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Tag: leadership

  • ‘Leadership gap bane of health sector’

    Where is an urgent need to expand the technical and leadership training in the curriculum of the PostGraduate Medical College, Lagos and related institutions nationwide.

    This, according to Minister of State for Health, Prof Osagie Enahire, will broker peace among these institutes and the government in the event of industrial crisis.

    Prof Osagie spoke at the investiture of Prof Ademola Olaitan as the 19th President of the National PostGraduate Medical College, Lagos. Osagie succeeded Prof Rasheed Arogundade, whose two-year tenure ended last December.

    Ehanire said the sector has become crisis prone, adding that a lot of the problems are due to lapses in governance.

    Ehanire cited last year’s doctors’strike  which lasted almost half of the year and the ongoing strike by doctors in Osun State.

    ”I want to urge management of medical hospitals to extend their training beyond technical training of its medical staff, to empowerment in leadership. This, I suggest, should be included in your curriculum,” Ehanire said.

    He continued: “It is so sad that in recent time, the medical sector has become crisis prone due to what we observed as departmental rivalry, poor relationship among staff as well as gaps in governance. So, if we must manage medical hospitals well, our approach to leadership must henceforth change.

    “Doctors’ nationwide strike claimed almost half of last year and grounded public healthcare system. There is another protracted strike among doctors and government in Osun State. This is lamentable,” he added.

    He also frowned at the over $1 billion that goes into medical tourism every year, saying that it is not supposed to be as the nation has some of the best hands in the medical field. This, Ehanire attributed to poor treatment or poor attention to medical staff, and thus necessitating the need for a reorientation of the public service.

    He continued: “Aside the financial loss of about I billion dollar into medical tourism every year, it is also a slap in the face because Nigeria has the resources and some of the best medical personnel. Aside, N1 billion is no child’s play considering the economic hardship

    “I have often asked those who often tell me that when they go abroad for treatment if they are better treated there unlike here where our medical staff would either ignore or give patients cold shoulder. So, there is a general loss of confidence in our healthcare system.  This calls for an urgent reorientation of the public service. Once we are able to restore that confidence through training and human capacity development, then we can begin to see a renewed mindset of those who prefer medical attention outside the country.”

    He said in line with the change mantra of the government, there is a plan by the government to concentrate on the primary healthcare to lessen the burden of  the tertiary healthcare.

    He said the government plans to establish a functional healthcare per ward nationwide.

    “We expect that when fully done, each of those primary healthcare should be able to operate 24 hours a day and therefore, reduce the pressure on the tertiary institutions, which handle large sessions of primary cases,” he said.

  • Afe Babalola, others to get African leadership award in South Africa

    Afe Babalola, others to get African leadership award in South Africa

    Renowned lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Aare Afe Babalola will, on Friday,  get the African Leadership award in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    Babalola, who founded Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), will join other institutions and individuals at the Sandton Sun Hotel, Johannesburg, at an event that will showcase some of the continent’s leading public and private institutions committed to excellence, innovation and African growth.

    The event will also showcase individuals, whose hard work and leadership have contributed to building legacies and strong brands.

    The event, tagged: “2016 African Educational Institutions of Excellence”, according to Dr. Ken Giami, the Publisher of African Leadership Magazine, is designed to re-echo the words of the late South African President Nelson Mandela that “education is the most powerful tool to change the world and it remains the most potent force in sustaining Africa’s developmental push”.

    Chairman of the African Leadership magazine’s North America Board, Joe Beasley, said: “We are resolved to shining the spotlight on frontline educational institutions and the academia, which have pioneered excellence and innovation in Africa’s educational landscape through exceptional leadership.”

    Aside the award segment, Giami said delegates will join other leaders to discuss the future of education on the continent.

    Other institutions of excellence to be honoured include: University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; University of the Free State, Bloemfontain, and University of Cape Town, both in South Africa; Covenant University and Babcock University in Nigeria, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; among others.

  • Kano: APC leadership faults chair’s claim

    A few hours after the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Umar Haruna Doguwa, retracted his statement that indicted Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of alleged indiscipline by sponsoring thugs to Ganduje town, the Working Committee said yesterday that it stood by its statement, which indicted Kwankwaso.

