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Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
APC Offers Genuine Platform for Igbo Presidency, Says Nyerere
Anyim Nyerere
Interview
The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, South-east, Chief Anyim Nyerere, speaks with Onyebuchi Ezigbo on Igbo presidency, APC's in-roads in the South-east and other challenges facing the opposition party. Excerpts:
How can you rate APC’s penetration in the South-east?
APC is doing very well but we are not used to making noise. You see,God is working for us and things are working out for us naturally. This is because people over the years have not really had theirdesired expectations as it concerned the dividend of democracy and impact of good governance on the people. They are naturally yearning for this change which APC has come up with and everywhere you go people are clamouring for APC and this change. I believe that God has ordained this change at this particular time.
What do you make of the campaign spreading around the South-east that APC is not an Igbo party?
These are campaigns of calumny. We are talking about Nigeria and a party that all Nigerians belong. How do you ascribe it to one ethnic nationality? You see, such campaigns or propaganda is just designed to scare people away but they do not know the more they try it the more they attract more people to our party. Talking about being a Yoruba party or Hausa party, are there not Hausa's and Yoruba's in PDP? Look at the number of Igbos in APC.
So it is not true and there is no amount of such propaganda that will deter people from embracing this change. For the first time in this political dispensation, the Igbo are taken into the main frame of Nigerian politics sincerely, not deceitfully. They are only using the propaganda to scare people away. The APC is a national party and the Igbos are duly represented and their interests well captured.
Some people have said the continued operation of interim structure of leadership has not allowed the opportunity to fully extend its influence to the grassroots and that this is beginning to have negative impact on the party?
No! This is a process. If we are hoping to make a change, we must be ready to do something right. It is not easy to have fusion of people from diverse political background coming together as one. But APC has been able to achieve that peaceful fusion among the merging parties.
In the South East, we have been able to harmonize the state interim executive structures in all the five states. Last week in Owerri, we were able to resolve that to the glory of God. The interim executives at the states were elected and we have been directed by the national leadership to make sure that they are inaugurated before the end of December. Even before now, we had various committees working on our membership drive and this has been yielding positive results.
What is the situation in Imo State, especially the threat by the All
Progressive Grand Alliance to reclaim the state from APC? That is an illusion; people living in a dream world. We believe in free and fair election, where the wishes of the people should prevail.
Progressive Grand Alliance to reclaim the state from APC? That is an illusion; people living in a dream world. We believe in free and fair election, where the wishes of the people should prevail.
It is not a matter of making noise. APC is on ground in Imo state and in other areas of the South East. You saw what happened during the Anambra governorship election, that is, if it can be called an election. The conspiracy against our party means that something is happening. There is an Igbo adage that says anyone being talked about, has something to offer.
If APC is a push-over, why then the hues and cries; why the conspiracy and gang-up? Allow it if you think they are not the party to beat in an election. As far as Imo state is concerned, APGA is living in a fool's paradise; there's no longer anything like APGA in Imo state. Party politics these days has gone beyond a family affair and people can no longer be deceived. Even the smallest boy in the street knows what he wants these days.
Based on what happened in Anambra where in spite of the acclaimed popularity of your candidate, you still lost the election. Why?
We did what we could under the circumstance in Anambra election. For
the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega to come out openly and acknowledge that what happened during the Anambra election was against their expectation and was not normal, what do you need to be told? Can the abnormalities in Anambra state produce a credible result? The answer is no. So whatever you are seeing in Anambra cannot be taken as a victory for anyone because the umpire, that is INEC has come out openly to tell Nigerians that there were fraudulent practices and abnormalities in the Anambra election.
the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega to come out openly and acknowledge that what happened during the Anambra election was against their expectation and was not normal, what do you need to be told? Can the abnormalities in Anambra state produce a credible result? The answer is no. So whatever you are seeing in Anambra cannot be taken as a victory for anyone because the umpire, that is INEC has come out openly to tell Nigerians that there were fraudulent practices and abnormalities in the Anambra election.
Having said that, how can Nigerians accept that there was an election in Anambra? This was why APC was calling for its total cancellation. We as a party has told Nigerians and the world that we do not accept the election conducted in Anambra state and we have gone a step further to go to the court to pursue our case which we believe is the final hope for justice.
