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  • ‘No evidence of project concentration in South’

    ‘No evidence of project concentration in South’

    The Governance Accountability and Advocacy Centre (GAAC) has rubbished insinuations that the 2024 budget was skewed in favour of the south. 

    The group said there is no iota of truth in the allegations of lopsided allocations by the Northern Senators Forum, adding that such fallacious claims are intended to cause disaffection among federating entities.

    The GAAC, which made this known at a briefing on Thursday in Abuja, said the budget was passed after careful consideration and debate by the National Assembly. 

    The convener, Okwa Dan, reaffirmed that the budget is designed to benefit all 

    While urging the Senators to interact as colleagues to ensure that the budget is implemented in a way that benefits the nation, Dan said they were elected to work for the good of all Nigerians. 

    He passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the National Assembly, describing them as patriotic, committed, and focused on the Nigerian cause. 

    “We would like to remind the Northern Senators Forum to come forward with a message that clears the air and reasserts that Nigeria is a diverse country with many different ethnic groups and religions. We must work together to build a united and prosperous nation. We must not allow ourselves to be divided along geo-political lines,”  Dan said. 

    “We understand that the Northern Senators Forum may have concerns about the allocation and distribution of resources in the 2024 budget. But these are concerns that can be addressed through dialogue and collaboration. 

    “We urge the Northern Senators Forum to engage in constructive dialogue with their colleagues in the Senate to address any concerns they may have so that some characters will not impersonate them to exploit such. There are provisions for amending the budget, which can be explored to address any identified concerns.

    “We believe that the 2024 budget was passed after careful consideration and debate by the National Assembly. It is a people’s budget that is designed to benefit all Nigerians, not just a particular region or group. We urge the Senators to interact as colleagues to ensure that the budget is implemented in a way that benefits all Nigerians.

    “It is of note that the Leadership of both houses of the National Assembly are evenly distributed across North and South. Membership of the two chambers is also distributed across the country, with the North having more seats than the South. 

    “The Chairmen of Appropriation Committees for both Chambers of the Parliament come from the North and the South, which shows balance. The budget was not passed by lawmakers from the South but by the plenaries of both houses, which had northern lawmakers actively contributing to debates and voting to pass the budget.

    “The reservations that some people are now expressing could have been expressed at the stages when the budget was being considered. This would have ensured that amends were made if there was truly a need for it. But to now begin to castigate a budget they were part of approving smacks of mischief that would not bode well for anyone.

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    *On the executive side, the Minister of Budget and Planning is from the North. He prepared the budget document for the country and could not have allowed the projected spending to be skewed against the North. 

    “As a competent public office holder, he must have put in his best to deliver a budget that addresses the developmental needs of the country. Even if the other stakeholders in the budgeting process colluded to skew the budget against the North, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a true nationalist would not have allowed anything that would undermine the North. 

    “We would like to remind Nigerians that Senators Forum were elected to represent the people of Nigeria. They must consequently work for the good of all Nigerians, regardless of their ethnicity or religion. Their utterances as leaders must therefore be well-guided at this point, particularly bearing in mind the peculiar challenges that the country is having to deal with.”

  • Security initiative: the north present, and the south absent?

    There is a need for a public commitment by southern governors to planning to solve the problem of insecurity, the North has started

    A week ago, northern governors resolved to end insecurity in that part of the country. At the meeting, the 19 members of the Northern Governors Forum deliberated on many regional problems they believe to be crying for solution. Two issues stood out:  establishment of a joint financial institution to accelerate the region’s attainment of financial independence from the central government and finding holistic solution to “insecurity currently bedeviling the region and various ways and means of dealing with the situation.” Some would consider the decision of the northern governors a little late, given the magnitude of security breaches in many northern states while many would say ‘better late than never’ and congratulate the region for taking a good move to stop a bad situation. But citizens from the 17 southern states may be wondering about the silence of their governors on security issues in the south.

    Imitation is a fact of life in all sectors. Good governance is to a large extent a product of imitation, just as the spread of democracy results from the will of countries to emulate good governance processes or ‘best practices’ in other countries. If governors in the southern region are still assessing the security situation, they need to act fast, especially that the citizens under their jurisdiction are living in fear for their lives. The situation is very bad in the Southwest, thus calling on governors to act immediately, to prevent further killing and kidnapping of citizens in the region.

