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Tag: Oshiomhole

  • Buhari’s backing of Oshiomhole democratic, says Ganduje

    Kano State Governor Abdulahi Ganduje said yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is democratic.

    The President concurred with APC governors at a meeting on Tuesday night on their proposal to support Oshiomhole for chairman at the May 14 national convention.

    Reacting to a statement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Buhari was trying to impose Oshiomhole, Ganduje told reporters after a meeting of some governors with the members of the National Working Committee (NWC), that “there is no imposition at all”. “Everybody is free to contest just as everybody is free to hold an opinion on who should lead the party. I don’t think that there is any case of imposition because it is not a guideline and not part of the constitution.

    “Just like every other person, Mr President has the right to air his opinion, but that does not mean he should stop any person who will like to contest from contesting. Mr President’s opinion is not constitutional and it is not a non-constitutional opinion as well.

    “He just voiced out his thought which will serve as a guideline to some… The issue of being undemocratic does not even arise. There is what we call guided democracy and we regard what Mr President said as such. If that is what will make the party stable and avoid the fallout after the election like we saw in the PDP, it will be better for us.”

    On the outcome of the meeting, the governor said besides the timetable for convention and congresses, the meeting agreed that zoning will be maintained for party officers, “but the only clause is that they should go and discuss with those governors in charge of the zones where the officers should come from.

    “For example, the chairman of the party will have to come from the Southsouth, the secretary from the Northeast and all other positions like that. We have resolved all issues amicably. The NWC will have to get back to us in a week’s time.”

    There were no opening remarks. The meeting, which was presided over by Natinal Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun,  started at about 2.30 pm.

    Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Umar Gabduje (Kano), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Sani Bello (Niger), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) were at the meeting. Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed  (Kwara) and Aminu Masari (Katsina) were represented by their deputies.

    Party spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi said the announced dates for congresses and convention may not be sacrosanct.

    He said there might be an adjustment in view of observations made by some of the governors that the timetable was too tight and made no room for errors.

    He said the President merely expressed his opinion to about four or five governors who went to seek his opinion on his choice of candidate for chairman, pointing out that if those governors the President confided in decided to make it public, the President should not be held responsible for that.

    Abdullahi said: “What we were told at the meeting was that the President had a meeting with some governors and they asked to know who he wanted to support and I think that he told them his preference. But that has nothing to do with the meeting we had today.”

    On whether the NWC will stand with the President, he said: “I don’t think that is a fair question to ask me because you will be asking me for my personal opinion and I am not here to give you my personal opinion. What I can tell you is that Chief Oyegun will make his position known within the next couple of days, whether he is going to contest the chairmanship or not.

    “The President is a party member and has the right to have his preferences and I don’t get the feeling that he told anyone this is the person you must support. He met with some of the governors who went to ask him and they were actually four governors. I don’t think that the governors that met him yesterday to say he told them this were up to five or six.

    “So, maybe they probably asked him and because of the relationship he has with them, he told them what his preferences are and they felt that it was important for them to make this available to the public. I don’t get the feeling that President Buhari called the governors and told them that this is the way you must go.

    “Don’t forget that it was this same office that we came to the NEC meeting on the 27th of March and the President said NEC had taken this decision regarding the tenure of party executives across the country and that he has been advised that the position was not consistent with the position of the law and asked the party to take a second look at it. He did not say he has taken a position, so there should be no more conversation.

    “The opportunity he gave the party has made us better because that is how we arrived at the position we are discussing now. The consultation he had with these governors was a private conversation. He did not address a press conference to say this is the person I want.

    “So, if those individuals he confided in felt it was necessary for them to make the position public, I don’t think it is fair for us to hold the President responsible for this. I don’t think he has foreclosed anything or that he has said this is the way everyone must go.”

    The APC spokesman, who insisted that those to contest party positions was not discussed with the governors said in view of observations made by some of the governors on the timetable prepared by the party for congresses and the national convention, there was the possibility of a review of the dates.

    He said in fixing the timetable for congresses and the National convention, the party was conscious of the forthcoming ramadan fast and did not want any political activity to take place within the month

    He said: “The meeting was called to emphasise to the state governors the need to ensure that congresses were held in a very transparent manner and that they are free and fair. We are aware that some governors have been making statements which we believe are giving the impression that we don’t intend to hold congresses in particular states.

