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Tag: Obong Victor Attah

  • ‘There will be no Nigeria without restructuring’

    Obong Victor Attah, 80, has always been passionate about politics. He was governor of Akwa Ibom State from May 1999 to May 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Afterwards, the architect-turned politician ran for the 2007 presidential nomination of the party, but later withdrew. Since then, he has been playing the role of an elder statesman, particularly in Akwa Ibom politics. Attah spoke to some reporters in Lagos about what the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari portends for Nigeria, the governorship election in Akwa Ibom State and other issues. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI was there.

    What is the significance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory?

    Throughout his first tenure, nobody can say that he was truly a party man in the conventional sense. Because of this, there were rumblings within his party. Some very big wigs were said to be considering leaving the party. In fact, some even thought that, by the time we get to the elections, the party would suffer an implosion. As it happened, that was averted. In his second coming, it is my conviction that he is going to pay even less attention to the party. With some serving governors being suspended from the party by the NWC for anti-party activities; with the earlier schisms that had gone to spawn new parties or swell the ranks of the PDP; with the evident shift in the support calculus, it is clear to me that, in the no–distant future, we will be singing its dirge. APC is going to be scattered – dead.

    If Atiku had won, it is possible that he would have atikulated this country to the next level – to borrow from the slogan of both parties. But, I also had the fear that, if Atiku wins and the PDP gets back in the saddle, this country would be plunged into an orgy of intolerable excesses. With what has happened now, it is obvious that the fortunes of the PDP are also most likely going to change.

    It took Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, to provide that focus. Given his age and history of past attempts, this surely was for him a last ditch. With him off the scene, PDP is completely rudderless and with no anchor. It is safe to say therefore, that PDP too, which had also splintered in the past, will soon be scattered – dead.

    There was yet a third group – the military bloc. They did not hide their support for Atiku and the PDP. They openly showed their hand and have been spanked. Their influence therefore, is bound to wane. It is my prediction that from now on, we are going to witness less and less of those pilgrimages to Abeokuta and Minna.  With this loss of influence, it is also safe to say that the military oligarchy is dead. Buhari’s victory is the death knell to these power blocs.

    Read also:Akwa Ibom govt urges communities to protect projects against vandalism

    It has started the process of dismembering these menacing Behemoths, pulling out their fangs, blunting their claws and neutralising their sting. Buhari’s victory has returned power to the common man. Positions negotiated in Abuja and Lagos over the heads of the people can no longer be guaranteed. His victory has therefore given Nigeria a long-delayed but much needed opportunity for a new life; an opportunity to chart a new course. That is why for me his victory represents not only the triumph of the common man, but indeed also a great blessing for Nigeria. An opportunity has now been created for fresh hands, an opportunity for a new leadership, to take over. Nigeria can now look forward to a new birth. The phoenix can now rise out of the ashes and attain its destined glory.

    What should be the agenda of the administration in the second term?

    First and foremost, Buhari must put a stop to all and every agitation to split up this country and there is only one way to achieve this. He must see to it that we re-enact and reinstate the terms and conditions of the agreement that caused all the various peoples of this country, at independence, to agree to come together and form one country – federalism. Anything short of this is to court a disaster of unimaginable magnitude. The popular word today that describes this is restructuring. My prediction is that unless this is done, by the end of his tenure in the next four years, there may not be a country called Nigeria as we know it today.

    The second item on my agenda for the Buhari government is power. We must work relentlessly to see that in the shortest possible time every hamlet, every corner of this country enjoys twenty four hours constant supply of electric power. In today’s world, it is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.

    Third on my agenda is the fight against corruption. The fact still remains that if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us. This time the fight must be total and unsparing.

    Next, President Buhari must put a stop to all the killings, whether by herdsmen, or Libyan mercenaries, marauders, cattle rustlers or whoever. Already human life has been degraded enough and if the killings continue and farmers stop going to their farms, all the gains made so far towards food security by this administration will come to naught and we will again be faced with a major disastrous phenomenon.

    The final item on my agenda is the release of Leah Sharibu and the total annihilation of Boko Haram.

    How can the above agenda be realised?

    Given where we are now, there is a need for us to define the way forward. For me the way forward lies in a new beginning with a complete change of ethos and orientation. To achieve this I suggest the immediate formation of two national movements. The just concluded elections have done a lot to return power to the people and they have demonstrated that Nigerians want power to be held by people with integrity to which we should also add capability. Nigerians are completely fed up with people who seek power and positions just for the tyranny of controlling the treasury for themselves, their masters their investors and contractors rather than for the development of the real stakeholders – the people. I have no doubt that there abounds within our population of nearly two hundred million people, a sufficient number of quality people to whom the leadership of this nation can be trusted. So, the first movement, which I have suggested must be nationwide and not under the aegis of any political party, must be to search out the Moghalus of this nation. There must be quite a few of them. We must search for them, find them, groom them, assess them so that in less than the four years of this tenure, there will be no doubt in anybody’s mind as to who the people would want to be their next president. I should caution that this exercise, imperative as it is, would amount to an indulgence in extreme futility unless we also firmly re-establish the country. The next movement which must also be nationwide and not sponsored by any political party must therefore be the movement to restructure this country in a painless, equitably manner.

