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Tag: South West

  • Security: APC backs S/West govs’ renewed call for state police, urges swift establishment

    Security: APC backs S/West govs’ renewed call for state police, urges swift establishment

    The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared support for the renewed call by South West governors for the  creation of state police, urging President Bola Tinubu to use his office to  hasten its establishment.

    The party said the proposal was timely and aligned with long-standing demands by stakeholders in the region for a more responsive security framework.

    The party chapter  expressed the suppport  in a statement issued on Tuesday in  by its spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo.

    Oladejo said the call by the governors reflected a deep understanding of the evolving security challenges confronting communities in the South West and other parts of the the country.

    According to him,the security challenges facing the country require multi-layered policing solutions, and the time for state police is not just ripe, it is overdue

    The spokesman said the South West had consistently championed reforms aimed at decentralizing policing and strengthening community-based security structures.

    He noted that regional initiatives such as the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, had demonstrated the benefits of localised response mechanisms to crime and emerging threats.

    Oladejo said the introduction of state police would enhance intelligence gathering, strengthen response capabilities and improve coordination between security agencies.

    He added that a multi-layered policing architecture was becoming increasingly necessary as criminal activities grow in sophistication.

    The spokesman said the governors’ position reinforced President Tinubu’s commitment to modernising Nigeria’s security system.

    He said the party believed that state police, if professionally regulated and federally coordinated, would complement ongoing national security efforts.

    Oladejo urged Nigerians to approach the conversation with objectivity and avoid politicising an issue he described as central to national stability.

    He said fear-driven narratives would not help the country address pressing security concerns.

    The spokesman called on citizens to engage constructively on how the proposed policing structure could function effectively within Nigeria’s federal system.

    Oladejo reiterated the party’s confidence in President Tinubu’s capacity to deliver far-reaching security reforms to protect lives and property.

    Read Also: ‘Osun APC needs to put its house in order before poll’

    He also expressed solidarity with the South-West governors for what he described as their continued commitment to the safety and welfare of residents in the region.

    He said the unity demonstrated by the governors underscored the urgency of adopting modern strategies to confront insecurity.

    The spokesman affirmed that Lagos APC would continue to support policies aimed at strengthening national resilience against crime.

    Tbe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that South-West governors, under the aegis of the South-West Governors’ Forum, on Monday at its meeting in Ibadan, renewed their call for the creation of state police to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the region and the country in general. 

    (NAN)

  • Presidency dismisses claims of South west domination in security appointments

    Presidency dismisses claims of South west domination in security appointments

    The Presidency on Sunday evening dismissed insinuations the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is favouring the Southwest region in security appointments.

    Critics have, since the appointment of Major General Oluremi Oluyede as acting Chief of Army Staff, claimed that the administration has favoured the Southwest above others in its appointment of security heads.

    Some Nigerians have argued that qualified officers from other regions could have temporarily assumed the role.

    Read Also: Concerns as silent rage of hazardous pollution threatens air quality

    However, responding to the criticisms, Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD, shared a breakdown of security appointments under President Tinubu’s administration.

    According to Dare’s list, the Northwest holds the highest number of security appointments with eight, followed by the Southwest with five and the North-Central with four. The Northeast has three appointees while the South-South and Southeast have one each.

    Dare wrote: “Facts do not lie. Below we see laid bare the facts about the regional outlook of President Tinubu’s appointments within 20 security agencies. The label of him favouring Yorubas in the Security set up does not fit. Nigeria we hail thee!”.

  • DAWN, others call for regional integration of S/West

    Director-General, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr Seye Oyeleye and other Pan-Yoruba groups  have called on the newly elected political leaders in the South-West to make regional integration their focus.

    Oyeleye made the call during a roundtable conference organised by Majeobaje Movement on Sunday in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the conference with the theme: “Yorubaland Beyond 2019: Let’s Set forth with DAWN”,  was attended by representatives of several Yoruba groups.

    He said that it was imperative that governors-elect of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos in the just concluded elections and the lawmakers-elect across the south-west embrace the DAWN’s ultimate agenda of regional integration.

    “Some benefits of such integration includes collective  opportunities as a bloc, attaining self-sustenance and enhancing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through the harmonisation of taxes and levies within the region,” he said.

    Oyeleye added that such an integration would  promote reduction in cost of  transactions and encourage experience-sharing among member states.

    He said that it would also create opportunities for pursuing joint infrastructure, improved ease-of-doing business and deepen market for goods and services.

    The DAWN boss charged the  incoming governors to continue from when the outgoing governors stopped on the regional development.

    Dr Tony Marinho, a Consultant Obstetrician, urged the commission to narrow their agenda down to school development  for the benefits of all.

    Marinho, who also noted the declining fortunes of the region in agriculture and health, charged Yoruba groups to put state governments on their toes through regular evaluation.

    Mr Kunle Famoriyo, the Publicity Secretary, Afenifere Renewal Group, decried the increasing rate of poverty and unemployment in the regio.

    Also, Mr Muyiwa Bamgbose, the Coordinator, Majeobaje Movement, stressed that collective approach to issues in the region would fast track development.

    Bamgbose noted that the need to reconcile various aggrieved groups in the last elections towards the desired course of uplifting states in the region.(NAN)

  • Oyo APC vows to give Buhari highest votes in South West

    President Muhammadu Buhari’will kick-start his reelection campaign in the Southwest from Ibadan, Oyo State capital, today.

