The Nation Newspaper

Tag: presidential

  • Southsouth to get more by supporting APC, says presidential aide

    THE Southsouth region stands to benefit more infrastructural growth, if it chooses to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang, has said.

    Enang, who said the Southsouth would not go far by being in the opposition, spoke at the weekend in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, during a solidarity rally in his honour and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere. Ekere  is also APC governorship aspirant.

    Enang said winning in Akwa Ibom State was a task that must be accomplished, adding that the APC would use the oil-rich state as a gateway to other Southsouth states, ‘hence the need for massive support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the strengthening of APC in the state”.

    He noted that with Akwa Ibom State being in the forefront of entrenching the party into other Southsouth states, the region would witness massive turnaround in infrastructure.

    “Akwa Ibom shall be the launching ground. From here, APC shall launch to conquer Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Cross River and other states of the South,” he said.

    Former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio described Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration as a non-performing government.

    He added that with Ekere as the state’s governor, Uyo would be great again.

    Ekere said when he is voted in, he would rename the Ibom International Airport after former Governor Victor Attah.

    He noted that all those who had toiled for the state, whether alive or not, shall be recognised by his government.

    The governorship aspirant, who decried the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) campaign, which, he said, tended to poison the people minds against him, maintained that he would serve a single term, if elected.

    He thanked the people for their solidarity, particularly the Akwa Ibom elders, who bought the party’s governorship nomination form for him.

  • APC presidential candidate to emerge through direct primary

    The All Progressives Congress (APC)  rose from its sixth National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja with the decision to elect its presidential candidate through direct primaries.
    The indirect option is to be used for primaries for other positions.
    States that however wish to use the direct primary option for the conduct of their primaries can to apply to the national leadership of the party with a resolution signed by party stakeholders agreeing to the process.
    Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong who addressed journalists after the meeting in Company of his Kogi state counterpart, Yahaya Bello announced the decision of the party.
    Lalong also said the meeting failed to agree on the sequence of election for its primaries and referred the issue of to the National Working Committee to decide on the matter  putting into considerations the various opinion canvassed at the meeting.
     “About two or three things were discussed. First, the document on the guidelines for the election, the mode of elections and of course, the mode of funding and the necessity for unity within the party after the gale of defections.”
    ” On the issue of defection, the party unanimously agreed that it has not affected us much, but has tightened the party more.
    “On the mode of election, we all agreed that for Presidential election, we are going for direct primary, but for other elections, there are two options. But the general option is that we go for indirect primary.
    “But any state that has a problem and wants to deviate from that is at liberty to write following the normal process with a resolution from their state executive seeking approval for a deviation from the agreed process.
    “In the sequence of election, it was directed back to the NWC to look at the comments that were made and within those comment, address them in line the electoral act and bring out a time table for the sequence of election. The National Executive Committee has been given that power.
    “On the issue of funding, a standing Committee was set to look at the proper funding for party generally.
    “The constitution of the party provide for either direct or indirect primaries or com census. But for the presidential election, we all agreed to adopt the direct option.
    “Also, a recommendation was made by the National Working Committee which was accepted that all the states should adopt the indirect mode of election. But there may be circumstances where it may be difficult in some of the states, looking at their peculiarities.
    “If there are such difficulties, the state will now apply following due process after their stakeholders agreement, signed and adopted by simple majority of the party and the state executive which will now be sent to the NWC for approval.”
    On automatic ticket for governors and legislators, he said “We didn’t discuss the issue of automatic ticket. But we discuss that patriotic and loyal members should be rewarded. But not necessarily with automatic ticket.
    “Some of our senators who are patriotic who were supposed to be taken away were all kept. We asked all the states to look at it and we find a way to reward them. But for the election, the option is given to everybody to face election. So, there was nothing like automatic for anybody.
    “We debated the cost of nomination and left it to the National Working Committee to take into consideration some of the views expressed and come out with a reasonable figure and any figure they bring out will be acceptable and we don’t need to come back to NEC to ratify it.”
    Contributing, Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello said “People refer to the issue of automatic ticket to governors and legislators. In our party, we have reward system. You will surely not throw away a loyal party man and will not punish a loyal party man.”
    “We will always support and reward those legislators who were supposed to have been taken away in a deceitful manner but stood by Mr. President and this country. Those that are patriotic to this party and this country will surely be rewarded in one way or the other. That is not automatic ticket because there is internal democracy and we are doing everything to promote our constitution and internal democracy.”
    Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and his deputy, Yusuf Lasun were conspicuously absent at the meeting, but National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole explained that the party received correspondences from the two principal officers of the House of Representatives that they won’t be able to attend the meeting.
    Oshiomhole said “we have apologies from the Speaker in a letter dated 27th of August, 2018 that he had a previous engagement and would not be able to attend the NEC meeting as he is currently out of the country. We also have correspondence from the Deputy Speaker that he has an appointment with his doctors and won’t be able to attend the meeting”.
    Governors present include Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Tanko AlMakura (Nasarawa), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Atiku Badugu (Kebbi), Sani Bello (Niger), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa), Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina)
    Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo) Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) were represented by their deputies.
    Former governor Godswil Akpabio who recently joined the party joined his colleagues from the Senate at the NEC meeting alongside former Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, Senator Godwin Abe, Senator Andy Ubah, Senator Binta Masi Garba, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Ben Uwajumogu among others.
    The Secretary to the government of the federation and the Special Adviser on Political matters to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojodu were also present.

