Tag: Victor Ndoma-Egba

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) (Cross River Central) spoke with reporters on his re-election bid, governorship contest, zoning and other partisan issues. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

What is the position of Governor Liyel Imoke on your re-election bid in Cross River Central District?

I can only tell you what I know from my discussions with my governor. I had gone to him on March 29 in his house in Abuja. I told him of the proposed return of Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, to the Senate in 2015 and he confirmed to me that he knew about it. I now told him of my intention to return to the Senate as we are all part of the same leadership and he said, ‘it makes sense so that we consolidate what we have.’ That was what he told me. He has not told me anything different. On October 7, I was with him in his house and I mentioned this. He never told me he was against it; that he was more interested in the processes and that the process should be open and that there should be a level-playing ground. I’m not aware of any public comments against my return. I’m not aware of anybody quoting him in public that he’s opposed to my return to the Senate. I’ve also drawn his attention to the fact that Hon. Enoh moves around in a convoy of government vehicles and government officials.

Has there been any zoning arrangement or agreement, whether written or unwritten, concerning the Central senatorial seat?

There has been zoning.  We have this understanding; the Central Senatorial District is made up of two old local governments: Ikom and Obubra. Those two local governments are now six local governments-Old Ikom is now Ikom, Etung and Boki. Senator Mathew Mbu that I took over from is from Boki. Hon Enoh is from Etung. So, we are all old Ikom people. Now, old Obubra has Obubra, Abi and Yakurr. Now, the governor comes from Abi. Why was the Senate seat in old Ikom? It’s because in 1999, old Obubra produced the deputy governor. So, they gave the Senate seat to old Ikom. The Senate remained in old Ikom because old Obubra produced the minister, who is the present governor. The Senate also remained in old Ikom because old Obubra again, produced a governor in the present arrangement.

So, old Ikom takes one, old Obubra takes another. Now, they have come up with a new purported zoning arrangement; that they want to zone a Senate seat on the basis of federal constituencies. And what is their argument? Ikom and Boki are a federal constituency and they say Ikom has had, Boki has had. They say the governor was in the Senate from Abi and he’s governor today and so, Abi is out; from their own argument. They also say that Yakurr, which is in old Obubra has produced a governor in Clement Ebri. So, Yakurr is out. In their argument only two, local governments have not produced-Etung and Obubra, which is a federal constituency. You can now see where the thing is going to; it’s like moving from an answer to the question. Now, Etung is the smaller local government in that federal constituency, but from 1999 till date, Etung has produced the House of Representatives member. The deputy governor, who is from Obubra, was impeached in 2001, the late John Okpa. So, Obubra has been fallow from that time till date. So, if you are going to zone on the basis of equity, between these two local governments, Obubra is the one that has had nothing from 2001 till date. Why are you now zoning it to the local government that has something from 1999 till date? So, if you zone it to Obubra, you would have satisfied two things: you would have maintained the old sharing arrangement and you would still have satisfied the federal constituency argument, if you want to make that argument. But, I’m the Senator representing River Central. Which meeting was that decision taken that I was not there? Where was the decision taken? I think it’s just a gimmick. It means nothing. In any way, zoning or no zoning, I’m picking my form on Tuesday.

There’s an allegation that you began to have problems with the governor when you introduced Goddy Jedy-Agba to President Jonathan as a governorship aspirant in your state.

No such thing happened and I have said it before the President and the national chairman of our party. The President has even confirmed that nothing like that happened. That is one. Two, let us even assume that I did. Is the governorship of Cross River State an appointment? So, I took him there for the President to issue him a letter of appointment? Governorship is a process. It’s all part of the desperation. You must concoct stories to justify something you want to do.

Why do you want to re-contest for the Senate?