    He is scheduled to address All Progressives Congress supporters at  Mapo Hall.

    Spokesman of Oyo APC 2019 campaign Organisation, Dr. Azeez Olatunde, said  the President would use the opportunity to interact with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, leaders of religious bodies, community leaders, members of the organized  private sector, market men and women and youth groups.

    He asked APC members and supporters of President Buhari across the political parties divide to turn out in large numbers and give the President a rousing welcome .

    Olatunde said: “It is another opportunity to show the opposition political parties that Oyo State and indeed the entire Southwest is for APC and by extension for Buhari; a president who has done for the Southwest what a Yoruba man deliberately ignored for eight years.

    “Oyo gave Buhari the second highest votes in the whole of the south in 2015, outside Lagos State. In Oyo, Buhari defeated the Peoples Democratic Party by 528, 620 votes to 303, 376. But, if we look at it proportionately, we can even say Oyo gave the highest votes in the entire South.

    “That is if we compare the 5.8m registered voters in Lagos State to Oyo State’s  2.4m registered voters in 2015 and juxtapose it with 792,460 to 528,620 votes recorded respectively by both states we can say Oyo was number one. We set the pace.

    “But, this time around the good people of Oyo State, which now has 2.9m registered voters will triple the 2015 figures by ensuring that President Buhari gets at least 1.5m votes. Oyo State residents are enlightened enough to choose performance over mediocrity.

    Read also: Oyo APC vows to give Buhari highest votes in South West

    “We are major beneficiaries of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway ongoing construction, the light rail project nearing completion, Trader Moni scheme, N-Power scheme that has provided succour for many of our graduates, homegrown school feeding programme, among others.”

    Azeez added that APC and Buhari had earned the confidence and support of the people of the country for a second term judging by the massive infrastructural renewal, improved security, diversification of the economy and the significant arrest of corruption and national drift.

    He said that the President would depart Ibadan for Osogbo, on Saturday, in continuation of his campaign.

  • Why Atiku won’t win in South-West

    I was moved with pity for Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar and his presidential team during the campaign rally held few days go at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.

    About six kilometres from the venue of the rally at a car wash off Iwo Road, a man is his 30s speaking in the ever amusing Ibadan dialect described the event as a gathering of thieves at Mapo’ while another colleague of his quipped, “are they coming again, never”.

    This is just a sample of caustic and brazen unleashing of uncomplimentary utterances around south West of Nigeria against the political actors of People’s Democratic Party and the Party itself.  These uncomplimentary remarks deriding the PDP are in form of jokes, and abusive songs in deep Yoruba language of which English translation can never be accurate.

    Shutting down of businesses and paralyzing traffic flow around Mapo is not new, even the least known of the parties have done the same in the past, but because of curiosity not for popularity and acceptance the half capacity crowd at Mapo must have falsely given the leadership of PDP the assurance of popularity.

    Unlike in some geopolitical zone, the Yoruba people are unique when it comes to political affiliation and leaning but that does not mean that individuals groups are no free to make their choices.

    The communal nature of Yoruba reflects in their political and social choices, therefore, political parties that have egalitarianism and welfarism embedded in their central policy are embraced. The was why parties like Action Group (AG), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Alliance for Democracy (AD) and recently All Peoples Congress APC were dominant in the West. All things being equal the pattern of voting in South West is predictably unchanged.

    Since it’s a tradition based on what I see as a cultural belief, the pattern of voting and the political leaning of the Yoruba has not changed even with the federal might that brought the three months old NPN, government to power in Oyo State in 1983, and the PDP interregnum in Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo except Lagos in 2003 governorship election. The question is where are those leaders of NPN and PDP in the political calculation of these Yoruba states today. They can’t be identified with any political party or well-known Yoruba socio-cultural organizations.

    Interestingly, however Nigeria as a whole has developed a pattern of political learning and voting with its manifestation since 1959 and even in 1979. The election of 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 sealed and altered the pattern in some political zones but in 2015 because of the progressive leaning of the north President Mohammed Buhari was elected thereby fulfilling the wishes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Aminu Kano. Both legends were welfarists known for their concern for the poor and around whom their politics were centered. But would Buhari still maintain his grip of the Yoruba states at this forth coming election? Yes, without and shaking, the states are his and with the inherent nature of the people of the region known for celebrating people of intergtiy, incorruptibility, modesty, hard work and not-me-before-others attitude.

    With the support of Ashiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and his lieutenants across the West, President Buhari has no problem securing the majority of the votes from the region. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Leaders of various sociocultural groups who have been showing their preferences and endorsements for Alhaji Atiku are embarking on an exercise in futility because they know the nature of their people. Even Chief Obasanjo was aware of this in 2015 when he declared openly for candidate Buhari. He knew where the pendulum was swinging in favour of Buhari’s victory. It is believed that his endorsement of Atiku is a deceit because he lacked electoral value to support the endorsement even in Abeokuta.

    The impact of groups like Afenifere, Yoruba council of elders on the presidential election outcome has largely been little and even non-existent retrospectively since the passing on of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Bola Ige and Chief Abraham Adesanya whose position on any political issue got automatic approval of majority of Yoruba and even non-Yoruba alike. It is therefore not so difficult to predict presidential voting pattern in the West, for example, a mere opinion sampling among the real voting population tells you who would have the most votes. These are people in the circles of artisans, market women, students, commercial drivers, farmers and traders.

