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  • Ogun PDP: Has peace come at last?

    Ogun PDP: Has peace come at last?

    The national leadership of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has of late taken drastic steps to resolve the intricate crises bedevilling its Ogun State chapter. In this report, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the development and wonders if peace has returned to the party.

    The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is irked by a lack of generally accepted leadership that can unite its distraught followers and reposition the party as the strongest opposition party in the state that it ought to be.

    But following last week’s sweeping decisions by the national leadership of the party, which gave recognition to one of the warring factional state executives and sacked some National Working Committee members from the southwest in obeisance to a court order, analysts say it is possible that peace may have finally returned to the embattled party.

    The national leadership had withdrawn its recognition of the state executive led by Senator Dipo Odujinrin. In its stead, the Adebayo Dayo-led committee was pronounced the authentic leadership of the PDP in Ogun State. The action, according to some party chieftains, will help to douse the raging battle among the factions.

    Those sacked from office were the National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha, and the National Vice-Chairman (South-West) Mr. Segun Oni. While Mustapha was replaced with Fatai Adeyanju, the NWC set up a caretaker committee to replace Oni’s southwest executive committee.

    The decision to remove these officers were taken at the meeting held in Abuja on Thursday by members of the National Working Committee. The meeting was presided over by the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

    Citing the outcome of a series of suits filed on the last nationwide congress of the party, amongst which include FHC/L/CS/1248/2011, FHC/L/CS/282/2012 and FHC/L/CS/347/2012, the PDP said:

    “That the Executive Committee constituted for the PDP in Ogun State at congresses, conducted by the Bashorun Dayo Soremi-led harmonised executive committee for the wards, local governments and in the state in March 2012, are valid executive council of the party at the various levels in Ogun State and are entitled to their four-year  tenure.

    ‘That the PDP is to organise a fresh South-West Zonal Congress at which access is to be given to delegates elected at congresses conducted by or under the supervision of the Soremi-led Ogun State Executive and accept the candidacy, for offices zoned to Ogun State, of only the persons nominated at the said congresses for the said offices.

    ‘That the South-West Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, conducted in March 2012, is nullified.’

    The party said it took the decisions after much deliberation on the various crises rocking the party in the southwest.

    ‘The decision is a good move and we are hoping that it will be the beginning of a new era in Ogun PDP. With the recognition of the authentic leadership as directed by the law court, I am optimistic that members of the party will now have a sense of direction and those on the other side will have no choice than to embrace the new era.

    “Respect for the rule of law is one major ingredient of democracy and I am sure these developments will really help us in Ogun PDP to find the much needed path to peace. There cannot be a better time for this to happen. I just want all our people to take advantage of this opportunity to return our great party to greatness,’ Pegba Otemolu, a chieftain of the party, said.

    But some chieftains of the party do not share Otemolu’s optimism. In fact, some argue that the development is an affront on certain leaders of the party and is bound to create more problems within the troubled party.

    Tunde Oladunjoye, deputy gubernatorial aspirant of the party in the 2011 governorship election in the state, sees the removal of the Odujinrin-led executive as a direct attack on the person of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The former council boss, who made his opinion known in several posts he sent out through the social media immediately the announcement was made, posited that an end to the crisis rocking the party is nowhere in sight.

    Since the run up to the 2011 general election, the party has been struggling to enshrine some form of decorum and harmony amongst its many factions. Three major factions have been battling for the control of the party in the state. The fierce struggle among these contending forces has left the party worse off.

    While the Adebayo Dayo and Senator Dipo Odujinrin factional state executive committees have fought fiercely in and out of the courtrooms to determine which is the authentic leadership of the party in the state, another faction loyal to former governor Gbenga Daniel is daily adding to the confusion within the fold with its frantic effort to be allowed to return to the party it left way back in 2011.

    The Dayo faction, which all along is recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is backed by bigwigs, including party financier Buruji Kashamu. The Odujirin-led faction, which before now enjoyed the support of the PDP headquarters, is alleged to be loyal to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Both factions, which suspended each other recently, have expended more energy on the raging supremacy tussle than repositioning the party, following its woeful performance in the 2011 election. The consequence is that much effort was concentrated on crisis resolution within the party.

    The Daniel faction, which defected to the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), wants to return to the PDP. The party is clearly divided over the matter. A section believes that the return of Daniel’s men may reduce the influence of certain party chieftains. But the national leadership of the party and the presidency is believed to be favourably disposed to Daniel’s return.

