The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • Please, make Nigeria indivisible

    Please, make Nigeria indivisible

    Today in Nigeria, 2015 has become detraction. Those in power are hardly working for the people any longer, but more for themselves. The focus of the remaining two years of tenureship is now more on power retention.

    It as if accomplishment of electoral promises and attainment of people’s desires are no longer of value. The nation is now filled with desperation for occupying political seats rather than working to put smiles on the face of the depressed people whose vote brought them into power. Insecurity is everywhere and the poor are getting poorer. As it were, politics is bringing in strenuous tensions, making distress to envelope the land the more.

    Ahead of the so-called Democracy Day last week, it was as if people were waiting for official announcement to confirm the death of Nigeria as a nation. But thank God that on that day, President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark were reported as declaring Nigeria as indivisible, talk less of dying, despite the escalating challenges.

    Making public presentation of his mid-term report in Abuja after which some of the ministers had rolled out heartening financial indicators, which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent, the president said contrary to the position of the opposition parties, he had achieved so much in the two years of his administration.

    Mr. President self-applauded his administration’s performance. He challenged the media to use his 234-page report as a confirmable tool for any objective assessment. “I plead with all of us, especially those who want to assess and write about it to develop criteria because without a marking scheme, you cannot mark anybody’s paper. Develop your own, compare with previous governments. Develop your marking scheme and mark us.” Perhaps he is unaware of the numerous online hands now placed on websites to respond to virtually all criticisms in the media.

    In seriousness, Mr. President ought to know that Nigerians need no marking scheme to know that under him, the rate of unemployment has gone up, security of lives and property and the welfare of the citizens have receded discouragingly. In truth, what scoring format does one need to know that despite the ostensibly inspiring economic figures rolled out by the ministers, the average Nigerian is worse off today than before PDP took over power in 1999?

    The core basis of the nation’s afflictions has been that most of those who find themselves in leadership position hardly lead by example. The realism is that good leadership deficit has constituted the greatest clog in the wheel of national development and progress.

    As an opposition party said, “performance is like a pregnancy that cannot be hidden.” Other than swelling corruption and desperation to retain power at all cost, how much of practical performance in power, security, job creation and vital infrastructural developments is already making impact on the life of the people today?

    It is non-performance that is pushing desperate aggression and the fight of imaginary enemies much more within the ruling party. With sincere and wise people on the president’s side, the battle with Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi should not be as dismal as it is. Perhaps they are blind to see the unnecessary conflict thinning the integrity of the president while Amaechi is being lifted higher.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who preferred to be part of Jigawa State May 29 show than being with the president in Abuja called for change in leadership. He was quoted: “You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job.”

    Before this, Obj who reigned and ruled over Nigeria in totality of more than 13 years, had earlier condemned the increasing level of indiscipline in PDP leadership. Although THE GUARDIAN editorial reminded us how he contributed to the foundation of the indiscipline, the newspaper also recollected:

    “To say that PDP “lacks sufficient discipline” may well be the least that could be said of the party that has ruled Nigeria for 12 years, with very little to show for it. Poverty in the land is acute and widespread, corruption is endemic, critical infrastructure decrepit and insecurity of lives and property prevail in a huge magnitude. The PDP-led government has also not found solution to the problem of epileptic power supply. The situation deteriorates by the day without much hope of a respite.”

    With this contention, how then can Nigeria be saved from being dragged to primitivism? If the Bible says that a soul that sinneth shall die, why can’t the present leadership focus more on cleansing the nation from impurity so that it will not finally disintegrate?

    It will be in the nation’s interest if political office can become less attractive and corruption eliminated. It is clear today how politics is fuelling corruption. The desperation to occupy political office is largely to loot, plunder and embezzle. Politicians are not seeking for power to serve anymore. From federal to local level,

    the few in power corner the resources of the land and leave the masses with the crumbs.

    When there is leadership error, the common man will suffer the consequence. If sincere steps are not taken to correct the ills in the system – starting from the top, there might not be restoration of the people’s confidence in government. Ultimately, when citizens are not given desired measure of goodness of the land and assured of protection, the country will be pushed to crumple.

    As those in power might be pretending not to know, many Nigerians are not blind and are not foolish. People are aware of the level of corruption, insecurity, insincerity, joblessness and poverty. They will become totally disillusioned if the leadership failed to resolve the afflictions.

