The Nation April 05, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

Ekiti: 19 lawmakers serve Fayose impeachment notice Page 4

Seven PDP assembly men dissociate selves from action, petition police, DSS

Legislators are jesters, says governor

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.09, No. 3176

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

N200.00

APRIL 5, 2015

Realignment, defections as APC, PDP battle for 29 states Vote APC all the way, Buhari charges electorate Page 5 Muazu: PDP will win in 24 states APC PDP Battleground No Gov Poll

GOVERNORSHIPS

HOW STATES WILL VOTE

Lagos Cross River

Pages 9-12

Bayelsa Rivers

Ibom

JONATHAN, GOVS, OTHERS SEEK PEACE AT EASTER Page 8

RIVERS KILLINGS: AMAECHI SETS UP JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY Death toll now 9

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

American death row inmate freed after 30 years

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N American has been freed after spending nearly 30 years on death row.

Anthony Ray Hinton, 58, from Alabama was convicted of murdering two restaurant managers in Birmingham in 1985, but was granted a new trial last year.

Tests on bullets found at the crime scene could not be connected to a gun found at Mr. Hinton’s home, prompting prosecutors to drop the case.

His lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, said his client was convicted because he could not afford better legal counsel.

Walking out of the Jefferson Country Jail in Birmingham, Mr. Hinton hugged family members and said: “Thank you, Jesus.”

“All they had to do was test the gun,” Mr. Hinton said, explaining why he shouldn’t have had to sit on death row for nearly three decades.

Bullets from the crime scene were the only evidence that linked Mr. Hinton to the murders.

Prosecutors said that modern forensic methods failed to link the bullets to a revolver found in Mr. Hinton’s home.

“Every day, every month, every year that the state took from him, they took something that they don’t have the power to give back,” said Mr. Stevenson.

At his first trial, Mr. Hinton’s lawyer believed his client only had $1,000 (£670) to hire an expert that could defend against the prosecution’s allegations about the bullets.

The lawyer hired the only expert willing to take the job at that rate, and jurors reportedly laughed as the expert struggled to answer questions during cross-examination.

The US Supreme Court ruled last year that Mr Hinton did not have adequate legal counsel at the first trial and said the case should be reconsidered at a second trial.

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BSENCE, it is said, makes the heart grow fonder. Already, even before they pack their bags and head for Otuoke, President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience, have altered the chemistry of our turbulent and irrepressible relationship with the First Couple. President Jonathan has just lost the presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and former military head of state, by a margin that put the election beyond dispute, notwithstanding the antics of Godsday Orubebe, a former minister of the republic.

Of the two colourful personalities, the president and his wife, Dame Patience is the more irreverent, excitable, insouciant and domineering. Her qualities, if diplomatic scruples will not allow us call them vices, are so remarkable and unmistakable that she has achieved domestic and international renown. She is the queen of malapropism, and the poster child of verbal indiscretion, not to say executive interference. But her reputation was sealed not by any of her constant malapropian eruptions, as memorable as many of them are and have remained, but by her catastrophic meddling in the now famous case of the 219 Chibok secondary schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants about a year ago.

In that famous case, and about 10 days after the girls were abducted, she took on the responsibilities of the president and began summoning school and state officials to shed light on a crime she felt was either

sunday@thenationonlineng.net

Buhari victory: Dame Patience will be sorely missed

overstated or contrived to undermine her husband. Whatever she had a hand in, she boasted before doting officials and pressmen, she did fulsomely and efficiently. She would get to the bottom of the case, and she would do it briskly, she grimaced. Amidst great histrionics and tears cascading down her luxuriant face, she thundered one eruption after another of inimitable malapropisms. Unsure whether to stick to pidgin, with which she was perfectly at home, or something more First Lady-like, she would wander into proper English now and again, until the inconveniences of good grammar got in her way, and she would relapse into the more comfortable but inelegant style of her childhood.

In the end, she of course failed, for the outcry that greeted her blunders, not to

talk of the multiple fallacies she committed that made her seem insensitive, were enough to roast the best of statesmen.