    While Jonathan and Tukur see the former governor as an asset that should be courted back into the party, the two warring factions in the state have maintained that the former governor worked against the party in the 2011 election and as such does not deserve an easy return to PDP in Ogun State.

    Speaking on the recognition of his faction and the way forward for the PDP in Ogun State, Dayo said with the replacement of imposition with justice and democracy by the national leadership of the party, the PDP in Ogun State is back on the path to greatness.

    ‘The situation is that for a very long time, dictatorship has been reigning in many areas, not only in our party but all over Nigeria. But this time around, our party sat down, we had a lot of deliberations and they decided that the only way out is to have a very clean party by following the rule of law.

    “So, the rule of law has prevailed. Our party does not want any imposition. We want to have a very clean internal democracy. That is what is happening now. What I can assure you is that once again, our party is back in the road to greatness,” he said.

    But will the other factional leaders close ranks with Dayo to accelerate the obviously very long walk to Ogun PDP’s return to political reckoning? Time, and only time will tell.

     

  • Mitsubishi Outlander: The last of all

    Mitsubishi Outlander: The last of all

    The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander represents the final version of the current generation, as a full redesign is due late next year. For 2013, all Outlander models have heated side mirrors, while the SE and GT trims have heated front seats. TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO writes with agency addition.

    he formula for a successful compact crossover is simple: plenty of space for five passengers and their stuff, lots of utility, fuel economy that makes the old Tahoe a distant memory and inoffensive, unremarkable design. The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander — the end of the line for the current-generation model — nails much of those criteria with the exception of the last. With its sharply creased exterior styling, the Outlander was not designed to slip quietly through the school drop-off area.

    Assertive styling and handling have made the Outlander a solid outside pick in years past, but one expect the redesigned model due in late 2013 to get in step with today’s leading crossovers by offering greater versatility, a nicer cabin and higher fuel economy.

    In the meantime, the Outlander remains a good choice for buyers with performance-oriented criteria, including sporty handling and V6 power. The Outlander is also among the roomiest cargo haulers in its class, and it offers plenty of standard and optional features, including a rear-seat entertainment system as well as a navigation system and 40GB music server.

    The Outlander’s fateful flaw, however, is its cabin, which is functional in a sporty sort of way yet does not offer the premium aspect of the competitors in this class. The Outlander’s puny, rickety third-row seat is another drawback. Although the Outlander is billed as a compact crossover with seating for up to seven passengers, one would never put friends back there unless you wished to end the friendship. The area is cramped and the seat is lightweight and flimsy. Kids will not fare much better, either.

    The Outlander does not get the attention it deserves, though. It is one of a handful of small crossovers to offer a V6 option, which increases towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. Its tail/liftgate combination is surprisingly useful. And the Outlander handles more like its quick-witted Lancer Evolution relative than comparable cushy crossovers.

    At the same time, the Outlander has been outpaced in a segment that evolves quickly. The Honda CR-V and Ford Escape were both recently redesigned, and the Toyota RAV4 should bow later this year with new sheet metal and hardware. The spacious Chevrolet Equinox, the handsome Kia Sorento and new Mazda CX-5 are also all worthy considerations. Overall, we like the Mitsubishi Outlander but we also think the majority of small crossover shoppers will likely be happier with one of the aforementioned rivals.

    When it comes to driving dynamics, the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander is among the most enjoyable picks in its segment. Its handling limits are noticeably higher than the typical crossover’s, its steering is pleasantly weighted and its suspension is tuned to deliver athletic handling that does not come at the expense of comfort. While the Outlander’s V6 is not as powerful as those in the Kia Sorento or Toyota RAV4, it delivers brisk acceleration. As an added bonus, the all-wheel-drive system ably keeps the car planted on loose road surfaces like sand and snow.

     Body styles

    The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander is available in three trim levels: ES, SE and GT.

    The entry-level ES is equipped with a four-cylinder engine and comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, roof rails, heated side mirrors, LED taillamps, air-conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, full power accessories, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, cloth upholstery, reclining rear seats and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio input jack.