    These are people who in previous democratic exercises knew which of the political parties and actors delivered on their promises and which tallied with their cultural and traditional demands.

    It is therefore highly likely that this perception would be brought to bear while scrutinizing candidates for their votes for the president in 2019.

    The reputation of People Democratic Party (PDP) as a party of plunderers of the nation’s resources is an albatross for all their members including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the eyes of the people of western Nigeria. The on-going trials, seizure and forfeitures of frightening huge sum of money traced to PDP stalwarts are well known to the people of the region. Unlike in other geo political zones, those who were indicted in south west have all gone underground with their family members and relations hiding themselves in shame from the public. Those who are not in hiding are in inconsequential political parties just to satisfy all righteousness.

    Lagos known for the highest numbers of voting population, will go Buhari way just at the rest five other states in the zone and with Asiwaju Tinubu leading the Progressive forces the coast is clear for President Buhari. Asiwaju Tinubu has enormous influence on the voters of the region clearly ahead of any individuals and socio-cultural groups reminiscent of the legendary influence and leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    The PDP is an object of ridicule and jokes in the west on the grounds of their administration inability to increase electricity supply by one megawatt in 16 years it was in power in spite of the whooping $16 Billion spent for the purpose by Chief Obasanjo’s administration, the shambolic state of roads and other critical infrastructure, unfulfilled promises on tertiary education and health facilities in the country in spite of huge revenue from oil throughout their tenure. Crude oil sold for between $80 and $145 during the PDP years while it nosedived to as low as $29 when President Buhari took over.

    The reputation of President Buhari as incorruptible, selfless and a person known for his spartan life endeared him to the Yoruba.

    As principled people, it will not only be a herculean task but an impossibility for Alhaji Atiku to garner enough votes in Yoruba land not withstanding his promise in Ibadan while launching his campaign that he would embark on restructuring six months into his tenure. The question is why did he make the promise in Ibadan and not in Sokoto, Kano or Maiduguri?

    The promise was deliberately targeted at the Yoruba because he felt that is what they wanted to hear.

    He dare not say such in Northern Nigeria, because of the wrath of the Northern establishment of which he is one as well as the entire conservatives and elites all of whom are against restructuring.

    The widely publicized use of foreign currencies at the PDP presidential convention where he was elected as the presidential candidate in Port Harcourt is undoubtedly of serious implications in the eyes of Yoruba people and other right thinking Nigerians who are expressing fears and concerns about the security of the federal tilt in event Alhaji Atiku emerged the winner. Just as a colleague observed that government money to politician of his creed is free money. It is impossible for Yoruba people to go for a candidate who led his members to such a shameful and brazen act of waste because of the quest for power. The dollar rain was an open exhibition of contempt for our own currency by politicians who should be an embodiment of patriotism. Can they ever be proud of our naira? I don’t think so.

    The issue of non-issuance of visa to Alhaji Atiku by the United State government is of a grave consequence for his presidential ambition with the question, why was he denied visa for 11 years? It is believed in south-west that he must have committed a criminal offence for US government to have black listed him only short of declaring him wanted.

    His denial of visa means a lot to voters in the west because the people are sufficiently informed enough to know the implication for someone who wants to be president of Nigeria to be in that diplomatic mess. They see it as an embarrassment to Nigerians at home and abroad for any presidential candidate no matter his chances at the polls. In a saner environment such candidate would not even venture to go for any elective office.

     

    • Akin. A. Onipede, a veteran journalist, wrote from Ibadan

  • “Bureaucracy, red-tape, major reason for low rate of PVC collection in south west”

    Adekunle Osibogun, Lawyer and Founder, Adekunle Osibogun Foundation Mr Adekunle Osibogun, a British trained International Trade and Investment Lawyer, is the Founder of Adekunle Osibogun Foundation and Convener, Young Progressive Nigerian Initiatives (YPNI); In this interview, the Ijebu Ode born Constitutional Lawyer who recently led some group of youth volunteers on a tour of the eight Local Government Areas in Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State to sensitize the people on the needs to register to vote and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) ahead of the 2019 General Elections, opined among other things, that red-tape is largely responsible for low rate of PVC collection in the South West States compared to States in the Northern Part of the country. Excerpts:

    Kindly share the experience you gathered during the recent PVC sensitisation campaign tour of the towns and villages in Ogun East Senatorial District, sponsored by your Foundation.

    I’ll say the experience was quite humbling; humbling in the sense that there is a high level of enthusiasm amongst the populace towards the upcoming 2019 General Elections, especially their interestto vote in the 2019 elections. We however observed that a lot of people are not aware of the important role the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) will play during the 2019 General Elections. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicated that the PVCs will play a key role in the upcoming election process, and this I believe is already being reflected in the allotments of the new Polling Units (PUs). I observed that the regions with the higher PVC collection rates were allotted a higher number of PUs. Consequently the South West region got the third least number of new PUs, behind the North Central where citizens have been displaced by the herdsmen crisis, the North East which has been ravaged by the Boko Haram, and the North West which has been notorious for underage registration and voting. Unfortunately, only a few of the populace in Ogun East Senatorial District have gotten their temporary voters cards, some of them have not even registered at all, while there is a large number of people who complained that they have either lost or damaged voter’s cards.We also observed that some eligible voters who relocated to Ogun State after the 2015 elections are anxious to transfer their registration to Ogun State, but lack information on the process. I’ll say that INEC still has a lot of work to do in Ogun State, particularly in Ogun East Senatorial District, because based on our survey, the amount of eligible voters who have not yet obtained their PVCs, which includes those that only have their temporary voter’s card, is very high and if we are looking to have successful General Elections in the Ogun State come 2019, it’s important that these people are also given not only the opportunity but also the encouragement to pick up their PVCs.

