The Nation Newspaper

Tag: politicians

  • LP to voters: be wary of ‘rice-sharing-politicians’

    LP to voters: be wary of ‘rice-sharing-politicians’

    The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, has warned voters to be wary of politicians, who are distributing rice.

    Akinbade said the trend was a cheap way of manipulating the people’s mind, warning that if the voters fall for their “Greek gift,” they could be put in another four agonising years.

    The LP candidate, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Kayode Oladeji, described the development as an insult on the psyche of well-meaning people.

    “Were they distributing these rice and kerosene before? It is nothing but a tactical ploy by these politicians to mortgage the future of the public,” he said.

    He argued that if the politicians had good intentions and programmes for the people, they would not be distributing the rice.

    “Politicians engaging in such an act are only afraid of their shadows. They know too well that with somebody like me in the race, the tide will be in my favour. I have God and the people; so rice or no rice, I will win by the grace of the people and the valued support of our people.”

    Akinbade said  the deployment of heavy security in the August 9 polls would allow  for a peaceful conduct of the exercise.

    Besides, he  urged the people not to be swayed by the antics of his opponents, particularly the PDP, about their  rumoured alliance, insisting that he would never enter into any alliance with the party or its candidate.

    According to his media aide, Akinbade spoke at Ile-Ogbo, Ayedire Local Government area, while addressing the people during his campaign tour.

  • AP: politicians should stop using indecent language

    AP: politicians should stop using indecent language

    Osun State Accord Party’s (AP) governorship candidate Niyi Owolade has urged politicians to desist from using indecent language during their campaigns for the August 9 poll.

    Owolade, who spoke at a media briefing in Osogbo, said no amount of character assassination could make the electorate vote against a good candidate.

    He warned the electorate to look out for those calling themselves Awoists, but do not exhibit the late sage’s principles, urging the people to vote against such people.

    Owolade, who was Commissioner for Health in the Bisi Akande administration, said there were no first class Awoists in any political party, but half-baked. He added that original Awoists were no more.

    He said the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who some politicians professed that they were following, would not use fowl language at political rallies.

    “He would address issues rather than attack personalities. The All Progressives Congress political philosophy and democratic process are not in the same wave length with that of Awolowo’s political doctrinal principles which are people-oriented and respected humanity,” Owolade added.

    He appealed to the people to vote for him as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the August 9 election, promising that there would be qualitative education for students if voted in as governor.

    He also promised an effective and robust agricultural scheme that will employ 18,000 graduates within 12 months of being in power, saying his administration would construct good road network.

  • ‘Blame insecurity on politicians’

    Academics and lawmakers who attended a conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have traced the cause of insecurity in the country to politicians, who they also accuse of using religion to divide Nigerians.

    The conferees cautioned government at all levels to treat religion with care “otherwise we shall be having a big religious insecurity in our hands.”

    The event was the third joint national conference of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin organised by the Institutes of General Studies and Finance Management Studies.

    The four-day conference was entitled “Nigeria Security Challenges: Issues on National Concerns.”

    In his paper dubbed “Essentials of Managing National Security,” Prof of Biblical Studies, United Missionary Theological College of Africa (UMTCA), Ilorin, Michael Akangbe blamed the country’s current travails of cultural, linguistic, religious and historical heterogeneity.

    Prof Akangbe said the activities of the Islamist Boko Haram sect stemmed from the ‘do or die’ politics of the elites.

    Said he: “Politics has become more complex in our hands from local to national and global levels; it is now more than simple acquisition of power for the administration of men and materials. It has become a big time politics where all sorts of vices are employed to play. Politics is made up of series of promises not fulfilled, denials of previous statements made by leaders and blame games.

    “Religion has become a stormy petrel, a harbinger of evil and a source of insecurity in our hands. It has not become volatile alone, but also dicey and difficult to define and handle well. There can be as many streams as possible of a single religion without a clear understanding within their theological differences and ideologies.

    “When religion steps out of the domain of providing explanation to the mystery of the divine entering into human and co-exist peacefully the end result is always chaos, catastrophe, maiming of people and outright killings in some cases or even war. In this regard, governments at all levels are to walk softly where angels are careful to walk at all otherwise we shall be having a big religious insecurity in our hands.”

