The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Southwest

  • ‘Southwest should produce PDP chairman’

    ‘Southwest should produce PDP chairman’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has called on the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest to be contest for the National Chairmanship next year. He said the Southwest deserved the position, urging the stakeholders must forge a common front to get it.

    The governor, who also maintained that installing a new chairman from the Northeast for the party at this time was a waste of time, advocated for the appointment of a caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the party after the expiration of the tenure of Chief Uche Secondus as Acting National Chairman.

    In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “Since the PDP will pick its presidential candidate from the North in 2019, the Southwest that has not produced the party’s National Chairman should take the position next year.”

    He said rather than going about canvassing for the completion of the Northeast tenure as National Chairman of the party, what party leaders from the North should be concerned with is who will be presented as the presidential candidate in 2019.

    I think the party needs a caretaker committee by November rather than a substantive chairman. It will be more desirable that a Caretaker Committee is put in place by November to pilot the affairs of the party and organise a National Convention that will usher in a new National Working Committee (NWC) early next year.

     

    “What can anyone achieve as National Chairman in less than five months?

     

    “Methinks the time and resources being devoted to securing the party chairmanship position for just less than five months should rather be devoted to getting the presidential ticket, Governor Fayose said.

     

    On why the Southwest must produce the next Chairman, Governor Fayose said; “Since the presidential candidate will come from the North, the chairman will naturally come from the South.

     

    “The Southeast already had its tenure as the party chairman and the South-South just left the presidency.

     

    “Therefore, it is fair for the next National Chairman of the party to come from the Southwest and it is my plea that those who are interested in the position should start reaching out now.”

     

  • FERMA begins rehabilitation of federal roads in Southwest

    THE Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced inspection, assessment and rehabilitation of all federal roads across the Southwest states.

    The Deputy General Manager, Road Maintenance Management Services (RMMS) Mrs Bola Ilemore spoke with reporters in Ibadan, on during a tour of federal roads.

    Ilemore revealed that the essence of the inspection exercise, which, according to her, commenced from Lagos State, is expected to provide a platform for maintenance of all federal roads in the region.

    Ilemore, who led a team of FERMA officials on the iexercise in Oyo State from old Oyo/Ojoo Road in Ibadan through Ibadan Expressway-Iseyin/Oyo old Road-Ado-Awaye  and Maya/Igboora Road, said the Federal Government is determined to improve on the current status of its  roads nation-wide.

    Those who were part of the tour were Mrs Ilamore; the zonal co-ordinator Southwest, Mrs Mary Adeniran, representative of FERMA in Oyo State, Francis Ishabiyi, Yemi Olaniyan and Mrs Adunola Bamgbopa.

    Ilemore stated that the aim was to ensure that the intervention works that had been done before now are sustained. She added that the exercise was also targeted at looking at the federal roads generally, identify critical failure areas and make arrangement and recommendation to government on how to commence the repairs of these failures immediately.

    Ilemore said: “We’re also inspecting our repair works and maintenance contracts generally and direct labour works to ensure that these works are done in line with our specifications and standards.

    “We actually commenced the exercise in Lagos State. In Lagos, we inspected Lagos-Badagry/Seme Border dual carriage way, Apapa/Oworonsoki dual carriage way, Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road, Ikorodu/Itoikin Road and Ikorodu/Sagamu Road.  “In all the roads inspected, our contractors are working while our direct labour work are also in progress and the quality of work done is satisfactory. What we saw was in line with our specification and standards and we have looked generally at our drainage network. We’re also ensuring the desilting of base to allow for timely discharge of run off from our roads whenever it rains.

    Then, we proceeded to Ogun State and inspected Agbara/Atan Road, Ota/Abeokuta Expressway and moved to Papalanto/Sagamu Road, then to  Sagamu/Ajebandele Expressway. There also, work is in progress with our contractors and we have identified critical washout which we’re going to effect and ensure that repairs are done immediately.

    “In Oyo State, we started with Oyo/Ibadan Old Road and Ibadan/Oyo Expressway. We inspected a critical washout on the road, the old alignment on Oyo road and have identified the problems and we have also come up with solutions. In no time, we will commence repair work of that failed section.

    For Ibadan/Oyo Expressway, we discovered movement of the wearing course on the surface of the road and we’re looking at milling and overlaying the peeled section of the road. Maybe, in the nearest future, we may consider entire overlay stretch of the road to further strengthen the road.”

    She addressed reporters in Maya where FERMA is currently providing alternative bridge which had been dilapitated over the years.

    Mrs Ilemore said FERMA’s main priority was to ensure that all road users across the country ply the road with ease,  adding that work will soon be completed on the bridge for the use of the people of the area.

  • FERMA begins rehabilitation of federal roads 

    FERMA begins rehabilitation of federal roads 

    The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced inspection, assessment and rehabilitation of all federal roads across the south west states.

    This was disclosed by the deputy general manager, Road Maintenance Management Services (RMMS) Engineer (Mrs) Bola Ilemori, while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, on Wednesday during a tour of federal roads in the state.

    Ilemori, disclosed that the essence of the inspection exercise, which according to her commenced from Lagos State, is expected to provide a platform for maintenance of all federal roads in the region.

    Ilemori, who led a team of other FERMA officials in the inspection of federal roads team in Oyo state from old Oyo/Ojoo road in Ibadan through, Ibadan/expressway-Iseyin/Oyo old road-Ado-Awaye and Maya/Igboora road, said the Federal Government is determined to improve on the current status of its
    roads nationwide.

    The officials in the team of engineers who made the tour with Ilamori include: the zonal coordinator South West (Mrs) Mary Adeniran, representative of FERMA in Oyo State, Francis Ishabiyi, Yemi Olaniyan and Mrs Adunola Bamgbopa.

    Ilemori stated that the aim is to ensure that the intervention works that had been done before now are sustained.

    She added that the exercise is also targeted at looking at the federal roads generally, identify critical failure areas and make arrangement and recommendation to commence the repairs of these failures
    immediately.

    According to Ilemori; “We’re also inspecting our repair works and maintenance contracts generally and direct labour works to ensure that these works are done in line with our specifications and standards.

    “We actually commenced the exercise in Lagos State. In Lagos, we inspected Lagos-Badagry/seme border dual carriage way, Apapa/Oworonsoki dual  carriage way, Murtala Mohammed International airport road, Ikorodu/Itoikin road and Ikorodu/Sagamu road.

    “In all the roads inspected, our contractors are working while our direct labour work is also in progress and the quality of work done is satisfactory. What we saw is in line with our specification and standards and we have looked generally at our drainage network. We’re also ensuring the desilting of base to allow for timely discharge of run off from our roads whenever it rains.

    Then, we proceeded to Ogun State and inspected Agbara/Atan road, Ota/Abeokuta expressway and moved to Papalanto/Sagamu road, then to Sagamu/Ajebandele expressway. There also, work is in progress with our contractors and we have identified critical washout which we’re going to effect and
    ensure that repairs are done immediately.

    “In Oyo State,we started with Oyo/Ibadan old road and Ibadan/Oyo expressway. We inspected a critical wash out on the road, the old alignment on Oyo road and have identified the problems and we have also come up with solutions. In no time, we will commence repair work of that failed section.

    “For Ibadan/Oyo expressway, we find out movement of the wearing course on the surface of the road and we’re looking at milling and overlaying the peeled section of the road. Maybe in the nearest future, we may consider entire overlay stretch of the road to. Further strengthen the road.”