    From your interaction with the people, how will you describe the level of political education of the residents of Ogun state and how is the level of PVC collection in Ogun East Senatorial district?

    The residents of Ogun State are highly politically active, which is most evident in the vibrancy of the political campaigns in the State and the level of enlightenment amongst the populace. When it comes to political education, majority of the populace know their civic rights and duties, and are actively involved in the political process. However, when it comes to the level of PVC collection, especially in the Ogun East Senatorial District, it was my observation that the level of PVC collection varied from area to area. I observed that while some locations we surveyed had a high rate of PVC collection, other locations had a very low rate. Also, the densely populated areas reported a lower collection rate than the thinly populated areas. So for example, locations within the waterside area reported a higher collection rate than the Ijebu-Ode and Odogbolu areas of Ogun East Senatorial District. To address our findings, we have set up teams of volunteers to engage and encourage people to go to their local government offices and registration centres within the District to pick up their PVCs. We are also taking steps to set up a special team that will provide guidance for those who have either lost or damaged voter’s cards or intend to transfer their registration to the District.

    What do you think is responsible for the low collection in the southern part and higher collection in the northern part?

    I haven’t surveyed the northern part of Nigeria to know the reason for the high PVC collection rate there, but I can speak about the low PVC collection rate in the southern part of Nigeria. I will attribute the primary reason for the low PVC collection rates to bureaucracy and red-tape. We have citizens who wake up as early as 5am to go and queue at INEC offices, spend the whole day there and may still be unable to pick up their PVCs. Now, that is discouraging. For us to encourage ourselves to pick up our PVCs, which is a civic duty as we all know, it is important that we make the process a lot easier and more seamless. Without a shadow of doubt, there is a need for more registration machines, especially in Ogun East Senatorial District, where the registration machines are not sufficient. It is important that INEC intensifies efforts by increasing the number of registration machines in the South; investing more in awareness and sensitisation campaigns amongst the populace for those with lost or damaged voter’s cards or those seeking to transfer their registration; and by reducing the bureaucracies and red-tape prevalent in the PVCs collection process, especially in the southwest geopolitical zone which we know has a larger population than the collection rate being recorded so far. It is noteworthy that the bureaucracy in transferring registration within a state takes approximately ten months, regardless of if the transfer is within PUs in the same district or other districts, and the customer service can also be better. This is why my Foundation is focusing on providing guidance and support to help ease the stress that the average citizensare currently experiencingduring the process of registering and collectingtheir PVCs.

    From your experience do you think Nigerians are prepared for 2019 general elections?

    I’ll say Nigerians are better enlightened going into the 2019 General Elections than any of our previous elections, but their level of preparedness is low, becausemajority of the populace are yet to collect their PVCs.Based on the vibes coming from INEC, the PVCs will be the instrument that will qualify citizens to participate in the voting process for the 2019 General Elections. So, no matter how enlightenedyou are, no matter how passionateyou are, if we haven’t all gotten our PVCs then all our efforts will be in vain because we will all be unable to participate in the voting process, which defeats the purpose of democracy. So, while a lot is being invested into getting Nigerians to pick up their PVCs, each individual citizen must be determined to pick up their PVCs, towards making the 2019 General Elections a successful hitch free democratic election.

    From what you saw across the towns and villages of Ogun East Senatorial District, can you critically examine the economic social and material conditions of our people?

    In my opinion,Ogun East Senatorial District has been marginalized in the areas of economic investment and infrastructure development. This is evident in the decadent state of the District’s roads, lack of accessibility to quality and affordable healthcare and education, and poor electric and water systems, which has created a general apathy amongst the populace towards government. Unfortunately, due to the lack of political will to revisit the operation of our current federal structure, the State Government has been unable to increase its revenue base and hascontinuously muscled in on the revenue generating powers of the Local Governments, which is now becoming a redundant arm of government as a result of the State Government overbearing powers. So, while the Local Governments within the District lack the financial capacity to make any meaningfully impact in the lives of the people in the District, the State Government has its focus on other Districts within the State, all to the detriment of the people in the Ogun East Senatorial district. There is therefore a need for the State Government to pay special attention to the condition of the people in the District, because Ogun East Senatorial District is in my opinion the heartbeat of commercial activities in Ogun State.Yes, the capital is in Abeokuta, but when you look out for commercial activities in Ogun State, the Ogun East Senatorial District is where most of it happens.So it will be to the benefit of the State as a whole for there to be a special intervention from the State Government for the people in the District.

    Generally, are you satisfied with the preparation of INEC for 2019?

    I’ll give INEC a 50% pass mark for their efforts thus far and their strategy, especially on PVC collection nationwide, but they can do more.INEC can do more especially in the South-WestRegion because the level of PVCs collected in the South-West as a whole compared to the growing population of the South-West isvery low.It’s therefore urgent that INEC now pays special attention to the registration and collection of PVCs in the South-West to ensure the General Elections in the South-West Region are a true reflection of the hopes and aspirations of the people.

    What Is Your Position On The #NotTooYoungToRun Campaign?

