The Nation Newspaper

Tag: presidential candidates

  • ‘Parties can choose presidential candidates from any zone’

    Chief Anthony Sani is the Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). In this interview with ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, he speaks on the zoning controversy, expectations from the Buhari administration and the push for self-determination by some ethnic organisations.

    Many people are already talking about 2023. Is this healthy for the nation’s democracy?

    I have said it over and over again that it is too early for the nation to start talking about the politics of 2023 when the current regime has not spent hundred days in the office. This is because in multiparty democracy, people and political parties vote for what their judgement say is the best for the country. But, when the outcome of the elections are known, the people are expected to come together as one people until next rounds of the elections when they are expected to go back to the trenches where they would use the performance of the outgoing regime as well as their vision and programmes as basis and issues for the campaigns.

    But, when this government has just inaugurated the cabinet and people are talking of politics of next tenure suggests our politicians are more concerned with politics of identity symbolised by ethnicity and religion at the expense of real issues of real concern to real ordinary Nigerians.

    This talks of rotation, powershift and zoning is a tacit admission of failure of leadership. As a result, people do not believe any leadership is capable of regarding the whole country as its constituency. And consequently, it is becoming an ethos among Nigerians that access to national or state resources should be turn-by-turn. Yet, we know that there are about 371 ethnic nationalities that constitute Nigeria who are entitled to the national resources by way of appointments, projects and major contracts. This kind of politics of identity tries to vitiate the trite that it is possible for a leadership to inspire national solidarity for the purpose of making the most of our God-given diversity by overcoming what divide Nigerians.

    I, therefore, plead with the politicians to come together and unleash their synergistic potential for the larger interest and common good, until the time for politics of 2023 when the political parties would come up with their winning game plans that will include where they will pick their presidential and other candidates. This is because politics of identity is not a constitutional matter, but of strategies by political parties to win elections.

    What seems to be more disturbing is the recent calls by some northern governors for the abolition of zoning. Is this really position of the North?

    As I have told you in the foregoings, it is too early to discuss politics of rotation, powershift and zoning, which is within the exclusive purview of political parties. This is precisely because only political parties are responsible for fielding flag bearers. No group can field candidate for the political parties. Therefore, no region or zone can take up the responsibility of fielding candidates for the political parties. Besides, such calls can distract the current regime from focusing on the tasks of delivering on the promise of its mandate.

    That is why I appeal to politicians to concentrate on the real issues of real concerns to real Nigerians, considering the challenge posed by insecurity, poverty that comes with unemployment and the need for socio-economic development transcend regional, ethnic and regional boundaries.

    The call for the abolition of zoning is stirring controversy, as the South now seems to be suspecting the North of a grand plan to retain power beyond 2023. What do you say about this?

    There is no reason for the apprehension and controversy because even in the last elections, there were 76 candidates out of whom only six were from the North. This means there is no law which precludes political parties from fielding their candidates in any zone as the parties’ winning game plans. Political parties are at liberty to field their candidates from any part of the country, if in their judgement such would enhance their chances of winning.

    But, should all these continue, considering that 2023 is four years away?

    Because politics of identity is capable of detracting from good governance by way of distraction, politicians should stop talking about politics of 2023. This is because voters are expected to take into account in their judgement the performance of the ruling party, which government has just been inaugurated.

    President Muhannadu Buhari has  sworn-in his ministers. Do you think he has a good team to deliver his mandate?

    The President has picked what he considers as his first eleven through whom he hopes to impel progress by multiplying his strength through them. It is he who knows them. And whether I say they are a good team or not a good team, it does not matter anymore because they have been appointed and inaugurated. All one can say is that Nigerians re-elected the regime based on its performance in the first tenure, which gave the hope for a better second tenure. Both the president and the cabinet cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians. More so that the ruling party also has majority in the NASS expected to speedily pass the enabling law for performance. No more filibustering in the NASS, reminiscent of what happened in the first tenure when the ruling party was at war with itself and the president appeared to preside over a divided presidency.