    APC Chairman Haruna Doguwa said he was under duress when he made the statement, claiming he neither wrote nor initiated it.

    However, the committee at an emergency news briefing on Saturday night in Kano exonerated itself from the counter-statement credited to Doguwa denouncing the party’s position on Senator Kwankwaso’s condolence visit to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

    The Secretary, Abbas Sani Abbas, who addressed reporters in reaction to the chairman’s statement, said the party was surprised about the action of the chairman, which portrayed him as betraying the mandate given him by the APC Executive Committee.

    He said: “We want to say that the chairman made the statement because of his selfish interest and that of his mentor. We, therefore, reaffirm the position of the earlier statement that we disassociate ourselves from what ex-Governor Kwankwaso, representing Kano Central, did by recruiting hoodlums, disrupting peace and propagating his presidential ambition.

    “We want to let APC members know that we are resolute in abiding by the party’s constitution. The committee set up by the party will continue with its investigation and any person found guilty will be dealt with in accordance with the constitution.

    “We urge members to disregard the unauthorised second statement by the chairman. They should await action by the executive.

    “We remain loyal to the administration Governor Ganduje, the APC leader in the state.”

  • ‘No leadership tussle over Eze Ndigbo of Lagos’

    ‘No leadership tussle over Eze Ndigbo of Lagos’

    The Council of Ndi Eze and the entire Igbo Community in Lagos State have said the position of Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State has not been in contention. They maintained that Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu is the authentic Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State since 1999.

    Speaking to reporters at the Igbo Community Centre, Okota Lagos State the groups said “the clarification became necessary in order to correct some tissues of falsehood published in the Vanguard of March 1, 2016.”

    In a press statement signed by Eze Nwachukwu on behalf of the Council of Ndi Eze Lagos State, Igbo Community Lagos State and the 13 leaders of the two groups, they said: “The Council of Ndi Eze and the entire Igbo Community in Lagos State wish to draw the attention of the public and particularly the Governor and Government of Lagos State to the misleading and malicious falsehood published in the Vanguard Newspaper of Tuesday, March 1, 2016 on page 15 wherein it stated that ‘ a council of Eze Ndigbo is now established for Lagos State with a council of 12  Eze Ndigbo from which a chairman was chosen in the person of Eze H.N. Ohazuluike, with Eze Ndigbo Christian U. Nwachukwu designated as a member.’

    “The same falsehood was also published in the Sun Newspaper of February 25, 2016 wherein it stated that ‘the protracted leadership tussle over Eze Ndigbo Lagos State was laid to rest yesterday [February 24] following the intervention of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Enwo Igariway and other traditional rulers from various states… With this development, Eze Ohazuluike, Eze Ndigbo Lagos State has emerged the interim chairman of the council in Lagos…However, Eze Nwachukwu, who declined the Vice-Chairmanship position has pledged to work with the council and embraced Eze Ohazuluike.’”

    The statement continued: “The genesis of the so-called protracted leadership tussle over Eze Ndigbo Lagos State started since December, 1998. The Igbo Council of Chiefs of Lagos State, Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, jointly invited applications from Igbo in Lagos State for the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State.

    Many Igbo sons, including Chief Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, Chief H.N. Ohazuluike and others applied and after thorough screening by the three bodies and others, Eze Nwachukwu was selected as the Eze Ndigbo Lagos State after an election was conducted.

    “On April 22, 1999, the Igbo Speaking Community Lagos State issued Eze Nwachukwu a certificate as the duly selected Eze Ndigbo Lagos State after his coronation. On May 19, 1999, the then Chairman of Igbo Council of Chiefs, Chief Ralph Uwazurike and the then Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State Chief Solomon Okonkwo organised a press conference during which Eze Nwachukwu was presented to the public as the Eze Ndigbo Lagos State and on December 6, 2008, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State appointed him as its patron.

    “On October 5, 1999, Eze Nwachukwu was presented with a certificate by the then Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, as the recognised Eze Ndigbo Lagos State, after which he was presented to the Council of Obas and Chiefs Lagos State by the then President-General of Igbo Speaking Community, Chief Uche Momah during which Chief Ohazuluike was ordered by Oba Oyekan to stop parading himself as Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State or he would go to jail.