    If Buhari fails to restructure, where do you see Nigeria?

    Why do you call it pessimistic, because I don’t see a Nigeria without restructuring? I repeat, there can be no Nigeria without restructuring. What is going to happen is that the agitation for breaking up is going to get more violent, more virulent and the country will scatter. Certainly, Buhari would not allow that to happen. Even if his disposition today may not be one that says I am coming to restructure, when he knows that that’s what has to be done, so that there is a Nigeria for him to govern and handover to the next President, he will see the need to restructure.

    Must restructuring happen in the next four years?

    It doesn’t have to be in the next four years. But, it must begin now by laying the groundwork and he must show clear and sincere evident that we are moving towards restructuring. This is because the processes or the way to do restructuring equitably would entail a lot of negotiation to agree on how to do it. Do you know how long it took us to agree to form a federation at independence; some said we were ready, others said we were not ready. Restructuring is not going to be different. It is not going to be overnight, but we must agree that restructuring is what we must do, so that there can be a Nigeria.

    Have you the elders ever thought of taking a letter to President Buhari, explaining your position?

    Yes, an effort was made. I was interim chairman of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and we sent a 16-point agenda to President Buhari. Our focus was essentially the Niger Delta, but on national level restructuring. The larger focus of Ohanaeze, the Igbos, is restructuring; Afenifere also restructuring. So, we had this southern leaders forum, which was joined by the Middle Belt and at the end of the day by some personalities from the North, such as Ango Abdullahi and Junaid Mohammed. I don’t know if they represented groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum or not. So, we wanted this country restructured, but sadly we committed a blunder; the same mistake that the military bloc made. We identified ourselves with a candidate. So, we were seen like a political party. For me, that was where we derailed. If had just said, Atiku if you win you must restructure, Buhari if you win you must restructure and so on. In other words, focusing only on restructuring, we would have been in a better position today. That is why I said there must be a new national movement dedicated to restructuring and not by any particular candidate. When the idea of a Christian governor came up in Lagos, the proponents of that idea did not ally themselves with any particular party or candidate. But at the end of the day, the two major parties chose Christian candidates.

    How can this idea of a movement or third force be realised?

    The first step is to accept the concept; once we accept the concept a way out would be found… Don’t forget the basic principle is to make sure that Nigeria remains together as a country. It is my conviction that unless we restructure, there would be no Nigeria.

    During the campaign you did not speak on the politics of Akwa Ibom…

    Maybe you weren’t paying attention. In October of last year, I addressed a press conference where I said I believed Nsima Ekere of the APC has 80 per cent chances of winning the 2019 governorship election. But with Akpabio jumping out of the PDP to go and join Nsima Ekere’s camp, I think he is going to destroy the chances of that young man winning the election. I was very graphic and I don’t want to repeat some of the things I said. Akpabio was an uncommon governor who has suffered an uncommon defeat and rejection by the common people of Akwa Ibom State. The unfortunate thing however was that the rejection affected Nsima Ekere and the APC. I’m trying to say that Udom won entirely by default, but at one time nobody really gave credit to Udom for anything. But, after Jonah jumped out of the boat and the boat was sailing smoothly, people started to appreciate what Udom has done , because they looked at Udom from a different light. Don’t mind what anybody would tell you about Mike Igini, Udom won the election cleanly. If I must say, I believe that Igini is one of the finest INEC commissioners in this country.

    Did Udom win because of Akpabio?

    Yes!

    What is Akpabio’s baggage?

    You are the problem – the press – because you like to make people into what they are not. If from the beginning you listened and you were thorough, you will not have encouraged Akpabio to continue the way he was going. But you turned him into something else, to the extent that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said it is not possible for Akpabio to lose. This is because he believed what you were writing about Akpabio.

     

  • Tribute to Akpabio at 56

    When the current political dispensation started in 1999, nobody had the fore knowledge that a man with the name Godswill Obot Akpabio would be among the stars that would later dominate the political firmament of the nation.

    Even when he made his entry into Akwa Ibom State government courtesy of Obong Victor Attah who brought him into his administration, everything appeared normal as he gradually learnt the rope of government business. Having seen it all as a participant observer, Akpabio felt the state could better with someone with the right acumen and political sagacity at the helm of affairs. Against the wish of the powers-that- be at the time, he took up the gauntlet and embarked on what some saw as daring the lion in its dens and won convincingly despite the fact that Obong Attah had a preferred candidate.