    What do you think of their assigned portfolios. Is there anything President Buhari could have done better?

    As I told you, the president expectedly knows there are myriad of challenges posed by insecurity and the economy as well as in the fight against corruption. As a result, the expectations are very high by Nigerians on the government. He knows the government has to perform, not only for Nigerians to appreciate, but also in the interest of his own legacies, considering this is his last chance. I, therefore, believe he took these into account in his selection of the cabinet and assignment of portfolios to the ministers. More so that all the ministries and the MDAs have professional civil servants expected to advise the ministers, whose roles are to provide purposeful leadership. It is for him to deliver on the promise of his mandate without any hindrance.

    What do you expect from the new ministers?

    Nigerians expect them to help Mr President impel progress by sharing in his vision and aspiration and help to deliver on the promise of the electoral mandate. This is because the agenda was the promises made during the campaigns, which made the electorate to re-elect the regime to build on its performance in the first tenure.

    What is your view on the failed RevolutionNow protests across Nigeria?

    The RevolutionNow had no traction because it was insult to intelligence of Nigerians who have just re-elected the regime to consolidate on the performance of the first tenure. More distressing was the fact that the leader of the revolution was a presidential candidate who lost his deposit by garnering just about 30,000 votes. Nigerians got the impression that the leader of the said revolutionNow wanted to get what he failed to get from the ballot box through the revolution. This is not how multi-party democracy works.

    Multi-party democracy provides for elections at fixed periods through which the electorate are given the chance to decide either to re-elect a regime or to reject it, based on its records of performance.

    If the clime is ripe for any revolution, I believe nobody needs to tell Nigerians what to do. Nigerians did not believe the time was ripe for any revolution, and that was why it had no traction.

    Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu was recently attacked by IPOB members in Germany. What lesson can be learned from it?

    The attack on the former Deputy Senate President by IPOB in Germany and the threat to follow it up with attacks on elected governors and the leader of Ohanaeze has vindicated the position of those who had depicted the IPOB as a terrorist group. I say so because IPOB knows that since we are in a multiparty democracy, it should use the democratic process for its aspirations to find expression. IPOB gave directives to Igbos not to participate in the elections, but the directives were defied and the Southeast elected their governors and members of NASS. This should have made IPOB members to know they are very much in the minority.

    Otherwise, IPOB would have used our multi-party democracy and elected their members as governors and members of NASS to cause the amendment of our constitution to provide for a referendum. That is how multi-party democracy works, and not for IPOB to resort to violent threats and intimidation of innocent people who have been given electoral mandate to be leaders of the Igbo ethnic extraction in the Southeast.

  • Presidential candidates chart course for effective, efficient housing

    The controversial Land Use Act, seen by many stakeholders in the housing and real estate sector, may be repealed just as Nigerians may benefit from a better, stronger and properly managed mortgage system. With these in place, Nigerians are likely to heave a sigh of relief from the accessible and affordable housing yoke ravaging the country and leaving her with a deficit of over 17 million housing units.

    These were the hopes and assurances given at the weekend by the Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), in this year’s February 16 Presidential election, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, while speaking on the state of the housing market at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development of the University of Lagos. About five political parties, excluding the two major political parties- the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), attended the meeting.

    According to Moghalu, if elected into office, his administration would initiate an aggressive policy on housing reforms,  innovative approach to housing construction,   reduce the costing and improving the slums by providing adequate water and sewage management systems. These policies, he explained, would begin with the repeal of the infamous Land Use Act introduced over 40 years ago, to enable especially Nigerians in the middle and low income earning class have access to land without reducing their scope of ownership of the Land.