    I strongly believe there is a need to transit from the old generation of politicians to a younger and more vibrant generation of political leaders, who understand the challenges of Nigerians in the 21st century and who are prepared to proffer lasting solutions,inspire their peers, and work tirelessly towards addressing these challenges. This, I believe is also the objective behind the #NotTooYoungToRun Campaign. Majority of our youths have lost faith in Nigeria because of the growing disconnect between their aspirations and those of our political elites. The discontentment of our youths with the political elite can be better expressed with reference to the surge in the numbers emigrating through our boarders in search of a better life. We have continued to lose our youths who voluntarily make the suicidal journey across the Sahara desert, others opt for the citizenship of foreign countries, while those who elect to stay have resigned to their faith or taken to crime or armed banditry. This is the current reality facing Nigerians. Our political elites have continuously failed to inspire our youths, so if our youths choose to be their own inspiration towards building a better country for future generations, we must support them.For Nigeria to develop, people with fresh ideas, innovation, drive and focus must be given the opportunity to govern, and I make bold to say that Nigeria will only transit from its current predicament if young reputable Nigerians take up the responsibility of governance.

    Any Political Aspiration For Adekunle Osibogun in 2019 General Elections?

    I am currently encouraging my peers to actively participate in the 2019 General Elections because it is my desire to see a large contingent of us occupying elective offices in 2019, so we can attempt to rescue our dear country from its current downward spiral.  I therefore intend to lead from the front by contesting in the 2019 General Elections. I know your next questions will be for what office? So let me save you the trouble by telling you that it will be an office I am best suited for based on my qualifications and experience, and where I will be better able to contribute to solving our current challenges and building a better Nigeria. But be rest assured that all will be revealed in due course.

    What is the driving force behind the Adekunke Osibogun Foundation?

    The Adekunle Osibogun Foundation is a private foundation that supports and inspires civic engagements and services in local communities, strengthen, promote, and where necessary protect the socio-economic rights of young Nigerians through intervention programmes in areas of education, entrepreneurship, leadership, citizenship awareness, agriculture, and youth empowerment. The origin of the foundation date back to 2009 when I met with other young patriots in Abuja to set up a platform to encourage and promote a sense of patriotism among Nigerians, which eventually birth the Young Progressive Nigerians Initiative (“YPNI”) for the benefit of our peers and local communities. After the establishment of YPNI, I was motivated to financially support my commitments to promoting patriotism amongst Nigerians and enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians through initiatives that promote national development, entrepreneurship and educational opportunities. Hence, the establishment of the Adekunle Osibogun Foundation! Through the years, I have supported and funded numerous intervention programmes of various non-governmental organisations, as they provide free skills acquisition trainings, mentorship and leadership programmes, entrepreneurship development programmes, and access to financial and legal advisory services for small and medium sized enterprises.

     

  • PDP leaders push for chairmen from South West

    PDP leaders push for chairmen from South West

    •Beg South-South governors, others to abandon quest for slot
    •Fresh fears over push for ex-Governor Ladoja to join race
    •Cracks in S/West widen ahead of December convention

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders are mounting pressure on South-South governors of the party and other stakeholders to concede the national chairmanship slot of the party to the Southwest ahead of the December convention.

    The party has already agreed to pick its next chairman from the south and its 2019 presidential candidate from the north.

    The South-South leaders of the party are believed to be rooting for Prince Uche Secondus to occupy the post.

    Secondus was, until recently, a deputy national chairman of the party.

    The Southwest has no fewer than five aspirants vying for the post.

    They are a former deputy national chairman, Chief Bode George, ex-Governor of Ogun State Gbenga Daniel, ex-Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, ex-Minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja and ex-governorship candidate of the party in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje.

    It was gathered that some leaders of the party from the South have reneged on the under-the-table agreement to concede the position to the Southwest.

    But some respected leaders of the party fear that development is capable of alienating the geo-political zone and have stepped in, pleading for the Southwest to have the position.

    They want to avoid a repeat of the loss of votes in the zone by PDP in 2019.

    However, party sources said the aspirants from the Southwest are not helping matters with none of them willing to step down for the other.

    It was gathered that some stakeholders were even contemplating bringing in ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja to join the race.

    Ladoja recently rejoined the PDP from the Accord Party.

    A top party source said: “The party is still trying to resolve the intrigues surrounding the choice of a new National Chairman. The race is between the Southwest and the Southsouth.

    “Ordinarily, if the contest is left to the Southwest and the Southsouth, the latter will produce the next chairman.

    “If you look at the composition of delegates, the Southsouth with many PDP Governors will have more delegates with enough number to defeat any candidate from the Southwest.

    “The Southsouth has already zeroed in on Prince Uche Secondus as its candidate for the chairmanship.

    “The Southsouth is seeking the office of the national chairman in case of a probable working alliance or coalition with the Southwest for the presidential elections.”

    Another source said all the aspirants from the Southwest are in dire straits because their chances are very slim with fewer delegates from their zone.

    “Unless the Southsouth is being magnanimous, all the aspirants from the Southwest, namely Bode George, Gbenga Daniel, Tunde Adeniran, Taoheed Adedoja, are walking a tight rope. The bulk of the votes at the convention will come from the Southsouth and the Southeast.

    “But some respected leaders of the party are now begging the Southsouth and Southeast governors to concede the slot to the Southwest to avoid a repeat of the PDP’s defeat in the Southwest in 2019.