     

    FEEDBACK

    Re-Amaechi God-given victory.

    Let PDP work hard for magical change of electorate minds before 2015 elections. Otherwise, the leaders’ colossal self-inflicted damage will ruin them. The NGF election exposed their shoddiness in handling credible elections. The president is rattled and more errors are bound to be committed. Please let us watch the video tape of the election and compare it with Gov. Akpabio’s doctored voters’ register or endorsees. INEC should borrow his style to save cost. From James, Jos.

    Dear Sir, I concur with your piece on Amaechi’s God-given victory. Nothing to add or subtract. Sentiment and desperation are ample words in Jonathan’s dictionary. Victory is really God-given. As for Akpabio, his first name is Godswill. By this he should know that God gives and takes. Your write up actually made my day. May you continue to inspire us with stimulating and thought-provoking mind. From Dr. Apelologun, Ilorin.

    Hello Sir, that is a wonderful write up. Akpabio should know what Chibuike means in Igbo language.

    – 2348033339232

    “The nation that once had the potentiality of greatness has been stagnant for too long” was your last statement. Pres. Jonathan might not have done well. But if in those past long years those whom ACN are trying to take us to had governed well, this nation wouldn’t have been in this sorry state. That you and ACN are trying to package us back to Egypt is gravely unfortunate. You are not a young boy. If you’ve been watching Nigeria event with objective mind, you’ll know where our problems are from. From Amadi Ibeleme

    Mr. Soji, your write-up in The Nation is a perfect fact of what happened and what is going to happen. Thank you and God bless. From Chris Ukpere, Abuja.

    Your piece spoke my mind. – Akibu Hassan, Ijebu-Ode

    Dear Soji Omotunde, Sir, not only am I pleased with your write up on Amaechi’s God-given victory, I also want to encourage you for good work. This election was monitored online by Nigerians. So, who are those fooling the president? From Solomon Vambe, PH

    If you are an apologist of Amaechi, just tell us. You do not know the man called Amaechi, but we know him well. You are a Yoruba man that shut your mouth during OBJ’s misrule and wants to use Amaechi against GEJ. It won’t work as it will only dig his grave politically. – 2348055331902

     

     

  • We’ll win more states in 2015, says PDP

    We’ll win more states in 2015, says PDP

    The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will win the Presidency and more states in the 2015 elections.

    Basing its projections on “positive signs and concrete indications”, the party allayed the fears that the current crisis within its ranks will not weaken its chances in the 2015 elections.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said the crisis is a reflection of its democratic stance where its members have the opportunity to air their views and freely canvass their opinions.

    The party dismissed as “shadow-chasing and day-dreaming” the threats by the opposition to wrest power from the ruling party and take over the government at the centre in 2015.

    Metuh said the opposition alliance will soon be in disarray, adding that most of those in it will be betrayed and victimised by those he described as godfathers who see the coalition as their personal estate.

    The party spokesman challenged the opposition to the 2015 contest, saying rival parties are doomed to fail because Nigerians have realised that they are merely “strange bed fellows” who have nothing to offer but united by bitterness, frustration as well as religious and tribal sentiments.

    He said: “We welcome the opposition to the contest. However, they are already doomed to failure because Nigerians have since realised their undemocratic tendencies and desperation for power for selfish reasons.

  • ‘PDP setting stage for APC’s takeover in 2015’

    A group, the New Frontiers, yesterday said that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), going by its undemocratic tendencies and despotic postures, was making things easier for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to form the government in 2015.

    The group, in a statement signed by the leader and convener, Mr. Patrick Mgbebu, called on the PDP leadership to go ahead and suspend the PDP governors that voted for Governor Chibuike Amaechi at the last Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election.

    It said the party has become so intoxicated with power that it has lost every sense of decorum, adding that “PDP’s reaction to the outcome of the NGF election betrays its regard for democratic ethos”.

    The group also stressed that the events of the NGF election and the utterances of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Ahmed Gulak, that nobody could upstage PDP “show the despotic mindset of PDP leaders.”

    The statement reads: “We, the members of the New Frontiers, Ebonyi State chapter of the All Nigeria People’s Party, (ANPP-NF) feel outraged by the events in Nigeria’s political space in the recent weeks. From the macabre show of contempt for the tenets of democracy during the last NGF election to the obnoxious presidential dinner, it is our opinion that PDP is out to endanger the nation’s democracy.

