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Tag: politicians

  • Police warn Edo politicians against thuggery

    Police warn Edo politicians against thuggery

    •Recover arms used for attacks  

    •PDP lawmakers, leaders flee 

    The police in Edo State have warned politicians to stop sponsoring thuggery.

    The police said they would not allow breakdown of law and order in the state.

    Thugs invaded the Legislative Quarters on Saturday, attacking All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers and their families.

    A statement by police spokesman Noble Uwoh said anybody caught would be prosecuted.

    Uwoh warned politicians not to not to take laws into their hands but to seek redress in court.

    He said the upsurge of political violence in the state does not augur well for its peace and tranquility.

    Commissioner of Police Foluso Adebanjo said policemen have been placed on 24 hours security patrol around Benin City and environs.

    Adebanjo said arms and ammunition used in the attack have been recovered.

    He said the police were on the fleeing attackers and added that those arrested would soon be charged to court.

    Nine PDP lawmakers and some party leaders have fled the state for fear of a reprisal attack by APC supporters.

    It was gathered that APC supporters have been spoiling for “war” but for the continued appeal by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who urged them not to take the law into their hands.

    The Speaker, Uyi Igbe, in a petition, alleged that PDP  members were behind the onslaught.

    Igbe accused the police of complacency. He said: “It was gathered that the police were informed of the attack after the incident at the Benin Airport on Friday, where thugs manhandled government officials as they waited to receive President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “But curiously, rather than strengthen security in the area, policemen attached to the complex and some of the lawmakers were allegedly withdrawn.

    “They went on a rampage destroying vehicles, buildings and assaulting lawmakers and their families. Furthermore, after the exit of the hoodlums, a fez cap was found in the premises with an inscription ‘Final Push’, which is the slogan of a group believed to be sponsored by a PDP lawmaker.

    “Let me remind the commissioner that having heard the news of a possible attack yesterday, we expected that the security in and around the premises should have been strengthened to foil the attack.

    “Also the few police officers who were supposedly posted to the legislators quarters were absent at the time of the attack.

    “This barbaric act lasted for an hour causing residents and neighbours to flee. In addition, police response was very slow, despite several emergency calls. I wish to request your speedy investigation in this matter.”

  • 2015: Politicians set internet warriors on the loose

    Armed with laptops, smart phones and other digital devices, a burgeoning army of youths are finding succour working as cyber warriors for political office seekers ahead of the 2015 general elections, reports Sunday Oguntola

    AT a cozy one-room office somewhere in Maryland, Lagos, the giant wall clock read 9am. Four young men worked feverishly away with their laptops. A pin-drop silence, only broken by an interval of keypad sound, gave the office a perfect atmosphere for the high-pitch work rate. 27 year-old Dave Olaogun, who resumed work last July, frowned and called the attention of others.

    “They are hitting oga hard here,” he said referring to an online forum where readers were discussing the suitability or otherwise of their principal for a political office. In no time, the team had agreed on what one of them described as the ‘perfect’ strategy. They bombarded the forum with comments in support of their principal’s aspiration. They punctured every argument against him with every sentiment and logic.

    By noon, they were the only commentators left on the forum. Others, probably pressed for time or distracted by other issues, had conceded the discussion to them. They did a hi-fives, took their laptop bags and waved goodbye to the security man. Their job for the day was done. They had engaged in combative arguments with every imaginary and real critic. They had won the online battles against their principal, a Federal House of Representatives aspirant, at least for the day.

    In the last three months, the four young men had been working full time on the project. They resume as early as 8:30am and close around 4pm. Their job description, as Olaogun stated, is to “engage whoever moves against our principal and project him as the best candidate for the office, by all means possible.” He finds the job as challenging as enthralling. Without mincing words, he describes himself as “a political online warrior fighting for a cause.”

    Olaogun and his team members are just one of the vast army of hitherto unemployed young minds engaged by politicians to fight their battles on the cyberspace. Investigations by our correspondent revealed that having realised the pool of voters available online, political office seekers have decided to canvass support for their aspirations using full-time internet warriors.

    James Oguro, a public analyst, explained that the pool of voters online has become too attractive for politicians to ignore. According to him, “Online is where everyone is moving to now. The world is now a digital village. You found that there are over millions of Nigerians with access to online facilities. Their perceptions, choices and political views are influenced by what they read online.