  • ‘How Southwest was shortchanged in SURE-P projects’

    ‘How Southwest was shortchanged in SURE-P projects’

    Former Chairman, Ekiti State Special Intervention and Empowerment Programme (SIEP) Committee, a portion of the state subsidiary Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, Chief Samuel Bandele Falegan, in a letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo in January last year, highlight how the states in the Southwest were shortchanged in the SURE-P projects.
    The letter reads:

    Your Excellencies

    UTILIZATION OF SURE-P FUND

    I am reluctantly compelled to write this letter to you on the above subject, especially the controversy about the “missing N500billion”.

    The document on SURE-P released in January 2012 contained among other things the following:

    ·   The total projected subsidy reinvestible funds per annum are N1.134 trillion based on average crude oil price of US$90 per barrel. Out of this, N478.49 billion accrues to Federal Government, N411.03 billion to State Governments, N203.23 billion to Local Governments, N9.86 billion to the federal Capital Territory (FCT) and N31.37 billion as Transfers to Derivation and Ecology, Development of Natural Resources and Stabilization Funds.

    ·   In order to transform the economy, in line with the Vision 20:2020 objectives, critical infrastructure projects in the power, roads, transportation, water and downstream petroleum sectors will be executed.

    ·   Public works programmes will include projects such as:

    a.   Environmental Projects

    i.    Execution of flood and erosion-control works;

    ii.  Waste disposal and sanitation community projects;

    iii. Tree planting to combat desertification.

    b.   Education Infrastructure: Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Education Infrastructure and Facilities.

    c.   Health Infrastructure: Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Health Infrastructure and Facilities.

    After deciding to remove oil subsidy, the Federal Government set up a subsidy withdrawal organ (SURE-P) which is to use the proceeds or savings from the subsidy to finance development projects nationwide. Under it, each state, including the Federal Capital Territory, share in the proceeds of the oil subsidy in accordance with the Federal Revenue allocation formula. While each state is free to use its own share for projects of its choice, the Federal share is to cover the whole Federation in key areas warranting development.

    As a follow-up, The Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja made the following release in the Punch Newspapers on Wednesday April 16, 2012.

     

    FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE, ABUJA 

    SAVINGS FROM SUBSIDY REINVESTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME, FEBRUARY, 2012

    At the inception of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), the Jonathan administration made solemn commitment to the transparent and accountable implementation of the programme. In keeping with this pledge, here is breakdown of the subsidy saving for February 2012 allocates to the Federal, States and Local Governments.

    At the inauguration of the Ekiti State’s committee, the following are extracts from the Governor’s speech. “On 1st January 2012, the Federal Government announced the full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector of the economy. To an average Nigerian, this only means removal of fuel subsidy and an increase in the pump price of petrol. The pump price of petrol then moved from N65 to N141 per litre and later reduced to N97 per litre.

    In February 2012, the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR inaugurated the subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) headed by Dr. Christopher Kolade to utilize the funds accruing from pump price increase for inventions in critical sectors of the national economy to touch the lives of ordinary Nigerians. On our part, we had wanted to inaugurate this scheme as far back as February 2012, but our accrued share of the gains was not released until May, 2012. As a matter of fact, the Federal Government released the accruals from the savings from the subsidy removal policy for the first five months of the years to the three tiers of government just recently. A separate account has been opened for this purpose in the State.

    This committee that is being inaugurated is a creation of the State Executive Council and it is empowered to provide the implementation plans for the management of the fund with clear concentration on projects that will have a direct impact on the people. In this regard, attention will be given to Youth Empowerment through commercial agriculture which was launched recently, health Care Delivery with particular reference to save Motherhood and Public Transportation which will promote tricycle rather than Okada for hinterland access in our urban and rural areas among other critical schemes aimed at complementing the Government’s various social empowerment interventions.

    Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, members of this committee have been carefully selected to reflect the importance attached to the assignment on hand. By every standard, these distinguished citizens have proven track record of capability, integrity and courage to call a spade its name. They are people of character who have over the years created a niche for themselves in their various professions and callings as excellent performers. I can say with certainty that they would apply themselves to the work with dignity so that the common man would further have a feel of purposeful governance that our administration has been identified with. This Committee has been structured not to be held hostage by bureaucratic red-tape given the sense of urgency that the various initiatives require.”

    At the Ekiti State level, I was privileged to have been chosen by the State Governor to manage with a committee of 9 members the Ekiti state portion of the SURE-P re-christened Ekiti State Special Intervention and Empowerment Programme (SIEP). With all sense of responsibility our books are available for public scrutiny; we have scrupulously and honestly kept to our mandate.

    For the utilization of the State’s own SIEP, a Bureau of Special Projects was created which as appeared in THE NATION Tuesday March 12 2013 was to embark on the following projects:

    i.    Renovation of 18 General Hospitals;

    ii.  Construction of 3 Mother and Child Hospitals;

    iii. Construction of 16 Local Government Markets across the State;

    iv. Construction of Bus Terminus in Ado-Ekiti;

    v.   Drilling of Boreholes;

    vi. Construction of 36 Bus Stops in Ado-Ekiti;

    vii.      Completion of Staff Clinic at the State Secretariat Complex.

     

    Incidentally the SIEP support funding of the Dualization of ADO-IWOROKO-IFAKI road which is a Federal road project arises from the failure of the Federal Government to reimburse or refund the money owed to the State Government on the road.

    With the approval of the state Governor, the following on-going projects are being       jointly developed with the State Government with financial support from SIEP:

    (A) State Legacy projects

    (i)  Freedom pavilion to which SIEP has contributed over N500million is nearing completion.

    (ii) N350million for Life Academy Centre at Iluomoba.

    (B)  N300million for the state Ministry of Education for the rehabilitation and renovation of three major secondary schools one in each senatorial district.

    (C) N300million for SUBEB for textbooks and core subjects.

     

    The crux of the matter

    However, what you will observe Your Excellency is that while each state has or is receiving its share of the subsidy based on existing revenue allocation, the Federal Government is to use its own portion to intervene in specific areas throughout the Federation.

    Some of such areas as listed in the SURE-P release and contained in the Federal Ministry of Finance shown above is the very crux of the matter. It is the inequity, political disfranchisement and bias in the utilization of the Federal portion which has marginalized the core / South-West of Nigeria that I will illustrate with three specific instances.

     

    The Role of SURE-P As An Instrument of Nation-wide Intervention Development Strategy.

    (i)         Infrastructural Discrimination

    A major marginalization of the core South-West, is the Federal Government announcement that it plans to construct 10 new rail lines as reported in The Punch of 24th December 2012. The information as contained on Page 26 of that paper is partly reproduced below:

    “The Federal Government has announced plans to construct 10 new rail lines to cover other parts of the country currently not linked by rail. The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, said on Friday that already feasibility studies have commenced on seven of the proposed railway lines. Umar who spoke in Lagos at the inauguration of the Lagos-Kano train service and resumption of fuel haulage by train from Lagos to Offa, said that the feasibility studies on three other planned rail line would be done in 2013. He gave the total distance of the areas to be covered by the seven rail lines as 3,421 kilometres. The Minister said that at the completion of the feasibility studies, the railway development project would be undertaken through public private partnership arrangement. Upon final construction of these lines, it will improve mass movement of Nigerians and open windows for rapid economic development minister and regional interaction,” he said. Umar stressed that all the new rail lines would be constructed as standard gauge track for the movement of fast trains. According to him, the new lines would cover Lagos-Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin (300km); Benin-Agbor-Onitsha-Nnewi-Owerri-Aba, with additional line from Onitsha-Enugu-Abakaliki (500km).