And she was not even a statesman. Her abrasive style, of which there are thousands of examples, would also be missed. Who could forget the sundering of relationships between her and the equally brusque Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi? He had been conducting her on a tour of development projects in the state, and had got to somewhere near her hometown of Okrika. There he gloated about the demolition he was about to carry out to make way for more fitting and noble edifices. Not only did she perform

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E moan about the lost pleasures and antics of Dame Patience. Yet, her husband, the avant-garde gaffe maker, President Jonathan, will also surely be missed. He achieved fame in one defining moment of nobleness when American-style, he placed a phone call to his challenger in the March 28 presidential race to congratulate him and to concede defeat. But years before, he had blundered from one gaffe to another, from one ethnic affront to another sectarian balderdash, and from one policy miscue to another. No president before him, nor any after, has done so much to undermine good governance and national amity as President Jonathan.

the huge and open indiscretion of snatching the microphone from him, she proceeded to denigrate his efforts, caution his exuberance, and ticked him off so peremptorily that the tour ended abruptly. For a governor who himself did not take prisoners, it was humiliating that protocol did not allow him to respond.

If Dame Patience’s reputation was sealed with the Chibok abductions, she entered into Valhalla and into immortality with her resonating performances in the closing weeks of her husband’s presidential campaign. It is not clear why President Jonathan permitted her error-prone wife to mount the soapbox, for

as it was, even his own gaffes were unmanageable and destructive of his political goals.

But there she was, prancing, dancing, coaxing and cajoling from one state to another, selling her husband’s puny talents, and exhibiting great impertinence and mouthing insufferable mendacities. To her, everything was permissible and expedient.

Her husband’s opponent in the March 28 election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gen Buhari, was dead in the brain, not brain dead, as many thought she said, for the two obviously do not mean the same. It was not enough that she denigrated

...And Jonathan, too

He was noted for saying one thing and meaning another. But trying to put the

lie to our unfavourable impression of his hypocrisies, he gave one final testimony of himself, as he conceded defeat, that he promised us his ambition was not worth the life of any Nigerian, and that he also promised he would deliver a free and credible election. He did both, he swore last week. But not before he and his aides enacted the most convoluted attempt to undermine electoral fidelity by the most appalling electoral malfeasances in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta States, malfeasances they nearly got away with.

But much more than anything, President Jonathan will be remembered for his lack of depth,

age, she also lampooned and scorned cultures. The North, she hissed, was irresponsible in family planning and training of children. It is not known why she had little or nothing against the Yoruba or the Igbo; but for the brethren across the Niger River, she was acerbic and unsparing.

In return, the northern brethren promised to respond to her tirade on election date and doom her husband’s reelection chances.

With the departure of the Jonathans, and the assumption of office of a new pair so stately but taciturn, the pleasures, excitement and verbal and policy flourish that we took for granted for so many years, unpaid for and unsolicited, would be lost, perhaps for all time.

Sic transit gloria mundi, say the Latin. Thus passes the glory of the world. his fiery umbrage, farfetched comparisons ( P h a r a o h , Nebuchadnezzar) borrowed clumsily from the Scriptures, and his quaint philosophy that, somehow, buying loyalty and consciences with state money and contracts was not inimical to his Christian conscience and principles.

In many ways, it is hard not to conclude that God mercifully brought Dr Jonathan and Dame Patience together, thus sparing, in the profound putdown of the Carlyles

by Samuel Butler, four people misery instead of two. Now that they are gone, let the heart not make the mistake of growing fonder.

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

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T a critical point during the Second World War, Winston Churchill, arguably the greatest Englishman of all time, told his embattled compatriots: It is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. It is the end of the beginning.”Last Sunday, as the results of the closest, truest and most modern presidential election in the history of Nigeria began to tumble in, a great blast of fresh air coursed through the entire length and breadth of Nigeria. History was being made before our very eyes.

Throughout the preceding night even before the voting booths officially closed, bush exit polls had been predicting a landslide victory for the opposition candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari, the once and future ruler of Nigeria. To be alive at this very moment and in Nigeria is to witness the bounteous blessings of history. It has never felt better to be a Nigerian. God is probably a Nigerian. No other profligate country had been this promiscuously pampered by the forces of history; or has been this invested with such a legendary run of good luck.

Lenin famously noted that while there are decades when nothing happens, there are weeks when decades happen. It has been such a week in Nigeria, when contradictions germinating and maturing for decades are suddenly resolved by the people themselves, opening the vista for fresh contradictions and conflicts.

Stuff happen all the time, as they say in America. It is not historical contradictions and political conflicts that we must fear, it is the lack of will to resolve them.

Yet when all is said, it has been a close run thing. Nigeria loves to live permanently at the edge of the abyss of chaos and anarchy. And just when it is about to tip and topple over, common sense intervenes until common sense becomes uncommon and senseless all over again. The political class, a grand oxymoron by Nigerian standards, begin to work their wonder again and an edgy nation is returned to the edge. The journey of the national and international magi commences all over again.