    It is a no brainer that governors from the south from all political parties would know, as much as their northern counterparts, that President Buhari should be open to suggestions from the three zones in the south on how to solve the problems of security in the country. It is also constitutional for the government of any state or region to do what Northern Governors Forum has decided to do; providing a plan to the country’s president on how to end insecurity. There is a need for a public commitment by southern governors to planning to solve the problem of insecurity in the land. If anything, the North has started an enviable initiative in this respect and this initiative deserves to gain the attention of southern states.

    If, for whatever reasons, the southern states have difficulties in organizing a Southern Governors Forum to think together like their northern counterparts, nothing should prevent governors in each of the three southern zones to act and talk about how each of them wishes to address the danger of dwindling security. Although the ideal thing would be for the three zones to organize a southern governors forum to address this urgent matter, it is still acceptable for each zone to do something to assure its citizens that governors in each zone has not chosen to ignore the pains of their citizens at the instance of marauders. It is, however, remarkable that the Southwest Governors Forum has renewed  its mission for another four years. The zone should not delay on launching its own Security Advisory Initiative to assist President Buhari and the federal legislature on a matter that means so much to life and property in the region.

    Without doubt, governors in the southwest would have been receiving information from citizens in the region regarding sudden changes in their lives since the onset of herdsmen-farmers conflict and more so since phenomenal rise in cases of kidnapping in various parts of the region. Without exaggeration, citizens in our region are living in fear because of violent kidnappers in different parts of the region. Given that a major driver of money circulation in the southwest is constant traveling for cultural reasons, a situation, such as now exists in the region, which makes traveling a source of anxiety is bound to slow down circulation of money between Yoruba people in the  big cities and the villages and towns in the Southwest.

    Currently, many Yoruba people with the courage to take the risk of traveling out of their regular stations now park their vehicles and patronize public transport between Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan and other cities and towns in the Yoruba region, in the hope that traveling in rickety commercial buses would save them from kidnappers. This is not happening. Commercial buses are reported to have been stopped by kidnappers. Of course, a combination of those who reduce traveling out of their stations and those that go by public transport cannot but affect the economy of many towns and villages that depend on weekend visitors from the urban areas.

    Many petrol stations between towns in the Southwest no longer have as many customers as they used to have for fueling vehicles and buying snacks. For example, the population of women who sell food items along the highways in the region has been getting smaller by the day since inter-city roads have become theatres of operation for kidnappers. In many Yoruba towns, more money is circulated between Friday and Saturday than in the rest of the week, but many towns in the region are now receiving fewer of their children living in big urban economies like Lagos and Abuja, apparently because such visitors are now afraid of risking being kidnapped between towns.

    Apart from security problems in states visibly threatened by terrorists like Boko Haram, it is conceivable that northern governors have also observed drastic changes in the flow of inter-city travels in their respective states and that such awareness may have influenced the decision of northern governors to work on plans to assist the federal government towards reinforcing the country’s security. That a few days after the meeting at which such decision was taken, the committee has been able to start work suggests how urgent northern governors view the security situation in their region.

    Whatever may have slowed down southern states from embarking on a similar plan needs to be addressed by southern governors, especially Southwest governors. Given that there may be invisible obstacles to forming and sustaining a Southern Governors Forum, there is no reason for any of the three zones in the south to wait indefinitely on establishing dialogues with their citizens on how to make their communities safe from kidnappers and bandits and how to make farmers in the rural areas safe from harassment from herdsmen. It is, therefore, necessary that Southwest governors provide leadership for study and recommendations on how to improve the region’s security, just as their northern counterparts have set out to do.

    Moreover, it is not in the interest of any region to fail to make recommendations to the federal government on solutions to security problems in each region. Regardless of how busy Southwest governors may be on other matters of governance, they need to respond fast to troubling security deficits in the zone. Threats to the way of life of citizens in the region are rising and require immediate attention of not only governors but citizens as well.   Readiness on the part of Southwest governors to contribute to direly needed templates on peace and safety for all is part of functions of any government that is working towards unity, harmony, and development. It is thus proper for governments in the southwest to arrange bi-partisan committees to prepare the region’s blueprint on security in the region and the country.

