The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Political

  • Fayose and Ekiti political apocalypse 

    SIR: It is indeed disgraceful and disheartening to witness the lingering political turmoil that has pervaded Ekiti State for some time now. Unfortunately, it is nowhere near abating and instead it is dangerously degenerating into an apocalypse.

    The Ekiti people are nationally and international known for their forthrightness, doggedness, principles, deep-rooted in cultural values, high level of intelligence and high education achievements. These have fetched them acronyms such as the ‘Fountain of Knowledge’ and lately the State of Honour and not the prevailing distasteful, dishonoured and damaging appellation of the state of ‘Stomach Infrastructure’.

    Ekiti people should therefore be worried about the insalubrious happenings in our dear state today. Do all these sterling attributes still add up in reality? My candid answer would be a firm NO and the quicker we all realise this, the best for us so that the lost glory of the state could be quickly restored. The political brouhaha orchestrated by supposedly political leaders in the name of politics will neither do the political leaders, the state nor the people any good.

    Since politics, democracy and governance is centred on the governed i.e. the people, can we now in all honesty say that the deadly politics which has reduced governance to zero level in Ekitis state is for the interest of the people?

    During the campaign prior to the election, Governor Ayodele Fayose admitted that mistakes were made during his first tenure and said he had learnt. He professed to being a changed and matured person. Sadly, not long after being declared winner and even before his inauguration, he returned to the old ways. Impunity, political intolerance and browbeat of constitution in display. A grave assault on the judiciary where a state high court judge was beaten up, court staff openly assaulted and vital documents carted ways during the despicable act.

    After his swearing-in, instead of creating the best atmosphere to work with the state legislators, Fayose resorted to creating disaffection among the lawmakers.  He prevented the 19 APC members from performing their constitutional duties and supported the seven PDP members to stage a kangaroo impeachment against the bona fide Speaker. That marked the beginning of the crisis that has brought the Ekiti State to this awful situation.

    With all these happenings, it is bewildering that our respectable traditional rulers and the leaders of thought have kept an undignified silence; some are even partisan. These respectable leaders have shown lack of concern when they should rise up to their natural and moral responsibilities to find amicable solutions to the problems before it degenerated to this point. No doubt, their timely intervention would have probably saved us from this unpalatable siltation we are in now. They abdicated their social responsibilities and before their own eyes, the reputation of Ekiti State is being thrown to the mud, the state is engulfed in crisis the end of which nobody can predict.

    Enough of keeping aloof, enough of sitting on the fence it’s time to do something.

    Every character involved in getting Ekiti State to this abysmal mess and those by the virtue of their positions who ought to act one way or the other to save the situation but failed to do so should know that posterity will judge them accordingly. Those who train thugs and empower them with arms to cause mayhem, destroy and to kill their brothers and sisters in the name of politics should know that a day of reckoning is in the offing; for what goes around comes around. These youths, sooner or later, will turn the guns against the suppliers and they shall be the greatest victims of their own evil deeds.

     

    • Lanre Atere,

    Moodiesburn, Glasgow,  UK

  • Deregistering political parties

    SIR: I read with delight that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) intends to deregister some political parties.  Most of the so-called political parties are merely social clubs.  There is nothing political about them.  It was an error, in the first place, to register them as political parties.  Political parties are based on ideologies of Right (capitalist), Left (socialist) and Centre.

    If asked to show the difference between their parties and those which were registered earlier, most of them would not be able to show any.  And if they cannot show the differences, why not join them?

    With fewer political parties, it will be easier for the INEC to exercise the oversight function on political parties, and the burden on INEC to make tape-like ballot papers, in order to capture symbols of political parties will ease.  The task of the electorates to search for the symbol of the party of their choice will be removed.  Most of these so-call political parties are never heard of and their symbols not known until they are seen on the ballot paper.

    After deregistering the social clubs which have been given status as political parties, INEC should ensure that only political associations which can show evidence in their papers that they are different by ideologies from the existing political parties are registered.  Applicants merely giving themselves different or new names and picking different symbols should not be considered for registration as a political party.  Freedom of association enshrined in our Constitution should not be used to indiscriminately register an association as a political party

     

    • Dr. Joseph T. Orkar,

    Ankpa Road G.R.A., Makurdi

  • Nigeria: Political power imbalance:

    Nigeria: Political power imbalance:

    …Continued from yesterday.