    “So, the meeting was to emphasis to go the governors that we want congresses in a very transparent manner and ensure that the processes are free and fair. One of the major concern of the party at the beginning was that we should do everything possible to avoid rancor that could be generated as a result of the congresses. It was agreed that one of the major ways of avoiding that rancour is to ensure that the congresses are transparent to the majority of the people.

    “As you know, the governors are interested in the committees that will come to their states to conduct the congresses and we made it clear to them that this is a constitutional matter and the constitution of the APC impose the composition of the committees on the NWC only and that by Friday this week, the list of the congress committee members will be ready.

    “There was also observation on the side of the governors about the timetable for the congresses and convention and the observation was that the timetable was too closely packed and that it does not leave much room for errors. The observation was that the timetable as currently constituted was determined because of the Ramadan and we want to be sensitive to the feelings of Muslims who will be fasting during Ramadan and we wanted to, as much as possible avoid conducting any political activity during the period of Ramadan.

    “There were other observations and so, there is the possibility that the timetable may be reviewed. That is not decided yet, but it was agreed that the NWC will take a second look of the timetable and see the possibility for adjustment because there are other issues.

    “If you review the timetable, there is the possibility that all the items on the timetable will be affected. But that is not a decision that has been taken. The only decision that has been taken is that the NWC should take another look at the timetable. It may come back to recommend that the timetable be retained as it is or that the dates be shifted. We don’t think that anyone is making calls for the amendment of the timetable for ulterior motives other than the logistics of it.”

  • ‘Why Oshiomhole should replace Oyegun’

    Ntufam Hilliard Eta is the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (Southsouth). In this interview, he speaks with reporters in Benin City, capital of Edo State, on the endorsement of former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for national chairman and other partisan issues. Otabor Osagie was there.

    What informed your decision to hold the Southsouth meeting in Edo State?

    Let me start by saying that on April 9, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party met in Abuja and considered the report of the Technical Committee that was set up to look at what people considered as tenure elongation and the attendant implications for the party. The NEC at the end of that meeting made five resolutions. It is consequent upon those resolutions that the meeting of the zonal executive committee was convened and we were to deliberate on those resolutions. In the zonal executive committee, we have about 168 people as members of the zonal executive committee and the committee speaks on behalf of the zone. All members were invited to the meeting in Benin and I must also say that these meetings are always rotated in the states, except for Bayelsa that we have not had these meetings. The agenda of the meeting was circulated to the leaders and they were called to make comments or representations on the agenda.

    What happened?

    The attention of the meeting was drawn to the constitution of the party, which forbids any organ of the party tampering with any position of the NEC. To that effect, the zonal leadership affirmed the decision of the NEC and commenced deliberations. The second item of the resolution was the zonal pattern of the party be retained and it was put into deliberations and over twenty people spoke on the issue of respecting the position of the NEC and maintaining even the micro zoning of the zone. The interpretation of the zonal executive committee is that the zoning must be retained from even the ward level to the national level. It was at that point, that I personally suffered a loss because my leader and former governor of my state, Chief Clement Ebri, was at that junction precluded due to the NEC resolutions on the platform of the zoning. The resolution of NEC was to maintain zoning. It has historical comparism because in 2014, before the National Convention of the party, under the auspices of the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, such a meeting was convened in his house. At that meeting, since the slot was ceded to Edo, the chairman of Edo State APC was called to come and present the position of Edo State. The chairman of the Edo APC presented the position of Edo, which endorsed Chief Oyegun as their choice. We followed the tune of Edo and endorsed Oyegun as our candidate. The same thing was done where we invited everybody for the meeting and we called on the state chairman of Edo to give us the position of Edo State. The chairman came to us that the Edo State APC caucus unanimously endorsed Oshiomhole as their choice for chairmanship of the party. At that point, people started speaking. People did not raise issues that the chairmanship should be moved from Edo, but they raised issues that we cannot consider the position of Edo caucus in 2018, whereas in 2014, we considered such position in the presence of Amaechi.

