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Tag: re-election

  • Dickson lacks re-election value, Bayelsa PDP told

    Dickson lacks re-election value, Bayelsa PDP told

    •He is our best, says party elder

    A socio-political group, Bayelsa Democracy and Development Initiative (BDDI), yesterday warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against fielding Governor Seriake Dickson in the December 5 governorship election.

    The group said the party would fail woefully, if it allowed the governor to fly its flag for the election.

    But an elder statesman and a founding father of the PDP, Chief Thompson Okorotie, said Dickson remained the best candidate of the party for the election.

    The group, coordinated by a former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan when he was Bayelsa governor, Dr. Konrad Welson, said a field research conducted by the group showed that Dickson lacked re-election value.

    According to him, before coming out with the verdict, the group interacted with people from the urban and rural areas.

    Dr Welson said the research involved men, women, students, workers, professional bodies and youths.

    He said: “We conducted a field research and survey. The findings show that a good percentage of people of the state are not favourably disposed to the re-election bid of the governor.

    “The state of affairs is the result of what the people perceive as Dickson’s failure to meet the expectations of the people who elected him in 2011, coupled with his hostile and divisive leadership style. Being the flag bearer of the PDP may lead to the loss of the party in the state.”

    The PDP chieftain claimed that the group’s interface with the political class and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the last three months revealed deep seated disdain and disappointment in the quality of leadership Dickson has offered.

    Welson said the governor’s leadership style caused acrimony in the PDP, adding that his administration had failed to offer basic amenities, such as roads, hospitals and potable water, after three and a half years in office.

    He said: “…The BDDI admonishes the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), not to take Bayelsans for granted by solely relying on the perceived and assumed influence of the Federal Government for their fortune at the forthcoming election.

    “The APC must work hard to present a candidate that is competent, credible and capable of governing the people.”

    The PDP chieftain advised politicians and the civil society to elect the best person to achieve social justice and good governance in Bayelsa.

    But Okorotie said the governor remained the best candidate the PDP could offer for the election.

    He said: “First, he has performed creditably, comparatively with any other governor that has ever ruled here. What he did in two and the half years is history. What has slowed down projects is purely a function of economic downturn.

    “You can only develop with money, especially when you are running a government of prudence and one that is not corrupt.

    “He (Dickson) has credibility. Apart from that, he is going into areas other governors did not have the courage to go into. For example, the three senatorial roads are federal roads. But he has gone to them. A road has reached Nembe; a road is approaching Oporoma.”

     

  • Dickson’s re-election bid shaky

    Dickson’s re-election bid shaky

    There seems to be no let-up in the crisis rocking the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As the countdown to next year’s governorship election begins, Correspondent MIKE ODIEGWU examines the factors that are likely to shape the poll and why Governor Seriake Dickson may be denied the PDP ticket.  

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson is in the eye of the storm. Chances of his re-election are getting slimmer by the day; not because he has not performed well in the last three years; there are extraneous factors. But, Dickson is not ready to go down without a fight. He is fighting like a wounded lion to remain in the Creek Heaven Government House beyond 2016.

    News of the poor relationship between the governor and the immediate past First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was the first noticeable obstacle against his re-election. The governor, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), emerged through the influence of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The frosty relationship was initially brushed aside as a rumour. Doubting “Thomases” argued that Mrs. Jonathan would never dare work against Dickson, considering that he made her a Permanent Secretary in the state’s civil service, against public opprobrium; a position the erstwhile Governor Timipre Sylva denied her.

    But, the truth about the sour relationship between the duo emerged when Mrs. Jonathan resigned her appointment as a Permanent Secretary, apparently to enable her stand on a moral ground to fight the governor. After her resignation, she made clandestine moves through her loyalists to undo the governor. The power tussle between the governor and the former First Lady eventually led to the factionalisation of the party.

    Dame Patience has been using one of her loyalists, Weripamowei Dudafa, the former domestic aide to Jonathan, to undermine Dickson’s influence. Dudafa was touted as the one to replace Dickson. Mrs. Jonathan, who continued to pull many stunts, was reported to have hired the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) as a platform to campaign against Dickson. TAN was reorganised. It removed administrators perceived to be loyal to Dickson. They were replaced with key supporters of Mrs. Jonathan. For instance, TAN’s former state Chairman, Mr. Talford Ongolo, a former Speaker in the old Rivers State House of Assembly who is now Dickson’s Chief of Staff, was unceremoniously dismissed and replaced with former Deputy Governor Werinipre Seibarugu, who is an associate of Mrs. Jonathan.

    Dickson kicked as TAN acquired an edifice along the Isaac Boro Expressway as its secretariat. In fact, TAN has refused to go away in Bayelsa State, even after Jonathan’s defeat at the presidential poll.

    The reason for the rift between Dickson and Jonathan’s wife has not been publicly stated. The woman loathes Dickson’s leadership style, especially his miserly lifestyle even as a governor, sources said.

     

    Moves that widened the cracks

    To whittle the influence of Mrs. Jonathan in his administration, Dickson had embarked on what was described as cabinet cleansing. He started removing the traces of the woman in his government by sacking persons linked to her.

    In April, last year, the governor sacked seven commissioners. Those booted out include: Mr. Francis Egele, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Mr. Ayakeme Massa, former Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry and his health counterpart, Dr. Anapurere Michael Awoli.

    Others are: Mr. Nelson Belief (Tourism Development); Mr. Gesiye Isowo (Special Duties/Federal Projects); Mr. Parkinson MacManuel (Science, Technology and Manpower Development) and Dr. Sylvanus Abila (Environment). He also asked the former Commissioner for Capital City Development, Mr. Zuwa Konuga, to quit his cabinet and informed the erstwhile Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Mr. James Dugo, that his services were no longer required.

    Dickson did not stop there. He continued to weed out persons linked to the former First Lady. For instance, former Commissioner for Local Government, Marie Ebikake, who campaigned vigorously for the governor, and the governor’s Special Adviser on Federal Government Projects, Chief Remi Kuku, were equally sent packing because of their closeness to Mrs. Jonathan.

    After Jonathan lost the presidential election, the governor relieved a good number of his aides their appointments. Persons who left the government found succour in the camp of the former First Lady. This has brought a sharp division in the party ahead of the election.

     

    The suspensions

    The PDP was further torn apart by the suspensions of key members of the party. Its Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba, was the first to be suspended in controversial circumstances by the State Working Committee (SWC). The development further worsened the bad blood between Dickson and Mrs. Jonathan’s camp.

    Inokoba, known as a confidant to former President Jonathan, was accused of financial impropriety. Some observers said he was a victim of grand conspiracy and manoeuvring among persons who have the interest of Dickson at heart. Found to be disloyal to Dickson, the camp of the governor was said to have set a booby trap for Inokoba who naively walked into it.