    Another factor that breeds insecurity and other vices according to academic is corruption

    “Corruption is the major bane of our activities in this country. While there may be pocket of honest individuals here and there, corruption surely pervades almost every area of our economic and political spheres. In as much as it may be argued that corruption is a worldwide phenomenon, its high level in Nigeria has affected our development grossly,” he said.

    On unemployment, he said “like politics and religion, employment can become explosive and constitute a heavy security threats and Gordian knot on our hands. We need to handle with not an array of modern and sophisticated weapons but with great tact and wisdom of God before the bubble blows open and turns into another wild and untamed ‘haram’ in our hands.”

    In a remark, the Education Committee chair, Kwara state House of Assembly, Hajia Nimota Ibraheem said: “Our country has been polarized on religious lines by the Nigerian politicians. Even as small as I am we didn’t experience this when we were growing up. I went to a school established by an Islamic organization. In my class we had two Christians, a boy and girl and we did everything together as brothers and sisters.

  • Sect not sponsored by anti-Jonathan politicians — US officials

    Sect not sponsored by anti-Jonathan politicians — US officials

    •Say group gets most funds from lucrative kidnapping

    •’No substantial aid from al-Qaeda and AQIM’ 

    WASHINGTON – When Washington imposed sanctions in June 2012 on Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau,he dismissed it as an empty gesture.

    Two years later, Shekau’s skepticism appears well founded: his Islamic militant group is now the biggest security threat to Africa’s top oil producer, is richer than ever, more violent and its abductions of women and children continue with impunity.

    As the United States, Nigeria and others struggle to track and choke off its funding, Reuters interviews with more than a dozen current and former U.S. officials who closely follow Boko Haram provide the most complete picture to date of how the group finances its activities.

    Central to the militant group’s approach includes using hard-to-track human couriers to move cash, relying on local funding sources and engaging in only limited financial relationships with other extremists groups. It also has reaped millions from high-profile kidnappings. “Our suspicions are that they are surviving on very lucrative criminal activities that involve kidnappings,” U.S.

    Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in an interview.

    Until now, U.S. officials have declined to discuss Boko Haram’s financing in such detail.

    The United States has stepped up cooperation with Nigeria to gather intelligence on Boko Haram, whose militants are killing civilians almost daily in its northeastern Nigerian stronghold. But the lack of international financial ties to the group limit the measures the United States can use to undermine it, such as financial sanctions.

    The U.S. Treasury normally relies on a range of measures to track financial transactions of terrorist groups, but Boko Haram appears to operate largely outside the banking system.

    To fund its murderous network, Boko Haram uses primarily a system of couriers to move cash around inside Nigeria and across the porous borders from neighbouring African states, according to the officials interviewed by Reuters.

    In designating Boko Haram as a terrorist organization last year, the Obama administration characterized the group as a violent extremist organization with links to al Qaeda.

    The Treasury Department said in a statement to Reuters that the United States has seen evidence that Boko Haram has received financial support from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM), an offshoot of the jihadist group founded by Osama bin Laden.

    But that support is limited. Officials with deep knowledge of Boko Haram’s finances say that any links with al Qaeda or its affiliates are inconsequential to Boko Haram’s overall funding.

    “Any financial support AQIM might still be providing Boko Haram would pale in comparison to the resources it gets from criminal activities,” said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    Assessments differ, but one U.S. estimate of financial transfers from AQIM was in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars.That compares with the millions of dollars that Boko Haram is estimated to make through its kidnap and ransom operations.

     

    LUCRATIVE KIDNAPPING RACKET

    Ransoms appear to be the main source of funding for Boko Haram’s five-year-old Islamist insurgency in Nigeria, said the U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    In February last year, armed men on motorcycles snatched Frenchman Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, his wife and four children, and his brother while they were on holiday near the Waza national park in Cameroon, close to the Nigerian border.

    Boko Haram was paid an equivalent of about $3.15 million by French and Cameroonian negotiators before the hostages were released, according to a confidential Nigerian government report later obtained by Reuters.

    Figures vary on how much Boko Haram earns from kidnappings. Some U.S. officials estimate the group is paid as much as $1 million for the release of each abducted wealthy Nigerian.

    It is widely assumed in Nigeria that Boko Haram receives support from religious sympathizers inside the country, including some wealthy professionals and northern Nigerians who dislike the government, although little evidence has been made public to support that assertion.