    But, they said four state chairmen kicked against the decision…

    I read on the pages of newspapers that four chairmen disassociated themselves. I know that Cross River State does not have a chairman as we speak,. So, it could not have been four chairmen. Let me say that the chairmen are members of the zonal executive committee just like the other 164 people. We are not holding a state executive meeting, we were holding a zonal committee meeting and in the zonal executive committee we have over  168 people including senators, governors, deputy governors, former senators, former House of Representatives members. So the chairmen who stormed out of the meeting were not speaking for their states. Let me tell you something, Senator Nelson Effiong was seated and participated in the voting when his chairman stormed out and said he disassociated himself. He could not have been speaking for Senator Effiong, he could not have been speaking for Hon. Robinson or Hon. Esieme Eyibo. When the chairman of Rivers State stormed out of the house, he could not have been speaking for Senator Magnus Abbe, because Abe after voting sat until the end of the meeting.

    Why the decision to pick Oshiomhole?

    Let me tell you, eveybody who has been monitoring the situation in Nigeria and our party understand what it means to have Oshiomhole as the chairman of APC. We are not stopping Oyegun from contesting and Chief Ebri. But, what we are saying is that the majority prefers Oshiomhole as our candidate. If you ask me my opinion, I am the national vice chairman for close to four years now and what I can say now is that this party, the APC needs rebranding, reinvigoration; we need new creativity, we need to build strong leadership. I can tell you that we have been lacking very seriously, leadership at the national level of our party. And in bringing in Oshiomhole on board, I can tell you that the party will have a new lease of life. The impunity that has crept in the APC will be halted and the laws of the party will be respected. For now, God forbid that Jesus Christ will come to the headquarters of the APC, he will not flog us with cane, he will flog us with thorns.

  • Buhari backs Oshiomhole for APC national chairman

    24 governors support President’s second term bid, says Okorocha

    Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole looks set to become the next national chairman of the the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the majority of the governors elected on the platform of the ruling party backing him.

    At a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa last night, the governors, led by Progressives Governors Forum Chairman Rochas Okorocha, proposed to the President their interest in the former labour leader.

    Sources at the meeting said the President did not object to the request.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari also attended the meeting.

    Seventeen governors attended. Two were represented by their deputies.

    Seven governors: Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), were absent.

    The issue and the endorsement of the President for second term by the governors were the only isues discussed at the meeting held at the First Lady’s Conferemce Room, sources said.

    The party’s national convention to pick members of the National Working Committee (NWC) will hold in Abuja on May 14.

    After the meeting, Okorcha said all the 24 APC governors were backing President Buhari’s second term bid.

    The President at the last APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, declared his intention to seek another term.

    Okorocha said governors communicated their support for the President’s reelection.

    He said: “We came to welcome him back and to commend him for his boldness and courage to declare his intention to run for second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which we the 24 governors of the APC duly support.

    ”And we have come to encourage him that he must go ahead with his vision,” he added.

    According to him, the meeting also addressed the coming convention and congresses to make it hitch-free.

    ”We also agreed that we will not allow the issue of many contestants to destroy our party.” he said.

    Asked if Oshiomhole’s endorsement came up, Okorocha said the public would be “duly briefed in due course”.

     

  • Stop fighting Oshiomhole, youths tell Amaechi

    •Delta APC ‘won’t accept’ ex-governor as party chair
    •Oshiomhole not alternative to Oyegun, says Airhiavbere

    SOME All Progressives Congress (APC) youths in Southsouth have urged the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, to stop fighting ex-Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole over position of the party’s national chairman.

    They told Ameachi to concentrate on defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in River State.

    A statement in Benin yesterday by Ebie Paul (Bayelsa); Chidom Ogor (Rivers); Tony Adun (Edo); Edesiri Ojugo (Delta); Victor Eket (Cross River) and Igbiri Cosmas (Akwa Ibom), backed the Zonal Executive Committee in adopting Oshiomhole as the zone’s candidate.

    The statement reads: “Oshiomhole fought doggedly for the APC in the South South, and because of him, APC was able to hold on to Edo State. But Amaechi failed to win Rivers State for APC.

    “Each time there is an election, he decides not to participate and PDP will win, so how can such a man want to dictate who becomes what in APC in the Southsouth?