    The bane and chain down of Nigeria’s progress and development – •Excerpts from a 261-page book by Sir Olaniwun Ajayi

    The bane and chain down of Nigeria’s progress and developmentThe Yorubas have undoubtedly occupied this homeland for many centuries. When the Portuguese arrived on the coast in the 15th century, their political organisation into a number of major and minor states had already been evolved, and may well have been in existence for several hundred years, as an examination of their king-lists and other oral data suggest. Their language, despite its many dialects, provides the main evidence of a common origin and cultural heritage…

    In this connection, it is intriguing to observe the views of Lord Lugard in his early days as High Commissioner for Northern Nigeria. On page 25 paragraph 36, which formed part of his 1902 Annual Report on Northern Nigeria to both Houses of Parliament through the Colonial Office, in part wrote thus: “…The case of these alien conquerors (the Fulani) is wholly different from that of ancient chiefs ruling over people of their own race for long centuries past, as I believe in the case, for instance, with the Yoruba chiefs of Lagos, who are of the same race with their subjects, and have held their position for centuries with well – established system of communal land tenure…”

    Furthermore, Lord Lugard’s biographer, Margery Perham said; “…The Yorubas, at least for centuries before British annexation, had taken to living in towns, and were indeed the most urban -minded of all African peoples, though it must be remembered that the people thus concentrated were still mainly farmers…” 55

    We may add yet another view regarding the state of development even before the advent of Europeans, particularly the British. That is the view of the great scholar and author, James S. Coleman, who stated that:

    “The Yoruba people may rightly claim to be the largest cultural aggregation in West Africa with a history of political unity and a common historical tradition… Additional distinguishing feature of the Yoruba are of significance. One is the comparative large-scale political organisation which existed before the British intrusion…. The whole Yoruba system was marked by check and counter-check:” and the superstructure was essentially that of a constitutional monarchy. 56

    Finally, the prudence or advisability of corralling the manifest and intellectual views of experts and eminent persons will be amply met by adding the considered statement of a former Governor-General, Sir Arthur Richards, (later Lord Milverton) as recorded in his memoir by his biographer, Richard Peel. He stated, among other things, of the Yoruba:

    “…The people of Western Province had, like the North, a more developed system of native administration and, in addition, an authoritarian, kingly rule handed down for centuries and therefore in many ways more bred in the bone.”57

     

    Chapter 3

    The Igbo Nation

     

    The origin of Igbo people would appear to be a great conjecture as various writers hold different views with respect to where the Igbo originated. For example, M.D.W. Jeffreys held the view that the Igbo originated from Egypt. Whereas some Igbo writers, claimed that the lgbo were Hebrew or Egyptian, stating that the origin of Aro was the Nile Valley. 58

    Perhaps for the purpose of this book, it will be sufficient to limit our research into the origin of the Igbo people to the fact that the Igbo have been in their present settlement for very many centuries. This view is supported by the evidence produced by the research report of Professor D.D. Hartle’s test excavation in the University of Nigeria Nsukka Agricultural farm, which produced evidence of human settlement, dating back to 2555 BC. The evidence went further to state that the materials recovered from the excavation, like ‘unfired clay vessels’ were like the unfired articles being used in Nsukka. We can then infer from the excavation evidence that the people of Nsukka are the descendant of the people occupying the area from time immemorial. The further inference from that hypothesis is that Nri-Awka-Orlu sector would appear to be the earliest centre from which Igbo waves of migration started. This view is confirmed by Talbot and Mulhall in their book – The Physical Anthropology of Southern Nigeria, Page 4. They said:

    “The Ibo have no tradition from elsewhere and appear to have settled in the thickly populated parts of Nri-Awka and Isu-Ama areas for a very long period and to have spread from there.”

    There is no record that the Igbo had a common ancestor. However, there were cases of various units of villages where people got together and made arrangement, whereby they looked upon themselves as brothers. Such villages or groups could unite for a purpose like forming themselves into constituency or community.

    Geographically, substantial part of south-eastern Nigeria, which is the geopolitical region of Igbo people, is covered by dense forest and challenged by erosion.

    Sir Alan Burns, the author of History of Nigeria (7th Revised Edition) wrote on Page 59 of his book:

    “…At the time that Lord Lugard wrote the most important of these was the large lbo tribe. Among these people there was no highly recognised form of government and little tribal cohesion; practically every village was independent, and so great was the isolation of each small community that the inhabitants of neighbouring villages often speak in entirely different dialects…”

    Margery Perham, writing on Lord Lugard in 1960 said:

    Early in 1915, for example, he went on tour in the south-east, driving the first train along the sixteen miles of rail, between Port Harcourt and Imo River. From there he went north into the heart of the densely populated lbo country, visiting the coal field and calling at the headquarters of districts. He was greeted everywhere by the forest people, the women giving him the almost universal greeting of female Africa of shrill “lululuing” (many of the women of all ages were absolutely nude and Ah you, quite shocked, turned his back on them). Coal and railway-cutting focused his attention more upon geology than humanity. But he had an eye for the natural beauty of Enugu, the future Eastern capital, which was then almost virgin bush.

    Political organisation, a remarkable chieftaincy system and a well established urbanisation which were the hallmarks of Yoruba nation before the British came were non – existent in lgbo nation. That state of development in the south-east (Igboland) was a problem to Lugard with particular regard to indirect rule.