    The YPP hopeful lamented the failure of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FCMB), in meeting the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians. This failure by the government-owned mortgage institution, he further explained, is encapsulated in the FCMB’s ability to have only been able to build 17,000 housing units across the country through the National Housing Fund (NHF) it has managed in 25 years. Moghalu, therefore, assured that mortgage would be made accessible to all Nigerians as his administration would channel more funds to mortgage refinancing to enable the system have a subsidised mortgage support.

    Also at the meeting, the Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, cautioned that while it would be politically difficult to repeal the Land Use Act, upon her election, she would institute a workable data on how the Act has limited not just housing but in making lands accessible. By extension, the overall economy would be a key focus for all stakeholders to work on.

    Ezekwesili remarked that tackling the level of poverty in the country is very paramount as this would not only improve the living conditions of the citizens but will also in the long run improve housing stock on the supply side, in the country.

    On the plethora of abandoned Federal Government buildings in Lagos State, Ezekwesili, a  former Minister, was emphatic that such assets would be privatised to generate funds for the Federal Government.  “I will not raise expectations that will not be realised. The total budget for 2019 is $30 billion. We need all the resources we can find,” she said.

    On the part of the Presidential candidate of the African Action  Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, the housing strategy would involve putting in place a transparent land registry system that would aid planning process.

    “Part of the problem we have is that we do not have a proper documentation of houses because nobody wants to reveal how houses are built, who owns them,  how much was it sold. Most of the houses in this  country are owned by just few.  We need a transparent land registry system. Without that, we cannot even start to plan,” Sowore said

    He revealed that if elected, his administration would set aside $3.6 million for housing and  increase the minimum wage to a N100,000 as part of its policy on mortgage for low income earners. “We are in need of 17 million homes. Over 80 million Nigerians are without homes.  In Nigeria, an average family of five: a father, mother and three kids should be entitled to a home,” he said.

    On the redevelopment of abandoned federal government buildings, Sowore said:  “I will not give any more of our public institution to private the sector; they have gotten enough. We will convert them to schools, hospitals and for other use that will benefit the Nigerian people. If given to the private sector, it will end up in the hands of our minsters,  governors,  party leaders, national leaders among others.  We do not even have enough space to cater for our social needs, we can’t continue to give our properties to them.”

    The Presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, a state of emergency on housing would be declared, while there will be a convocation of stakeholders in the housing sector to create a vision that promotes access to affordable,  safe and functional houses.

    He said if elected, his administration would target creating 3.75 million houses in his four years. This would be achieved through his establishment of a national emergency housing fund to the tune of $ 3.6 billion as well as putting in place a policy framed around engaging the public in the development of houses. “The building capacity will increase every year.  In my first year, 250,000 housing units would be created. In the second year,  500,000, third year, one million and in the fourth year, two million” he said.

    For the Presidential candidate of the Accord Party (AP),  Mr. Isaac Ositelu, regenerating the slums and ensuring lands are well surveyed before they are sold as well as conversion of abandoned buildings to an upgraded students accommodation would be the focus.

    Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, Prof Timothy Nubi, expressed concerns over the neglect the housing sector has experienced over the years.  He regrets that notwithstanding the various programmes of successive governments, the increasing housing deficit, as well as the high growth of slums and the predominant population living in slum-like conditions are  testaments to the failure of the programmes.

    Underscoring the importance of housing to social and economic growth, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Academics, Prof Oluwole Familoni advised the candidates to efficiently deliver their manifestos when elected.

     

     

  • Carnival Calabar to host presidential candidates

    The Cross River Government has invited all the Presidential candidates of political parties contesting in the 2019 general elections to take a week-long vacation from campaigns and participate in the annual event scheduled for Dec. 28.

    The state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, disclosed this on Sunday in Calabar while flagging off the third and last dry run of the 2018 Calabar carnival which has the theme `Africanism’.

    Represented by his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu, Ayade said that the carnival has no political or religious affiliation, adding the show was open to all.

    “This is the final dry-run and the event is looking as if today is the grand finale,” Prof. Esu said.