It is not entirely surprising then that by last Monday, the great surge of fresh air had been superseded by an eerie and edgy calm. There was a razor-edged tension in the air. People began deserting the streets in droves. Rumours circulated of an imminent truncation of the electoral process reminiscent of the June 12 1993 abridgement of the will of the Nigerian electorate. There was a sense of déjà vu in the air. We have been through this pass before.

The silence from Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power, was as profoundly eloquent as it was profoundly disturbing and unsettling.

Something nasty was definitely going on. Perhaps there was an attempt to circle the wagons in one final last ditch standoff to retain power that has been so flagrantly thrown away.

Then the international community rumbled, noting ominously their displeasure about attempts to prevent the will of the Nigerian people from prevailing and hinting darkly about the dire consequences of any attempt to terminate the electoral process.

Tuesday stole in and by then it was already too late. The democratic genie and the spirit of a new Nigeria powered by the sovereign will of the electorate had already been let out of the bottle. You cannot abort a flight already on cruise speed, or as Abiola, an earlier martyr of electoral shenanigans would put it, you cannot terminate a full pregnancy. In this respect, Godsday Orubebe’s temperamental buffoonery and well-rehearsed ploy to disrupt proceedings amounted to nothing but the last sigh of political swamp dwellers.

After that, a powerful ray of light began forcing its way through the dark clouds that had enveloped the nation. The gale of fresh air returned.

COLUMN

Closure, and a new beginning for Nigeria

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Buhari

Optimism filled the air again. By that time, the tallying of votes had reached such a state that any rational person must conclude that there could be no come back in this one for even the greatest comeback kid, shoes or no shoes.

By then sheer electrifying drama and typically Nigerian political magic took over. The streets which had dramatically emptied in anticipation of millennial mayhem began filling once again miraculously. The scent of victory was in the air, and the people could smell and sniff its sweet perfumed fragrance. Yet there was still an underlying tension.

Then at about twenty minutes after 5pm, the television screen began flashing what is perhaps the greatest news and miracle of the Fourth Republic. At first, it looked like a great hoax. It was too good to be true. In a dramatic intervention of lucidity and enlightened self-interest, Goodluck Jonathan dismounted the high horse of power and shamed the hawks that had held him hostage by conceding victory to General Mohammadu Buhari.

The entire country minus one or two sections erupted in wild jubilation. Car horns honked with manic rapture. It was a great moment to be a Nigerian. Yours sincerely joined in the wild celebrations and it was a bleary-eyed columnist that crawled into bed on Friday morning. Once again, Nigerian has been granted a dramatic reprieve from the hangman’s noose.

Whatever his legendary foibles and defects of character, Goodluck Jonathan has redeemed himself by showing character and a great sense of an ending when it mattered most.

Many commentators have called this his finest hour, and we are not about to take this away from him. It surely takes an uncommon nobility of spirit to withstand the temptations to plunge your country into anarchy and chaos for the sake of personal ambition. Alas, had Jonathan demonstrated this steeliness of character and patriotism much earlier, the course of Nigeria’s history and his own public record might have been the better for it. The rest is for historians.

By this victory, General Mohammadu Buhari has made history, with echoes of old Abe Lincoln, a fabled serial loser who became a

sure winner by sheer force of personality. But history is also a remorseless and implacable continuum. The Lincolnian mystique is made of legendary sternness, backbreaking personal discipline, forthrightness and steeliness of character leavened by compassion, kindness and a sense of justice and fair play.

Historical greatness and this Lincolnian ideal of immaculate statesmanship are waiting for the Nigerian general.

When Buhari survived a mysterious assassination attempt sometime ago, this column noted that he was on the cusp of history. That prediction has now been fulfilled, despite the aspersions cast on the column by some primitive tribesmen who have refused to be fully socialized; who confuse bovine rudeness and incivility with sociological emancipation. The Buhari ascendancy represents a divine closure and a miraculous new beginning for Nigeria.

General Mohammadu Buhari is the last born of his mother after a long string of children from a successful womb and was adoringly referred to as “Auta” or last born by his beloved mother. In Hausa culture, the last child of a mother in advanced years is known as “Auta”. It is a profound metaphor for gynecological closure. Abidakun, the Yoruba call it. In the astral political circuits in which Nigeria is currently orbiting, Buhari represents closure as well as the possibility of a new beginning.

It seems strange and confounding that history can appear so seamless in its impossible symmetry.