    Akpabio would no doubt be thanking his stars today for taking that long, tortuous road to take his people to where they truly belong.

    Though the state was founded by the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, on September 23, 1987, it only came to national and international consciousness, under the Akpabio Administration whose government is credited with “uncommon transformation”

    The “Uncommon transformation” tag is not for nothing as Akpabio completely changed the narrative in a state which was in dire need of a leader to tap its human and material resources for the good of its people.

    This was because before the coming of his administration, illiteracy and poverty stared the people in the face, such that many of her indigenes took up menial jobs, especially cooks in such big cities as Lagos and Abuja.

    The future also appeared rather bleak for children in the state, many of whom were either in the farms assisting their parents or on the streets hawking during school hours.

    The coming of Akpabio changed the story, not only did he make education free and compulsory; he ensured training and re-training and better package for teachers for improved productivity.

    He joined forces with the State House of Assembly by enacting a law that forbade children from trading during school hours. This strategy was to have multiplier effects never envisaged by Akpabio as private schools in the state bore the brunt with increased enrolment in public schools.

    Unlike those days, when public schools were associated with ramshackle structures, Akwa Ibom schools became a beauty to behold as structures comparable to what obtains in other climes surfaced across the state.

    Curiously, the administration was the ninth in the row of administrations that had governed the state, earning the appellation “miracle of the South – South”

    One of the biggest lessons that Nigeria can indeed learn from Akpabio is the capacity to use tourism to attract investments as no first time visitor to the state would not jump at the opportunity to visit a second time.

    Akwa Ibom is today one of the few states that can boast of an anti-flooding strategic plans which no doubt helps the state in battling climatic challenges. My recent visit to Katowice, Poland, for a UN convention on climate change shows Akpabio as a man who saw tomorrow in view of the giant steps taking to tackle climatic conditions of the state.

    Uyo, the state capital, today boasts of 13.8 billion naira underground drainage channel to stem challenges posed by flood and erosion.

    As he marks his 56th birthday today, I join millions of his admirers across the world in saying happy birthday to you, sir.

    • By Emma Umohinyang

    Katowice, Poland.

  • How we caged Obasanjo as governors, by Segun Osoba

    …Obasanjo once threatened to prosecute us over onshore/offshore, says Udoma Udoma

     

    Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba said on Tuesday that governors who served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo were able to cage him and stop him from doing a lot of unconstitutional things because of their maturity and unity among them irrespective of political affiliations,

    Osoba spoke at the 80th birthday celebration of former Akwa Ibom state Governor, Obong Victor Attah just as the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma revealed how Obasanjo threatened to prosecute the Akwa Ibom Governor for “inciting” his people against the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The former Ogun State governor who spoke on behalf of other former governors present at the event including former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie Oyegun and his successor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said the governors spoke with one voice and stood against the antics of the former President and dragged him to court on a number of occasion and won.

    He said “Today we are happy to celebrate a man of honour. In our time we do not know the differences in the party you belong to and Obasanjo then dare not play with any of us governors. I am happy to say that Obong Attah was from the PDP, I was from the AD.

    “The AD group made up of the late Lam Adesina, and Bisi Akande. When we speak, to our surprise, Obong who is of the PDP will take it up from there contributing intelligently to the issues we raised. It is on the ground of his style of leadership that we were seriously able to cage former President Obasanjo.

    “I used the word seriously because first of all, Abdulsalam Abubakar left a huge sum of money that was to be distributed to the governors. The first thing Obasanjo did was to seize the money and use it to buy vehicles for local government councils.

    “We kicked, went to court and we won. On the fiscal responsibility Act, he (Obasanjo) said he will not implement section 8 where all revenues were to go into an account from where it will be distributed according to the constitution. When it became almost impossible, we went to court and we won. In all of these, it was not resource control. Obong Attah was in the fore front of all these struggle.”

    Osoba who recounted how governors in those days rallied behind Attah and his other Niger Delta counterparts to agitate for resource control, expressed reservations on the quality and character of those aspiring to become governors these days.

    “I want to appeal to all us. We should go back to the characters that formed government in 1992 and 1999. 26 years ago, most of us who were governors have had exposures. John Odigie Oyegun was a former permanent secretary, I was former Managing Director of Daily Times, I can go on to give you backgrounds of all those who became governors in 1999. None of us were people you will say where you are coming from. We need to go back to that this days of governors of any kind should stop.