    “So, it is not out of place for politicians to woo them and curry their favour by strategically positioning themselves and titling opinions on their side in the online world. Whoever is serious about winning elections in Nigeria of today must have a strong online attention and work hard to attract the idle voters there. Don’t forget that most of the people who will be voting in 2015 are in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s.”

    Checks revealed that most campaign organisations now consider online warriors as critical as foot soldiers. This, it was learnt, is to win the confidence of young voters by explaining their manifestos and programmes. The realisation that voters in 2015 will be mostly digitalised citizens has further driven concentration in this direction.

    Some two weeks ago, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential aspirant, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku had a twitter chat with young Nigerians where they posed questions agitating their minds to him. The chat, which took place for hours, enabled Atiku to relate with them and solicit for their support in his aspiration.

    Several campaign offices, it was gathered, are also mooting the same idea. Many have opened personal and corporate accounts on the social platforms to interface with millions of voters hooked to the internet in different parts of the country.

    The internet warriors, a campaign organisation manager informed last week are recruited from the army of party supporters and sympathisers. “All we did was to ask around for internet-savvy guys. We did a little pilot project and realised they could add value to us. So, yes I can confirm we have them on board full-time with us,” he said.

    Their job description is simple: Take on our enemies online and win friends for us, the manager added. He said preliminary checks have revealed that the team has been swelling the support base of the aspirant and boosting his goodwill. “We have more subscribers on our media platforms. They raise issues they want us to address and give us feedbacks on how well or badly we are doing with them. That is positive and we are intensifying efforts in that direction.”

    Segun Adeoti, who works for a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship hopeful in Lagos, said the job is quite tasking. “It is not easy but enjoyable because it is what one loves. All I do is to surf the internet on whoever is saying anything about my boss. I comment and comment until someone starts believing me. It is never easy because there are guys on the other side too, fighting all our efforts. ”

    But there are times he needs to also do agenda-setting and marketing. “Those days, I go all out to market my principal. It could be on twitter, facebook, instagram and Linked. This too can be tough because there are people waiting for you to just post and start hitting you hard. They damage your reputation and tell everyone you are lying. It is an intense, ongoing battle,” Adeoti explained.

    All of these are much easier compared to when these internet warriors decide to go on the offensive against perceived and imaginary threats. On these occasions, they sling mud at the path of contestants against their principals. This is always the crux of the matter. Emmanuel Ogba, who works for an aspirant in Delta State, explained how this obtains. “You have to dig out unpleasant and unsavory details on whoever you consider to be a threat to your principal’s aspirant. It could be what he said sometimes ago or what he did somewhere that puts him in a bad light. In any case, you just want to damage the reputation and good standing of that aspirant before the public and voters. The moment you are successful, your principal’s rating soars.”

    Because of the informality of the job, checks revealed that most of the youths engaged are not really well-remunerated. Some receive N40, 000 monthly while others have to make do with paltry N25, 000. What they get every month depends on the generosity or otherwise of their principals and the sincerity of the coordinators. “I know my coordinator gets N150, 000 per head for the team but he pays only N45, 000. I can’t complain because I would have been unemployed without this,” a warrior, who craved anonymity, stated.Most of the internet combatants disclosed that their laptops, digital devices and smart phones come from the politicians. Their principals also provide them with 24-hour internet access to enhance their jobs. Sometimes, there are also time-outs and dinners where they fete with their principals and return home with sundry allowances.

    According to Oguro, the trend has positives for the nation’s political culture. “Economically speaking, politicians are beginning to provide jobs for youths. That is a plus for us. These youths could have been involved in thuggery and violence but they are at least using their skills to promote political aspirations. Also, it is an acknowledgement of the fact that we live in changing times. Politicians have to fish online for voters and really work hard at it. It is good for us and it can only get better.”

    The online battle for attention and votes, analysts say, will heat up even further as the general elections approach. But for the youths, it is at least an opportunity to earn a decent living. For Nigeria, it is a win-win situation in the nation’s struggle to battle youth unemployment and restiveness.

  • 2015: Where’re politicians of conscience?

    2015: Where’re politicians of conscience?

    ‘The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard’ ————Gaylord Nelson

    Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was that quintessential English philosopher who is best known for his political thought on the problem of social and political order. He wrote about how human beings could live together in peace so as to avoid civil conflict through his advocacy of obedience to an unaccountable sovereign that could be a person or group empowered to decide every social and political issue; failure to do this according to him, could lead to what he called a “state of nature” that is anarchical. The consequence of this, in his view, is that the life of the people under that state of nature becomes ‘brutish, nasty and poor.’