    It also includes a 615km-high-speed rail track from Lagos, Oshogbo and Baro. The minister listed Ajaokuta-Obajana-Jakutu-Baro-Abuja, with additional line from Ajaokuta to Otukpo (533km), Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Sokoto-Ilela-Birnin Koni (520km) as other areas to be covered. Others are costal rail line linking Benin-Sapele-warri-Yenagoa-Port Harcourt-Aba-Uyo-Akampa-Ikom-Obudu Cattle ranch (673km); and Ajaokuta-Eganyi-Lokoja-Abaji-Abuja line (280km). The other three lines whose feasibility contracts would be awarded next year are Port Harcourt-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Kaduna-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri; Ikom-Ogoja-Kastina-Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri and Kani-Nguru-Gashua-Damaturu-Maiduguri-Gamborun-Ngala.

    With 10 new railway lines that excludes the core southwest, pray does the phrase “other parts of the country currently not linked by rail” include Oyo-Ekiti-Ondo? Pray why such planned railway not extended between Oyo State (Ibadan) to Ekiti-State (Ado-Ekiti) to Ondo State (Akure)? After all, each state capital was planned to be connected by rail under the Obasanjo administration.

    How will envisaged economic benefits extend to those neglected states? How do they benefit in terms of employment, enhancement of trade and commerce within and outside the communities? How do the neglected states take pressure off the overburdened roads and reduce frequency of road accidents, strengthen social and intercultural relations? How do these excluded states benefit from economic integration so orchestrated? This deliberate marginalization has further shifted the operations of the companies mentioned (Lafarge, Dangote cement etc) which own the heavy duty trucks and trailers to the neglected states to further damage and  destroy both state and federal roads being reconstructed by these neglected states out of the meager funds they get from the federation account.

    You need to travel through Ilesha-Akure-Owo-Benin road and see daily carnage. Ekiti State is completely caught off between Akure and Ado-Ekiti unless you go via Akure-igbaraodo-odo in a circular way. Although contract for Ilesha-Akure road was recently awarded for reconstruction (not dualization), why not the whole hug from Ibadan? Why  should Okitipupa-Ondo-Akure-Benin road not be dualised? Why should Akure-Ado-Ekiti-Omuaran road not be dualised from the same SURE-P funds? More questions are definitely begging for answers.

    Item 2.9: List of Road Projects:

    Of the 1,326km roads, the 295km allocated to SW/S covers Benin-Ore-Sagamu dual carriage way.

    It should be observed that this Benin-Ore-Sagamu dual carriage way has always been factored into the annual Federal budget for roads in the past 20 or more years. The Nation of Saturday 16 February 2013, page 6, carried another news item that the Federal government has obtained fund from SURE-P to dualise Abuja-Benin road. Yet, the federal authorities are aware of the appalling state of federal roads in middle and core Southwest states.

    (Ondo-Ekiti-Osun) where federal roads vertically and diagonally pass through: Akure (Ondo State) to Ilesha in Osun State. The same is true of Iyamoye (Kogi) to Omuo, Ikole, Ogotun in (Ekiti state) to Osun state. Ekiti state has the shortest federal roads in the federation, yet not one kilometre road is considered by SURE-P for rehabilitation out of the poor roads listed above.

    Item E1:33 Irrigation Projects:

    nineteen irrigation projects are listed with four going to North East; three each for North West, South East and South South. The two listed for South West go to Ogun and Oyo States as if those are the only states in the South West. The Ero Water Dam and Lake, covering 11Kilometres in Ekiti State, is one of the largest water/irrigation projects in Nigeria, established at the same time as those listed above in other parts of the country which are to benefit SURE-P. Why should it not qualify for SURE-P’s attention like others listed above?

    Item E2:34 Rural and Urban Water Supply Projects:

    The little Osse mentioned in Ekiti State is put there to demonstrate precedence and involvement. The Ero Water Dam mentioned above can serve the purpose of both irrigation for agriculture and water supply, while Arinta Waterfalls should qualify for Tourism intervention under the Federal scheme.

    Item 36 & 37: Selected Power Projects:

    What is needed here from the Federal Government is a second 132/33KV power substation project in the northern part of Ekiti and the urgent completion of the on-going one which is no more adequate for the state capital, not to talk of the whole state.

    If the Federal Government can embark on all these projects with or in addition to SURE-P funds, why is it that none of the federal roads as shown earlier in these core southwest states is receiving Federal attention?

    While our legislators must continue to be vigilant and alive to their responsibilities to the electorate, they must not underestimate the negative influence of policy formulators who deliberately and mischievously plan and execute such discriminatory policies to their (sectional) advantage.

    That is why I appreciate the action and vigilance of Senator Femi Ojudu (Ekiti Central) in detecting the fraud, if not dishonesty, in the 2013 budget proposal for roads in other states were shown as Ekiti State roads!

    I will like to draw the attention of Senator Ojudu to the dredging and canalization work at Ureje River (that is Ureje Water Works) under the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja. The contract was awarded for N1.2billion and reported to have been completed and paid for in 2010 when, in fact, up till now, no work has been done on the site, which is now overgrown with weeds. The contractor who quoted N890million for the job lost out.

    (ii)       Utilization of Ecological Funds/Environmental Projects Discrimination

    It is common knowledge now and as revealed and confirmed in some daily papers that all PDP States received N2Billion Ecological Funds for the utilization of Ecological and environmental problems to the exclusion of non-PDP states which largely affect the whole of South-West States.

    I have with me as shown in the table below 25 Ecological Projects that the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in Ekiti has submitted to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) all with negative replies as if we are not entitled to attention from this commonwealth purse.

    Each of the affected area deteriorates during every rainy season with the attention of the FEPA drawn to the yearly deterioration and expansion of damage to the areas affected with no positive response from FEPA.

    I have refused to allow my area, Falegan Estate most severely devastated by torrential rain – to be done in isolation from others. The last rainfall not only weakened my walls but had part of the wall broken down under the weight of the heavy downpour. It is available for inspection. A major danger which can lead to a landslide that will affect about 20 houses lies ahead if the next rainy season should meet us here.

    I have it on good authority that my Governor in Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his officials have paid not less than 5 visits both to the Federal Ministry of Environment and FEPA on the issues listed in the table above without any polite or positive result. How do you treat a head of a state government with such derision, contempt and lack of respect? Is this how to live together as one country?

    It is no exaggeration that natural disasters like flood and rain storm incidents have been occurring indiscriminately across the length and breadth of the country with all states facing virtually the same climatic challenges. For instance, the Global Warming Syndrome has made a mess of climatic restrictions to certain geographical locations such that incidents of flood etc now cut across virtually all states.

     (iii)     The screaming headline of the Nigeria TRIBUNE No 15,880 of Friday 27 December, 2013 “N30BN 2014 IRRIGATION PROJECTS SOUTHWEST SHORT-CHANGED” North 80%, SS/SE 18%, S/West 2% cannot but worry people like me at my age at 80 whether Nigeria as at present being governed is worth dying for or whether a patriot is not a fool.

     

    The above is just one item of capital expenditure where the discriminating Minister and her Permanent Secretary are from Plateau State and Bauchi State up North respectively.

    While the 2013 budget proposal for roads in other states were shown as Ekiti State roads (as discovered by Senator Ojudu), the 2014 budget does not show any appropriation for roads in Ekiti. In which case, there is no budget for Ekiti State for two years running.

