Why Nigeria’ll not break up under Jonathan’s watch—Clark

Elder statesman and Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark was the guest lecturer at the 7th Distinguished Lecture Series of School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University, Victoria Island, Lagos, last Wednesday. He spoke on burning national issues including the raging Boko Haram insurgency, war against graft and comments that Nigeria may disintegrate before 2015 among others. CHronicling the history of Nigeria dating back to the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates, Clark said that propositions that the nation will disintegrate should be totally disregarded, as what is playing out in the country today is only a tussle for political power. He said: “We have been together for the past 100 years. It was in 1914 that Lord Lugard amalgamated the Northern and the Southern protectorates. Don’t ask me why the amalgamation because I do not want to dwell on that. But firstly, it is apt to note that there was a true federation particularly in 1961. Among Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, there was a federation and these premiers agreed that there was going to be a federation where everybody will be equal. We are going to have a federation where every component and region will be allowed to develop at its own pace. Then, these three leaders were able to develop their own region. “It was in 1956 that the late Chief Anthony Enahoro moved a motion in the Parliament that there should be independence, but the Northerners said no, that we were not ready. So, when they came out of the Parliament, they were booed and jeered at. And the northerners vowed never to come to Lagos again. Then, this was followed up by the independence in 1960, Nigeria did not break. Even in 1966, five majors in the Army decided to plot a coup that saw many people killed, including Tafawa Balewa, the Sarduana of Sokoto, Chief Akintola, Chief Okotie-Eboh and some soldiers. All these played out and Gen. Yakubu Gowon came into power but Nigeria did not break… “Even in 1967, there was a civil war which claimed so many lives because the Igbo felt they were marginalized and therefore they fought for a cause. Under Odumegwu Ojukwu, they seceded from Nigeria, but Gowon insisted that Nigeria must remain one. After the war that ensued, Nigeria became more stronger and united, the Igbo were re-integrated into the country because Gowon declared that there was no victor, no vanquished. Since then, so many things have happened, but Nigeria did not break. “When in 1914 Lord Lugard amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates, he did not say one would be superior to the other; he did not say one would rule Nigeria forever. Massive support The Northerners have ruled this country for 38 years, military and civilian, whereas others have ruled for just 16 years. The Igbo have just ruled for 6 months, but heaven did not fall. Now that the South-South who has not been there before is now there, heaven wants to fall.” He recalled the 1979 election, saying the South-South massively supported Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a northerner and NPN candidate, and has always supported the North and other regions for the Presidency noting that there was no reason the South-South, a minority, will not be supported to complete its tenure of eight years in the presidency. Jonathan has right to re-contest elections: Speaking further, Clark said that Section 137 of the 1999 constitution allows the President to go for two terms of four years each. “So, it is an aberration for anybody to say that Jonathan does not have the right to re-contest in 2015 presidential elections. Section 137 guarantees the President the right to go for two terms of four years. President Jonathan was only a running mate to the late President Musa Ya’Adua in the 2007 elections. He only contested as President in 2011, therefore, it is a mix-up to say that Jonathan’s tenure started in 2007.” Obnoxious statements: Describing statements credited to General Muhamadu Buhari, Adamu Ciroma and Asari Dokubo that there will be war if Jonathan wins or does not win the 2015 elections, Clark said they are not enough to break the country. His words: “So, when you are talking about Nigeria in the shadow of 2015, I am very optimistic that nothing will happen to our dear country. I don’t see Nigeria breaking in 2015. People are just saying this because two American scholars who conducted a research some years back, postulated that Nigeria is in a balance or that Nigeria will break. They based their postulation on jostling for political power and the small arms being imported into this country. Now certain obnoxious statements have been made by the likes of Buhari, Geidam, Alhaji Suleiman, Adamu Ciroma, Asari Dokubo and others that there will be war, bloodshed, that there will be no Nigeria, if Jonathan wins or does not win the 2015 elections. These statements which support the assertion by the American scholars is not enough to break Nigeria. Let it also be known that I, E.K. Clark openly responded to the National Assembly, especially the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led House of Representatives not to play double standards. When the House ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest and investigate Asari Dokubo, who was only reacting to the statements of some northern elements who are threatening to make the country ungovernable if Jonathan wins the 2015 election, it was my open letter that made the matter die down till date.” On Corruption: “Jonathan has done a lot in fighting corruption in this country. Looking at the issue of fuel subsidy, even the son of the former Chairman of his party was prosecuted. But however, I suggest that with the political will he has to fight corruption, that a Corruption tribunal should be set up, to charge criminals who steal our public funds, no matter how highly placed they are. This is being done in other countries. It pains me that most corrupt Nigerians still work freely in the streets. Rather than keeping shut, they go about accusing the present administration of corruption. Take for instance, the suspended CBN governor, who has been playing a holy than thou attitude, it has just been made known that he was involved in financial recklessness at the CBN. Sanusi should not be allowed to go scot free. He should be made to go to jail, if found wanting after ongoing investigations. Boko-Haram challenge: Reacting to Tuesday’s killing of students of Federal Government Girls College in Yobe State, by the deadly Islamist sect, Boko Haram, Clark affirmed that all hands needed to be on deck in combating the insurgency which has claimed many lives and properties. He however blamed the insurgency to statements credited to some northerners that Nigeria will be ungovernable if Jonathan wins the 2011 Presidential elections. “I think the federal government has been making frantic efforts to contain this insurgency. Government recently created a new army division to support the armed forces that are there already. These insurgents are terrorists, because they have already been brain-washed that when they kill, Allah (God Almighty) will reward them after death in heaven, with seven virgins which is all fallacy. One major challenge is the issue of genocide. Because when the Jonathan administration uses full force like Obasanjo did, so many innocent Nigerians will be killed.”

