The Nation Newspaper

Tag: politics

  • Army to personnel: Stay away from politics

    The Nigerian Army has again issued a strong warning against the involvement of its personnel in any form of political activities.

    Sounding the warning in a statement issued in Abuja by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, the army maintained that it has made it clear to its personnel and officers to stay away from political campaigns or escort of VIPs for political missions.

    Colonel Musa said it had become imperative to make the army’s position known considering the fact that members of the public might be misled to believe the unsubstantiated allegation of the involvement of a military officer in the Rivers state saga.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to an allegation of involvement of one of its officers in politics in Rivers State which was found to be untrue.

    “The Nigerian Army would have ordinarily ignored such baseless insinuations but for the unsuspecting members of the public who may be misled to believe the unsubstantiated allegations of political involvement of a military officer.

    “The Army has made it sufficiently and consistently clear that none of its personnel will be involved in political campaigns, escort of VIPs for political missions and above all, aiding or supporting any political party as has been circulated in official circulars and statements.

    “Although a detailed press statement has been released, the need to further make the position of the Nigerian Army clearer is therefore imperative.

    “Our Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct have not assigned any political role to the Army in this regard. The Army’s involvement starts and ends with the provision of a peaceful and secure environment for the conduct of 2019 General Elections.

    “The Nigerian Army strongly believes that the Citizens, like responsible media, have complementary constitutional roles to play, especially towards ensuring national security, information management, peace, and safety of Nigerians.

    “The Army will continue to achieve and sustain constructive engagement, obedience to the rule of law and obedience to constituted authority at all time in the spirit of civil-military relations.

    “The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has consistently called on soldiers to uphold the tenets of military professionalism and be guided by the rules of Engagement and the constitution of Nigeria toward sustaining a responsive army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

    “Therefore, any insinuation or assertion against this open declaration is not only mischievous but politically motivated with the intent to tarnish the reputation of the Army which has been built on discipline and obedient to civil authorities under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff.

    “Members of the public are therefore urged to always ignore information attributed to the Nigerian Army that are contrary to its core values of professionalism, respect for others and open declaration on the rules of engagement”.

  • Women charged to be actively involved in politics

    Ahead of the February and March elections, Nigerians women have been tasked to run, vote and participate actively in politics. This was said by the Executive Council Chairperson, Women in Management Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Mrs. Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi, at the 2019 Women in Politics Town Hall Meeting with 2019 female political candidates in Nigeria.

    The town hall meeting was tagged: Run, Vote and Get Involved and was organised by WIMBIZ and held in Lagos. According to Aboderin-Talabi, the meeting was an avenue for women from diverse backgrounds and with different ideologies to interact with a cross section of women vying for political office. “It is a platform for female candidates to be seen and heard as well as people having an insight into why women run for office despite the myriad of challenges and negative insinuations,” she said.

    On her part, the Alliance for New Nigeria (AAN) vice presidential candidate, Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya, believes that if voted, she intends to improve the lot of women.

    For the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal House of Representative candidate, Oluyole Constituency, Tolulope Akande Sadipe, she is passionate about youth empowerment. The platform which afforded opportunity for the general public to ask questions and get answers from those running for offices had over 10 female political candidates in attendance who spoke about why they intend running and what they intend to achieve if elected.

  • 53 parties endorse Buhari ahead of APC rally in Lagos

    ..Atiku’s plan a strategy of lies, says Fashola

    Ahead of the Saturday mega rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, a coalition of 53 political parties has endorsed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the decision was based on the president’s achievements in the last three years.

    The coalition, under the banner of Coalition of Political Parties in Lagos State (COPPILS), declared its support for Buhari at an event held in Surulere.

    The event was witnessed by the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, APC’s National Legal Adviser, Babatunde Ogala, the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and lawmaker representing Lagos East in the Senate, Gbenga Ashafa, among others.

    Director of Publicity of the coalition, Mallam Shakirudeen Olofin, said the 53 parties had directed their members to work with the APC to deliver Lagos to Buhari, noting that they took the decision to support the APC presidential candidate because of the infrastructure projects of Buhari administration in the Southwest.

    According to a communiqué issued by the coalition and signed by its convener, Hon. Akinola Obadia, the APC-led Federal Government had sited more projects in Lagos to consolidate the status of the state as the fastest growing economy in Africa. The coalition said the strides must be sustained for sustainable development.

    The communiqué read: “Based on the numerous achievements of the President Buhari in the last three and half years, which include reduction in $5 million importation spending, infrastructure projects on Lagos-Ibadan axis and the flag of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonsoki-Ojota Expressway, the coalition hereby endorses the candidacy of President Buhari.”