We have also tried to challenge what happened in Anambra state by carrying our protest march to the INEC office. We warned that if what was experimented in Delta and Anambra states is what they want to try in 2015, that they should better have a rethink, because once beaten, twice shy. It will never succeed. Nigerians will never accept it, not even APC.
Your constitution stipulates a timeframe for the interim executives and some people have already started to agitate that the interim leadership has over-stayed its welcome; what would you say to that?
There is no breach against the constitution but the period of the interim structure will soon elapse. What the interim leadership is doing right now is to prepare ground for the substantive leadership.
After the membership registration exercise, we are going to organize congresses and then the national convention. By God's grace before the end of the first quarter of 2014, we would have had our national convention. We are in the process now and have started mobilizing for the membership registration.
Do you think that the APC can offer an opportunity for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction?
Why not? The Igbo people are eminently qualified to do so and I do not think anything can stop them from aspiring to be President. The Igbo people are Nigerians and constitutionally entitled to do so. In looking at it, one of the best things that could happen to this nation is to have a president of Igbo extraction. If that happens, you will see a change, the desired change in the polity.
But isn’t there any sign of interest or movements towards the direction of having an Igbo politician declare for presidency ahead of 2015?
You know the ban on politics has not yet been lifted, so nobody will come out openly now to campaign. We have had people making a case for Igbo presidency, even the Ohaneze and other well-meaning Nigerians outside of the Igbo race, like the former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe Musa have been quoted as having said that the best thing that could happen to the country is have Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. We have so many Igbo sons and daughters who are yearning for the right time to come out and declare their interest and aspiration in the presidential contest.
APC has been making in-roads in the North, South-west and even South-south and recently five governors left PDP to join APC but none of them are from the South-east, is it not a sign that the party has not gained acceptance in your area?
As the days go by, most of our political leaders in the South-east will soon begin declaring for the APC. Former top members of the PDP are now in APC while some other from other parties are resigning and joining our party. Our doors are open to welcome new members who want to join us. Most of them have declared interest that they would come and register with APC. You know it is a continuous process. As far as we know, the entire South East is for APC.
What is your political ambition in 2015 and beyond?
People sometimes try to shy away from realities. I come from Abia State where there is a dire need for proactive leadership because over the years what we have had in Abia is better imagined than disclosed.
So who says Nyerere cannot come out? I offer myself for a service that will emancipate the people of Abia state come 2015. The Bible said if you know what to do and you fail to do it, then it is sin. I have what
it takes to make my State better and I will not hesitate to present myself to offer such service to the people of Abia state.
it takes to make my State better and I will not hesitate to present myself to offer such service to the people of Abia state.
What are some of the things you will be offering the Abia people which the present PDP administration has failed to do?
Education is something that every Abia person should have access to and money should not be a hindrance. If I get to the helm of affairs in Abia state, I will look at what the state of things are and see how to approach the problem of education. But one thing that is paramount is that every Abia child should have the privilege to go to school comfortably without having to drop out of school because of money. It will be fashioned in a way that Abia people will be happy with our education system. If we will be in a position to offer a holistic free education from primary to tertiary level, we will not stop at doing that. We would do something to ensure that Abia people will go to school without tears.
Mu’azu Says Automatic Ticket is Undemocratic
Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu
By Muhammad Bello
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has ruled out the possibility of handing automatic tickets to the party’s members in the House of Representatives.
Mu’azu was reacting to a request by the House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, at a PDP caucus meeting with the lawmakers on Tuesday, where he described automatic ticket as undemocratic.
Adeola-Akande, in an address at the meeting, had said the issue of automatic ticket was part of the promise made to the legislators by the executive arm of government, which it did not fulfill, thereby leading to a frosty relationship between the lawmakers and the party.
But responding, Mu’azu said: “Automatic tickets are given by parties that are undemocratic; we have a democratic process and we will go through that. Those that deserved it will surely be there.”
But responding, Mu’azu said: “Automatic tickets are given by parties that are undemocratic; we have a democratic process and we will go through that. Those that deserved it will surely be there.”
When reminded about the earlier promise made by the immediate past National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, that PDP members in the National Assembly would get automatic tickets, the party chair said: “I have no knowledge of what you are telling me.”
On whether the leadership of the party was jittery over the loss of PDP majority in the House, Mu’azu said: “Does any of us, the speaker, the governors or I look panicky, if I may ask?”