    Current and former U.S. and Nigerian officials say Boko Haram’s operations do not require significant amounts of money, which means even successful operations tracking and intercepting their funds are unlikely to disrupt their campaign.

     

    LOW-COST WEAPONS

    Much of Boko Haram’s military hardware is not bought, it is stolen from the

    Nigerian army.

    In February, dozens of its fighters descended on a remote military outpost in the

    Gwoza hills in northeastern Borno state, looting 200 mortar bombs, 50

    rocket-propelled grenades and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

    Such raids have left the group well armed. In dozens of attacks in the past year

    Nigerian soldiers were swept aside by militants driving trucks, motor bikes and sometimes even stolen armoured vehicles, firing rocket-propelled grenades.

    Boko Haram’s inner leadership is security savvy, not only in the way it moves

    money but also in its communications, relying on face-to-face contact, since

    messages or calls can be intercepted, the current and former U.S. officials

    said.

    “They’re quite sophisticated in terms of shielding all of these activities

    from legitimate law enforcement officials in Africa and certainly our own

    intelligence efforts trying to get glimpses and insight into what they do,” a

    former U.S. military official said.

    U.S. officials acknowledge that the weapons that have served Washington so well in its financial warfare against other terrorist groups are proving less effective

    against Boko Haram.

    “My sense is that we have applied the tools that we do have but that they are not

    particularly well tailored to the way that Boko Haram is financing itself,” a U.S. defense official said.

  • NYSC DG to corps members: Don’t extort politicians

    NYSC DG to corps members: Don’t extort politicians

    The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, has warned corps members to shun all forms of monetary inducements from politicians during next year’s general elections.

    Brig-Gen. Olawumi gave the warning during his working visit to the 2014 Batch “A” corps members at the permanent orientation camp of the NYSC, at Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The Director-General said serious punishment awaits any corps member caught in the act of extorting money from politicians during the election.

    He told the corps members that the Federal Government through Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made enough arrangement to pay the allowances of some of the corps members that would be engaged during the exercise.

    His words: “I know that very soon when you get to your places of primary assignments, politicians will start going round. They will want to induce you with money or gifts.

    “Say no to that. Let me sound a note of serious warning that any corps member who is reported to me for getting himself/herself involved in electoral malpractices, that corps member is going to face the music and I am not joking about it.

    “So when they come with money, shun their money. The Federal Government through Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made enough arrangement to pay the allowances of those of you who will be involved in the election exercise.

    “INEC has made all the arrangement including even your security and this money will be paid through the NYSC. What that means is that any money that is not coming from the INEC through the NYSC, do not accept it.”

    Brig-Gen. Olawuni also urged the corps members to take advantage of the Federal Government’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) at the camp and turn themselves from job seekers to job creator.

    He said: “We don’t want you people to finish the service year and

    start carrying files up and down looking for the job that is not available. If you take advantage of the SAED programme, you are going to get yourself equipped with skills in this camp.

    “We have even gone beyond that to make provisions for you to continue training even after the orientation camp. We are not even stopping at that. We have even signed Memorandum of Understanding MoU with a very reputable firm, Bank of Industry, to give loan to people who can come up with a good proposal to start up something.”

    On his part, the State Coordinator of the NYSC, Akinkunmi Martins, said the NYSC, in its determination to strengthen national unity, had arranged its platoons and hostels in a way that would allow corps members of different cultural, ethnic, religious and social backgrounds to interact freely.

    Martins said the orientation course had received adequate adjustments with lots of innovation and welfare for the corps members.

    According to him, 1,817 corps members comprising of 939 males and 878 females registered for the 2014 Batch “A” orie

  • Be wary of desperate politicians, Aregbesola warns

    •’Walk to Live has reduced ill-health’

    The 14th edition of the monthly health programme of the Osun State government, Walk to Live, was held at the weekend in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area.

    The programme, which was the first this year, witnessed a large turnout of people.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged the people to be wary of desperate politicians, who may want to buy their voter cards, as the governorship poll approaches.

    He urged them to come out en masse to vote for him on the Election Day.

    Aregbesola described 2014 as a crucial year for the state because of the election, adding that Osun cannot afford the decay it witnessed before the advent of his administration.

    He urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to participate in the party registration scheduled to start at month end.