First of all, I did not write the Nigerian constitution. The Nigerian constitution provides for term limits for the executive; it even puts an age qualification. You must be of a certain age and it also provides that for some offices. In the judiciary, you must have spent a certain number of years as a lawyer to be eligible for appointment and there’s a retirement age as well. In the legislature, the constitution only provides for an entry age; it has no term limits, it has no retirement age and if you take presidential constitutions all over the world, it is the same pattern. Now, why is it so? It is because of the peculiarity of parliament. In the executive, there’s an elaborate bureaucracy to service it. So, when you have a President today, there’s an elaborate bureaucracy in place and in a democracy, there’s always a formal handing over and a formal taking over, including handing-over notes and taking-over notes. In the judiciary, you have what we call the hierarchy of courts and you also have judicial precedence so that when the highest court has pronounced on a legal issue, every other court under it is bound by that pronouncement; by that principle. The judiciary has a very elaborate archival system. If you are looking for a judgment given by a Customary Court in 1891, you are likely to find it. Now, in parliament, you have a bureaucracy that serves the institution but you know, for lack of or want on an appropriate term, parliament is made up of members and those members, again, for want of an appropriate word, ‘sovereign.’ The day the parliamentarian leaves, he goes with his/her contacts, the network, records, knowledge garnered, experience, or the lack of it, and is not obliged to say a word to the person taking over.

It has been alleged that you instigate youths to bar your opponent from participating in the New Yam ceremony in your village…

Well, I was not there. But,I remember getting a call on that morning from the clan head to the effect that there was an issue that some youths blocked the road because the honourable member representing Etung/Obubra Federal Constituency wanted to go for New Yam in my village and I told them: ‘why should that be an issue’? It shouldn’t be an issue because, one, it is his right, he has freedom of movement; it’s his right to go anywhere he wishes. I asked that the youths be persuaded that the peace was not breached; that every Nigerian has a right of movement and it was his constitutional right. I’m a lawyer and I respect our laws. But having said so, in this our business, being stopped on the way is normal. I remember that I was going to a community in Southern Etung and to stop me, the youths removed the bridge. Yes, to stop me from reaching there, they ripped off the bridge; just to stop me from going. In another community, there was a bonfire across the road. I’ve been stopped three times: one in Abi Local Government and twice in Etung. It’s part of the game. They are seeking your attention and so, you give them that attention and on each occasion, I negotiated with them and they let me through. It’s normal in politics.

 

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) (Cross River Central) spoke with reporters on his re-election bid, governorship contest, zoning and other partisan issues. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

What is the position of Governor Liyel Imoke on your re-election bid in Cross River Central District?

I can only tell you what I know from my discussions with my governor. I had gone to him on March 29 in his house in Abuja. I told him of the proposed return of Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, to the Senate in 2015 and he confirmed to me that he knew about it. I now told him of my intention to return to the Senate as we are all part of the same leadership and he said, ‘it makes sense so that we consolidate what we have.’ That was what he told me. He has not told me anything different. On October 7, I was with him in his house and I mentioned this. He never told me he was against it; that he was more interested in the processes and that the process should be open and that there should be a level-playing ground. I’m not aware of any public comments against my return. I’m not aware of anybody quoting him in public that he’s opposed to my return to the Senate. I’ve also drawn his attention to the fact that Hon. Enoh moves around in a convoy of government vehicles and government officials.

Has there been any zoning arrangement or agreement, whether written or unwritten, concerning the Central senatorial seat?

There has been zoning.  We have this understanding; the Central Senatorial District is made up of two old local governments: Ikom and Obubra. Those two local governments are now six local governments-Old Ikom is now Ikom, Etung and Boki. Senator Mathew Mbu that I took over from is from Boki. Hon Enoh is from Etung. So, we are all old Ikom people. Now, old Obubra has Obubra, Abi and Yakurr. Now, the governor comes from Abi. Why was the Senate seat in old Ikom? It’s because in 1999, old Obubra produced the deputy governor. So, they gave the Senate seat to old Ikom. The Senate remained in old Ikom because old Obubra produced the minister, who is the present governor. The Senate also remained in old Ikom because old Obubra again, produced a governor in the present arrangement.