    “There is no sign yet that the governors and leaders from the Southsouth and the Southeast have agreed on giving the slot to the Southwest.

    “This is why some leaders have been prevailing on ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders to beg these governors.

    “Some of these governors however described all the aspirants from the Southwest as lighter weight who cannot win significant votes for PDP in 2019.

    “They said PDP cannot secure Southwest votes without an alliance or a coalition.”

    Party sources said the refusal of the aspirants from the Southwest to step down for each other has compounded the logjam.

    It was learnt that some of the aspirants were invited to a meeting by members of the Concerned PDP Forum on how to “agree on a candidate for the Southwest” but they refused to step down.

    “Already, some of our leaders are pushing for the choice of ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja in order to break the tie among the previous aspirants. It is unclear if Ladoja will accept the offer or not.”

    “If these aspirants do not agree, the North might also swing its votes for a Southsouth candidate.”

    Jonathan had on Tuesday warned PDP members against choosing a wrong candidate to lead the party.

    He said: “This time around we need a very courageous and vocal person to be the chairman. There are two positions that we must not make mistake on – the positions of the national chairman and that of the national publicity secretary, because I have worn the shoes before and I know where it pinches.

    “If we make a mistake as a party and elect wrong chairman and publicity secretary, we are finished.”

    Besides the rivalry sparked by the chairmanship contest, a fresh crisis is brewing in the Southwest PDP ahead of the  national convention billed for December.

    A faction led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe is at war with that led by Chief Eddy Olafeso over delegates to the convention.

    The Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee recognises the Olafeso group as the authentic leadership of the Southwest zone, a development that has forced the Ogundipe group to run to the courts.

    In July this year, the party’s national leadership had warned the various groups and individuals against dragging the leadership to court over matters that could be resolved through existing conflict resolution channels.

    Ogundipe and his group had approached a Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti to obtain an injunction retraining the national leadership from recognising Olafeso.

    The court granted the request of the Ogundipe faction that it be given as the authentic leadership to represent the zone at the convention.

    The suit, No. FHC/AD/CS/18/2017, which was filed by Ogundipe also had Chief Adepegba Otemolu, Lanre Orimoloye, Supo Ijabadeniyi and Femi Carena as the plaintiffs.

    Defendants in the suit include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Sen. Ben Obi, Eddy Olafeso, Wunmi Jenyo, Adeola Ogunrinde and Femi Adetola.

    Others joined in the suit are Ojo Williams, Fasiu Bakenne, Philip Aivohji, Mrs. Oluwawumi Oshinroluke, Biliaminu Ogundele, Femi, Makinde, the Inspector General of Police and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Osogbo, Commissioner of Police, Ondo State, Department of State Services and State Security Service, Ondo State.

    Justice Taiwo O.Taiwo  restrained the Makarfi-led executives or their agents from preventing the plaintiffs and other Southwest delegates to the PDP national convention listed in the schedule attached to the originating summons.

    Beneficiaries of the order, as listed in the originating summons, also include Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju and Senator Buruji Kashamu, who the court said should not be barred from the convention.

    Justice Taiwo also said that the national leadership of the party should not take any disciplinary actions against the plaintiffs and other delegates in their camp, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

    Bandying a copy of the court order at the party’s Abuja secretariat at the weekend, Ogundipe warned that non-compliance with the court order could have adverse effects on the outcome of the convention.

    Urging the national leadership of the PDP to uphold the rule of law, Ogundipe said having been a beneficiary of the rule of law by virtue of the July ruling of the Supreme Court, Makarfi is the least person expected to shun a valid order of the court.

     

  • Governors and South-west integration

    SIR: The South-west governors meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday July 24 refers. According to reports, the meeting which was attended by all governors among other resolutions declared zero tolerance for crime in the region, establish Western Nigeria Export Development Initiatives and change name to Western Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

    The governors deserve commendation for their coming together for this meeting in spite of the party differences. However, they need to be told that crime cannot be reduced in view of lack of employment opportunities for school leavers including graduates of tertiary institutions, economic hardship in the land, non-payment of workers’ salaries and emoluments. The blame for the above is laid at the door step of our government. And adage says, idle hands are the devil’s workshop. The menace of Badoo boys in Lagos, kidnapping, violent armed robbery are all outcrops of unemployment and economic hardship in the land. If the youths are gainfully employed, many will not take to crime. Also, public education has to be seriously funded if we really mean to reduce crime in our clime. Some schools in the South-west are under lock and keys. What do the governors expect the students to be doing at home, almost a year when the schools have been closed down?

    On the regional integration of the region, the governors should give fillip to their talks because their meetings are turning into mere talk shops. No practical steps have been taken towards the integration almost eight years since the initiative began.

    The failure of LAUTECH project is a clear indication that the regional integration as being mouthed by our governors is chimera. This is the institution owned by just two states of Oyo and Osun. It has been making steady progress since the days of the military. However, since the coming of civilian rule and particularly since 2003 or thereabout, the centre could no longer hold in the school. The school has been on and off since early 2016 till date due to non-funding by the two states. The irony is that two of the governors pursuing regional integration are visitors to LAUTECH. If the two states could not maintain a university, then how can six states jointly fund any project successfully? Then what regional integration are they talking about? Regional integration includes bilateral agreement, if it is working and successful. To be taken serious on regional integration in the South-west, LAUTECH case is a litmus test for our governors. Their failure or success will determine how far their regional integration project will go.