Gale of sackings and Jonathan’s 2015 permutations

The recent sacking of cabinet members as well as new appointments made by President Goodluck Jonathan are seen as part of a larger scheme to position him for a yet-to-be-declared 2015 ambition. The recent decision by President Goodluck Jonathan to ease out another set of five members of his cabinet has been long in coming. Political pundits argue that the sacking ritual, which began with the removal of the then Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, on August 26, 2013, has almost run full cycle. Permutations geared towards getting a headstart ahead of the 2015 elections blew open early last year when seven Peoples Democratic Party governors came out of the closet to demand reforms in the party. As it later turned out, their demand was primarily aimed at giving them a greater say in who emerges as the party’s presidential flagbearer. The sacking of an additional nine ministers on September 14, 2013 and the recent removal of five others in February 2014 must have reinforced speculations that an election-minded cabinet is in the making. At the heat of the face-off between Jonathan and the seven aggrieved PDP governors on September 14, 2013, the President announced the sacking of nine out of his 43 ministers. The timing and choice of those to go left very few Nigerians in doubt about the possible motive. Most of those eased out either came from states whose governors had been involved in political skirmishes with the President or were nominees of those perceived to be his opponents. They were Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai (Education), Hadiza Mailafia (Environment), Shamsudeen Usman (National Planning), Ama Pepple (Housing, Lands and Urban Development), and Zainab Kuchi (Minister of State for Power). Others were Okon Ewa-Bassey (Science and Technology), Olugbenga Ashiru (Foreign Affairs), Olusola Obada (Minister of State for Defence), and Bukar Tijani (Minister of State for Agriculture). Although it is more of a convention than a rule, most ministers are nominated by the governors of their states of origin. However, some governors who fell apart with the President, not only walked out on the President during the August 31, 2013 special national convention of the ruling party, they went ahead to form a splinter group called the New PDP, which was later annulled by the court. The aggrieved PDP governors, who fell out with the president, were Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Abdualfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); and Babangida Aliyu (Niger). The picture became clearer when the erstwhile President’s Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, suddenly resigned his appointment two weeks ago. Many believe the resignation was actually a soft-landing for a man the President was said to have been long under pressure to ease out. While confirming Oghiadomhe’s departure, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said his former colleague resigned in response to the President’s earlier request to cabinet members and political appointees, who are interested in pursuing other political interests, to step aside. What Abati did not say was what many have come to interpret as an indication that the President is simply out to remove persons who are likely to constitute a liability to his yet-to-be announced 2015 second term ambition. Oghiadomhe’s resignation was followed by the resignation of four ministers. The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, who announced the sacking of five of his erstwhile colleagues, explained that the President asked the affected ministers to step out to further their own interests, some in politics others in their private businesses. He added, “Those asked by the President to go include the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama; Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olukolade (retd.);  Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, and Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah.” While Olubolade, Orubebe, and Ngama are believed to have an ambition of seeking to govern their respective states, the same cannot be said of Oduah. A more believable explanation appears to be that the removal of her three other colleagues provided an opportunity for the President to finally bow to public pressure to ease Oduah out after a series of allegations of scandals against her. There had been an outcry over Jonathan’s decision to retain Oduah in his cabinet, despite her alleged involvement in the N255m scam for the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars as well as a high-profile controversy on the ex-minister’s postgraduate certificate, which she allegedly claimed to have obtained from a United State’s college. Maku’s explanation that the sacking was part of a systematic public administration strategy, which he believed the President did simply to address the issues of retuning his government to achieve service delivery, did not sound convincing. It sounded more like a declaration by Abati, who, while announcing the removal of the then Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Inuwa Abdulkadir, said the minister was sacked for failing to give quality leadership to the National Youth Council of Nigeria. Observers of the unfolding scenario posit that the nomination and confirmation of Jonathan’s nominees to replace some of the sacked ministers, could be the President’s way of sending a clear message to his opponents that he is preparing to take them on in 2015. A list of the ministerial nominees so far confirmed by the Senate include former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (retd.), a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro, and a former governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Boni Haruna, representing Zamfara, Lagos and Adamawa states respectively. Others are a former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Aminu Wali; a former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil; Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi; and Mrs. Lawrencia Mallam, representing Kaduna, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states. The list also has Dr. Khaliru Alhassan from Sokoto State; Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan from Osun State; Dr. T.W. Danagogo from Rivers State; and Mrs. Asabe Ahmed from Niger State. Although the ministers-designate have yet to be assigned portfolios, speculations are rife that Gusau is likely to head the Ministry of Defence, with either Wali or Obanikoro going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, their portfolios may not be much of an issue if 2015 calculations are brought to bear on the postings. What each of the ministers is expected to bring to the table in terms of political capital may be uppermost in the minds of those looking at a Jonathan Presidency beyond 2015. Gusau’s vast experience in the intelligence community is expected to count for something in terms of bringing the Boko Haram insurgency under control. Gusau, who once made a bid for the Presidency himself, is expected to have also garnered some experience in the political terrain to be able to work towards assisting the President to secure at least 25 per cent of the votes in his native Zamfara State. However, a member of the House of Representatives during the Second Republic, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, expressed fears over the possibility of giving Gusau the defence portfolio. Mohammed said, “Soldiers, as professionals, always do better under civilians even when the current civilian government is irresponsible, with the idea of appointing one retired general as Defence Minister. If they go ahead with it, the morale in the military is gone.” For experienced politicians like Wali, he is expected to bring together the growing army of PDP supporters, who fell out with Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who recently ditched the party to join the opposition All Progressives Congress. He is expected to coordinate the resistance against Kwankwaso’s dominance of the political space in Kano. If things work according to some projections, he is likely to head Jonathan’s campaign organisation. The PDP, and by extension, the President, will be expecting Obanikoro’s history of PDP activism to come in handy in Lagos State. His choice as minister is being considered by some as a calculated move to pave the way for another candidate, who will fly the party flag in the state governorship election as well as prepare him for the role of the President’s campaign coordinator not only in Lagos, but also in the neighbouring states. Female nominees from Kaduna and Niger states are expected to galvanise the support from the womenfolk not only from their respective states, but also across the country through networking. The fact that their nominations enjoyed the backing of governors considered friendly, it is expected that the governors will also reciprocate by working for the President when the time comes. What has remained unclear is the role expected to be played by the nominee from Osun State, Adesiyan. Some, at least, all the three senators from the state, consider his choice as ill- advised considering his alleged involvement in the controversy surrounding the unresolved murder of the late Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. Some political commentators are already liking Jonathan’s moves, especially in states considered hostile to him, to what former President Shehu Shagari did in the Second Republic, when he appointed people who were then referred to as ‘Federal Liaison Officers’ to checkmate his opponents in the affected states. Whether the performance of Jonathan’s new cabinet will translate into national development that will endear the President to the people is what remains to be seen.

Tambuwal’s travels and tours

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal’s almost flawless flow with friends and foes has raised concerns among leading partisans of his own political party. Arguably the most popular of the half a dozen speakers of the House in the Fourth Republic, Tambuwal’s ability to avoid trouble despite his hectic pace and pattern is befuddling ‘I AM visiting the national leader of the PDP. Baba and myself are in the PDP,” Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said last weekend as he touched base with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the latter’s Abeokuta residence. Speaker Tambuwal’s humored assertion of belonging to the PDP with baba, was certainly not lost on anyone. After all, Obasanjo had two months ago vowed to pull back from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP until what he noted as certain anomalies were corrected. The speaker’s aversion for his own party’s events has also become a trend that these days the news of the speaker’s presence or absence at national events is almost always tied to news reports of such events. The political commonality between the speaker and the former president is now almost universally said to be that the two men are closet members of the leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. That is given their recent political genuflections towards the opposition party. However, the encounter last weekend was the first time that the two men were known to have met in public or private since Obasanjo’s famous denunciation in 2011 of Tambuwal’s emergence as speaker of the House of Representatives against the zoning policy of the PDP. The meeting of the two men came in the wake of the increasing curiosity on the political intentions of the two men who have in recent times walked out of sync with the present leaders in the PDP. Calming the anxiety of the waiting journalists in Abeokuta last weekend, Speaker Tambuwal said: “Baba is a leader not only in Nigeria but in Africa and it is only appropriate  for those of us in positions of authority and leadership to occasionally come and consult him on matters of national interest…” Whatever consultations Speaker Tambuwal came for in Abeokuta, his visit was bound to raise curiosity especially at the timing of the visit. Tambuwal was the only one of the 11 members of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State who did not defect from the PDP to the APC when the members deserted the PDP last December. Obasanjo on his part had at about the time the Sokoto legislators defected signaled his intention to pull back from the activities of the PDP pending when anomalies he alleged in the party were addressed. Remarkably, Tambuwal has by occasion of accident also missed out from some major PDP activities that ordinarily should concern him. When President Goodluck Jonathan visited Sokoto State at the beginning of the month to receive former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa into the PDP, many newspapers went to town with the report that Tambuwal was absent at the occasion. His absence was, however, traced to a trip outside the country as he was at the time of the Sokoto rally in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj. Before the Sokoto rally, Speaker Tambuwal had also raised a stir when he visited Benin, the Edo State capital on a condolence visit to the Oba of Benin on the death of the queen mother. Speaker Tambuwal took opportunity of the visit to visit Governor Adams Oshiomhole. It was not surprising that political pundits projecting higher offices for the speaker were able to match up the duo for a presidential ticket in 2015. Tambuwal who has been roundly praised for his management of the House and bringing maturity to bear in the face of multifarious political pressures has been repeatedly mentioned for higher office in the country. The most eloquent testimonial for the speaker was the call on him by former President Ibrahim Babangida who at the Vanguard Personality of the Year investiture ceremony last year urged the speaker to aspire for higher office. “When leaders like Tamuwal delivered on their electoral promise, we advise them to try something higher. For Tambuwal, your guess is as good as mine. Well done,” Babangida had said. Given the widely reported achievements of Oshiomhole in Edo State, it was not difficult for political pundits to project a Tambuwal – Oshiomhole ticket or an Oshiomhole – Tambuwal ticket with either of them at the head of a sellable ticket. However, the visit to Obasanjo last weekend was in the view of some further efforts by the speaker in consolidating his grounds ahead of his widely expected presidential declaration. Speaker’s travels and tours But associates of the speaker are not totally taken by such permutations. Given that the speaker was in Shagari village, Sokoto State, last Tuesday, to celebrate with former President Shehu Shagari, close associates say the speaker’s travels and tours  are only illustrative of the speaker’s readiness to associate with all statesmen irrespective of their political allegiances. “Would you say that speaker went to see Shagari for political endorsement,” one of the speaker’s associates asked? That Speaker Tambuwal would visit President Obasanjo who in 2011 called on the speaker to resign his office on account of his alleged willful distortion of the PDP zoning policy reflects the political astuteness of the speaker and his much celebrated humility. It is also suggestive of the determination of the political class to put all permutations on ground in the forthcoming presidential combat