  • Presidential committee donates N2b building materials to Borno

    The Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI) has donated N2 billion building materials to the Borno State government.

    The donation was made  in collaboratiuon with the Presidential Committee for Victims Support Fund.

    It will also support the reconstruction of communities destroyed by insurgents.

    In a statement yesterday, PCNL’s spokesperson  Alkasim Abdulkadir said the cash was  presented to Borno State Governor  Kashim Shettima by the committee’s Vice Chairman Tijjani Tumsah at the weekend.

    He said the presentation included medical equipment.

    Abdulkadir noted that rebuilding hospital infrastructure is meant to complement short-term interventions, such as the medical outreach programmes that have been going on across the Northeast.

    The statement added:  “Also, the PCNI has flagged off a Housing Refurbishing Material Support Programme intended to provide access to an improved housing, in terms of quality and standard, for returnees and people directly affected by insurgency.

    “A total of 298,000 pieces of timber, 59,710 ceiling boards and 20,865 bags of assorted nails were handed over to the governor.

    “Also, 14,100 bundles of zinc and 2,400 bags of cement were part of the presidential committee’s intervention to the state.

    “The distribution of the building materials was made to nine local government areas of the state where reconstruction works are ongoing.

    “According to Alhaji Tumsah, ‘the distribution was based on the population of the local government areas and  damage assessment’.

    “Biu, Gwoza and Monguno local government areas got 50,000 pieces of timber, 2,275 bundles of zinc, 2,650 ceiling boards and 350 bags of cement each.

    “Also, 48,000 pieces of timber, 2,275 bundles of zinc, 2,650 ceiling boards and 350 bags of cement were donated to Damboa Local Government.

  • ‘Why we back Dakwambo’s presidential bid’

    A coalition of northern intelligentsia under the aegis of the Northern Nigeria Alliance Group (NNAG) has justified its support for the presidential aspiration of Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

    The group’s spokesman, Umar Kabir, after a meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, said the Gombe governor has what it takes to take Nigeria’s economy out of the stormy waters and steer the country to the Promised Land.

    He said: “A profound personality like Ibrahim Dakwambo is not so common. His experience in public administration and commitment to good governance is second to none. His level of education (with a Ph.D) in Financial Accounting, Ph.D in Financial Management) speaks volume of his preparations for the exalted position, which present him as capable and good for presidential office.”

    The group also said  Dakwambo, having worked, at different times, with former heads of state, is in the good stead to know much about the needs of Nigerians.

    According to the group, “Dakwambo had served as a one-time Accountant-General of the state, one-time Accountant General of the Federation and one-time Accountant General of Africa. As a matter of fact, he had worked as the Accountant-General of the federation and he actually worked with three different presidents.

    “He worked with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan. Based on that, Datwambo is someone with a sound financial background who can manage resources to achieve the desired goals and objectives of each and every state.