    Hailing the decision of parties to support President Buhari’s re-election bid, Fashola said Lagos residents had no choice than to return APC to power. He said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in its 16 years dominance at the centre, left infrastructure in the state to rot, pointing out that the opposition party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had no plan for the country.

    Fashola described the PDP presidential candidate’s policy paper as “strategy of lies”, saying Atiku’s plan is impracticable. He said Buhari’s investment in infrastructural renewal was unprecedented, adding that the “Next Level” slogan of the APC was strategically coined in preparation for the projected job creation and economic upswing that would come as dividends of Buhari’s investment in infrastructure.

    Sanwo-Olu said Buhari’s achievements in four years could not be compared to PDP’s 16 years in power, saying the APC-led Federal Government had initiated and completed 143 road projects across the nation since 2015. He said Buhari’s victory at the general election must be collective responsibility.

  • Get involved in politics: students told

    the Student Affairs Society in collaboration with Students Structures, a coalition of past and present students leaders, has held a symposium on students’ involvement in politics.

    Founder, Tolu Ebun Foundation, Tolu Ebun, who spoke at the event which took place at Raddison Blu Hotel, Ikeja, stated that the event was to also officially inaugurate the Student Affairs Society.

    “I know that Babajide Sanwo-Olu will win the election and I feel the need to create a bridge between him and the students which has often been neglected. We feel that it is time to connect and relate with them and also let them know our grievance before they are sworn in. We want to also work with them in order to ensure a better Lagos,” Ebun said.

    Representing the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Chief Whip of the House Lateef Abio, said anyone that wants to be a good leader must first be a good follower.

  • Expert seeks policies to insulate businesses from politics

    A financial expert, Dayo Amzat, says that Nigeria requires a policy and institutional governance that will insulate the business environment from the values of politics.

    Amzat, Chief Executive Officer, Zedcrest Capital, said this during the Future of Finance Executive Forum organised by BitPesa Ltd, in Lagos.

    The theme of the forum is; Beating the volatility: Preparing for the election economy.’’

    “Since we started this democratic dispensation, every four years, the things we hear are that portfolio investors are leaving the country, naira is losing value or the stock market is on a losing streak.

    “We cannot keep having this conversation, it does not augur well for a country.

    “It is tough to think that a disagreement between the President and Speaker, or fallout between the Executive and Judiciary will have an effect on the economy.

    “We need to have the kind of policy and institutional governance that will largely protect the business environment from politics,” Amzat said.

    He urged businesses to diversify their products portfolio, implement cost cutting strategies and explore the various foreign exchange markets created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to mitigate forex and revenue losses.

    Also, Mr Adeoye Ojuroye, Chief Financial Officer, Providus Bank, said that CBN’s incentives to banks through the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has encouraged more banks to lend to the manufacturing sector.

    “Globally, businesses are nervous during pre-election year and take a hold stance to see what the political space and policies will look like before making moves.

    “The CBN’s intervention in the foreign exchange market has continued to stabilise activities in the market while ensuring that price volatility experienced in the past did not reoccur,” he said.

    He said that businesses were concerned about volatility, operating environment and digital foreign exchange tools that could be utilized to enhance the profitability of their business.

    Elizabeth Rossiello, Founder of BitPesa, said that the risk and potential losses associated with turbulent and illiquid emerging market currencies was a challenge for companies operating on the African continent.

    “We saw the difficulties small financial institutions faced finding liquidity in local African currencies and repeatedly saw funds and companies have to exit the market due to this challenge.

    “In order to keep up with and support frontier markets’ accelerating development, we cannot rely on just traditional infrastructure, instead, we must create a hybrid financial infrastructure that is equally accessible and efficient

    “BitPesa is a market-maker in every major African currency and opens corridors for business payments and trade between frontier markets and the rest of the world,” she said.

    Rossiello, a Co-chair of the Global Blockchain Council of the World Economic Forum (WEF), said that BitPesa seeks to empower businesses and entire markets at a level of macroeconomic engagement that would enhance economic growth.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that BitPesa is a digital foreign exchange and treasury solution that leverages technology to significantly lower cost and increase speed of business payments.

  • Any need for politics?

    SIR: When I look into the political space of Nigeria, its formation, style and condition, I am forced to question the need for politics. This is because the current political situation betrays the basic purpose of politics which is common good. Politics involves getting and using power in public life, influencing and making decisions that affect a country or society for collective benefits. It is for the service of the people and the society.