    But looking at the past and current situations in the country, it is doubtful if Hobbes contemplated human beings, especially the developing countries’ politicians, as purely particularly egoistic. This riddle has been the speck on the theory of this founding father of modern philosophy because it gives no reverence to the need for good ethics, morality and conscience as parameters for leadership obedience by the governed.

    The afore-stated adumbrated intellectual scrutiny of Hobbes’ works is informed by last week’s blanket approval of President Goodluck Jonathan by all the directing minds of ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections. The PDP governors led by its forum’s chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, its Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Tony Anenih, Adamu Muazu, PDP national chairman, Olisa Metuh, its national publicity secretary; Senate President David Mark and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that serves as its highest decision-making appendage recently adopted Mr. Jonathan as the party’s consensus candidate in next February presidential election. That game, obviously an exercise in impunity, made mockery of the well-espoused principle of internal democracy of political parties. And quite presumably, the hearts of most discerning Nigerians have since not ceased bleeding!

    The way and manner that otherwise men of honour “regurgitated” superlatives about the president and his leadership style at the event compelled yours sincerely to wonder if they were talking about the same man whose tenure has put the nation in the worst turmoil than any past leadership of the country. One wonders if these adults truly mean that Jonathan should continue after 2015. The mind went on peripatetic adventure and accompanied by surging questions: Could it mean that they, who are mostly serving top officers of state and from the ruling party, are indifferent to the plight of suffering Nigerians and debilitating state institutions? Are they unaware that five months after, the over 200 Chibok abducted girls are still in the bondage of the Boko Haram insurgents? What about the corruption of subsidy surrounding the management of crude oil proceeds by this administration? Are these supposed party chieftains saying that the odious exportation of $9.3million government money in privately owned aircraft where the president’s close pastor friend has residual interest is in order?

    Again: Could they be saying that one of the reasons for reposing confidence in the president is because South Africa seized Nigeria’s hard-earned illegally transported funds to her territory? Or could it be because of the abysmal human rights record of his administration as depicted by Amnesty International through the illegal torture of Nigerians by the police/military institutions? Does President Jonathan deserve a re-election for spending over a trillion on a Boko Haram war that is far from being won due to the nation’s military that is witnessing its greatest low and de-motivation under his administration? Could the president be deserving of another term for hobnobbing with alleged sponsors of Boko Haram? Could this wobbling handling of the Boko Haram criminal nuisance be the reason why the Senate hastily approved $1billion loan for the president to fight the insurgents while people are generally aware that the loan will eventually be deployed by the commander-in-chief to prosecute his 2015 re-election ambition? They could not even be bothered that the president has not accounted for the trillion already spent on the battle against the Boko Haram rebels.

    Based on the fore-enumerated necessary questions and several others not asked owing to space constraint, this column wonders if morality has any impact on a politician’s decision to run or pursue a re-run for office; or whether such is pertinent before endorsing anybody seeking to contest an election. The impunity against morality and character that is going on in especially the ruling PDP has underscored the fact that conscience as the inner voice that warns us in our overt conducts that somebody may be looking is lacking in the ruling party—and perhaps in other parties too. The directing minds of most parties, especially as depicted by the nauseating endorsement of Jonathan have shown, quite vividly to groaning Nigerians that character, which means the doing of things that one would not want to do but is conscientiously and morally right to do, is lacking in the country’s embattled polity.

    This column winked at the phoney and incongruous epithets used to describe Mr Jonathan as if he is inimitable, just to save their daily bread. These are historically insincere politicians, pretenders, interlopers, charlatans and irredeemable impostors that ended believing themselves by fooling the undiscerning public. They did same to Ibrahim Babangida, the despot who was ignominiously forced to step aside. They cajoled late tyrant Sani Abacha; and few of them despite their old age called former president Olusegun Obasanjo ‘baba’ just to ensure that he got to their well orchestrated disgraceful end in the saddle. One will perhaps be unduly alarming to state that Obasanjo ended abysmally with the ultimate collapse of his Third Term agenda through which billions of state funds were reportedly disbursed as alleged gratification to politicians perceived to be strategically positioned to help in fructifying that satanic ambition.