    The Federal Agency on Roads (so called FERMA) that pretends to operate in this part of the country merely ends up creating more problems that solved. It engages in merely parching the roads and adding more layers of bumps that peel off at the slightest rainfall. The Federal road between Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and Akure in Ondo State as a good illustration.

    In civilized environment, where politics of subtle and creeping compromise and discrimination does not hold, the ecological problem facing us in Ekiti State is sufficient to declare the whole state a disaster area. It is the prayer of people like me that Nigeria survives and its components love, and as a Nation live together in peace. But Your Excellency, peace won by compromise of principles and discrimination is a short-lived achievement. A fabler with two wives says “Yield to both and you will soon have nothing to yield”, while Wilson Churchill said “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last”. No axe can sit down and withhold his hands from warfare against wrong and get peace from his acquiescence.

    Your Excellency, It is not that any N500billion is missing or that Dr. Christopher Kolade resigned because of any missing N500billion. If anything, Dr. Kolade, (who I know very well; we grew up here together in Ekiti; his mother is from Igede-Ekiti, while his father who was a godly Priest in Ekiti here where Christopher was born is from Erin-Ijesha in Osun State). A transparently honest and shrewd diplomat must have resigned because of evidence of compromised cheating, inequities and partiality, made up of ungodly and heartless discrimination against his own part of the country by an organization over which he is supposed to preside. Why should Dr. Kolade continue as of conscience to be Chairman of an organization that discriminates against his own part of the country? Discretion, they say, is a better part of valour. Why are we building some people up and bringing others down, yet pledging we live together in peace as one. It is a spiteful political decision which does not reflect any credit on the balance and maturity of the people who take such decision either on your behalf or at the directive of MR. President. It is an avoidable arbitrariness in the utilization of funds while in turn breeds corruption.

    I can not lay hold on the concluding part of the information above. With this kind of lop-sided and sectional ownership of the main source of income, the country is heading for a serious crisis ahead of itself.

    At a glance, the above can lead to a violent revolution that can make nonsense of a National Dialogue or National Conference, whose end is already being foreshadowed of disintegration if the threat of the demagogue Asari Dokubo were to be taken seriously of a South-South serial nation-wide pipeline vandalisation in the absence of a negotiated “Ijaw State or “Ijaw Nation” that own the oil unless you are re-elected President of Nigeria.

    Here is a cabal, holding the whole country by the jugular. Whether in Government or in Opposition this crop of rapacious, selfish and greedy people including their sponsors and backers can not but be a collective threat to the stability and security of the country and any government now or in future that fails to dismantle them and cancel all their monopolistic grip on the Nigerian economy is doomed to failure.

    While the Dangotes, the Adenugas and Conoil are visibly employing their “lots” for productive use, stimulating the economy through employment generation and business expansion that are impacting positively nation-wide on the economy, all the others merely stand aloof displaying their loots in provocative vanity through “fronts” that create “rentier class” for the rest of the country who is made to eat from the crump that falls from the table, starking their “loots” abroad with their foreign collaborators who readily acquiesce because they use the funds to provide employment for their own people. Their transient political and financial support, however beneficial must be weighed against the lethal danger they constitute in the long run to the stability and security of this country. Their collective threat and stranglehold which must be seen as providing resentment, irritation, agitation, resistance and uprising which are all evident in the rising tempo of national distrust, ethnic and religious conflicts, increase in hitherto unknown crime of kidnapping, wave of pirates’ attack on Nigeria’s territorial waters, must be laid before the National Conference for deliberation because they are all induced by the Nation’s main source of wealth and means of livelihood.

    This class of special people induce jealousy and hatred and create the so-called “Boko Haram” which protest ostensibly against injustice whose cancerous spread has contaminated innocent people individually, corporately, sectorally, sectly and religiously, even the security outfit defending the country.

  • We want to make Southwest Nigeria preferred destination for tourism and investment

    We want to make Southwest Nigeria preferred destination for tourism and investment

    Two years after the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission was established as a response to yearnings for and an ambition to foster development of Southwest Nigeria, its Director General, Mr Dipo Famakinwa, spoke with BISI OLADELE on the journey so far.

    The DAWN Commission was established to harmonize socio-economic potentials for regional prosperity. Do you think the commission has justified its establishment?

    Certainly, the Southwest region will always look for the opportunity to move forward, that is who we are. Since 2013 when the commission was set up, we have tried to create an institutional framework around those ambitions which are very clear. We want the best for ourselves as far as education is concerned, healthcare and some of the best infrastructure in the world to be in our region. We want to ensure that our region is attractive for investment, to ensure that we have engaged people and citizenry, people who understand what development is about and ready to make their own contributions too. We want our cities to become more optimal and our economy to become more competitive. This is clearly our region’s ambition and I do not see anyone who will disagree with it.Our own is to build an institutional framework and ensure that those ambitions are realized. And how have we done that? First is to realize the fact that the states hitherto used to think as an individual state. But we needed to create a collaborative work whereby the states begin to have engagement and interaction among themselves, begin to see what they can copy from one another, what they can also learn from one another, and begin to identify the common challenges and create common solutions along that common challenges, identify the common problems and see how they can build a collaborative framework around that common problem. So, those are the things we have been doing.

    Beyond that we have also recognised the fact that if you want to move forward you have to create strategic plans of actions. The commission, for instance, has helped in creating a regional plan of action for economic competitiveness, in general planning, for security law and order. It is the regional line of action for the creative economy which we consider to be a very critical component of our developmental progress, the regional plan of action for the development of tourism and so many areas where we have tried to create strategic line of action. Out of what we have done also is to ensure that we recognize the civil service as a critical development institution along the line with the ambitions earlier mentioned. The seventh summit of the heads of service held in Lagos around February was a very successful one. Part of the resolutions of the summit is that we need to begin to see how we can create a regional framework for building the capability of our civil service. We have a lot to look back to. So, clearly talking about the civil service, there were talks on how we can try to create a better civil service. So, those are the kinds of things going on and we are proud to say we have been a very good facilitator in ensuring that those things happen.

    In the order of priority what three major challenges will you say the commission has faced?

    In order of priority, one, is to keep what is working, in the areas where we are doing well. One needs to ensure that we have sustainability in those areas. Second, is to look for areas where there could be immediate possibility of regional actions. If you want me to be specific and mention the sectors, I will say we need to take education very seriously. It is not yet producing what I will call learning and character. We need a lot of impact on our social character, we need to do a lot more on education. We also need to do a lot more on agriculture. Agriculture gives us a lot of opportunities to take people out of poverty and we have the latent capabilities here, so we need to sweat those capabilities. It is also important for us to look at our communities and see how they will become more optimal, both the rural and urban. So, in areas of priority, those are the areas we are looking at. But if you want me to go beyond that, I will mention the issue of security. That is very critical. A secure region will enable us attract investors, a secure region will also enable the people in the region to be able to pursue their daily economic and social activities without fear. Security, law and order are also important to us. Of course, we have to build our institutions to enable them deliver on their mission, both our economic and governance institutions. So, those are the areas we consider to be very important, even though there are so many other areas we are working on.

    For two years now, there must be challenges that have slowed down the pace at which the commission is supposed to move, Could you please share them?