Defected governors should return to PDP— Oyibode

AMBASSADOR Gabriel Chukwuma Oyibode is the founder and chairman of Amb. Gabriel Chukwuma Etaoghenevwegba Oyibode foundation. In this interview he explains why President Goodluck Jonathan should run for a second term in office among other issues. Do you believe the president should seek another term and why? Amidst all odds, the President has performed credibly well in the area of power and infrastructure development, youth empowerment/ Job Creation (U-WIN initiative, SUREP, and others) etc. I opined, he should be given another opportunity to complete the good works he has started. Does the recent change in the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) portray good omen for the party come 2015 general election? Yes, because the world is dynamic, therefore change is constant and the recent change in the leadership of PDP would be a good omen for the party come 2015 general election and beyond. Please comment on the continued Boko Haram insurgence in the Northern part of the country.? The aggrieved Boko Haram sects and perpetrators of insurgencies in the north are not spirits but humans. They should be bold and courageous enough to put their cards on the table of dialogue. I therefore urge every Boko Haram member to embrace peace, and if there is anything they are agitating for they should speak out to the government about it reasonably. Do you think the chairman of INEC, Alhaji Atairu Jega has the credibility to handle the next general election given what happened in Anambra State recently? Alhaji Attairu Jega is a seasoned professor and a man of integrity, I know he is very credible and has the obligation and passion to handle any situation with regards to elections in Nigeria. Though, there might be some short comings, but nobody has the monopoly of knowledge. I trust he will improve by the day. Do you see Nigeria breaking up in 2015 after the general election as predicted by some pundits? No! Nigeria will remain united. Because united we stand and divided we fall. Nigeria remains one indivisible entity since the amalgamation in 1914. No matter the dispute arising from various ethnicities, we remain one Nigeria. Please tell us why the organization was established and how far it has affected the lives of Nigerians.? To what extent do you think the administration in Delta State has affected the population in that state? Delta under the administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has done well and still hope to do more before the end of his tenure. Most applauded is the bursary scheme to Deltans, the Delta Beyond oil vision and the three point transformation agenda. Politics should not be a do or die affair. In life some loose and some win. Nigerian politicians should eschew the politics of bitterness and violence without which there can be no desired peace for sustainable development. There is the call from Alhaji Adamu Muazu the new PDP chairman on the five defected Governors to come back to PDP. How do you see it? It’s a good stride, I also urge the defected governors and party members to come back to PDP  if possible; a kingdom that is divided against itself cannot  stand.  Therefore there is an absolute need for reconciliation. The Nigerian state is a project instituted by God. Nigerians should eschew violence and politics of bitterness and seek peace for sustainable development. Everybody must realize that we need to build a united country because what we have now is an agglomeration of nation states. There is strength in unity. Therefore, we should all put aside our racial differences and ethnicities and pursue a common goal.

Edo 2015: We will build on Oshiomhole’s foundation — Alimikhena

Senator Obende is no threat at all Barrister (Chief) Francis Alimikhena has sought to go to the Senate in the past three rounds of general elections, but failed. Now, the former army officer turned lawyer, a papal knight of St. Gregory (KSG) is seeing hope in the horizon. What has your electoral experiences been like? In 2007 I contested under the platform of the Peoplesf Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo North Senatorial District. Four of us were in the race but it was unfortunate that the PDP rigged for an unpopular candidate. Their selection was not based on popularity but upon whom you know. Later in 2011 when the fortunes of PDP were dwindling in the state I was approached to come out and contest. When the leaders that be in the PDP saw that there was light in the tunnel, they moved against me and rigged me out and that was why the result of the election was a total failure on the part of PDP. How prepared is APC to claim victory in the state? It is an understatement to say how prepared is APC to claim victory in the state. APC is all over any where you go in the state now. We have only pockets of PDP members. APC is firmly in control. What is your message to the political players? People should shun politics of deceit and bitterness, politics of cash and carry. Party men and women should hold faith with their leaders and the party so as to achieve the full dividends of democracy. The country would come out strong after the 2015 elections; all we need to do is to shun politics of violence and election rigging. What is your assessment of the administration of the Comrade Governor? The Comrade Governor has done considerably very well in changing the face of the state from what it was before he came in. He has laid a good foundation for the APC. Itfs a foundation APC will continue to cherish and build upon.  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has done very well. What are your chances in securing the Edo North Senatorial District ticket of the APC? The whole issue about my chance is based on the fact that when one prepares to go into battle, there is nothing like testing the waters. Contest is contest. The only thing you do is ensuring that you are ready to represent the platform that you choose .My chances are bright. How familiar are you with the constituencies that make up Edo North Senatorial District? For the fact that I have been contesting for this same position since 2007 stands me out to know all the constituencies and they too know me well. I am familiar with the people and their support for me is over whelming. Are you favoured by the zoning arrangement for the position? Despite the presence of a zoning arrangement in Edo North Senatorial District, individuals are chosen based on performance. We have had experience in the past where we had non-performing senators representing the zone. Yes it is the turn of Etsako now according to the zoning arrangement to present the candidate with that I am favoured. Are you aware that the incumbent, Senator Obende Domingo is hoping to return? The truth is that everyone has his or her own ambition not minding if you have done well or not to aspire for a position. The people will decide who their favourite is. He is not a threat at all. In this type of a contest your pedigree speaks for you. It is not just a cash and carry affair. Professor Julius Ihonvbere has been endorsed by Owan people what have you to say? I heard of it. To me it is too early for any endorsement because APC membership registration has not been done yet, no ward or LGAs executives are in place. I heard also that not all the leaders of the two LGAs that were there. Be that as it may the endorsement has a sectional attribute .As they endorsed him because he is an Owan son, then Etsako endorses me because I am an Etsako son and Akoko Edo endorses Domingo because he is their son. , then where shall we go from there? It is the turn of Etsako to produce a candidate for this election period. What do you hope to achieve when you get to the Senate? I want to give my people qualitative representation. I also want to set a record in Edo North senatorial district which would be a platform for others to build on.