    “The suspension of Governor Amaechi, the winner of the NGF chairmanship election, from the PDP is a collective affront on the tenets of politics as a game of numbers and democracy as a display of freedom of choice. It is our belief that this naked show of impunity is a symptom of a greater malaise bedevilling the ruling party. Having squandered the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians these past 14 years, it is becoming evident that PDP is out to pull down Nigeria’s democracy on itself.”

    Mgbebu said it was not surprising that Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi was among the “bad losers in the NGF election,” adding that “our governor has long been identified with anti-democratic tendencies, especially against the background of his attempt to stop ANPP convention in the state in 2011.”

    He said: “In Ebonyi, people are compulsorily retired or sacked for seeking social progression. Many civil servants have been sacked just by showing their political preference. It would not be surprising if the suggestion to suspend Amaechi from PDP came from the Ebonyi Governor because while PDP was talking about reconciliation, Elechi was preaching exclusion. The best thing for PDP to do now is to suspend all governors that voted for Amaechi. For us, we know that PDP is just setting the stage for APC to take over leadership and rescue this nation from the political marauders.”

  • 2015 ticket: Eight govs, senators may dump PDP

    2015 ticket: Eight govs, senators may dump PDP

    • Automatic ticket for Jonathan unconstitutional – Atiku

     The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears headed for major turbulence, this time sparked by last Thursday’s call for automatic tickets at the 2015 elections for President Goodluck Jonathan, ‘performing’ first term governors and legislators. The idea was floated by Chief Tony Anenih, chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

    Many in the party view the statement as the clearest indication yet of what to expect ahead of the elections, coming as the proposal did from Anenih, a close confidant of the President.

    Those aspiring for the Presidency, governorship and legislative seats are worried by the statement and are already considering their future in the party, it was gathered yesterday.

    Among those said to be seriously contemplating their future in the party are eight governors and some National Assembly members who may quit the ruling party.

    The governors are believed to have the support of influential northern leaders and some former governors in the North-East and North-Central. They are said to be weighing options like outright formation of a new party, or adopting an existing one.

    Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the eight governors include four from the North-West, two from the North-Central, one from the North-East and one from the South-South.

    It was gathered that the eight governors have started holding talks with political leaders of like mind on the way forward. They want to retain their grip on their states and control the direction of their political future.

    It was gathered that the governors are unhappy that the President is eroding internal democracy in the party by manipulating the PDP leadership to do his bidding ahead of 2015 primaries.

    They are equally worried that the PDP was sliding towards regional sentiments with the President more at home with the South-East and South-South.

    A reliable source, who is involved in the ongoing talks, said: “Their grouse borders on lack of internal democracy in PDP. They believe the 2015 poll is already skewed in favour of the President. They also feel that the way Jonathan is going, he might end up determining their political fate in 2015.

    “Having hijacked the party structure, the governors are of the opinion that the President controls all the delegates from the South- East, South-South, South-West; Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi in North-Central; all the delegates in the North-East states and Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna in the North-West states.

    “Based on the party structure at Jonathan’s beck and call, it is sure the PDP ticket is up for him to grab. So, it is better for governors who are not on the President’s side to look elsewhere for platform.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “These governors want to present a credible candidate against PDP. You will see that PDP is gradually taking a regional party line with recent events with the President leaning mostly on the South-East and the South-South.

    “They don’t want to remain in PDP because it’s very glaring the president will win PDP primaries, but the general election he can’t win with the present mood of the nation.”

    The chorus of outrage heightened yesterday with the statement by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar denouncing Anenih’s position as undemocratic and unconstitutional.

    The release by Atiku’s Media Office demanded an open contest for all aspirants.

    It restated the former VP’s rejection of the “consensus arrangement” and “adoption” rather than transparent elections to produce candidates for all elective offices, including the presidency.

    It recalled that Atiku was repeatedly in courts to “challenge this undemocratic arrangement and that the courts ruled that the policy was alien to the PDP and Nigerian constitutions.”

    The statement read further; “The former Vice-President said the principle for which he opposes this unjust policy, which he described as a ‘travesty of democracy’ has not changed since then.”

    The statement quoted Atiku as saying: “My position remains that as far as PDP constitution is concerned, any attempt to change the party’s rule to favour the President as a sole candidate in the event of his willingness to re-contest is unconstitutional.

    “The contest should be open to all desiring to pursue an ambition on the platform of the PDP.”