    “As governor of Gombe State, the Dakwambo-led administration has paid workers salaries up to date. The civil servants are paid as at when due. He doesn’t owe any one. We are in January now and December salary has already been paid even before it was due. So you see that it is because of the talent and experience of prudent management of resources that the governor is endowed with.”

    The group said that only a personality with the requisite experience should take the saddle at a time the nation is experiencing harsh economic climate.

    It said: “There’s no doubting the opportunity and vast experience he has gathered over the years while serving in financial institutions and the financial sector. He is such a financially disciplined person and this factor has made it possible for him to ensure that the salaries of civil servants are paid as at when due in Gombe State and even beyond that to the extent of executing some viable projects in the state. This is the manner of man Nigeria needs, especially now in our season of harsh economic realities.”

  • ADP bans Nigerians above 60 from contesting presidential, governorship elections

    The Chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Alani Bankole, has said that the party will not allow anybody above the age of 60 to contest election to the offices of the President and state governors.

    Bankole told newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Abuja that the party will not give its ticket to Nigerians above the age of 60, while the national and state assemblies will be open to people of all ages as allowed by the constitution.

    He said, “What l know is that anybody above the age of 60 would not get the ticket of this party both at the governorship level and Presidential level. For the National Assembly you can be one million years.”

    Bankole said that the ADP was established to rescue the country saying “We are sure we are going to do it if you youth of these days, would stop being lazy and come out forceful and take what belongs to you. People call you leaders of tomorrow, the question is when would that tomorrow come.

    “Most leaders of this country who have performed credibly became head of state before the age of 40, yet most of you are still being called leaders of tomorrow. So, what we have decided to do in ADP is to mobilize youths whom we believe should have better ideas; whom we believe are still strong physical and mental enough to change things for better in this country and that is all we are doing.”

    Speaking during the inauguration yesterday in Abuja, National Chairman of the party Engr. Yabaji Sani, said the committee was put together “to serve as vehicle to reach the unreached or reluctant to embark on decisive measures to rescue Nigeria.

    “Our economy is in the doldrums, education has virtually collapsed, insecurity has become pervasive with several of our country men and women, mowed down daily by criminal elements.

    “Obviously, we cannot keep silent in the face of evil and daunting challenges. ADP has stepped in to change the narrative. We are determined to rebuild Nigeria into an egalitarian nation where tribe and religion will never be factors that determine a citizen level of attainment.”

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Roland Obie, hit at the government for not having the interest of the Nigerian people at heart, saying “the APC government has no compassion and when the head of a government has no compassion, God leaves the place.”

  • Female presidential aspirant to contest under PDP

    Female presidential aspirant to contest under PDP

    Aspiring female presidential candidate, Professor  Olufunmilayo Adesanya-Davis has said that she want her ambition to be realised under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019.
    The professor of Language and Communication Arts at the Rivers State University of Education, Port Harcourt, declared her presidential  ambition at the dawn of this year in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

    The Ira – Kwara born presidential aspirant noted that good leadership with sacrificial mind and great concern for the future, is what’s lacking in the country.

    While noting that leadership is an influence relationship between the leaders and the followers determined to achieve shared objectives rather than control and affluence, Adesanya- Davies said  leaders should  demonstrate certain level of intelligence, discretion, maturity and civility

    She advised the electorate to concentrate on the  background, personality, integrity and credibility of the individual contestants or candidates rather than money-politics, ethic,religious, gender or even the platform as they choose their candidature.

    She disclosed that in addition to her vision and passion to governance and to building Nigeria, “the decision of the federal government to make all positions open for women aspirants also boosted her interest in the race.”

    “I am aspiring to be the next president of Nigeria. I am out to put laughter and joy on the faces of all Nigerians.The tension is getting too much. The agenda is almost fully mapped out. Moreover, We have paid the price in Kwara state as the “State of Harmony” and it is going to happen from the North Central by the grace and mercy of the Almighty God.

    “Nigeria has constitutionally  given the opportunity to the Nigerian woman, so all women should see themselves as rescuers of their children and the entire nation. They should  be encouraged, bold, courageous to register, come out en-mass to vote and be voted for. Let all women who fear God and know their responsibilities come out to serve the nation. If all women and even our men too vote for the women folks, we all know the result. This vision will be achievable!