    Ideally, no region should fail to respond to the challenges facing a country to which we have all made contributions from the era of decolonization to now. But the Yoruba region should show public interest in seeing, like their northern colleagues, the importance of doing a thorough analysis of the current security challenges and making recommendations to the federal government. There should be no reason to make citizens in the southern states look like orphans with no parents to plead the region’s case. And it is not wise to keep mum over the region’s security and unintentionally leave room for suspicion, especially if at the end if only recommendations on how to secure the country by northern governors reach President Buhari.

    There is a Yoruba proverb worth selling to realistic leaders: Ki omo ma ku, aa ni fi nnkan baba re se oogun (To save a son from a deadly disease should not require sacrificing his father). In political language, national and continental unity, though important, cannot justify sacrificing of innocent citizens in any part.

  • Ohaneze: South, Middle Belt won’t vote party without restructuring plan

    Indigenes and residents of Southern and Middle Belt regions will not vote for any political party without concrete plans for restructuring in the 2019 general elections, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo declared yesterday.

    Its President General Chief John Nwodo made the declaration during the maiden edition of “Nkata Umu Ibe”, a monthly distinguished Speaker series organised by Centre for Memories, a pro-Igbo organisation.

    Nwodo also announced emphatically the South East would not fight any war again but partner with other ethnic groups with similar ideologies to continuously engage authorities through diplomatic warfare in ensuring Nigeria is restructured.

    He commended the guest speaker, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who spoke on “Igbo Ekunie: Lessons from post-war recovery in South East Nigeria” stating he gave concise, comprehensive and incisive details into Igbo history, her circumstances arising from the war and post war constitutional repression of her spirit of industry.

    “Since we began the Southern and Middle belt Forum, the ruling party has just remembered it promised restructuring. It has activated a committee headed by the Governor of Kaduna State (Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai) and it has finally come to admit that we can have regional police, that we can have sovereignty over our natural resources including oil.

    “However it expressed reservations for offshore oil to be controlled by the federal government. They have never conceded these before.

    “We are now pushing to say anyone who wants to govern Nigeria in 2019, your manifesto should include restructuring.

    “We will vote for no one who does not want restructuring. On May 21, we are going to have a South East summit on restructuring in which we give the South East Nigeria for restructuring.”

    On the necessity for diplomatic warfare, Nwodo explained: “Any war to be pursued solely as Igbos will not be as efficiently prosecuted as one in which we pursued with people who now agreed in our point of view that the agreement our forefathers had for a federation in 1963 was overthrown by the war and our federation became a unitary system in which the federal government became the Almighty.”

    Odinkalu regretted that Ndigbo lost a lot during the war materially and psychologically, accusing the federal government of failing to fund and implement the three Rs (Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration) as being witnessed with the North East Development Commission established following the devastations by Boko Haram insurgents.

     

  • Cross River South adopts Ayade for second term

    Cross River South adopts Ayade for second term

    Leaders, women and youths in the South Senatorial district yesterday adopted Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade for second term.

    They did the endorsement on the platform of the Seven-Alive group, saying that Ayade had surpassed their expectations in less than three years in office despite dwindling federal allocation and a heavy debt burden.

    Chairman of the socio-political pressure group Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong and other top political leaders from the district affirmed that they would support Ayade for second term based on his excellent performance and the existing zoning arrangement in the state.

    The seven-Alive Local Governments of the South asserted that besides Ayade’s performance, they were looking forward to power returning to the South by 2023.

    It said that the region had been favoured with key appointments of nine of their sons and daughters as members of the State Executive Council – holding key portfolios such as Finance, Health, Petroleum, Gas, Information and Transport.

    They also listed projects completed and ongoing that are located in the South to include the ongoing dualisation of the Calabar/Odukpani junction highway to end the torture that commuters endure on the single lane federal road which is the gateway into a rapidly developing city like Calabar; the completion of design and commencement of work on the 275 kilometre Super highway and the completion of design, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), on the super highway and commencement of pre-construction and reclamation works at the Bakassi Deep seaport.

    Other projects that were named include the completion of the garment factory, pharmaceutical factory, agro-industrial park, rice seeds and seedlings factory, construction of Ayade referral hospital in Odukpani, completion of design of Teachers Continuous Training College TCTC, Biase.

    Ayade, who made a brief stop at the event, announced automatic employment for 3,000 young people.

