesday.

    In his letter to the House, Akpabio said: “It is my hope that with the excision of these sections from the amendment, the agents of falsehood would lift their siege on truth and not distract the good people of this state from the task of the Uncommon Transformation of our dear state.

    “Let them remember that I am not a governorship candidate. Instead of firing brickbats at me, let them tell the good people of Akwa Ibom State their plans for Akwa Ibom State.

    “Because of the sponsored media comments and misinformation of the members of the public on the good intentions of Pension Act by the few opposition elements in the state, and because this government is a product of the people, we have, as a government, decided to forward a request to the House that those areas, which the opposition has capitalised on to misinform the people be expunged and the former law that had been in existence be made to remain the law.”

    With this decision, Akpabio seems to have silenced a former Secretary to the State Government and governorship hopeful Umana Okon Umana  who  condemned the law and promised to repeal it if he gets into power next May 29.

    He described the legislation as “obscene, provocative and insensitive”.

    In his words: “It is surprising that in spite of a nationwide public outcry against the bill, the state House of Assembly rushed to pass it within 11 days and the governor signed it into law with indecent haste within 24 hours without any inputs from members of the public who will foot the bill.”

    My final take: The amendment should not have even been contemplated in the first place not to talk of being given life. The governor’s argument about the law not being new but only an amendment to an existing law is neither here nor there. I must also add that Akpabio’s  achievements are there for all to see. The record will speak for him and he deserves to rest after office without having to grapple with a situation whereby his successor will make a mockery of the time and energy expended on making the law by doing away with it.  It is good he has repealed it himself. He has no one but himself to blame for the blows he has received on account of the misadventure.