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Tag: politics

  • ‘Women should be encouraged in politics’

    ‘Women should be encouraged in politics’

    Hon. Olorunisola Adegeye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly. She spoke with Musa Odoshimokhe on her ambition, women in politics and other issues.   

    How will you assess women participation in politics?

    The number of women in politics is too low. There have been calls from different angles to encourage women to take part in politics. Our husbands have equally been called upon to allow their wives to take part in politics. We have appealed to the husbands to allow their wives to participate in politics. The women should take the initiative to get involved in politics because it should not be a male affair.

    What has been your experience as a politician?

    My experience has been very interesting. I went into politics as a young lady. I became secretary to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Mushin Local Government, Lagos State. At the Apapa Local Government, I was the women leader and financial secretary of the party. During the era of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), I was an active member of the women’s wing of the party at Obalende, Lagos. I was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leaders. I later decamped from the PDP in 2001; I was in Atiku’s camp, which left the PDP at that point. I want to say my political tutelage took place under Dapo Saromi, who groomed me in politics. I can safely say that I have been in politics for quite a while now. I later became a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    Why are you contesting for the chairmanship of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area?

    I have not been able to do lots of things for the people of the Amuwo Odofin, as I would have loved to. Please go to the community and ask the people about me when I served as their representatives at the House. I can say that this place, where this interview is taking place is part of my community. So, the people here are equally aware of my impact as a lawmaker. If you ask the people of Amuwo Odofin about me, I am very sure they would tell you about my antecedents as a lawmaker. I love to help people and I have been doing it even before I became a member of the House. Whatever I earned, I shared it with the people. I believe in helping people. When I was in the House, all my salaries and the allowances were not enough to take care of the people the way I wanted it. The situation is still the same, even now that I am serving as a Commissioner in the Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission. The money is not enough for me to assist the people. The people have been calling me to come back to the grassroots to serve them. I am a grassroots person; if you go to my constituency, they people will tell verify what I am talking about, by attesting to who Hon. Adegeye is. I transformed this community and I still have it in mind to do better, if given the opportunity. If by the special grace of God, I am back to serve the people at the grassroots, in view of my antecedents, I will make great changes in the lives of the people.

    Your party lost the presidential, national and state assemblies elections in Amuwo Odofin. Are you not bothered about this trend?

    I don’t want to go too far on the outcome of the recent election in Amuwo Odofin. It’s a pity that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates lost the elections there. But, in this dispensation that we are talking about, it is a different ball game entirely; especially where we have Ibos and others ethnic group making their impacts. I want to tell you that the problems that we are facing in Amuwo Odofin are general problems. It is not only in Amuwo Odofin that we have these problems; I think it is all over. But, I want to tell you that I am a good achiever. Assuming that I was the one who got the ticket of the party to vie for the House of Assembly, I would not have been beaten, because I will work to ensure success. So, going for the chairman, I am not scared of anybody.

    When I get the ticket, all other contestants from the other parties will be scared. Some of them will even opt out of the race and offer to work with me. A lot of them who are in the PDP and other parties have been trying to talk to me. They want to work with me and want to decamp to the APC. They are welcome; I am not somebody that can be easily undermined in Amuwo Odofin.

    Have you consulted your party leaders on your ambition?

    I have been consulting and telling the people, especially the electorate. The electorate is the first people you need to consult. They are the people who need to know and understand your programme. By doing that you will have a good feeler, you will know what is in everybody’s mind. I have consulted people and God. By my own lifestyle, it is to consult God before any other person. My people are fully on ground at Amuwo Odofin, we have a population of 1, 150,000. My followers alone are over 600,000. So, what are we talking about?

    Women often complain of marginalization, any hope for them under the APC?

    Though, there is nothing they can do in this dispensation because the elections are over. I don’t know what will happen in the cabinet appointment. In 2003 to 2007 we had two women in the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA). From 2007 to 2011, we had five women in the House. Under this dispensation that will be rounded off in June, there are seven women in the House. But, in the next dispensation, I don’t think we will have up to three women in the House. A lot of them left in the primaries, two of them left again during the general elections. The one in Amuwo Odofin and Ojo Constituency 1 were defeated at the polls. So, we have only two or three ladies now left in the LSHA.

    Are you the only woman contesting as council chairman in Lagos this time around?

    I am not too sure of other councils, but at the Amuwo Odofin, I’m the main contestant for now. I believe more will join the race in due course.

    What were your achievements at a lawmaker in Lagos?

    During my membership of the House, it was like I went for training. I was like a primary school pupil in the House. Let me tell you that the legislature that we are talking about, both at the state and national, are different institutions entirely. It is very painful that I did not go for second term to consolidate on my experience. The first four years was just like a learning process for me. Throughout the first year at the assembly, I was in the bandwagon of I support this motion or that motion. I tried to learn what is happening on the floor of the House, but incidentally I did not go further than my first term. Our duties are to make laws. We are the bridge between the constituencies and the state. I manage to pass two laws when I was there. However, the first term for me was a learning process where I supported most of the motions. I would have used the experience garnered during my first term to consolidate, if I had returned for a second term. Again, it is never late; I still have it in mind to become a Senator, a Minister or even the Vice President some day. When I was there, I took care of my people. We were lawmakers and only depended on our salaries. Some people expected us to be having contracts; some would even call us for contract. I told them it was commissioners that give contracts. I never went to anybody for contract; my salary and allowances were all that I depended upon. Whatever my salary could afford I provided and they appreciated it.