    In 1900, Lord Lugard, as he later became, inaugurated the Protectorate in northern Nigeria which was later divided into Provinces. In the capital of each province, was a senior British official, known as Resident. Government policy was to the effect that the African rulers, mostly Emirs and their council and courts, were running the administration. This was the system later known as Indirect Rule.

    In this regard, Lugard had a lot of problems in the South – east. There was no organisation nor chiefs as were in the northern protectorate. Indeed, Margery Perham made an indecent reference to the lgbo as:

    “Coastal group in the region and a people of beastly living, without a god, laws, religion or commonwealth… Lugard could appreciate the formidable fact of their social fragmentation but are we then to assume that the attempt to adapt the fundamental principle of Indirect Rule to these intractable human conditions…”

    However, because there were no rulers and chiefs in Igboland, the British government had to appoint chiefs by warrant in order to operate the Indirect Rule.

    As to what remains of the history of Igbo people is not of any historical importance and relevance, it will be expedient to close up here and go to the history of Hausa/ Fulani.

     

    Chapter 4

    Hausa/ Fulani

     

    Unlike the case of the Yoruba and somewhat similar to the case of the Igbo, there is, hitherto, no known origin of the Hausa people. All we know is that the Hausa speaking people are, to a great extent, of Nigeria origin. It would appear however, that as there are not many who could be identified as Hausa, those who speak the language are very many throughout the northern half of Africa, including Mecca.

    Despite paucity of records, it is recognised that Kano, Zaria, Daura, Gobir, Katsina, Rano and Zamfara, were the original seven states of the Hausa in Nigeria.

    With respect to religion, the people called Hausa would probably be pagans before the advent of the Islamic religion which came into Hausa community about thirteenth century. Thus, Muhammadanism spread quickly, making rapid progress among the people. The new religion affected both the religious and social life of the Hausa people. With the passage of time, a form of government developed among them. Each state had its king and judicial system which administered the law. In other words, a structure of an organised community was already present among them.

    Since the Hausa could not claim a common origin or ancestor like Oduduwa for the Yoruba, each state was independent of the others. With time this state of separateness or individualism gave room for an engendered jealousy and disaffection which ultimately brought about internecine wars. Thus, for example, Zaria waged war against the Hausa and conquered the Hausa countries to the south and brought down Bauchi, just as Gobir fought all nomad tribes of the northern desert. Kano fought Borno without successes. But Bornu fought successfully Hausaland, while Askia, the King of Sonhay conquered Katsina and Kano and made them provinces of his empire.

    With the growing power of the Hausa, a peace immigration into the country of a people called Fulani took place. Where they came from, nobody knew. A school of thought said they came from India. Some others opined that they were Jews, others argued that they were Malayan or Phoenician.

    The generally accepted view however, was that they came from upper Egypt and moved westwards to the Atlantic Coast where most of them settled and some years later, some of them moved in the direction of Nigeria around the thirteenth century. They mingled with the Hausa and intermarried with them and adopted Muhammadan religion. In due course, their superior intelligence placed them in position of importance and power.

    For many years however, the Fulani remained a subject race in Hausaland. However, in 1804, Othman dan Fodio, a Fulani Sheikh, rose among the Fulani group. Othman dan Fodio ran into conflict with the King of Gobir whom, with his Fulani followers, he defeated in a decisive battle. Consequently, following the defeat of Gobir and his followers, Othman dan Fodio became and recognised as the Sarkin Musulmi. His followers, the Fulani, sought and obtained his approval to wage war and conquer the Hausa among whom they had been living on sufferance.

    The holy war began and Othman dan Fodio encouraged and boldened his followers to wage war in the name of Allah and His Prophet against pagans and unbelievers and those who appeared to them to be lukewarm. Not only were they conquered, their property was also taken as spoil.

    In 1808, Borno, a Mohammadan country, was attacked by Othman’s fanatical followers, although not all the followers of Othman were Fulani. In truth, this was the Jihad which the natives in the country saw as preservation of their religion and so supported it. The Jihad was not a full success but it was at such a stage that Othman could hand over the country to his brother called Abdullahi and his son, Bello. Before he died in 1817, Othman had divided the country between his brother, Abdullahi, who made himself Gando, and Bello to be in charge of Sokoto, and recognised as Sarkin Musulumi.

    Bello had a turbulent reign as he had to contend with constant warfare against the tribes who would not embrace Fulani rule.

    A bit of peace came to Bello towards the closing years of his reign. The supporters and their descendants firmly owed allegiance to Sokoto, the seat of Bello. Sokoto became an empire which gradually included the emirates of Adamawa, Gombe, Hadeija, Kano, Katsina, Daura, Katagun, Bauchi, and Zaria. His troubled reign notwithstanding, Bello made for himself, time to study. He in time, became an author of several works on history, geography and theology.