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite,

    Ayekooto05@gmail.com.

  • Women group seeks more political representation in South-West

    Ahead of 2019 general elections, leaders of Civil Society Organisations and female politicians and professionals have called on South-West political leaders to support the women folk in the next general elections. They also called for an improvement in the number of women in the National Assembly from the geo-political zone.
    Speaking at a strategic meeting of the women’s platform for gender equality in Lagos State, organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), the CSO leaders and female politicians implored political parties to give more slots to women in future elections.
    In her address, the Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-West, Chief Kemi Nelson, said, “The South-West region is under represented in the National Assembly in terms of women’s representation compared to the number of female lawmakers in other geo-political zones.”
    Dr. Keziah Awosika said, “in the south-west, politics is seen as a battle field where women do not have a stalk unlike other regions in the country. We should ensure that our voices are always heard and not relegated to the background.”
    The founding Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode, urged civil society groups and female politicians to work in harmony to increase women participation in politics.
    Chairperson of at the strategic meeting, Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, said, “Women should begin to see themselves as partners, be actively involved in developing and impacting on society while partnering to improve our political drive.”

  • What do the South-West Media Want?

    So much for Objective Journalism! Don’t bother to look for it here—not under any byline I can think of. With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.”

     By Hunter S. Thompson, (Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72)

     

     Preamble

    The above quotation is probably much more relevant to Nigeria than any other country in the world. Like any other thing that has to do with decency, journalism in Nigeria has become a mockery of itself. Its three fundamental norms of information, education and entertainment have been turned into misinformation, mis-education and distraction.

    With the coinage of vocabularies like ‘maginalization’ and ‘Islamization’ (words that   cannot be found in any English dictionary), Nigerian journalists have blindly and ignorantly polarized the country’s social strata along tribal and religious lines. And with this queer professional whim, they have tacitly drawn a visible battle line among existing ethnic groups on the one hand and religious groups on the other (a euphemism for a furnace of implacable enmity).

    Thus, the prospect of a potentially great country becoming a nation has virtually been turned into a mere day dream that can hardly be linked to reality. If anything is antithetical to Nigeria’s cohesion as a country with potential greatness, it is the Nigerian media. And all these damages are being done in the name of press freedom.

     

    Ember of Discord

    In its usual act of beating the drum of war in the country, the Nigerian media recently started chorusing another sour song aimed at leaving another sour taste in the mouth of Nigerians. It has started classifying the recent appointments made by the current regime into that of North-South dichotomy. That is its new way of igniting a new war between the northern part of the country and the South. And, as usual, the drum beats are vividly coming from the south-west.

    It is sometimes amazing what the real agenda of the south-west media is. In 1999, two main presidential candidates were presented to the country on the platform of two main political parties. The two candidates were from the South-West and they were Christians. One of them emerged as the country’s President with majority of Muslim votes and there were no grudges from the Muslims even as he completed his two terms of eight years.

     

    Memory Lane

    At least, it can still be remembered that the man (Bashorun MKO Abiola) who won the 1993 unprecedented Presidential election that was annulled by military fiat and was eventually killed in detention was a Muslim from the South-West. It can also be remembered that the man (Ernest Shonekan who was appointed by fiat to replace Abiola as an interim President was a Christian from the South-West. Yet, the Muslims did not complain then as they did not complain when a former Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the South-South succeeded the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua (from the North) to complete the Northern slot of the Presidency. And he (Jonathan) later won another election with Muslim majority votes for a term of four years.

    Now, with another President from the North in the saddle, the senseless brouhaha has started again at the instance of the South-West media despite the fact that the current Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osibajo (a Pastor) is from the South-West. What exactly do the South-West media want?

     

     Reactions

    In a swift reaction to the new furnace of political war emanating from the South-West media, Sen. Eta Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (who is of course a Christian), has said that the claim by some Nigerians of lopsided federal appointments in the country was untrue. He said that President Muhammadu Buhari followed strictly the principles of Federal Character in all federal appointments.

    Enang went further to state that “He (Buhari) has given us (in the South-South) the Chief of Naval Staff, a very high ranking officer in the Federal Security Council. He has also given us the minister of Budget and then, my humble self as the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters. He has also given us the minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

    “In the entire South-South region, he went further to say that “he (Buhari) gave us Minister of Transportation in charge of about three ministries merged together. He also gave us the Minister of Petroleum and that of budget”.

    He added that President Buhari had visited Cross River State, despite his very tight schedule, to inaugurate construction of the international super highway from Cross River to Cameroon and other countries in the West and Central Africa. Enang did not forget to recall that “President Buhari also provided N6 billion to dualize the road from Calabar to Itu, enroute Ikot Ekpene, to Aba in Abia State.

     

     Further Reactions

    Another South-South cabinet member of the PMB government, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita: the Head of Service of the Federation, also debunked the unfounded allegations of appointment lopsidedness being projected by the South-West media. She said that insinuations that the president unduly favoured a section of the country in appointments were wrong and concluded that the appointments so far made by the president were based on merit and competence. In her words: “President Buhari allows competence and merit to be brought to the fore in his appointments and we are very happy about that. This means that “a door way has been opened for appointments based on merit. If it could happen to me, it could equally happen to anyone else”.