    Speaking earlier, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said “Throughout his eight years as governor, I was the senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district and also served as the leader of the Akwa Ibom legislators’ forum having been unanimously elected by my colleagues. During our time in the National Assembly, there was no Abuja front working against the home front. Under Victor Attah’s leadership, we were a strong united team and having worked with him, I can say something about his character.

    “He is somebody you can go into battle with because he is fearless and once he gives you his words, he does not turn back, no matter how fierce the battle.

    The battle to remove the onshore/offshore dichotomy was indeed a fierce one.

    “At one point, the three of us, myself, Obong Attah and Senator Ibok Essien were summoned to Abuja and made to appear before the President, Minister of Defence and all the service chiefs and were threatened with prosecution for inciting our people against the President and the federal government.

    “But under his leadership, we refused to allow ourselves to be cowed or intimidated. We believed in our course and we did not stop the fight till we succeeded.

    “As the senator who led the fight in Abuja, it really helped us as we staked our political career to ensure the passage of law abrogating the onshore/offshore dichotomy into law. It was good for us to know that we had a fearless governor back home who was watching our back.

    “I will like to join others in celebrating a man of immense character, a dogged fighter foe the rights of his people. A man of vision and action and yet with an artistic temperament. He is not just a politician, but a professional who is highly regarded as by his colleagues.”

    Responding to the accolades poured on him, the former governor said “Listening to All the things that have been said, I ask myself, did I actually say all those things? Where did I get the courage to say all those things? But I want to assure you that the fight was not just for a better Niger Delta, but I believed firmly that it will translate into a better Nigeria.

    “So, the fight always and the purpose was for a better Nigeria. But because we spoke specifically about a particular fight which is the onshore/off shore, when we were being threatened, somebody said in pidgin English your governor no dey know how to end? Senator Ibok Essien said, the axe does not rest until the tree has fallen.

    “Those are the types of battles we had to fight for some of the things that are happening today to happen. But as I have said, in all honesty, I believed that our founding fathers who agreed on a federal system for this country, a system whereby the region’s had and control whatever they had and contributed to the running of the country at the Centre remain the best and will continue to be the best for Nigeria. I believe strongly that any struggle towards achieving that is worth fighting for.“

    He said further: “I tell people, I enjoyed being governor and sometimes they wonder I say that. It is  because of this kind of comradeship.it is just fantastic working together with people with whom you can argue, reason and at the come to a solution”.

    With fond reminiscences of what happened then during his election as chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Attah said his emergence came as a coup and that his colleagues referred to him as “headmaster”.

    Those who attended the event which also heralded the public presentation of his book, “it is well with my soul” include former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of a Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka, Managing Director of NDDC, Nsima Ekere, former Senate Leader, Ndoma Egba, Gov. Udom Emmanuel and his deputy, former EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri, Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, former Governors Achike Udenwa and Bukar Abba Ibrahim among others cutting across all political parties.

     

  • Tinubu and how it all began

    Tinubu and how it all began

    The Southern Governors’ Forum is building on the foundation laid by their distant predecessors. Twelve years ago, they were bubbling with patriotic passion and drive for development. They were hosted by the former governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Then, critical issues germane to the sustenance of nationhood were on the front burner during the inaugural meeting. The issues are not different from the ones the 17 chief executives are frantically seeking solution in their time. What is striking is not what has changed in Nigeria, but what has remained the same.

    True federalism, fiscal federalism and devolution of powers were the ideas espoused by Tinubu, right from his first term in office. The former governor of Lagos has not changed his gear. The fundamental question he raised brought him into collision with the federal might. Then, the hand of the Federal Government was heavy on the Centre of Excellence, leading to the seizure of its allocation for 14 months.

    Tinubu’s colleagues who were vociferous in the crusade for the enthronement of a true federal principle included Aremo Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State and Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom, who could be described as the hero of modern resource control struggle. Their ideas, positions and dispositions will reverberate at the brainstorming session.

    Tinubu has sustained the debate, although he left office 10 years ago. His message is clear: unity in diversity is possible when there is a sense of belonging. Indisputably, the spirit behind the formation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its ability to sustain public affection during the 2015 electioneering, had their root in the robust articulation and convincing argument that the restoration of true federalism will foster equity, fairness and justice in the plural society.

    Tinubu’s recent exposition on the value of federalism has a wider appeal beyond the ‘Forum 17.’ It is a blueprint that has set the tone for debate on the repositioning of the heterogeneous society through a sort of re-designing, reconfiguration, revitalisation, review and re-invention of its federal essence.

    Early in the life of this dispensation, the late eminent politician, Chief Bola Ige, urged Southern leaders to cooperate and survive or sink together.

     

  • Peace, unity germane to Nigeria’s progress – Osinbajo

    Peace, unity germane to Nigeria’s progress – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has advised Nigerians against breaking the bond of unity and peace existing in the country.

