The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • Youth leaders move to break second term jinx in Bayelsa

    Youth leaders from Bayelsa State met in Yenagoa, the state capital, have vowed to ensure that Governor Seriake Dickson break the second term jinx in the state.

    The leaders lamented that since the 1999 democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no governor has been able to rule the state for a second term.

    The youths said Dickson deserved a second term based on his performances and commitment to develop the state.

    They cited the Yenagoa flyover, airport project, the senatorial roads and scholarship to students as some of the achievements of the governor.

    “We are moving into the local government areas and all the wards to drum support for the governor. He needs to come back for more development”, they said.

    The leaders who organised themselves under the Bayelsa Youth Leaders’ Forum (BYLF) said they would resist external and internal influences working against the reelection of the government.

    The Chairman and the Secretary of the forum, Mr. Oborku Oforji and Mr. Okosikeme Ayibakuro respectively said they formed the group as a platform to sensitise people on the need to bring back the governor.

    Denying that the group was being funded by an aide to the governor, he described the pro-Dickson’s forum as a Non-Governmental Organisaion (NGO) formed after evaluating the performance of the governor.

    He gave a long list of ongoing and completed projects embarked upon by the governor and maintained that Dickson deserved to break the reelection jinx in the state.

    According to him Dickson’s achievements within two years have impacted positively on indigenes and non-indigenes resident in the state.

    He said the governor had shown commitment in the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan by mobilising people of other geopolitical zones to support the President.

    “The forum was attracted to the achievements of Governor Seriake Dickson whose restoration government is poised at delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

    “We must as a people appreciate these good things by supporting the governor not just to complete his tenure but ask that he continues a second term,” he said.

    It was observed that the reelection campaigns for Dickson had begun amidst fears that all was not well between the Governor and the President.

    Groups and forums were being formed and sponsored by Dickson’s  key aides to identify with him and drum support for his reelection.

    Though the governorship elections in the state comes up in 2016, Dickson’s camp believes that it is time to begin building a formidable political structure for the governor.

    The intention it was gathered was to saturate the political atmosphere with calls for Dickson’s reelection in order to frustrate some powerful elements within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calling for his removal.

    Apart from BYLF, chairmen of local government areas of Sagbama and Ekeremor had held rallies in their councils seeking support for Dickson’s second term.

    Also, ex-militant leaders under the aegis of the Leadership for Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI) took turns recently to call for the reelection of the governor.

    The early campaign, our correspondent gathered, came against the backdrop of speculations that the relationship between Dickson and Jonathan was no longer cordial.

    The speculation became rife following Jonathan’s resistance of entreaties by the governor to visit the state and inaugurate some of his projects.

    The governor has been proposing and postponing dates for Jonathan’s official visit.

    The working visit was initially scheduled for March, April and finally May but Jonathan refused to show up. It was observed that the President shunned Dickson and rather visited Governor Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom State.

    The development, some said, further deepened the cold war between the governor and the president.

    But Oforji said there was no problem between the governor and the President saying Dickson has continued to show unalloyed support for the President.

    “The governor is following the footsteps of President Jonathan who is transforming Nigeria,”he said.

  • ‘Ondo APC ready to accept LP, PDP members’

    ‘Ondo APC ready to accept LP, PDP members’

    THE Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) is ready to accept progressives from Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the planned defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    APC said as Mimiko prepares to join the PDP from LP, serving commissioners, House of Assembly and National Assembly members have opened talks with it.

    With the development, the party Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, said the “long time confusion” over the identity of true progressive politicians has now ended.

    The party chieftain, who spoke in Akure, the state capital, at a meeting with party leaders, described the move as a welcome development.

    He stressed that the party members should be ready to harvest politicians from LP and PDP.

    “Before now, there was confusion among the people as to who is a true progressive as LP usually laid claim to being a progressive political party,” Kekemeke said.

    The former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) said the future of APC, which was bleak as a result of the confusion between LP and APC, has brighten with the planned  move by Mimiko to the “conservative and reactionary’s fold.”