    The governor said: “Today, look at the statistics, voluntary payment of school fees, house rent payment, medical bills payment, Cross River has noticed a significant improvement, you will notice that more flights are coming into Calabar today.

    “You are realizing that the menace of Skolombo boys is over, you are realizing that we are having a finer class of society. We may not have eliminated crime in totality, but there is progress. There is homeland security taking care of that.”

    “It is against that strength that I am here before you. But, I know very very well that normally in traditional societies where there is always focus on the bottom line which is money, governments don’t focus on people; they focus on projects and things that will get them reelected.

    “But I have focused on the stomach, I have focused on the intellect and the future that you have got that I know is bigger than even mine; that I feel that this intercourse that we are having will bring a better tomorrow for you,” he said.

    After the speeches, a motion for Ayade’s endorsement was moved by Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Joseph Bassey (PDP, Calabar South 1) and seconded by Mr. Ogban Ogban.

  • Kwara 2019: APC, PDP in battle for the south

    Kwara 2019: APC, PDP in battle for the south

    The people of Kwara South senatorial district are daily being bombarded by aspirants seeking to represent them at the senate come 2019. Already, discussions are rife about ongoing subtle struggle for the senatorial tickets of the two leading parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this report, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the various contending forces in the zone ahead of the 2019 elections.

    AHEAD of the 2019 general election, the people of the southern senatorial district in Kwara state have been discussing ways of ensuring that the area fares better socio-economically and politically in the forthcoming dispensation. The need for the said discussion, according to sources who spoke with The Nation, may not be unconnected with the widespread belief among the people that Kwara South has little or nothing to lay claim to as dividends of democracy.

    Stakeholders from the zone, at the end of a recent convergence in Esie town, Irepodun local government area of the State, collectively agreed that the zone needs to do more politically if it is to catch up with other areas in the state socio-economically. Speakers at the parley were unanimous in blaming what they described as age-long bad representation of the district at the national assembly, for the backwardness they noticed in Kwara South.

    Vowing to continue to work for the emancipation of the zone after the meeting, many dignitaries at the event lamented the political and infrastructural under-development of the district. They also attributed the problems to disunity among the indigenes, citing the many irreconcilable political differences among the elites of the senatorial district as one of the major problems confronting the area.

    Explaining why the people of the area are agitated ahead of the 2019 general election, Comrade Ishaq Adegboye, a former Organising Secretary of the Action Alliance (AA), said there is a widespread desire for a change in the political fortune of the zone among the people. According to him, the forthcoming 2019 senatorial election in the district will be a very interesting one as the people are now determined to take their own destiny in their own hands.

    “Kwara south have been very unlucky when you consider the slow pace of development here. For a people who are know to have championed community development efforts long before other areas in the state and even the country, it is not a good testimony. There are seven local government areas in the district namely, Ekiti, Offa and Oke-Ero, Oyun, Ifelodun, Irepodun and Isin.

    “Our people are known to be industrious and enterprising. We are famous for our age-long self -help initiatives. Developmental projects have been carried out through self help here long before the creation of states. So, haven’t done so much for ourself, we expect more from government. But we have been unlucky. Not even the fact that we produced the Governor of the state have changed anything.

    “It is for this reason, and for the purpose of changing our current situation, that we are mobilizing our people to show more than passing interest in politics. We are telling the people to change the game by changing the people they vote for. Our people ordinarily are more interested in the businesses, leaving politics to a few. But in 2019, when it will be time to elect the next senator, all that will change,” he said.

    All eye on the senate seat

    The senatorial district is currently being represented in the upper chamber of the national assembly by Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, who before now, was a member of the lower chamber of the national assembly. He contested on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, Lola Asiru, counterpart with 53,102 votes to 37, 496 to win the seat.

    Severely accused of underperforming by many of his constituents, Ibrahim has consistently argued otherwise, claiming to be doing his best to improve the fortune of Kwara south. But Adegboye, while asking the Senator to mention specific efforts made in the last three years, said the current senator scores very low among the people in terms of attracting dividends democracy to the zone.

    “I don’t think it is fair on his part to be doing his best. He should mention specific things he has done or he is doing in the past three years. The people are wiser and they know those representing their interest. At the appropriate time, the people will show all of us that they are no fools. Let those who are playing pranks with the mandate of the people continue. 2019 is soon here,” he said.