Those leaving PDP have their reasons —Shema

aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan, especially by the northerners. As a deputy national chairman of the PDP and now a serving governor, you must be familiar with the crisis in your party? Yes. I was honoured by my party to be a deputy national chairman. I was chairman, National Disciplinary Committee, I was chairman of its Democratic Institute, I was chairman of its South-West reconciliation committee, and if you like, I was in the fire brigade team to solve crises in some states. I was in Imo, in Benue, in Edo and Ibadan to resolve crises. So, it is something that I am quite familiar with. There has been stiff opposition especially from northerners to the alleged plans by President Jonathan to seek a fresh mandate in 2015. What is your take on this? We have spoken about it several times. Whenever it is time for election, the temperature goes up. Even if it is the chief of a market that we are electing, the human temperature will go up, so this is no exception. The President himself hasn’t declared whether he will run or not, but there have been speculations that he will run, that he will not run and so on and so forth. I have always told people –especially (beginning from) last year, up to this time it is only in Nigeria that people start running for election right after swearing in. What worries me is, are we really thinking of providing service to our people? Because, if we are thinking of service, the time isn’t ripe for politicking, but I can tell you that 70 per cent of the time, people are talking about who contests, who will take over from the incumbent and so on. Unfortunately, that is Nigeria for you. Maybe it is because our democracy is just coming up. But we can’t be so much in a hurry that we will say we have caught up with nations that have been practising it for over 250 years. It will be stupid to do that. Are we really learning? It is good to learn and make corrections when mistakes are made and it is good to try our best to reform. The President will come out and make a statement at the right time. And for the stiff resistance you hear, in my mind, it is because some of the people challenging him are also interested in the same office. Some of them have made categorical statements; some speculations are rife in the air. So, if somebody is interested in your office, yes, he can go to any length. That’s the truth. Your party is facing a lot of crises that led to five of your colleagues defecting to APC. Do you see the new chairman addressing these challenges? We have our challenges. That is not to say other parties don’t have challenges. The reason why people see our own is because of our size and in politics, size does matter. It is always easy to talk about differences in political parties, or any organisation. What people fail to realise is that the PDP has succeeded tremendously in Nigeria since 1999. First of all, in capturing and retaining power, the party has succeeded in the first transition, from one civil rule to the other. I know PDP belongs to Nigerians and that is why everybody talks about PDP, even non-party members, who belong to the opposition political parties. Because it is truly a Nigerian party, every Nigerian thinks PDP is his own. Unlike other parties where you can say Mr. A. owns this party or that party belongs to group A, but PDP really belongs to Nigerians. It is truly a national party; that’s why whatever affects PDP, affects Nigeria; even the opposition talks about PDP, even you journalists, as if you belong to that party, you are worried about what we do. It is because it is truly a national party. On the challenges we are facing over defection, I am sure you are aware of the efforts made by Mr. President to make sure that they (five governors) didn’t leave the party, to change the tide of those who wanted to leave. Even in a family there is bound to be a quarrel but to resolve the issues maturely is the way of the PDP. Look at the issues of the resignation of our former chairman, Bamanga Tukur. At the end of the day, PDP is the only party in Nigeria where a party chairman can resign and another one steps in without rancor and breaking of heads. I don’t know of any other party in Nigeria that does this except PDP.  Hope is not lost on the question of reconciliation. We can reach out and reconcile with those people. Of course, politics is a voluntary business. Those who don’t want to belong to PDP, I am sure they have their reasons why they don’t want to belong to PDP, but as they are leaving, let me assure you that others will be moving in. That’s politics. In fact, there are those who left PDP, who rushed back. It will be in the interest of Nigeria if PDP continues to do what it is doing, to stabilise Nigeria. You people know the situation of this country in 1998. It is the emergence of PDP that was probably the saving grace of our nation that helped to put the nation back to the path of peace and harmony. What do you think can be done to douse the tension and restore peace in Rivers State? On Rivers, the crisis is something that the leadership in Rivers should be able to address. I am not from Rivers so I am not in a position to comment effectively, truly and deeply on Rivers because Rivers State has peculiarities and those peculiarities are best resolved by our leaders there, in the best interest of the Rivers people and in the best interest of Nigeria. In 2015, you will leave office. What will be your next move? You see, planning ahead, you forget the saying that man proposes, God disposes. You can plan whatever you want, I can plan whatever I want, but our fate is in the hands of God Almighty. I have said several times at both international and local fora that as for me, my plan is to continue to serve this nation in whatever capacity, even when I go back to my Law practice. I am grateful to my God, I have a second address. You see when you enter politics and you don’t have a second address that is when you run into trouble; but I have a profession, I have a second address. Your state is not one of the high earners from the federation account and from all indications, it’s not an industrialised state per se. How do you source for funds to run the state? Whenever leadership performs and it is effective, it is due to the guidance and support of our Creator and we must give gratitude to Him. Secondly, I have no other source of revenue other than the usual sources of revenue for all the states in Nigeria -the Federation Account, which is just an average of N4bn per month and of course, the Internally Generated Revenue. When I came into office, I met an IGR of about N130m and now it is an average of about one N1bn. So, if you put it together, may be N5bn in a month. We are one of the first states to start the implementation of the minimum wage in the country and that takes more than 50 per cent of my allocation every month; that is to pay salaries. So, you can see that what I am left to work with is probably about one quarter of the total amount. In short, I have no other source of revenue beyond the IGR. We did devise some methods and those methods are yielding results. One, we don’t award contracts of more than N1m without having the money to pay the contractors. We try to imbibe financial discipline. I am a lawyer and also have a Masters in Business Administration and another Masters in International Diplomacy. That helps me a lot and I started running my Law firm immediately I left school. Based on that, if you award a N1m contract, we keep N1m aside for that contract. We give the contractor N400, 000 and he has to give us bank guarantee bond for that. The other N600, 000, we keep in project savings account and that account will generate interest and we do that for all our projects without exception. So, at the end of the day, once a contractor finishes his job he comes for payment and takes his balance of N600, 000.

2015: Renewed crisis ravages PDP in Ogun

RESPITE appears far from sight for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State ahead of the 2015 elections. Stakeholders and factions of the party have renewed hostilities in the battle for the soul of Ogun PDP. An end to the trouble is far from sight as many factions have come up to challenge the current executive of the party. The trouble, which started seven years ago, was worsened following the call by three factions of the party for the harmonisation of the state executive committee. The crisis cost the PDP the state in 2011 and paved the way for the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN now All Progressives Congress (APC) to mount the saddle of leadership. Findings showed that the trouble was ignited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Abdullahi Kaugama, which recognized Bashorun Dayo Soremi as the state chairman of the PDP. The letter read: ‘You will recall that the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/347/2012 and FHC/L/CS/535/2012 held that the Congresses conducted by the Bashorun Dayo Soremi Harmonised State Executive Committee and the Executive Committee that emerged therefrom are valid. The Commission as a law abiding institution has resolved to accept and relate with the said executive committee in obedience to the orders of the Federal High Court.” The party as at the time of filing the report was being overseen by Buruji Kashamu whose loyalists have been positioned as executive members. The three major factions in the party are those loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Minister of Commerce, Jubril Martins-Kuye; and immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, which jointly accused the INEC of bias in its handling of the matter. The factions under the aegis of the Concerned Members and Stakeholders of the PDP in Ogun State, in a legal notice from their lawyers, Gani Bello and Co dated February 10, 2014 and sent to INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, argued that by its support for the Dayo-led state exco, the commission had failed in its responsibility as the “main referee and umpire for party primaries.” They accused the INEC of compromise in its official duties by recognizing and dealing with only the Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee backed by party financier, Prince Buruji Kashamu. The factions were reacting to the reply written by the INEC Secretary, Abdullahi. A. Kaugama to the situation report on the state PDP crisis. The report was sent by the Ogun State Legal Officer of the electoral body, Mr. B.O. Ogunbona, to Professor Jega last August. The lawyers, who said in a five-page notice to Jega to be solicitors to two chieftains of the Ogun PDP, Omotolu Ladega and Alhaji Kayode Mustapha who they identified as the “accredited representatives of the concerned members” of the party in the state, threatened to seek legal redress against the commission if it failed within 21 days to withdraw its recognition of the Kashamu-backed state exco. They also demanded the recall and transfer of the Ogun INEC legal officer and “other officers who have openly compromised their official duties” over their alleged role in the state PDP crisis. The Concerned Ogun PDP stakeholders also demanded an unreserved apology from the commission over its alleged bias in the party’s crisis. The legal notice, which the office of the INEC chairman received on February 14 read in part: “Our clients by their instruction hereby employ this medium to register their objection and protest the seemingly ignoble and parochial robe that INEC has chosen to wear in Ogun State. “The letter dated 31/08/12 (hereinafter called the attached letter) written to you by your own Ogun State INEC legal officer, if truly authored by your commission has in the opinion of our clients thoroughly broken your myth of unbiased arbiter. “Our clients wonder how your commission has now come to know by names, particulars, personalities and activities of the different factions in Ogun State PDP. We understand that rather than bother yourself with the upcoming 2015 elections, your Commission is engaged in the old history of how in 2008 “Governor Gbenga Daniel (OGD) and his group circumvented the democratic process to keep his loyalists in the executive committee of the party so that only aspirants anointed by him emerged as party candidates. “Your Commission has obviously embarked on a wondrous frolic and a journey of no return! We are instructed that what is embarrassing in your attached letter was the open adoration and embrace of a group or faction that installed the Bashorun Dayo Soremi-led Executive whilst pouring invectives, vituperation and condemnation on other groups, particularly the group that allegedly installed the Joju Fadairo-led Executive. “The overall concern of our clients is that with the role being played by your Commission in Ogun State PDP as exemplified in the attached letter, it is almost certain that you have virtually abandoned your constitutional responsibility as the main referee and umpire for party primaries. “Right now the Dayo Soremi/Adebayo Dayo group has been laying claim on your letter under reference as their authority for being the only group in Ogun State PDP recognized by INEC. This, in the opinion of our clients is not acceptable. “In fact, the Ogun State INEC as presently constituted is not in a position to conduct or observe true and fair primaries in Ogun State PDP. The only way of redemption open to your commission is to assure our clients that the letter under reference has been discountenanced and consigned into dustbin.” Allegation is laughable —Dayo Reacting, the Adebayo Dayo-led PDP Exco described as laughable the allegation by the three factions against INEC. The Dayo-led exco also described the three factions as faceless individuals, who called themselves concerned members and stakeholders of the PDP. “Contrary to the false claims in the letter, the Adebayo Dayo-led Exco neither derives its strength from the 31st August, 2012 report nor the 18th September, 2012 letter by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). As could be gleaned from the report and letter themselves, they were based on several judicial interventions and decisions, which INEC, as a law-abiding institution, could not but obey. “It should be noted that these decisions were not appealed by the so-called concerned members and stakeholders of Ogun State PDP. Where have they been since 2012 when these decisions were taken? Both the court verdicts and the INEC letter were widely publicised yet they raised no eyebrows since 2012. The truth is they are just waking up from their slumber. They have missed their right of appeal and cannot now turn round to blame INEC for their own lapses. They have missed it on all fronts. It is too late to cry when the head is off. “It is common knowledge that the former Governor Gbenga Daniel and some of his associates have since joined the Labour Party (LP) just like a good number of them have defected into the PDP. Over 80 percent of the members of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo group are with us in the PDP having turned down the directive of the former leader to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). “Also, all members of the Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye (JMK) group are with us. Indeed, while mischief makers were churning out their lies, members of the group led by JMK himself were attending a meeting at the Lagos residence of Senator Ayo Otegbola. In attendance at the meeting were party bigwigs such as Chief Alani Bankole, Prince Buruji Kashamu and party chairman, Engr. Adebayo Dayo among others.”