    He said: “By that singular act, which is divinely orchestrated, the confusion created in the minds of the people has been removed. The battle line is clearly drawn, with the progressive on one hand and the pseudo-progressive, pretenders and reactionaries on the other hand.

    “The line is drawn between those who want the Southwest and the Yorubaland to suffer marginalisation and those who insist that the Southwest cannot play the second fiddle in the politics of Nigeria.

    “It is drawn between those who said that the present unacceptable affairs of this country are the best that ever happened and therefore, should be continued, and those who insist there should be change for the better.”

    Lawyer Kekemeke said since the dividing line has become clear, all true progressives, both in PDP and LP, have indicated their intention to take side with the state’s “only truly progressive platform.”

    The legal practitioner said: “A number of them have vowed that they will refuse to be infected by the political Ebola. I think the people of this state are wiser and can no longer be deceived by this survivalist action.

    “We are ready and prepared as a party to welcome all true progressives into our party with an assurance that our party is all inclusive and will provide equal and fair access to its platform by all for the realisation of their political aspirations.”

  • ‘PDP can’t beat APC in Lagos’

    ‘PDP can’t beat APC in Lagos’

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Dr Leke Pitan spoke on his manifestos, zoning and other issues. LEKE SALAUDEEN met him.

    Has the APC zoned its governorship ticket to Lagos East where you come from?

    The party has formally announced that. A decision to that effect had been taken by the party leaders, stakeholders and the party executive and it was announced by the state’s publicity secretary that the party’s flag bearer would come from Lagos East. However, I don’t want to rely on that. Rather, I am standing on the fact that I am qualified by merit, not because of where I come from.

    What motivated you to join the governorship race?

    It is the goodwill of the people that cut, across the state. I have gotten a lot of encouragement from party stalwarts and well wishers.  Having served under the administration of former governor Bola Tinubu, they are convinced that one is capable of piloting the ship of Lagos State. The APC manifesto is in tandem with what the  Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Action Congress (AC) offered during the Tinubu Administration in Lagos State. For the sake of continuity, they think it is better to put forward a tested person; someone they have worked with for a very long time.

    What are your antecedents in politics?

    I was a member of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the botched Third Republic. When I was the National President of National Union of Lagos State Students, I played a role in the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande. It may interest you to know that I was a party to the formation of the Afenifere group headed by late Chief Adekunle Ajasin during the military regimes of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Sani Abacha. Though I was the youngest of them all, I used to attend meetings in Owo along with Alhaji Olatunji Hamzat, the late Ganiyu Dawodu and Chief Taiwo as Lagos delegates. I was also involved in the formation of the defunct AD. For me, politics is hereditary. My father was a councillor two times representing Agbowa. He served as a councillor in Lagos Island under the late Ganiyu Dawodu and Prince Tajudeen Olusi.

    Is your free health programme in furtherance of your political ambition?

    I am a believer in free healthcare for the people. Probably because of the economic situation in the country, many cannot afford to patronise private clinics. The programme will help win more members for our party. It helps further to reconnect the party with the people. There is need to mobilise members and unite them after the fall out of party congresses in the state. The process of healing starts from there. It is an avenue for people to dialogue and resolve whatever political differences that exist. Though the programme gulps a lot of money and resources, but the joy of it is that we are able to give to the people what they need.

    Apart from surgery and medication, we offer them health talk on preventive measures against the dreaded Ebola virus. Besides, bank officials especially Micro Finance Bank, are always with us to educate them on business investment and available loan facilities to boost their trade. Similarly, our lawyer friends also collaborate with us to offer free legal services to the participants. We have covered nine out of the old 20 Local Government in eleven outings. We will cover all local governments and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in the state.

    Are you disturbed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s boast that they will form coalition with other parties to wrest power from the APC in 2015?

    I am not disturbed. I feel challenged. It will make us to prepare better, to make sure they don’t succeed. I am the type of politician who will not underrate or denigrate the opposition. My belief is that in politics we are free, within the ambit of law, to use whatever strategies that we want and to also deploy them. If they are talking of coalition, it means they have admitted that they can’t do it alone and that is an expression of the APC might.  I can assure you that the APC will retain Lagos State in 2015. We will ensure that we put the right step forward. We will showcase all we have done since 1999. It will engender confidence in whatever we promise the people. If we present the right candidates for all elective offices, the corollary is that the PDP will be ignored.