    It is intriguing to observe Bello, who was a learned person ordered that all the Hausa records in his domain should be destroyed. They were in fact, destroyed. He died in 1837. His brother, Abubakar Atiku, succeeded him.

     

    Chapter 5

    Fate and future of Nigeria’s minorities

     

    Towards the latter part of 1943, O.G.R. Williams, the head of the West African Department of Colonial Office, took the initiative of writing a memorandum on ‘Constitutional development in West Africa.

     

     

  • Asiwaju Tinubu: Nigeria’s Political Benefactor

    Asiwaju Tinubu: Nigeria’s Political Benefactor

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has contributed, more than any other politician in the last 22 years, to strengthening and sustaining Nigeria’s fledgling democratic culture. His contributions have come in kind, and I hear from the grapevine; in cash as well. These sacrifices are common knowledge to many Nigerians. But let us begin in 1994.

    After General Sani Abacha assumed maximum dictatorial powers, detaining and assassinating dissenting voices, Tinubu and other pro-democracy citizens teamed up to form NADECO. They mobilised Nigerians to oppose Abacha. They harried the regime through the press, rallies and demonstrations. This line of action soon put their lives in danger and Tinubu had to flee into exile. And even with all the deprivations of living in cold foreign climes, Tinubu continued to inspire and mobilise Nigerians at home and abroad, as well as foreign governments to sustain the pressure on Abacha’s dictatorship. And when, thankfully, Abacha expired in 1998 and democracy was re-introduced in 1999, Tinubu was elected the governor of Nigeria’s most populous state – Lagos. This was where his leadership attributes and capacity for organising people began to assume legendary status.

    He began the renewal of the spirit of Lagos, which had been suppressed by long years of military dictatorship. It was a time when excellence was re-introduced into the public lives of Lagosians. And it became evident in the quality and span of roads and other public infrastructure constructed at the time. It was also evident in the changing attitude of Lagosians. They began to re-develop a high sense of pride, dignity and confidence. And they began to have very high expectations of themselves and their governments.  But this did not happen very smoothly.

    In the 2003 general elections, P.D.P, with General Olusegun Obasanjo presiding, decimated the political territories of the main opposition party, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and “captured” most of the Yoruba states of southwestern Nigeria. Only Lagos, with a resolute and resilient Tinubu, stood firm like the Russian defenders of Stalingrad in the Second World War, against the crude and abrasive tactics of Obasanjo. In the general elections of 2007, Obasanjo retained control of these captured southwestern states and tried; using every trick and tool in the game to take Lagos from Tinubu; but with equal cunning and blinding sophistication, Tinubu resisted, won his re-election and held Lagos.

    Then he counter-attacked, inspiring and bankrolling challenges to the illegal victories of P.D.P governors in the southwest. And he began to win back territories. Ekiti, Osun, even Ondo with the chameleonic Mimiko challenging from the Labour Party, was recovered from P.D.P through the moral and financial support of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. His actions at this juncture in the history of our nation, saved Nigeria from degrading into a one-party state, with the attendant lack of choice and ultimately lack of freedom.

    However, Tinubu was not satisfied with just improving the southwestern states, being a nationalist, he longed to see a better-governed Nigeria. So, towards the general elections of 2011, he began to reach out to other like-minded Nigerians. His grand vision was to form an opposition party capable of wresting power from P.D.P.  He expanded AD to AC then to ACN. But when the politically naïve and puritanical General Buhari, (I love him for this though) sitting on a high horse and thumping his nose at his erroneously perceived “impurer” politicians like Tinubu, failed to see and take advantage of the opportunity, Tinubu recruited Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the internationally acclaimed anti-corruption prosecutor and activist, to be the presidential candidate of ACN. Ribadu was never going to win that election; the euphoria of having a minority Niger Delta president was too strong across the country for a disjointed opposition. But lessons were learnt.

    The first of such lessons is that Asiwaju Tinubu means well for the country. The second lesson is that he is not an ethnic jingoist. The third is that the good of Nigeria comes far ahead of his personal ambition. The fourth is that he is always ready to sacrifice his personal ambition and resources to advance the course of our nation. The fifth and perhaps the most important lesson is that he will go to the ends of the world to recruit the best, least-corrupt and most capable brains to run governments in Nigeria. From Raji Fashola and Prof Yemi Osinbajo in Lagos, Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti, Rauf “Ogbeni” Aregbesola in Osun, to his support for Nuhu Ribadu as ACN presidential candidate in 2011, and his foresighted, astute and relentless pursuit of the merger of ACN, CPC, ANPP and others to form APC, and the total support extended to General Buhari to emerge as the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu has proven himself to be a true Nigerian patriot and has nothing more to prove to anybody. Action speaks louder than words (not that Tinubu is staying quiet). But his actions have demonstrated beyond question that he truly and completely believes in a less corrupt and better-governed Nigeria.