    The N70 million donated by the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, for the presidential rally in the state, was the trap that set off another round of crisis in the party. He was accused by the SWC of diverting N40 million out of the money. Though he denied the allegation, he could not stop his suspension by the SWC.

    However, the suspension of Inokoba has generated controversy. The action against him is yet to be upheld by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, as stipulated in the PDP constitution. Therefore, ahead of the election, the party has two factional chairmen, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff in acting capacity and Inokoba.

    Though a Federal High Court in Abuja was said to have restrained Inokoba from parading himself as the chairman, Dokubo-Spiff is yet to be recognised by the NWC. This is a dangerous signal ahead of the election. Some analysts say, if the situation remains unresolved and the party goes into a primary election, the national leadership of PDP may recognise a faction led by Inokoba.

    But, others argue that Dickson will indisputably have his way because of the enormous power governors wield in the PDP. Besides, they believe that, having lost the central government, the PDP will not want to gamble with their chances in Bayelsa.

    As the party was grappling with Inokoba’s puzzle, the governor descended heavily on some bigwigs accused of anti-party activities during the last general elections. The suspected party members were said to have sponsored candidates in other parties to contest elections against the PDP candidates.

    Dickson, before inaugurating a committee chaired by his deputy to investigate activities of such persons, spoke about party discipline. He said persons indicted of anti-party activities would be punished adequately.

    Nine members of the party known to be key men of the former President and his wife were expelled from the chapter for anti-party activities. Dudafa, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange and former Acting Governor Chief Nestor Binabo were among those expelled.

    Others are former Deputy Governor Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, Mr. Chamberlain Kren Ikidi, Mr. Osomkime Blankson, Mr. Emmanuel Okponipre, Mr. Ebikapade Dibiya and Joyce Fouyowei.

    Dokubo-Spiff said members of the state executive committee adopted the recommendations of the disciplinary committee in unanimous voice votes. He, however, noted that some of the indicted members, who are in the National Assembly or holding appointments at the national level, would be referred to the national body for further disciplinary measures, in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

    He said the members, including Inokoba, Senator Emmanuel Paulker and Mr. Fiebai Gbeinbo, were suspended for three months. But, he said Mr. Leghemo Kaiser and Mr. Denyabofa Dimaro are to apologise to the leadership of the party, while Dr. Godson Omubo-Dede and Mr. Dan Omubo-Dede were only reprimanded.

    Dokubo-Spiff added: “The State Working Committee met after receiving the report and deliberated on it and the State Executive Committee took a unanimous voice vote based on the gravity of the offences and the respective attitudes of the affected members, some were expelled, others suspended while a few others were reprimanded and exonerated.

    “It is important to note that, the committee acted responsibly following the tenets of due process. The committee amply publicized the activities and invitations to the affected persons requesting them to turn and state their own side of the story. Some turned up and others were defiant and continued to treat our party with contempt, as a result certain members were expelled from the party.”

    This action has further intensified the infighting within the party. Dickson, however, defended it. He stressed that, if indiscipline and disloyalty were not checked among party members, it would affect the party’s survival.

    He pointed out that, the situation whereby PDP members campaigned openly for candidates of other political platforms while benefitting from the party would no longer be condoned. Dickson lambasted members, who worked against the party’s interest with impunity in the last elections and called for unity among members.

    Dickson said: “You cannot have a situation where party leaders will sponsor candidates on the platform of other political parties to contest for political power and space against our party.

    “And they do so with impunity, campaign openly while they are PDP members benefitting from the platform provided by our party. This can no longer be tolerated.

    “This is a PDP state, but our party’s strength will wane, if we do not maintain party discipline. We cannot tolerate a situation where a few people consider themselves above the party and do things with impunity without regard for the authorities, just because they are in one leadership position or the other, through the instrumentality of the PDP.”

    But, Inokoba fired back. He described the activities of the governor and the disciplinary committee as null and void, accusing the governor of destroying the party. He said the crisis in the party was set off by Dickson to send potential governorship aspirants out of the PDP to enable him emerge as the sole candidate.

    He said after his purported suspension, Dickson, out of desperation, went to the Federal High Court in Abuja to enforce the decision without serving him the court notice. Inokoba said he went to court to stop the impunity of the governor, adding that the court gave an order stopping the activities of the disciplinary committee that recommended the expulsion of the party leaders.

    But, he noted that Dickson, despite his awareness of the order, asked the committee to ahead and prepare its report. Declaring himself the authentic chairman, Inokoba said he is the only one qualified to set up committees and convene meetings of the party. He berated Dickson for trying to destroy a party he knew nothing about its formation, noting that persons he declared unwanted were the founding members of the party.

    He added: “I am calling on the whole world to know that as the truly elected chairman of Bayelsa PDP that I am the only one that can summon any meeting of the executive committee or set up any disciplinary committee.”

     

    Gale of defections

    The loss of the Presidency and the crisis in the party has culminated in a gale of defection in the chapter. Founding fathers of the party and associates of former President Jonathan are leaving the party in droves. It was the lawmakers from Jonathan’s Ogbia Local Government Area that were the first to jump ship.

    For instance, the lawmakers representing Jonathan’s Bayelsa East District and Ogbia Federal Constituency, Senator Clever Ikisikpo and Hon. Nadu Karibo, dumped the PDP for the APC before the May 29 handover. Also, a member representing the President in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Azibola Omekwe, abandoned the PDP for the APC. They cited internal crisis and hijack of the party as their reasons for defection.

    Jonathan had made a belated move, after leaving office, to resolve the crisis, but it amounted to nothing. Some party elders were already angry with the former president for not asserting his authority in the party when he was in power. They say he allowed his former aides and his wife to sow the seed of discord in the party and that he did very little to call them to order.

    The week after leaving office, Jonathan had met with party stakeholders in his country home, Otuoke, in his bid to seek solutions to the crisis. But, Jonathan’s wife and key members of her political camp shunned the meeting. They refused to attend the fence-mending meeting because of the presence of Dickson. Members of Dickson’s camp and elders in support of the governor’s second term bid were, however, present at the gathering.

    For the PDP to retain the state next year, some elders insisted that the aggrieved members must rally round Jonathan and Dickson. Jonathan also endorsed the second term aspiration of the governor and directed members of the party to support him.

    The former President also constituted a three-man committee headed by former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to reconcile aggrieved groups and individuals. The committee was asked to ensure a united and a more cohesive PDP that will be strong and formidable in all ramifications, to face and subdue the opposition in the state.

    The committee, which has also King A. J. Turner and Chief Thompson K. Okorotie as members, was given two weeks to complete its assignment and submit a report to the larger house.

    No sooner had Jonathan endorsed Dickson than a group of his kinsmen from Ogbia rose from a crucial meeting and resolved to work against the second term bid of Dickson. The kinsmen, who met under the aegis of Ogbia Joint Initiative (ODJI), disagreed with Jonathan, saying Dickson does not deserve a second term.