The meeting, which Mu’azu chaired, was also attended by the House Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; his deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero; Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Saidu Nasamu Dankigari; Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio and Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema.
Others governors in attendance were Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Theodore Orji (Abia), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), who is from Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi (Anambra) and acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar.
Also, deputy governors of Kogi and Jigawa States represented their principals.
Also, deputy governors of Kogi and Jigawa States represented their principals.
Babangida Denies Writing Jonathan
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida
By Aisha Wakaso
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has denied media report that he, like former President General Olusegun Obasanjo, has written a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of the nation.
Babangida, in a statement yesterday by Mr. Kassim Afegbua, denied the report, which he described as “outright blackmail journalism and a sad commentary on the journalism practice.”
In the statement given to THISDAY in Minna, Niger State, Babangida denied issuing any statement titled: “Your aides are misleading you; IBB warns Jonathan,” published in an online publication.
In the statement given to THISDAY in Minna, Niger State, Babangida denied issuing any statement titled: “Your aides are misleading you; IBB warns Jonathan,” published in an online publication.
“To state the least, this is outright blackmail journalism and a sad commentary on journalism practice; a profession that I hold dear to my heart.
“Let me also state without mincing words that I did not issue the said statement that is flying around the social media on behalf of IBB,” the statement added.
Afegbua also stated that Babangida did not authorise anyone to write the statement, adding that since he left to be the Special Assistant to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, Babangida had not officially appointed a spokesman.
“Let me also state without mincing words that I did not issue the said statement that is flying around the social media on behalf of IBB,” the statement added.
Afegbua also stated that Babangida did not authorise anyone to write the statement, adding that since he left to be the Special Assistant to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, Babangida had not officially appointed a spokesman.
He said: “I declare with all the emphasis at my disposal that General IBB did not authorise anyone to issue any statement on his behalf let alone crediting same odious statement to me; Prince Kassim Afegbua. Even though General IBB has not officially appointed a media spokesman since I left, my acceptance of the offer of special adviser by my governor automatically removes me from being General IBB’s spokesman, a position I so cherished and a personality I so admire.
“It is, therefore, bad journalism for one obscure, good-for-nothing, unprofessional platform such as the Global Villa Extra, to fabricate a statement and credit same to me, not only to mislead the public but cause disaffection amongst the personalities involved.”
He explained that it was not in Babangida’s character to take up issues with leaders in such a pedestrian manner as reflected in the so-called statement credited to him.
“This rebuttal becomes instructive to put the records straight and disabuse the minds of our numerous followers, friends and associates who may come across this statement in one way or the other,” he added.
“This rebuttal becomes instructive to put the records straight and disabuse the minds of our numerous followers, friends and associates who may come across this statement in one way or the other,” he added.
According to him, ‘When I called the local mobile telephone number of the online publication: 08165076156, no one answered my several calls. In fact, the receiver from the other end was cutting my calls. When I called the international number, 00912407041545, a receiver from the other end who refused to disclose his name, expressed shock at my declaration. He did promise to instruct his co-conspirators to remove the tissue of concocted lies from their site. As at the time of writing this rebuttal, he has not done so.”
Why I’m Angry With Niger-Delta Situation—Omotola
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 This was the reason some aggrieved youths in the area took arms against the country and demanded that it controls its resources. This has been kicked against, especially by the people of the Northern region, who insist that the crude oil from the region belongs to all Nigerians. The administration of the late president Umar Yar’Adua successfully launched an amnesty programme, where militants in the region were lured to drop their arms to embrace peace. Government has also tried to develop the Niger-Delta region to make life bearable for the inhabitants of the place. For star actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, who also comes from the region, Ondo State, her publicised fight for the region was applauded few years ago. As a UN ambassador as well as that of Amnesty International, she felt she could use her influence to tackle the problem and bring smiles to the faces of the people of the area. One cannot easily forget how she took on Shell Petroleum, which is seen to be contributing to the pollution in the Niger-Delta region. Speaking with CNN some days ago, Omotola explained why she was angry with the whole situation back then. She said that she felt hurt, when she was shooting a film in the area, which also revolves around the struggle. According to her, “It’s very sad. You need to go to the Niger-Delta Region to know what the people are are going through. You then begin to ask yourself that why is there no one helping these people? If you go there today, most of the locals do not have jobs because they are basically fishermen. Most of the women work in the field and the world is silent. “I shot a movie there recently about the Niger-Delta situation called ‘Up Creek’ and I wept, when I was shooting the movie. I know why these people are angry and to say the truth, I am really and truly angry (with the situation of things there).”