So, old Ikom takes one, old Obubra takes another. Now, they have come up with a new purported zoning arrangement; that they want to zone a Senate seat on the basis of federal constituencies. And what is their argument? Ikom and Boki are a federal constituency and they say Ikom has had, Boki has had. They say the governor was in the Senate from Abi and he’s governor today and so, Abi is out; from their own argument. They also say that Yakurr, which is in old Obubra has produced a governor in Clement Ebri. So, Yakurr is out. In their argument only two, local governments have not produced-Etung and Obubra, which is a federal constituency. You can now see where the thing is going to; it’s like moving from an answer to the question. Now, Etung is the smaller local government in that federal constituency, but from 1999 till date, Etung has produced the House of Representatives member. The deputy governor, who is from Obubra, was impeached in 2001, the late John Okpa. So, Obubra has been fallow from that time till date. So, if you are going to zone on the basis of equity, between these two local governments, Obubra is the one that has had nothing from 2001 till date. Why are you now zoning it to the local government that has something from 1999 till date? So, if you zone it to Obubra, you would have satisfied two things: you would have maintained the old sharing arrangement and you would still have satisfied the federal constituency argument, if you want to make that argument. But, I’m the Senator representing River Central. Which meeting was that decision taken that I was not there? Where was the decision taken? I think it’s just a gimmick. It means nothing. In any way, zoning or no zoning, I’m picking my form on Tuesday.

There’s an allegation that you began to have problems with the governor when you introduced Goddy Jedy-Agba to President Jonathan as a governorship aspirant in your state.

No such thing happened and I have said it before the President and the national chairman of our party. The President has even confirmed that nothing like that happened. That is one. Two, let us even assume that I did. Is the governorship of Cross River State an appointment? So, I took him there for the President to issue him a letter of appointment? Governorship is a process. It’s all part of the desperation. You must concoct stories to justify something you want to do.

Why do you want to re-contest for the Senate?

First of all, I did not write the Nigerian constitution. The Nigerian constitution provides for term limits for the executive; it even puts an age qualification. You must be of a certain age and it also provides that for some offices. In the judiciary, you must have spent a certain number of years as a lawyer to be eligible for appointment and there’s a retirement age as well. In the legislature, the constitution only provides for an entry age; it has no term limits, it has no retirement age and if you take presidential constitutions all over the world, it is the same pattern. Now, why is it so? It is because of the peculiarity of parliament. In the executive, there’s an elaborate bureaucracy to service it. So, when you have a President today, there’s an elaborate bureaucracy in place and in a democracy, there’s always a formal handing over and a formal taking over, including handing-over notes and taking-over notes. In the judiciary, you have what we call the hierarchy of courts and you also have judicial precedence so that when the highest court has pronounced on a legal issue, every other court under it is bound by that pronouncement; by that principle. The judiciary has a very elaborate archival system. If you are looking for a judgment given by a Customary Court in 1891, you are likely to find it. Now, in parliament, you have a bureaucracy that serves the institution but you know, for lack of or want on an appropriate term, parliament is made up of members and those members, again, for want of an appropriate word, ‘sovereign.’ The day the parliamentarian leaves, he goes with his/her contacts, the network, records, knowledge garnered, experience, or the lack of it, and is not obliged to say a word to the person taking over.

It has been alleged that you instigate youths to bar your opponent from participating in the New Yam ceremony in your village…

Well, I was not there. But,I remember getting a call on that morning from the clan head to the effect that there was an issue that some youths blocked the road because the honourable member representing Etung/Obubra Federal Constituency wanted to go for New Yam in my village and I told them: ‘why should that be an issue’? It shouldn’t be an issue because, one, it is his right, he has freedom of movement; it’s his right to go anywhere he wishes. I asked that the youths be persuaded that the peace was not breached; that every Nigerian has a right of movement and it was his constitutional right. I’m a lawyer and I respect our laws. But having said so, in this our business, being stopped on the way is normal. I remember that I was going to a community in Southern Etung and to stop me, the youths removed the bridge. Yes, to stop me from reaching there, they ripped off the bridge; just to stop me from going. In another community, there was a bonfire across the road. I’ve been stopped three times: one in Abi Local Government and twice in Etung. It’s part of the game. They are seeking your attention and so, you give them that attention and on each occasion, I negotiated with them and they let me through. It’s normal in politics.