    The SE adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, turn signals in the mirrors, keyless ignition/entry, upgraded gauges and upholstery, automatic climate control, heated front seats, sliding second-row seats, third-row seats, steering-column-mounted paddle shifters, a six-disc CD changer and the Fuse hands-free link system that integrates voice controls for iPod and Bluetooth devices.

    All Outlander GT models are powered by a 3.0-litre V6 and come with all the above-mentioned features plus automatic xenon headlights, automatic wipers, satellite radio, chrome accents and soft-touch dash and door trim. The AWD GT also includes an active front differential, hill start assist and an advanced AWD mode selector.

    SE models are eligible for the premium package, which adds a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a rearview camera, a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium sound system with satellite radio and the soft-touch interior trim. The Touring package is offered on GT models; it features most of the amenities in the premium package and adds leather upholstery (front- and second-row seats), heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver seat.

    A hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic and digital music storage is available as a stand-alone option for all trims, as are rear parking sensors, LED interior lighting, a tow hitch and harness, a rear entertainment system and remote engine start.

    Powertrains and performance

    The Outlander ES and SE are powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet torque. The GT has a 3.0-litre V6 that is good for 230 hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. Four-cylinder Outlanders come standard with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the V6-powered GT uses a traditional six-speed automatic. Both have manual-shift capability.

    All-wheel drive is offered as an option on the SE and GT, while the ES is front-wheel-drive only. The AWD system offers different driver-selectable modes to optimise traction in varying conditions. The GT’s all-wheel-drive system features an improved front differential, plus additional driving modes.

    All major safety features are standard on the Outlander, including antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Whiplash-reducing front head restraints are also standard.

    Interior design and special features

    The Outlander’s cabin feels distinctly austere and masculine, all square lines and clean surfaces devoid of the accents and flourishes seen in rivals striving for a more premium environment. On one hand, the interior’s unadorned utility complements the Outlander’s more rugged, all-weather credentials. Outlander GT models step it up a bit with soft-touch upper instrument panel and door trim, with eye-catching double-stitch accents. But folks considering one of the other, more mainstream trims will wonder why the cabin is not as nice as that seen in a Ford or Kia.

    The Outlander’s steering wheel tilts but does not telescope, something taller drivers should consider. The Fuse system allows you to make phone calls and access your iPod via voice commands, and is relatively intuitive to use.

    SE and GT models come with a third-row seat that works in a pinch, but is too slight and ineffectual for regular use. Small, cramped and located uncomfortably close to the tailgate glass, this mini jump bench is also remarkably ill-padded. On the plus side, the Outlander offers a unique flip-down tailgate capable of supporting up to 440 pounds. With the second- and third-row seats folded, total cargo space measures nearly 73 cubic feet — significantly more than the CX-5 and Escape, slightly more than the CR-V and about even with the RAV4.

  • Yobo: This is my last AFCON

    Yobo: This is my last AFCON

    Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo who was limping on arrival in South Africa has again declared that all things being equal the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tourney should be his last, even as he prayed for the team’s success during the tourney.

    Addressing the media on arrival at Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, on Thursday, Yobo who was flanked by the duo of NFF board member, Anyansi Agwu and Eagles Head coach, Stephen Keshi welcomed the reception accorded the team on arrival in South Africa.

    “And I want to leave the stage by winning something for the team so that those coming behind will have something to look up to. We want Nigerians to support us and know that this young team has the ability to deliver but they must be patient with us and remain behind the team at all times.”

    Meanwhile, after about three hours in Johannesburg for immigration formalities and other tournament schedule the team took a flight of 35minutes to Nelspruit and has since settled down at the Ingwenyama Sports and Resort Centre, where it will camp for the competition that starts this Saturday in Johannesburg. Nigeria’s first game will be against Burkina Faso on Monday evening.

  • ‘Ondo people will laugh last’

    ‘Ondo people will laugh last’

    Prince Olu Adegboro is a Chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] in Ondo State and a former Commissioner for Information under the Adefarati administration. He spoke with LEKE AKEREDOLU on his assessment of the October 20 governorship election.

    How would you assess the just concluded governorship election in Ondo State, especially with regards to the performance of your party?

    On the part of our party, the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN], the election was very disappointing despite the huge human and material supports given us by our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, the ACN governors and even the commitment of our candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu [SAN]. However, I have realised that the structures that we have are very weak. The same structures we used for the legislative election in 2011are still the same we used in the just-concluded gubernatorial election in the state and that is the first problem that we had. Our national leadership did not have the courage to dissolve the existing structures having found them wanting during the last legislative election.