Thirty two years after forcibly terminating a manifestly corrupt and dissolute civilian dispensation, General Buhari has returned as the democratically elected president of Nigeria. As it was thirty one years ago, so it is if not worse for Nigeria. In the interim, military messianism has collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.

And you cannot step into the same river twice. Thirty one years ago, Buhari rode into town in a military tank. This time around he is coming on foot. The proverbial soldier on horseback has now been replaced by a civilian waving a broom. It is a poor talisman for a nation in acute distress. General Buhari inherits a

country polarized and badly divided along ethnic, religious and regional fault lines. A vicious insurgency has completely devastated the north eastern fringes of the nation. To compound matters, the economy has virtually collapsed and the treasury badly burglarized.

Thirty one years ago, General Buhari and his military colleagues thought they were on a rescue operation. This time around with a motley crowd of ill-assorted politicians, the retired general is on a salvage mission. No Nigerian leader has been saddled with a heavier burden and responsibility amidst great expectations. If the euphoria that greeted his victory is anything to go by, the nation may soon find itself engulfed in a crisis of expectations.

The pains are real and throbbing.

Virtually all the federating sections of the country are hurting and complaining about their lot in the forced union of disparate nationalities.

Every significant segment of the nation has had its comeuppance. There are those who are still suffering from the trauma of the civil war.

There are those who believe that Nigeria owes them a decent rehabilitation and succour having devastated their homestead while prospecting for oil. There are those teeming northern masses who are victims of a pernicious social system of exclusion and enslavement. In anger and disillusionment, many of them have taken up arms against the fatherland.

The Yoruba people tend to rue the loss of their destiny.

This is a situation of dire emergency. President Buhari must learn how to think out of the box of normal amelioration and conventional development. He should come up with a Bureau of Higher Culture and National Integration. Officials of this agency acting in concert with economic experts must come up with an organogram for the vertical and horizontal integration of our people, taking into consideration the cultural uniqueness of the constituting units.

A vertical integration will involve nothing less than the equivalent of a Marshall Plan for the north of the country and a National Recovery Economic Blueprint for the whole of the country which will accelerate economic growth without encouraging corruption and criminality. In the circumstances that we have found ourselves, it is impossible to achieve a horizontal integration without taking a look at the structural configuration which has turned Nigeria into a warring camp of enemy nationalities.

One thing General Buhari had going for him in his first coming was a burning nationalism and a sense of duty and responsibility, Thirty years after being ousted, there is nothing to suggest that Buhari’s passion for his country has in any way diminished. As his opening speech clearly and touchingly demonstrates, these are redemptive resources for a new beginning for the nation.

As we have noted, General Buhari’s renewed ascendancy represents a powerfully symbolic closure for the Nigerian nation and the possibility of a new beginning. In human history, it is rare to have a person come back to power twice and after a thirty year interval. But given the provenance of the party, the circumstances of its formation and the specificity of its insertion into the political process, it may amount to asking for too much to expect a radical rupture with the past.

No government can solve all the problems or meet all the aspirations of the people. If only General Buhari can set the nation on the path of righteousness and rectitude despite the entrenched forces and vested principalities of reaction even in his own party who will try to take him hostage, he would have met his historic obligations. This is the meaning of closure and a new beginning.

As MD Yusuf departs…..

Snooper mourns the death this past week of a senior friend of columnist, avid reader of column, occasional intellectual sparring partner, Katsina nobleman, former Inspector General of the Nigerian police, iconic spook and constant northern star, Mohammadu Dikko Yusuf aka “MD”. Oh papa, why now? Why not tarry awhile to witness Nigeria on the cusp of momentous changes?

The last time snooper met the great man at the precincts of the Eko Suites in Lagos, he was battling age related infirmities: limping and horribly hobbled. It was a painful sight.

But MD remained as cheerful and witty as ever, casting sublime jokes about the state of the nation. There was always something about this illustrious scion of the Katsina Fulani aristocracy which reminded one of the saying that nobility must have its obligation.

A refined and supremely cultured man of great kindness and courtesy, MD was one of the most remarkable and accomplished Nigerians of the post-independence epoch, rising from the relative obscurity of the Northern Nigerian bureaucracy to national superstardom as the Inspector General of the police. Northern Nigeria has never produced a more cerebral cop.

Despite his princely antecedents, MD in his youth was a flaming radical and supporter of the Socialist principle of human development, just like his cousin, the late Usman Bala Yusuf and his distant kinsman Umaru Yar’Adua. Kai, there was always something about these katakata Katsinawa. What if Ekaterinburg had come to Katsina? It was a contradiction which once prompted snooper to dismiss the old man as a purveyor of polo socialism.