    “This shows that our first and second dry run was successful.

    “I want to use this opportunity, on behalf of the state governor to invite all the candidates of various political parties to come for this year’s carnival.

    “We want them to take off one week rest from their campaigns and come and enjoy themselves. Carnival Calabar does not know any political party or religion.

    “When you come to Calabar for the carnival, you are as free as air. I will like to invite them to come here and relax and as the people see them, maybe those who are able to dance better may attract more votes.

    “So, we want to see the candidates who can come here and rock it better, in such a way some people may be encouraged to vote for them.”

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Calabar Carnival Commission, Mr Gabe Onah, said that the carnival has become the melting pot of Africa’s hospitality.

    Onah said that the `wonders on wheels’ had earlier had their dry-run where over 200 bikers participated.

    He said that the state had sustained the hosting of the largest street party in Africa for a record 14 years, adding that it has promoted the talents of budding artists and has equally united the people of Cross River and Nigeria at large.

    The Chairman said that the five competing carnival bands and others were designed to tell the African story from the African perspective.

    He commended DSTV and MTN Nigeria for their partnership and support for the carnival over the years.

    The President of Federation of Tourism Association, Alhaji Sabo Saleh, said that the association was in the state to underscore and study the carnival with a view to find areas of partnership and support.

    Saleh said that tourism plays an important role in the economy of any nation or state, adding that the association under his leadership would continue to support Calabar carnival because Cross River has placed Nigeria’s tourism on the world global map.

    “This is one of the biggest events that is coming out of Africa and it is sponsored by the Cross River Government.

    “They are doing this to support the local people because tourism is multi-faceted and this helps the local economy to grow.

     

  • Carnival Calabar to host presidential candidates

    The Cross River Government has invited all the Presidential candidates of political parties contesting in the 2019 general elections to take a week-long vacation from campaigns and participate in the annual event scheduled for Dec. 28.

    The state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, disclosed this on Sunday in Calabar while flagging off the third and last dry run of the 2018 Calabar carnival which has the theme `Africanism’.

    Represented by his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu, Ayade said that the carnival has no political or religious affiliation, adding the show was open to all.

    “This is the final dry-run and the event is looking as if today is the grand finale,” Prof. Esu said.

    “This shows that our first and second dry run was successful.

    “I want to use this opportunity, on behalf of the state governor to invite all the candidates of various political parties to come for this year’s carnival.

    “We want them to take off one week rest from their campaigns and come and enjoy themselves. Carnival Calabar does not know any political party or religion.

    “When you come to Calabar for the carnival, you are as free as air. I will like to invite them to come here and relax and as the people see them, maybe those who are able to dance better may attract more votes.

    “So, we want to see the candidates who can come here and rock it better, in such a way some people may be encouraged to vote for them.”

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Calabar Carnival Commission, Mr Gabe Onah, said that the carnival has become the melting pot of Africa’s hospitality.

    Onah said that the `wonders on wheels’ had earlier had their dry-run where over 200 bikers participated.

    He said that the state had sustained the hosting of the largest street party in Africa for a record 14 years, adding that it has promoted the talents of budding artists and has equally united the people of Cross River and Nigeria at large.

    The Chairman said that the five competing carnival bands and others were designed to tell the African story from the African perspective.

    He commended DSTV and MTN Nigeria for their partnership and support for the carnival over the years.

    The President of Federation of Tourism Association, Alhaji Sabo Saleh, said that the association was in the state to underscore and study the carnival with a view to find areas of partnership and support.

    Saleh said that tourism plays an important role in the economy of any nation or state, adding that the association under his leadership would continue to support Calabar carnival because Cross River has placed Nigeria’s tourism on the world global map.

    “This is one of the biggest events that is coming out of Africa and it is sponsored by the Cross River Government.

    “They are doing this to support the local people because tourism is multi-faceted and this helps the local economy to grow.