    One of the challenges we have is the political environment. There are lots of activities in the political environment that if we are not careful, will impede our development progress. We need to manage our political environment to achieve anything. The Nigerian environment is highly politicized. You find a lot of a things that should not have political or partisan consideration suffering that fate. We need to ensure that the political environment enables development. Again, in the Southwest, especially when you are working with governments that do not belong to the same political party, creating conversations can be a little bit more difficult. But, we have not allowed that to affect what we are doing. In cases where there are occasions for us to move together on certain actions, that is what has been the big issue for us. For example, all the states have participated in all the actions we have taken on development and cultural tourisms in the region. All the states have participated in the civil service summit. This has held twice. In agriculture, we had a meeting with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture last year to present ourselves as a regional block, all the states participated in the conversations and the actions that followed. What we tried to do is to not only create conversations, but also dialogues and then we build collaborative actions from the issues that arise from the deliberations. We do not just leave it at the level of discussions, we make sure that we follow them to the level of being put on the table. Also for instance, there was a game competition organized for secondary schools in the region, all the states participated, especially in the discussion that led to the hosting of the games in Lagos. Quite a number of those issues have happened, but of course we will expect that the political environment enables development more than it currently does.

    Funding is also an issue, we are not able to get the required level of funding that we need. So, it is a long way battle for us to win because the legitimate sources of funding are the government. If our states are bleeding, then it will be difficult for us to have the sustainable level of funding that we require. That is an issue for us. Though we are also working on a lot of strategy to create sustainability for ourselves, in which case we can look at alternative sources of funding. Part of the challenge we have is that our people also are disengaged from the development projects. We need to take the development to them. The masses are too busy trying to survive. The middle class people are trying to consolidate, not to drop lower. Everyone is busy. So, we need to ensure that everyone comes on board for the development project, we need to take it to them. How we are doing that is to create levels of consultations across stakeholders, we cannot succeed without the people behind us.

    How are you taking the gospel of the DAWN commission to the common man in the region?

    Like our people say, we need a lot of money to reach out to all stakeholders but we are not relenting. We use every opportunity that we have, especially regional programs and meetings, to take advantage of what the states are doing. We take advantage of the Ministry of Information to get our message to the people. We can do more, this is one of the reasons why I am talking to you. We need all the help that we can get. We are communicating this to our people. One of the programs we have in view, is “Pagede Agbajo Owo”, which is a grassroots oriented program where we intend to bring all our people across the region, especially grassroots people, and have an ongoing engagement on the development agenda of the Western Nigeria. We expect to do it now that the election is over. Hopefully, from that, we will have more successes to ensure that what we are doing gets to the grassroots.

    How open is your door to every Yoruba son and daughter that has something to contribute to the development of the region?

    Our doors are open not only to Yoruba people but to anyone who can help us. The vision of the development agenda is to make the Southwest part of Nigeria the preferred destination for people in Africa to visit, work, live and invest. We want an enabling environment for everybody whether you are a Yoruba man or not, as long as you have anything meaningful to contribute to our region, you are part of the development project. Yoruba land cannot be for Yoruba people alone. By nature, we are very accommodating; our environment is attractive to different people in the world, not only Nigerians. Clearly for us, is to see how we can create an environment that makes contributions. Our doors are open to everyone. If we can speak to the Japanese to come and invest in our region, it means we are open to everybody. We are also asking the Americans to come. Clearly, we cannot have a region that is exclusive to Yoruba people.

    We also want to build communities. There are strategic points where we need to get more traction behind what we are doing. For instance, we want to build a young agropreneurs community in the West. We have recognized the fact that young people are abandoning agriculture but we have seen some success stories in terms of young people involved in agriculture and they are doing well in it. Some of our states have interesting programs for some of our young people in agriculture. I know about the WICARD in Ekiti State and the young agropreneurs in Lagos which is situated in Epe. I know about the one in Ore, and also know Oyo State has one. So, we want to create a regional young agropreneurs community.

    We also want to create a community for the creative industry, Southwest creative community. We are looking at a community generating a lot of start-up business, that is, a start-up business community. We are also considering private sector communities. Part of our plan is to see how we can build communities around these strategic points of our society where development is happening. Part of what we want to do is to engage the policy environment development. And like I said earlier, unless the political environment is better, we cannot do much. Part of our program is to engage more in the policy environment in terms of influencing policies, ensuring that the policy environment is networked all across the region and nothing is missing as far as the policy environment is concerned.

    We also want to promote policy commissions. We believe that in the states in the region there should be some level of interaction going on. For instance, we want a policy commission between Lagos and Ogun, Oyo and Osun, and Ekiti and Ondo. So, if we have those policy commissions we will provide them opportunities of looking at things they should be doing together, even between themselves. For example, Lagos and Ogun can look at some infrastructure programs. The policy commissions are expected to facilitate interactions between these states. We are not just trying to do them, converstaions have started towards ensuring that these things can happen. They must happen at the right time. For instance, we have finished the regional competitiveness strategy document.

  • Why PDP failed in Southwest

    Why PDP failed in Southwest

    Many factors aided the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest geo-political zone at the governorship elections. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the epic battles, issues that shaped the contests and lessons from the elections. 

    It was a fierce battle. And it was fought on all sides with vigour, energy and resources. During the campaigns, it was as if the zone was preparing for a major war. Indeed, it was an epic battle for the soul of the most politically conscious and sophisticated region, the Southwest. The All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its allies – the Accord, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Unity party of Nigeria (UPN), participated in what could best be described, a popularity test. At the close of the polls, the wheat was separated from the chaff.

    The general elections, according to observers, were free and fair. Many gladiators escaped defeat narrowly. Some others were not so lucky, they were humbled. Across the three states-Lagos, Ogun and Oyo – where the governorship election held, the margin was not wide. There were a lot of surprises. Candidates that were perceived as weak contenders waxed strong on poll day. The so-called power brokers fell during the exercise. The contest was keen, an indication that electoral democracy has become much more competitive. For the first time, the people took ownership of the process. The lessons of the parliamentary and governorship polls will remain instructive. They may guide the zone in its preparations for future elections.

    The outcome of the poll heralded a new dawn in the Southwest. Indeed, for the first time, four states in the region-Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun – which had loathed mainstream politics, or put succinctly, alliance with the conservative centre, is aligning with the centre under the banner of progressive politics. This has implications for inter-governmental relations in an atmosphere of cooperative federalism. The era of federal/state bickering may be replaced by a gradual movement to political understanding. However, to enlarge its coast in the region, APC has an unfinished business. Although the party made further in-road into Ondo State, where it won two of the senatorial seats, it met a brick wall in Ekiti, where it was roundly defeated by the PDP at the presidential, National and State Assembly polls.

    Between 2011 and 2011, the perception of the Southwest about President Goodluck Jonathan has changed. The people of the region were stunned by his inept administration. The poor performance cut across all sectors. To them, the government has not tackled corruption, addressed unemployment and the issue of power. Rather, it has encouraged waste, inefficiency, thuggery and impunity. Consequently, when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other compatriots mooted the idea of a mega party to challenge the PDP, there was enthusiasm in the region.

    The four governors have an arduous task ahead of them. While fraternising with the Federal Government, based on party affiliation, the regional integration project they have subscribed to must not be abandoned.