    Aregbesola warned the people against registering more than once when the registration of voters begins to avoid being disenfranchised.

    He said: “I urge you to troop out en masse to vote during the governorship election. 2014 is a crucial year for our state, as we cannot afford to go back to the Dark Age, when there was no infrastructure. We should all come out to vote, so that you can show them that our party’s victory in the last election was not a fluke.

    “We must ensure that our names are in the voter register. I advise those who would be registering for the first time to avoid double registration, so as not to be disenfranchised.”

    The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving the state and making life easier for the people.

    He said the reports of health managers showed that the programme has led to reduced cases of ill-health in hospitals.

    Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs Stephen Kola-Balogun said the programme sensitises the people on healthy living; provides an avenue for the governor and the people to interact and discuss the government’s programmes; as well as allow the people to make new demands.

    He said rather than look at the programme from a political perspective, its advantages should be emphasised.

    Kola-Balogun said: “Just like many other initiatives of this administration, including Gbangba Dekun, which have become large media events, the Walk to Live would continue to enjoy public support because of its uniqueness.

    “There is no way people would not celebrate the governor for his visionary and courageous leadership, as well as make new demands during the programme. The governor in return would make remarks that, no doub, would sound political. This, I think, is where elements of politicking come in. It was not part of the initial plan for the programme, but it became unavoidable at a point.”

    The three prominent monarchs in the area, the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan; the Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Oyagbodun; and the Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Almaruf Magbagbeola, prayed for the administration’s success.

    The Olobu urged the people to reelect Aregbesola, describing the governor as “the voice of the people, particularly the vulnerable”.

    Alfa Ganiyu Abisoye, the state coordinator of the Oranmiyan Group, said the walk has improved his health.

    Kazeem Lawal, a youth leader, said apart from playing football, the walk has made him cultivate the habit of trekking short distances.

    Folasade Bello said she has realised that walking is good for the health.

    Taofeek Shittu said the benefits of the exercise are “indescribable”.

    Commissioner for Health Temitope Ilori said her ministry provides ambulances for the programme and the sports ministry gives health tips.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy Sunday Akere said the programme has put all commissioners, heads of parastals and ministries on their toes because the governor can easily see what is going on in communities during the walk.

    Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget Wale Bolorunduro said it is always exciting for the governor, top government officials and the ordinary folks to walk together as a people.

    The Dean, Faculty of Education, Osun State University, Prof. Joseph Fawole, said regular physical exercise is the most effective means of staying healthy.

    He said: “I am happy with the large turnout of people for this event. This shows that the people have realised the importance of the monthly physical exercise introduced by the present administration.”

  • Politicians to watch in 2014

    Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on some of the top politicians to watch in 2014.

    Few hours away, a new year, 2014, will be born. For Nigeria, it promises to be a year of high political activities, the type some analysts say may never have been experienced before. Aside Ekiti and Osun states, where governorship elections will hold, other states will also experience high political intrigues as aspirants rub shoulders to secure party tickets for the general elections in 2015.

    The political theatre is further charged because of the crisis in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which recently led to an implosion, resulting in the birth of the new- PDP that later joined the opposition All Progressives Congress ( APC). With this intriguing development political permutations ahead 2015 have not only become more complicated, they have thrown up new politicians to watch both at the federal level, in both the presidential and National Assembly seats and in the states, both for the gubernatorial and House of Assembly seats.

    The game has just commenced. As politicians retire to their villages during this Yuletide, grassroots campaigns have started in ernest. Known and unknown aspirants are already trying their best to outdo each other in humanitarian services.

    Amongst the lot, it seems some of the most outstanding politicians that are likely to shape the country’s political landscape both at the federal level and in the states include:

    President Goodluck Jonathan:

    Following the crisis in the ruling PDP, alleged to have been fuelled primarily by Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s plans to vie for a second term, his decision to either succumb to the pressure not to vie or to go head and claim his party’s ticket will go a long way in determining the political texture in 2014 and 2015.

    Some of his opponents, who alleged that in the PDP arrangement, presidency should go back to the North, insist that Jonathan’s second term bid must be stopped.

    But the court has already declared that Jonathan has the right to contest. This, added to his body language and actions, according to his opponents, indicate a resolve to ignore criticism and contest. So, they are desperately waiting for him to make the long expected declaration. Some observers are of the view that until he declares his intentions, the political scene will remain hazy.