    Now, one cannot objectively assess a person or an issue without examining the other side of the argument. So, let’s consider the cases against Tinubu. A lot has been said about his wealth and these gossips have been followed up with allegations of corruption. From all indications, he seems to be a man with very deep pockets.  But a very rich politician does not necessarily translate to a very corrupt politician. Tinubu is a smart man, and I believe, when it comes to personal financial matters, he thinks like a businessman, taking advantage of emerging opportunities to make profit. This is the hallmark of successful business people. But what has Tinubu been doing with his massive wealth? From all indications, he has deployed, at least some of it, to the development of a viable opposition party, sponsoring younger and competent political leaders like Fashola, Yemi Osinbajo, Aregbesola etc, and building a strong A.P.C that has reinvigorated our democracy. And in all these, he never ever allowed his personal political ambition stand in the way of the progress of our dear country.

    The big question is; would a very corrupt politician be taking the risk of fighting governments that could easily jail him? Take a second to consider that Tinubu was a consistent voice of opposition to all-powerful and vindictive President Obasanjo, and has continued to harry President Jonathan, weaken P.D.P, and has led the formation of A.P.C, which from all current indications, is developing into the strongest opposition party in Nigeria’s political history, capable of defeating President Jonathan in the coming presidential election.

    And after all the money and time invested by EFCC, ICPC et cetera, in investigating Tinubu, the most grievous criminal charge they could bring against him was possession of a near-empty dormant foreign account. And they couldn’t even get a conviction. If Tinubu were a corrupt man and the government in power, with all the instruments of arrest and prosecution at their disposal has failed to find evidence against this man, then it stands to their eternal shame.

    And if after writing this, Asiwaju were to be convicted of corruption in the future, I will only feel a sense of sadness at the falling from grace of a man who has given so much for the development of a functional democracy in our nation. But for now, he will continue to enjoy my respect and admiration, and Nigerians of democratic inclination should be genuinely grateful, and should regard him as our number one political benefactor in this democratic dispensation.

    • Onyeka Ibe, a writer and politician can be reached through onyezibe@yahoo.com .

  • Time to say no political clowns

    The closer Nigeria is getting to the defiantly postponed general elections, the more desperado politicians are exposing in tomfoolery, naughtiness and waywardness. Today, many politicians who have ears are just not listening; those with eyes cannot see, while the few with brain are failing to think optimistically with confidence. Even the blinds are shutting their eyes pretending to be asleep when it is palpable they could see nothing.

    It is now as if this nation is sliding to a gutter where nothing shall profit a man if he shall gain the whole world but lose his own character. If only we can discern that the acceptance of earthly treasures by insincere tongue is a vanity flinging here and there of those in the hunt for unfulfilled life, it is then we move forward.

    Surely, whether man concedes or not, there are barbs and traps on the pathway of the crooked. It is only when a leader is primarily honest on little things that he can be trusted on bigger issues that will be able to touch the life of many.

    Flippant politics is on-going across the nation. Passing through the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, on getting to Alakuko Bus Stop, there is a big poster on a massive billboard written: “Facts don’t lie.” On it is the campaign photograph of President Goodluck Jonathan with his vice, Namadi Sambo. This is to assume that the president desiring re-election for the second term cannot lie as he is factual in all declarations.

    But last week, there was a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco over whether or not our president recently engaged the monarch in a telephone conversation. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement asserting that President Jonathan spoke with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, authorities of the Kingdom denied the claim and thereafter summoned up their ambassador to Nigeria.

    Opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier made a statement on the issue, giving the President benefit of doubt by requesting him to clarify what really the discussion was about. To the party, the Jonathan administration has little or no regard for the truth if indeed the President was not involved in any telephone conversation with the king. But rather than reply, APC was just vociferously abused by a presidential spokesman as if the party was ignorant of the reality.

    It was not until last Friday that President Jonathan was imposed to admit that he had not at any time engaged the Moroccan king in a telephone conversation as claimed by the Ministry. He said he had also not told anybody that he spoke with the monarch. Shortly after this admittance, the opposition party has asked him to apologise to Nigerians for their embarrassment as they had now been branded liars as a result of the alleged controversial phone discussion.

    More than ever before, rather than convince people of the reality in his capacity to turn his failed administration to success, President Jonathan has been exploiting the weeks of prolonged elections to visit and mobilize traditional rulers in the South West region and all manner of valueless groups and hollow elders as if they just exist. If only there is wisdom in the worthlessness of the frantic encounters. Good enough that the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona sensibly counseled him to push his agenda above his unworthy sharing formula.

    Only fools will not know that it is already too late for a failed government to convince the wise to vote faultily on the basis of following the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose scheme of sharing irrational stomach infrastructures and public financial resources. Or what is the sense in President Jonathan’s claimed approval of contracts for securing the waterways and oil pipelines to the likes of ex-militant Tompolo and cantankerous Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) split leader Gani Adams?