Cracks in Nasarawa APC: Early warning signs to 2015

Frictions had long been expected in many state chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC as a result of the melting of strange elements. While many other states are still containing their issues, the frictions in Nasarawa State seem unending The first sign of crisis in the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC in Nasarawa State was not long in coming. It came on the waves of the recently conducted primary elections for the nomination of party candidates for the forthcoming local government elections. The primary election results which took seven days to be announced were trailed by rancour as many party stakeholders claimed that the results were doctored in a way to favour some of the aspirants. One of the most negative products of the primaries was the arson that was made on the multi million naira hotel owned by the interim chairman of the party in the state, Architect Stanley Buba, penultimate week in Akwanga by some alleged irate youths . According to a witness, the youths rained abusive words on the APC, as they alleged manipulation of the primaries. “They said that he (chairman) changed the names of those that were voted during the primaries by putting names of his boys who were not nominated.” “The youths also swore to take legal action on the injustice meted on them or dump the party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the source said. However police in the area said they were still investigating the incident. Buba, the embattled interim chairman of the APC traced the burning of his hotel in Akwanga to some people whom he said “contested the council election and failed in Akwanga local government”. It must be recalled that some yet to be identified irate youths allegedly razed the Light House Resort, a hotel in Akwanga belonging to the party chairman. In his reaction to the development when he visited the hotel, Governor Tanko Almakura wondered why anyone would go to the extent of burning the hotel in the face of several appeals by the state government for peace on the issues. He thus called on people in the state to desist from such acts contrary to law. Responding to allegations of election fraud in the just concluded APC primaries, Buba said that the results of the party primaries were scrutinized and endorsed by the electoral committee in the three senatorial districts before the final declaration. Amongst other things stated as reasons for the delay and cancellation of the council primaries result in some local governments were election irregularities and malpractices at the polling units in places like Nasarwa Eggon, Wamba, Doma, Lafia, Kokona, Keana and Toto local government areas respectively. Furthermore, the seat of the interim committee chairman of APC in the state is currently being challenged in the High Court of Justice in Nasarawa State. The Chief Judge Hon. Justice Isha Mohammed had declared the position of the interim chairman in the state APC vacant pending the hearing of the motion on notice. Justice Mohammed had in an exparte order restrained Buba from being recognized as the interim committee chairman of APC in Nasarawa State pending the determination of the court. The plaintiff, Hon. Nurudeen Umar had gone to court earlier to stop Buba on the allegation that his appointment as interim chairman of the party contravenes the APC constitution that stipulates that a member of the interim committee must be drawn from either of the 3 major political parties that formed the APC. Buba he alleged was not a member of either of the three political parties that merged to form the APC. Furthermore, the suspension of the Deputy Governor, Chief Damishi Barua from the party over his statement that the APC’s decision to frustrate the president’s bills in the National Assembly was not in good taste is also stoking further controversy. Barua told journalists in his home town recently that he was not aware of any suspension as no notice was served him while he was away to the United States of America. “I am just hearing it from you, but if the party say they suspend me for making a statement in Goshen Church, I made that statement as a Nigerian and not as a deputy governor under APC, and I had the right to make that statement”. “I said that the decision by the APC to frustrate the president through the stoppage of bills by the APC legislators at the National Assembly was not the best for this country”. “If government could be stopped from implementing policies because of political interest, then we are not being fair to our people. I insist and stand by this position no matter any political affiliation I belong as a Nigerian”, Damishi Lamented.

2015: Endorsements and entanglements in Enugu

Contention for ascendancy ahead of the 2015 round of general elections in Enugu State is  ruffling feathers THE endorsement of candidates by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwarts and prospective delegates in Enugu State ahead of the congresses for the nomination of candidates for the 2015 elections is raising dust within the party in the state. The endorsement of candidates especially for the senatorial positions has created tension in  the state chapter of the party with some aspirants for National Assembly positions already sourcing for alternative political parties if their chances in the ruling party were traded off. Vanguard gathered that the leadership of the party which had been polarized on account of the endorsement of some candidates for the Enugu East and Enugu West Senatorial slots has expressed concern that the development could jeopardize the chance of the party in the forthcoming elections. For instance, the endorsement and counter-endorsement of Governor Sullivan Chime and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu by different groups in the five local government areas of Enugu West  for the 2015 senatorial contest and a similar endorsement of the Chief of Staff to the state governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo as the sole candidate for Enugu East senatorial slot, have caused a sharp division among the party members. Some party stakeholders who sensed that the development could cause serious animosity among PDP faithful in the state, had cautioned the Engr. Vita Abba-led party executive to put a stop to the gale of endorsement and counter-endorsement of candidates ahead of the party congresses in order to forestall intra-party feud that could lead to mass defection of the members to opposition parties. While some groups within the Ezeagu, Udi, Awgu and Aninri local government chapters of the party have endorsed Chime and Ekweremadu for Enugu West senatorial seat at different meetings, some government functionaries in the party within Enugu East have also endorsed Mrs Nwobodo as the sole senatorial candidate thereby fore-closing the chances of other aspirants who have already declared their intention to contest the election on the platform of PDP. Apart from Senator Gilbert Nnaji currently representing Enugu East at the senate, former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and former Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, had declared their interest to contest the senatorial election. The leadership of the party in Nkanu West local government had last week passed a vote of confidence on Mrs.Nwobodo and also unanimously endorsed her as its sole candidate for the Enugu East Senatorial seat. The motion for the adoption of Mrs. Nwobodo for the Enugu East Senatorial District seat was moved by Hon Iloabuchi Aniagu, Member Representing the local government in the State House of Assembly and seconded by Mrs. Ndidi Chukwu, the State Commissioner for Gender Affairs. Speaking shortly before moving the motion during the meeting of the party stakeholders, at Agbani, Mr. Aniagu described Mrs. Nwobodo as a selfless leader who used her position to contribute immeasurably to the development of Nkanu land in particular and Enugu State in general. The lawmaker noted that Mrs. Nwobodo is a very marketable commodity, a caring mother and woman of substance, adding that if given the mandate come 2015 general election, she would do more to the people of the zone far better than those who were there in the senate before her. However, some stalwarts of the party from Enugu East have expressed concern over the ambition of Mrs. Nwobodo who is a native of Udi local government but married to an Nkanu man from Enugu West local government. Those who spoke on her ambition argued that since Governor Chime  who is from Udi local government is eyeing the Enugu West senatorial seat, it would be unfair to the Nkanu people for an Udi woman to represent them at the senate as that would amount to having two Udi natives representing two different zones at the senate. The party chieftains who also reviewed the ongoing PDP membership registration exercise in the state, expressed concern over the alleged distribution of two different registers to the wards officials.  They alleged that the ward officials were mandated to use one of the registers for the registration at the ward level after which the names of those believed to be loyal supporters would be entered into the second register that would be used for the forthcoming congresses. Although the allegation was denied by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Okey Eze, some ward officials confirmed that two registers were distributed to each of the over 260 wards for the membership registration but disclosed that one would be deposited with the state party chairman, Engr. Vita Abba, who would later direct them on how to transfer the names of those registered from the wards into the second register. However, the party said that the registration was to enable those who left the party earlier to re-register their membership while those above 18 years who are willing to join the party would be given the opportunity to register. Eze said the major component of the registration exercise was the issuance of membership card to new entrants, advising that the rumour of double register was meant to cause confusion and should therefore be ignored.