A man with the memory of classic undercover agent, MD quietly and with avuncular bonhomie reminded snooper of this impudent infraction after yours sincerely had delivered the eighty fifth anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club on September 11, 2001. Needless to add that MD was the only civilian with the balls to squarely confront General Abacha in the darkest hour of military despotism.

It was so surreally foolhardy that many thought it was a hoax. But it seems that even a mad dog must recognize a raging furnace.

MD was so humble and unassuming that as Inspector general, he was once arrested for wandering while taking a leisurely evening stroll around Ikoyi by an impudent cop and was taken to a station in Obalende. For a moment, the presiding officer was too consumed by self-importance to look up. When he finally did, he jumped up in frozen and derelict attention.

“HAIGEEEE”, he moaned. The rogue cop sensing that his evening meal was a coiled cobra threw his gun away and crashed through the window. Almost forty years after, they are still waiting for him to come and collect his police pension. May the noble spirit of MD rest in peace.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS

HE second coming of Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State as chief executive officer is under threat just six months after his inauguration.

Fayose, whose first tenure was abruptly terminated on October 16, 2006 via impeachment, was yesterday served another impeachment notice by the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the State House of Assembly for alleged gross misconduct in the exercise of his powers.

His deputy, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, was similarly served an impeachment notice.

Fayose dismissed the legislators as jesters.

He said their threat to remove him would not stand.

The legislators slammed Fayose with eight impeachable offences as follows: * Invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and miscreants; * Instigating an unconstitutional takeover of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; * Prevention of the 19 APC legislative members from performing legislative duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs; *Sponsoring an unlawful impeachment process in the House; * Spending Ekiti State funds

Ekiti: Lawmakers serve Fayose, deputy impeachment notice •Gov dismisses it as ‘joke of the century’ From Odunayo Ogunmola,Ado Ekiti

without requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the Constitution; * Running the government of Ekiti State without legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; * Operating an illegal 2014 Budget; * Instigating illegal sitting of the House.

Speaker of the House, Adewale Omirin, in the impeachment notice, told the governor that “you are at liberty to respond to the allegations in writing within seven (7) days hereof.”

It was gathered that the notice was sent by courier since physical service on him might be difficult.

Sources said substituted service via newspapers was also being considered to complement service by courier.

But responding to the development through his Special Assistant on Public

Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said: “The script being acted by the APC is a failed one because no one, no matter how highly placed will be allowed to test the will of Ekiti people.”

The governor said the Speaker of the State House of Assembly is Dele Olugbemi and not Dr Adewale Omirin who signed the impeachment notice.

He said: “Omirin is already in court challenging his impeachment, and common sense dictates that when you are challenging an action already taken in court, you have accepted the consequences of such action pending the determination of the suit you filed “Since last year November, these so-called lawmakers abdicated their duties and ran to Lagos only for them to resurface on Wednesday, but they hurriedly ran away again.

“Now they are posting notice of impeachment signed on March 9, 2015 and Ekiti people are asking; was the motion for impeachment moved and adopted in Lagos or Osun State

House of Assembly?

“Is impeachment of a governor done along LagosIbadan Expressway inside a moving bus?

“Rather than going about advertising their ignorance and crudity, the APC lawmakers should wait for the court to adjudicate on the case they filed because even the President-Elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) will respect the rule of law when he assumes office.”

The seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators in the Assembly have however, dissociated themselves from the impeachment notice.

They said it was intended to distract Fayose and throw the state into chaos.

Their leader, Mr. Dele Olugbemi, in separate letters to the Commissioner of Police, Director of the Department of State Service (DSS) and the State Chief Judge, accused Speaker Omirin of “forgery, impersonation and attempt to cause a breach of public peace.”

He claimed that Omirin was impeached at a plenary

•From Left: One time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance Mr. Wale Edun, Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during Emir Lamido’s visit to the APC leader in Lagos, yesterday.

Under me, your money will be safe – Buhari

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UBLIC funds will be safe with the incoming administration, President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari pledged yesterday.

He assured Nigerians that he would handle state resources with utmost responsibility and honesty and would not condone the looting of public resources.

Receiving a delegation of the people of Katsina, his home state, in Abuja, General Buhari regretted that the citizens had been made poorer by the 16 years of PDP maladministration in spite of the fact that the country received more income in that period than at any other time.

Buhari said savings from his war against corruption would be ploughed into education with the objective of empowering the citizens.