    “Rather than strategising how to defeat Wike, Amaechi has been holding meetings to stop Oshiomhole from becoming APC’s National Chairman. Oshiomhole comes to Benin and walks freely because he is loved by his people, but Amaechi cannot walk the streets of Port Harcourt freely unless with soldiers; this is the sign that he is not home with his people.

    “We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to open his eyes very well because people like Amaechi lack what it takes to deliver the South South for him. Oshiomhole has done it in Edo State, and we know that APC will pick more states in the South South if he becomes the chairman.”

    APC in Delta State has rejected moves to back Oshiomhole as national chairman.

    Oshiomhole was endorsed by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki; Zonal Vice Chairman Hilliard Eta; and four of six zonal chairmen, at the Government House yesterday.

    A statement by the state’s Deputy Chairman, Chief Cyril Ogodo, described the adoption as “desperate and despicable”.

    Leader of the party, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said party leaders and stakeholders did not deliberated on adopting Oshiomhole as candidate.

    According to him, incumbent chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is “a worthy son of our zone who has performed creditably, and who deserves to be given the first right of refusal”.

    The chairmen, who dissociated themselves from the adoption, include Chief Davies Ikanya (Rivers); Deacon Joseph Fafi (Bayelsa); Etim John (Cross River); Amadu Attai (Akwa Ibom), and the Deputy National Secretary Victor Giadom.

    A chieftain of the APC in Edo State, Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, has faulted the endorsement of Oshiomhole by the Southsouth caucus for the party’s national chairman.

    He said Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Airhiavbere, who spoke on the division in the Southsouth chapter over the choice of Odigie-Oyegun and Oshiomhole for the national chairman, said the latter remains the best candidate given how he has kept the party together.

    He maintained that being a former governor does not guarantee that Oshiomhole  would be a good party chairman because he has not been tested.

    According to Airhiavbere, what is playing out ahead of the party’s national convention is an awful way to reward Odigie-Oyegun after all he has done to stabilise the party. He called on stakeholders to support him for a second term so that he can consolidate on his achievements.

    His words: “The division in Southsouth is normal, and I believe a healthy competition means the APC is still very vibrant and a party to beat. But Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun. That is the truth and that is my stand.

    “If there is anything, I want my voice to be heard on this issue. Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun if the APC national chairman will come from Edo State. He is not an alternative because we know the contribution of everybody to the party. So, my take is let Odigie-Oyegun remain.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘No friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole’

    Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Edo State Hon Lucky James spoke with OSAGIE OTABOR on the alleged friction between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the preparations for next year’s elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other partisan issues.

    How prepared is the Edo State APC for next year’s general elections?

    Preparation for the election are in different stages because we started preparation right from the day we won the election. We knew what the people need. In Edo, you can see that we are preparing for the election because whatever the former governor Oshiomhole like a bulldozer did Obaseki is consolidating like a grader. The bulldozer will make more noise in pulling down structures but all the structures are now being made to work. We earlier concentrated on dual carriage ways but now we are doing interior roads and people are appreciating it. The projects are quietly done. That is preparation. At the national level, it was the same thing when Oshiomhole was planning here, people thought he was doing nothing. The federal government is looking at areas being neglected like agriculture. The president is putting things right.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo said it is waiting for the presidential election. The APC is aware of the default of the PDP and that is what they will avoid. Things like internal democracy and imposition would be avoided. Look at how quietly the local government election was done and you can see that the APC is avoiding all the pitfalls of the PDP. Though, all is not well in the APC, but marginally, we are moving on. Senator Owie said he is waiting to harvest APC members into the ADP because of Governor Obaseki style

    There will be nobody to harvest to other parties from the APC. APC in Edo is intact. If he is talking about taking care of party leaders, Obaseki got a job to do. He has a lot of infrastructure to smoothen out as the grader after Oshiomhole. The party, people will be taken care of because they will be part of the process. The governor is looking at areas, where he can empower the people. He has studied the process very well and I am sure in the next few months, you will see the actual results. I am aware it is not possible to satisfy everybody. Whether you give people the whole treasury in government house, they will still complain.

    The APC government has not resolve herdsmen attack. Will it not affect it success in 2019 election?

    Herdsmen killing is not a new thing. It has continue from previous administrations except that the scale has widened. Government should put in more measures to check the killings.

    There are complaints by the APC leaders that Obaseki is yet to release appointments into boards and committees.