Confab: This is a white elephant project — West-Idahosa

President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by Vice President Namadi Sambo (4th right) and the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference, Dr. Femi Okurounmu while other committee members watched shortly after the inauguration of the Committee at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. HON. EHIOGIE WEST IDAHOSA was a three term member of the House of Representatives who in his first term threw up the memorable quote that “the House of Representatives would live forever.” In this interview, West-Idahosa reviews the proposals for a National Conference which he describes as a white elephant project but nevertheless posits that the parliamentary system of government has greater advantages for the country. What is your take on the proposed National Dialogue by the Federal government? I think it is a white elephant project. In my own opinion whatever the confab hopes to achieve should have been put together by way of inputs and forwarded to the National Assembly. This is because the National Assembly itself is in the process now of reviewing the country’s constitution. A lot of money has been expended on this process. The House of Representatives for example even went to the extent of conducting Peoples’ Assembly all over the federation. Political exercise That was a good opportunity for inputs to have been received and imagine the amount of money that people are speculating that will go into the process; some say nearly N11billion will go into the process, so I consider it as political exercise in futility. Is a national dialogue really needed? The truth is that those issues underlining the policies of Nigeria, I think after the era of the Awos, Azikiwes, Balewas, Ahmadu Bellos and the rest of them, we have given birth to a series of intellectually lazy politicians who have decided that the only way to wield political powers is to whip up religious, ethnic sentiments among others. That is why you find out that our politicians are barely identified ideologically and it is only a few who appear to understand what it means to have a covenant and a contract with the people. The others simply talk about my peoples, turn by turn limited, my religion against your religion and my ethnic group against your ethnic group. But as long as the politicians who drive the process are unwilling to change the tactics, if you like have one hundred and twenty conferences, the issues that underline the crisis in the country will remain so. I think that the best strategy rather than wasting money on a national conference is one, for the political parties themselves to toe their ideological lines. After all in this country, it is forbidden for a political party to have s symbol or slogan that will promote religion, race, region etc. Once that is there, it is a good platform for all parties to build on nationalism and if we were to promote national agenda, then, one can now look at the nitty -gritty, we can now begin to talk of resource control, we can now talk fully on the Federal Character, whether federal character remains a relevant factor after so many years of independence or whether meritocracy should replace federal character, we begin to look at urban renewal, rural infrastructural development and re-commitment to the people and development of human capacity. What is your comment on the call by some that the country should reverse to the parliamentary system of government? To be honest, I am a frontline believer in the parliamentary system of government and I have said that even in my book which I published last year, ‘SEPARATION OF POWERS AND DEMOCRACY IN CONTEMPOARARY NIGERIA’; I argued very strongly that one of the reasons why the country is having very serious political problems is that the presidential system of government appears to be unsuitable for Nigeria. You have to look at our educational level, you have to look at quality of political leadership, you have to look at the cost of operating the presidential system and this is a system that is very costly; this is a system that is so corruption prone, therefore, if you ask me, I will say that from contemporary records, the country did better under parliamentary system of government than the presidential system. The reason is very clear. If you want to be a political leader, you must yourself be acceptable to the people; you have to learn to win the people over, you have to put yourself forward for electoral contest; then, you will win the confidence of the people, find yourself in parliament and if your party wins the majority seats, you will be able to form the government. You bring ministers from nowhere, and some of these ministers are imported from God knows where. Some of the ministers have no clue about the common man’s problems, they have no clues about policy analysis, they have no clues about policy evaluation, they take the front seats and begin to drive the process that they are alien to. So, I think that in all honesty, the parliamentary system is more suitable for this country and it will promote more discipline in government. So, do you agree with claims that the confab is to enable the president buy time? That was why I said earlier that it is a white elephant project and a political gimmick that will fail woefully. It is nothing but an attempt to win some political caps. But I think that in the end it will be an exercise in irony. Would you support our legislators to work on part-time? Well, this will depend on the type of system that is operational. If you are operating a presidential system, it becomes untenable to have legislators on part-time because politically elected representatives are expected to devote full time to their jobs. As we speak now, many of them are not allowed to practice their professions, earn any form of living other than the one that is appropriated to them.

Kogi, opposition sing different tunes on Wada’s performance

Ogun to extend deadline for property owners

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Thursday said his administration would extend by a week, the February 28 deadline set for property owners to perfect their title documents. He disclosed this when he led members of his cabinet on an inspection of the exercise tagged Home Owners’ Charter Scheme in Ifo and Ado Odo/Ota local government areas of the state. While addressing residents of the areas visited, he assured them that the government had heard their complaints regarding the challenges facing them over the scheme. The property owners in the two council areas had lamented the shortage of personnel at the registration centres, pleading for an extension of the deadline. While the property owners lauded the scheme, they said that an extension of the deadline would enable them to participate fully in the programme. Amosun promised to provide more Home Owners’s Charter service centres in Akute and to consider the possibility of extending the deadline as requested by the residents. The governor said, “I received text messages and emails telling me that they want us to extend the programme, and having come around today and seen things myself, we will hearken to their calls. We will go back home and see the possibility of extending it by a maximum of a week or so. “We will get more portakabins and increase service delivery to make sure that the thing is flawless.” On the projected number of applicants which the governor put at 200, 000, he expressed optimism that the figure would be surpassed. He urged property owners in the state to take advantage of the ongoing scheme. “The era of applying for certificate of occupancy and other titled documents and not getting it in the state is over. I am putting my integrity and that of the state on line and assure you that things would not be like they were in the past in the state,” governor added.

Power shift: Ndokwa is best for Delta North — Enebeli

Chief Paul Enebeli is the President of Ndokwa Neku Union in Delta State. In this interaction, Enebeli bares his mind on the controversy over the agitation for power shift in the state noting that it will ensure fair play. Excerpts: What is your opinion on the controversy over power shift in Delta State which has generated heat in the state? I do not think that the issue of power shift and zoning should generate controversy. The constitution itself creates room for a degree of understanding. When you talk about federal character for example, it tells you that no section should monopolise power in any setting. In the civil service, for example, where you have the permanent secretary from a particular zone, the directors are divided across sections of the country to create the sense of belonging and to create a sense of fairness as well as to allow peace to reign. That is what basically it is in the constitution. Now, going down the ladder in the structure of the country, it is not for fun that the constitution gives room for every state to have three senatorial districts. So, no matter how big a state is, each has three senatorial districts because they want every state in the country to participate in governance. Now, coming to Delta state, I believe strongly that there should not be any issue of whether it is written or not, we said so or we did not say so. Delta state is a big family because we are all brothers and sisters, in one way or the other, and I think strongly that from that point of view, if in the first time, Delta Central produced the governor in the person of James Ibori; and after him, based on understanding too, Delta South is today having the governorship, it is only natural that Delta North should be given a chance to have the slot for the governorship of the state. Again, based on equity and fair play and the desire to carry everybody along, I think that is the spirit. So I do not think there should be controversy. What should really interest other people should be, if it is Delta North, where should it really go to in Delta North? If we are going to have a governor of Delta north, who will be the deputy governor? Who will be the Speaker and all that? That is what we should be thinking about. Majority of Deltans should be thinking, if it is going to be in Delta North, for there to be peace, what section should give that peace of mind to everybody?

Jos High Court dismisses APC’s bid to stop LG polls

A Jos High Court on Friday quashed a bid by the All Progressives Congress to stop the Plateau Local Government election fixed for February 25. Justice David Mann in his judgement described the suit by the APC as completely lacking in merit. He dismissed the suit and awarded damages of N50,000 to each of the defendants in the matter. The defendants were the state Government, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission and the Plateau State House of Assembly. APC had asked the court to stop the polls citing the law in use as defective. Counsel to the APC, Mr Badamasi-Kabir Adam, pointed out that the commission was operating with two conflicting laws. He said the election should be stopped for the laws to be clarified to avoid the confusion that would ensue. According to him, the Plateau State Electoral Commission law made in 2011 is being used side by side with another made for the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission in 2013. However, Justice Mann held that the PLASEC law 2011 and the PLASIEC law 2013 were the same law. He said that it was the 2011 PLASEC law that was gazetted in May 2013 as PLASIEC law. “It is the same law and did not differentiate,” he said. According to the judge, reference made to the wrong law did not vitiate the notice of election issued by the commission. The judge also held that the Plateau House of Assembly had rights to make laws for local government elections so long as it did not have conflict with the laws made by the National Assembly. He said that the views of counsel that the PLASIEC law was inconsistent with the electoral Act, 2010 was grossly misconstrued. “The electoral Act 2010 has nothing to do with local government elections but apply only to Area Councils and State elections. “I find the originating summons completely bereft of any merit, I hereby dismiss it, this is my judgement,” he said. APC in its originating summons also asked the court to interpret the 1999 constitution, and provisions of the electoral Act 2010 which it said were in conflict with the PLASEC Law 2011. The APC counsel said that some of the provisions of the law were inconsistent with provisions of the electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution and to that extent should be declared null and void.