  • Buhari to INEC: put Nigeria first in 2019

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put Nigeria first in organising free, fair and credible elections next year.

    He also noted that building on trust in any election was the collective responsibility of all citizens in the country.

    Buhari spoke during the signing of peace accord for the 2019 elections by presidential candidates and their political parties in Abuja.

    The President, who noted past elections have been marred by violence perpetrated by political leaders and the followers, said without trust, the country cannot strive on its quest for achieving any meaningful growth and development.

    He said: “I wish to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all arms of security agencies to put the nation first in their conduct.

    “The world is watching us and the task of building or institutionalising trust in our political system and institution is fundamental to the growth and development of our country.” he stated

    Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar underscored the essence of peace towards ensuring credible polls.

    He thanked Buhari for his commitment to ensuring peace and credible election as well as being present to sign the peace agreement and advised him to lead by example.

    He however noted security should be a source of worry to everyone, especially the leaders and cautioned their acts of commission or omission could make matters worse.

    He urged them to temper their utterances and action with responsibility and patriotism.

    “We have now entered the electioneering period, proper keeping of peace becomes the overriding objectives.

    “The election itself will not hold in the absence of peaceful atmosphere. Disharmony among political parties hinders all peaceful efforts,” he said.

    He also condemned the subtle incitement coming from some religious houses, saying that they do not portend well for the country.

    He appealed to all participants to endeavor to stick to the contents of the peace pact they signed and appealed to INEC to carry out its mandate as expected of it.

  • Organisation sets agenda for presidential candidates

    Organisation sets agenda for presidential candidates

    A pan-Southeast professional group, the Concerned Nigeria Professionals and Entrepreneurs Forum, has suggested ten key issues that should form campaign topics for the presidential candidates in the general elections.

    They are particularly concerned about the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The group decried the current campaigns of mudslinging and name-calling, when according to the group, the nation was at a crossroads and had better things to do than engaging in campaigns of calumny.

    Convener of the group, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, who was in Enugu for the southeast zonal town hall meeting of the forum, told newsmen that the group believed that entrepreneurs were major stakeholders in Nigeria that is presently in a cross road based on the coming elections.

    “But we don’t want it to be a negative point for the country. So we are trying to redirect things, the campaigns are to be issues-based, and not on personal issues. The zonal town hall meetings are to reassess the issue to be announced to the presidential candidates at the national town hall meetings that will take place in Abuja on March 20, 2015 that will be attended by the presidential candidates, either as a debate or separately,” he said.

    Ugwu-Oju gave the summary of the ten key issues that should form presidential campaigns as: The fundamental change in the dynamics of the global oil market (guaranteed average low oil price for the foreseeable future) and the negative implication for a mono product economy; Restructuring/creation of a fair, just and equitable federation; Reduction in cost of governance at the federal, state and local government level; Transiting from an oil income sharing to a wealth creating economy.

    Others issues include: Climate change; Security of lives and property; Unemployment; Corruption; Food, water and housing and Education.

    He stated that it was clear there were enormous issues that bother the electorate, which require very clear and unequivocal discussion by the campaigns of the two major political parties that are presenting the two main presidential candidates, President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

    “These issues will be further distilled at the zonal town hall meetings and subsequently addressed by the presidential candidates at the national town hall meeting. On the question of the 2015 general elections, all we need to say is that, on no account should any Nigerian who is registered and willing to vote be disenfranchised because of inability to collect a PVC, whether card readers are deployed for the elections or not.

    “It is instructive, however, that if the elections had held as originally scheduled, on February 14, 2015, it would have been a disaster going by the recent experience with the test-run of the card readers. The case of what happened in Ebonyi state is a pointer to this fact,” said Ugwu-Oju.

    He noted that his group was of the opinion that if the electronic card readers cannot work as perfectly as it should work, INEC should better turn to option A4 so as not to disenfranchise any elligible voter.