    For a long time, Jonathan has cleverly avoided making outright pronouncement on the sensitive issue, insisting he would wait until the right time. That right time must be this 2014 in preparation for the 2015 elections.

    So, the big questions that most observers of Nigerian politics want answered as we enter this new year, include: Will Jonathan give up the presidential ticket? If he does, will that decision save the PDP? If he picks the ticket, will his candidacy sell? Also, if he picks the PDP ticket, how will that choice impact on the party and the entire polity?

    Nigerians and other keen observers of Nigerian political development are anxious to hear the answers to these and other related questions. It is intriguing to note that most of these questions must be answered in 2014.

    Chief Olusegun Obasanjo:

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is another politician that is today being watched keenly both by his admirers and bitter critics. His recent face off with his political son, President Jonathan, occasioned by the open letter he wrote criticizing the president, had sparked off speculations that Obasanjo may be on his way out of the PDP.

    Although the former president has not said what he intends to do after the exchange of letters, observers agree that a lot depends on how the disagreement between him and Jonathan is resolved.

    So, as we enter 2014, all eyes are on Obasanjo. Will the former president dump the party in anger? If he does, what will be the implication on the party and the polity?

    Senator David Mark:

    Since the opposition suddenly gained majority vote in the House of Representatives, there has been fear within the Presidency and the leadership of the ruling People’s Democratic Party that the opposition may also rule over the senate. So, Senate President, David Mark, has been at the centre of the high wire politics as both camps seek the very soul of the National Assembly.

    The game will peak in 2014 ahead 2015 general elections. So, today, observers are focused on how Mark will lead the legislature in this critical time ahead the general elections.

    Hon. Aminu Tambuwal:

    The role the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, will play in the politics of 2014 and 2015 became more important recently as a result of the current make up of the lower house, where the opposition now controls majority vote.

    Sources say the ruling PDP is already panicky that the Speaker, known to enjoy reasonable support of the progressive elements, may soon defect to All Progressives Congress. The fear, amongst the PDP leadership, sources said, is that the Speaker, to retain his seat, may be persuaded to join the majority camp.

    Whatever happens, both the PDP and the opposition are understandably interested in the steps Tambuwal will take in 2014 as that will impact significantly on the politics of the National Assembly.

    Alhaji Bamanga Tukur

    In 2013, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, literally passed through fire as some top members of his party insisted he must be relieved of his plum job. Tukur, accused of being the cause of the crisis that has caused mortal damage on the party, fought desperately all through the year.

    As we enter 2014, informed observers are concerned over his fate. Whether the former governor of the old Gongola State will survive the political battle this year to lead the party during the 2015 general elections remains to be seen. The questions that may be resolved this year include his political weight and relevance. If PDP finally eases off Tukur barely a year to the elections, will that decision aid or serve as a minus to the party? The game is becoming more complex by the day.

    Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is one of the top politicians whose dance steps are being watched both by the PDP and the opposition. Just recently, he was visited by the leaders of All Progressive Congress, who wooed him to join the party.

    Since then, the PDP leadership and the presidency, according to sources, have been monitoring the development with concern. The question they are asking today is, when will Atiku and his supporters make their decision public? When they leave PDP, what will be the effect at the national level and in Adamawa State in particular, where the governor, Murtala Nyako, has already dumped PDP and joined APC?

    Female politicians:

    Our investigation shows that most of the serving female senators may have to fight strong political battles to retain their jobs as there are alleged plans by their state governors or other powerful politicians to displace them.

    The female senators in the 7th Assembly include Nkechi Justina Nwaogu, Abia Central, Abia State. It is reported recently that Nwaogu’s seat may be taken away by Governor Theodore Orji

    So, the big questions are, can Nwaogu successfully fight for the seat if Orji is interested. If not, what are the options for this senator?

    Also Ayisha Jummai Alhassan, representing Taraba North Senatorial District of Taraba State, is another female politician to watch in 2014. The senator, who has been named as one of the foremost aspirants for the governorship seat of the state in 2015, is poised to play major role in the politics of the politically volatile state. How far she would go remains to be seen.

    The fortunes of other female senators are also of interest to the public. They include Helen Udoakaha Essuene, representing Eket zone in Akwa Ibom State,Chris Anyanwu, Imo East Senatorial Zone, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) senator, who has been at the National Assembly, since the 6th National Assembly, (2007-2011).