    The second problem we had was facing an incumbent whose politics is politics of deceit. He had successfully deceived our people and we needed to be well prepared to face him. Another thing is that we chose our candidate a little bit late, and most of the materials for the election came very late. Even money to be used for the election did not reach those who would have used it until it was too late.

    What are other reasons you think your party under-performed?

    Also, there are some of us with experiences that could be used in so many things but were marginalised; we were underutilised, unused, and were not given a role to play in the preparation for the election. If not because of the candidate, Akeredolu, who invited me to be in his office as Chairman of Strategy Committee, and even as Chairman of the committee those people who managed the Campaign Committee did not allow our candidate to have time for him to be advised; they didn’t allow him have time to plan. Also some of our leaders believed that we had won the election; instead of working, they started sharing the dividends of an election that we had not won. They started planning for the positions they would occupy; they allowed all these things to distract them.

    Again, when we had Director General for the Campaign, the people he brought were even worse than those that occupied the structures. Almost all the resources sent were consumed by the structures. We did not use the resources to mobilise people to join us and this is the major problem. There were so many people who wanted to join the party at that time, but you know the attitude of Nigerians, they wanted to be encouraged through little things, but we were not able to get those little things to get them into the party. So, out of frustration, they stayed in their parties despite the fact they were not satisfy. We did not spend time planning and strategising. We did not sufficiently access the incumbent, we underestimated him. And he surprised us in so many ways. And we relied absolutely on some few media stations; we did not go out on ourselves to promote publicity for our party; we were more concerned about the resources coming in from outside and the position we were going to occupy if the party won, this is really very unfortunate. But I still believe that the future of this state belongs to ACN. The ACN is going to control Ondo State. I am sure that in a matter of time, the eyes of our people will have been opened to see the inadequacies of Labour Party [LP] and its leaders.

    So, you still believe ACN has not lost steam as some may claim…

    ACN is the most formidable opposition that can propel forces that can change the government tomorrow. ACN is the most powerful catalyst that can bring about change of government at the centre. I am sure that before two years time, the people of Ondo State will discover that government at the centre which is a government that is completely useless in terms of law and order, security and development can only be changed if they support a progressive party like ACN and I am sure the people the of Ondo State we have a rethink and realise that what Tinubu stands for is not to become the overlord of the South-West, but to change the fortune of this country by enthroning a progressive government at the centre. Our people will soon realise that Mimiko and his LP are agents of the federal government in Ondo State. You will discover that in the long run, LP is not working in our best interest, but working to sustain the most backward government that we have ever had at the centre. The present Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] government is the most backward, the most retrogressive and the most problematic government we ever had. Look at the way terrorism has blown up; look at the way crime has gone beyond imagination. It is as if there is no security in the country; look at the way our oil resources are being wasted. Not long ago, we protested that the government was increasing the petroleum pump price from N65 to a very high price, the government came back to N97. Today, through hoodwinking, the price has gone again to N150, N120, N110 and nobody is talking and people are suffering. Look at poverty rate in the country, you can hardly survive without belonging to one government or the other and that is the problem the people Ondo State had.

    Despite the claim that ACN is the only progressive political party in Nigeria, some Yoruba leaders like Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Olu Falae and others all backed Mimiko for second term, what is your reaction to this?

    Chief Fasoranti is more or less my political father, he knows where I disagree with him. Chief Olu Falae is my brother, he knows where I disagree with him. I disagreed with them because their support for Mimiko was not based on principle, but on revenge. They are fighting Tinubu and Akande who succeeded in taking over the political control of the South West from them. They failed to think about the other struggle of the Yoruba leaders at the national level. Again, if they want to fight Tinubu and Akande, they should have made efforts to resuscitate their old party, the Alliance for Democracy [AD].

    Their main problem is the success of Tinubu and some ACN leaders in taking over the control of the majority states in the South West. There grudge is that of revenge. During former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel’s regime, who was in PDP, some of these elders too supported him. They were working with him in the hope that he would leave PDP to join them in another political platform which they could use to fight Tinubu and Akande, but Daniel disappointed them and now, all of them are with Mimiko. I can predict to you that their support for Mimiko will eventually embarrass them because this support is not based on principle. Mimiko will disappoint them with the way he would use LP in the state to work for Jonathan in 2015.