    What Jonathan might not easily remember also is that these same choristers helped Obasanjo to change the party’s constitution to allow former president unfettered access as the leader of the party and to have a say in who becomes future president. But quite ironically, it is instructive that the same Obasanjo, though alive, was not at the venue where the current ‘who-is-who’ (his former allies in mis-governance) in PDP converged to endorse Jonathan. What a lesson to the incumbent! Is it proper to describe these PDP politicians and others like them in the other political parties as politicians with conscience? The answer is absolute NO! For not upholding sincerity of purpose, truthful justice and realistic reliability in this odious blanket endorsement of an inept “ruler” in Jonathan, it is almost certain that the words of the presently suffering Nigerians and the future generations will not be kind on these political jesters in PDP.

  • Monarchs seek 65-year age limit for politicians

    Monarchs seek 65-year age limit for politicians

    Traditional rulers in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have suggested that the age for all political aspirants be pegged at 65 years.

    They said anyone above the age should resign from politics and support younger aspirants.

    The monarchs were reacting to the senatorial ambition of Governor Martin Elechi and the governorship aspiration of his in-law, Senator Chris Nwankwo.

    They noted that there would be purposeful and credible leadership  when young persons become involved in politics.

    The monarchs decried the number of politicians  above 65 years and jostling to go to the National Assembly or some other positions.

    They regretted that the state had not had good representation in the last couple of years.

    Their spokesperson Igwe Gabriel Ngele, who is the traditional ruler of Oriuzor autonomous community in the local government, spoke when a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Obinna Ogba, solicited their support for his senatorial ambition.

    The monarch urged old politicians to stay at home and advise young people.

    He said: “I advocate that politicians above the age of 65 years should resign from active politics, come back home and advise the younger ones who are more vibrant and have the zeal to make impact. The older politicians still live in the past; they are not in tune with the current realities of life. Their representation at the National Assembly has been a total failure.

    “What would a 70-year-old man be looking for at the National Assembly? The world is changing and younger persons are now assuming political positions. The future of the country lies in their hands. What we should do is to render fatherly advice to them and not to be jostling for positions with them. At my age, what would I still be looking for at the National Assembly when my children are already men with children?”

  • Priests or politicians?

    An Igbo traditional parlance, there is saying that when an elder shows bad example, children don’t just copy it, they also modify it. The recent acts of   priests of Ahiara Catholic diocese of Imo State   aptly illustrated this truism. The priests have by their morbid recalcitrance to obey the order of the Holy See swept under the carpet all that Christianity stood and stands for, as well as their priestly vows.

    One thing that separated Church of England from that of Roman Catholic Church is the latter’s strict adherence to principle of Hierarchism – which denotes that power flows from top to down. In the Church of England, dioceses enjoys a lot of autonomy from Lambeth Palace but its not so with Catholic Church where Order from Vatican is final. But the Catholic faithful of Ahiara diocese disregarded this tradition and have uncompromisingly stated their rejection of Bishop Ebele Okpaleke, former auxiliary Bishop of Awka diocese. They regarded the posting of Okpaleke to their diocese as an imposition.

    But be it as it may, the arguments of Ahiara Catholic faithful should be considered. They argued that since the inception of the diocese that no Mbaise priest has made it to a bishop. They questioned whether Mbaise priests were second class citizens in the said diocese. Inasmuch as their arguments appear sound, they should have handled the issue in the spirit of Christianity and Catholicism. They shouldn’t have gone to the extent of politicizing the whole issue and forcing out of their faithful a Catholic of thugs.

    What I usually ask since the politicisation of this issue is what these priests preach to their congregants? For I wonder how priests that ignited their congregants to wage war against a posted bishop will advice the latter to refrain from doing bad things.

    The unmannered  response of Mbaise faithful to cardinal Filoni’s  fatherly letter and rejection of mediation of Cardinal Onaiyekan  is utterly unchristian  and publishing it in a national daily awkward. It is expected that they should have done that through right means.

    No doubt, this issue is so complex and ought to be treated with care and fear of setting a bad precedence. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria should in concert with the Holy See evolve a powerful mechanism for negotiation with Catholic Faithful of Ahiara diocese. Any agreement must see to retention -and reaffirmation of Bishop Okpalaeke as their local ordinary!

    The Catholic faithful of Ahiara should know that they can’t be judge in their own case.  It seems to me that they’ve quickly forgotten the famous papal saying that he who hiss at the Pope dies like a beast.