    The agitation for the position of the speakership is on, who do you think will occupy this office?

    I think the woman that is eyeing that office can bid for that. I wish her success if she eventually gets to that seat. But, what I know is that the seat is tough and hard. It is not an easy thing; the House is made up of 40 people. And we were all crazy people in the House. I once told Mr. Speaker, he should invite a psychiatric doctor to examine us. I think we are not okay sometimes the way we conduct the business of the House. Why I said this is that the House is not an easy place. I believe that is what is happening in the National Assembly. We are all crazy people. But, somebody who is experienced, patient, transparent can only succeed as Speaker, the same way Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji succeeded. He is a great person, no matter what you were saying, Ikuforiji would be patient for you to exhaust whatever you were saying. He would allow everybody to speak and he would analyze the matter in a transparent manner. Somebody who is not transparent cannot occupy the seat; it will be too hot for the person. But, I wish Hon. Fumilayo Tejuoso the best, if she gets there. I pray God to grant her wisdom. Though, the seat is for one person, but it is a hot seat.             

    “Under this dispensation that will be rounded off in June, there are seven women in the House. But, in the next dispensation, I don’t think we will have up to three women in the House ”              

     

  • ANCOPSS seeks end to politics in education

    The All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) has said government’s politicisation of education has greatly handicapped the maximum implementation of curriculum in schools.

    In a communiqué by the group’s National President, Hajiya Fatima Abdulrahman, at the end of its 58th annual national congress, it blamed the government for making policies that are not backed by funding and commitment.

    The congress, which had as theme: “Good School Community Relationship- A Tool for Effective Implementation of New Curriculum”, held in Abuja.

    Explaining the body’s position, Hajiya Abdulrahman said: “We said education should not be politicised; education is a capital intensive project.  If state governments for instance, declare free education from basic, even some to higher education, there should be commitment on the part of the government.  They should not use education as factors of canvassing or winning elections,” she added.

    “Education should be taking seriously, when you are going to give free education, you must make sure that you own it a duty to the citizenry and the students that whatever is needed to make teaching and learning effective should be in place.”

    While state governments declare free education, the ANCOPSS President said instructional materials for the use of the students should be made available.

    She noted that though the curriculum implementation by government has yielded some measures of academic improvement, but revealed that there was no corresponding moral improvement among the students.

    ANCOPPS recommended that the government should come out more boldly to make all and sundry know that education with curriculum implementation inclusive could no longer be the sole responsibility of government.

    She said good community relationship would promote full understanding of the rationale behind each curriculum reform and ensure maximum support by all stakeholders.

  • Greed and politics of defections

    Nigerians are a very peculiar people; they carry out their daily activities with certain peculiarity and are clearly indomitable in all spheres that they find themselves. Nigeria, is itself a nation of uncommon circumstances, hence the atypical nature of its populace.

    It is that special flora of its societies that makes Nigerian a force to reckon with in the comity of nations. Nigerians are brilliant, witty, sassy, imaginative, creative and unconquerable. They just survive whatever the circumstance might be.

    Dumping one political party for the other has become the stock in trade of many of the nation’s politicians and as expected, they have always justified their actions by canvassing excuses such as “irreconcilable differences” and “lack of internal democracy” in their previous parties.

    Unlike Late Sir Ahmadu Ballo, the Late  Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe and  late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who were guided by ideologies with which they laid the foundation for the development of their regions and Nigeria at large, many of today’s politicians quickly defect to another political party once their personal interest is threatened.

    In 2013, David Morris wrote: “Contrary to popular wisdom, the fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats is not on the size of government but the purpose and goals of government. Both parties believe in taxing heavily and spending lavishly when it comes to national security that protects our nation from external attack.”

    He continued: “what Democrats see as steps to enhance security, Republicans view as steps that restrict liberty. They assert that government-created health exchanges interfere with the right of insurance companies to manage their own affairs, while the requirement that everyone have health insurance constitutes an act of tyranny. Minimum wage laws interfere with the economic liberty of business and the freedom of the marketplace, take for instance President Obama’s Healthcare bill which has since been code-named “Obamacare”.

    What we have in our system of democracy as opposed to the American system, where we claim to have copied our democracy, is a group of individuals, driven by gluttony for power and guilt of conscience. The ultimate being that they should be allowed to freely dip hands into the public treasury at will.

    But the politicians of today do not care about ideologies or principles; they are barefaced prostitutes running from one party to the other, depending on the one in power. They are bereft of shame or dignity, and don’t give a hoot about what the public thinks.

    Columnist, Donatus Okpe, said: “If Ideology is a body of non-compromising beliefs or principles, in the face of its decades of systematic institutional failures, Nigeria should not expect miracles from whoever wins March 28th (Presidential) election. She is a country where the past holds the history that is too weak to inspire the present.”

    It is funny to read and see that barely days to the emergence of the former opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), at the centre, politicians in Kogi State and other parts of the country started decamping to the winning party. It is really nauseating to see a people without principle; without the capacity to endure and nurture their ideals and try to sell it.