    Lagos

    Since 1999, the PDP and the progressive bloc have been locked in a battle of supremacy in Lagos. The Federal Government had always wanted to capture the state, but at every election, the bid has been futile. The recent governorship election was not an exception. The PDP candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, a pharmacist, fought gallantly. But, he lost to the APC standard bearer, Akinwunmi Ambode, a chartered accountant. The opposition, built on its previous record of failure. In 1999, its candidate, Chief Dapo Sarumi, was defeated by Senator Bola Tinubu of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). In 2003, Tinubu also defeated the PDP flag bearer, the late Mr. Funso Williams, an engineer. In 2007, the PDP candidate, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, crashed before Governor Babatunde Fashola of the defunct Action Congress (AC). Also, in 2011, the PDP candidate, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, could not fly. He lost to Fashola, who ran on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    Ahead of the recent general elections, the crisis-ridden PDP chapter, reflected on its failed attempts to capture power. Its leader, Commodore Bode George (rtd), took Agbaje to Aso Villa, to sell him to the President. The Afenifere chieftain, who had earlier rejected overtures to defect to the PDP, shortly after the demise of Williams, finally agreed to run on the platform of the party. The PDP has always been a divided house. To encourage Agbaje, there was a sort of camouflage reconciliation among the warring chieftains. Unlike the APC, Agbaje emerged as a candidate at a rancorous primary election, which Obanikoro described as a sham. But, the party was united by the pumping of money into the chapter by the Presidency.

    Agbaje is a people’s man and Lagosians took him seriously. He is a polished politician; urbane, nice and sociable. The pharmacist is brilliant; he is a good speaker, knowledgeable and widely perceived as a man of integrity and honour. But, according to analysts, Agbaje ran on a wrong platform, which mocked his antecedent as a committed progressive. This called attention to his pedigree. Those who voted for him, did so on merit, not because of party affiliation. His party, to many Lagosians, was not appealing.

    The PDP was desperate to capture Lagos. Before the presidential poll, it employed four methods. President Goodluck Jonathan secured the endorsement of the polarised regional group, Afenifere. But, reality later dawned on him that he struck a deal with a section of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group that could not successfully mobilise support for a councillorship candidate in any part of the region. Also, the PDP-controlled Federal Government mobilised both factions of the ethnic militia, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), led by Dr Fredrick Faseun and  Gani Adams, to terrorise Lagos for eight hours. Irked by the show of shame, former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, said that the sponsors of the perfidy were on the way to doom. The third strategy was the ethnic card, which has now created a division in Lagos, with its implications for peaceful co-existence among the diverse tribes. The PDP succeeded in inciting the Igbos against their hosts by inventing the highly divisive and potentially provocative slogan of ‘Lagos is no man’s land.’ In the opinion of observers, Agbaje also made a mistake of playing ethnic politics, unlike in 2007 when he dwelt on issues. Thus, PDP promised Lagos Ndigbo six commissioners and an Eze Ndigbo of Lagos, which would have been very difficult for Agbaje to fulfill, if he had won the race. The fourth was the massive financial inducement of the electorate.

    The party was more desperate, shortly after it lost the presidential election. The PDP peeped into the future, noting that it would need money to play the role of the opposition. It therefore, resolved to capture Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states. But, the plot failed in Lagos and its victory in the two oil-rich states remained controversial.

    Lagosians were yearning for change. Therefore, they supported the presidential ambition of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Besides, the struggle for change at the centre began from Lagos. The crusade was led by Tinubu. He was the last man standing in 2003. Under his leadership, the progressives reclaimed other Southwest states, although Ondo and Ekiti were re-captured.

      In the last 16 years, Lagos has also been building on the solid foundation laid by Asiwaju Tinubu. In 1999, the former governor inherited a state struggling for survival. But, through creative financial engineering, Lagos State jerked up its internally generated revenue. Tinubu also laid the foundation for infrastructure battle in the Centre of Excellence. He was succeeded by a competent aide, Governor Babatunde Fashola, who built on the legacies. Therefore, when the APC family led by Tinubu, the pathfinder, and Fashola, the actualiser, called for the sustainability of the progress made so far through a government of continuity, Lagosians believed in them and in the standard bearer, Ambode, the consolidator. The PDP propaganda, falsehood and campaign of calmuny against the APC national leader and the ruling party failed. What gained prominence was the counter-argument that Lagos was not ready for experimentation under an untested politician and a party with no attraction.

    Now, Lagos is in the mainstream. The state suffered for 16 years under an unfriendly Federal Government. It is believed that the new federal/state parley will herald many dividends of democracy for the city-state.

    Oyo

    Oyo State became a PDP state in 2003, following the political earthquake that swept through the Southwest. For eight years, the Pacesetter State suffered the indignity of being ruled by uncaring politicians. But, there was a clean break from the past when Governor Abiola Ajimobi assumed the reins in 2011. Thuggery, violence, arson and disruption of the state by road transport workers were the order of the day. There was no peace. Also, godfatherism was enthroned. Development and progress were at a standstill. The hand of the government was heavy on the state. Corruption was rife. The state was in chaos.

    The former governor, Rashidi Ladoja, and his godfather, the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, parted ways, following disagreement over the sharing of the state revenue. Ladoja resisted the suggestion that his benefactor deserved a portion of the security vote. Hell was let loose. His administration was full of tension. The atmosphere was tense. It was not conducive to good governance. Ladoja lost his seat. He was replaced by his deputy. By the time he regained it, time was running out.

     His successor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, also ran a controversial government. It was obvious that the state was fed up with the PDP. The people yearned for change. Their prayer was answered in 2011. Ajimobi defeated Alao-Akala. He inherited a heavy burden. But, he swung into action. The financial loopholes were blocked. It was obvious that Senator Ajimobi cannot be intimidated by unscrupulous elements. He took charge of the state without any recourse to a godfather.

    In four years, the governor turned the state into a huge construction site. His urban renewal projects have been hailed beyond the targeted cities. Also, he has fought the infrastructure battle across the nooks and corners of the state. A risk taker, the governor also stepped on toes in the interest of the state. Under him, there was no room for personal aggrandisement.

    However, he could not curtail strife and rancour in the ruling party. Ambitious compatriots, including Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, defected to the Accord, in protest. Even, elder statesman Chief Michael Koleoso decided to take a back seat. But, the governor maintained intimacy with the people who enjoyed the dividends of democracy under his administration. His foes went to town to twist the objective of the urban renewal project, saying that it was meant to deprive the traders of their ware points. Others said that a regime of unbearable taxation was underway. There were other fabrications by his detractors. But, the governor weathered the storm.

    Ajimobi ran an incorruptible and transparent government. Unlike those before him, he did not sponsor thuggery and hooliganism. There was no divide and rule among road transport workers. Under his administration, peace returned to Ibadan and its environs.

    Ajimobi made the traditional institutions the cornerstone of his administration. The parley with royal fathers – the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade – worked. Their children are commissioners in the state. The children of the Alaafin and the Soun were also APC House of Representatives candidates in their domains. Blood is thicker than water. The royal fathers are popular in their kingdoms. So, their subjects listened to them. Besides, the governor ran back to the leading lights in Ibadan, urging them to support his re-election bid. He got their endorsement.

    The people started to compare Ajimobi administration with the previous administrations. He was adjudged a performer, despite the liabilities he inherited. A searchlight was beamed on Ladoja and Alao-Akala governments. It was discovered they performed below expectation. In particular, they perceived Alao-Akala as a controversial politician. The people were not impressed by new promises reeled out by the former governors to stage a comeback into Government House.

    Also, the APC has waxed stronger and Ladoja’s party, Accord, and the Labour Party (LP), on which Alao-Akala ran, were no match for the ruling party. The PDP was also in ruins. In fact, the PDP did not put its house in order. It has disintegrated, with Ladoja, Alao-Akala, Senator Teslim Folarin, and Seyi Makinde, who are chieftains of the party, working at cross purposes. The former Senate Leader was the PDP candidate. Makinde, a rich engineer, defected from the fold to run on the platform of the relatively unknown SDP. They were consumed by the clash of ego and ambitions.