    As a former  commissioner in Lagos State, what are your imprints?

    I served as Commissioner of Health and Education under former Governor Tinubu. I introduced free milk for school children. It didn’t cost government one kobo. All I did was to approach milk producing companies who embraced our programme and supply school children milk without government paying. We created eye bank in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) that makes it possible to carry out eye transplant in the hospital. This was first of its kind in the country. We introduced free heart surgery in 2003. What I did, to achieve this, was that I invited my classmates in the United States who are experts in the field to come and do it for us free of charge. A ward in LASUTH was converted for heart surgery. Limb Deformity Corrective Surgery Programme started during my time and it was also free. Ambulance service was introduced during my tenure to save lives.

    In education, we created 25 annexes for the five Technical Colleges in the state. It gave the graduates of the annexe the opportunity to sit for the National Board for Technical Education (NABTE) Modular Examination as qualified artisan.

    Is it true that the APC leadership has endorsed a particular aspirant as governorship candidate?

    It is a rumour. Party organs have repeatedly refuted it.  Endorsement is an anomaly that does no good to democracy. Any aspirant who relies on imposition lacks value of his own. I will not advise any aspirant to rely on imposition because it belittles the person. It is not the best strategy.

    Will you support  consensus candidate?

    Nobody will go against consensus in its true sense. The leaders can arrange for the coming together of all aspirants to rub minds. It is not one sitting affair. The party elders would moderate such meetings. The aspirants should put the interest of the party above all other things and the need to win the election. From there, they can start lobbying among themselves. From such consultation, the number of aspirants may reduce to two or three. Even where they come up with a consensus candidate, we still have to go for primaries.

    What impact would you make, if you become the governor of Lagos State?

    The cardinal objective of my programme is human capital development. It is a loss to the society to leave the youth lying fallow. There will be a paradigm shift in government financing.  We shall give priority to security, health, education and human development. It will not distract us from the environmental programmes and the giant strides Governor Babatunde Fashola had made in provision of infrastructure. I must place on record that Fashola has done extremely well. His administration is a build up on the foundation of good governance laid by our leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    To enhance the standard of education, the youths will be employed to assist in teaching during holiday period.  Students of Colleges of Education will be given incentives by paying them stipends. Those pursuing degree programmes in Education would be paid special allowance to encourage them. Teachers’ remuneration would be reviewed. Once the educators are put in proper perspective, they will be more committed to their profession.

    Do you have the financial muscle to undertake electioneering campaign?

    I rely on well-meaning Nigerians whether rich or ordinary folk like me and you to contribute in their various ways. The welfare of the people is my priority. I have been caring for the grass root in many ways. Some professional groups such as Nigeria Medical Association, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners and Nigerian Women Medical Association have been supportive of our free health programme we are currently undertaking all over the state. Some find it easy to put down cash, while others find it easy to put in efforts that could be more valuable than cash. I can go on and on telling you various possibilities; different things that could happen. It is that collective effort that we must bring to bear this time around and let it tell on the system, so that we can now say, we are part of it.

  • ‘Akwa Ibom PDP ‘ll not compromise zoning’

    ‘Akwa Ibom PDP ‘ll not compromise zoning’

    In this interview, Aniete Ukpe, the Chief Press Secretary/Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Akpabio speaks on the governor’s controversial pensions law and senatorial ambition. The actions of the governor. He spoke to SEUN AKIOYE on the Pension issue and much more.

    Governor Akpabio has amended  the Akwa Ibom Pensions Law. Why did he bow to public pressure?

    Actually, this was a 16-year old law, which was just amended by the House after due deliberation of an executive bill. The state government noticed a lacuna in the open-ended provision for the medical treatment of former governor and deputy governor and their spouses. It therefore, sought to put a ceiling to it to safeguard against it against abuse and protect public funds.