    Osinbajo gave the advice in Uyo on Saturday at a grand ceremony organised by the Akwa Ibom government to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of the state.

    The vice president, who is on a two-day working visit to the state, urged the people to resist attempts by any group trying to push them to destroy the existing peace in the country.

    “Peace is the foundation of enduring prosperity and for peace to reign everywhere in Nigeria, all of us as Nigerians must make necessary sacrifices.

    “We are in a situation where we must take seriously the admonition to love one another.

    “Whatever complaints we may have must not be an excuse to subvert the social order,” Osinbajo said.

    He assured Nigerians that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is ever ready to listen to all genuine complaints from any group.

    “The Buhari government is prepared to engage and listen patiently to all sections of the country.

    “But you as individuals also have a major role to play.

    “Citizens everywhere should not sit idle when misguided elements choose to recklessly destroy the common bond of brotherhood and friendship that has put us together for decades,” Osinbajo said.

    The vice president, who was the special guest of honour at the event, praised Gov. Udom Emmanuel for his visionary leadership in the state.

    He descibed Akwa Ibom as a state with great history, which creation 30 years ago started with the agitation by Ibibio State Union for the creation of COR state.

    He stated that Akwa Ibom is one of the fastest growing states in the country.

    He assured that the Federal Government would support the state to develop the Ibaka seaport.

    “Provisions have been made in the current budget of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) for the development of the Ibaka  Deep Seaport,” he said.

    Earlier, Gov. Emmanuel had expressed appreciation to former military President Ibrahim Babangida for creating Akwa Ibom State on Sept. 23, 1987.

    Emmanuel also acknowledged the efforts made by the former governors of the state made to lay a solid foundation laid for its growth.

    “The bush paths had become highways, our villages had turned into metropolis, I am here to consolidate on the achievements of all the past leaders,” Emmanuel said.

    He said that the creation of the state was  a divine plan.

    Emmanuel, therefore, urged the people of Akwa Ibom to unite for the development of the state irrespective of  their ethnic and political differences.

    Speaking on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, the Ekiti Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, congratulated the Akwa Ibom people for the unity among them.

    He also congratulated Gov. Emmanuel for the laudable projects he initiated toward the economic development of the state.

    Fayose said that the governor deserved a second term.

    In his speech on behalf of National Assembly members from Akwa Ibom, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said that the strength of Nigeria depended on its large population.

    “We in the National Assembly will not support division, we stand for one Nigeria. We will not support disintegration,” Akpabio said.

    Akpabio, who is the immediate past governor of the state, said that the Akwa Ibom people were praying that the will of God to be done in Nigeria.

    He commended Gov. Emmanuel for laying foundation for the industrialisation of the state.

    Speaking on behalf of former governors of Akwa Ibom, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), noted that a lot of positive things had happened in Akwa Ibom since its creation.

    Nkanga, who was the third military administrator and first indigenous governor, called on the Federal Government to restructure Nigeria based on true federalism.

    He lauded Gov. Emmanuel for putting in place structures aimed at speeding up industrialisation of the state.

    Many dignitaries including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the former governor of Akwa Ibom, Obong Victor Attah were at the event.

  • Attah: We don’t want imposition in Akwa Ibom

    Attah: We don’t want imposition in Akwa Ibom

    A critic, Iboro Otongaran, reflects on the historical responsibilities on the shoulders of the Ibibio leader, Obong Victor Attah, who is leading the campaign for a level-playing field for governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State, ahead of the primaries. 

    The events of September 5, 2014, at Asan Ibibio, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, was very symbolic. On that date, about two million persons, who constitute the cradle of Ibibio civilisation, gathered to honour one man and proclaim him their leader.

    The beneficiary was Obong Victor Attah, governor of Akwa Ibom State from 1999 to 2007. The reception, according to the organizers — Ibibio elders and leaders — was meant to achieve a dual purpose: welcome Attah back from the National Conference where he served as co-chair of the committee on Devolution of Power and to honour him for his work during his time as governor of the state.

    Styled a grand reception, the event lived up to its billing. It was grand in every sense of the word. The attendance turned out to be the political equivalent of a sell-out pop concert. Around two million people packed into the arena called Asan Ibibio. The venue was filled to the brim. Those who could not find space at the arena moved to the adjoining roads and vacant spaces nearby.

    It was an occasion dripping with symbolism. For instance, it was a day made soggy by heavy downpour. Yet, the rain could not stop the party. Not even the traffic snarl that stretched in all directions for about 10 kilometres could hold the people back nor dampen their enthusiasm to witness the occasion. A rival rally in another part of town, apparently staged to counter the Attah reception, did nothing to stem the flow of human and vehicular traffic in the direction of the reception hall at Asan Ibibio.