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ meeting deliberately held in Lagos last week concluded that the party will not only snatch Lagos State from APC, but will capture the entire sates in the South. It is to say that the South West is already in their hands. Afterall, they tested such promise in Ekiti State and it worked. Even as it failed in Osun State, they might now want to repeat the same Ekiti rigging tactics at the federal level – not minding if that is what will make the peace of the nation to be disrupted and the dark days in the last 16 years under PDP mounted.

    If a political party is sure of winning an election, why should it then be intimidating personalities of the opposition? Sincere politicians who adore the citizens should in perseverance to the country allow election to hold free and fair. If any candidate is in sincerity of service to the people, he should not run in do or die desperation. The one once voted for but failed in performance can be voted out by voters in sensibility. But the ones failing to understand if they will win or lose are those now campaigning against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its leadership so that Nigerians would be unable to take their decision the way they want it.

    With the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) now reaching acceptable state of distribution, the attack is now on the card readers. Those who are not trusting being voted for are against the card reader that can guarantee that PVCs are not forged. Won’t it then become another fake election if PVCs are not allowed to be authenticated?

    Like APC’s Vice Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s view, I believe it is irresponsible and impunity to the nation to oppose the use of the card readers for the election. It is surprising that the same government that once approved the card reader as an electronic device to give credibility to electoral process is now agitating for seeing something wrong with the device.

    For a party now wooing South West at all cost, the caliber of Yorubas being used is enough to reveal what Jonathan will do for the region if by any option he is back to office. Those who truly know who former Minister of State Musiliu Obanikoro is should be convinced that is a factual clueless leadership that can re-pick him as a Yoruba ministerial representative.

    This is a man who ought to adequately clear himself from the professed partnership rigging of the Ekiti State last June election or wait till the issue is resolved through proper forensic investigation and his blameworthiness in the position cleared. But the president who wants him by all means and considered the allegation as a frame-up, had to use his supporters at the Senate to enforce him with political reward that may, perhaps, enable him follow up his Ekiti rigging in Lagos State.

    Were this to be a society being truly reformed as a decent nation, an Obanikoro would never be considered to return as a misruling minister. But we are under an era where power is to be retained by any means – notwithstanding ridicule to the integrity of the candidate. No nation can move forward when the leader swarms his administration with those deficient in uprightness and morality.

    Today, many Nigerians know who they need as their next president. The abusive media adverts are hardly convincing. Those who believe in the need for transformation will not vote for liars with liabilities. All that is needed is to let the voting and the declaration of winners be free and fair in deed and in truth. It is then the accepted will of the voters can determine the fate of this nation.

  • AAAN laments unethical political adverts

    AAAN laments unethical political adverts

    The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), has criticised  the spate of unvetted advert campaigns by the political parties and shadow interest groups across the various media.

    In a statement signed by its President, Kelechi Nwosu, the association said in obvious disregard of the advertising code and ethics of APCON (Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria) and the AAAN, most of these political advertisements have been exposed without going through the vetting procedures and consequent approvals from the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) of APCON.

    “Our concerns are that the professional values of the advertising practice and, indeed, public sensibilities, as well as the very stability of the polity have been severely undermined by the continued character assassinations, wanton abuses, unrestrained attacks, threats and counter threats that have become the bane of the political communication building up to the elections,” he said.

    “As a non-partisan but patriotic association, committed to the promotion and consolidation of democratic ideals, the AAAN implores the various stakeholders: political parties, candidates, interest groups, traditional and religious leaders to temper their campaign messages and public utterances with decorum. We would all become losers, if the continued improper politicking; unbridled bloodlust for power overheats the system and tilts the polity into chaos and anarchy.

    “Then there would be no political prize to be won only reversals and crises that would seek to prise us apart as a nation and plunge our generation and possibly those to come into a dark age. These are trying times for our dear nation which demand a high level of maturity, tact, and discipline from everyone,” the association said.

    AAAN urged media houses and the relevant regulatory bodies that have a role to play in moderating and channelling political campaigns and public discourse to institute stronger editorial controls that give ultimate priority to the public good and national interest.

    “Extreme caution must be applied, so as not to ignite the polity, especially now that we’re a few weeks away from the elections. Elections will come and go but Nigeria and Nigerians will remain one. Let’s keep it that way by shunning violent and improper rhetoric, and by comporting ourselves as Nigerians first, and political gladiators second, during and after the election,” he added.

  • ‘We’ve endorsed Saraki as Kwara political leader’

    ‘We’ve endorsed Saraki as Kwara political leader’

    The Etsu Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Kpotwo, has said traditional rulers have unanimously endorsed Senator Bukola Saraki as the political leader of the state.