    In clear terms, the amendment was right and was made with all good and patriotic intentions. Sadly though, in Akwa Ibom State, politicians try to reap selfish political capital out of everything. Where the law simply put a ceiling on how much, in terms of health insurance, former governors and deputy governors and their spouses who were sick (note who were sick) were entitled to annually, the politicians mischievously cast it as if it were a yearly pay out to former governors and deputy governors. This was preposterous falsehood!

    On  why Governor Akpabio decided to have the law amended, you should remember that he ended his speech to the press by referencing Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s quotation that “history will vindicate the just.” History will definitely vindicate him. Take this for an example; the legendary scientist, Galileo Galilei was the first man to propose that the earth moves around the sun and not the sun moving around the earth. That did not sit well with the religious establishment led by Archbishop Asconia Piccolomini, who maintained that scripture’s position was that Joshua asked the sun to stand still and it did. Galileo argued that Joshua may not have known, but all the same God may have caused the earth to stop for Joshua to achieve his ends. He maintained that scripture was true but should not be taken literally or in the context of man’s understanding. He was put on trial (like the press put Governor Akpabio on trial), and asked to recant. He did in the interest of peace. But when he left the court, he looked up at the sky and at the ground and stamping his foot, said, “Eppur si muove!” (still this earth moves). Today history has vindicated Galileo.

    If the press had sought to be fair, it would have compared the Pensions Law in Akwa Ibom with those of other states and they would have known that Akwa Ibom has the most modest of  such law in Nigeria. I believe that history will vindicate Governor Akpabio.

    Some people have argued that the Pensions Law ran into a storm because the press was not carried along?

    Such thinking is not only patronising, it gives the impression that some sections of the press cannot analyze events on their face value. You do not need to carry the press along when you are sending your child to school. You do not have to carry the press along when you are undertaking a righteous cause of action. Remember to the pure all things are pure. This is more like noticing that your house is on fire and your try to fix it up. Only for your neighbour to block the fire truck and claim that you did not carry him along before calling the fire truck.

    What Governor Akpabio did was a righteous act and he could not have anticipated that men who do not wish the state well would seek to destroy it for their selfish advantages using the press. Governor Akpabio is not just any governor, he is a governor, whose uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State speaks for him, and testifies to his statesmanship, candor, forthrightness, integrity and good conscience. Asking for the law to be amended has been applauded by many Nigerians and has strengthened his credentials as uncommon leader with a good heart and conscience. More so it would have been unfair and unjust for these ill-intentioned politicians to seek to define his sterling performance as a governor by referencing this law.

     Why is the governor insisting on the zoning of the governorship to  Eket Senatorial District?

    When Governor Akpabio says it is the turn of Eket Senatorial District to produce the next governor, he is speaking the minds of Akwa Ibom people. His position is based on justice, equity and fairplay. These are attributes that endear him to the people and mark him out as a statesman. He had town hall meetings in all the Federal Constituencies in the state and the people were unanimous that power should be zoned to Eket Senatorial District. Eket Senatorial dDstrict is the only district that has not produced a governor in the 26 years. In line with the principle of zoning and extant agreements, it is, therefore, fit and proper for Eket senatorial district to have a sense of belonging by producing the next governor. That has been the governor’s and Akwa Ibom people’s just position. Those who fault this are a vocal minority who are not driven by altruistic interests. Added to this is that zoning is in the PDP constitution and should be observed.

    What is your reaction to the insinuation that the  Secretary to the  Government (SSG), Mr. Udom Emmanuel, is his anointed governorship candidate? 

    Considering his antecedents and contributions to the banking industry, the SSG, Mr Emmanuel Udom, is eminently qualified to be the next governor of Akwa Ibom State. He is from Eket senatorial District. He shone like a thousand stars in the banking industry and rose to the top echelon of the industry by deploying the Akwa Ibom attributes of integrity, honesty and diligence. He is doing an excellent job as the Secretary to the State Government. He commands great respect throughout the length and breadth of the state.

    The fact remains that Governor Akpabio is imbued with a democratic spirit and would not impose someone on Akwa Ibom State that the people do not want. He is too much of a democrat.