    Every aspect of the reception was laden with meaning. The proclamation of Attah as the overall Ibibio leader appears to have gone down well with his people, given the mass, enthusiastic turnout at the reception. The only comparable event in the state that could perhaps be compared with it was the inaugural flight into Ibom International Airport in September 2009. If it were an electoral contest, the level of support displayed for the former governor would have been described as an ‘overwhelming mandate.’

    If the people have given Attah such pan-Ibibio authority to lead, it does not require any leap in imagination to conclude that he will enjoy mass and loyal followership. A leader is as strong as the dedication and loyalty of the followership that gives his leadership the needed traction.

    The event at Asan Ibibio, which symbolised overall endorsement, a sweeping approval of Attah as the paramount Ibibio leader means that henceforth Ibibio will speak with one voice and act in one accord on state and national issues. The political explication of such prognosis is huge: it means the advent of a material force that is unstoppable.

    As a denouement to the reception, Attah made a great speech. At once a reflection on the past and a compass to the future, the Asan Ibibio declaration by the newly crowned paramount Ibibio leader, Ubokudom Ibibio, may yet prove the turning point in the politics and development of Akwa Ibom State. The nugget of the speech was a call for a level-playing field for all aspirants in the processes leading to the selection of a successor to Governor Godswill Akpabio and a repudiation of zoning.

    But, trust Attah, an intellectual in politics with predilection for scholarship, he sought to earth his view on the matter within the context of the political currents and sentiments in the state by saying though zoning would be a major sentiment with some people in the choice of the PDP flag bearer for the gubernatorial election next year, there were other more compelling considerations that could not be wished away because of zoning.

    For him, one of those considerations was “the crying need to take back the state and return it to the people to be developed and used for the benefit of all.”  He laced on the icing by adding that the coming succession would be a collective decision of the people, and not an imposition by one man. It was a resoundingly clear message.

    Every effort by a few naysayers to distort what Attah said, which was actually a regal seal on the chorus of the majority of Akwa Ibom people, is an expression of the innate human instinct to discredit and reject information that is inconsistent with one’s wish. There is explanation for it in cognitive dissonance theory: those discomforted by discordant information slip into denial to be able to sleep well at night.

    On the whole, the event at Asan Ibibio two weekends ago points to a new dawn in organisation, a fresh threshold in political sophistication and acuity.

    It may well be the game changer in the race ahead.

  • Attah: We don’t want imposition in Akwa Ibom

    Attah: We don’t want imposition in Akwa Ibom

    A critic, Iboro Otongaran, reflects on the historical responsibilities on the shoulders of the Ibibio leader, Obong Victor Attah, who is leading the campaign for a level-playing field for governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State, ahead of the primaries. 

    T he events of September 5, 2014, at Asan Ibibio, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, was very symbolic. On that date, about two million persons, who constitute the cradle of Ibibio civilisation, gathered to honour one man and proclaim him their leader.

    The beneficiary was Obong Victor Attah, governor of Akwa Ibom State from 1999 to 2007. The reception, according to the organizers — Ibibio elders and leaders — was meant to achieve a dual purpose: welcome Attah back from the National Conference where he served as co-chair of the committee on Devolution of Power and to honour him for his work during his time as governor of the state.

    Styled a grand reception, the event lived up to its billing. It was grand in every sense of the word. The attendance turned out to be the political equivalent of a sell-out pop concert. Around two million people packed into the arena called Asan Ibibio. The venue was filled to the brim. Those who could not find space at the arena moved to the adjoining roads and vacant spaces nearby.

    It was an occasion dripping with symbolism. For instance, it was a day made soggy by heavy downpour. Yet, the rain could not stop the party. Not even the traffic snarl that stretched in all directions for about 10 kilometres could hold the people back nor dampen their enthusiasm to witness the occasion. A rival rally in another part of town, apparently staged to counter the Attah reception, did nothing to stem the flow of human and vehicular traffic in the direction of the reception hall at Asan Ibibio.

    Every aspect of the reception was laden with meaning. The proclamation of Attah as the overall Ibibio leader appears to have gone down well with his people, given the mass, enthusiastic turnout at the reception. The only comparable event in the state that could perhaps be compared with it was the inaugural flight into Ibom International Airport in September 2009. If it were an electoral contest, the level of support displayed for the former governor would have been described as an ‘overwhelming mandate.’

    If the people have given Attah such pan-Ibibio authority to lead, it does not require any leap in imagination to conclude that he will enjoy mass and loyal followership. A leader is as strong as the dedication and loyalty of the followership that gives his leadership the needed traction.