    The statement added: “While acknowledging that President Jonathan is entitled to seek the party ticket in 2015, the former Vice President, however, insisted that Jonathan should submit himself to a transparent and fair process just like any other party member.

    “By foreclosing free and fair process of selecting its presidential candidate, Atiku said the PDP might be sending the wrong message to Nigerians about its commitment to conduct free and fair elections for the entire country.”

  • APC will unseat PDP in 2015 –Buhari

    APC will unseat PDP in 2015 –Buhari

    One of the leading lights of the All Progressive Congress (APC),General Muhammadu Buhari, declared yesterday that the party is now ready to sweep the ruling PDP out of power in 2015.

    General Buhari spoke at a rally in Kagoro, a few kilometres from Kafanchan, the political capital of southern Kaduna.

    Southern Kaduna is considered by many as the backbone of the PDP in Kaduna State, giving bloc votes to the party since the return to civil rule in 1999.

    At yesterday’s rally organised by the Conference of Opposition Political Parties, Gen Buhari assured the people that the APC will emerge winner of the 2015 election, pointing out that the issue of merger of opposition parties to engage the PDP has been on since 2007, championed by people who are determined to save the country from doom.

    The former head of state who contested the Presidency on three occasions told the gathering that the coming together of the opposition parties under the All Progressive Congress (APC) is to ensure that the PDP is pushed out of power in 2015.

    He said, “the issue of merger has been on since 2007 by people who are serious about saving the Nigerian state. We are coming together to get PDP out of site. This is absolutely necessary because the system needs to be stabilised.

    “There is the need for us to come together, go back to our constituencies and save Nigeria democratically. This means that we have to make sure that the system conducts a very credible and free and fair election. And we are going to win the 2015 election.”All that we inherited before 1999 have all gone down the drain. We are hearing of stealing in the country of billions. There is outright theft by the ruling PDP,” Gen. Buhari said.

    Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura accused the PDP of using politics of deceit, money, religious bigotry and ethnic manipulation to divide the people for their selfish interest, pointing out that the PDP has brought more pains, hunger and poverty to the citizens of the country.

    “We must salvage this country from the PDP. We must seize power from their hands because the PDP is devilish, and we are determined to fight the devil for the betterment of our people. We will uproot the PDP, because it is a party formed on deceit and lies,” he said.

    The national leader of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who spoke through a former Minister in the Obasanjo government, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, asked the people to be firm and join the train of change for the rapid development of the country.

    Former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nasir el-Rufai and Senate Minority Leader, George Akume said “we shall soon announce the burial of the PDP come 2015. We are determined to ensure that we chase the gang of thieves out. This, we will achieve with our ballot cards come 2015.”

    Former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibrahim I. Iko, expressed worry about those he said are unfit political leaders who have been allowed to lead the country.

    He said, “We have allowed unfit politicians who divide us along religious line, for their personal and selfish interests. APC is a destiny and not a mistake; it must be geared towards saving Nigerians.”

  • Osun 2014: PDP waits on best candidate

    A chieftain of the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Abiola Ogundokun, has said that the party leadership is waiting on the lord for the best governorship candidate to win the 2014 governorship poll in Osun State for the party.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday in Iwo after holding a meeting with party supporters in Osun West at the residence of late Prince Alade Lamuye, the PDP stalwart said the party is set to reclaim the state from the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria in 2014.

    “We are praying to God, consulting all stakeholders and holding meetings where necessary. We so much believe that God will not disappoint us, because we are waiting on Him to give us the best candidate,” he said.

  • Delta 2015: It’s Okowa versus Ochei in PDP

    Delta 2015: It’s Okowa versus Ochei in PDP

    In the last few weeks, several persons have been touted as the most likely successor to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in 2015. Out of the lot, two men stand out. Remi Adelowo reports

     

     

     

    About two months ago, some major political stakeholders had gathered at the Isoko country home of the former Chairman of Guinness Plc, Chief Abel Ubeku, in Delta State, for a social cum thanksgiving service.

    Present at the occasion included the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Comrade Ovuozorue Macaulay, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, to mention but a few.

    As it is common with events of such nature, it soon turned political with the endorsement by a group named Isoko Development Union (IDU) of Ochei’s alleged 2015 governorship ambition.