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
So, what's in the ice?
It’s the buzz in town and the new rave on Social Media #WhatsInTheIce. If you happen to live in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt or Benin City, then you are in luck as you stand a chance to win N1,000 airtime from any network of your choice in this competition which kicks off today & runs for 3days.
Gigantic ice moulds will be placed in Ozone Cinemas and Computer Village, Lagos; Silverbird Galleria, Abuja; University of Benin, Benin City and Genesis Deluxe Cinemas, Port Harcourt. Inside these molds is a treasure to be unfolded on Saturday, February 1st. If you are able to guess correctly what’s in it, you stand the chance of winning free airtime on any network of your choice. 1st 100 correct entries only. Very simple. Continue...
For Twitter lovers, correct entries can be posted using the hashtag #WhatsInTheIce. You can also drop your answer in the comments section of this post. And if you want more than N1,000 airtime, make your way to any of the above venues on Saturday by 2pm, where they will be #BreakingTheIce and there’s N100,000 up for grabs. It’s time to break the ice!!.
11 PDP senators set to defect today
Shekarau cross-carpets to ruling party
Barring any lastminute developments, 11 senators elected under the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will today formally defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
Already, former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and the arrowhead of the defecting governors, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday submitted a formal letter to the Senate President, David Mark, which contained the names of the defecting senators and the request to be so recognised.
The senators are Saraki himself (Kwara Central), Magnus Abe (Rivers South- East), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) and Mohammed Jubrila (Adamawa North).
Others are: Umaru Dahiru (Sokoto South), Aisha Jumai Alhassan (Taraba North), Mohammed Lafiaji (Kwara North), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East) and Ali Ndume (Borno South).
Saraki stormed the Senate yesterday at 12.15p.m. during the plenary session and the debate on the 2014 budget was still ongoing to tender the letter to Mark.
It was not particularly clear what Saraki told Mark but shortly after Saraki had delivered the letter containing the names of the defecting senators and took his seat, Mark immediately invited the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, for a brief conference.
Immediately after the plenary, Mark invited the principal officers of the PDP in the Senate and some other senators of the party to a meeting in his office, apparently to discuss the issue and strategies on the best way to approach the matter.
It was also learnt that Dahiru met Mark afterwards to dissociate himself from the defecting senators.
Saraki’s letter reads: “We the undersigned senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, wish to notify you that we have severally and jointly joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“This action and decision is (sic) as a result of the division and factionalisation of PDP that sponsored our elections into the Senate.
“In view of the above, we write to inform you that following the division and factionalisation in the party, we have formally joined the APC.
“This communication is made pursuant to Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) for your information, guidance and purposes.”
Senate spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who fielded questions from correspondents, however, denied knowledge of the letter.
Abaribe said: “There is no such thing on the floor. In that case, I cannot confirm what has not been read on the floor. As at today, there is no such thing until their letters are read on the floor, then I can confirm.”
Thirteen senators had last week written a letter to the Senate president, intimating him of their plan to defect to the opposition APC.
The senators had in the letter appealed to Mark not to declare their seats vacant in the event that they formally announced their defection.
Among the reasons they advanced for the appeal was the ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court, which directed that the status quo ante be maintained by all the parties, particularly the Senate president and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.
Mark was reported to be opposed to the defection and had consistently counselled against such moves, while efforts were being made to resolve the issues in the PDP that might have given rise to such decesions.
Mark had told the leadership of the PDP, which came to the National Assembly late last year on a fence-mending mission, that he would not declare the seat of any defecting senator vacant as required by the constitution.
Since the recently reported fresh moves by some senators of the PDP to defect to APC, Mark had maintained that if any senator was bent on defecting, he or she should write a letter to that effect.
He said that since the senators were elected differently by their separate constituents, it followed that their defection must not be done as a group.
In a related development, former Kano State governor and ex-presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, has officially defected to the PDP along with his supporters in the defunct ANPP in the state.
Shekarau, who is a foundation member of the APC, led hundreds of his supporters drawn from the 44 local government areas of the state, who thronged his Mundubawa Road residence off Hadejia Road in Nasarawa GRA, Kano yesterday.