    The event at Asan Ibibio, which symbolised overall endorsement, a sweeping approval of Attah as the paramount Ibibio leader means that henceforth Ibibio will speak with one voice and act in one accord on state and national issues. The political explication of such prognosis is huge: it means the advent of a material force that is unstoppable.

    As a denouement to the reception, Attah made a great speech. At once a reflection on the past and a compass to the future, the Asan Ibibio declaration by the newly crowned paramount Ibibio leader, Ubokudom Ibibio, may yet prove the turning point in the politics and development of Akwa Ibom State. The nugget of the speech was a call for a level-playing field for all aspirants in the processes leading to the selection of a successor to Governor Godswill Akpabio and a repudiation of zoning.

    But, trust Attah, an intellectual in politics with predilection for scholarship, he sought to earth his view on the matter within the context of the political currents and sentiments in the state by saying though zoning would be a major sentiment with some people in the choice of the PDP flag bearer for the gubernatorial election next year, there were other more compelling considerations that could not be wished away because of zoning.

    For him, one of those considerations was “the crying need to take back the state and return it to the people to be developed and used for the benefit of all.”  He laced on the icing by adding that the coming succession would be a collective decision of the people, and not an imposition by one man. It was a resoundingly clear message.

    Every effort by a few naysayers to distort what Attah said, which was actually a regal seal on the chorus of the majority of Akwa Ibom people, is an expression of the innate human instinct to discredit and reject information that is inconsistent with one’s wish. There is explanation for it in cognitive dissonance theory: those discomforted by discordant information slip into denial to be able to sleep well at night.

    On the whole, the event at Asan Ibibio two weekends ago points to a new dawn in organisation, a fresh threshold in political sophistication and acuity.

    It may well be the game changer in the race ahead.

  • IYC rejects 13 per cent derivation

    IYC rejects 13 per cent derivation

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has rejected the report of the Power Devolution Committee of the National Conference, which retained the 13 per cent derivation fund for oil producing states.

    IYC, in a statement by its spokesman, Eric Omare, in Warri yesterday, expressed disappointment in the committee members, especially its chairman, former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah, for betraying the common position of the people on resource control.

    The statement reads: “Obong Victor Attah and other Southsouth delegates who served on the Committee on Devolution of Power and agreed to retain 13 per cent derivation did so on their own and not on behalf of Niger Deltans.

    “Niger Delta people have a common position on the issue of resource control which cannot be changed unilaterally by Obong Attah and his co-travellers.

    “The Niger Delta people would sanction delegates who are betraying the position of the region on resource control and derivation in the  National Confab.”

     

  • Ijaw youths condemn retention of derivation formula

     

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has rejected the report of the Power Devolution Committee of the National Conference, which retained the 13 per cent derivation fund for oil producing states.

    IYC, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Eric Omare, in Warri on Monday, also expressed disappointment in representatives of the Niger Delta in the committee, especially its chairman, former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, for betraying the common position of the people of the oil-rich region on resource control.

    The congress, however, noted that a meeting of the people of Niger Delta would soon hold to take appropriate steps on how to penalise representatives of the region at the ongoing conference who had so far taken positions contrary to the collective position of Niger Delta people on resource control.

    IYC said it regarded the excuse of national interest and threat of secession as feeble and unjust to the fate of the people of the oil-region, whom it said had borne the destructive after effects of oil and gas prospection and exploitation activities over the years.

    “That Niger Deltans read the said interview with disappointment and regard it as a complete betrayer of trust. Obong Victor Attah and other South-South Delegates who served in the Committee on devolution of power and agreed to retain the 13 per cent  derivation did so on their own and not on behalf of the Niger Deltans.

    “The Niger Delta people have a common position on the issue of resource control which cannot be changed unilaterally by Obong Attah and its co-travellers. It is disappointing that Obong Attah, a former advocate of resource control could justify retaining 13 per cent derivation considering the fact that the 2005 Obasanjo’s political Reform Conference had recommended an increase in derivation about nine years ago.

    “The IYC regards the national interest and threat to secession, which Obong Attah cited as their justifications for retaining 13 per cent as feeble and unjustifiable. The legitimate demand of the Niger Delta people to control their resources in line with tenets of federalism cannot in any way amount to threat to national interest. In any case, the Niger Delta region has sacrificed enough by bearing the hazards of laying the golden egg that sustains Nigeria, “the group said.

  • National Conference and furore over devolution of power

    The debate on the devolution of power has polarised delegates to the National Conference. Yet, the resolution of the national question is critical to peaceful co-existence and stability. EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

    The Committee on the Devolution of Power could not reach an agreement on the twin issues of derivation principle and resource control at the National Conference in Abuja last week.

    The Committee, which sat in a closed session for four hours during the morning session, resumed deliberations after lunch break and sat for another three hours listening to opinions of each of the members.