    Another constituent of the district and former State coordinator of Buhari Support Movement (BSM), Cornelius Oyedepo, told The Nation that the people of Kwara south have been disappointed by their current representatives in government. He lamented that the euphoria that followed the clamor for change in 2015 was greeted with disappointment following the failure of government to extend dividends of democracy to the area.

    “The current governor is from our senatorial district. But what do we have to show for that? The people have always been loyal to the progressive parties. It is unfortunate that we have not been well represented. That is why we are going round and building a formidable platform to ensure that our next senator is someone who will really put our interest over and above any other interest or loyalty,” he said.

    With the above scenario playing out in the zone, little wonder then that the struggle for the senate seat is fast gathering momentum with a good number of aspirants already throwing their hats into the ring to compete for the position. Aside the aspirants currently putting structures up across the senatorial district in preparation for the contest, the leading political parties too are warming up to clinch the seat in 2019.

     

    The race begins

    The race for the senate seat in Kwara south is tense. Expectedly, the contenders for the prized slot are heavyweights in their own rights. Political analysts say right from the primary elections of the leading parties, the ruling APC and the opposition PDP, the people of Kwara south will have an array of aspirants to select from in line with the determination to choose rightly this time around.

    According to Oyedepo, more people are still expected to join the race as the election draw nearer. He explained that beyond the APC and the PDP, some other political parties will also field candidates in the forthcoming election hoping to reap from the new resolve of the people to look beyond the frontline political parties in making the choice of who goes to the senate for Kwara south in 2019.

    “Whoever will emerge victorious this time around will have the people to thank for his victory. The new resolve is such that we will not be swayed by the size of a political party nor the family name of a candidate. The pope know what they want and this time, they are ready to ask for it with their votes. It is only the man who fits their bill that will emerge as the next Senator,” he said.

    Among the names currently being touted to be eyeing the Kwara south senatorial seat is that of the incumbent Governor of the state, AbdulFatah Ahmed. Though he is yet to publicly declare interest in the job, party sources say it is common knowledge within the ruling APC that the Governor will run for the senate seat of his home district during the next general election.

    “The governor will run for the senate. He is going to the senate after leaving office as governor. That is know to us in the APC and I think he deserves it. He has been governor for eight years and he is from Kwara south. Tell me who else should represent the people at the national assembly apart form him. Even the current senator knows that he will not be getting a second term,” a party chieftain said

    And as the name of the Governor continue to crop up as a potential APC senatorial candidate in 2019, political cloud gathers over the fate of incumbent Senator Ibrahim. However, some sources close to him says he has not said he will not be seeking a return to the senate in 2019. According to one of his allies in the senatorial district, the political future of the Senator depends on the party.

    “It is wrong for anybody to say Ibrahim is automatically not running for a second term. He is the current occupier of the seat and he has done very well for the people. He is a loyal party man and the party is very proud of him. So, it is only the party that can decide his political future as far as 2019 is concerned. No one else can. For now, it is better to say he will follow the directive of the party come 2019,” he said.

    Also on the platform of the ruling APC, another possible candidate is Hon. Saheed Popoola, a member of Kwara State House of Assembly. A grassroots politician of note, he was the only Local Government Chairman elected on the platform of the then opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007. His political camp are of the opinion that with his popularity across the district, he stand a good chance of wrestling the APC ticket from both Governor Ahmed and the incumbent Senator.

     

    A straight fight?

    And within the opposition PDP, the struggle for the senatorial ticket will not be less fiery. While talks about the desire of Senator Suleiman Ajadi to seek a return to the red chamber in 2019 on the platform of the PDP are now very rife, he is yet to make a categorical statement on his rumored ambition. But The Nation learnt the two-term Senator may actually be considering running again in 2019.

    “He is a good material. His record as our senator is yet to be surpassed but the party will need more than what he has in stock to defeat the ruling APC in 2019. We need a more vibrant front to go out with. His supporters within the party are already selling the idea of his candidacy but he is yet to officially declare his intention to vie for the senatorial ticket in 2019,” a party source said.

    Similarly, Lola Asiru, the party’s candidate at the last election is said to be warming up to take another shot at the seat. If he does, it would be his first attempt since the return to democracy in 1999. A politician with a wide network of supporters across the zone, his ambition, like that of Ajadi, is still in the realm of speculations. But reliabel sources say he is already working underground to achieve his aim.