    The formation of Nigerian politics is one that centres mostly on personal gains. Her style emulates the unethical and extreme presentation of politics by Niccolo Machiavelli as a battle, a constant struggle for power best described as power politics. Hence, society becomes a constant beneficiary of political deception, lies, crimes, murder among other vices in a bid to achieve political success. The politics of Nigeria in this light endorses injustice, supports personal interest and defeats common good.

    The disconsolate situation in Nigeria for me is an exposition of the high leadership decadence of the ruling class. While some are ignorant, uninformed, many others manifest the effect of evil political philosophy of Niccolo. These individuals obviously lack the understanding of the meaning, purpose and ethos of politics. Yet, they occupy various political offices in Nigeria and sometimes struggle with ease to perpetuate themselves in those offices. It’s not uncommon either to find the good ones among them who are usually very few and often times rewarded with tithes of exclusion from the helm of affairs leaving major decision making and policy formulation at the mercy of the undesired and rotten products.

    Nigeria is therefore compelled to suffer the dividends of political instability, absence of enduring political culture, corruption, willful breach of the constitution, decay of infrastructure (where one exists), underdevelopment, looting of public funds, abortion of merit and excellence in the award of contracts and political appointments, insecurity among others usually created by these assassins of common good. At this instance, the necessity of politics in Nigeria becomes questionable since the essentials of politics are far crucified.

    The place of ‘common good’ in search for a system of government best for the governing of a society has always remained pure, sacred and solemn. Any system which violates the holy temple of ‘common good’ to serve only the interest of the ruling class or just a few is unacceptable. This is because politics determines a lot with regard to the development of any nation and its citizens. It is about order, leadership and service geared toward promotion of common good. Anything on the contrary is malevolent.

    It is therefore important that every politician offers themselves to the pursuit and realization of common good, to the enthronement of justice, provision of basic needs of the people and creation of healthy social condition that allows for growth and development of the people and the society.

    Politicians must understand the need to change their objectionable attitude and orientation, accept the fact that politics is for the service of the people devoid of personal gains and that the concern is rather the contributions an individual has to make for the building of the nation. The place of the constitution in providing direction, guide and check and balances must be central and equally protected. This in no small measures will help to foster true, genuine and healthy political culture in Nigeria.

     

    • Valentine Igbonekwu, University of Ibadan.

  • Case for women in politics

    A media outfit, Women Radio 91.7, has called for increased women participation in the 2019 elections as the personnel paid visited political institutions recently to preach non-violence during the coming elections.

    The Managing Director of the radio, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, during a visit to INEC headquarters in Magbon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said INEC has a major role to play in ensuring that the 2019 general election is devoid of violence against women and allows women to exercise their civil rights to vote and be voted for. Okewale Sonaiya added that Women Radio will track incidences of electoral violence against women during the period.

    In her response, HOD Voters Education and Publicity, Olori Adenike Tadese, gender and civil society organisation, said INEC has made provisions for pregnant women, the elderly and persons living with disabilities across the state with adequate security personnel and that priority will be given to vulnerable persons during elections.

    INEC Representative/Admin Secretary, Mr. Oludele Popoola, also emphasised that INEC is fully ready for the 2019 general elections, ensuring that the voting processes are duly followed in an enabling environment for all to vote. He said women will not be disenfranchised and urged every stakeholder including the media to work together with INEC in avoiding violence during election.

    INEC officials present are Voters Education & Gender Desk Officer, Mrs Omolara Onabanjo, HOD Electoral Operations, Mr. Samuel Ogunjemilua, Electoral Officer Ado-Odo/Ota LGA representing all electoral officers in Ogun State, Alhaji Abayomi Onisarutu, Public Affairs Officer, Omole Folasade, HOD Finance & Accounts, Mr. Olayiwola Oyeniyi and HOD Voter Registrar/ICT Women Radio 91.7 Mr Lawrence Aladetoyinbo with support from UNWomen continues in her advocacy for Nigerians to shun violence against Women in 2019 elections and to vote for Women to increase women leadership and political empowerment.

  • Atiku’s visit to U.S. an attempt to score cheap political point -APC UK

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom Chapter, says Abubakar Atiku’s visit to the United States would not change Nigerians perception about him.

    Mr Ade Omole, Leader, APC UK chapter stated this while reacting to the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

    Atiku’s visit to the U.S was the first in 12 years, following an alleged corruption case.

    Mr Paul Ibe, his media adviser, in a statement said Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, left Nigeria on Thursday for the U.S.

    He was accompanied by the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

    Ibe claimed that Atiku in the course of his trip would hold meetings with U.S officials, the business community and the Nigerian community.

    But Omole faulted the claim, describing the visit as a kangaroo trip meant to score cheap political gain, adding that Nigerians are wise enough to read between the lines and could not be hoodwinked by such untoward arrangement.