    •Asikason Jonathan,

     Awka, Anambra State

  • Politicians hijack cocoa fund, says CAN President

    The President of Cocoa Association of Nigeria CAN Mr Sayina Riman,  has cried fowl over  the  N540 million allegedly disbursed to cocoa farmers in the country.

    Riman, who  spoke to  The Nation, said  despite the determination  and tenacity of purpose of the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina  towards  cocoa farmers, “the implementations are far below expectation.”

    According to him, “if you are talking about accessibility of fund for cocoa farmers, the policy is not farmer’s friendly most of the banks that are saddled with this responsibility are far away from the farmers, the Bank of Industry, Agric Bank and a host of others. They put a cumbersome operational policy that was difficult for most of the illiterate cocoa farmers to understand, that is why the farmers have put their fate into their hands,”

    The CAN President lamented that “most of the agricultural  incentives went to the civil servants and their cronies. If you go to them, they will tell you that the farmers have accessed so much. If as the President of CAN,  own about 200 hectares of cocoa, yet l cannot benefit ordinary chemical incentive from the Federal Government what do you think other cocoa farmers will benefit?

    He explained that the major task before the association is how to get the data base of all the cocoa farmers.

    “As  a body, we are taking the data base and want to get all the particulars of genuine cocoa farmers in the country, we are still talking to the minister of agriculture and  commerce to be a partner  and fund the Geo-Physical Survey, GPS of all the cocoa farm in the country for easy accessibility and for research purpose.

    “This will go a long way to access any fund because we would know who get what at a particular time. You can  go to the farmers to ask if they access any of the acclaimed incentive. If they say yes, the system is through,” he said.

  • Lagos Catholic Archbishop advises politicians on 2015 elections

    Lagos Catholic Archbishop advises politicians on 2015 elections

    The Archbishop, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Alfred Martins, has urged politicians not to see the 2015 general elections as do-or-die affair.

    In his sermon at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos yesterday, Rev. Martins admonished politicians to use the 2015 elections as stepping stone toward providing quality stewardship to the electorate.

    He enjoined Nigerians not to mortgage their future and the future of the coming generation for a mere “pot of pottage’’.

    He also advised politicians to learn from history and to always allow the norm that power belongs to the people to guide their political activities.

    “The political atmosphere in our country is highly charged with political activities as the year 2015 gradually draws near.

    “I urge the good people of Nigeria to take their destiny in their own hands by ensuring that they do not abdicate their responsibility of having a say in those who govern them.

    “Nigerians should learn and pursue the path that would lead to good governance, transparency, and accountability,’’ he said.

    He also urged the Federal Government to ensure that all electoral rules were enforced with a view to organising successful elections.

    Rev.  Martins said: “Anti-democratic attitudes such as political thuggery, rigging, violence, politics of bitterness and acrimony leading to politically motivated assassinations that still characterise our political landscape should be jettisoned.

    “A new political orientation that will ensure the success of the forthcoming electoral process should be embraced.’’

    The cleric underscored the need for the emergence of committed and patriotic leaders, saying that it behoved on all Nigerians to actively participate in the electoral processes.

    “The temptation to embrace rigging and violence as the easy way to win elective offices would be unnecessary if those elected to govern us do so with the fear of God and due regard for the rule of law,’’ he said.

    The cleric praised the Federal Government and its security agencies as well as other groups campaigning for the release of the kidnapped Chibok school girls.

    He, however, urged the government not to relent in its efforts at securing the release of the girls by exploring all possible ways.

    Said Rev. Martins “The insurgency is becoming even more worrisome as it seems that they are now trying to conquer territories that the military have to try and liberate.

    “There is a show of lack of respect for human life in the way they indiscriminately detonate explosives killing and wounding people and also blow themselves up as suicide bombers.

    “Even more alarming is the trend of the sect members using women and children as weapons of mass destruction.

    “It is most disheartening to see women and children blowing themselves up in the guise of fighting a religious war.”

  • Cleric warns politicians

    The Bishop of Evo Diocese, Anglican Communion in Rivers State, the Rt. Rev. Innocent Uchechukwu Ordu, has cautioned politicians on the politics of bitterness and provocative utterances. He said they should prevent the country from becoming a theatre of violence.

    Bishop Ordu spoke yesterday at the synod convention organised by the Evo Diocese, Anglican Communion, at Rumuobiokani in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The prelate said it was regrettable that the politicians had cultivated the habit of carrying themselves as if they were greater than the country, adding that they had been distracted.