    I was a local government chairman. It is better to explain to them than to appoint people and not be able to pay. If Obaseki put all the numerous boards in place, the same people will come and complain that the boards are not being serviced. Let the man take it pace by pace. This is not the issue of boards appointment, it is about being able to service them. You can see that more schools are built, roads are in place and the peaceful business environment in the state is on course. I am sure Obaseki has a plan for those who were previously in one service or the other. The business people will tell you the environment is now okay. Obaseki is here not to satisfy party members alone, but the state. We know we are in the party that is in power. Again, election day will show the  records if the PDP has harvest anybody.

    Is it true there is a friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole?

    That is a figment of their imagination. They are saying many things. At a time, they said I have fallen out with Oshiomhole. They had wished a friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole but, it is not there. Obaseki is a perfect follower. I am close to Oshiomhole and he has never complain. He told me he will leave governance to Obaseki and anywhere he needs him, he will give advice and move on. For the party, he will provide the leadership. People expected him to have an office in government house but, that he will not do. They expect that everything Obaseki is doing should be determined by Oshiomhole. If you call Oshiomhole for anything, he will not give answer but, insisted on hearing from the governor.

    How was it like working with Oshiomhole?

    Oshiomhole is a very nice person. He opens argument. He will listen and argue with you. He is not somebody who will take your advice as you say it. He will have to examine it. Once he found you fit and proper, he does not have problem with you. He is not a one man leader. He listen to various shades of opinion. Somebody almost abuse it. He was open to everybody. Where he makes mistakes, he will admit. Because of his background, he puts himself at the level of the downtrodden. He is from the smallest village in Etsako. He is not from a too rich family and always sympathic to people.

    Are you still interested in contesting elections?

    Anywhere the people wish me to go, I am not sure I will have any objection because it is the people you are going to serve. If they call me, I have to look at it, if there will be no clashes and the leadership agrees I will go for it. I have never on my own said I want this, it is the people that always yearn for me. From when I was a teacher to a council chairman. I am not the one that will push. It is the people that will say it is my turn. That is what inform my political decision. The right thing must be done. Some people know that it is not their turn but they will insist. When Oshiomhole was in power for eight years, I ensure I did not push beyond my bounds because Oshiomhole and I are from the same ward. What will I do that the governor will not be able to do? If there is any particularly calling and it agrees with the leadership that I should be there, I go for it.

     

  • Why Jonathan should be docked, by Oshiomhole

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan should be docked if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insisted that prosecution of suspected looters were selective, former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said.

    Oshiomhole noted that Jonathan should be docked for approving money beyond his powers and spending same in a way that was not accounted for.

    He spoke to reporters in Benin City at the weekend after attending the wedding ceremony of the daughter of the member representing Ikpoba Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, Ehiozuwa Agbonayima.

    The former governor faulted the calls by the PDP that the National Assembly should approve the $1b approved by the Federal Government to battling insurgency.

    He said the PDP spent well above that sum without going to the National Assembly.

    On the condemnation that trailed the release of looters’ list, Oshiomhole said names of looters should be made public as it was the right of Nigerians to know the level of rot that transpired.

    Oshiomhole urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be ruthless in going against those alleged to have looted the nation’s resources.

    He stated that hired writers were made to challenge him when he first raised alarm over the money that was looted from the treasury.

    He said: “I hear them say prosecution is selective. Maybe they are right because if they are not maybe President Jonathan should be in the dock. He approved money beyond his powers and spent it in a way that is not accounted for.

    “I think that if other Nigerians don’t understand the power of transparency, the right to know, the media should uphold that right and defend it. What was stolen was not from private purse; the house that was destroyed was not a private residence.  We are talking of resources, which if it is distributed on basis of equality and divide by 180 million people, you will be a lot richer.

    “I think my only complaint is that the Federal Government should go more ruthless because there are a lot of people who should be in court who are not there because when I was still in the office and I said the kind of money they stole was huge in dollars, they paid hired writers to say how do I know.

    “I know that we cannot be lamenting today without understanding that the treasury was burgled yesterday. It is like someone sneaked into your kitchen and took everything out and you woke up he tells you am sorry I stole the pot of soup, in fact, I broke the pot. Should we continue like that?”