    “Our thanks, first goes to the nation – Nigeria that says the ladies could pick our forms free politically at every level; because Nigeria is confident that the current challenges in the country can only be tackled by the women.

    “My plan is an “Advanced Agenda” to restructure Nigeria when given the chance, with the teeming population of youths on my mind and the future of the upcoming and unborn generations of Nigerians.

    “Restructuring has become a must in the current Nigeria and the fillers are rife and obvious with security challenges like the various communal clashes, ethnic cleansing, religious intolerance, etc. bedevilling the country and all sorts of agitations from different milieu.

    “However, ” restructuring” is a complex, adventurous and highly intellectual-creative project for the academia, that needs the female’s ingenuity and creativity, we would agree. It then needs a visioneer with in-depth clarity of purpose and mind to drive the process. This is where I come in, and what l stand for.

    “So ready I am, to give back to the society that produced and made me, I speak as a Nigerian – Northerner from the Middle-belt, of the Yoruba descent who had spent over three decades of my life working  in the South-south. I had obtained B.A degree at OAU Ife, M.A at Unilorin and Ph.D at Uniport. I am a Nigerian product and a proof of her ability. “

  • Firm gets presidential award

    Firm gets presidential award

    A law firm, Perchstone & Graeys, has won the first Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Impact Award.

    The award was presented to the law firm by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    The ceremony took place during the first anniversary of PEBEC’s inauguration.

    It was received by the firm’s Managing Partner Mr. Osaro Eghobamien (SAN).

    The award is in recognition of its  role in achieving PEBEC’s objectives.

    As a result, the country was elevated  by 24 points in the World Bank’s Comparative Analysis of the ease of doing business.

    The award was also in recognition of the firm’s contributions and commitment to the 2016-2017 World Bank Ease of Doing Business Reforms.

    By the recent ranking, Nigeria now holds the 145th position out of the 190 countries on the global ease of doing business rankings – compared to the 169th position which the country occupied in last year’s report.

    Nigeria also features as one of the ten economies showing the most notable improvement in doing business for 2018.

    Perchstone & Graeys, as a leading commercial law firm  has been involved in initiatives to assist in the ease of doing business and to attract foreign direct investment.

    The firm’s notable contributions include reforms to the “Getting Credit Indicator”, which resulted in Nigeria being placed at the sixth position in the world on the Getting Credit indicator.

    Highlights of the reforms include the signing into law of the “Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act 2017” and the “Credit Reporting Act 2017”, as well as the developments in the National Collateral Registry, and the Credit Bureaus.

    Perchstone & Graeys worked extensively for close to eight years, on “The Secured Transaction on Moveable Assets Collateral Registry Act”.

    The Act creates a framework that establishes and maintains a centralized collateral registry, where records of transactions and moveable assets, offered as security for said transactions, are electronically recorded.

    The Act principally enables small and medium sized industries to access credit using any asset other than land, including asset receivables, with capacity to enhance GDP .

    The Banks have direct access to the Collateral Registry from any of their offices anywhere in the world, giving them the unique opportunity to trace any asset offered as security.

    With this recognition from the Presidency, the firm has restated its commitment to continue to play a leading role in shaping policy towards a more robust business climate in Nigeria.

  • Unending Presidential jokes

    Unending Presidential jokes

    Arising common phenomenon at the Presidential Villa, Abuja is the series of jokes now being thrown by the leaders at public functions.

    The number one and number two citizens, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, have continued to seize every available opportunity to make their guests and staff laugh.

    They have continued to loosen up a bit and not make every occasion strictly business.

    Through their jokes, they have been able to engage the attention of their audiences and easily drive home their points.

    Jokes have been found to play a very important role towards easing individuals’ lives and working as a good medicine to relief their stress.

    They can also help people in bad mood or in a problem feel better.

    Many benefits of laughing and sharing funny jokes include boosting up the human immune system by increasing infection fighting antibodies, impacts blood circulation and help with heart and other cardiovascular problems, stimulates most of the organs of the body and increases endrophins released by brain, which helps in reducing pain.

    Other benefits, according to experts, include relieving stress and soothing tension, which go a long way to reduce anger and depression, increases heart rate and blood pressure, while also helping to sharpen sensibilities.