    Nigerians were not shocked when the former governor of the crisis-ridden Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, announced his defection to the ruling PDP because his close associate, Inuwa Bwala, had earlier told journalists before the defection that Sheriff was no longer comfortable with the APC structure and had decided to join the PDP.

    Sheriff, who had won elections three times on the platform of the defunct ANPP, justified his sudden love for the PDP, saying he took the decision in the interest of the country. He had said: “Our interest should be on what makes the nation move forward. My decisions will be guided by the interest of the nation first. My thinking of moving to the PDP is also in the interest of the nation.”

    Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who had waited long for the PDP to abide by the court judgement nullifying his sack as the party’s secretary, openly criticised the party when he defected to the APC shortly before the August 9 governorship election in the state.

    Even before he dumped the APC, Nigerians had expected that the former Minister of Foreign Affairs during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Chief Tom Ikimi, would return to the PDP following his failure to realise his ambition of clinching the APC’s national chairmanship position.

    Ikimi, who is believed to lack clear ideological base, had also traversed the defunct APP, ANPP, ACN and APC. The former minister had said shortly after he failed to get the APC national chairmanship position during its convention in June that the convention was a “charade”.

    The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, we cannot forget that he criticised the party for lack of internal democracy before dumping it for the Labour Party in 2006. The governor has also collapsed his political structure under the “Iroko Frontiers” to a group called “Believe Nigeria, Trust Goodluck” for the purpose of supporting President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

    It was believed that Mimiko returned to the PDP to position himself for either a ministerial or ambassadorial appointment if President Jonathan had won the election. Now that the tide has changed, I guess he would have to re-decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to fulfil his ambition.

    Save for Buhari’s populist ideology, I hardly see anyone that principled not to be tempted to join that ‘cross-carpeting bandwagon’. He stands tall when he straddles the nation’s political landscape. His moral fortitude can only be compared to that of the ilk of Aminu Kano and the rest who had political conviction.

    There are those few among us whose greed and cupidity would not allow to remain in one party. They are always gallivanting from one party to the other, always wanting to be with the ruling party. That is a strange culture of jumping a sinking ship for selfish reasons.

    My fear however is with the rate of cross-carpeting and decamping that have formed recurring decimal of our political experience. Wouldn’t it lead to the implosion of relatively burgeoning All Progressives Congress?

    Thankfully, the President-elect and the National Chairman of the APC have both advised PDP members to remain in their party in order to form a credible opposition.

     

    •Mohammed, 300-Level Mass Comm., KSU

  • Politics of rerun polls in Imo

    Politics of rerun polls in Imo

    History is repeating itself in Imo State. The rescheduled governorship rerun election will hold on April 25. In 2011, Governor Rochas Okorocha and his predecessor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, went for a rerun election to determine the winner after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the election inconclusive.

    Four years after, INEC again declared the governorship election in the state inconclusive, warranting another rerun election to determine the winner between the All Progressives governorship candidate Okorocha, and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha.

    Analysts have listed diverse factors that will determine who emerges winner between the APC and PDP candidate.

    Meanwhile these are some of the factors, according to The Nation’s findings, that may determine who emerges winner in the election.

    At the end of the election, the APC candidate polled 385071 votes to beat the PDP candidate, who scored 306142.

    However, the election was declared inconclusive because the number of registered voters in the areas where the elections were cancelled or did not hold was more than the margin with which the APC candidate was leading his closest rival. The figure was put at 144715.

    The result of the first round of the election puts the APC candidate in a comfortable lead with 79529 votes.  The Nation investigations also disclosed that more than 70% of the areas where the election will be repeated are the stronghold of the APC candidate.

    In Oru East Local Government Area, where the rescheduled election will hold in 59 Polling Units out of the 250 Polling Units where the rerun election will hold across the state, the APC candidate won the PDP candidate with over 11,000 to 1000 votes before the results were cancelled under controversial circumstances.

    The number of registered voters that will participate in the election in the six wards in the Council Area is put at 41776.

    In Mbaitoli Council Area, where the election will hold in 38 Polling Unit with 20200 registered voters, is another stronghold of the APC, being the Local Government Area of the incumbent Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere. The APC won in the areas where election held during the governorship election.

    Another factor that will determine the outcome of the election in favour of the APC is the mass exodus of supporters and financiers of the PDP to the APC before the governorship election. They include Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, who assisted the APC to a resounding victory in Okigwe zone where he enjoys a cult-like followership against the PDP candidate and Chief Jerry Chukwueke, one of the major mobilizers of the PDP in the State, who worked for the APC candidate and assisted in the trouncing of the PDP candidate in Owerri zone.

    Also, in the buildup to the rerun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Gabriel Ada, has come under criticisms for allegedly working to subvert the process by inflating the figure of registered voters and tempering with the list of  Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) distribution in the affected areas. He denied the allegation.

    This, according to stakeholders, has brought great attention on the REC and the entire INEC staff.

    Another factor that will work in favour of the APC is the neutrality of the security operatives, who had allegedly in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections aided the PDP to win the elections by intimidating and assaulting APC supporters.

    But, with the victory of the APC in the Presidential election, the security operatives seemed to have returned to their constitutional duties of maintaining law and order without bias. The PDP had allegedly relied on the support of INEC and security operatives to win the election like the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    There is also a plan to run a live telecast of the election, stations to reduce cases of ballot box snatching, writing of results in the homes of politicians by INEC Staff.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    In the strongholds of the PDP candidate, Aboh-Mbaise and Ezinihitte Councils, where he polled about 80000 votes, elections will only hold in 14 Polling Units with 7791 registered voters participating.