    The former governor said: “I think the promise of democracy is that good or bad the people have the right to know and that is the starting point and particularly important when armed robbers of yesterday are trying to do face surgery so that he looks different. Some are jumping the boat to wear new face, to change identity, and to change their fingerprints so that they can come back.

    “I think the people have the right to know and if any of them think that what has being said is not true, they can go to court.

    “All of them, who are involved and those who they are looking for, they should put everything in public domain and that is the promise of democracy. Just by virtue of being in a winning party, they helped themselves so much. One of the acting chairmen of PDP, Ahmed Makarfi, I used to respect him so much, I heard him saying that the reason they did not indict Diezani was that the money missing and everything that was done Goodluck approved. If President approved that money, should it be stolen and not go into the federation account. Is that the reason the PDP-led Senate and a sub -committee led by Makarfi cannot say it is not the minister but President Jonathan?

     

  • Birthday: Buhari greets Oshiomhole, NACCIMA President

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) family in congratulating party stalwart and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on his 65th birthday.

    The President felicitated with the foremost labour leader, his family, friends and colleagues on the milestone, which has been lined with awards and recognitions for courageous and selfless service to humanity, the nation and his community as a former leader of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and a governor.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President extolled the vision, bravery and forthrightness of Oshiomhole in instituting long lasting changes in Edo State for eight years, particularly the investments in people by enhancing the health, educational and physical infrastructure standard of the state.

    As a unionist and labour leader, Buhari acknowledged the vocal and frontline roles Oshiomhole played in ensuring a return to democracy and the entrenchment of democratic principles in governance by continually challenging the norms and emphasising the rule of law, people-friendly policies, probity and accountability.

    He prayed that the almighty God will grant Oshiomhole longer life and good health to keep serving the nation he loves so much.

    The President also sent birthday greetings to the former National President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, Chief John Agboola Odeyemi, as he turns 79 today.

    Buhari prayed the almighty God to grant the highly respected investor more years of good health, wisdom and strength to continue serving the country.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Today’s suffering caused by PDP’s looting – Oshiomhole

    Today’s suffering caused by PDP’s looting – Oshiomhole

    Former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged enlightened members of the public and the media to always link Nigeria’s recent history to the present when discussing on current hardship in the country.

    Oshiomhole said it was laughable for people to blame the problems of unemployment, economic hardship and herdsmen on the All Progressive Congress (APC) when several editorials written by Nigeria’s newspapers in the past had always harped on such issues.

    The ex-governor said the current economic hardship in the country was the result of the PDP’s looting of funds meant for public welfare.

    Speaking to journalists at his Iyamho country home at the weekend, Oshiomhole said President Buhari cannot rebuild the country overnight.

    He said the daily confession of PDP members on how public funds were looted should tell us that “the armed robbers of yesterday cannot be our option.”

    He said: “All the newspapers editorials written from the days of the PDP were about all these issues you raised. They did not develop yesterday. What was meant for public welfare was stolen by the PDP.

    “These are being revealed everyday. I read them from the pages of the newspaper how much that were stolen by all kinds of ministers, directors and so on. If a house has been emptied like that, don’t you know there will be consequences.

    “Rebuilding Nigeria cannot be an overnight affair. Look at the numbers being thrown up everyday. There are confessions everyday. The enlightened members of the public which the media represent must be able to link the present with the recent past and understand this house cannot be rebuilt overnight. What no one can dispute is the fact that something is being done but the results cannot be a miracle. There are no miracles in a nation’s life, it has to be steady.”

     

  • Jega, Oshiomhole back labour participation in politics

    Jega, Oshiomhole back labour participation in politics

    Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole have advocated the active participation of organised labour in political activities to bring about changes.

    Speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), they said while activism, the power of negotiation and persuasion were important in the labour movement, it might not be able to achieve much for workers and Nigerians.

    Jega, who is a former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, said the labour movement’s “primary interest should not be only who presides over policy formulation and implementation, but also on how politics are conceptualised, how they are implemented and how beneficial they are for the Nigerian electorates, the voters generally and in particular, how they address the fundamental needs and aspirations of the working people of our country”.

    “The Labour movement needs to constantly pay attention to who is being elected and the process through which they are being elected and once elected, the process through which they conduct the business of governing and the outcomes as well as the impact on the citizens,” he said.