He accused the APC of lacking in leadership structure, internal democracy and a detailed political programme six months after its registration that could enable it to win the 2015 general elections.
Shekarau, who had been nursing the idea of defecting to the PDP in the last three months finally, did so yesterday, following the ex-Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, who dumped the APC a few days ago.
Some of the supporters chanted, “Nigeria, sai PDP”, “Kano sai PDP”, “PDP is now a Muslim party” among others while denouncing their membership of the APC.
They even renamed President Goodluck Jonathan as President Junaidu Garba.
Shekarau narrated his predicament in the APC leadership, citing lack of internal democracy.
The former governor said he was dumping the party because “a cabal has hijacked the leadership of the party for their own selfish interest.”
He explained that the defection of PDP governors in Kano, Rivers, Kwara, Adamawa and Sokoto states further created complex leadership problems within the APC.
“Six months after, there has not been membership registration in the APC from national to the ward level, no single member has been officially registered.”
Shekarau expressed regret that six months after installing an interim national leadership, the APC had not deemed it right to conduct elections that would usher in duly elected leadership.
The ex-governor has been at loggerheads with Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso over the leadership of the party in Kano State.
“On behalf of the leaders of the defunct ANPP, it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this gigantic stakeholders meeting of the Kano State Elders Forum.
“In the past couple of weeks, we have held series of consultations, we have held series of interactive sessions in respect of development and growth of the new found party, APC.
“The APC is today six complete months, six months after its formal registration on July 31, 2013. Within these six months, there is nothing to show on ground, not a single member of APC has been registered, not a single leadership structure exists anywhere within the states.
“No structure of interim leadership at ward levels, at local government levels, at state levels. Up till this time, we are yet to receive any detailed programme of democratic elections to produce leaders of the party at various levels.
“To our dismay and to our surprise, within the six months, which was the formal and official constitutional period given the interim leadership of the party, we now hear that their is no limited period.
“Within these six months, various unconstitutional decisions have been passed by a clique of the leadership of the party. In our position as bona fide members of that party then, we challenged such decisions. We presented written petitions signed by over 250 stakeholders on December 18, 2013. Today is exactly six weeks since we presented that petition, no acknowledgement, no contact, no one has referred to us to address the petition we have submitted,” he said.
But members of the APC from Kano State in the House of Representatives have dissociated themselves from the defection of Shekarau.
Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu, who disclosed this at a press briefing with other lawmakers, insisted that the APC “is still the party to beat in 2015”.
He said: “Eleven members of the All Progressives Congress, who were members of the defunct 9 ANPP and 2 CPC in the House of Representatives from Kano State have reaffirmed their stance on the current wave of defections and political realignment in the polity, especially in Kano State.
“We also wish to make it categorically clear today that we are not leaving the APC for any political party. We have sacrificed a lot and have come a long way in the struggle to emancipate our people from the bondage of PDP misrule.
“Today, under PDP, we are witnessing unprecedented level of corruption, insecurity, poverty and political instability in Nigeria more than ever before.
“We, therefore, see the coming of APC as an opportunity to right the many wrongs of the PDP and once again put Nigeria back on the pedestal of growth, development, economic prosperity and make it an egalitarian society where rule of law and social justice prevail for the common good.
“However, inasmuch as we express hope and aspiration for a better Nigeria under the APC, we are not unaware of the daunting challenges confronting our new party since we are all coming from different political parties and backgrounds
2015: PDP mobilises Dimeji Bankole against
Indication emerged yesterday that stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State have commenced moves to field former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, as its flag-bearer in the state’s governorship race in 2015.
National Mirror reliably gathered that PDP stakeholders drawn from the four major factions of the party held a meeting at Iperu in the Remo North Local Government Area of the state, where the decision to field
Bankole was sealed. It was further gathered that the former speaker himself was at the meeting that was held at the country home of a former member of the House of Representatives, Dave Salako, last Monday.
A source further told our correspondent that the Iperu meeting was a follow up to the series of meetings held across the three senatorial districts of the state that were aimed at wrestling power from the incumbent Governor Amosun, who is currently having a hard time with stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.
The PDP chieftains were said to have expressed the confidence that a formidable candidate like Bankole, who is also an Egba man, remains the only credible candidate that could wrest power from Amosun.