Esan North East: Unending power game in Anenih’s backyard

Attempts by some to show that a man nationally revered as The Leader is politically lame in his backyard continued this week in Esan Northeast Esan North East could be just one of the 18 local government areas in Edo State in the eyes of many. But not for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his antagonists in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The base of Chief Tony Anenih, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been at the centre of an unending political game that escalated last Tuesday with the annulment of the election of Mr. Sam Oboh as the chairman of the local government area by the Edo State Local government election tribunal. Mr. Oboh was elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Progressives Congress, APC. The tribunal judgment ironically has been rejected by the two leading political parties in the area, the APC and the PDP. Given the well commended infrastructure revolution executed by the Adams Oshiomhole administration, Esan North East had been expected to follow the rest of the state in endorsing all the local government chairmen presented by the comrade governor in the local government elections first conducted last April. However, the PDP which had in the past been accused of imposing candidates for election went clean when it allowed the winner of its primary, Joe Yakubu to fly its ticket. Yakubu was to the people of Esan North East what Adams Oshiomhole is to the rest of Edo State: A Performer. Yakubu had served briefly as local government chairman in the Oserienhmen Osunbor administration and performed in a way that other chairmen had not done before him. So when he was presented against the APC’s Oboh, the PDP believed they had a genuine case. However, the election last April ended in a stalemate as the result was not announced forcing a rerun last October. In that rerun, the PDP mobilised its top chieftains from within and around the area for the election. At the end of the election, the returning officer could not be found and the result was announced by the state chairman of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC Mr. Solomon Ogoh in Benin City, the state capital. He declared the APC winner with 12,672 as against the 3,314 votes polled by PDP’s Yakubu. The results were disputed by the PDP which claimed that results by its officers and security agents showed that the PDP polled 11,332 votes to the 6,248 votes scored by the APC. It was not surprising then that the APC latched unto the assertion by the PDPD as it claimed that the confidence of the PDP was in the use of security agents which are in the control of the PDP controlled Federal Government. The Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen who is from the area and is alleged to be eyeing Oshiomhole’s seat in 2016 was particularly accused by the APC officials of having mobilised security agents to rig the election. Though he was around for the election he, however, denied the allegation of rigging. In the end, the PDP went to the tribunal which last Tuesday faulted the polls and declared another re-run. Bizarrely, the two parties were not satisfied with the judgment. The APC whose candidate was ousted has pledged to appeal the judgment. Speaking through its state publicity secretary, Godwin Erhahon, the party said:”as a law abiding party and promoter of the rule of law, we will abide by the final judgment after the final determination by the appellate tribunal. We shall appeal the judgment at least for the development of the law because we need to exhaust all the legal processes.”The PDP on its part has claimed that it was denied justice as it said the tribunal should not have ordered a rerun, but should have installed its candidate, Yakubu as the validly elected chairman. “The original plot was for the Tribunal to declare the APC candidate winner of the election but that failed due to the good work of our team of lawyers and the witnesses we called on. “They were, however, confronted by a deluge of evidences we presented including EDSEIC ward returning officials who attested to the fact that PDP won the elections and they quickly made a detour.” ”the verdict falls short of our expectations as our candidate would have been declared winner if justice had been served. Now that the tribunal has ruled that there was no collation of result, from where did EDSIEC get the result it announced,” the chairman asked? Meanwhile, the political spectacle continues.

Listen, there’s no rival for Jonathan — Orubebe

Erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe had a homecoming in Asaba, Delta State following his exit from the federal cabinet last week. In this interactive session with journalists following the reception, he spoke on his experience gathered in the Jonathan administration, and his next political aspiration. Excerpts: Why did you quit the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan? First and foremost, people should help me to thank God, who made it possible for me to serve the nation for over six years. In the history of this country, it is only very few persons that have been there for over six years. I also believe that these opportunities are not only meant for one person. I have done my best serving this country and also believe that I should also come to my state to deposit what God really gave to me to join the Governor and people of Delta State to move this state forward. And I had to appeal to Mr. President and he allowed me to come and play a great role in Delta State having spent over six years as a minister, working for this country and I remain grateful to God, I remain grateful to the late President Yar’Adua and I remain grateful to my leader, my mentor and elder brother, President Goodluck Jonathan and I remain grateful to the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the people of Delta State for the support they gave me to remain in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for over six years. Did you resign or were you sacked from the cabinet? How can? I worked with President Jonathan very, very well. He is an elder brother, he is a friend, he is my leader, he is a great Nigerian leader and I worked with him over the years. I was not sacked. I resigned and he allowed me to go when I told him that I needed to come to Delta State to support the governor and the people of this state to move Delta State to a greater level, having contributed my little quota towards the advancement of this country. I do not want to end my political career without coming to my own state to deposit what God has given to me through President Goodluck Jonathan. That is why I resigned to come and contest the governorship election in Delta State in 2015. Are you claiming that your relationship with the President is still very cordial? Intact. More than cordial, it is 100 per cent. At every given time, I am ever ready, I am at his beck and call to do what he wants me to do. My coming here (Delta State) cannot stop me from working for him. Any day, anytime, I am at his beck and call to do what he wants me to do. Why do you want to govern Delta State? I believe that having been a councillor, a local government council chairman, I have been an executive member of state primary education board in Delta State, chairman of a party, I have been an adviser to Governor James Ibori on Urban and Regional Planning. I have been Minister of Special Duties, I was Supervising Minister of National Planning Commission and then Minister of State for Niger Delta and thereafter Minister of Niger Delta Affairs over these years. I have garnered some experience. God has been faithful to me. He has deposited enough knowledge in me and I want to deposit such knowledge that has been given to me by God in the service of the people of Delta State. And also I want to support the Governor that has moved this state thus far, to add my own quota to move this state forward. And I think God has helped me and endowed me to be able to take off from where Dr. Uduaghan will stop. What is your plan for the state if you are elected governor in 2015? Deltans working together to take Delta State to the next level. Collectively we must be able to push this state forward. We are going to add to what Governor Uduaghan has done to take Delta State to the next level to glorify what God destined for the state. What is your relationship with the Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark now in view of his threat that you cannot become governor of Delta State in his lifetime? Chief Edwin Clark is my father, my leader, my master and my mentor and he has the right to correct me anytime he feels that I should be corrected. I have no disagreement with him and if for any reason, he feels bad about whatever statement I must have made, made on my behalf or I was misquoted to have made, he should, in all graciousness, consider it fit in his mind to forgive and forget. Chief Edwin Clark is a rare gem, that we are seeing him now in our generation is a rare privilege. He is not only the leader of the Ijaw in Nigeria and Diaspora, many ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta, which comprises nine states not only in the South/South but also parts of South/ West and South/East, also accept him as their leader. No man can disregard such an elder statesman. Given your experience working with President Jonathan, do you share the sentiment by some that he is a weak leader? I think from our history, having been governed by the military over the years, it has also affected our psyche and our perception about people, who are leaders of this country. President Goodluck Jonathan is a democrat per excellence. He has allowed the rule of law to work in this country and so what are they talking about? President Goodluck Jonathan is a firm leader. If he believes in anything, he will take it to a logical conclusion. President Goodluck Jonathan does not believe in waking up and sacking people because of rumour. President Jonathan is very thorough, he must know why something has happened, he must investigate, he must ask questions to know why these things should happen and you know Nigerians are not used to that and I think a new way of governance, which is through democratic process, government by rule of law must go into the reason of Nigerians because that is the only way we can develop our democracy. He is not a weak leader, he is a great leader, who rules this country by the rule of law and by the provisions of the Constitution of this country. What are his chances in the 2015 presidential election? Very, very bright. I can tell you that I have not seen any candidate from anywhere that can rival President Goodluck Jonathan. Who has the credentials that he has? I believe that the challenges we have now that people are talking about are not as serious as the one we had in 2011. If you listen to the programme during the power and economic summits, where the private sector openly testified that what we are having now, the revolution we are having in Nigeria now, we have never had it before and I believe that Nigerians know what to do and at the right time Nigerians will vote for President Goodluck Jonathan again. I am convinced that he is going to make it again. What is your reaction to the claim in certain quarters that President Jonathan agreed to serve for a single term of four years? People have peddled this rumour over and over but none of them have been able to come up with that agreement that they signed and the president has told Nigerians that he never signed any agreement. Who do you want to believe? Is it the people who are saying he signed an agreement because of their personal interest or our president, who said he never signed any agreement? I worked very closely with President Jonathan, I was the Deputy Director-General of President Jonathan Campaign Organisation, there is nothing like one term agreement that they are talking about. Itfs been a mystery to me and I believe Mr. President wholeheartedly that there was no agreement of that nature. He could not have signed such agreement when he knows that he is entitled to two terms. He is free to run, the constitution permits him to run and we will encourage him to run. How do you evaluate the performance of the Governor of Delta State? Do you think the state is working under his leadership? I think my friend and brother, His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan started very well and he is finishing very strong. And I will continue to support and pray for him to take this state to greater heights. He has tackled this state from so many dimensions, he has been able to work hard to ensure that security is maintained in the state. He has introduced a new concept of moving Delta State outside oil, “Delta beyond Oil”, he has tried his best and I think that he is finishing very strong to the glory of God. Do you have any regret as a minister? I think I should thank God. First, for the opportunity God gave to me. Second, for what I have learnt and for the knowledge I have now about Nigeria. No single regret. I remain grateful to God, I remain grateful to my elder brother, mentor and leader, President Goodluck Jonathan. I cant help but to thank God.