    It was the second day the twin issues were considered by the Committee co-chaired by former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, and the former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie.

    Also mentioned in the course of the debate was the demand by delegates from the North for the reintroduction of the on-shore/off-shore oil dichotomy, which implies that oil produced within certain nautical miles off the seashore should not enjoy derivation principle.

    The position was opposed by delegates from the south, particularly those from Akwa Ibom State, whose oil production is principally off-shore, although with sufficient share of environmental degradation.

    They said that, based on the position of the Federal Government in 2003, which led to the passage of a bill by the National Assembly for the abolition of the on-shore/off-shore oil dichotomy; the matter could not be re-opened.

    In his contribution to the debate on derivation principle, Professor Nsongurua Udombana noted that the 1960 Constitution in Section 134(2); and  1963 in Section 140(1) had provided that 50 per cent  royalty be paid to regions in respect of any minerals extracted from the region.

    He urged the Committee to amend Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for a minimum of 13 per cent derivation revenue to states in respect of natural resources extracted from those states to be amended to reflect 50 per cent.

    Attah told reporters  after the sitting that deliberation on the issues would continue this week.

    However, the Committee on National Security has recommended the scrapping of the Ministry of Police Affairs, which it said should be replaced with the creation of the Ministry of Homeland Security.

    The new ministry, if created, would coordinate the activities of the National Guard, Nigerian Police Force, Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigerian Prisons Service.

    But, following in the footsteps of the Committee on Devolution of Power, it said in its recommendations that the  centralised police structure should remain, although it should be reformed to make it more effective and representative of the federal character.

    Also, the Police Council would remain the body responsible for force policy, finances, organisation and standards.

    It would also play a far greater role in shaping the aims and objectives of the service and would be responsible for the appointment of the Inspector- General of Police on the advice of the Police Service Commission.

    In the same vein, the Police Service Commission would continue to be responsible for appointment, promotion and discipline of all officers below the IGP, except the operational control of the Force, which is vested in the IGP.

    The commission is expected to be independent  to guard against nepotism in recruitment, discipline and promotion and the dominance of the service by any single or few ethnic groups.

    The committee has also recommended the creation of Nigerian National Guard Corps to handle internal conflicts and border control. A Rapid Response Force is expected to be established within the corp to deal with emergencies.

    A VIP Protection Department and the  Security and Intelligence Services Inspectorate and Disciplinary Service Commission are also expected to be created in the new ministry.

    The Committee on Public Finance and Economy played host to officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, led by the Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Alhaji Suleman Barau, who spoke on the challenges of public finance and revenue generation in the country.

    Barau commended the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for increased revenue generation to N4.7 trillion, which he said was the size of the nation’s budget.

    He suggested the setting up of a Fiscal Responsibility Commission at  the state and local government levels.

    According to him, the CBN was interested in increasing the amount of money in the Excess Crude Account, so that the country could save for the rainy day. He said the committee should recommend a constitutional framework to manage the excess crude account.

    He said the CBN has ensured financial stability and that the inflation rate is now single digit, but stressed that the high unemployment level in the country was a big drawback to the economy.

    Committee members raised two vital concerns for the CBN team. The first was the high interest rate that is stifling businesses in the country and what becomes of the billions of naira spent to rescue ailing banks.

    The deputy governor said the bank was more concerned with lowering the inflation rate and ensuring stability of the exchange rate. He said the high interest rate was the result of the high cost of doing business in the country, especially power and security.

    On the desirability of the Sovereign Wealth Fund when the people are living in poverty, the Deputy Governor insisted that despite the challenges of development besetting the nation, the country still needs to save for the future.

    He said CBN made about N270 billion into the federal government coffers in the last four years. He however, insisted that the bank was not a revenue generating bank.

    Barau suggested that the executive should be given a time frame to submit the budget to the legislature.

    He said the legislature to rather reduce budget and not to increase it to incur more debt other suggestion are: “State Assemblies should have the responsibility for establishing sharing formula for allocation from state’s joints accounts.

    He also said that  Fiscal Responsibility Act should be entrenched in the Constitution to cover all tiers of government.

    Property tax should remain a local tax, but the administration should fall on the state government, he added.

     

    The Minister of Finance represented by the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) also appeared before the committee.

    The committee took him up on how well the revenue of the nation has been managed. On waivers and concession, the committee sought to know how the ministry was regulating waivers as well as regulations put in place to monitor the use of intervention grants.

    On the non-implementation of budget, a member also wanted to know what constituted externally-generated revenue and the chairman admitted that the ministry has issues with waivers.

    He however, said that he could not speak on the issues raised and suggested that the relevant government officials would be in a better position to do so.