    Evidence that Jonathan’s intervention and his reconciliation committee achieved nothing came to the fore, following the gale of defections that hit the party. Dr. Jonathan’s close friend and frontline politician, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, recently led some leaders of the PDP and thousands of his supporters to the APC.

    Ikiogha, a founding member of the PDP, embraced the broom revolution in an elaborate ceremony at Kpansia open field, Yenagoa. Leaders of the PDP that defected with him are Chief Victor Awala, Mr. Paul Ajuwa, Mrs. D. Irene, Mr. Prince Abeki, a former commissioner, and over 150 former councillors from 1999 to 2012.

     

    Elders divided

    The governor is battling with the division his ambition has created among PDP elders. Hitherto, the elders supported Dickson under the aegis of the Bayelsa Development Forum (BDF) headed by a statesman, Chief Thompson Okorotie. But, the elders have since deserted the governor. Some of the elders have pulled out of the BDF; they made it clear that they are not in support of the governor’s second term ambition. Such elders met in Yenagoa recently to map out their strategies to stop the re-election of Dickson.

    To actualise their plot against Dickson, the aggrieved party leaders and elders were said to have formed a socio-cultural and political group called Bayelsa Peoples Consultative Assembly (BPCA). A former lawmaker, Senator John Brambayefa, who is from Sagabama, the local government area of Dickson, has been elected as the chairman of the group.

    Members of the group took turns to criticise the administration of Dickson, describing it as an era of gloom. They said the present administration has succeeded in making Bayelsa stagnant. They said the time for change has come and hat they have made up their minds to align themselves with a platform that could help them effect the needed change.

    Brambayefa said, as a first step towards achieving their aim, a 14-member committee had been set up to work out modalities for them to fully join the APC.

    Another elder statesman, Alex Ekiotimin, who was in Dickson’s camp, said they were bothered by what he described as the inhuman polices of the governor. He accused the governor of completely disregarding elders of the state, adding that their decision to join the APC was taking after careful deliberations.

    In his reaction, Dickson described the elders as greedy and hypocritical politicians. The governor said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, that the accusations were misplaced and were only disguised reasons to justify the actions of the body which, he said, was more motivated by greed.

    The PDP chapter dismissed the exodus of its members to the APC as insignificant. It, however, described the gale of defection as unfortunate, embarrassing and nauseating. The party said its members and key loyalists of former President Jonathan defecting to the APC are ungrateful to the party that “made them what they are today.” The state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osom Makbere, alleged that the persons leaving the party were part of the viciousness, human rights abuses, arson and other vices that characterised the past government.

    He said: “These fellows who actually have no electoral value and whose fibre are also spent are creating the impression that they are moving with supporters. But, they are lonely votes in the wilderness.” He added that the defectors took undue advantage of the loss of PDP at the centre to reposition themselves as APC members to curry favour and attract patronage from the APC leadership. He said it was most shameful and disheartening that persons leaving the party were the key men of the former President.

    Makbere said the administration of Dickson has recorded many achievements in key areas of good governance, rule of law, safety of life and property, education, rural electrification construction ad equipment of hospitals. He said: “We are not perturbed by these show of shame because the party ad the government enjoy massive support from within and outside the state. We use this opportunity to appeal to our teaming party supporters ad the general public to remain calm and collected and have unflinching confidence in the government and the party.”

     

    Dickson’s divided cabinet

    The governor’s cabinet seems to be divided over his governorship ambition. Some of his aides are holding talks with a leading governorship aspirant in the APC. Serving commissioners and other aides are in league with opposition elements to scuttle the governor’s second term ambition.

    The aides attended an anti-Dickson’s meeting convened in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State by the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe. A source who spoke in confidence said Alaibe is determined to clinch the ticket of the APC and that he may make his ambition public in July.

    He said: “Timi Alaibe hosted a meeting in Port Harcourt. I have the names of Dickson’s aides who were in attendance. Even people in government are in the opposition. The governor is aware of all the moves by some of his appointees to join forces with his detractors and move against him,” he said.

    Therefore, despite the claims of the PDP, observers believe that the internal friction PDP is unhealthy for a party that intends to avoid another round of defeat in the immediate past President’s home state. Allowing heavyweights to depart the party is actually depleting the ranks of the PDP and threatening its chances in he forthcoming poll.

  • Hurdles Ajimobi scaled to win his re-election

    Hurdles Ajimobi scaled to win his re-election

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who made history recently by becoming the first governor to secure a second term, faced numerous challenges during his first term in office. It was his landmark achievements that saved the day for him. JEREMIAH OKE captures some major political scenes which almost thwarted the governor’s effort to break the second term jinx.

    Oyo State is one of the states that may be considered as politically sophisticated in Nigeria. This is owing to the fact that it is a complex state to govern. This assertion was made by no less a personality than the late Chief Bola Ige, in his book: People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria.

    The incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi experienced a bit of the complexity of the state in his first between May 2011 and May 2015. From the time he took over the mantle of leadership, Ajimobi has been encountering serious challenges due to the opposition to his policies and programmes from unexpected quarters. Some of the challenges include: upsurge in political violence, unrest over the increment in tuition fees of state institutions, opposition to his second bid and the socio-economic implications of the rampant flooding in the state, particularly the capital city of Ibadan.

    For instance, a day after his inauguration in 2011, students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan took to the streets to protest what they described as an exorbitant hike in their tuition fees. Ajimobi inherited unpaid salary of the workers of the Polytechnic Ibadan. He also inherited the face-off between his predecessor Adebayo Alao-Akala and the Osun State government over the ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho (LAUTEC).

    The Ajimobi government described the moves by the students as a political motivated protest because they did not allow the new government to settle before embarking on the protest. Analysts say it was a good protest at the wrong time. The governor was compelled to order the management of the institution to revert to the old school fees to avoid chaos.

    At the time, a statement by Ajimobi’s Special Adviser on media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, indicated that the order to stop collecting the outrageous fees from students was given by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Taiwo Otegbeye. He explained that the governor gave the order following the misunderstanding of the details of the earlier order for a reduction of the fees by 50 per cent, by the authorities of the school. On the other hand, the LAUTEC crisis, which had lingered for close to three years, was resolved in less than six months of his assumption of office.

    Just as the government was settling down, some Ibadan residents were displaced by heavy rains and flooding, which also destroyed some bridges, in July 16, 2012. The government, in collaboration with some private sector operators, lodged the displaced persons in some school premises before helping to reconstruct their destroyed houses.

    Areas worst hit included Apete and a link road that leads to Army Barracks, Odo-Ona Elewe and Sabo area of the state. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Bosun Oladele, said there was no casualty. He added nevertheless that government had to demolish some structures that were damaged as a result of the rainstorm.