    Others are Nenadi Esther Usman, Kaduna South, Oluremi Bola Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District of Lagos State and Zainab Abdulkadir Kure, representing Niger South Senatorial District.

    As the lection year draws closer and powerful politicians and wealthy financiers are increasingly showing interest in the upper house, the fate of these female senators in particular and other serving senators in general are of special interest to keen observers.

    At the state levels, Ekiti and Osun will be centers of real political battle in 2014. Here, the governorship elections will serve as the test cases for the 2015 elections.

    Ekiti State:

    As the leading parties move to narrow down on acceptable candidates for this year’s governorship election, Governor Kayode Fayemi, who would most likely fly the APC flag, is the leading contestant for the seat. Reports said his solid performance may make it difficult to dislodge him easily.

    Opposition elements in PDP and other parties have however not given up. Amongst those strongly angling to contest the seat include former governor, Ayo Fayose, Chief Abiodun Aluko, former senator, Ayo Arise, Hon Wale Aribisala and Dr Obafemi Peter.

    But as the contest thickens in the early weeks of this year, the issue of zone may play a major role.

    For example, some notable aspirants from the South Senatorial District have been outspoken on the need to respect zoning in the party. Such aspirants include former Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Abiodun Aluko; Prince Dayo Adeyeye and former Wema Bank Group Managing Director, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni.

    Osun State:

    The battle for the Oke-fia Government House in Osun State is equally intriguing. Here, the major candidate is Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who will most likely fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress.

    As in Ekiti, opposition political parties, have also not given up. Recently, many of the aspirants in the party lined behind Senator Iyiola Omisore, in a desperate bid to present a formidable challenge.

    But the political revolution that has taken place in the South-West state and the reports of solid transformation carried out by the Aregbesola administration are some of the major obstacles to plots against his re-election.

    Other states

    In the other states of the federation, apart from Anambra State, where election was held barely a month ago, preparations for governorship and House of Assembly elections would reach the peak. The picture of the big players will become clearer by the end of the first quarter of the year.

  • Which way Nigeria?

    To say that the polity is presently heated-up is an understatement. There is confusion everywhere and the situation is gradually getting out of hand. Selfish and unpatriotic interests have taken the place of national interest in the minds of the people steering the affairs of the country. The well-being of the people and the future of the country are now meaningless to those who should vehemently and unequivocally protect and uphold same.

    The crises rocking the nation are so numerous that it would be a needless to catalogue them here. Be that as it may, it is only an unpatriotic and inconsiderate fellow that will say all is well in the country. The situation is not entirely the fault of the people at the helm of affairs. As citizens, we share in the blame for some of our actions or inactions that have pushed the country deep into the present state. The question that readily come to mind at this point is – What should we do to right the wrongs?

    I have chosen to identify some vices for review and also draw the attention of Nigerians to their potency in undermining the sustenance of democracy.

    Prominent amongst these vices is the popular concept or practice that is presently ravaging the country’s development. That is the ‘Pull Him/Them Down Syndrome’. Politicians have adopted this weapon against perceived political opponents and the government in power. In as much as democracy allows for people to form opposition against the ruling party or government, the aim is for the electorates to have credible alternative and for the people in the opposition to act as checks on the rulers for the benefits and development of the polity.

    In view of the aforesaid, opposition to government policies and actions should be done in form of ‘constructive and objective criticism’. Political actors should learn to put the interest of the nation as paramount in all their actions and utterances. National interest should supersede religious, ethnic and political affiliations/connotations. All hands should be on deck to protect and sustain the country’s democracy. Just as political parties have their different, and in most cases conflicting manifestoes and agenda, the most important thing is the realization of the objectives which is to serve the people and move the country forward.

    If a particular policy or action of government is detrimental to the well-being of the populace or the development of the polity, it is the responsibility of the people in opposition to objectively criticize such policy or action and then proffer workable and better alternative for the government. If truly, the suggested or recommended alternative or solution is better and more meaningful, it will be open for people to see and judge. Should the government refuse to heed to better suggestions and submissions of the opposition for the fear of being termed a weak or government without clear direction, then that set of leaders would have successfully sent a message or signal to the people for revolution or imminent change in the elections to follow. This is because governance is not all about the people at the helm of affairs or party affiliations but, it is all about a common goal and objective which is the well-being of the people and betterment of the country.