    “Since then, Eze Nwachukwu has been accorded full recognition by past and present Governors and Governments of Lagos State. For instance, wife of then Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu inaugurated the Igbo Community Centre built by Eze Nwachukwu as venue for meetings and other cultural activities of the Igbo Council of Ndi Eze and other Igbo organisations.

    “We urge the public to disregard and discountenance the charade of a meeting held at Colnades Hotel Ikoyi Lagos and their illegal and unwarranted actions and publications…regarding the issue of Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State that is not yet vacant…”

    In a separate briefing, Eze Nwachukwu revealed that on November 5, 2009, the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers invited him to its meeting held at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu on the issue of the problems caused by Igbo Cultural leaders in the Diaspora, especially with regard to traditional title of Eze reserved for traditional rulers in the Southeast.

    He said after deliberations, it was agreed that the Igbo traditional leaders in the Diaspora should be addressed as Onye Ndu Ndigbo (Leader of the Igbo) to avoid conflicit. It was in the light of that meeting that the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, by their letter dated November 16, 2009 (Ref No SECTR/CH/VOL.2/0238) written to ex-Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) confirming me as the Onye Ndu Ndigbo Lagos State in view of the fact that I am the recognised Eze Ndigbo Lagos State.

    “Being an ally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ohazuluika and his cohorts had no official or government recognition by the Lagos State Government. Fortunately, when PDP was defeated at the centre, Chief Ohazuluike and his group realised that they were floating without any kind of recognition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos as they worked against the APC during the last election, they ran to Enugu to invite the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu where they have close friends and political allies to come and handpick him as the recognised Eze Ndigbo chairman in Lagos State.

  • Elumelu hosts Nigeria Leadership Initiative associates

    Elumelu hosts Nigeria Leadership Initiative associates

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) have hosted a discussions between select Associate Fellows of the NLI and Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in Lagos.

    The talk, titled: ‘Leadership for high impact’ was designed to give the NLI’s Associate Fellows access to the billionaire investor and philanthropist, to ask questions and receive insights on leadership.

    “Over the course of my career, I have learned that when you achieve a certain amount of experience and a certain amount of success, it is important to reflect on what principles, practices and decisions led you to success.  When you find those key elements, it is important to pass that knowledge along, so that others may learn from your success, and also your mistakes. That is what today was about,” Elumelu said.

    Through its flagship initiative, the 10-year, $100 million Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, The Foundation will empower the next generation of Africa’s entrepreneurs.

    The event was geared towards seeing TEF and NLI achieving this goal.

    NLI’s CEO, Dr. Yinka Oyinlola: “NLI believes that leadership is both transferable and trans-generational; the leadership dialogue with Mr. Elumelu provided an opportunity to transfer values, knowledge and experience from an accomplished leader to young, emerging and aspiring leaders.”

    Elumelu is a Senior Fellow of the NLI. Last May, he met with London-based NLI fellows at Oxford University on the sidelines of a speech he delivered there titled:  ‘Africapitalism as a catalyst for the development of Africa.

    Associate Fellow of NLI and SSA on Sustainable Development Goals to Abia State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Chime Asonye, speaking on the sideline of the event said: “We need to dialogue with important thought leaders and change makers who are helping to catalyse economic development and lead the way forward. Industry leaders like Tony Elumelu are helping to chart the way forward and set a development agenda for the 21st century.’’

  • Fayose, PDP and tragedy of leadership

    SIR: It is a comic relief watching Governor Ayo Fayose in his usual cocky animation and garrulous temperament discrediting the former PDP ministers who raised an objection to the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff as PDP chairman.

    The objection to Fayose’s choice was anchored on lack of consultation on one hand and Ali’s purported dalliance with the deranged elements known as Boko Haram.

    However the quotidian proclivity of the party to forge conservative positions through the nebulous “family affairs” has once again brought about a delicate closing of ranks thereby foreclosing an ample opportunity for propitiatory restitution in the face of dwindling public image perception.