     

  • ‘Religious politics will leave us worse off’

    ‘Religious politics will leave us worse off’

    Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam is the regional secretary of International Federation of Evangelical Students in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa (IFES-ESPA).  He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the dangers in religious politics and why Nigerians should avoid at all costs. Excerpts: 

    hat are your fears and concerns on the general elections?  

    Our political pilgrimage as a nation has been full of needless contradictions. Nigeria and indeed Nigerians deserve better. In fact Africa deserves better. Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world. Nigeria is now the biggest economy in Africa yet we never seem to get our acts together in a way that makes us serve as a model to other African countries. Yet many nations beyond Africa look up to Nigeria to inspire them.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo a few days ago warned of a military take-over. Why? Why? Why? Deep down in my heart, I pray that this will never happen. It will be a show of shame and it will tantamount to Nigeria again dancing in the hall of shame in the comity of nations which will elicit not only a global laugh but condemnation.

    Then there is the constant fear of violence clearly because of the campaign of hate as politicians transverse the length and breathe of the nation canvassing for votes.  In truth, there is no single politician now on parade is worth dying for in today’s Nigeria.

    How about the heavy involvement of religion in the politics?

    Religious politics will consume this nation and no same Nigerians should support it – whether Christian or Muslim. The Muslims have used this in the past and it did not work; even if it did it was only for a time. The Christians should never be tempted by it. It also won’t work.

    The political waters are murky but as time goes on and we continue to progress as a nation, these unhealthy political tendencies will gradually be resisted by patriotic Nigerians.

    Are you impressed by the gales of endorsement in the Christian community? 

    Personally, I am not impressed by the gales of endorsement in the Christian community. But please do not get me wrong, it is not harmful for the Church to have ideological political preferences. The Church is free to have a mind of her own when it comes to political leanings.

    However, the church isn’t the architectural structure, which is visible for all to see. They consist of individual members and most times, these members vote based on their political persuasion. To use the pulpit to converse for votes for a particular politician or a political party is wrong. Just as it is wrong for the Christian community to do this, so also it is wrong for the Muslim community to do same.

    It is high time that Christians and Muslims joined hands to work for the unity and survival of Nigeria than pursuing their parochial political interests using their respective religions to add more to the hardship of Nigeria as a nation. I do not support either endorsement from the Christian or Muslim community. The interest of Nigeria comes first.

    How much really can these endorsements influence elections?   For those who are gullible, endorsements can easily sway the fickle minded. But those who are more reflective and have the interest of the nation at heart are not easily swayed. No amount of endorsements of any candidate will make them change their voting decisions. We must educate our people in society, Church and Mosques to vote wisely and vote for those who will perform – govern in the fear of God. Not those that will use God for their selfish political aims by manipulating their members in Church and the mosques.

    Politicians in Nigeria and indeed anywhere in the world will attempt to use anything to their political advantage. Clerics should never allow themselves to be manipulated by politicians. It is a dangerous precedent.

    How much roles should religion play in Nigerians choosing who govern them? 

    If I am to be truthfully honest, it should play no role at all.  May be this is an overreaction. And if this is the case, I am sorry but I am simply sick and tired of the negative influence of religion in our politics. Please let me make clear again, this is just not a matter of concern for the church, the Muslim community is doing exactly the same.

    The first point of liberation for any person is coming to terms with one self, the same principle applies to nations. We must come to terms with ourselves and collectively say no to the role of religion in our politics whether as Christians or Muslims.

    Where do you imagine these activities will leave the church after the polls?

    You keep making this look like it is a concern only for the church. It is an issue for all religions. We must rise to say no to such manipulation of religion for political advancement. Muslims who have used this in the past and are still pursuing this more subtly, have not necessarily been better off for it.

    Similarly churches, who are late in the game and are just copying what the Muslims have long been doing will soon find out that it leads to nowhere but more bad governance. This will continue to keep Nigeria as an underachieving country.

    Let us stop manipulating religion for political ends. Religion especially in northern Nigeria has been used and it still being used by Muslims. Sadly, the region has suddenly become an attractive political commodity to Christians as well.

    That said, all well-meaning Nigerians have a right and duty to express deep concern over the misuse of religion for political end. For me, neither Christians nor Muslims should encourage this tendency. I think the young people may eventually break free from this old ways of politicking. Nigerians should stop tribalising and trivialising God.

  • Relaxation from politics induced health condition

    Relaxation from politics induced health condition

    Politics has its side effects on our bodily, mental, and spiritual health.  Of course, for those who get the highest polls, it is exhilarating and there is celebration for days and days to come.  For those who get lower polls it may be a different story.

    Depending on how tense, free, fair, or mature the political processes are, there are always chances of many types of mental, bodily, and spiritual side effects.

    Mental conditions that can be offshoots of political seasons are: sleep disorder, mental derangement, obsession, manicdepressive disorder, mania, depression, paranoia, homophobia,situational anxiety disorders such as panic attack, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc..

    Bodily disordersthat can be offshoots of political seasons include psychosomatic disorders such as hypertension, gastric and duodenal ulcers, hyperactivity, and irrational and bizarre behavior.