    At the presidential election, Oyo honoured the governor by voting for Gen. Buhari. His campaigns were also not in vain. The ruling party won the three senatorial seats, to the consternation of his rivals. The power brokers of yester-years were dusted at the poll. Reality dawned on them that they could only contend with past glory. However, the challenge before Ajimobi, whose re-election has broken the second term jinx, is how to manage the success, work hard, make the party one and implement a succession plan that will enable him hand over to a worthy successor.

    Ogun

    The forces against the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, were formidable. But, he is not strange to political battles. The people did not elect him in vain in 2011. Amosun has lived up to expectation by his giant strides across all sectors of the state economy. No governor has worked assiduously like him in the Gateway State. The testimonies are the new roads springing up across the state, the new classrooms, the hospitals and health care centres, and other social infrastructure. In particular, the roads and bridges in Shagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta, Sango-Ota/Akute are signposts of successful infrastructure battles.

    Royal fathers across the state have also testified to his financial re-engineering and judicious allocation of resources. Amosun, according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has performed, despite dwindling resources. Urging voters to vote wisely, the former President said their decision on poll day has implications for the state and the future of their children.

    But, as it turned out, performance was not the only factor that could guarantee victory. The governor campaigned vigorously to woo back voters, whose minds have been spoilt by sheer falsehood, fabrication and propaganda by his opponents.

    Amosun’s main challengers were Gboyega Isiaka of the PDP and Senator Akin Odunsi of the SDP. But, it was clear that they could not match the APC candidate, who was miles ahead of them. But, the outcome of the senatorial poll jolted the APC. Its candidate, Dapo Abiodun, an influential businessman, crashed before the billionaire business mogul, Prince Buruji Kashamu of the PDP. Amosun has stepped on toes in the Ijebu-Remo axis, when he insisted that the commonwealth of the state should not be sold to godfathers. Therefore, they ganged up against his second term ambition.

    Also, ahead of the polls, the rift in the APC could not be resolved, resulting in the defection of Senators Gbenga Obadara, Odunsi and Gbenga Kaka, the deputy governor, Hon. Segun Adesegun, and other members of the Osoba camp to the SDP. But, the outcome of the Ogun polls demystified Aremo Olusegun Osoba, a founding father of the APC, who deserted his original political family to embrace a new and strange platform. The SDP was unknown to the people. Across the three zones, it lacks formidable structures.

     The PDP was also a divided house. The cracks could not be mended before the polls. The effects of the pre-primary crisis robbed off on the party during the general elections. Also, Obasanjo’s exit from the PDP was a blow to the opposition party. To ordinary folks, Amosun was a performer. Therefore, he earned the mandate of the people for the second term on merit.

    The governor has an unfinished business of re-uniting the ruling party, building on the achievement of his first term and reconciling with critical stakeholders in the state, despite their opposition to his re-election bid. With that, he will be magnanimous in victory.

  • APC lauds Southwest for electing Ambode, Ajimobi, Amosun

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the Southwest geo-political zone for electing its governorship candidates in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

    It added that with the governors’ victory, “time of consolidation has come to the region”.

    Its National Vice Chairman (South-west), Chief Pius Akinyelure, in a message yesterday, congratulated the three governors-elect – Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) – for winning after a good contest.

    The former Executive Director in Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc said the victory of Ambode signalled a season of socio-economic consolidation, which, he said, became necessary due to transformation already going on in the APC-controlled states.

    The party’s victory, Akinyelure noted, “will not have been possible without the support of Southwest, which, he added, stood against poor government and earnestly pushed for regime change in Nigeria”.

    The APC chieftain said a new dawn “has started already in Nigeria”.

    His words: “It is a dawn of political stability and economic progress. Indeed, it is a dawn of new Nigeria, where people’s aspiration and yearning would be realised. It will mark a total break from diverse socio-economic indicators that threaten our indivisibility as a state and as a people in spite of our diversity.

    “It will herald an order of confidence-building and put an end to a culture of impunity that has become entrenched in our country.

    “With your support, we have emerged victorious at the polls. Successfully, we have returned the APC to power in three Southwest states, where governorship elections were conducted.

    “We have also made good progress in all Southwest states during the state legislative elections. We, therefore, thank the people of Southwest for unflinching support they gave our party during the 2015 general elections.”

    Akinyelure assured that the party would make good all its promises, citing that it “has never reneged in all the past promises”.

    He added: “We have been implementing life-transforming policies programmes in all states under the control of our party. Now that our parties have been given another opportunity to rule, the APC will continue to pursue pro-people policies and programmes not just in Southwest, but also in Nigeria.”

    The APC vice chairman expressed concerns over irregularities and malpractices, which, he said, marred the state house of assembly election in Ekiti and Ondo states, adding that the party would seek redress legitimately.

     

  • ACCA prepares Southwest students for careers

    The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has organised a leadership seminar for university students in the Southwest region of the country.

    The seminar tagged, “Inspiring future leaders in finance” was used to develop the students’ soft skills, knowledge in finance and expose them to opportunities that ACCA qualification can create.

    The event was for Management students of universities in the region to guide them as they navigate a career in finance.

    Among invited universities were Elizade University, Afe Babalola University, Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Osun State; Redeemers University, Ede; Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti; Oduduwa University, Ipetu-Modu, Osun State, Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo, Ondo State and Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State.

    Part of the programme, which featured presentations by ACCA Nigerian team members, was an inter-university debate on the topic:  “The influence of culture on ethical decision making”.

    There was also an employability session facilitated by the Country Head of ACCA in Nigeria, Toyin Adegbola.

    A member of the association, Seyi Olanrewaju, shared his experiences on how joining ACCA helped him.  He advised the students about positioning themselves to be successful in their careers.

    The ACCA Business Development Manager in the northern region, Adeyemi Akinyemi, said the essence of the programme was to prepare the students for the life after school.

    He said: “One of our values at ACCA is opportunity. We are actually looking at an opportunity to give people from different backgrounds the access to information, access to knowledge and access to professionalism.  It cannot be over emphasised how competitive the job world has become today.  Everybody wants to get this job.  For every student we talk to, we expect that when you are going for interview, you are equipped enough to be able to compete to an advantage where whatever skills they are bringing to the table, you have those skills too because you have had an opportunity to have been taught those things.”

     

  • ‘ Jonathan can‘t win in Southwest’

    ‘ Jonathan can‘t win in Southwest’

    Former Ondo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Prince ‘Diran Iyantan is the Leader of Yoruba Ronu. He spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN on the marginalisation of the Yoruba, the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, the future of Ondo politics and other issues. 

    Do you agree that the Jonathan Administration has marginalised the Yoruba people?

    Yes, it is obvious. The Yoruba contributed to the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. The Yoruba people singled him out of the crowd to become president, it follows that he should be fair to the race in political patronage, but he failed to do that. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo almost singlehandedly picked Jonathan and ensured he became President of Nigeria. He is an ingrate. He has short changed the Yoruba race.

    The Yorubas are the most liberal people in Nigeria. When Obasanjo was in power, he incorporated every ethnic group into his government. There was no Yoruba man in his kitchen cabinet made up of people like Nuhu Ribadu, Nasir El-Rufai and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. It is opposite under Jonathan. This development made some Yoruba to indict Obasanjo that he sold off his tribe when he was in power.