    The monarch spoke at Tsaragi when he hosted Saraki’s campaign train for his re-election, led by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    Kpotwo said first class monarchs chose Saraki following the demise of his father, Dr Olusola Saraki, “to lead us politically”.

    According to him, politics in Kwara remains “a heritage.

    He added: “If I will not want any destruction to my father’s heritage, then I should do nothing to destroy the political structure that has been of immense benefits to us.”

    Kpotwo said the people of the town resolved to make public their political interest, adding that the town had suffered in the past because of “wrong information peddled against us”.

    He said: “We don’t want it again. We need to let the world know where we belong and what we stand for.”

    The Etsu, who hailed Saraki for initiating the reconstruction of his palace, also praised Ahmed for completing the project.

    Kpotwo said: “Anyone here before now, who decided to come to Tsaragi will see monumental development achieved under the Ahmed administration.

    “Therefore, nobody should tell us that we need to vote for Ahmed for his second term. Instead, we are begging him to come out and re-contest. His first term was a great blessing to us. We will mobilise our people to return him to power.”

    At the palace of the Lafiagi monarch, also in the same local government, Emir Kawu Haliru said traditional rulers were the harbingers of peace in Nigeria.

    He said: “They are our people. We know them very well and we can prevail on them to tow the line of peace, irrespective of the prevailing circumstances. That is why we still believe that we should be given a constitutional role to play in Nigeria.”

    The emir noted that “in our own Lafiagi, we would not renege on the political agreement between our forefathers and Ilorin people”.

    He added: “They were always doing things in common. We will not allow this age-long harmonious relationship to end during our own time.”

    Saraki spoke on the imperative of good governance as the pivot for viable democracy to thrive.

    The senator said his movement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) remained the greatest step ever taken in his political career.

    The former governor said his active involvement the campaign for APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was a project “aimed at rescuing Nigeria” from the claws of bad governance.

    Saraki said: “When we decided to leave the PDP for APC the other time, some people felt that we took the wrong step then. But today, everybody has fallen in line with what APC stands for.”

  • Political delinquency in Osun

    SIR: A dangerous trend is taking shape in the politics being played by the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State. Or, how else does one describe a situation, where a political party, seeking to be an alternative in the quest for power in a state takes hooliganism to the next level?

    As a party in power from 2003 to 2010, the PDP demonstrated the worst form of violence on the then hapless people of Osun. Even when as at that time, there was no serious opposition to its lacklustre rule, violence was its second name as any mass gathering of the party always ended in violence, with death and broken limbs in trail.

    This was why the people felt the need for change, culminating into their voting overwhelmingly for Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola of then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. This was unfortunately, an election that was marred with lurid violence and not allowed to count, which led to a very prolonged legal battle before his victory was restored at the courts.

    Why must winning an election in a democratic dispensation be a do-or-die affair even when it’s obvious that you are not wanted, based on your sordid records of criminality and ineptitude? As if the above aren’t bad enough, you now go on to accuse the other party or person of doing or planning to do what you are known for, and that which you are even intending to do.

    A typical and most recent example of this kind of behaviour is the unfortunate incident at the High Court sitting of the Election Petitions Tribunal in Osogbo, on Friday January 23. The camp of the candidate of the PDP in the August 9, 2014 governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, had raised an alarm that the state government was planning to make use of the State Boys to disrupt the tribunal’s proceedings of the next day. The government denounced the allegation as baseless.

    Again, it was ridiculous, but not surprising that on the day the tribunal was meant to take final statements of both petitioners and respondents, known thugs of the PDP stormed the venue to foment trouble and to even celebrate what they regarded as victory, even when there was no judgment!

    The poser on the lips of well-meaning Nigerians is: when would the camp of Omisore learn to behave honourably and desist from political shenanigans? Somebody ought to tell them the home truth that incumbent governor Rauf Aregbesola is, today, by popular will of the people of Osun and through the wish of the Almighty, a statesman, who will never engage in indecent acts.

     

    • Ayo Akinola,

    Osogbo, Osun State.

  • Political parties and the Lagos Model

    The provisions of the 1999 Constitution on political parties, deserve some attention. Unfortunately, in practice, most of the provisions are observed in the breach, and that has caused instability within the parties, which in turn affects party’s succession plans. Somehow, Lagos State has been luckier with regards to succession plans, and that has substantially affected performance and cohesion within the ruling party in the state. The challenge for political practice vis-à-vis the provisions of the law,is aggravated by the institutional weakness of critical organs of the state, particularly the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The result is chaos within most parties.

    To underscore the importance of political parties as a vehicle to actualise the exercise of the executive and legislative powers provided for, by the constitution, Sections 221 to 229 of the constitution is devoted to the formation, regulation and control of political parties. But most practitioners give scant regard to these provisions. For instance, in complete defiance to section 221 of the constitution, many socio-political associations openly canvas for votes for candidates, despite the provision that “No association, other than a political party shall canvass for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any candidate at an election”.