  • Adamawa PDP ward congress holds

    Adamawa PDP ward congress holds

    The People Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State yesterday conducted the ward congresses to elect delegates for the party’s governorship primary billed for Saturday. A total of 226 delegates from the 21 local government councils were expected to be elected.  The result was still being collated last night.

    One of the aspirants and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Idi Aliyu Hong, last night expressed satisfaction with the congress. He said: “The congress was conducted by the national committee for the congress in collaboration with the local organising committee. It started on Monday when the local organising committee sent out party officials to  different local governments outside their local government areas to conduct the primaries. Before then, they committee had called all the aspirants to explain the logistics and procedure for the conduct of the primaries and we all agreed with it. So far, it has been free, fair and transparent.  As a former secretary of PDP in the state and an aspirant, I am very satisfied with the conduct of the ward congresses. The results are being collated, and from the reports we are receiving, about 90 per cent of the results has so far come in.”

    Asked why the result took so long to collate, Hong explained that the council areas were far apart and the committee had to wait for the party officials to return to Yola.

  • ‘Mimiko should thread softly’

    ‘Mimiko should thread softly’

    Hon. Yele Omogunwa, a priest and chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State, reflected on his failed senatorial ambition, the Mimiko Administration and other partisan issues. kayode Alfred met him in Lagos.

    What is your assessment of the political situation in Ondo State?

    There are three political parties of note in the state-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP),which is the biggest for now. The APC is just coming on board. The APC basically occupies the position the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) used to occupy. The only difference is the change of name. It is still the same set of people. I don’t know if they have gotten new converts, but there is no convert of note that I have learnt of. We know every individual from various communities who work magic. If none of these people have joined the party, who will want to listen to you? Though it is too early to really say, but I don’t see it as a strong opposition party, as far as Ondo State is concerned.

    As the polity prepares for 2015, what is your ambition?

    My political ambition is to remain a politician. In what capacity I’m likely to function? I don’t know because I’m not God. I lost my 2011 senatorial ambition because I had no godfather; I did not have the support of the governor. I mapped out a fantastic campaign strategy. I was going about campaigning. But, you know in our political setting, just the body language of the governor would tell the people where the pendulum would swing. Even my own people would say, he is the governor, we dare not criticise him, as if the governor is God. I did not have a godfather then, but it is a different ballgame today. I have been out of government for the past three and a half years; and there is a sitting senator waiting to take another shot at the contest. There are also others in government who have what it takes to contest elections. But ,I have God. So, at the right time, God will show me the next step. Yes, governorship could come to the South or the North, but it will depend on some variables. Nobody knows the mind of Mr. Governor. If I were him, I will work towards getting a suitable successor, who can keep the flag flying. But note that there are other parties too, even though the Labour Party is the darling party in power now. If things are not done well, you know human beings. The pendulum could swing in another direction. I pray things are done well, particularly by putting the right people in right places. When we get to the bridge, we shall cross it.

    You are a pastor and politician. Where is the meeting point between religion and politics, especially when one considers the fact that Nigerian politics thrives on mudslinging?

    You can combine the two because you cannot be a successful politician, if God is not behind you. What God does not give, you cannot take. Let me clarify that I am not a pastor of the tie and coat who undergo long period of training in school of theology. My own calling as a pastor was forced on me. I am a pastor of a white garment church, the Christ Church of Cherubim and Seraphim (C & S), where you can be a pastor without training. If I had wanted to be a deputy bishop in the church, I would have been. But,  my being in that church is not because of titles. I went to thank God in my church after my victory at the local government election when I was voted as the Chairman of Irele Local Government. The late Bishop Oloketuyi asked me to kneel down for prayers; I knelt down. Then, the man brought in something like ointment and poured it on my head and said ‘from today, you become pastor.’ So, that was how I became a pastor. Because of the anointing, I saw the hand of God in it. So, I accepted it and have been doing my best. It does not disturb my political activities. At C & S, if one really wants to be committed to pastoral duties, it is 24 hours commitment. They know I am a politician. So, I excuse myself when occasions demand. I must say that it is the prayer in the church that has been seeing through. I face a lot of difficulties. A lot of people wanted me dead, but here I am. Even though I am not in government, two of my children are abroad. Yet, I did not have a viable business. I never thought of business, until about three months ago.