    Looming larger than others in the race towards the the ticket of the PDP is Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun, an America-based aeronautic Engineer who unlike his fellow party men, has openly declared his interest in the job. Though not a known politician before now, his philanthropic gestures across the towns and villages in the district had already endeared him to the people long before his foray into partisan politics.

    And since he showed interest in the race, his political group, the Engineer Nurudeen  Adeyemi Contact Team (ENACT), has left no one in doubt of his determination to grab the ticket of the PDP and go ahead to win the election for the opposition party. This is just as pundits say Adeyemi’s entrance into the race may have redefined the chances of the PDP in the senatorial contest.

    “Before now, the fear of the people who feels the current representation is not good enough has been that PDP may not offer any better alternative. But with Adeyemi coming to say he is interested, there is something new on the horizon already and that will make the coming election really competitive. They may be correct to say he is new in politics, but he is not new to the people. We know him through the many selfless contributions he has been making all over the district,” a source added.

    So prominent is the aspiration of Adeyemi, who is the President Igbomina Community in North America (ICNA), that some pundits are already predicting a two-horse race fight between him and Governor Ahmed of the APC come 2019.

    “I see Adeyemi picking the ticket of the PDP in the long run. Currently, he is the man to beat. The majority of the members of the PDP in Kwara south will rather have him fly the banner of the party. And if you consider the fact that with Senator Bukola Saraki’s support, Governor Ahmed will easily muscle others to claim the APC ticket, the final race may just be between the two of them,” Oyedepo predicted.

    Thus, as the race towards the 2019 senatorial contest in Kwara south gathers momentum, the questions on many lips is “who will go to the senate to represent the people of the district? And while political parties and politicians continue to scheme and plan in their quest to clinch the coveted seat, observers of the politics of the state insist the contest will be keenly contested because “this time around, the people are determined to take make their votes count.”

  • South coalesces

    •The Southern Governors Forum convened to show how a good idea never dies

    It was not a mere photo op. The line-up of governors from the south of the country demonstrated how the past can roar to the future in a moment in time. The host was Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, but it also harked back to a time a former chief executive crested the top Alausa chair, former governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was the human force of its genesis and backbone of its many great memories. But, at stake, was not just the south but the fate of the federation.

    The meeting, enthusiastically attended by virtually all the southern governors, is known as the Southern Governors Forum. It is not new. It was once a Trojan horse of Nigeria’s democracy before tapered into oblivion. It prospered between 2001 and 2005.

    Groups rise and fall in democracies to stimuli of history.  As Governor Ambode noted in his speech, the SGF rebirth came at an “appropriate time.”

    It is appropriate because of the impulse to recalibrate the polity, to make it a state that endorses justice and fairness and erases a sense of regional entitlement at the expense of others. It is a move to bring balance and republican energy to a failing experiment.

    It is interesting to look back at the first SGF incarnation and record its triumphs for the country. From its Akodo Beach Resort beginning, it was, first and foremost, a voice of vibrant alternative in the country. While the North had its own presence, the south served a menu of progressive agenda. One of its achievements was to enact a 13 percent derivation formula that gave airings to the agitations of the oil-bearing states. This opened other lee ways for fairness. The federation account was no longer an arbitrary purse for the centre. The controversial first line charge for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) projects, servicing federal government’s debts and other such imperatives became illegal.

    Also, no special funds to cater to the Exclusive List burdens of the Federal Government. The independence of states in the classic definition of federalism was cardinal in one of the Supreme Court judgments in Lagos that triggered more local governments to come into place. Clearly, big matters begin with one opened door. Governor Ambode has led, through the courts, to state control of such matters as  the environment, urban and physical planning, regulation of overhead masts, registration and regulation of hotels, restaurants and events centres. Big matters paved ways for smaller but valuable victories for federalism.

    It is the root of the struggle for a fairer federal union. No election in recent history railed at the imbalance as the 2015 polls. The call for fiscal federalism has been the word in the south for years until this year put it in greater context with the call for restructuring.

    The regions in the south had coalesced their governors for local needs, like the southwest governors, south-south governors and the southeast governors. The various fora have now coalesced into the SGF without losing their individualities. This is good for democracy and for the progress of the country.