Presidency: N-Delta activists urge North to wait till 2019f

WARRI—Human rights activists in the Niger Delta have advised the North to exercise patience till 2019 to retake power from the South. The activists, in Warri, Delta State, said: “By 2019, President Goodluck Jonathan, who we have endorsed for a second term for equity to prevail in the country, would have completed his second tenure and the Presidency will then be open for them.” Convener of the meeting, Mr. Austin Ozobo, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “The activists unanimously concluded that the North should wait till 2019 after Jonathan’s second term would have elapsed, to wrest power, and there is no vacancy in the Presidency for now. “The North has benefited more than the South in the Jonathan administration and we wonder why some of its leaders are not acknowledging his efforts. We are, indeed, surprised that despite the development strides and provision of amenities by the Jonathan administration in the North, compared to the South-South, South-East and South-West, some northern leaders are still not grateful.” The activists argued that no previous President was barred from contesting for a second tenure, saying, “so, it is Jonathan’s right likewise to run for a second term to fulfill his constitutional obligations.” They said that those opposing Jonathan’s second term were threatening the peace of the country and should refrain from same. “It is the position of people of the South-South and Niger Delta that whoever fights Jonathan does not mean well for southern Nigeria,” they added.

PDP is a party for the future generation – Mu`azu

Abuja – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu`azu, on Thursday said that the PDP was not just a party for the present generation, but for the future generation. He said this in Abuja, when Gov. Gabriel Suswan of Benue led a delegation of the party stakeholders in the state on a courtesy visit on him. Mu`azu expressed happiness on the development stride going on in the state, which he said, was the reason the people of the state praised the PDP-led administration. Mu’azu commended those that remained in the party and called on those who had defected to the opposition to return to the party`s fold. He appealed to members of the party to be patient with its leadership as it thrives to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party. Earlier, Gov. Suswan said the visit was to pledge the loyalty of Benue PDP to the party leadership under Mu`azu. He assured that the Benue chapter of the party would deliver the state in 2015, adding that the state would remain a PDP state. He stressed that members of the party in the state, have no reason to defect to the opposition, adding that those who did, were beginning to return to its fold. “We are not going to rig any election, just as we have been winning, we will continue to win in a free and fair election.’’ Suswan said. He highlighted the challenges confronting the state chapter of the party, to include the clash between the fulani cattle men and farmers in the state. The governor also identified the recent attack on the house of the Tor Tiv, a situation, he said was getting out of control. “We had tried to control the situation, but it is gradually disintegrating to a level that I will say its almost getting out of control,’’ he said. Suswan appealed to the party national chairman to prevail on the Federal Government to intervene in the situation before it becomes worst. This, he said, was critical to ensure that the issue was holistically addressed to enable the state government concentrate on its development drive. Suswan prayed for wisdom for the party`s national chairman in his reconciliation drive and strength to lead the PDP to greater height. A painting of the party’s national chairman was presented to him by Suswan at the occasion. The Governor was accompanied on the visit by some members of the State House of Assembly, ward and council chairmen and PDP chieftains in the state. (NAN)aSrA.dpuf

Sanusi hits back, says NNPC not audited since 2005

Suspended Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido has debunked the allegations of financial recklessness leveled against him. Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi Sanusi who asked what the definition of recklessness is, disclosed that Central bank’s accounts for 2013 were audited while that of NNPC had not been audited since 2005. On his suspension, he said: “The central bank is an independent institution, there is a section of the act that says the president cannot remove the governor without two-thirds of the senate. “There was a reason for that section. You cannot go round that section by saying, ‘I’m not removing you, I’m suspending you,’” Sanusi stated.

Benue 2015: The changes I ‘ll bring as a female gov — Ada Chenge

Ada Chenge is a renowned politician in Benue State and presently, the only female gubernatorial aspirant in the contest for the 2015 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP gubernatorial ticket. Mrs. Chenge who contested and lost the 2011 primaries of the PDP, is the first female mechanical engineer from the state, the first female managing director of Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, in this interview speaks on how she would become the first female governor of Benue State. Do you see yourself standing a chance in a male dominated world like ours in Nigeria? I will answer this question with a question; is it also very easy for a fellow man to hand over power to another man? Power is not handed over to person, if the people you are leading accept you as their leader, whether a male or female, you take it. Even the male folk as well don’t get power easily. It is always a contest. It is not strange. And once in a contest, the people decides who becomes their leader and they look out for quality. For me, it is not strange because I’m the first female Mechanical Engineer of Benue state origin. Mechanical Engineering is purely a male dominated world but I made that record. I was a student of the commercial pilot school in Zaria as far back as 1998. I have been in the male dominated world all my life, so I don’t think sex is an issue in terms of leadership. I believe that if you are able to make your mark, both male and female will vote you. Don’t forget that the women vote even more. You sound so optimistic about your chances in the coming elections. Don’t you think the zoning arrangement may likely affect your prospect considering that you hail from the Benue South zone (Idoma land) by birth? That is if everybody throws tradition away but you can’t throw it away. I’m from Benue south zone by birth and the tradition of Idoma people says that the woman still remains a property of her father irrespective of her marital status. That is why you see that the likes of Maria Aikolola whose husbands are Yoruba picking a two-time House of Assembly ticket from her birth place. How do you intend to fund your campaigns because we know that running election in this country is very expensive?> The people who are yearning for Ada Chenge are always there to give the needed support. Barrack Obama ran the most expensive election in the history of the United States of America but he did not do so with his finances. He ran the election based on the fact that the whole of the black nation yearned for a black president in a white man’s country. So, for me I don’t think I have stress about the funding of my campaign because the people including youths, women who are actually yearning for unity will support me. I represent the symbol of a mother and every fighting person would lay down their arms as long as a mother is there. Everybody will support me as a mother. Funding of the campaign would not be an issue for me. Your party is known for imposition of candidates, if you go in for the primaries and you are denied…?
(Cuts in…) I have lived by example. And you know that a party is an association for people to come together to think as one and then forward ideologies. For instance, if five persons come together and all of them want same thing, if they reason together, then come to agreement to pick a particular person, I think the sportsmanship in others should prompt them to respect the decision. For me, the word imposition used against my party should be withdrawn. My party doesn’t impose candidates. The party usually comes together to weigh people’s opinion and then the majority of the opinion becomes the peoples’ decision. If I feel that I’m the best and five other people feel not so, then I shouldn’t see myself as the best. I had a similar experience in 2006 when I contested the PDP primaries and lost the election in the field, I gave my manifesto to Gabriel Suswam who eventually won the election. We worked for him throughout the election. I’m a woman of a lot of respect and believe in the resolution of crisis. I don’t believe in walking away because I have an issue. That was why I stayed behind at that time and by the grace of God, Suswam is now completing his tenure. I have already lived the example, so I can now only appeal to those who may lose the election to my own candidature that when they lose out, they should kindly do what I have done for somebody else.