The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, is eyeing the Senate for the fourth time. But, another aspirant and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. John Owan-Enoh, has vowed to stop him. Who blinks first? Correspondent NICHOLAS KALU examines the issues that will shape the senatorial race in Cross River Central District.
The Cross River Central Senatorial District is the hotbed of  politics in Cross River State. The indigenes are politically conscious. The voting population is also huge. That is why the senatorial race in the district is generating much interest.

Since 2003, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) has been representing the district in the Upper Chamber. In 2011, he became the Senate Leader. For 11 years, he has endowed the seat with honour and visibility. In the National Assembly, he is perceived as an asset. He is close to President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark.

At home, he is a political idol. Apart from attracting projects to the state, he has also organised empowerment programmes for constituents. Thus, many people are urging him to seek re-election.

As the race gathers momentum, there are surprises. A federal legislator, Hon. John Owan-Enoh, who represents Obubra/Etung Constituency in the House of Representatives, is challenging the Senate Leader. The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation is believed to have the support Governor Liyel Imoke.

Observers find this strange Imoke and Ndoma-Egba enjoy cordial relations. But, the Senate Leader is determined to seek election for the fourth time.

Top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, who are backing Ndoma-Egba, include Brig-Gen. Mark. The Senate President has praised him for stabilising the Senate and the polity through his pan-Nigerian activities in the chamber.

Speaking in Ikom, Mark said: “I promise Victor when he is going to declare I would come here and when I come, we would campaign. When you say the Senate is stable, there are two people who make it very stable. They are the Deputy Senate President and the Leader of the Senate. So, you have produced a son who has made a mark in this country. He has helped to stabilise a very important institution of democracy in this country.”

The town, which is the headquarters of the Central Senatorial District, was aglow with festivities as stakeholders endorsed from the six local governments that comprise the district endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan and Victor Ndoma-Egba for next year’s elections.

The youths were decked in customised attires. They danced round the town as they drummed support for his candidature. It was a carnival-like rally.

A representative of the district in the National Youth Forum (NYF), Prince Ayuk Ojong, said: “We know that all of us are in the right direction. Today, we have come to witness the endorsement of these great Nigerians.

“You are in the right direction, please be alert. The youths  are endorsing the one we know; the we believe in, the voice of the people, the centenary leader, the centenary lawmaker, the one and only Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba. My brothers and sisters, this business concerns you. That is why we have taken the pains to ensure that we make a difference. Leadership remains with us because we will decide. These two leaders have come together and they are making great things happen.”

A youth leader, Prince Eka William, said: “What I have seen today is a clear demonstration of the feeling of the young people. You have decided to take your destiny in your hands. You have decided  to take the driver’s seat. It is just the best thing you can do and I am sure, as you go ahead, the Lord God will bless you. Goodluck Jonathan has done very well; I don’t need to reiterate that Victor Ndoma-Egba has done so well.  We are giving them another term.”

The Vice President of the NYF, Comrade Yusuf Ibrahim, said: ‘’We have endorsed them today and we are saying with all our strength and might that President Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba are going back.”

The Director-General of the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba Campaign Committee, Mr Ernest Irek, expressed gratitude to the youths  for their endorsements and assured them that they will not regret their decision.

Also,  youths from  Obubra Local Government Area held a rally for the President and the senator. They said Dr. Jonathan should continue in the office he has an unfinished business. They described Ndoma-Egba as a high ranking senator endowed with the charisma and the intellectual depth to assist the President in consolidating and actualising his agenda for a greater and united Nigeria.

Addressing the crowd at Ofatura, Adun,  the campaign cooordinator in Obubra Local Government Coordinator, Mr Egbe Abeng Egbe, described the endorsement as a test-run, ahead of the official campaigns. He said the solidarity march is an affirmation of the endorsement. Egbe emphasised that Ndoma-Egba is the adopted candidate.