     

    Reaction from the South-West

    If the above reactions from the people of the South-South are seen as a way of keeping their jobs, what can we say of that of an elected Senator from the South-West? In his own reaction to the mischievously damaging media propaganda from his region, a prominent Senator from the South-West, Professor Olusola Adeyeye had the following to say: “This rehash of the prominent positions held by Muslims in Nigeria is mischievous and quite unfortunate. It is the typical Nigerian game of chasing needless shadows rather than focusing on the arduous task of nation-building”.

    He went further: “Until recently, some so-called Christians held commanding heights of the economic governance of our Republic. The Presidency, Headship of National Assembly, Secretary of Govt of the Federation, Head of Service, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, the NNPC, the Stock Exchange etc were headed by so-called Christians. Tragically, they reprobately superintended the profligate looting of our common patrimony. The lone voice of courageous warning belonged to a certified Muslim, Sanusi Lamido, who succeeded Soludo and was hounded for his courage to expose the cult of looters comprising so-called Christians”.

     

    His Analysis

    In his analysis, Senator Adeyeye stated as follows: “Yes, the metastasis of economic ruins in Nigeria was gestated by these Christians. They reduced Pentecostalism to a reprobate pente-rascality (sic) whereby the Dukes and knights of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria became errand boys in the corridor of accursed political power. Their private jets were the conveyors of stolen money!”

    “Tunde Fashola is a Muslim. He now heads what used to be three big ministries. Was he chosen because of his religion? He was chosen because of his track record!”

     

    Prediction of Succour

    “The dust will settle in Nigeria. Change will come despite predictable resistance from reactionary principalities and forces. Hackney references to issues that divide rather than unite us whether by Muslims or Christians, are age-long stumbling blocks to progress.

    It really is a shame when well-educated Nigerians, whether Muslim or Christian, wobble themselves in religious intolerance. Unfortunately, the intolerance is nursed by some imams and pastors mouthing poorly considered facts. Even if seemingly compelling, facts degenerate into half-truths when they are placed, as is often the case, outside of proper context”.

    “The toxicity of half-truths rarely emanates from the profligacy of falsehood but rather from the subtle distortion of truth!  Blatant falsehood is intuitively obvious and as such easy to reject. By contrast, when truth is softly bent, it takes great discernment to perceive its toxicity.

    The Constitution of Nigeria enshrines that every state must be represented in the Cabinet of the Federal Government. Even those of us who feel that this, by itself, creates a cabinet that is too unwieldy, must tolerate such a provision until our pluralistic, multi-ethnic and multi-religious republic evolves into organic nationhood. As such, whoever is the President of Nigeria must have a minimum of 36nMinisters”

     

    Facts and Figures

     

    Of the six ministers representing the Southwestern states, two

    (Fashola from Lagos and Shittu from Oyo) are Muslims while four others (Adeosun from Ogun, Adewole from Osun, Fayemi from Ekiti and Daramola from Ondo) are Christians. All the five ministers from the Southeastern states are Christians as are all six ministers from the states of the south-south. In other words, of the 17 ministers from southern Nigeria, 15 are Christians while 2 are Muslims”.

     

    Analysis on the North

    According to Senator Adeyeye: “In the North-Central, Audu Ogbe from Benue, Solomon Dalong from Plateau, James Ocholi (now deceased) from Kogi are Christians. The remaining three ministers from that zone are Muslims. Even if all the ministers from Northeastern and Northwestern states are Muslims, we are left with a Federal cabinet comprising 18 Christians and 18 Muslims! We have a devout Muslim as President and a no less devout Christian as Vice President. The current composition of the Federal

    Executive Council is one in which only liars will complain that Christians have been marginalized. When in the history of Nigeria has a traveling President transmitted power to the VICE PRESIDENT? That is what Buhari does each time he travels”.

     

     The Legislature

    Senator Adeyeye went further: “Now, let us move to the legislature. Of the 10 Principal Officers of the Nigerian Senate, only three (Saraki, Ndume and Na’alla) are Muslims! The remainder (Ekeremadu, Adeyeye, Alimikhena, Akpabio, Aduda, Bwacha and Olujimi) are Christians! Adeyeye and Bwacha are lay preachers. The House of Representatives is headed by a Christian. With such a composition, the Nigerian Legislature is not a place where

    Christians can be said to be marginalized. In fact, few people realize that there are more Christians than Muslims in the Nigerian Senate”.

     

    The Judiciary

    And in his analysis of Nigerian Judiciary, Senator Adeyeye had this to say: “Now, let us go to the Judiciary. How many judges of the Supreme Court has Buhari appointed? The answer is Zero! Is it fair to blame him for appointments that predated his own election into office? The fear of God, the love of country and basic human decency dictate that we reject an amalgamation of intellectual sophistry with the dereliction of truth”.

    “Unfortunately, it is quite easy for detractors to pick and choose their facts in a manner that allows malignant campaigns of calumny.

    Professor Adeoye Adeniyi, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, was a deacon at Oritamefa Baptist Church Ibadan. He was the Chairman at my wedding. He was also our pediatrician. When he was leaving the University of Ibadan to head the College of Medicine at Ilorin in 1978/79, he handed Oluwatobi (our daughter) to a Moslem doctor in his Department. I asked him why he did not hand us to a Christian. Professor Adeniyi smiled and said, “you do not need a Baptist or for that matter a Christian doctor; you need a pediatrician who will respond even if you call after midnight! “May God guide our Muslim President aright as we wade through the fierce storms…”

    The above facts and figures have spoken for themselves. What do the South-West media want?