    What do you think is the way out of this continued killing by Boko Haram?

    I pity Mr. President on the issue. The problem of Boko Haram predates his administration, but there was no interest in the matter until it became a full-blown crisis. Some highly placed Nigerians must be behind the insurgency. When a thief or armed robber comes to a community, definitely they have somebody in the community that is an accomplice. Dialogue should not be ruled out. I understand that Mr. President set up a committee to dialogue with them. Dialogue is important; whatever it will take to save the lives of Nigerians caught in the crossfire, particularly children is welcome. If dialogue fails, we have no other choice, but to pursue the military option to its logical conclusion.

    What is your honest assessment of the Mimiko Administration?

    Mimiko is doing his best. There could be imperfections, but as a human being, you cannot please everybody. Even Jesus Christ could not please everybody; if He had pleased everybody, He would not have been nailed to the cross and murdered like a common criminal. The governor has been doing his best for the people. Let me take just one of his achievements, the Abiye project. That project is world class. Maternal mortality rate in Ondo State has been reduced drastically through the programme. He has also done some other things in other sectors. Having said that, he has been given the opportunity of another term in office and he must have gotten his own blue print. If things are not that very good now, I think things will get better as the day goes by. He is a man of the people. He used to be a grassroots person and I think he should understand people and what they need.

    What words do you have for the youths of this country?

    Youth should keep hope alive. They should desist from engaging themselves in nefarious activities. Yes, unemployment is rampant in our society, but that should not be allowed to derail them. You look at kidnappers seen on televisions; they are within the age range of 25 to 35. Yes, it might be their own making because they are unemployed and they would have to survive. I was one of the first set of victims when my daughter who just came back from Cairo, Egypt, where she was schooling, was kidnapped three days after she arrived in Nigeria. I coughed out N3 million to faceless people after she had spent four days in their den. Arriving from there, I told her she could not stay here; she is abroad now. It has happened to many people. That is why we have to continue calling for the right education.

     

  • Adamawa poll: Two aspirants step down for Fintiri

    Adamawa poll: Two aspirants step down for Fintiri

    Two of the aspirants gunning for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to run in the October 11 governorship by-election yesterday stepped down for Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri.

    Fintiri, who got his disqualification from the race by the screening panel upturned on Sunday, said his ambition is an Adamawa project.

    A former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, James Barka and Alhaji Sabo Mohammed Jimeta, yesterday announced their withdrawal from the race.

    Barka, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Tunisia, told reporters that with Fintiri in the race, he saw no reason why he should contest saying they shared similar ideas on how to develop the state.

    “When I heard that Fintiri was disqualified, I was sad and felt I could give him my clearance to run on behalf of all well-meaning citizens of Adamawa State.

    “ But when the appeal committee cleared him, I was overwhelmed with joy and decided that since Fintiri is in the race, I should put my weight behind him by withdrawing in his favour”, Barka said.

    Barka hinted that other aspirants might soon withdraw to support Fintiri.

    Jimeta defended his decision to back Fintiri, saying: “The recent changes have increasingly impressed the good people of Adamawa State. Fintiri is a young man, vibrant and a patriotic leader with an enviable record of service. He is ready to take the state out of its current woes to a new level that will adequately cater for the well being of her citizens.”

    Fintiri told reporters in Yola that his clearance was an act of God.

    “The reaction of the people when I was initially disqualified showed that the people of Adamawa are with me; therefore, my ambition is an Adamawa project to make a new state from the old one.

    “ I feel happy and have cause to thank God that the Appeal Committee cleared me to contest. I want to assure the people of Adamawa who trooped out to welcome me back from Abuja that we must all team up and work for the total liberation of the state”, he said.

    The acting governor urged all the PDP aspirants to join hands with him and make him an unopposed candidate. He added that plans were afoot to present a consensus PDP candidate.