It was further gathered that the stakeholders also threw their weight behind the new PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and backed his ongoing efforts at reconciling aggrieved members of the party
Members of the PDP stakeholders who attended the Iperu meeting included those from the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s faction as well as loyalists of the former Minister of Commerce, Senator Jubril Martins and those led by party financier and the Chairman of the party’s Organisation and Mobilisation Committee in the South-West, Prince Buruji Kashamu and others belonging to the former governor, Gbenga Daniel’s group.
The party chieftains said to be present at the meeting in which ‘strenuous efforts’ were made to convince the former speaker to fly the party flag against incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun included Dave Salako, Senator Lekan Mustapha and Chief Wale Ogunbanjo.
Others were Sina Adejobi, two serving members of the Ogun State House of Assembly – Abiodun Akovoyon and Minority Leader, Job Akitan, Pelumi Olusola, Tunji Akinosi, Nasiru Isiaka, Chief Dele Ajayi, Chief Wale Egunleti, Michael Fasinu, Alhaji Wale Abeeb Ajayi and Chief Yinka Sosinde.
Confirming the development, host of the meeting and leader of the JMK group, Dave Salako said the party in the state was currently searching for ‘a credible and strong candidate that will take the reins of governance from Amosun.’
Salako said unlike what obtains in other states, PDP members in Ogun were not willing to defect to the APC.
Reacting to the development, however, the deposed PDP state Chairman, Senator Dipo Odujinrin, who said he was yet to be briefed on the latest development, said the plan had been on before now
SURE-P coordinators to get N240.2m locally-made jeeps
The Federal Government yesterday approved the purchase of 44 locally-made IVM G5 Jeeps for the 37 chairmen of states and Federal Capital Territory coordinators and other officers of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, SURE-P.
The 44 jeeps will cost N240.2 million in all, including Value Added Tax, VAT.
The government which made the disclosure yesterday after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, also said that it has approved the draft of the Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill, 2014.
The bill is meant to regulate the country’s metal industry.
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mine and Steel Development, Muhammed Sada, briefed State House correspondents of the meeting’s outcome yesterday.
Wogu, who shed light on the purchase of the vehicles, said the council decided to buy the jeeps from Messrs Innoson Vehicle Manufacturer Company Limited based in Nnewi, Anambra State, in line with the Federal Government’s policy to encourage local manufacturers through direct procurement method.
He said the purchase would be carried out within one week.
His words: “The council approved a memorandum I brought to seek council’s approval for the award of contract for the direct procurement of 44 IVM G5 Jeeps for the 44 chairmen of the state and FCT Coordination and Implementation Commission, SCIC, of the Community Services, Women and Youths Employment, CSWYE, project of SURE-P and the Implementation Unit, FPIU, at the headquarters.
“To effectively implement this project, it becomes important that utility vehicles are procured which will enhance monitoring and supervision of the community services, women and youths employment activities at the state and local government levels nationwide.
“There is a budgetary provision in the 2013 appropriation for the project.”
The minister debunked insinuation that the SUREP is being used to empower only members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
INEC timetable: Political gladiators on the march again
With the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, formally rolling out its time table for the 2015 general election, it is expected that the tempo of politicking will be on the upswing. OBIORA IFOH, OMEIZA AJAYI and UBONG UKPONG take a look at what the political climate will be like in the next one year.
Jega
The Independent National Electoral Commission!, INEC, in a statement by its Secretary, Augusta Ogakwu, at the end of its retreat in Kaduna last Friday, rolled out the much expected time table for the 2015 general election. The time table showed that the presidential and the National Assembly elections were scheduled to hold on February 14, 2015 while the governorship and states Houses of Assembly elections were slated for February 21, 2015.
The terse statement read: “Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission has released the timetable and schedule of activities leading to the 2015 General Elections and the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.”
As expected, the reaction to that release was instantaneous as politicians and political watchers have gone to town with critical appraisal of the election timetable; while some say that INEC ought to fix singular date for all elections, many others argue that staggered election is all the system needs because of the past experience where INEC couldn’t handle simple task of credibly holding elections in states like Anambra, Delta and Edo.
In these election, particularly, in Anambra, INEC scored itself below average and watchers are of the view that nothing has changed and that if INEC should hold all elections same day, Nigeria will certainly witness another calamitous exercise.