    Buhari exhibited the special trait during the 2017 Christmas homage paid on him last week Monday by the residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) led by the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello.

    After the FCT Minister and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT chapter, Jonah Samson, had made their remarks, it was the turn of the President to speak to the visitors.

    He started his remarks by cracking jokes.

    He said: “I have to digress right from the word ‘go’ to thank those who drafted the Nigerian constitution with respect to the number of senators which puts states on equal terms and excluding the FCT. (While all the states have three Senators in the Senate, only FCT has one Senator).

    Pointing to the only FCT representative in the Senate, Senator Phillip Aduda (PDP), who was sitting on his immediate left in his sitting room, Buhari added: “Because he is from the other party.”

    The Presidential sitting room, which was filled to the brim, immediately erupted in laughter.

    The President added when the laughter subsided: “I think you will know clearly when you know that Bayelsa State has 8 local governments, Kano State has 44 local governments, but in the Senate they are all equal as they produce three senators each. I think this is very fair.”

    Not done with the jokes, the President again cracked another one while observing protocol of the government officials and guests in the sitting room.

    He said: “The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, members of the Federal Executive Council, I do not expect to see the Ministers here, I thought they will be busy in their constituencies.”

    He then added the joke: “But I think it is good excuse they are here as they will spend less.”

    The guests again burst out laughing with heads turning in the direction of the Minister of Science and Technology,  Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, who were seated in the hall.

    A week to the Christmas homage, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also almost burst the ribs of journalists covering the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The occasion was the end-of-year seminar of the State House Press Corps (SHPC) at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

    Osinbajo was to declare open the seminar with the theme: ‘Journalists and Retirement Plans’.

    Already seated at the high-table before Osinbajo made his remarks were the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalil Arabi, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the Chairman of the occasion, Nasarawa State Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Kwara representing the governor, the guest lecturer and Chairman of Elumelu Foundation, Tony Elumelu and the SHPC Chairman, Ubale Musa.

    Jokes after jokes, Osinbajo succeeded in lightening up the hall and making the seminar a memorable one for the State House Press Corps.

    He jokingly recounted his ugly business experiences when he ventured into journalism in the past.

    He said: “I have always been a media person by default sometimes and by the nature of my other engagements. I served on the advisory board of the News and the Tempo for many years. It was then I realised how difficult it is to do business with journalists because I was never paid any legal fees for my efforts.”

    The journalists and other guests in the hall could not help but laugh.

    He went on: “We sat at various meetings. There was no sitting allowance, nothing. In fact, I always wonder that I always see you people selling, how come there is no reward at all?”

    The hall again erupted in laughter.

    “So, I could understand that there could be need for very serious debate about this issue of remuneration.”

    He was again interrupted by the journalists with laughter and clapping.

    Osinbajo then continued: “My other engagement as a ‘media person’ was when I co-founded an anti-corruption organisation, called ‘Integrity’ in 1994.

    “And we had a publication called ‘Scrutiny’. One afternoon the SSS came to ask for the Professor from my editor, the editor of the publication, Kunle Oshadipe, initially a journalist with The Tempo,

    “He had on a pair of round eyeglasses. I was not there when they came. As soon as they asked for the Professor, he told them ‘I’m not the Professor’. They told him ‘It’s a lie.’ And they carried him away.”

    The hall erupted in laughter again.

    “To cut a long story short, Kunle’s wife called me and said ‘They were looking for the Professor and they have carried my husband. My husband is not the Professor’.

    Laughter again followed the Vice President’s remark.

    “Everybody deserted the office; all of us who were strong advocates of the anti-corruption fight deserted the office.”

    Another round of laughter ensued.

    “But I felt that I had no choice, as the only Professor in the whole setting. So I went to the SSS office where I was held for over 24 hours. Nobody said anything to me. They just sat me there and I was hearing screams of people who were obviously being beaten. They didn’t say a word to me.

    “But late that night, one guy came to me and said ‘I hope you heard the screaming.”

    Another laughter in the hall.

    “He then brought out a lot of the pamphlets that we have published and said ‘Do you think it is worth it to lose your life for these?’