    Emotional disordersinclude anger, hatred, vengeance, envy, rancor, confusion, aggression, and collective social upheaval.  They are all weapons of mass destruction.

    Spiritual outcomes of political seasons may include demoniacs, murderers, vandals, arsons, rapists, enemies, and all kinds of malicious beings.  Did I hear you say: “God forbid bad ting”?  Yeah! God forbid bad thing.

    Many of these mental and emotional disorders are associated with crimes such as cheating, lynching, manslaughter, murder, and vandalism and burning of vehicles, homes, and businesses. Innocent people end up losing their blood, body parts, sanity, or possessions-  some forever. Yeah! God forbid bad thing again.

    Nigeria is a prayerful nation and can lead the world in wisdom.  We have seen countries go down in recent years and some seemingly unrecoverable in our lifetime.  These days of universal enlightenment, the powerful individual, ideological extremisms, high technology, multipurpose electronic gadgets, information mongering, magic social media, global corruption, and black market for everything dangerous are not the days to begin any type of strife.  The capacity of any strife to spiral out of control is much greater than it was in World War I, World War II, and the Biafran War. Nobody can live his or her best life under strife.  Strife is never worth it.We can collectively avoid the worse-case-scenario of violence.  We should surprise the world that we are a healthy people – body, mind, and spirit.

    60-61 Familyhealth 28-03-2015.Each person can be in control of his or her own participation in the after-events of polls by thinking beforehand how to withstand  or counteract any perceived insults such as cheating, deprivation of rights, abuse of power, etc; how to deny wrong doing, reject lawlessness,  and  protest peacefully.  We should not leave ourselves to the eruption of dangerous passions but rather should positively calculate effective response towards a peaceful resolution.

    Everybody is capable of autogenic relaxation, drawing some calmness from within oneself, from one’s faith, from one’s intellect, from one’s maturity, from one’s common sense, from one’s experience, from one’s perspective of a good life in the future in a world of peace.

    Whether we change altogether or we consolidate the good works already done, may this season of politics bring us all a little bit of Patience, a great deal of Goodluck, General peace ahead, so we all remain with some Aisha (liveliness).  Politics can always be a win-win event where there is love.  Low polls or high polls, the true winners emerge in their greatness when life can continue for all.

    Dr. ‘Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA.   For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635.

  • Take your place in politics, women urged

    Take your place in politics, women urged

    A 500-Level Law student of the Delta State University (DELSU) in Abraka, Martha Eguono, has urged women to participate in politics, from the grassroots to the national level.

    She made the call at a seminar for students’ leaders at Eboh Hotel and Conference Centre in Oleh.

    Guests at the event included Hon. Oliseh Metuh; Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Iweazer Kanebi; National President, National Association of Isoko Students, Thomas Obaro and Diamond Bank Youth Ambassador, Ovie Akpoyibo, among others.

    Speaking on Politics and elections: Who decides?, Metuh stressed the need for students’ leaders to be responsible in carrying out their duties to their colleagues, urging them play politics without bitterness.

    He also advised the students on tolerance and selfless service.

    Some of the participants, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the seminar as an eye opener. Ebenezer Oyichi, NANS welfare director in Delta State, said the event would change the mindset of ladies towards understanding politics and how it should be played.

    Best Iboye, a 500-Level Civil Engineering student, said the seminar was timely because DELSU  students are preparing for their union election.

  • Jonathan’s rampaging bloody politics

    It is essentially disturbing that Nigerians no longer see President Goodluck Ebele “Azikiwe” Jonathan as the nation’s saviour. His deceptive preachments, “My ambition doesn’t worth the life of anyone”, like the other swaddling hogwash, have been exposed for what they are: fraud. Since his re-election campaigns begin, no one is left in doubt that the nation is under the iron control of his PDP-led government. It has been “brain, as demagoguery offered by Femi Fani-Kayode of this world, and fist”, as offered by his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    His second term bid has generated indignation amongst the people who saw in him previously puritanical statesmanship and a fitting image of a liberal democrat. All that has faded now, even though he has been reeving up and clashing down potent issues to show to the world that he is not as isolated as the opposition claimed. His government is truly a gigantic fraud. As we speak, the Senate has confirmed Musiliu Obanikoro as a federal minister, appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan, brushing aside allegations that Mr. Obanikoro played a key role in election fraud in Ekiti State. To make matter worse, Mr. Obanikoro was only told to “take a bow and go”, without answering questions, on the alleged Ekitigate.

    There is greater anxiety than ever before that put the nation on the spotlight, and has generated the fear that Mr Jonathan’s autocratic drift has been intensified. The “political momism”, my coinage for Dame Patience Jonathan’s verbal diarrhoea deal devastating blow to whatever peace-pact reached by all the fourteen political parties gunning for the presidency.

    The peace accord came under the auspices of formers United Nation’s Secretary-General and Common Wealth’s Secretary-General, Kofi Anna and Emeka Anyaoku, respectively. The violation of the peace agreement tobe non-violent is not merely an attack on the reputations of those elder statesmen who brokered the peace deal tarnished by the First Lady’s call for violence, but the nation’s sensibilities and the genuine crave for peaceful elections.