But with the release of the time table, the next one year will certainly witness a beehive of activities as the stage will be set for the political gladiators, starting with contentious debate over the suitability or otherwise of a Goodluck Jonathan presidency, the return ticket demand by the federal lawmakers as well the succession politics in the states.
There will also be cases of alignment and realignment by the political parties, particularly, in this era of cross carpeting and decamping from one party to another both in the floor of the legislature and by the state governors amongst others.
Will Jonathan’s declare soon?
Coincidentally, a day prior to INEC’s release of the time table, President Jonathan, who was in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, told CNBC Africa that it would be wrong and unlawful for him to declare his political ambition when the commission had not given its nod for politicians to do so. Before then, the President had often cited the need to concentrate on governance as reason for not openly making his intention known but his body language and the utterances of some of his lieutenants had often indicated that he is interested in taking another shot at the presidency next year.
He had told the CNBC reporter that he would declare his intention after INEC gives the go-ahead. He said: “INEC has a time frame within which candidates are expected to declare. If you declare before that time, you are actually contravening the Nigerian laws. So I won’t tell anybody that I am contesting or that I’m not contesting. It is not proper for me to do that. It is not proper for any Nigerian to declare any interest now. If you do that you are contravening our electoral laws.”
Recall that late last year, the then Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had shut the door on the aspiration of any other party member, insisting that all over the world, a sitting President is giving the privilege of the first right of refusal to contest the presidency. That decision had significantly contributed largely to the crack in the PDP with about seven governors (G7) opting to challenge that party position.
The heat even became unbearable latter last year when the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih openly accused President Jonathan of stoking the crisis in the party because of his reticence on the 2015 presidency particularly as it concerns his declaration.
However, since INEC has now done its part, Nigerians are waiting with bated breath to hear from the horse’s mouth. Jonathan has no other reasons why he should not clear the air about his future political ambition.
Chains of other declarations expected.
Undoubtedly, many partisan individuals and parties have been waiting for the president’s declaration before knowing their next line of action and since politics is not exactly of ideas in this part of the world, some individuals will only jump into the fray only to find a way of “reaching out” to the incumbent president, pledging electoral support and then stepping down.
In the coming weeks, some opposition politicians are also expected to declare their ambition even as these declarations will also generate a lot of debates and court cases, ostensibly because certain politicians, relying on sectional and sectarian interests, may want to stop another politician from contesting.
At the national level, the contest is expected to be between the PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC. The other two major parties, the Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, appear not to be interested in the top spot and may likely not be presenting candidates for the presidency.
However, notable political top shots, including former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar, former and serving governors from both the PDP and APC are expected to context the presidency alongside President Jonathan. In a few weeks, the tempo of intention to contest declaration will intensify.
Parties putting their houses in order
Presently, both the PDP and APC are in crisis, in that while the former’s big umbrella is clearly leaking, the big broom of the latter is no longer a united bunch, but rather, mere broom sticks; but it is expected that they will also begin to put their houses in order, if they have any chances to compete favourably.
The PDP only two weeks ago had a change of leadership, with former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Mua’zu, now in the driving seat whereas, the APC, with interim leadership still holding fort is expected to elect a substantive executive.
Mua’zu only Tuesday accused the APC of being a poaching expert but has boasted that in run to the general election, PDP would out-poach the opposition party. He has also kick-started the troubleshooting efforts by paying a visit to former President Olusegun and he is also in advanced stage of wading into the crisis in the South-West zonal chapter of the party.
As for the APC, the wind of prosperity and enlargement has not ceased as many defectors are daily besieging the party with a few also leaving. It is believed that if and when the party conducts, expectedly, a successful convention later this quarter, the party will be in a good position to put up a claim to the presidency. But observers are of the view that the convention and the possible allocation of party and elective positions to zones will make or mar the chances of the party come 2015.
In the coming weeks, more political realignments and defections would be witnessed in the National Assembly. Media reports of ‘thousands’ of people defecting to either of the two leading parties are also expected while some mushroom political parties will queue behind either of the two major parties. This time around, with the APC also having a lot of money, it is almost certain that not all the mushroom parties will queue behind the PDP.
Governance at the receiving end
President Jonathan has often maintained that one reason why he was finding it difficult to declare his intent was for the fear that governance will suffer. Already, the directives by the APC to its legislators to block all executive legislation as a result of an entirely party matter has been eliciting some condemnation from all quarters except the APC.