    Oshiomhole, who was chairman of the event, said no amount of placards carried by labour unions will change the perception of those in government, but will only force them to go back and restrategise on how to make the people poorer.

    He said: “Contrary to my earlier thinking when I was much younger that what the movement need was to perfect the act of persuasion and negotiation and where that doesn’t work, to militantly challenge private capital and even the state to ensure that we have a living wage and all those benefits, looking back I realised that what really determine the quality of life is not so much the amount of money that is transferred to you.

    “What really determine the overall quality of life of citizens is about all the other facilities available beyond the works of world. Your wages will not transform to a decent life if the health sector is hopeless, lecturers spend more time on strike than in the classroom and education privatised and the ladder for upward mobility is destroyed. I came to the conclusion that those who are in power will never govern according to your own values.

    “The position they take or the policy they make are not the results of errors of judgement. They are the conscious decisions taken in order to ensure that a particular class gets more. So, government and governance is a bias act, which decides, who earns what and get what.”

    “Placards can moderate and force them to go back and restrategise. But placards will not change their value system, rather, they will go back and strategy on how best to continue to dominate and use the instrument of state to enrich the rich.”

     

  • Obasanjo not among Buhari’s advisers – Oshiomhole

    Obasanjo not among Buhari’s advisers – Oshiomhole

    The former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday added his voice to those criticising former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Obasanjo, apart from faulting the Buhari’s administration, also advised him not to seek re-election in 2019.

    But speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari, Oshiomhole said Obasanjo is not one of Buhari’s advisers.

    He recalled that when Obasanjo was the President of the country he declared that he was at liberty to listen or not to listen to his advisers.

    Since Obasanjo is not one of Buhari’s advisers, Oshiomhole said the ex-President should allow the President to make his own decisions.

    The ex- governor said he was in the Villa to reassure Buhari of his absolute and total support for the government and even for 2019 elections.

    He said: “Well, you know is a new year and I felt since I haven’t been here since 2017, so I came to wish the President a happy new year and appreciate him for his leadership of the country. Because as an APC activist and loyalist, I’m a party man, to reassure him of my absolute and total support for his government and even for 2019.

    “I think that in moments like this nobody should seat on the fence. Our country has challenges and there are huge temptations here and there. Thus it is important that the President knows that he has men and women who even at this hour have huge confidence in his leadership ability.

    “Everything taken to account I believe that every Nigerian who wants us to sustain some of the renewed vigor used in dealing with one of the most challenging problems that Nigeria has faced, namely corruption and things like that, you cannot but appreciate the President and all that has been done under his leadership this past two years and some months.”

    Asked if he was saying Buhari should not heed Obasanjo’s advice and step aside, Oshiomhole added: “I’m not sure when I see the list of the advisers that President Obasanjo is one of them. But I also recall with respect that the day President Obasanjo was swearing in some of his advisers, he did say that anybody who is his adviser can advise him, he will make his own decisions. And I think that principle still stands.

    “Let’s trace the route of poverty, it is not something that developed over the past few weeks or few years. If you review all your newspapers editorials from my days as president of the NLC, the challenge has been how do we ensure that the Nigerian economy worked for the betterment of the majority of the people particularly the forgotten rural majority.

    “So this has been there but everybody who understands developmental issues and if you review Africa development literature, you will agree that one of the key issues that explains the paradox between a potentially very rich continent in the case of Nigeria a very rich nation, the paradox of a wealthy country but people getting poorer and poorer has to do with the issue of corruption. And if you do not deal with that you cannot deal with other things. I think this President rightly identifies that as major area of focus.

    “I think that people have to realize that the amount of damage done by the previous governments, you know when people say no blame game maybe yes, maybe no. But where I am come from, people say that is only a fool who will be working in the road, get into a pothole and fall and then get up and continue the journey, go to the hospital and treat himself.

    “But a wise man must interrogate how and why did I fall and maybe in the cause of doing that find that there is a pothole. The first and simple thing to do is to fill that pothole before you continue on your journey and then go ahead and treat yourself.

    “Nigeria was below ground level and from what you guys report that I read, we have always had challenges but never in terms of scale and magnitude. What President Buhari inherited is difficult to describe.”