    Oladele said: “It seems as if we are driving the water; it is finding its way. Some of the structures that were not marked for demolition before were being exposed and the government would have no choice than to continue with the demolition. But, on the whole, we thank God that no casualty was recorded.”

    Also, in 2012, there was a rumour that the governor’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police for allegedly being involved in money laundering. Surprisingly, Mrs. Ajimobi, who was abroad at the time to check her daughter schooling abroad, arrived Nigeria the following day, saying it was a mere rumour. She told reporters on arrival: “I am here live as you can see. I have never had any encounter with the London Metropolitan Police and I know I will never have.

    “This has shown the true test of any human being’s ability to stand firm in times of crisis and controversy. My arrest is just a rumour and I think the time has come for us in Nigeria to stop playing dirty politics.”

    Ajimobi also courted more controversy in his effort to embark on his urban renewal programme. In the process, some structures affecting free-flow of traffic in the capital had to be demolished, to ease traffic in the affected areas.

    As a result, traders took to the streets several times to register their displeasure on the issue of demolition of shops. In one of the occasions, the Otun Iyalaje of Ibadanland, Chief Victoria Coker, led the traders to the Governor’s Office to register their grievances.

    Meanwhile, Ajimobi had in many occasions challenged those whose houses were mistakenly demolished by agents of the government to come forward. The governor said on his last appearance on his monthly programme on television, E pade gomina (meet your governor) before the recent general elections that since he has been urging people to come and lodge complaint about houses that may be unjustly demolished, nobody responded because his administration did not actually demolish houses unjustly, but rather had built more houses and shops. He called on the people playing dirty politics to desist from such behaviour.

    To compound Ajimobi’s woes, former Governor Alhaji Lam Adesina died after some brief illness subsequently, thereby saddling the former with the problem of settling disputes within the ruling party. This is because the late Adesina was also the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. This made governance and party affairs tedious for  the governor. Thus, during the campaign for his second term, Ajimobi was playing dual role of the leader of party and government in the state.

    In another occasion, Ajimobi was accused by political opponents of inflating projects. Former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, who later contested the 2015 governorship election against Ajimobi, alleged that the governor inflated the cost of fly-over at Mokola Roundabout, in the capital city. Drama ensued at a Governorship Debate organized by Ibadan’s first private radio station, Splash 105.5 FM, when the moderator, Mr. Edmund Obilo, called on Governor Ajimobi to confirm or refute the allegation.

    The Governor was calm in his response. He said: “I think there is a need for education here. Now, if you go and check the records, Mokola Bridge was conceived in 1976. It was in the report of Dr. Olunloyo (former governor), it’s not even a bridge, it’s a flyover, and the flyover should be constructed. And during Senator Ladoja’s government, they produced estimates and so on and so forth. Based on what they produced, we called the engineers, the same engineers in the ministries and they studied it and they brought their estimate. In fact it was very close to each other, except that inflation of cost, the price of cement in 2004 and 2005 is different from the price of cement now. So, you don’t expect the same price. However, every contract must be done at an estimated cost by the ministry. So, the ministry provided the cost of N2.1 billion for that flyover. In between the cost estimate, there was a price increase of petroleum products, hence the price jumped by about 40 per cent. When I was building my house, cement was N3; today cement is no longer N3. So, the price was adjusted, the cost of living index also increased by over 50 per cent. In this case, the price with all the other adjustments became N2.9 billion. When you compare your cost of projects, if you are an engineer, and if you understand project costing, you will know that the cost of any project depends on so many factors and your cost elements, the infrastructure of the road you are doing, the furniture of the road you are doing, the areas of requirement in terms of moving. So, generally speaking, my answer is without any reservation, the price of that flyover, when you compare it relatively speaking, even with Ogun State is a very competitive price.”

    When Ladoja was given the chance to respond again, he said “I want to say that my brother is very good at giving statistics. But, what we are saying is that we compared Ogun State flyover which is double lane and one and a half times our own, and we discovered that for every N1 Ogun State spent, we spent N6. That is why we cried out. Secondly, we said Ogun State allowed trailers to pass through theirs because it was pile foundation, ours was raft foundation. Two things we complained about: The Molete Bridge was built decades back; they provided for trailers to pass through, it was double lane and Ogun State was also double lane, nearly one and a half times our length here and it cost them less than our own. That is what we are saying. Is he saying the terrain of Mokola is worse than that of Ogun State which is very close to the Ogun River? I still insist that the price was not correct.”

    He went on to aver that “and again, some people were sacked in the ministry because they refused to endorse the bills.”

    The governor responded quickly, saying: “Ah, egbon, nobody was sacked for not signing. If you look at the papers, everybody signed but let me answer your question. The difference between a flyover and a bridge…” Ladoja however briskly interjected that “Ogun State was also a flyover”.

    Governor Ajimobi later continued that “when you are doing comparisons, you must compare apples and apples”. It got to the peak when the Governor pointed out that the flyovers being compared were handled by the same contractor and Senator Ladoja described that as “the pity of it”. Ajimobi passed what seemed like a sentence without appeal when he responded, “let me explain now, ee ni information egbon. (You are ill-informed my elder brother). I want you to go and check the records, the width for our own flyover is about 10 metres, Ogun State flyover is 11.2 metres, our own length is about 540 metres, their own length is 360 metres. Go and check, you are lying egbon, iro le npa. Our own is more and that is why Obilo, before the questioning, that is why you should go and find out and show us.”

    Governor Ajimobi also revealed recently how political opponents forced him to flee

    from the Government House to his private residence, in Ibadan, the state capital.

    He said political opponents directed evil traditional sacrifices (known as ebo in Yoruba) at him. Speaking during the eighth-day Fidau prayers for the late Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Baosari Haruna, Ajimobi said some desperate politicians tried to send him out of the Government House through many devilish means.

    His words: “They first came to you as Alfas to give them prayers that will send me out of office, but my own Alfa’s prayers superseded theirs. Every morning, I go out for exercise, if you know the Government House very well, it has many interchanges, popularly called orita, I see all kinds of sacrifices (ebo) placed at these junctions.

    “Worried by these developments, some of you my Alfas here advised me to move out of the Government House to render their evil plots useless.’’  The governor said he had to leave “to thwart the evil plots of these desperate politicians.”

    All these factors almost affected his second term ambition but his achievements helped him to overcome the challenges. But, with all the political gimmicks by his opponents, Ajimobi recorded unprecedented achievements in his last four years.

    Oyo State used to record high numbers of violence before Ajimobi became governor. But, today, people can go to bed with their two eyes closed. One of the members of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abiodun Adigun-Hammed, said if the present administration did not achieve anything, it achieved peace. He said: “If Ajimobi did not achieve anything, at least he achieved peace which is the bedrock of development in any given society. In terms of road network, Ajimobi has done well. Education has improved, compared to what we used to have in the past. Ask those who are campaigning against Ajimobi the rate of violence during their time. Ask them what they were able to achieve during their time. Their machinations did not work during the last elections. I think we are ripe enough to see through the politics of bitterness that was unleashed against the governor.”