    “By the grace of God, an elderly woman came in and said that somebody I taught in the university asked me to be released. So, she said I should pick my things and go.  I immediately disappeared from the office,” he said

    Another laughter followed.

  • Intrigues and the 2019 presidential election

    SIR: Pursuant to Section 135(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, President Muhammadu Buhari would alongside some state governors complete their four-year term on May 29, 2019.  As a result, politicking is gathering momentum in diverse dimensions and quarters with many defections, scheming and political-arithmetic by ambitious politicians. For some in their defences, especially for habitual defectors, it was lack of internal democracy in their political party, for some others, monumental failure of their party to meet aspirations of the masses. And for new entrants, audacious claims on rescue mission over the economy writing off the ruling class with endless commissions and omissions. Finally, for the ruling party, consolidation of labored ground-breaking policies becomes the new mantra. Of course, these are politics in action as long as campaigns are issues-based, devoid of personal attacks and acrimony. Nonetheless, in the civilized world, defection from party-to-party is rare, unethical and usually decodes a picture of no political ideology, values and integrities.

    By the development, the battle for control of the federal power for next political dispensation will be relentlessly contested between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile ruling party, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) except new merger surfaces which is unlikely at this juncture. Presently, APC has upper hand, and undeniably with viable structures, increasing numerically on daily basis leveraging on defections from other political parties particularly its major opponent. On the other hand, few that are insecure and uncertain of actualizing personal ambitions in the ruling party opt for exodus. However, the grumblings devoid of appeasements aim at just one goal; to strategically emerge a candidate in any political party in view of the general election, and peradventure the new political party fails to expressly honour the ambition, it speedily faces its abandonment with a new catalogue of accusations and criticisms.

    Be that as it may, salient factors that may play major roles in the 2019 presidential election include rotation of the presidency which is of utmost national interest despite its no provision in the constitution. Arising from this, this may not be a good time for hate speeches along ethnic lines but to ponder meticulously, responsibly and foresightedly before adopting a presidential candidate.

    The most salient factor is the position of economy under APC leadership in comparison with PDP previous governments, x-raying from its position during the inauguration in 2015. Without a doubt, the economy has not substantially ascended to the anticipated position in terms of dividends of democracy but evidently, it is pointing towards that direction by a whole lot of strategic policies starting with plummeting the massive corruption the economy was fantastically subjected to over the years which led to economic recession. With President Buhari’s proficiency in maneuvering the almost-collapsed economy out of recession, it attests that the president has wherewithal to move it to next level if given another chance. It therefore implies that Nigerians cannot afford to enthrone political instability at this critical time. The present administration indisputably took off at almost zero level except long-lists of mismanaged, diverted public-funds in earsplitting figures in foreign currencies, thus deserved adequate time to consolidate on its policies for dividends of democracy in line with its manifesto.

    Arising from the above and in the overall interest of the nation, concerted actions should sensitively be geared towards consolidating the developing policies in place alongside deploying additional capable hands by the federal government in its workforce. If not, the economy will inescapably recycle to square one by changing government alongside policies haphazardly. Nonetheless, if PDP has the capability, know-how and substantial message to convince and successfully wrestle back federal power from the ruling APC knowing that electorates can without aid produce a realistic profile and the party’s philosophies through its 16 years in office, it is no taboo as long as it is by PVC (Permanent Voters Card) and essentially, one-man; one-vote. Democracy is a game of numbers.

     

    • Carl Umegboro,

    Lagos.

  • ‘Why Makarfi deserves PDP presidential ticket’

    ‘Why Makarfi deserves PDP presidential ticket’

    In this piece, Mohammed Ismail highlights the qualities expected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flagbearer for the 2019 election.

    The recently conducted Peoples Democratic Party’s elective convention, has for the umpteenth time shown the democratic credentials of former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi who despite the projections of the naysayers, has superintended a successful convention that produced the Uche Secondus led National Working Committee of the party.

    After its defeat in the 2015 general elections, the party witnessed its major litmus test after it was engulfed by a lingering and protracted internal crisis between the Ahmed Makarfi’s faction and the Ali Modu Sherrif’s faction after the latter was surreptitiously imposed on the party by those who wanted it to die a natural death.