    In case you forget, the President’s wife told a crowd of supporters to stone to death anyone caught mentioning, “CHANGE”. She stated this in Calabar on March 2, 2015, while campaigning for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and her husband, the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan. “Anybody that come and tell you change, stone that person.’’ She continued: “What you did not do at 19, is it now that old age has caught up with you, you want to come and change? You can’t change; rather you will turn back to a baby. You will turn back to a baby. From old age nothing, so nothing like change. Rather (it) is continuity,” she fumed.

    She added a comical note: “Even though belle (pregnancy) is disturbing you, tell it baby, baby let me go and vote. Baby wait let me go and exercise my mandate. Baby wait let me go and do what I can use to feed you.  Baby wait for me, let me go and vote, after voting, I will come and deliver you,  and you won’t die because Goodluck has given all the safety measures.  You won’t die,” she enthused.

    Sad and abhorrent as the above banal statement might be from the first lady, it shows how she and her husband have sunk into the pit of desperation to be returned to power. ( The opposition All Progressives Party’s slogan for March 28 election is ‘change’, so Nigerians now know that Patience Jonathan advertently had called on Nigerians to stone the opposition politicians to death. Patience Jonathan has previously mocked the APC’s slogan saying that the PDP does not tell Nigerians about change because they are not bus conductors.

    As expected, Mr Jonathan is yet to respond to his wife’s call for stoning anyone who ‘talks change’ to death. Heeding the wife’s blackmail, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai’ (rtd), SURE-P Chairman was given the boot for a lecture he delivered last week in Abeokuta during the birthday ceremony of former President Olusegun Obasanjo where he declared that “change is inevitable”. Agwai merely spoke on the topic, “Imperatives of a National Security Framework for Development and Progress of Nigeria,” at the birthday ceremony where he noted that change in leadership was inevitable. He typically stressed the need for security sector reform, without which, he said, the country might be doomed.

    “In life, you find out that everything needs change; if that is what the community wants, what the people want, you must give it to them and, as such, it becomes inevitable. “You can have everything nice, but if you don’t have the right leadership to propel it, it cannot go anywhere. Integrity matters – doing what is good for the larger society and not just what you want to do for a narrow society to please yourself.”

    “The military has to be transformed and this becomes necessary from the point of recruitment, training and assuming leadership role. Our forces that are trained, equipped to defend us are now in a strange field. “We must have security sector reform because everyone that has anything to do with security must be re-branded for professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. The military has nothing to do with politics, and if we allow it, we will run into problems,” he warned.

    Driving by wayward leadership principles – vast and sprawling bureaucracy, having little of the required efficiency usually credited to Nigerians, poisoned by mega-graft, besotted by constant confusion and cutthroat official rivalries occasioned by the muddling interference of party potentates, and often rendered impotent by the terror of his illiterate wife, Mr Jonathan was conned out of governance.

    That Mr Jonathan himself maintained dignified silence over his wife’s open call to anarchy, kidnapping and actual slaughtering of people didn’t come as a surprise. Nine members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, southern Nigeria, were killed in two separate incidents in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, a few days ago. While five of the men were killed in the D-Line area of Port Harcourt, the other four met their untimely death along the Eastern By-Pass in the Marine Base area of the state capital!

    Journalists were not left out of the Rivers State political killing field to which Mr Jonathan turns a blind eye. Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State who could not take the threat to their lives as they discharge their lawful duties in the state lying low took to the streets in protect with placard:

    “Journalists in Rivers State say enough is enough to insecurity and election related violence”; “We are tired of Violent Politics”; “Allow journalists perform their constitutional functions”, “When you kill journalists, you kill society”; “Toy with journalists, toy with the future of the nation”; “Journalism is a constitutionally recognised profession”; “Rivers Journalists may be forced to boycott polls coverage if…”

    At the top of the swarming heap of carnage and bloodbath stands the son of canoe-carver-born PhD holder from Otuoke, ferried by providence to power. His is pathetic governance, who, at the head of so great and powerful a nation, set out to attain its end. Six-year on, he is unable to create an enviable nation, burnish with abundant resources to the satisfaction of the electorate. Nigerians will be writing their page in the darkest of histories should Mr Jonathan finds his way back to Aso Rock in a country where second term in office do not amount to much.

    • Ikhide wrote in from Lagos, Nigeria.

  • Politics, elections and stability

    Let  me  start     on    the   premise that  politics  when  played  by the rules  and  done  legitimately  facilitates  good  and  fair  elections  which  ultimately  lead  to  political  stability and  a peaceful  environment. It    follows  therefore  that  in  talking  about  Nigeria’s  2015  elections  and  the state  of  tension    and   friction  bothering  on  hysteria    that   we are  in     right  now  this  premise  does  not  hold  water  in  our  nation. Which  means  my assignment  on this  score today is  to  highlight  events  and issues  that give  cause  for concern  in  our polity or  indeed  any  nation,  and  constitute  serious threat  to  an    environment’s, collective  existence,  security  and   peace      of   mind.

    The  first  cause of concern was the challenge purportedly  given by  Femi  Fani  Kayode, the  Goebbels of  the  ruling  PDP to  APC  flagbearer retired  General  Muhammadu  Buhari  on  his role  in the July  29  1966  countercoup  in  which  several  Ibo  military  officers including  former  Head  of state  then  General  Aguiyi  Ironsi  and the former  governor  of the West  Colonel Kunle  Fajuyi   were  killed . The  second  was  the advice  given  to the  incumbent  president by  his  host  the  Awujale  of  Ijebuland  when  he  visited  the  Oba  to  canvass  for  his  support. The  third  is  the     CNN  interview  of  Prince  Charles  the Prince  of  Wales  and  his wife  Camilla,  the  Duchess    and  my  interpretation  of  that in terms  of political  stability of  British  democracy which  is robust  but  is still  tied  to the apron  string  of  the British  monarchy.