“If you give education to a man or woman, you have empowered them to be productive. There is no better way to empowerment,” Buhari

said.

The president-elect, who exchanged banters with old schoolmates and kinsmen alike, among the 130-odd delegation, spoke about his resolve to work with all Nigerians to pull the citizens out of the current hardships facing them.

Buhari also expressed his commitment to multi-party democracy as the best system

of government and appealed to all citizens to imbibe courage and perseverance, virtues he said, stood him in good stead in bringing victory to him, after failing three times in the past presidential elections.

On the delegation were the state Chairman of the Katsina State APC, Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa and a former Governor of the state, Alhaji Saidu Barda.

Detained Al-jazeera journalists freed in Maiduguri.

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HE two Al-jazeera ý journalists who were arrested and detained in Maiduguri have regained their freedom.

They were let off yesterday, The Nation gathered.

Ahmed Idris and Ali Mustapha who arrived Maiduguri apparently to cover the March 28 presidential election were detained by soldiers for loitering with their cameras in restricted areas without permission ýof the

From Duku Joel, Maiduguri security agencies.

The Special Adviser to Governor Shettima Kashim on Media, Mr. Isa Gusau wrote on his Facebook page that; “detained Al-jazeera journalists freed. Both men currently at Government Lodge, Maiduguri.ý Gov. Kashim asked that they be relocated to the hotel where they were confined. All is well”.

They all pledged their support and commitment to the in-coming Buhari administration and promised to avoid the mistakes of others by imbibing humility and respect for all sections of the country.

session held by seven PDP legislators on November 20, 2014 and that at no time did the assembly sit and pass a resolution to sack Fayose from office over allegation of gross misconduct.

He added:”Resolutions of the House of Assembly cannot be taken outside the precinct of the House and as at today, there is nothing in the records of proceedings of the Ekiti State House of Assembly to show that matter(s) on impeachment of Governor Ayodele Fayose was discussed in the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly of Ekiti State.

“Dr Adewale Omirin, who signed the purported Impeachment Notice as Speaker of the State House of Assembly, was duly impeached at the plenary session of the House on November 20, 2014.

“Votes and proceedings, Order Papers and Hanzard of sittings of the House are available for clarification.

“In the face of the law, and going by records of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin and Adetunji Orisalade stand impeached as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House respectively.

“On November 26, 2014, Dr. Adewale Omirin filed Suit No: PHC/L/CS/1823/14 at the Federal High Court Lagos, challenging his impeachment.

“The two cases mentioned above are still pending in court.

“Having approached the court to challenge his impeachment, it is trite in law that the impeachment stands until the court decides otherwise.

“In a situation whereby you have approached the court to adjudicate on a matter, it is subjudice to take any further to overreach the court.

“Your Lordship should therefore disregard any correspondence from the Ekiti State House of Assembly, bearing the name and signature of Dr Adewale Omirin as Speaker of the House, until the court determines Suit No: PHC/ L/CS/1823/14 challenging the outcome of the House sitting of November 20, 2014 in which he (Omirin) was duly impeached.”

He described the use of letterhead of the office of the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly by Omirin as forgery, saying: “Knowing that he ceased from being the Speaker of the State House of Assembly since November 20, 2014, Dr Omirin

still forged the letterhead of the Office of the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, using same to write a letter and signing same as Speaker of the House of Assembly, an office he no longer occupies.

“This action of Dr Omirin is also geared towards causing breach of the peace of Ekiti State.

“I therefore urge you to use your good offices to investigate these criminal acts perpetrated

by Dr Omirin with a view to prosecuting him for forgery and impersonation.”

The 26-member Assembly needs at least 18 members to remove the governor if he is found guilty of allegations of misconduct.

Of the 26 current members of the Assembly, 19 are from the APC while the remaining seven led by factional Speaker, Dele Olugbemi are from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Fayose has been working with the seven since November 20 when the minority PDP legislators claimed to have impeached the Speaker, Dr. Omirin and “elected” Olugbemi to replace him.

Speaker Omirin in a telephone chat with The Nation confirmed the transmission of the impeachment notice to Fayose.

Twenty four of the 26 members of the Second Assembly impeached Fayose and his then deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi, in 2006.

Fayose was removed for gross misconduct including mismanagement of the N1.4 billion Ekiti Integrated Poultry Project, buying properties with proceeds from the poultry funds and operating foreign accounts and diverting local government funds, among others.

Mrs. Olujimi was axed for alleged receipt of ‘illegal’ gift of $50,000 from the Secretary of Biological Concept Limited, the poultry project contractor/ consultant.