    If Buhari’s reputation for perpendicular integrity, towering leadership exemplar and a patriotic determination to reinvent the wheel of progress is already an albatross to any credible opposition, how much more with an opposition romancing a questionable leadership?

    PDP’s strange choice predicated on the financial prowess of the new chairman has left voters with no other choice than sustain the present momentum for the next eight years.

     

    • Bukola Ajisola,

    Victoria Island, Lagos.

  • Supreme Court sacks Anambra PDP leadership

    The Supreme Court yesterday sacked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  in Anambra State.

    The apex court, in a unanimous judgment by a five-man bench upheld Ejike Oguebego-led Executive Committee of the PDP in the  state as constituting the party’s authentic leadership.

    The court upheld the appeal filed by Ejike Oguebego-led Executive Committee of the PDP against the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the issue and awarded N100,000 each against the PDP and its member, Chukwudi Okasia, (listed as 1st and 3rd respondents in the appeal) in favour of the appellants.

    The  judgment was interpreted differently by the two opposing camps in state.

    While the Oguebego camp saw the judgment as an indication that Senators Andy Uba, Stella Oduah and others, who were products of a second list submitted to the INEC by the caretaker committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to manage the affairs of its Anambra chapter have been sacked and are now to be replaced by candidates  on the earlier list submitted to the INEC by the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive Committee of the PDP in Anambra, the other camp said Uba and Oduah remain senators as the Supreme Court made no such declaration.

    Justice John Inyang Okoro, who read the lead judgment, resolved the five issues, the court determined in the appeal, in favour of the appellants.

    It was the court’s view that the decision by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court,Port Harcourt in the suit earlier marked  FHC/PH/CS/213/2014, but now marked FHC/AMK/CS/247/2014, which recognised the Oguebego-led executive as constituting the authentic leadership, still subsist.

    The court, in setting aside the February 6, 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja on the issue, held that the lower court misconceived the issues at stake in the dispute over the soul of the PDP, Anambra.

    Justice Okoro said: “Let me say from the outset that the facts leading to this appeal are a product of the struggle for the soul of the PDP, Anambra State chapter. As a result, many suits were filed by various contenders seeking the control of the executive committee of the state chapter of the PDP.

    “This appeal is an offshoot of one of those suits. The sequence of events leading to the filing of the suit giving birth to this appeal clearly demarcate this matter from the many issues thrown up by the respondents which appear to make the appeal confusing.

    “There is no doubt that the Federal High Court, in suit No. FHC/PH/213/2013 now suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/247/2013 on 12th September, 2013 made an interlocutory order to the effect that the PDP and INEC should recognise and deal with the Ejike Oguebego-led state executive committee of the PDP, Anambra chapter in all election matters in Anambra State

    “The issue before the trial court was whether the 1st respondent (PDP) can rubbish the judgment/order of the court for whatever reason and set up a caretaker committee, other claims notwithstanding.

    “For me, I strongly hold the view that there is no dispute on the relevant/essential facts grating the claims of the appellants which relate to the determination of the action of the 1st respondent in setting up a caretaker committee of the PDP, Anambra State chapter during the pendency of the judgment/order of the Federal High Court, recognising the appellants as the persons duly elected to that position.

    “The 1st and 3rd respondents (PDP and Chukwudi Okasa) have tried to raise issues which tend to show that there are conflicts as to facts. I do not see any. Those facts which seem to cause disputes are not relevant to the determination of the main issue before the court.

    “As it stands, it is clear that the court below premised its decision on this issue on a wrong appreciation of the claim of the appellants before the trial Feder hFederal High Court.

    “Having resolved all this five isues in favour of the appellants, I hold that there is merit in this appeal which is hereby allowed. The judgment of the Court of Appeal is hereby set aside.

    “The order of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/PH/213/2013 (now suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/247/2013) recognising the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive committee of the PDP, Anambra chapter is still subsisting until it is set aside by an order of the court,” Justice Okoro said in his lead judgment.

    He also awarded N100,000 cost against the PDP and Okasia in favour of the appellants.