He stressed: “His contributions cuts across the nation and even beyond the shores of Nigeria, with over 39 bills sponsored and passed on the floor of the Senate, including the Freedom of Information Bill, to his credit.”

“It is only Senator Ndoma-Egba, who has remembered the people of Obubra with his people-oriented projects. No other politician has remembered us in the scheme of things after the demise of our godfather, Chief John Oyom Okpa. The people of the Southsouth want him back in the Senate.’’

The former Chairman of the Cross River State Public Account Committee, Chief Dan Ewona, said a ranking senator is better than a fresher, adding that Ndoma-Egba’s challenger lacks the depth of parliamentary experience.

He recalled that, from 1999 till date, Cross River has produced nine senators, adding that none of them became the Senate Leader.  He said, apart from Second Republic Senate President Dr. Joseph Wayas, no senator from the state has been part of the National Assembly leadership in the last 30 years.

The PDP chieftain added: “The chances are that, if Ndoma-Egba goes back, he would either retain his senate leadership or aspire for something higher.”

The Obubra Chairman of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and leader of Hausa Community in Obubra, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, said Muslims have also adopted him because he has impacted on their lives by sponsoring them for Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Also, professionals  are rooting for him. At a meeting in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, they said there will be no vacancy in the district next year. In their view, the senator deserves support because he is not a bench warmer in the Senate, adding that hardwork and performance should be encouraged.

A stakeholder, Dr Benitrus Okim, who spoke on behalf of the professionals, outlined Ndoma-Egba’s achievements. He said the senator has sponsored the highest number of bills in the Seventh Senate. Okim added: “He has executed more than 70 projects in his constituency. He has awarded more that 500 scholarships to indigenes of the district. He has fought for the territorial integrity of the state. He has sponsored over 200 pilgrims to Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia. He has, in line with the federal government’s policy on agriculture and food supply and sustainability, provided agricultural inputs to farmers.

“He has trained and empowered about 500 indigenes on small and medium scale enterprises and provided them with start-up capital. He has vigorously fought for the interest of the state. He has shown total and unalloyed support to the party. He has facilitated the employment of more than 500 people from the state. He earned the accolade of the governor as they stabilise the PDP in the state.”

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also endorsed the Senate Leader. Its National Vice President, Special Duties, Comrade Victor Ufuoma, said the endorsement was in recognition of his feats in the Senate. He lauded him for his scholarship scheme, saying that it has assisted indigent students to complete their studies.

“His efforts at empowering youths and sustaining the empowerment is something we thank him for. On behalf of the students, we give him support for 2015,” he added.

Also speaking, a member of the House of Assembly, Mr Mathew Achigbe, said the Senate Leader has given the state at the federal level. “Now, we have a voice in Nigeria. Cross River was so relegated to the background as we did not have people at the top. Now, we have the Senate Leader. He needs to be there. We may never get the chance again. The best is what we want. You don’t change a winning team,” he said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Wilfred Eko, said the adoption was the beginning of the re-election of the Senate Leader. “What we are doing will continue, until what we want is achieved. What we want is the return of our illustrious son to the Senate. He occupies a mighty position in the Senate.

“Before he got there, there were always problems between the Senate and the President.  Since Ndoma-Egba has been there, there has been stability in the Senate,” he said.

Ndoma-Egba’s media aide said: “It is not debatable that, for now, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba is Cross River State’s most prized political asset. It is also clear that no other legislator in the state, or even the Southsouth, has the capacity, by this position has, to attract federal presence to the state.

“Do we need to trade that advantage with the vaunting ambition of an individual, who will be going to the Senate as an unranked senator? The problem is that we confuse the person of Victor Ndoma-Egba with the occupant of the office of the Senate Leader. The office of the Senate Leader is an important office.

“Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba is the Leader of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There are reasons to support the Senate Leader back to the Senate, in view of the numerous gains accruing to the state and indeed, the party hierarchy. The party and the government still need his services.”