    As the protracted battle for the control of the party’s soul between democratic forces led by Ahmed Makarfi and those who wanted to foist an era of impunity on the party led by Ali Modu Sherrif lasted, many thought the ugly development will mark the end of the party and by extension serve as the precursor for the total asphyxiation and strangulation of the opposition politics in Nigeria.

    Those who harbour this erroneous line of thought did not reckon that men of calibre, substance, timbre, character, valour and true champions of democracy in the mould of Makarfi were still in the party, and could even pay the supreme price to ensure that our nascent democracy is truly rooted in our body polity.

    True to expectation, Makarfi did not disappoint anybody as he commandeered a team of “democratic musketeers” to fight the Frankenstein monster imposed on the party by its traducers.

    After the successful Supreme Court verdict which asserts Makarfi as the chairman caretaker committee, the party was left with another huge challenge of conducting  a national convention that will produce the substantive National Working Committee of the party.

    Adversaries of the party who do not give it the slightest chance of survival simply dismissed the possibility of the conduct of a successful national convention as a mirage, on the premise that the party could neither handle nor tame the vaulting ambitions of many of its members who are ready to tear it to shreds if their ambitions were nixed.

    But as if to spring another surprise, PDP under the eagle eyes of Makarfi, defied the naysayers and conducted a convention that produced the NWC of the party and finally put to rest the portentous speculative hoax being peddled around by the enemies of democracy.

    In an unprecedented feat, Makarfi held the most organized, and peaceful convention in the annals of the party which is in sharp contrast even to the last convention of the party which took place at Port Harcourt that was nearly stymied by legal tussles at a time the party was in power.

    The fact that majority of the candidates who contested the plum office alongside Uche Secondus have accepted defeat and even congratulated the new chairman glaringly shows to all conscientious Nigerians that the party and its tumultuous followers across the length and breadth of the country and by extension our fledgling democracy emerge the winners as sooner than later, the import of such feat will profoundly manifest in our body polity.

    It is normal in a political party as large as PDP to hear some shrill voices of dissent after the conduct of a major event such as its national convention, as complaints and outcries, true or false are natural instincts of human beings.

    This is where I situate the lone complaint of Professor Tunde Adeniran who as at now, is the only chairmanship candidate who has raised a voice of dissension against the conduct of the convention at a time his co-contestants deemed it fit to endorse the Secondus led NWC through their unconditional approval of his election.

    In line with the vision bequeathed by Makarfi, the new Exco of the party has swiftly moved into action in order to tame any untoward move by those who may be remotely aggrieved by the outcome of the convention by instituting a reconciliatory move in order to calm any frayed nerve for the good of the party and Nigerians who were at the receiving end of dearth of vibrant opposition.

    The lesson that could be derived from the PDP convention is that despite being in the political coolers for a longtime and despite not being in power for about three years, PDP was able to conduct a national convention, a far cry from what is obtained in the ruling APC.

    It does not require mentioning to note that the ruling party which on daily basis is  showcasing its mediocrity and cluelessness has failed to conduct a national convention because of the fear that it may be eclipsed by the surfeit of internal strife bestriding it.

    On the other hand, the PDP under Makarfi was bold enough to face the challenge which God blessed by giving Makarfi and his team the wisdom to organize a successful convention.

    As the rudderless ruling party continues to wander in disarray and confusion but pretends that all was well, it was glaring even to the most naïveté that APC is currently being weight down by its deluge of baggages and is on a fast drift towards total implosion due to the manifestation of a serious ailment that led to the defection of one of its leading chieftains and Waziri of Adamawa Atiku Abubakar.

    Going by the body language of some chieftains of the ruling APC including the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his political ally, Senator Dino Melaye who without the fear of being persecuted paid an open solidarity visit on the newly elected PDP national chairman, a development that constitutes ominous portents for the APC, it behoves on the ruling party to set its house in order or face the imminent consequences of its lethargy in the near future.

    It is my candid opinion that in view of the noble role played by Makarfi in rescuing the PDP couple with his unblemished and sterling record of performance both as Kaduna State governor, Senator and caretaker chairman of the major opposition party, the Secondus led-NWC should give him an automatic chance to fly its flag in 2019.