    A member of House of Representatives representing Ibadan North Constituency, Hon. Abiodun Dada-Awoleye hailed Ajimobi’s achievements, saying it was the main reason why he was re-elected.

    According to him, the road constructed by Ajimobi is of international standard and cannot be compared to the sub-standard ones constructed by his predecessors. He said: “Ajimobi has set a prototype of governance for those who are coming behind on how to be a leader. What we are experiencing today is beyond what people expected. Let me start with the Mokola fly-over, nobody believed that place could be managed well, in such a way that eased traffic flow. The people of Oke-Ogun voted for him because of the standard of the roads he constructed in the area. The three campuses of the Polytechnic, Ibadan have been given autonomy, so as to stand on their own.

    “The transportation of ‘Ajumose’ within the capital and other major towns has also helped to ease movement for our people. He built market across the state and promised to build more. Last week, one woman in such market precisely the South Camp, was praying for the governor, saying he is a man of God. He bought vehicles to convey the civil servants from secretariat to their houses. Before he came on board, Oyo State used to be among the dirtiest cities in Africa, but today we have improved. Nobody has ever done such a thing in the annals of the Oyo State history.”

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who pleaded for anonymity disagreed with the lawmaker on the issue of education, but however commended the administration in a number of areas. He said: “The problems we had during our (PDP) time were that we did not get our priorities right. In that respect, I want to give it to Ajimobi and his party. But, on the issue of education, I disagree with you. Are you telling me that primary and secondary education has improved, when some of our teachers are yet to receive their salaries? When most of our students are going to school with their chairs and tables? When the school structures are dilapidated. When our position in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) is dropping? Let me tell you, any government that failed in the area of education has failed in all aspect.”

  • Four Nigerians in race for re-election into House of Commons

    Four Nigerians in race for re-election into House of Commons

    Chuka Harrison Umunna is a British Labour Party politician who has served Streatham as Member of Parliament since 2010. Umunna, 36, has been the Shadow Business Secretary since 2011. Born in Streatham on October 17, 1978, was born to Bennett and Patricia Umunna. He graduated from the Nottingham Trent University in 2002.

    THE chances of four Nigerians vying for seats in the House of Commons dominated discussions among their compatriots resident in the United Kingdom (UK), as the British went to the poll to elect a new Prime Minister yesterday.

    Those contesting are: Chuka Umunna, Chi Onwurah, Kate Osamor and Helen Grant.

    Umunna, who is the current Shadow Business Secretary, is vying to represent Streatham, a constituency seen as a Labour Party (LP) stronghold and Onwurah, a current Labour Member of Parliament (MP), who is seeking reelection from Newcastle.

    Osamor, a serving MP is seeking reelection from Edmonton and Grant, a British-Nigerian MP and a member of the Conservative Party, who is seeking reelection from Maidstone and Weald constituency in Kent.

      Reports said none of the quartet has a formidable opposition they are contesting safe seats.

    Umunna is one of the rising stars of the LP and commands a lot of respect from his party and residents in his constituency. “Chuka is not likely to have problems being re-elected because his constituency is a Labour stronghold”,  Sunday Olanipekun, who has lived in the UK for 14 years as an ardent Labour supporter said.

     He went on: “Apart from that, many of the members see him as a potential leader of the party in the future and so will do everything to make him get re-elected.”

    Besides, the predominance of large minority groups in their neighbourhood has been identified as of the factors that will work in favour of the Nigerians, who may likely benefit from bloc votes.

    Another Nigerians, Mr. Olawale Olagunju, said: “We need to understand that most voters here vote in line with party affiliation and do not really care about the candidates. Unlike other climes where candidates determine the outcomes of elections, people vote for parties in the UK.”

      Olagunju, who did not rule out the likelihood of other British-Nigerians contesting under smaller parties, identified the quartet as the ones that are of utmost concern to Nigerians in the UK.

    He said many Nigerians hold top political positions in the country too.

  • Okorocha wins re-election as PDP’s Ikpeazu leads in Abia

    Okorocha wins re-election as PDP’s Ikpeazu leads in Abia

    •Early returns favour Darius Ishaku in Taraba
    • PDP Senator Uzodinma, INEC officials arrested for thumb-printing

    voters  in Imo state yesterday  re-elected    Governor Rochas Okorocha for a second term in office, endorsing him ahead of his closest opponent, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Okorocha who accumulated 385,671 votes  as against   Ihedioha’s 306,142 , a difference of  79529, at the close of voting on April 11,got an additional 31,326 votes yesterday leaving 13,624 for Ihedioha in yesterday’s supplementary election.

    The election took place in 200 Polling Units across 23 local government areas.

    Of this number of LGAs,Okorocha won in 21.

    His  performance defied efforts of the PDP to manipulate  the process through rigging .

    Poll returns  announced last night  are as follows:

    Nkwerre Local Government. Re-run held in two wards.

    APC: 255

    PDP: 164

    Oru West

    APC: 395

    PDP: 129

    Okigwe (re-run in two wards)

    APC: 603

    PDP: 76

    Orlu (re-run held in three wards)

    APC: 687

    PDP: 179

    Ihite Uboma (re-run held in one polling unit)

    APC: 131

    PDP: 66

    Nwangele (re-run held in three polling units)

    APC: 279

    PDP: 55

    Orsu (re-run held in three polling units)

    APC: 471

    PDP: 218

    Njaba (re-run held in six polling units)

    APC: 1,095

    PDP: 236

    Obowo (re-run held in two wards)

    APC: 697

    PDP: 505

    Owerri North

    APC: 674

    PDP: 620

    Onuimo

    APC: 412

    PDP: 207

    Ezinhitte Mbaise (re-run held at four polling units)

    APC: 213

    PDP: 715

    Ihime Mbano

    APC: 604

    PDP: 393

    Abo Mbaise

    APC: 686

    PDP: 939

    Owerri West

    APC: 1,342

    PDP: 793

    Ohaji Egbema

    APC: 1,210

    PDP: 996

    Mbaitoli

    APC: 3,997

    PDP: 2,422

    Oru East

    APC: 7,154

    PDP: 118

    Ngow Okpala

    APC: 4150

    PDP: 323

    Isu

    APC: 2,773

    PDP: 979

    Similar  governorship supplementary elections took place in Abia and Taraba states.

    Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP was in a comfortable lead in   Abia  with Dr Alex Otti of  APGA trailing,while  Mr.Darius Ishaku of PDP was coasting to victory in Taraba ahead of  Senator Aisha Al-Hassan of APC.

    A serving senator of PDP,Mr.Hope Uzodinma, was arrested by the police  in connection with  illegal thumb printing of ballot papers in a private house in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo as the election got underway yesterday.