    “Abubakar Atiku certainly has reasons for not visiting the U.S in the past years, especially because of corruption allegation against him,” he said.

    Read Also: FG to Atiku: you have questions to answer over collapse of Bank PHB

    He recalled that records at the U.S congress had it that Atiku engaged in money laundering through his wife who was resident in the country.

    Omole maintained that Atiku’s entry into the U.S. is a mockery of President Bush’s Presidential Proclamation 7750 which affirmed denial of entry VISA to foreign officials involved in corrupt practices by the congress.

    He, however, said that Atiku’s visit to America would not absolve him of the corruption allegation which had been hanging on him.

    Omole stressed that he does not object to Atiku or any Nigerian gaining entry into the U.S., especially when he meets the entry VISA requirements.

    He, however, maintained that the visit of the former Vice President, more or less made a mockery of him and the PDP.

    “Whether he visits U.S., or outer space, it doesn’t change anything in Nigeria, the electorate have already made up their minds to re-elect President Buhari for a second term come Feb. 16,” Omole said.

    He added that the questionable character of an individual no matter how highly placed he may be, does not evaporate by a mere visit to America.

    Omole said an individual with questionable character remains so no matter where he visited at any given time, especially if such visit is to score political point.

    He noted that while Atiku is busy trying to prove himself clean from corruption allegations with his U.S visit, Buhari is busy campaigning to Nigerians on why he should be re-elected.

    He added that the APC had continued to use its scorecard and achievements in all sectors to campaign to Nigerians on why Buhari deserves a second term in office to consolidate on his achievements.

  • On the politics of de-politicisation

    And whilst we are still on the subject of how nations fatally succumb to the poison of evil propaganda, it is meet to observe that four weeks to a make or mar presidential election which may redesign the map of the nation, an eerie quiet has descended on the entire Nigerian landscape.

    All is completely quiet on the national front. There are no great debates or rallies; no memorable sound bite or brilliant neology. Everybody is watching everybody else in sullen silence. The nearer the D-Day approaches, the farther the animations recede.

    The chilly atmosphere, the numbing paralysis of the polity, has made one to reach to the depths of sociological neologism. This is as close to the de-politicization of politics as you will ever get in a normally rambunctious nation. It is known as the politics of anti-politics.

    A lot gets done without using the traditional route of politics. You play deep politics while appearing to disdain surface politics. Even the main man has let it be known that he has concessioned his campaign to his loyal lieutenants in order to concentrate on more pressing matters of the state. Why do you need not to campaign when you have already sown up the major votes needed to drive the fear of the lord into everybody?

    There are some players who specialize in running all over the field without scoring a goal except an own goal; whereas there are others who are penalty spot specialists who specialize in converting spot kicks. After all, even smugglers need border posts, or there will be nothing to smuggle.

    Meanwhile, the nation waits on the appointed hour. It is a known axiom in heavyweight contests that in order to dethrone a reigning heavyweight champion, you must not only beat him, you must beat him up. There is no room for close margins or the contest will be declared a draw which leaves the status quo undisturbed.

    Alas, unless there is some political magic in the offing, a demographic earthquake which reconfigures existing balance of electoral forces in favour of the inert mass of boiling youth and the radically disaffected, the presidential election is already won and lost. This is what happens when structural contingency forecloses change and idealistic harrumphing.

     

  • Pragmatism, security and politics

    Our president gave a no holds barred interview on security and the irrelevance of state of origin in the appointment of service chiefs this week that showed his huge experience as a former military general but is very likely to create serious political controversy on constitutionalism. The president bluntly stated that loyalty not state of origin is the crucial issue in the appointment of service chiefs and he said this despite the fact 14  out  of the nation’s 17  security chiefs appointed by him are headed by Northerners. He admitted there is a quota system  in the constitution  but he said – ‘if you are a field operative you have to be   very careful especially in the military  where  I served for 20  years. ‘That  on the surface may  sound illegal  by the strictures of the Nigerian  constitution  but  that is what  is called  political  pragmatism or reality.  Which  simply means that security   in stark   terms  transcends quota  system and state  of  origin for  the   naughty  reason  that life  has no duplicate  and second chance  is a rarity in the volatile world   of  state  security  and political stability.  Legal  purists  may  be scratching their head in dismay or disbelief on the issue but  that is what we have to ponder  over to day.

    We  do  this analysis today  with a form  of comparative politics on issues from Nigeria’s presidential  campaign, the shut  down  of government in the US   over  the building of a wall  across  the border with Mexico  and the election of a law  and order candidate in Brazil  who  has just  been sworn  into  office   and who  valued security more  than human rights and won on that platform.