She was also impeached for her alleged failure to comply with the decree establishing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme which stipulates that holders of certificates equivalent to Bachelor’s degree should observe the compulsory National Youth Service Corps scheme.

Soon after their removal, a power struggle ensued between Mrs. Olujimi, and the then Speaker, the late Chief Friday Aderemi who had then been sworn in as Acting Governor.

The confusion prompted former President Olusegun Obasanjo to declare a state of emergency.

He proceeded to appoint a military administrator Brig.Gen. Adetunji Olurin (rtd) to head the administration of the state.

How to remove a governor

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ECTION 188 Subsection 15 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria outlines the procedure for the impeachment of the Governor and the Deputy Governor.

It states: “The Governor or the Deputy Governor of a State may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

“Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third members of the Assembly is presented to the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the State stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance

of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified, the Speaker of the House, shall within seven days of the receipt of the notice cause a copy to be served on the holders of the office and on each member of the House, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegation by the holder of that office, to be served on each member of the House.

“Within 14 days of presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the House of Assembly (whether or not the statement was made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice), the House of Assembly shall resolve the motion without

any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.

“A motion of the House that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed unless it is supported by the votes of not less than twothird majority of all members of the House.

“Within seven days if passing the motion under the foregoing provisions of this action, the Chief Judge of the State shall at the request of the Speaker, appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity not being members of any public services, legislative house, or political party to investigate the investigation as provided in his section”.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015 THE All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties are back in the trenches for Saturday's governorship/ house of assembly elections, seeking news friends across political and cultural divide for a maximum impact at the polls.

The PDP which was routed in the March 28 Presidential/ National Assembly elections by the APC says it is targeting 24 states, including Lagos, Rivers and Imo, all of which are currently controlled by the APC. President-elect Muhammadu Buhari warned APC supporters against complacency on Saturday and asked them to turn out in large numbers and vote candidates of the party all the way.

Leaders of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), and Accord Party all of which fared badly in the last elections are strug-

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NEWS

Realignment, defections as APC, PDP battle for 29 states • 'Vote APC all the way', Buhari charges supporters • 'We're targeting Lagos, Rivers, Imo, 21 other states'-Muazu

By Yusuf Alli, Tony Akowe, Abuja/ Shola O'Neil, Warri

gling to convince their supporters to come out on Saturday to vote.

Reports from many parts of the country yesterday indicated that following the last elections leading lights of the PDP in particular have been reaching out to the APC for the purpose of defection before Saturday.

Members of the PDP in the Southsouth, especially Delta and Rivers State are said to be planning mass defection to the APC in the days ahead.

Key PDP members in Delta North and Central senatorial districts are keen on switching camps, sources said yesterday.

A former chairman of the PDP in Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami fuelled speculation when he was sighted with APC governorship candidate, Olorogun O'tega Emerhor at the wedding reception for the daughter of Chief Tunde Smooth, an Ijaw leader yesterday.

Emami hinted that he had pitched his tent with the APC. He said the PDP candidacy in the state was dead on arrival

having been built on blackmail by an individual playing ethnic sentiments.

He said:"I am doing what is best for the Itsekiri people because under the arrangement we have no stake; the deputy was imposed by a single individual and it is not in our peoples interest. If the Itsekiri can suffer the kind of ill treatment meted on us in the recent primaries it means there is no hope for us in the party.

"I am urging my Ijaw brothers to abandon this PDP ship because it is sinking in Delta state due to the overbear-

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (3rd left), First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola (3rd right), Lagos State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Henry Ajomale (2nd left), Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Kayode Opeifa (2nd right), and other party chieftains during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship campaign rally at Agege, Lagos, ... yesterday

ing attitude of one man. Their interest in the PDP is not protected instead it is the interest of one individual who sees his family and personality as greater than the others."

It was also gathered that negotiation is ongoing in the state for the Urhobos to back Olorogun O'tega Emerhor,the APC governorship candidate.

Emerhor confirmed the ongoing discussion .

The situation is the same in Rivers state where Governor Chibuike Amaechi is said to be working on PDP members who are still aggrieved by the outcome of the November governorship primaries.

"There is an ongoing discussion with some PDP members to that effect but it is best to keep the matter under wraps until the details of the deal are ironed out," a source close to the governor said.

The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu'azu, charged members of the party nationwide to deliver at least 24 states to the party on Saturday.

Mu'azu in a statement said the PDP must win the governorship elections in Lagos, Rivers and Imo.He described the party's candidates in those states as 'first class materials.'