    What is your reaction to the purported endorsement of Dr. Jonathan by Afenifere?

    The Afenifere leaders didn’t take the generality of the Yoruba interest into consideration before they took that decision. My father ( now 93 ) is the oldest Afenifere member. He was disappointed by the decision of his colleagues. There was no forum for discussion they just allowed the external forces to influence their parochial interest. It is unfortunate that most of these Afenifere leaders lack electoral value. They can’t win election in their wards. For instance, Olu Falae who was the leader of Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) lost in his ward in 2011. The Yorubas are not with them. We know our leaders. Jonathan will lose in Southwest, no amount of bribe he offers his promoters.

    In my discussion with some of them, one problem they have is the meteoric rise of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to political leadership in the Southwest and in Nigeria as a whole. Tinubu achieved this through political evolution. His contribution to the Yoruba race made him the undisputable leader. If not for his steadfastness, Nigeria would have been in disarray. When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dislodged Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the Southwest in 2003, it was only Lagos State under Tinubu that survived the PDP onslaught. With only one state, he was able to build Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) into a formidable party in the Southwest and Edo State. In 2007, ACN reclaimed some of the states and swept out PDP from the Southwest in 2011.

    Will you say the Afenifere group are keeping to Awolowo’s political philosophy?

    They have gone in the direct opposite of Awo’s political thought, an embodiment of egalitarianism and welfarism. Awo detest corruption in his life time. But the Afenifere leaders have been induced to promote corrupt government and leaders. In Yoruba tradition, when you attain certain age or when you become an elder, you retire from active participation in certain things like business and politics. Most of these Afenifere leaders are in their 80’s or above, they should quit the stage for the younger elements.

    Are you surprised that former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba has returned to Afenifere fold?

    I don’t think he was the closest to Awo while on earth as he claimed. Awo never jumped ship throughout his political career. Time was not auspicious for him to opt out of the progressive family. I feel sad for him for doing that at the twilight of his political career. At a time when the progressives are struggling to liberate themselves from the shackles of conservative elements, it is disappointing that a leader like Osoba decided to join the oppressors.

    The Afenifere leaders hinged their endorsement of Jonathan on his commitment to implement the National Conference report. What is your comment?

    I considered the national conference as a deliberate ploy to buy time for Jonathan. The progressives first mooted the idea of national conference which was rebuffed by Jonathn. When he became very unpopular, he believed he can use the convocation of national conference as bait. He is now giving an absurd condition that re-elect me first before I can start implementing the report. The time the report was submitted before now was sufficient for the President to implement the report if he was truly committed to its implementation. Jonathan knew what some Yoruba like his polemic. He wanted to keep them busy and engaged the likes of Femi Okunrounmu. He has also induced the Afenifere leaders to collaborate with the South-south in order to win the presidential election. They want to use creation of new states to justify the national confab report. Jonathan has been promising people that he will create new states if he was re-elected. What is the rationale of creating new states when most of the existing ones are not viable?

    Are you surprised that the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) capitulated from his earlier decision not to endorse Jonathan?

    We are pained that the Yoruba Council of Elders is now hob-nobbing with the oppressors of their race. The YCE is supposed to be apolitical. For them now to join the fray of politics of inducement and commercialisation, we are not bothered. Yoruba are united; Yoruba have identified with the general change; we want Nigeria to be rescued from the pangs of desperados. I know their off-shoots are not supporting what they (YCE) leaders are doing. Look at Chief Niyi Adebayo, he is one of those advocating change in the country.

    The Afenifere leaders have described the merger of ACN with other parties from the North as a sell-out. Do you agree?

    It is a belated and jaundiced argument. The little time we have stability in this country was when there was co-operation between the Southwest and the north. We believe the interest of the Southwest will be better protected by working with the north. The Yoruba in the Federal Civil Service are being marginalised and victimised. We cannot endure this sad experience for another four years. God willing, with Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President, the interest of Yoruba will be properly taken care of. We don’t want Yoruba children to be given dirty jobs like those assigned Femi Fani-Kayode, Doyin Okupe and Reuben Abati anymore. It is not in our tradition and culture to talk carelessly about our elders. Can you imagine Fani-Kayode casting aspersion on Tinubu who resuscitated the integrity of already bruised Yoruba race. Fani-Kayode should temper his problems with common sense and stop making unguarded statements because he wanted to satisfy his pay masters.

    What is the political situation in Ondo State now?

    The emergence of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in 2007 was a result of revolution in Ondo State. What happened in the state is a miniature of what will happen in Nigeria this year. Mimiko was a political orphan. He only had affiliation with the people who provided the arsenal to prosecute that revolution.

    Mimiko started well but suddenly he deviated from the norms of good governance. He betrayed his benefactors including Asiwaju Tinubu and even engaged in unhealthy rivalry with Tinubu. The economy of Ondo State was not strong enough to cope with his inordinate ambition. The state has suffered because of it. There is poverty everywhere. Mimiko is now a political pariah. He is now the most unpopular government in the country. The wind of change is blowing across the state seriously. Mimiko is in a big problem. He has been rejected. His party-PDP will lose in the forthcoming elections.

  • APC: Jonathan’s men plan to make elections in Southwest inconclusive

    APC: Jonathan’s men plan to make elections in Southwest inconclusive

    Elections are likely to be inconclusive in the Southwest, the All Progressives Congress (APC) warned yesterday.

    The party spoke of a plan by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan’s supporters to make Saturday’s  elections inconclusive, having realised that they cannot deliver the zone to the PDP as they have promised.

    In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the plot was conceived at a meeting held in the Ondo State Government House on March 13.

    The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) is said to be part of the plot in which youths have been armed with guns and other weapons. The youths, said APC, will be given military and police uniforms, “which we

    earlier said were being sewn in the capital of a state in the Southwest.”

    The APC said the highly-disruptive and armed protest by the OPC in Lagos on March 16 was a dress rehearsal for the plan to be executed across the states in the Southwest.

    The party also said the PDP had compiled for the Police anti-cult squad names of APC youths in all the Wards in Ondo State so they can be arrested and locked up before, during and after the elections, to give the PDP and its cohorts the free rein to carry out their nefarious activities.

    ‘’As a matter of fact, funds have been provided to the Police Anti-Cult Squad to expand its detention facility, and work is going on at the facility as we write. The reason for these actions is that, despite the massive infusion of illicit funds to bribe individuals and groups in the Southwest, the PDP and its agents in the region have realised that their strategy has backfired and even given the people more impetus to vote against the ruling party,’’ it said.

    APC called on the security agencies, especially the police and the State Security Service, to shun partisanship in carrying out their assigned responsibilities to prevent any individual or group from disrupting the elections, irrespective of their political leanings.

    ‘’Let’s be clear: In the event that the security agencies fail to carry out their duties, we will hold them, as well as those behind the plot to disrupt the elections, totally responsible for any disruption in the polls. They will also be held responsible for any act of violence or intimidation against the opposition,’’ the party warned.

    It appealed to its members and supporters across the Southwest to be calm but vigilant, and to document all actions aimed at harassing and intimidating them, as well as all acts of violence and all moves to disrupt the polls in the geo-political zone.

    ‘’The forthcoming elections are being closely watched within and outside Nigeria. In other words, the eyes of the world are on our country. Therefore, no one who engages in violence, rigging or intimidation of voters, to scare them away from the polling booths, will go scot-free, irrespective of his status,’’ the APC said.