Now that INEC’s time table is out, it is expected that as many as are in the government that has electoral ambition would quit office as directed by the President. It is also expected that attention will shift from delivery of democratic dividends to election campaign funding.
The 2011 elections was said to have been the most expenses venture in the history of any elections in Africa and it is believed that 2015 will even be more. Opposition are already insinuating that reason why there is cash crunch in the economy is because of the 2015 and the piling of cash by the politicians for the elections.
Season for political jobbers
In 2011, one witnessed several groups lined up to drum up supports and campaign for whoever they felt paid them better or could be useful to them if eventually emerged victorious from the polls.
For instance, the Stella Oduah’s ‘Neighbour 2 Nighbour’ group suddenly emerged as a political campaign tool, aligning with President Jonathan, who deployed massive men, materials and money into the course. It paid off, as the sponsor used it to penetrate the citizens and the coordinator eventually now has a place in Aso Rock Villa, within the federal cabinet.
Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, leading the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation, said that over 2000 quasi group came under the umbrella and worked for the Jonathan’s presidency in 2011 and that all of them are still there to work for the President against the 2015. There were other groups like Fresh Air, Door 2 Door amongst several others, who pursued diverse course during that season.
Political watchers and analysts have said that this kind of groups were likely to immediately begin to spring up, following the timetable released by INEC, which signals the commencement of preparations for political activities. Already, the Northern Elders Council, NEC, led by veteran Tanko Yakassai debuted only yesterday, Wednesday to lead the campaign for Jonathan in the North.
Meanwhile, sources have it that huge amounts of money had allegedly been earmarked by President Jonathan to service such groups to foster his 2015 presidential re-election. Other notable politicians were also said to be keying into this strategy.
Thus, the political jobbers may have commenced packaging programmes for politicians who are ready to finance their ideas towards the actualisation of their ambitions.
Gold mine for printing presses
Analysts have observed that another direct implication of this declaration is that politicians, their associates and political jobbers would give more business to printers and printing houses. This is because souvenirs like T-Shirts, caps, stationery, even posters, hand bills, billboards, advertisement on vehicles would become a booming business, as such businesses in the political sector were seasonal.
National Mirror spoke to an Abuja-based printer, Cyprian, who said that printrs were virtually praying for that declaration by INEC. He said: “My brother, it means good business coming to us in the printing industry. As for me, I have installed new machines. I am ready to make as much money as I could before the end of the season, because this is one good opportunity for us to benefit from democracy too.”
The rise of pressure, religious, traditional and ethnic groups
For these categories, analysts said they would commence pressing home certain demands both from government and individual politicians with a view that there would be settlements in their favour.
Such ethnic and regional bodies like the South-South Peoples Assembly, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Forum ACF, Afenifere, Odu’a Peoples Congress, OPC, Northern Elders Forum, NEF, and lots more, would actually wake up and begin to pursue some regional and ethnic interests that would foster their collective welfare and existence in the country.
It is also believed that politicians with ambition would also commence consultations with these groups with a view to winning their support and this would come with a lot of early negotiations for better chances to both parties.
Presently, politicians have devised it as a strategy to take their campaigns to the churches in the guise of going for worship. Already, President Jonathan is criticised for indulging in this action alongside other politicians.
An Abuja based cleric, who simply gave his name as Pastor Livingstone, said it was true that most religious bodies like churches and mosques and clerics are already catching in on the declaration and have began to handover their pulpits to politicians in exchange for money.
“…But God is watching from heaven. It is what God says will happen that will happen. They are free to continue, but members cannot be fooled. They will vote their consciences,” he told National Mirror in Abuja.
It was also observed that serious political consultations and endorsements would also kick start in the palaces of traditional rulers.
Militia groups to seize the opportunity
The militants and militia groups too were also said to be ready to take advantage of the declaration to strategise and seek possible ways to benefit as seen during the 2011 era. At that period, groups like Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Boko Haram in the North, Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, in South East, OPC in the South West amongst others sought to be reckoned with, and analysts said this may immediately begin to play out again.
Politicians have been accused of arming and deploying these militia, to achieve political advantage during elections. But in their trails are bloodletting and wanton destruction of property.
These will really be interesting times, particularly with an earlier prediction by some foreign nations that Nigeria will not survive 2015. It is up to Nigerians to prove them wrong and by so doing, getting their acts right and making the best of the election period, by making it crisis-free.
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