    The  PDP  Director  of  Communications  spoke  in  Umuahia  the heart  land  of  Igbo  land  and  he was quoted  as saying that the APC   presidential  candidate had  his hand full  with  Ibo  blood during  the coup. So  Fani  Kayode’s  speech  was well  timed  in terms  of  context and  location  for  maximum  effect.  His  goal  was  to  invoke  painful  memories  of  the coup  against  the  North  which  Buhari  represents    and  provoke  the Ibos    to  vote  against  Buhari  and  the  APC.

    This  is an act  of  incitement with  no respect  for  the history  and stability  of  Nigeria . It  shows  clearly  that the  ruling  party  is ready  to  do anything to  retain  power.  Since  the PDP  has  not  renounced  the speech and published  statement,  it shows  that the party  has  endorsed  it  and  that is dangerous  for  the  security  and political  stability  of  Nigeria.  This  is  because  coups,  military  interventions and  countercoups  and  civil  wars  are not just  ordinary  politics and once  over  should not  be  politicized  or  made  the contents  of  political  campaigns  as  Fani  Kayode  has  done  so  recklessly  and  brazenly in  Umuahia.

    Such  episodes  in the  life  of a nation  are  like  revolutions  which  Mao  said  was  politics carried  on  by other  means  principally  violence.  It  is  crass  ignorance  on the  part   of  the  PDP  Campaign  spokesman not  to  know  how to  draw  a line  on what constitute a campaign  issue.  A  coup  such as the July  29  1966  coup is certainly  not  one  and  the  PDP  should  rein  in its  Director  of  Communications  before  he  sets  the nation ablaze again on  issues  that the  costly  civil  war  we fought  have put behind  us. As  things  stand we  have enough  on our plate with  Boko  Haram  and  the conduct  of a free and fair 2015a election  without the  costly  distraction  of  the  recall   of  a    bitter  past by  a desperate  and  overzealous politician   with  no  sense  of  history and patriotism,  who  is just  eager  to  get  public   attention,  no  matter  how the way  he  does  it  affects  the stability  and  peace  of  our political  system and  polity.

    The  second  issue  was  the advice  given  by  the Awujale  to  President  Goodluck  Jonathan when  he  went to  his  palace  to campaign. The  Ijebu  monarch  told  his visitor  that it is not the duty  of an Oba  to  tell  his people  who  to  vote for. This  he said is the  right  thing not  only in Ijebuland  but in Yorubaland  generally. The  Oba  said  the duty  of an Oba  is  to guide  his  people  to  make a choice  so that they  don’t vote in those  he called  looters.  He  said  he has  called  in people  from  all  walks  of  life  in his  domain  to listen  to  the visitor  and  make  a choice and  the visitor  then  catalogued  his achievements  as usual.

    What  the  Awujale has  done   is  to  set the  enabling  environment  for  a  jus political  participation in a modern democracy   even  though  he  is  a traditional  ruler.  He  has  induced  the  spirit  of  merit and  impartiality in  both  his  subjects  and his  visitor in  one  swoop. He  has  killed  two  birds  with  one stone  in  the  process. He  has  fused  innovation  with tradition  and turned  it  into  modernity. He  has  taught  his  august  visitor  and  his powerful  entourage the political  virtues of  fairness, choice, accountability and  transparency  just with a single  campaign  visit  from  the president of the nation  on his  busy  campaign  schedule. The  Awujale’s  contribution  and  advice  should   strengthen  our political  system  and  our collective  security. Other  traditional  rulers     in    this   nation should  emulate  his sense  of fairness  and state  building from the  conduct  of elections  and  social  mobilization.

    The  third  and  last  issue  may  sound  strange  and  far fetched but  it is relevant  and  apposite  in terms  of our  topic  of  today. I  have  seen  the interview  of Prince  Charles and  his wife  Camilla on  CNN this week  and  I just could  not  resist  hazarding a guess as to why  the sudden publicity for this  virtually  forgotten royal  couple especially  as  the Jubilee Celebrations  and Royal  wedding  have  fuelled  rumours  that the  couple  or  Charles  in  particular  will  not ascend the British throne  because they were  tainted  with divorce.  I  personally  have never  agreed  with such thinking and look  forward  to seeing the day the present Prince  of Wales  will  succeed his  mother  as  King  of  England  and Camilla  as  his  Queen according  to  the British  Constitution. This  is because  of  my  colonial  experience as a youth  impressed  by the royal  family  early in life. Indeed it is what is commonly called Colonial  mentality which  I really am not bothered  about.  But  I am  impressed  with the way the  wily  British  are  preparing  the public  mind for an abdication  by the Queen  paving the way  for his  ageing  son to succeed her. It  is the fashion  nowadays as recently done  by the monarchs  in Spain  and Sweden  recently.