  • MOSOP warns politicians, supporters on bitterness, intolerance

    MOSOP warns politicians, supporters on bitterness, intolerance

    The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has warned Ogoni politicians and their supporters against politics of hatred, bitterness, intolerance and acrimony.

    It urged them to unite and work for the people’s interest.

    The group described as needless and insensitive, the current debacle on resource control and derivation.

    MOSOP yesterday issued a 13-point communique at the end of a congress of Ogoni people, held at the Peace and Freedom Centre, Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni and the seat of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    It was signed by its President, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara.

    The congress was attended by over 3,000 participants, including MOSOP leaders and representatives of its constituent organisations, chiefs, farmers, traders, professionals, politicians, youths, women and other constitutionally-eligible participants.

    Reports were received at the congress from the MOSOP president. The recent developments affecting Ogoniland were reviewed.

    The communiqué reads: “The congress reiterated that it stands by MOSOP’s position that communities should be given 100 per cent control over their resources and pay the necessary taxes to the Federal Government

    “Congress hailed MOSOP and its supporters for the steps taken so far in the actualisation of the desires of the Ogoni people to produce the next governor, to enhance adequate political representation and fairness in the country.

    “Congress decried in the strongest terms, the purported radio jingle emanating from a fake ‘Ogoni Ethnic Nationality’ and stressed that it is the handiwork of desperate Ogoni politicians, whose stock has already fallen on the Ogoni Market, working in alliance with their outside collaborators to confuse and derail the Ogoni dream.”

    MOSOP lauded Ogoni people and their friends for their support for the movement, resulting in the near total agreement recorded on most issues being championed by the organisation, on behalf of Ogoni people.

    It enjoined them to sustain the zeal and commitment, stressing that the tasks ahead would be enormous and challenging, requiring concerted efforts, anchored on unity of purpose.

    The communiqué said: “The congress urged the Federal Government and delegates attending the National Conference to review the current list of states being proposed and ensure that Bori State is included in the list of recommended states to be created. Anything short of Bori State inclusion will force the Ogoni people to seek other ways of expressing their right to self determination and political autonomy.

    “Congress condemned the stunning and continuing failure of the Federal Government to set up a proper process for the implementation of the recommendations of the environmental study of Ogoniland and called on Ogoni people to join the non-violent protest being organised by MOSOP to demonstrate the anger of the Ogoni people against the Federal Government’s stance.

    “Congress mandated MOSOP to intensify its internationalisation of the campaign for the clean-up and restoration of the Ogoni environment, including invoking the provisions of international environmental and human rights laws, to hold Nigeria accountable to her misdeeds against the Ogoni people.”

    The people also expressed regret at the recent cult crisis in some communities in Ogoni, while admonishing the people, especially the youths, not to mortgage their future by submitting to cult violence and manipulations by external mastermind to create conflicts in the area.

    The congress urged the people to be committed to ensuring that such disturbance did not reoccur anywhere in Ogoni land, describing the area as globally recognised for non-violent and peaceful advocacy, noting that they could not afford at this time to renege on the position.

    Ogoni people called on monarchs in the area to redouble their efforts in ensuring and promoting peaceful engagements in their domains.

    The congress lauded MOSOP for the steps being taken to promote the development of the Ogoni languages and enjoined members of the Ogoni language committee to be committed to the task that had been given to them.

  • Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has stated that civil servants are better managers of men and resources than professional politicians.

    Akinwusi spoke during an interaction with a group of retirees in his campaign office in Osogbo yesterday.

    He decried the manner in which politicians had nearly ran the nation aground, saying it would be suicidal for public servants to wholly entrust their lives in the promises of politicians.

    The SDP governorship candidate, who served former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the incumbent, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola as Head of Service (HOS), stated that he had been among politicians and therefore knows what they were up to.

    He stated that civil servants are technocrats who ensure stability and continuity of government and have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.

    “Public officers are expected to be loyal, anonymous and impartial to government but that is not saying we must be blind followers of politicians. Now, they are going around making several promises to civil servants in the state but none of them can be trusted.

    “It is dangerous to just believe in today’s Nigerian politicians who are unstable in their ways. Yesterday they were in PDP, today, they are in APC and by tomorrow they jump back to PDP. Can they be trusted? I say no. We cannot take them by their words”

    “Now, they are prostrating and begging for votes, if by chance they get into office, they become the kings and we become the slaves. They will rule with iron fists as if we are nobody”, he stated.