     

  • Whither Transformation Agenda in South-west?

    SIR: Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, a group spearheading the second term campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan held its South-west rally in Ibadan on Saturday August 23, and appealed to the people to give President Jonathan their support in the 2015 election in order to continue his transformation agenda in the country.

    While I see nothing wrong for a group to canvass for any candidate and equally agree that second term ambition of President Jonathan is within the ambience of his fundamental human rights, what I detest is the false impression about non-existent transformation in the South-west, which was the kernel of the campaign by TAN.

    Until the appointments of some PDP stalwarts of Yoruba stock into key positions in the government of President Jonathan, the cry of marginalization of the region was deafening. The socio cultural group, Afenifere had to show its displeasure about the issue by sending a delegation to the president to protest the anomaly. The obvious marginalization was presumed to be the result of the poor showing of the PDP in the 2011 elections in the South-west. However, it will be the height of deceit to now say, as the stalwarts of the ruling party did at the rally, that President Jonathan has transformed the South-west and should be allowed to continue the agenda by voting en masse for him next year.

    As a matter of fact, it was an act of omission on the part of the President to marginalise the South-west because the people, except in Osun State, voted overwhelmingly for him in the presidential election. The rejection of the party at other elections showed how unacceptable its candidates were. With the support given to the President then, one expected the president to give South-west its dues in terms of appointments into strategic positions, and in his transformation agenda. However, the reverse was the case.

    As should be expected, none of the stalwarts of the PDP, save the minister of state for Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide was able to spell out President Jonathan’s transformation feats in the South-west, which include rehabilitation of Lagos/Ibadan, Sagamu/Ore expressways and fixing the dilapidated railways to standard gauge.

    No new means of transportation was embarked upon by the federal government but rehabilitation of the existing means. Even, the most vital road linking the South with the North that is, Ibadan/Ilorin expressway, began in 2001 has been abandoned. One even expects that with the rapport between the Ondo State government and the federal government, the work on Ibadan/Akure expressway stopped at Osun State end of the road would have been contracted out. Again, the reverse is the case. Of the seven point programmes in the Transformation Agenda which include employment, power generation, roads, economic prosperity, education etc, in what area can we say the agenda has impacted on the South-west?

    Obviously, there are imperfections in the projects embarked upon by the South-west governments under the opposition APC and the Labour Party; the fact of the matter is that they are the architects of any transformation being witnessed in the zone, and these are impactful. The day is still young for the president to demonstrate that he needs the support of South-west by releasing fund for the completion of Oyo/Ogbomoso section of Ibadan/Ilorin expressway, the 132 KVA project in Ogbomoso, and other various projects that require federal government intervention that dot the region etc. This is the only way to win the hearts of the South-west people and not through deceptive means which TAN and South-west PDP now use.

    • Adewuyi Adegbite

    Apake, Ogbomoso.

     

  • PDP doesn’t believe in fair polls, says Waku

    Senator Joseph Waku has urged the Professor Attahiru Jega-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections next year.

    Waku urged the commission to ban masked security officials from elections, adding that Nigerians would hold Jega responsible, if INEC failed to live up to its promises.

    He likened the use of masked security men for the Ekiti and Osun elections to developments in the war-ridden Gaza Strip.

    Speaking with The Nation in Abuja, Waku said he was confident that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would take over governance in Benue State next year, if the polls were credible.

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan and Jega to resist the pressure to rig the elections.

    Recalling his ordeal in the hands of officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) after his interview in a national newspaper, Waku urged the institution to be politically neutral.

    He said: “Our fear is whether the elections would be free and fair. There won’t be free and fair elections, if Jonathan runs in 2015. I am saying this because Jonathan is a major stakeholder in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the PDP does not believe in free and fair election.

    “It is not Jonathan per see; he would have been a different person, but for the pressure on him. Some people will say ‘do this Mr President, nothing will happen’. I emphasise that something will happen. If you knock me off 20 times a day and the right thing is not done, the right thing will not happen. If you do the wrong thing, the wrong thing will happen.”