    Again,  I  must  end with my  favorite  quotation on British  political  stability  when ever  I  discuss  the  British  political  system.  It is  that –  ‘With  the Queen  in  Buckingham  Palace  every  Briton  sleeps well  in his bed. ‘With  the Charles  and  Camilla interview shown  globally  this week  you  must prepare  to  substitute   King  for  Queen  in  that quotation   very  soon  as I  believe  that was the purpose  of  all that  brouhaha  on Charles and  Camilla on CNN this week.

  • Of farming and absurd politics

    This is certainly an era of absurdities and pettiness in the evolutionary transmutation of Nigerian politics. It is a season of desperation. Fair is foul and foul is fair; everything goes. Cudgels, nails and sundry impediments are being hurled at the wheel all in a desperate effort to score cheap political points. Distortions, contraptions and lies have become the norm especially in a raging media altercation. Like bull in a Chinese shop, crafty media propagandists and other hirelings have been let loose using sweet phraseologies and idiomatic to befuddle the gullible public.

    In the macabre display, one of the biggest victims is the incumbent commander-in-chief and some of his frontline lieutenants. It is within this atmosphere that the recent missile hauled at President Goodluck Jonathan and the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed by eminent columnist, Sam Omatseye in The Nation newspaper edition of Monday March 2, 2015 could be contextualized.  Nothing can be more diversionary than the unnecessary argument about the propriety or otherwise of a public officer engaging in farming. It is a needless infantile exercise because the constitution is very explicit about it.

    The Fifth Schedule Part 1 Code of Conduct for Public Officers under the 1999 Constitution puts the matter beyond doubt. While Section 1 states that: “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities,” Section 2 put the provision in proper perspective by stating that: “Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph….nothing in this sub-paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming”.

    This provision clearly shows that it is firmly within the ambit of the law for public officers including the President to engage in farming. The 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not prohibit any Nigerian, including sitting public office holders, from acquiring landed property.

    Now, let me evaluate other postulations made by Omatseye in his opinion article. First, his conclusion that the land allocated to Ebele Farms Limited is meant for aviation purposes is both simplistic fallacious. Again, the ephemeral assertion by Omatseye that because the area is called aviation village all the land there had been set aside for aviation purposes is laughable. No, the cognomen is merely for descriptive reasons and does not connote ownership.

    Also, the attempt to paint the farm as bogus is surprising. In modern farming one person can farm in a piece of land as expansive as hundreds of hectares. Omatseye was apparently having a nostalgia of peasant farming in his community where each peasant uses primitive tools to farm in a couple of hectares.

    It is a statement of fact that one of the banes of the Nigerian experience is the tendency of many practitioners to take politics or governance as a full time career or a sole means of livelihood. Those who totally depend on politics for survival often end as liabilities rather than assets especially upon the end of their tenure, appointment or retirement from civil or public office. Thus the involvement of more public officers, including high profile leaders in farming will go a long way towards making them self-reliant and economically independent.

    The involvement of more people in meaningful farming activities therefore, remains a healthy development which will help to boost the Nigerian economy and contribute to the nation’s GDP and food sufficiency.

    As a zoologist, what is wrong if the President opts to deploy his immense knowledge in mechanized farming? Rather than vilify the President, he should be commended for boldly and sincerely taking step to contribute his quota towards our food security. Those who have been laboring through the media to incite the public against the President for doing what is simply and squarely lawful have not found any constitutional enactment that negates the explicit provision of Section 2, Fifth Schedule of the Code of Conduct for public officers in the 1999 constitution which states that “nothing in this sub-paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming.”

    Again, we have witnessed several instances where leaders establish farmlands and other businesses in other countries such as Ghana, South Africa and East Africa. Some leaders also illegally stashed money in foreign banks while other buy choice houses in London, New York and other mega cities of the world while Nigeria continued to import basic need like rice, fish and meat.

    Do they want him to become a liability to the nation upon leaving office as President harassing his successor for handouts? Is it not a healthy development that rather than go to sleep after serving he would retire to mechanized farming? The advantages are numerous. Apart from contributing handsomely towards Nigeria’s food sufficiency, certainly offer gainful employments to hundreds our teeming youths and women.

    With the steady decline of oil as our main source of revenue earning, we need to diversify urgently and agriculture is one sector that can provide the urgently needed rescue. Moreover, increased participation of more influential public officers and other Nigerians in farming will help to create jobs for our teeming unemployed youths.

    Lastly, it is untrue to claim that the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed allocated farmland to himself. That is not to say that he has no constitutional right to farm or own a farmland. The truth is that he is not a shareholder in Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd as claimed by The Nations. It is therefore blatantly incorrect to accuse of abusing his office and violating the 1999 constitution.  This is not to say that he has no constitutional right to engage in farming if he so wishes.

    It is certainly not corruption for a public officer to engage in farming as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution of 1999. We need more farmers if we must succeed in making Nigeria self-reliant in food production. No amount of twisting of facts cajolery, incitement or intimidation will force the Administration to abdicate its responsibilities. Thousands of Nigerians hold land titles for farming purposes in the FCT. With its 8,000 square kilometer size, FCT is larger than some states in terms of land mass. It is more than enough of the needless attempt to politicize farming by a section of the media and its patrons. It has become very obvious that most Nigerians are uninterested in such distractive debates.

     

    • Mr. Achiniru, a public affairs analysts wrote from Durumi, AMAC, Abuja.