    At the end, the SGF resolved that they would push for devolution of powers to achieve fiscal federalism. But that will also come in the context of connected infrastructure and acceleration of economic development in the south.

    This is nothing new in the north. With Gov Ambode as leader of the body, it is expected he will continue with the dynamism that Asiwaju Tinubu put into it. It is instructive that he engineered this rebirth with Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, which makes the SGF an apparently genuine attempt at a fraternity of progress and not hegemony.

  • Kwara South unites ahead of 2019

    Kwara South unites ahead of 2019

    Stakeholders from the Kwara South Senatorial District recently converged on the ancient city of Esie, Irepodun local government area of Kwara State to discuss the way forward for the district.

    Tagged ‘Kwara South Emancipation,’ speakers at the event lamented the political and infrastructural under-development of the district.

    They attributed the problems to disunity among the indigenes.

    They also put the blame on the footsteps of irreconcilable political differences and selfishness of some politicians from the area.

    The event was sponsored by an American-based aerospace engineer, Nurudeen Adeyemi.  Adeyemi in the initiator of Igbomina mobile clinic.

    An elder statesman, Chief James Sogo, blamed the backwardness of the district on over-dependence of get-rich-quick syndrome.

    He said: “We want the long-suffering Kwara South to move forward.  I urge you all to help solve this problem. I also pray that come 2019 one of us we occupy the Kwara state Government House.”

    The former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, said Kwara South has many challenges.

    This according to him “is because our yesterday was better than our today. Any community that celebrates its yesterday over today is undergoing decay.

    “The wisdom in this gathering is great. I must concede that we have problems in Kwara South. This is because our yesterday was better than today. Yesterday truth was commonplace. These days hard work is a scarce commodity as people are looking for short cut to success. Politicians of today are not interested in wooing people to their camp. They even win elections without the people voting for them.

    “From 1999 till date, Kwara South politics has diametrically changed as money bags have hijacked our politics. As a result many people have lost confidence in the system. There is no principled politicians.

    “We also have problem religious discrimination. People use religion as a ladder to get offices. Money politics is significantly Kwara state made’s contribution to Nigerian politics.”

    Oyedepo said that the district is  divided on the basis of communal interest.

    He said: “We need to sensitise one another. That is why the PDP is taking the lead in radio sensitisation.

    “The best way to bring one another together is for all of us to know that we are collectively being trampled underfoot.

    “The unity of Kwara South will Herald the unity of the state and it will ensure the freedom of the state. Even though, we are poor in resources, we are richer in population.”

    Earlier, Adeyemi who is also President, Igbomina Community, North America said “the reason for today’s gathering is to reappraise the floundering unity amongst the old Igbomina-Ekiti.

    “Our brotherhood in the entire Kwara South used to be very strong but over the years we have fractured and broken away from one another. The gathering is to enable us reconnect to one another and bury our differences. Lack of development and progress is a source of problem for all of us regardless of our differences.

    “But some of us that are coming from behind we cannot come here to lecture our elders that had been on this struggle.

  • Zoning: Ekiti South meets to reduce aspirants

    Zoning: Ekiti South meets to reduce aspirants

    Stakeholders have commenced a move to reduce the number of governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti South Senatorial District to ensure that the zone produces a “strong candidate” capable of winning the governorship election.

    The APC aspirants from the zone had an interface with an interest group, the Ekiti South for Governor Forum, in Ado-Ekiti where they pledged to support whoever  emerges from among them for the top job.

    The zone has not produced an elected governor since Ekiti State was created on October 1, 1996. Seventeen aspirants from Ekiti South have shown interest in the APC ticket.

    Aspirants who attended the meeting included former House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Femi Bamisile; former House of Representatives member, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi; former Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Gbenga Aluko and former Commissioner for Works Chief Diran Adesua.

    Others were former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Projects, Mr. Muyiwa Olumuyiwa; former House of Assembly Service Commission Chairman, Hon. Bayo Idowu; former Commissioner for Budget and Planning Mr. Debo Ajayi and Captain Sunday Adebomi.

    Those who sent representatives were Dr. Wole Oluyede, Mr. Kola Alabi and Chief Dele Okeya.