    Can you substantiate that assumption?

    You could see that immediately after the election, Mimiko ran to Abuja to celebrate with Jonathan’s wife, Mrs. Patience at her 55th birthday anniversary. Eventually, they will realise their mistake. They should have looked for ways to reconcile with Tinubu and Akande to move Yoruba forward politically. They are injured because of the way ACN has grown under the leadership of Tinubu and Akande.

    They are not thinking of the long time trend of the South West, they are not thinking of our past not answering important questions like, does Mimiko political position agree with our past? Does the political position of flexing with PDP government at the national level tally with what Action Group [AG], UPN and AD stood for? I really feel bad for Baba Fasoranti because he is my political godfather and I will not want him to be embarrassed.

    What do you think is the future of your party?

    What I am sure of is that ACN is a movement and we will make our people in Ondo State to eventually see the usefulness of ACN in South West. The mistake of some of our leaders at the national level is that they allow so many people to come to them over there and deceive them, but I am sure that the experience of this gubernatorial election must have taught them that they should be very careful in selecting leaders for the party in Ondo State. If I have my way, very soon, I would call for the dissolution of all the existing structures of the party in Ondo State and create a a caretaker committee to rebuild the party for credible leadership. After this, I will call the caretaker committee to set up a board of enquiry to investigate the conduct of our preparation and campaign both for the legislative electionin 2011 and the governorship poll in 2012 so that we will not make the same mistakes again. Our leaders should now be very careful in getting a new leadership for the party, but I can predict that with good leadership, ACN will start winning Ondo State from 2015. The purpose of politics is to pursue political power, but most of our people do not realise this.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Uniport killings: In the name of God, let this be the last

    Uniport killings: In the name of God, let this be the last

    No one who has watched the video clip of the lynching of three University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) students and a yet-to-be-identified fourth youth at Omuokiri village near the campus can fail to be truly and deeply horrified by the depth of barbarism we seem to be capable of plumbing in Nigeria. To describe the lynching as gruesome and stomach-churning is an understatement. Now, imagine that parents and relations of the victims also watched the video and saw how their loved ones were horrifically put to death, and you may begin to vicariously feel not only a sense of loss and hopelessness, but a sense of despair as to how alone and unprotected the Nigerian citizen truly is.

    The three Uniport students and the fourth youth were beaten to pulp and burnt to death last week by members of the Aluu community in Omuokiri. The students have been identified by the school authorities as Biringa Lordson, a 200-level theatre arts student; Ugonna Obuzor, a 200-level student of Geology; and Mike Toku, 200-evel civil engineering. The fourth victim, Tekena Erikena, had yet to be properly identified, said the university vice chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka.

    Nigerians have always suspected that such barbarism was commonplace in their country, what with the disturbing news of frequent extra-judicial killings and officially-sanctioned torture by security agents, as documented by international organisations and local civil society groups. Their suspicions have now been confirmed. But the Uniport video also brings it home graphically to everyone just how irresponsible we have become in putting up with such abhorrent practices over the years, whether they were committed officially by government agents or carried out by private entities such as vigilance groups and ethnic militias.

    The video of the lynching has gone viral on the Internet. It will confirm to the world the bestiality they always felt we were capable of. It will also diminish us in the estimation of the world. Coming barely a week after the cold-blooded murder of over 40 students in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigerians must be forgiven if they wonder whether their country is not much closer to the precipice than most people imagine. We must also wonder, as indeed this column asked after the Mubi massacre, how much more the country, particularly youths, can take.

    In the name of God, the federal government must seize this occasion of the Uniport killings to make it the last time extra-judicial killings and other bestial practices would be tolerated. It is not enough for the police to bring the perpetrators to book; the president must recognise that the Uniport killings have raised national revulsion to fever pitch deserving of his personal attention and strong policy initiative.

    Whether the murdered students actually stole laptops and phones as alleged by their tormentors, or they were robbers or cultists as some others claimed, is completely beside the point. The government must come up with firm initiatives to eradicate cultism from campuses, put a complete stop to extra-judicial killings by agents of the state, halt torture as a means of extracting confession from suspects, and put an end to the degrading treatment citizens publicly suffer at the hands of security agents, all of which have spurred the country’s rapid and seemingly inexorable descent to anarchy and barbarism.