    Though some actions and policies might have some negative or pressing effect on the polity in the short run, they could have lasting benefits and positives in the long run. Development is a continuous exercise and there are some developmental policies and actions which has short term pains and long term benefits. In this situation, the opposition should be objective and also take it as a challenge to explain the fundamentals and benefits to the people (by so doing, the people will be more relaxed and commit themselves to making and enduring the sacrifices) rather than feigning ignorance of the facts and blowing the short term pains beyond proportion just to give the government a bad name and make it unpopular in the eyes of the people.

    It is also pertinent to advise the government not to always perceive the opinions and criticisms of the opposition in bad light. A popular adage says ‘if we close our eyes and turn deaf ears to happenings in our surrounding with the excuse that we do not want to hear or see evil or unfriendly things or advise, by the time the good and beneficial ones will pass by, we will not also see or hear them’. In this case, our situation will be worse off. Putting it differently, government should not always perceive advice and criticisms of the opposition as misleading. The situation where aids of government functionaries see their job as countering or returning fire to well-meaning criticisms of the opposition will not bring forth positive results.

    Today, so many people have constituted themselves into political jobbers to attack perceived enemies of political office holders. They are praise singers who play to the gallery to drum up support for people in government even when it is obvious that they are derailing. To them, the leaders are always right and any opposition is seen as a crime against the state. They make inflammatory statements without being reprimanded by their principals. This development is very unfortunate and dangerous to the sustenance of our democracy. The unity of this country should not be toyed with for selfish interests. The general protests and revolutions that rocked some parts of the world lately are pointers to what unchecked utterances and outburst can cause.

    For a country to achieve greatness, the citizens should be ready to make sacrifices to sustain her unity. As it is difficult and almost impossible to break a bunch of broom, so is when the people are united in the pursuance of peace, stability and development of their country. As the saying goes, ‘United we stand and, divided we fall’.

    We should always have it at the back of our minds that a lot of sacrifices were made to achieve this democracy. Therefore, we should do everything to protect same. It will not do us any good if by our actions or inactions we allow the country to slip into a state of anarchy. A lot of people paid the ultimate price for us to get to where we are today. Generations to come will not forgive us if we misuse this opportunity and fail to consolidate as a result of our selfish and unpatriotic interest.

     

    •Oise-Oghaede, a Political Analyst, writes from Lagos

  • Uke tragedy: CLO cautions politicians

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Anambra State branch, has berated politicians for using the Uke stampede as a tool to score cheap political points against opponents.

    Reacting to the verbal attacks, CLO said nothing could be so callous than people playing politics with human lives.

    In a statement by the state Chairman, Comrade Aloysius Attah, the organisation decried the way the unfortunate incident had been turned into a campaign tool by desperate politicians.

    Attah, who noted that he was an eye witness, having attended the vigil with his wife, cautioned politicians against making unguarded and inflammatory comments that would not only overheat the polity but also attract the wrath of God.

    The CLO boss said what happened was an accident caused by unprecedented number of worshippers, impatience and false alarm by individuals, who had nothing to do with the arrival or departure of Governor Peter Obi.

    The organisation aligned itself with the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southeast chapter, which banned politicians from campaigning in churches.

    CLO urged investigation into the incident to ascertain the motive and mission of those who waved banners and posters of governorship candidates on a holy ground.

    Commiserating with the bereaved’s families, the organisation enjoined the authorities at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministries to enlarge the ground with more entrances and exits.

     

     

     

  • Stop overheating the polity, CLO cautions politicians

    Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) has appealed to Nigerian politicians to stop overheating the polity, asking them to sheath their swords in the overall interest of the country.

    Executive Director of the organisation, Ibuckwu Ezeike, expressed worry that “Politicians have started making statements that would cause both intra- and inter-party conflicts which will threaten our democracy.

    “We recall that in the elections, many Nigeria citizens who came to exercise their franchise were injured or killed. Pre- election violence also erupted in some states which culminated in the destruction of human lives and property.

    “We urge the security agencies to rise up to the charge in order to ensure that activities that may degenerate into conflicts are checked,” he said.

    Eze advised politicians to be more committed to national development and peace.