    The Chairman of Ekiti South for Governor Forum, Chief Oluwole Ariyo, said the district has quality aspirants who have the education, exposure, experience and pedigree to be elected at next year’s poll.

    He said the major task ahead of the Forum was to work out modalities to forestall the consequences of an unwieldy number of aspirants from the South senatorial district.

    He said: “All of us are fully aware of the consequences of the failure of this unique and historical struggle by the South to rpduce the governor in 2018. All of us are also convinced that the strugg;e can only produce one governor.

    “We are here to plead with ourselves to avoid a situation where e will lose everything and gain nothing.

    “We therefore, wish to admonish our aspirants to embrace this stark reality and forge partnerships and come up with a resolution that would throw up a candidate that will be formidable and acceptable to the generality of Ekiti people.”

    The convener of the meeting who is also an aspirant, Prof. Philip Omoniyi Adetiloye, said the meeting will be a continuous one to ensure that the dream is realised.

    Adetiloye disclosed that all the aspirants are planning a joint rally to drum the Ekiti South governorship agenda to APC leaders and voters in few weeks time to show their commitment to the project.

  • South leaders condemn National Assembly over devolution of power

    A group of Southern leaders, under the aegis of Southern Leader Forum Nigeria (SLFN), yesterday condemned the decision of the National Assembly to shut down Nigerians’ quest for devolution of power.

    The leaders, who spoke in Lagos after a meeting, expressed dismay that the nation was drawn backward in its march toward the attainment of true federalism.

    Dignitaries at the meeting included Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo; former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Albert Horsfall; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Brig.-Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (retd), Vanguard publisher Sam Amuka and former Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Joe Irukwu.

    Others include Col. Tony Nyiam (retd.), Bassey Henshaw, Senator Stella Omu, an activist Yinka Odumakin, Guy Ikoku, Kunle Olajide, Amos Akingba and Ralph Uwazurike.

    Odumakin read the communique issued at the end of the meeting.

    He said: “This meeting affirms its earlier resolution in the fervent belief in the concept of one Nigeria, which we have devoted most of our adult lives to promoting and building. However, we do not want a Nigeria where any section will leave as slaves of another but rather we want a Nigeria where all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation, are able to live their lives to the fullest and in happiness without let or hindrance.

    “We hold dearly that anyone who is opposed to this vision is an enemy of Nigeria of our dream.

    “We noted with sadness for Nigeria the recent shroud discussion of the National Assembly in shutting down devolution in their recent votes in the constitutional amendment. Their decision reflects the deepest disregard for the popular demand for the freeing of more powers to the federating units from our shocking central government. Instead of devolving power, the National Assembly has now given us a stronger centre that will conduct elections in local governments against extant provisions of the federalism.

    “It is obvious that the National Assembly has taken itself out of the resolution of the Nigerian crisis by foreclosing devolution of power.

    “Unknown to the lawmaker, they have unwittingly given more ammunition to self-determination forces by attempting to collapse the restructuring column in the battle for the soul of Nigeria…”

  • ‘Ekiti South should produce next governor ‘

    ‘Ekiti South should produce next governor ‘

    A group has called on political parties in Ekiti State to field candidates from Ekiti South senatorial District as the electorate go to the poll next year to elect a new governor.

    The Ekiti South for Governor Forum, warned that “Ekiti risks an imminent breakout of internal crisis,” if the South district is relegated in the politics of the State at a time when Nigerians are clamouring for total restructuring to correct some imbalances.

    Its Chairman Chief Oluwole Ariyo, who made the call at a news conference in Ikere-Ekiti, stressed that the zone has quality aspirants worthy of being elected into the state highest office.

    Ariyo said it was against equity, justice and fair play to deny Ekiti South an opportunity to produce governor for the first time since the state was created over 20 years ago. Ekiti Central and Ekiti North had enjoyed the slot before.

    The call came on the heels of the declaration of former Governor Segun Oni for governor race while speculations are rife that his immediate predecessor and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi was also interested.

    Ekiti South comprise Gbonyin, Ikere, Ekiti East, Ise/Orun, Emure and Ekiti Southwest local government areas.

    “The other two senatorial districts will be carrying a deadly and cancerous burden if they say the South does not have the right to produce governor in next year’s governorship election,” Ariyo contended.

    He dismissed the argument of some interest groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the party’s constitution does not make provision for zoning of political offices and positions.