    Justices Nwali Ngwuta, Mary Peter-Odili, Olukayode Ariwoola, Musa Muhammed, who were also on the panel agreed with Okoro’s reasoning.

    Reacting to the judgment, lawyer to the appellant, Chris Uche (SAN), said the judgment has resolved the dispute about the lists of candidates submitted to the INEC by the various factions of the PDP in Anambra before the last election.

    “By the judgment, the only authentic list is the one endorsed by the court and the one INEC published first before it was withdrawn.

    “So the implication of this judgment is that the first list that was first published by the INEC, with all the names of PDP candidates for the National Assembly election are the names legally and constitutionally recognised now.”

    Lawyer to the INEC, Hassan Liman (SAN) said by the judgment, INEC is now compelled to revert to the first list from the Oguebego-led Executive, which it earlier published but later withdrawn by virtue of the Appeal Court judgment.

    “The implication of this judgment is that the order of the Supreme Court today, restoring the order of the Federal High Court, is that we are to deal with the initial list as ordered by the Federal High Court.

    “This is because, as at today, it is the decision of the Federal High Court that the INEC is now bound to work with,” Liman said.

    Liman said the INEC would not conduct fresh elections for  all the seats not voided through electoral disputes. This implies that  a fresh election will only be conducted in the Anmabra Central Senatorial district, which election was voided by the Court of Appeal.

    “This is a pre-election matter. We are dealing with the issue of party executive and the activities of the party executive.

    “By the judgment, the list candidates sent by our executives is now the authentic. We are indeed glad,” Oguebego said.

    The Nation learnt last night from the Uba and Oduah camp that the Supreme Court will be approached next week to shed light on its judgment in view of what a lawyer close to both senators described as “its lack of clarity.”

    Meanwhile, Senator Oduah dismissed reports of her sack by the apex court.

    She branded the reports as  mere misinterpretation and asked that it be disregarded by the public.

    She said the Supreme Court did not order the withdrawal of the Certificates of Return issued by the commission issued to her and  “did not hold that the faction of the PDP had the right to sponsor candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    Oduah also claimed that the Supreme Court did not authorize the INEC to substitute her name with any one whose name was “ on the list improperly allowed by the commission in obvious disregard of the series of judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the effect that it is only the National Executive of the party that has the vires to sponsor candidates.”

  • Embrace dialogue, national leadership urges APC Kaduna

    Embrace dialogue, national leadership urges APC Kaduna

    The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday urged the Kaduna State chapter to embrace dialogue in resolving crisis, following the alleged suspension of Senator Shehu Sani.

    It warned against insubordination, saying it had consequences.

    “The party will not accept any act that will lead to the loss of any of its prominent members.”

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, said the decision of the Northwest Zonal Vice Chairman, Inuwa Abdulkadir, reflected the position of the national leadership of the party in the controversial suspension of Senator Sani by the Kaduna State chapter.

    He said Abdulkadir was mandated by the National Working Committee to resolve the crisis.

    After a meeting with party stakeholders in Kaduna last Monday, the Northwest zonal vice chairman announced that the suspension of Senator Sani was null and void, a move that did not go down well with the state chapter, which said the lawmaker’s suspension remained valid.

    The Kaduna State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Salisu Tanko Wusono, faulted Abdulkadir for lifting the suspension, saying he acted without the consent of the national leadership, contrary to Section 21 of the APC constitution.

    Frank said the action of the zonal vice chairman was in line with the party constitution and in accordance with the directive of the national leadership, which wanted an amicable resolution of the crisis.

    He warned the state chapter to desist from making further utterances on Sani’s purported suspension, as the decision of the zonal chairman was the position of the national leadership, which must be respected.

    Frank asked them to desist forthwith from further actions, which might tend to embarrass the party.

    “The position taken by Abdulkadir subsists and has the backing of the national body. It is pertinent that party stakeholders and members take note of this and submit to the will of the party, no matter their interests.

    “Instead of sowing seeds of discord, we must foster unity. All hands must be on deck to achieve this.”

  • Senate leadership suit: Ekweremadu to arrest judgment

    Senate leadership suit: Ekweremadu to arrest judgment

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has taken steps to arrest the planned judgment by a Federal High Court in Abuja in a suit seeking to sack the leadership of the Upper Chamber.