    Waku described the concluded National Conference as “a jamboree for the expanded PDP caucus”, saying nothing would come out of it.

    He said the call by the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) on the President to rescue the kidnapped Chibok girls before October or forget about 2015 was meant to ginger Jonathan into action “since the only thing that gets the President’s attention is his second term bid”.

  • ‘Abia ‘ll not compromise zoning’

    ‘Abia ‘ll not compromise zoning’

    Hon.  Charles Obioha Ogbonnaya is the Deputy Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor Theodore Orji. He spoke with Correspondent UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE in Umuahia, the state capital, on the controversy over the zoning of the governorship and other issues.

    What informed the Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s decison to zone the governorship to the South senatorial zone?

    SomeAbians have been condemning the decision by the PDP stakeholders’ meeting.

    There are reasons for the zoning. But, some people have argued that   the seat should be open while others are of the opinion that it should be zoned to Ukwa/Ngwa area, which is made up of both the Abia Central which has Isiala Ngwa North and South local governmentsand Osisioma local government area, which are all of Ngwa extraction and in Abia south.

    Others even quoted the Abia Charter of Equity which according to them said that the governorship seat should be zoned to old Bende and Old Aba divisions. The charter of equity is an unsigned document that cannot be tendered anywhere and is written by elders when the state had part of Ebony state in the state. That document is untenable anywhere as it is full of controversies, contradictions and confusing.

    Is the party going to discard the agreement?

    Political office distribution are shared according to senatorial zones and I am aware that in 2006 at a meeting held at Okpara auditorium when Chief Uzodinma Okpara was the chairman of the PDP in the state, this contentious issue of zoning of the governorship seat arose and in that meeting a motion was moved by one Chief Ginger Onwusoibe of Isiala Ngwa north local government area asking that the governorship seat having been occupied by the then governor Dr Orji Uzor Kalu from the north, that the next governor should come from the Central which was carried which made the party to zone the seat to Abia central zone.

    It does not matter whether people from other zones criticised it or not. But,  the electorate adhered strictly to it which was the reason when PPA emerged, it zoned the governorship seat to the central including PDP and at the end Chief Theodore Orji won the governorship seat from the central zone of the state.

    Therefore, it is wrong for anyone to start castigating the Abia PDP for zoning the governorship seat to the people of Abia south. I think it is the wisest thing to be done for peace to reign in the state. We must all understand that the weak must be protected. At no time will an Ngwa man be a governor of the state if the seat is made open to all to contest. It has happened before and because the party wants peace, equity and justice, the zoning of that office must be appreciated by all men of good will.

    The zoning of the governorship seat to the south does not in any way stop other aspirants from other zones from running, after all every candidate must emerge through the party primaries, so it is now left for the south to appreciate what the party has done and produce the governor in 2015 or sell the position to either Abia north or central in the next election.

    Is the governor and the party sincere about zoning?

    The governor from time stated early enoughs that he will hand over to an Ngwa man, in one of the ceremonies where he was received by Ngwa people at Abia Poly in Aba, the governor said, “As a person I will definitely hand over to a person from Ngwa”, but the party has said that the position is not handed over but zoned to a particular area of the state.

    What the governor said was his personal opinion and he is not the party, but this time the party has spoken in fact re-echoed what the governor had said earlier. Therefore if a man from that zone fails to win at the primaries, then it will be nobody’s fault, as it will be their fault. It behoves on them to put their house in order, “As a delegate during the primaries I will vote for a man from the south”.

    PDP believes in zoning right from the ward level up to the presidency, so a party like PPA should stop meddling in the affairs of the PDP and if they think that they have the muscle to produce a governor outside what the PDP has done, they should zone it to another area and see if they will win the seat in 2015.

    This noise about zoning is a way to distract the governor from engaging on the good works he is doing in the state. As far as Abians are concerned, the governor is doing well. He has done well by fulfilling all his electoral promises and is putting finishing touches to enable him handover to a governor from the southern part of the state. The governor is a busy man preparing all the legacy projects for the presidential commissioning and there will be no abandoned projects in the state.