    Arrested with him were  his uncle ,elder sister and fake  INEC officials were yesterday arrested by security men while thumb printing ballot papers in a private home at Oru East Local Government Area.

    The Senator who was later released on personal recognition, was said to have mobilized hoodlums who set bonfires on the road to prevent security men from taking away the suspects.

    It took a reinforcement of soldiers and men of the Department of State Security to rescue the Policemen and take the suspects to the Police Headquarters in Owerri, where they were detained.

    Also arrested were fake INEC officials who posed as Returning Officers at the Collation Centre.

    The Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, who was among the INEC team deployed for the election, said that the fake  INEC officials were arrested at Umumma Primary School Ward 10 Polling Unit 008, Polling Unit 003 and three others.

    He said: “myself accompanied by the Assistant Inspector General of Police and Commissioner Police have arrested poll officials  in Oru East involved in mass thumb printing and have now been taken to Owerri.

    “Upon my suspicion, an imposter who claimed to be lNEC staff  without proof ,acting as a presiding officer, l ordered his arrest and it was effected by the Police”.

    At another location, an APC  chieftain was shot by hoodlums when he resisted their plan to hijack the election materials.

    Another victim and a supporter of the APC, Chief Rex Anunobi, who was kidnapped from his home by the PDP thugs at the instance of a PDP Senator, was rescued by policemen led by an AIG.

    Voters turn out was generally low.

    Voters turn out was  not different in Abia State,although polling was generally peaceful .The election which was scheduled to take place in 299 polling units of nine local government areas started in some polling centers as early as 8am  while in others it started at about 9am.

    The nine local government areas for the supplementary election were Aba

    North and South, Ikwuano, Ohafia, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Umuahia South

    Umunneochi and Bende, while Umuahia North was for state House of Assembly.

    In Umuobutu/Saint Silas Primary School, Old Umuahia and Umuezeala in Umuahia South council areas, accreditation started at about 9am while in Umuobia it started by 11:30am because of delay in rectifying the card reader which developed a little fault.

    The restriction order for vehicular movement was not strictly enforced

    as vehicles, other than those on election duty, were seen plying the roads. Inter and intra city Commercial buses and tricycles did their normal business.

    The PDP governorship candidate,Dr.Ikpeazu said the tension  occasioned  by the supplementary  election was more  artificial than natural.

    He told reporters in Aba  that if the results of the governorship election conducted on April 11, 2015 had been declared, there would have been no tension in the state.

    He however expressed the hope that “the tension will diffuse naturally because that tension was created, it was not natural, it was artificial.”

    The candidate, who expressed confidence that he would  win the p election, also advised political aspirants to be less desperate in order to reduce tension in the polity.

    Voters turn out in Taraba was high and reports last night said  Mr.Ishaku was well ahead in the early returns from the polling units.

    Winner of the elections is expected to be announced today by INEC.

    At the close of voting on April 11, Ishaku, an architect and former Minister of  State  for Power, Environment and Niger Delta Affairs, was leading with 54,812 votes. He won the election in nine of the 16 local government councils with 317,198 votes, while Alhassan, a lawyer and got 262,386 votes garnered in six local government areas.

    127,125 voters  were registered in the  10 local government areas of the state where the supplementary election took place yesterday.

    Senator representing Southern Taraba Emmanuel Bwacha boasted yesterday that Ishaku would be returned as winner.

    “If you like conduct this election 10 times, the same result would be produced; because the people will not change their opinion of the candidates,” Bwacha said.

    Poor outing in Delta

    The supplementary election  in Delta Central Senatorial District was also characterised by low voter turnout, despite prompt despatch of electoral officials and materials.

    In Unit 9, 10 of Ward 9 and Unit 8, Ward 10 all in Ekpan community, the atmosphere was very calm. In Effurun Ward 1, Unit 10, the same was the case. Electoral officers complained of poor voters turnout, but added that there was no issue of violence, as those who came out conducted themselves in an orderly manner.

    Agents of the three major political parties in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) who spoke to newsmen said  the exercise was going smoothly and materials were intact.

    Speaking with journalists at his country home in Jesse, Ethiope West council area, Hon. Halims Agoda, the APC senatorial candidate said he was optimistic that he would  come out victorious in the election.

    “Every human being is incurably optimistic. Why shouldn’t I be when I know that out of the three of us, I am the most credible candidate to represent Delta central,” he stated.

    “I spent 12 productive years of my life in the House of Representatives. I will continue to render services to my people. Whatever you hear is a masquerade of the PDP.

    “There are currently 17 federal positions for Delta state. They won’t come through Okowa, those will come through APC.  Very soon, the PDP hierarchy will be looking towards APC.”

    Candidate on the platform of the PDP, Chief Ighoyota Amori who spoke in his Mosogar residence noted that although there was no supplementary election in his area, reports so far gathered from their agents indicate that the process was “peaceful and favourable” to his party.

    Lamenting the poor turn out of voters, he said, “We don’t blame the electorates because they have gone through two to three elections and are tired of coming out. The enthusiasm cannot be the same.

    “All the same, PDP faithful came out and we are very hopeful. We are waiting to see the units that we will lose in this re-run. If big figures emerge, INEC will be blamed.”

  • S’West: Obas can’t guarantee Jonathan’s re-election

    S’West: Obas can’t guarantee Jonathan’s re-election

    The Southwest Peoples Assembly (SWPA) has said that moarchs in the region can not gurantee the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan at the polls.

    The group said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is not sincere with the people of South-west since he assumed office about six years.” It pointed out that the Yoruba people had been schemed from strategic positions or appointments under his leadership.

    Its Mr. Lai Omotola, said in a statement that the South-west “has the most sophisticated voters that cannot be bought with petro-dollars or influenced by traditional rulers.

    He added: “In South-west, petrodollars will not impact much, but pedigree will be key on the basis of who have stood by the Yoruba agenda, who can be trusted, who can put Yoruba on the right pedestrian. Integrity has electoral weight in Yoruba land.”

    Omotola said that the purported inroad by the president into the South-west and the apparent shifting of all campaign machinery into the zone to win votes “is nothing, but an exercise in futility.”

    He said: If the president is sincere with the Yoruba people, then what happened in other key appointments like Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) among others.”

  • Appeal Court reserves judgment in suit challenging President’s re-election

    Appeal Court reserves judgment in suit challenging President’s re-election

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja yesterday reserved judgment in the case challenging President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility to stand for re-election.

    Presiding Judge Datijo Yahaya, after entertaining arguments from lawyers representing parties, said they would be informed of the judgment date. Other Justices on the five-man panel that heard the appeal include Mrs. Akomolafe Wilson, T.Y. Hassan, J. E. Ekannem and M. Mustapha.

    The appeal was filed on April 16, 2013 by Cyriacus Njoku, who is challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court delivered by Mudashiru Oniyangi (now of the Court of Appeal) who had earlier ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest.