    In  Nigeria, the de facto Chairman  of the APC Presidential Reelection  Campaign Jagaba Bolaji  Ahmed Tinubu reportedly said that the 2019 presidential election boiled down to the character  of the two presidential  candidates   which  he said is quite  different. With  Buhari, he said if you left him in a room with a naira you  will  find your  naira intact on your return. According to Jagaban,’ with  Atiku, things are  more nuanced. This shows he has no vision for the nation   except the naked pursuit of power  for the naked  use  of that power.’  Which  simply  means that Atiku is not  honest  and should not  be trusted  with power.  This too  vintage  is political  pragmatism  stemming from politics    and    electioneering.  But  it   has its    important   implication  which  is that a crooked  person should  not  be trusted with power   and should not  be voted  for in any political  competition for power as in our 2019 presidential  election.  Of  course  I expect  the   PDP  to  counter this shrewd observation of the Jagaba but that  will  be difficult in   this   Nigeria  where  their  candidate is a veteran politician and a former Vice President for two  terms under a President   who   has,  on    available   records  in   published  works,  tarnished   the  PDP  presidential   candidate’s    reputation and  credibility  as his  Vice  President before  endorsing him  for the 2019 presidential  election.

    What  Jagaba  has done to  the PDP  candidate  and his credibility  is similar  to what  Donald  Trump  has done to CNN and other  anti-Trump  media like New  York Times by  calling them  fake news.   The  CNN   has been  involved  in a fight  to finish  with the American  president on that characterization and I expect   the  PDP  to  be looking   for similar  ammunition to  respond  to  the atomic  bomb  that the Jagaba  has detonated  on the character of their presidential  candidate.

    In   the  US, the American  President  Donald  Trump   has turned an  election promise  to protect America’s  border with Mexico over drugs  and crime into  a security  emergency  issue. He  unusually  addressed  the American  people  on  TV  to  say that the new  majority  the Democrats have in the Mid Term  elections in November 2018  is trying  to frustrate his effort to  protect America’s  borders  as promised  since the new Speaker  Nancy   Pelosi  bluntly said   he cannot build the wall.  But  Trump  is more pragmatic than Pelosi  on the issue in that he is ready to make a deal or a barter on priorities  with  the Democrats  to  build the wall. His threat  to use emergency  powers  cannot be taken lightly  especially when he turns the issue into  a security  matter  to protect Americas  borders   and  American lives,   which  is part of his oath  of  office   and   responsibility as the  President of the US.  So  in refusing  to open  government without funding for his wall  and turning the issue into an emergency security  situation,  Trump  may  be turning nasty  but he is still  a good example of credibility   and   pragmatism  in terms of fulfilling election  promises. It  is up to the Democrats to  make the best of a bad  situation and make a deal or face a credibility  crisis that they  do  not really know what they  want.  Again  the challenge  is in trying to match  pragmatism   with  election  promises  and  mandates   and   with  some  icing   of  flexibility and reality. In  my view  the ball is in the court  of the Democrats in opening up  the government  closed in seeming blackmail  by the US President Trump  for now.

    We  end up with Brazil, the world’s fourth  largest  democracy  which in October 2018  elected   a Trump like president in Jair Bolsonaro who  is against most things that liberal  governments like that of the Obama presidency promoted and championed like gay  rights and sexual equality. Bolsonaro won against  all  odds   while    the most  popular socialist  president in Brazil’s  history   Lula da Silva  was in jail   for corruption and could not  even contest  the  presidential election because of his jail term  and his surrogate   was well  beaten   by  new comer  and controversial  Bolsonaro. This was in a Brazil  that   the jailed   Lula  at the height of  his popularity brought both  the Olympics Games  and the  FIFA  World  Cup   given  the well  known  love of  Brazilians for  good  football  and samba.  But  Brazilians took  to the streets at  both events to protest against  both the looting of Brazilian sports administrators  and politicians and the  end  product was the jailing of Lula and the impeachment of his successor. So  in the end it is not only leaders  like Buhari   on  quota  system  and  security, or  Tinubu on integrity and  election  or Trump  on border  walls  and security, who  can  be pragmatic   on crucial   issues within the rule of  law.  Electorates  too  can  be quite  pragmatic  like they  did  in Brazil  where  they  picked  a president,   Jair    Bolsonaro, sworn in recently who  longed  and  campaigned for the law  and order of military rule to contain corruption  and violence  rampant  in Brazil’s  tortured  democracy  and  won   the election  against   all odds.  Once again  long  live,  the Federal  Republic  of Nigeria.