    In his latest move, Ekweremadu has asked the judge handling the case, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, to disqualify himself from further presiding over the case, in which he (the judge) had taken arguments from parties and reserved judgment.

    Ekweremadu, in his fresh letter to the court, made sundry allegations against the judge and his wife, including accusing him among others, of being close to the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) and its leadership.

    The Deputy Senate President, The Nation learnt, had earlier written the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, seeking the immediate transfer of the suit from Justice Ademola, a request Justice Auta turned down on the ground that it was frivolous.

    Before now, the APC had similarly accused Justice Ademola of being sympathetic to the Peoples Democratic Party particularly when he in a judgment in April 2014 faulted the defection of 41 PDP lawmakers to the APC and ordered them to vacate their seats.

    The suit was initiated by the PDP against the House of Representatives, its principal officers and the defecting legislators. The party had sought primarily to frustrate the alleged move by the defecting lawmakers to initiate changes in the leadership of the House.

    But, in this case, five APC senators, led by Abu Ibrahim, sued the leadership of the Senate, contending that the Senate’s Standing Orders 2015, on which Saraki and Ekweremadu were elected, was forged because the previous Orders were never amended before the Clerk of the Senate allegedly surreptitiously introduced the 2015 Rules.

    The plaintiffs are, by the suit, challenging the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President. They want the court to set aside the election.

  • Frank’s unnecessary outburst against APC leadership

    SIR: After reading the comments against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Timi Frank, I was perturbed that a man of his status could jump the hierarchical order of the party to make himself agent provocateur in the public domain by going against the official position of the party.

    In as much as everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, it is appropriate that we separate individual opinion from official or organizational opinion otherwise, it becomes subversive or the view of an enemy within.

    Instead of dragging the party to public ridicule, the honourable thing for Deputy National Publicity Secretary to do is to resign in protest of what he feels is abnormal within his party. Being in a system and publicly criticizing the system he swore on oath to defend its policies and stand by its positions at a critical moment the well meaning members of the party are calling for reconciliation speaks more about hidden intents of his action.

    It was the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who said, ‘to whom you can whisper to, there is no need to shout.’ Hence, Timi Frank ought to have exhausted all internal mechanisms within the party before going public with his disrespectful and scathing remark about the national chairman.

    Deciding to talk in a manner that hurts instead of healing at a time the prophets of doom who predicted the disintegration of the party are waiting to see the manifestation of their prophesy is highly outrageous or leaves bitter taste in the mouth.

    It will be recalled that upon the formation of the party in 2013, many Nigerians dismissed it by describing it as an association of strange bed fellows who share nothing in common. Some hardliners went as far as saying the party will fall immediately after its presidential primary. But, against all odds, the party stayed united and surged like an eagle to the admiration of many before it finally won the very historical March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Having scaled through various vituperative remarks, hurdles and jabs thrown at it before and after the polls, is it now that rooms would be created for enemies to enter?

    Hence, like the proverbial eagle whose success can never be good in the sight of the hawk, the prophets of doom again shifted their prediction to the sharing of political appointments by alleging that it will be the last straw that will break the back of the camel.

    But instead of acting in accordance with an African adage that says, a predicted war can never overtake a cripple, Comrade Frank decided to make himself the Trojan horse in the hands of the enemies for the destruction of the party that he and others spent fortunes to build.

    Such an incendiary comment and attitudes should be highly condemned by all party members as it negates the concepts and principles of discipline and the supremacy of the party’s position in all matters.

    What is more? He should think of the effect of his criticisms and how it will be received by both the target audience and the general public before embarking on such vainglorious pursuits. By virtue of being the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, many may misinterpret his personal opinion to be the official position of the party or the true reflection of what is happening inside the party. And as a result, it might affect the goodwill of the party or lower its estimation in the minds of the right thinking members of the public.

    Whatever grievance anybody may nurse or harbour against the official position of the party, there are internal mechanisms to be explored and not to bring the party and its leaders to public ridicule.

     

    • Comrade Edwin Uhara,

     Abuja.