    Yesterday, appellant’s lawyer, Okon Obon-Obla urged the court to allow his client’s appeal and grant his prayer to reverse the decision of the lower court.

    He equally urged the court to hold that it was wrong for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to declare President Jonathan as its presidential candidate and proceeded to adopt him in the capacity while the appeal was not yet decided.

    Obono-Obla also urged the court to hold that, as against the respondents’ contention, Njoku has the locus standi (right to sue) to file the case.

    President Jonathan and the PDP, represented by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Victor Yusufu Kwon, urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

    Kwon said Jonathan, by presenting himself for election, was acting within the provision of the law.  He said the PDP’s adoption of Jonathan as its presidential candidate was supported by the existing judgment of Justice Oniyangi.

    “The party nominated Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as its Presidential candidate and in doing that it was in line with the extant judgment, so it is wrong for anybody to suggest that the PDP acted lawlessly in adopting the President”, Kwon said.

    Njoku had, in 2012 filed the suit before the FCT High Court and sought among others, a declaration that Jonathan’s tenure of office as President began on May 6, 2010 when his first term began and his second term shall end on May 29, 2015 after taking his second oath on May 29, 2011.

    He had argued that by virtue of Section 136 (1) (b) of the Constitution, no person (including the Jonathan) could take the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office prescribed to in the 7th Schedule of the Constitution more than twice.

    Njoku sought an order of injunction restraining Jonathan from further contesting or attempting to vie for the office of the President of Nigeria after May 29, 2015 when his tenure ends.

    He also asked for an order restraining the PDP (2nd Defendant) from sponsoring or attempting to sponsor Jonathan as candidate for election to the office of the President in the 2015 presidential election after the expiration of his two terms on May 29, 2015.

    In his judgment on the March 13, 2013, Justice Oniyangi dismissed the case and held that President Jonathan was free to contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of the PDP.

  • Jonathan’s re-election campaign on shaky note

    Jonathan’s re-election campaign on shaky note

    President Goodluck Jonathan stunned the audience at the commencement of his presidential campaign in Lagos when he said his generation has failed the nation. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN who was at the venue revisits the rally and its implication for his second term bid. 

    President Goodluck Jonathan started his re-election campaign in Lagos recently on a shaky note. The event was witnessed by prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, National Chairman Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, governors and governorship flag bearers.

    Chieftains of the party took turns to address the crowd. They include the Co-ordinator of the President’s campaign in the Southwest and Ondo State governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Chairman of the National Campaign Committee Col. Ahmadu Ali; Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; the PDP leader in Lagos State, Chief Olabode George, and Ekiti State Governor Mr Ayo Fayose.

    They did their best to extol the virtues and achievements of President Jonathan and urged Nigerians to endorse his re-election in February. Mimiko, for instance, described President Jonathan as the most criticised, abused and insulted leader in this country. He said given his performance, Nigerians across the country can feel the impact of his administration in agriculture, power supply, education and resuscitation of rail system.

    But, the campaign experienced some awkward moments, when Ali mounted the podium. It did not quite jell with the audience when the National Campaign Committee chairman uttered the following statement: “The PDP is the agent of change. We fought for democracy when others fled the country. We have remained in power for 16 consecutive years.” He added that Nigerians should vote for the party, for the above reasons. The message was lost on the audience because neither Ali, nor his other colleagues were known to be associated with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and other civil rights organisations that fought military for the return of democracy.

    As if Ali’s goof was not enough, President Jonathan also stunned the audience when he said that his address would be directed at young people, especially those aged between 18 and 23, who will be voting for the first time this year. More than 80 per cent of people present were 30 years and above. Invariably, President Jonathan considered this category of voters inconsequential to his re-election bid.

    The audience had expected the President to explain what he has been doing in the past six years and what he intends to, if re-elected. Instead, he spent more time talking about those criticising his government. Some observers expressed dismay and disappointment at the inability of the President to utilise the opportunity offered by his campaign outing to tell Nigerians what he has done for them since his assumption of office. The same President Jonathan had earlier admonished parties and candidates to dwell on issues agitating the minds of Nigerians and how these can be solved.

    Jonathan also shocked the audience when he said his generation has failed and urged the youth to vote for young people. He said: “I do not want to address old people like me because we have failed completely. We are spent already. This election is about young people. It is either you vote for the young people to be relevant in this country or your vote will be irrelevant. We have just introduced our governorship candidates and you can see that many of them are within your age bracket.”

    Despite saying his generation had failed the nation Jonathan still went ahead to urge the youths to take their destiny in their hands by voting for the PDP.  He did not explain how or why a vote for a failed and finished generation within the PDP would be more beneficial to the country’s youth than a vote for the same category of persons within the APC.

    The President vehemently condemned and rejected the allegation by his opponents and critics that his administration was soft on corruption. Attributing his success in fighting corruption to the innovation introduced into fertiliser distribution, Jonathan said the emphasis of his administration was in preventing corruption from taking place, rather than jailing those who loot the treasury. To him, that is more effective way of fighting corruption.

    On security, Jonathan said the blame for the poor combat readiness of the Armed Forces should not be heaped on him because he inherited a weak army, navy and air force that had not been properly funded and equipped over the years by his predecessors. According to him, these people did not buy anything for the Nigerian soldiers. “Ask them what they did with the defence budget throughout the whole time they were in government, no equipment was bought for the armed forces,” he added. He was, however, not specific on which of the successive administrations.

    To the criticism that a poorly equipped army was deployed to fight Boko Haram insurgents, Jonathan said: “Nobody equips the Armed Forces overnight. They are built over the years. Even if we spend $10 billion today, it cannot immediately equip the Army, Navy and Air Force because their capacities are built over the years. It takes a period of time”.

    Public affairs analyst, Dr. Friday Ibok was disappointed that President Jonathan turned his maiden campaign into a forum of attacking personalities, rather than address the issues that are critical to the welfare of Nigerians. He said as a presidential candidate what the audience and those watching him live on television wanted to hear from him was what he had done in the past six years as President of Nigeria and what he would do in the next four years if he was re-elected.

    Ibok said: “For almost 30 minutes that he spoke, President Jonathan never promised Nigerians anything, but used the whole time attacking past leaders. I am worried because as a President he should know better. Members of his campaign team should have prepared for such a critical public function.

    “He admitted failure when he said his generation has failed the country and urged the youth to vote for the young ones if they want to be relevant in the country. What Mr. President was saying is that the salvation of this country lay in the hands of those within the age bracket of 18 and 23. So, the elders who travelled from different parts of the country to witness his campaign inauguration at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos are inconsequential and risked their lives for nothing. The irony of it is that Jonathan is still canvassing for their votes to win. It is unfortunate.”