    But less than 48hours later, another political group based in Isoko dissociated itself from Ochei’s endorsement, while accusing Macaulay, who also hails from the town, as the brain behind IDU’s action.

    Weeks later, Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbare Clark, lent his voice to the ongoing debate on the 2015 governorship race. The elder statesman, in a scathing criticism of Ochei’s purported governorship ambition, accused the speaker of allegedly diverting about N7billion, being the sum of an Integrated Power Project (IPP) contract in Oghara, the hometown of a former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori.

    Known for shooting straight from the hip on issues he is passionate about, Clark also took on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who was also reported recently to have indicated his interest to succeed Uduaghan in 2015.

    The former First Republic minister expressed disgust with Orubebe’s alleged ambition, while advising the minister to focus on his current job.

    Not a few people were shocked about his outburst, as he (Clark) is widely believed to be Orubebe’s godfather, who allegedly nominated him as a Minister of State in 2007.

    Ochei has only responded to this allegation through his associates. In a paid advert in a national newspaper recently, the associates urged Clark to ‘refrain from attempts to destroy the integrity and reputation of young and promising politicians who are young enough to be his children and grandchildren.’

    Like Ochei, the minister, through his foot soldiers, urged Clark to face reality that Orubebe has come of age politically, adding that no individual can stop the minister from contesting the 2015 governorship race.

    The above scenarios, observers have pointed out, are a clear indication that the race on who succeeds Uduaghan would be a photo finish among the leading aspirants.

     

    Is Okowa the heir apparent?

    Though he has not spoken publicly about his ambition to contest the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year, The Nation gathered that the senator representing Delta North in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is alleged to be reinvigorating his structures in preparation for the race.

    Sources close to the lawmaker, who is popularly called Ekwueme by his political associates, is seen by major PDP stakeholders in Delta State as the man to beat for the PDP governorship ticket.

    A medical doctor by training, Okowa has, undoubtedly, paid his dues in the politics of the state. His first political position was as a secretary of a local government before he was elected as chairman during the zero party dispensation in the early 90’s.

    At the inception of the Fourth Republic, Okowa was appointed as a commissioner in 1999 by ex-governor Ibori. Between 1999 and 2007, he was in charge of the ministries of health, and local government and chieftaincy affairs.

    At the twilight of Ibori’s tenure, Okowa contested for the PDP governorship primaries and was reported to have won, beating about ten other aspirants. He was, however, asked to step down for another aspirant, Uduaghan, who later emerged victorious at the 2007 general elections.

    Currently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Okowa, from Agbor, is said to be embarking on wide consultations in the state before throwing his hat into the ring.

     

    Ochei is no pushover

    In his mid-40s, Ochei, an engineer, is another governorship aspirant from Delta North with a large followership.

    A wealthy and charismatic politician, Ochei is believed to be popular among youth in the state, who see him as ‘one of their own.’

    A source, however, told The Nation that what may work against Ochei is the general feeling across the state, especially among PDP stakeholders, that he lacks the experience to rule the state from 2015.

    Opinion are also divided on the speaker’s ambition, with many of his party members alleging that he is contesting for the governorship ticket as a strong bargaining tool in order to remain relevant in post-2015 politics.

     

    Elumelu, an aspirant to watch

    From Oshimili, the three-term member of the House of Representatives is also alleged to be interested in the 2015 PDP governorship ticket.

    The Nation gathered that his name is being mentioned in certain quarters as a possible consensus candidate if the PDP primaries turn out to be acrimonious and inconclusive.

     

    Can Orubebe upset the apple cart?

    Until he publicly declared his ambition some weeks ago, Orubebe, a staunch associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, has been rumoured to be plotting to succeed Uduaghan.

    Sources say he is banking on his closeness to the president, who is allegedly determined to take more than a passing interest in those to succeed second term governors in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta states.

    But those conversant with the politics of Delta State say Orubebe’s lack of grass roots structures and support may turn out to be his Achilles heels when the chips are down.

    Unconfirmed reports have it that the minister may be steeping down from his current job in the next few months to enable him concentrate on the governorship project, which allegedly has received the blessing of the president.

     

    The politics of zoning

    One major factor that may also determine the outcome of the election is the zoning formula, an unwritten political agreement which has ceded the 2015 governorship seat to Delta North.

    Since the creation of the state, no indigene of Delta North has occupied the seat, a development which has further increased the agitation of people of the zone to have their turn in the next dispensation.