    In practice, in the run-up to the 2015 General Elections, many ethnic and cultural associations which if they are registered, would have stated in their documents filed with the corporate commission, that they are apolitical, have been falling over themselves, canvassing for votes for their preferred candidates. In some instances, there are reports of divisions within the associations, over the choice of candidates, with the elected officials of the association threatened with a sack, unless the candidate adopted by the dominant interest is supported. This anomaly has become very permissive, such that, among some groups, there is a blur between socio-cultural organisations and ethnic based political parties, which is prohibited by Section 2229(b) of the 1999 Constitution.

    Another fundamental provision of the constitution,concerns the control of the finances of political parties, which is provided for, in section 225. Section 225(2) provides: “Every political party shall submit to the Independent National Electoral Commission a detailed annual statement and analysis of its sources of funds and other assets together with a similar statement of its expenditure in such form as the commission may require”. If INEC has the requisite capacity to enforce this provision of the constitution, many parties and their officials would be seriously sanctioned. The recent lunch by parties for funds for political campaigns is one such instance, for enquiry. Also, sub-section 5, gives the Commission, the “power to give directions to political parties regarding the books or records of financial transactions which they shall keep and to examine all such books and records”.

    Interestingly INEC is enjoined by section 226 (1) of the constitution “every year (to) prepare and submit to the National Assembly a report on the accounts and balance sheet of every political party”. In sub-section 2, the Commission is enjoined “in preparing its report under this section, to carry out such investigations as will enable it form an opinion as to whether proper books of account and proper records have been kept by any political party, and if the Commission is of the opinion that proper books of accounts have not been kept by a political party, [it] shall so report”.This failure by INEC to obey the constitution, has not elicited any sanction by the National Assembly, who as members of the political parties may prefer that the records are not put in the public domain.Again the humongous amounts spent by candidates on party primaries is an eye opener, on theurgent need to check campaign funding, within the parties.

    A further interesting provision of the constitution to aid an orderly political environment, is Section 227, which provides: “No association shall retain, organise, train or equip any person or group of persons for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force or coercion in promoting any political objective or interest or in such manner as to arouse reasonable apprehension that they are organised and trained or equipped for that purpose.” This provision prohibits the several blood thirsty ethnic groups threatening the election process, in the interest of their preferred candidates. Unfortunately the political actors also promote this unconstitutional conducts, as they try to ride on their backs to electoral victory.

    Obviously part of why INEC has not been pressured to perform better is because most of the parties are guilty of this breach of the constitution. Also until now, apart from the ruling party at the centre, most of the other parties were too fractious and incapable of insisting that INEC must obey the constitution. However with greater political stability provided in the country following the emergence of the All Progressive Congress, as a counterfoil to the behemoth, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), INEC may be compelled to obey the constitution.

    In Lagos State, the ruling party’ssuccession plans, have been incredibly successful. Interestingly, even when there are vigorous contests for political positions, as we saw at the last party primaries, the party is able to settle the disagreements. So, arguably, unlike in any other state in the federation, you see the former Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  Governor Babatunde Fashola, and the likely successor to Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, hand-in-hand, boisterously dancing on the same platform, as they vigorously campaign for Ambode. This can only be the result of robust leadership, internal cohesion and discipline within their party. The benefit is that long-term development plans are successfully executed.

     

  • Southern Kaduna Christians oppose ‘political deceit’

    Prominent religious leaders, under the aegis of Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Council (SKCLC), led by Bishop Joseph Danlami Bagobiri, at the weekend vowed to fight political deceit and injustice being meted out to the people ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    They also said promised to mobilise their followers to vote for only credible and competent candidates who would address fundamental issues without recourse to political parties and other inclinations.

    The religious leaders stated their position at the Southern Kaduna Prayer Summit in Kafanchan,  the political headquarters of the area.

    Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) former National President Prof Yusufu Turaki said: “I stand here to speak on behalf of Southern Kaduna Leaders Council and also on behalf of the majority of our people and Southern Kaduna in general. The rallying cry, groaning and yearnings of our people can be summarised in few words: the quest for socio-political and economic emancipation. Our sons in particular have been involved in politics since independence but with no tangible, visible and enduring results.

    “In recent times, we have suffered too many political setbacks. One in particular worth mentioning is the death of Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. Since our sons and daughters have lost their political bearings and relevance, we are now being compelled to chart a new political path for our people.

    “We must change the political game and bring our people to the centre stage of politics so that they can become the centrepiece of our current politics. We no longer trust our politicians.”

    Turaki, who is one of the leading African theologians, added: “We are no longer interested in any political slogans or political posters or political money bags, but only real political stuff for our people. We are no longer interested in hearing political stories and lies of politicians. Rather, we want to be listened to.”