    In his response to President Jonathan’s utterances, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said Jonathan’s problems are personal, not generational. The former Lagos State Governor asked him to consider his deficiencies as his personal failure and that of his party, the PDP.

    “It amounts to an error for the President to generalise the shortcomings as generational failure. If the President doesn’t know the history and responsibilities of his office, he should quit the office and go back home,” he said.

    Convener, Nigeria Voters Assembly (NVA), Comrade Mashood Erubami carpets the President for failing to run an issue-based campaign. According to him, it is very disheartening that President Jonathan has continued to chase shadow leaving the substance out of his campaign in all the states he has visited.

    Erubami argued that “he has at his own instance widened the gap of disconnect in the heart of those who have decided to use the 2015 election to change their lives by removing their destinies from the hands of Jonathan and likes of Femi Fani-Kayode, so that a new order could emerge from the hands of new leaders who abound in the APC which today represent the greatness that Nigerians are seeking.”

    He said buying equipment for the army, navy, air force and police is not an end in itself, but a means of achieving the end of peace and security in the land. “Those who failed to equip the security agencies did not do much because the nation was not under the current siege under which Jonathan has put the country and his people. During the Buhari era, even under the Ibrahim Babangida’s administration, our children were not stolen, no group of political thugs gang up against the people nor steal their commonwealth unabashed as under the Jonathan.  Security agencies were not as partisan and irresponsible like we found in the Department of State Security (DSS) and the police misbehaving today under the clueless, unimpressive and un-rehearsed administration of Dr. Jonathan.”

    Student activist Jerry Agbeyegbe, who watched the inauguration of the President’s campaign on television, was shocked to hear the President saying his generation has failed the nation. He believes President Jonathan came to such conclusion out of sheer frustration and disappointment.

    “I think the President is overwhelmed with the problems of insecurity, corruption and mismanagement of the economy which his administration has failed to tackle head on. It is wrong to his own ineptitude to conclude that his generation has failed the nation. The problem is leadership deficiency which is peculiar to the people at the helm of affairs. The buck stops on Mr. President’s table and he must accept responsibility that his government has failed.

    Erubami was not impressed with President Jonathan’s handling of the abducted Chibok girls who have spent close to 280 days in captivity, reported scams in the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), police pension fund, missing $20 billion oil money, $9 million arms deal, oil theft and power outage. The human right activist said what Nigerians are expecting to hear are the reasons for monumental failure of President Jonathan on these issues, despite the power he wields under the constitution and the resource available to the country which can be used to fix the country.

  • Ashafa: Why I deserve re-election

    Ashafa: Why I deserve re-election

    Senator Gbenga Ashafa was elected in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He is now seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progresives Congress (APC). His challenger is Mrs. Owolabi Salis-Fakos of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Will he succeed in his bid for anmother term in the Senate? EMMANUEL OLADESU examines his struggle for re-election in the Lagos East District

    Senator Gbenga  Ashafa is on the weighing scale in the Lagos East Senatorial District, where he was elected on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011.

    As he unfolded his re-election bid, a searchlight was beamed on his scorecard in the Upper Chamber. To his challenger, Mrs. Olabisi Salis-Fakos of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he could have performed better. Addressing stakeholders in Kosofe area, she said the district will face better, if she becomes a senator.

    However, Ashafa described his life and career as an open book. He said he has built on his pedigree and track record as a successful technocrat and former permanent secretary in the National Assembly. Many constituents are rooting for his re-election bid, in appreciation of the quality representation he has offered and various empowerment programmes he implemented.

    Many Lagosians have described the senator as an eminent Lagosian with  strategic experience in both public and private sectors. As a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands for almost a decade, he created five and resuscitated nine  moribund schemes. He pioneered the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) in the Land Registry and initiated the electronic Certificate of Occupancy (e-C of O) recently launched by government. He raised the revenue base of the Lands Ministry from N1 billion in 2001 to N13.23 billion in  2010.  Ashafa attended Morgan State University, Maryland, United States and later,  the University of Tennessee, Knoxville,  where he bagged his Masters in Public Health Administration  in 1979.

    In the Senate, has sponsored 13 Bills and three motions. These are the Language Bill, Income Tax Holiday Bill, Treaty (Amendment) Bill, Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill, National Directorate of Employment (Amendment) Bill, Harmful waste (Amendment) Bill, Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Bill, Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Amendment) Bill, Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc) (Amendment) Bill, Banks Employee, etc Declaration of Assets (Amendment) Bill, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (Amendment) Bill. Motions on the Deteriorating Service of GSM Providers, Motions on the Imminent Collapse of the Third Mainland Bridge and Motions on Baby Factories in Nigeria, Lagos.

    Ashafa  has also co-sponsored many other bills and motions. These include the Social Housing Bill, Prohibition of Same Sex Marriage Bill, Lagos State Special Economic Assistance Bill, Motion on 2011 Lagos Flood, Motion on the solution to Terrorism in Nigeria, Motion on the Creation of unemployment Data and  Job Centres in the Country, and the Motion on Rivers State crisis.

    Ashafa is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development and a Member of the Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Environment & Ecology, Federal Character and  Inter-Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on Senate Services.

    The senator was instrumental to the execution of federal constituency projects worth over N803 million in his district between June 2011 and October, last year.

    He also set up the Gbenga Ashafa Trust Fund Endowment (GATE), which has given succour to stakeholders.

    Ashafa was initially jostling for the governorship. But, when he saw the hndwriting on the wall, he retraced his steps.

    As a legislator, he has avoided scandals. he has also been a loyal party chieftain. The party made him a member of the planning committe saddled with the responsibility of organising its maiden convention.

  • ‘Why Urhobo is rooting for Jonathan’s re-election’

    A chieftain of the Urhobo Youth Forum for Change (UYFC) and former Niger Delta militant Isreal Akpodoro has declared his support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for a second term in office.

    The diminutive ex-militant declared: “President Goodluck Jonathan is our sole candidate in Urhobo land.” He made the declaration in Asaba, the Delta State capital last Wednesday.

    Akpodoro noted that the President had tried his best at moving the nation forward, adding that Nigeria is a complex society.

    According to the Urhobo-born ex-militant, President Jonathan, has proven that development was not impossible in the country citing infrastructure, agriculture, power, education, peace and security as those areas the Jonathan led-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration excelled beyond the “imagination of the ordinary Nigerian.”

    The Urhobo youth leader argued that the Jonathan government has done well in his revenue drive for the country. He cited the Ugborodo Gas Project in Delta State as a milestone, which only a leader with vision and mission can initiate and establish.

    Akpodoro urged the feuding host communities to give peace a chance, adding that the project was capable of removing idle youths from the streets.

    He said the project is big enough to cater for the needs of all the stakeholders. The Urhobo youth leader called on fellow ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo and Chief Ayiri Emami, to enter into peaceful dialogue on how best to resolve the issues impeding the official take-off of the project.