    If this agreement is adhered to, observers believe that the contest may turn out to be a straight battle between Okowa and Ochei, while Orubebe’s ambition may be dead even before the race gets underway.

     

    Can the Anioma zone reach a consensus?

    There are strong fears that the Anioma zone (Delta North) may fail to reach a consensus on the best candidate to put forward for the PDP primaries, a lacuna which the other zones (Delta Central and Delta South) may exploit to their advantage.

  • Anenih endorses second term ticket for Jonathan, governors

    Anenih endorses second term ticket for Jonathan, governors

    …Don’t be deterred by conspiracy, gang up against PDP, says Jonathan

    The Chairman of the Board of Trustee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Tony Anineh in the wee hours of this morning endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term ticket.

    He also urged the party to give tickets to governors seeking second term who have done well in order to prevent rancour in the party.

    Anineh said: “Governors and the President who are seeking 2nd term in office should be given the ticket in the overall interest of the party and the nation.”

    “With the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the Power sector, railway, and other sectors, the party shouldn’t find it difficult in granting him a ticket for second term and all the governors seeking second term who have done well.” He added

    But he said that the current situation where two governors from the party are claiming to be chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum is very embarrassing to the party.

    “This is an embarrassing situation that must be urgently addressed. The leadership will not tolerate a situation where it will lead a divided house.” He stated

    President Jonathan urged members of the party not to be deterred by any gang up and conspiracy against the party

    The National Chairman of the Party, Bamanga Tukur said: “I promise fairness and justice for all but there must be discipline.”

    The Senate President, Senator David Mark at the occasion pleaded for legislators who have done well to be allowed to come back.

    Elder statements from each of the six zones including Emmanuel Iwuanyahu, Ebenezer Babatope, Stella Omu, Jerry Gana, Zainab Maina and Aminu Wali in goodwill messages pledged their support to President Jonathan.

    Among state governors that attended the PDP family dinner last night included Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Ebonyi, Abia, Bauchi, Katsina, Enugu, Plateau, Kaduna, Kogi, Gombe. Deputy governors represented Niger, Benue

    Ministers of Works, Labour, Trade and Investment, and Minister of State FCT also attended the dinner party.

  • PDP, ACN, ANPP: Where is internal democracy?

    PDP, ACN, ANPP: Where is internal democracy?

    Have the political parties added value to democracy? MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE examines the challenges confronting the platforms.

     

    At the blast of the whistle in 1999, three political parties -the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Peoples Party (APP), which later became the All Nigerian People Party (ANPP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) contested the first general elections. However, the number of the parties later increased to 63.

    In the 2011 elections, only 10 of the parties won seats in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly, a development which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) explained, was not good enough.

    INEC said it was no longer wise for some of these parties to be sustained on tax payers’ money without making impact in the polity. This led to the axing of 28 political parties on December 6, 2012 and went ahead de-registered another seven later.

    Though the decision was criticised, INEC went ahead to justify the action based on the provisions of Section 7 of the Electoral Act, 2011. And currently INEC has not more than 37 political parties in its kitty and more are likely to go as 2015 draws nearer.

    While the INEC is mopping up the political climate to make it healthier, three major political parties; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress of Progressive Change (CPC), and a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) decided to form a mega party the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to wrest power from the ruling PDP.

    As theAPC formalises its registration process, another association, All African Congress (APC), said it has forwarded an application to the INEC for registration as a political party.

    Although INEC has explained that the association had not met the requirements for registration, the association had gone to court over the matter and the outcome is being awaited. This and other challenges have dogged the polity and how they would be resolved is generating more interests.

    ACN Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the use of his party acronym by another association though in court, would not in any way affect the registration of APC.

    He said: “I think Nigerians should be properly educated on this matter. As at today, there is no political party that is known with acronym of APC. There is a political association with the name African Peoples Congress (APC) whose application has been received by INEC and INEC says that it had not met certain conditions. Now that the party had gone to court to challenge the power of INEC, I will not want to comment any further.

    Defending its credibility, ANPP chieftain, Mallam Ibrahim Sekarau explained that issues of internal democracy is far from what APC will contend because the party came up in the first place to salvage the country and would not be drawn aback by such narrow interests.

    He said: “APC will fill vacant party offices and those that will contest 2015 election based on geo-political zones. No region or zone would be given the chance to dominate others just for the sake of political domination.”

    Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the Golden Jubilee of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, lashed out at the major parties for lack of internal democracy.

    He accused them of promoting politics of god-fatherism and dictatorship since the country returned to civil rule in 1999.

    The lack of internal democracy in some of the parties has snowballed into legal battle. For instance, the composition of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) made some members to inevitably go to court to challenge its composition with the electoral umpire saying the PDP did not comply with laid down regulations.

    But the party’s National Vice Chairman Southwest, Ishola Filani debunked the INEC claim.

    “Our party has maintained internal democracy and there is no crisis that we cannot handle. We sit together and discuss matters. Those who went to court have not really come out with any report to justify their position. Anyway, why does it take INEC over One and half year to say that NEC was not properly constituted? Was it not there when the election was conducted?, “ he querried.

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is thorn apart by factions. And except this is resolved within reasonable time, analysts believ it could undermine its chances in future elections.

    Former governor of Kaduna State and the Chairman of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balabe Musa, said leadership crisis in these parties is pervasive because of self interest. He noted that the leaders of the political parties have not looked beyond personal aggrandisement.

    “Let me say the formation APC is just one step now. They are now moving to the harder part which must also entail party discipline. We must learn from the previous political parties like PPA, PPP and SDP.”

    “Some of these political parties like SDP under Chief Tony Anenih could not muster sufficient courage to stand by Chief M.K.O Abiola who won the 1993 presidential election. He was not declared winner and was killed in the process. It was expected that the leadership of the party should stand by him but that was not the case.”

    It is held by analysts that one of the ways to encourage internal democracy in political parties is to allow independent candidature. Political observers noted that if independent candidate s are allowed to contest elections, some individuals who do not believe in the ideologies of the existing parties, would have the chance to serve the country.

    But Professor Abubabar Momoh who teaches Political Science at the Lagos State University (LASU) in his view explained that the system would be hijacked by money bags which will make the exercise a jamboree.

    “All the parties we have now have the same ideological stand. They are not fundamentally different. The same people are moving from one party to another emerging parties and all they are interested in is just to have power”. and not that they have some fundamental principles or ideas they want to put forward.”

  • Former minister Kontagora dies

    Former minister Kontagora dies

    …Jonathan mourns former minister

    The former Minister of Works and Housing during the Ibrahim Babangida’s regime, Maj-Gen. Mamman Kontagora (rtd), is dead.

    Kontagora died at the National Hospital, Abuja, on Thursday.

    He was 69 years.

    The deceased was born on April 20, 1944 in Kontagora, Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State.

    He was also the deputy chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, a body established by the Federal Government to manage the nation’s subsidy funds.

    Before his appointment into the SURE-P, Kontagora was the Administrator of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He was appointed into that position on August 22, 1998.

    He was a Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the 2003 National Assembly election, but was defeated in the primaries by Isa Maina, who was eventually elected into the Senate.

    He also vied for the 2007 presidential election under PDP, but lost out to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua during the party’s primaries.

    Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed sadness over the news of Kontagora’s death.

    A statement signed by his media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, said President Jonathan extended his sincere condolences to the late General’s family, the Kontagora Emirate Council, Governor Babangida Aliyu and all the people of Niger State.

    The statement reads:

    “President Goodluck Jonathan has received with shock and immense sadness news of the death of the Deputy Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Major-General Mamman Tsoho Kontagora (rtd.)

    “On behalf of himself, the Federal Government and all Nigerians, President Jonathan extends sincere condolences to the late General’s family, the Kontagora Emirate Council, Governor Babangida Aliyu and all the people of Niger State.

    “The President joins them in mourning the illustrious and indefatigable former Minister of Works and the Federal Capital Territory who, even in retirement, continued to serve his fatherland with zeal, vigour and enthusiasm whenever he was called upon to do so.

    “President Jonathan believes that the nation would always honour the memory of the late Army Engineer for having served Nigeria with commendable patriotism and distinction during an excellent career in the Armed Forces and in various other capacities in the public service including Federal Minister, Sole Administrator of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Development of National Stadia for the World Youth Soccer Championship in 1995.

    “He prays that God Almighty would grant General Kontagora’s soul eternal rest.”

    According to the statement, a delegation led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed would represent President Jonathan at the former minister’s interment.

    The delegation would also include the Minister of State for Power, Mrs. Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi and the Chairman of Sure-P, Dr. Christopher Kolade.