The PDP currently controls 21 states : Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Benue, Plateau, Niger ,Kogi,Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Ekiti and Ondo.

Mr. Mu'azu, asked PDP

5

members to put the last elections behind them and focus on the coming ones.

"I urge the PDP faithful to pick up the pieces and ensure that we return quickly to our old winning ways. There should be no room for voter apathy that was a major factor to our losing the presidential election," Mu'azu said adding:"While our opponents were savouring their famous victory, we should out flank them and corner at least two thirds of the states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"This is not an impossible target if we return to our elements with immediate effect.

We have done it before and we can do it again. Nothing will be sweeter than PDP taking Lagos, our own Rivers State and Imo. Our candidates in these states are first class material who have fully penetrated the political structures of those states and are set to win."

The chairman said the party's target is to retain the 21 states it currently leads "and then sink our teeth into the heart of our political opponents and show that their presidential victory is nothing more than a one-off that won't be repeated in a long while."

He stated, "The key to winning the remaining election is heavy turnout and voting the PDP all the way. There should be no tactical voting. Be consistent in your support for the party. What we experienced in the presidential election is merely a hiccup which we must cast out in the gubernatorial polls.

It was gathered that the PDP is keen on working with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State for the purpose of the governorship/state assembly elections.

The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka, during the week met with the SDP leader in the state Chief Olusegun Osoba on working out an arrangement.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS

APC candidates protest alleged pressure to annul results in Kogi

Economy's response to presidential election excites Abuja chamber of commerce

•REC plots to cancel results in 38 units after declaring APC candidates winner

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FROM: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

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OLITICIANS are piling pressure on the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi State, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, to cancel the results of the House of Representatives poll in 38 units in Dekina/ Bassa Federal Constituency.

The aim is to truncate the mandates of the Senator-elect for Kogi East Senatorial District, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulrahman, and the Representative-elect, Benjami Ikani Okolo for Dekina/ Bassa Federal Constituency.

Some desperate members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Kogi State Government are said to be the brains behind the plot to reverse the election results.

However, the APC candidates have written a petition to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to call the REC (Agbaje) to order.

In a March 31, 2015 petition through their counsel, Ocholi James (SAN), they said once the result of any election has been announced, whoever is aggrieved can only go to the court or a tribunal set up for that purpose.

They recalled that at the end of the elections "the INEC returning officers in charge of the two elections in Dekina/ Bassa Federal Constituency and Kogi East Senatorial election collated all the results from the various wards in the two local government areas that made up the constituency and Senatorial District.

"The returning officer accordingly entered the results in Form EC8D (duly signed by themselves and the party agents. The returning officers then issued the various party agents with duplicate copies of the results in form EC8D. The result on the form clearly shows our client as the winner.

"On Tuesday, 31st March, 2015, the collation officer of the Presidential election while presenting the result collated from Kogi State in the presidential election which took place along with the National Assembly elections informed your good self and all the INEC commissioners at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, used as the collation centre, that only two polling units in Dekina Local Government were cancelled in the election of 28th March.

"It is amazing and now shocking to hear that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi State wants to conduct a by-election in 38 polling units spread out into about five wards (registration areas ) of Dekina LGA namely:(A) Anyigba ward-- ( Code 002 Obeya Lile Code 007-Omedo; Code 011Agbenema; Code 012-Olofu; Code 016 - Agala Ogane; Code 023- Ojofu Etikpolo; Code 024Agudoko; Code 016-Omedo 2; Code 022-Ofejikpi) "(B)Odu ward 2-( Code 001-Ochele opposite school and Code 002-Odu Ate LGEA: (C) Abocho ward--( Code 013Alokoli LGEA) (D)Oganenigu ward- (All the 18 polling units within the ward.)

• Officers of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) examining a driver to check alcohol consumption during the routine test on drivers at Area 3 Motor Park in Abuja... yesterday Photo: Abayomi Fayese

Election deaths: Amaechi to raise probe panel T

HE Rivers State Government is to set up a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to probe the spate of violent deaths in the state in the build-up to the March 28 presidential election.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi told All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at a victory rally in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state that the deaths would be avenged by the law in line with his administration's resolve to protect lives and property.

Nine people, including a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and three of his sons, have been confirmed killed in the latest political violence in the state "Anybody found guilty will go to jail. I didn't set up administrative inquiry. I set up judicial commission of enquiry. It means that the man sitting there is sitting as a judge. He is not sitting as chairman, he is sitting as a judge, if you are found guilty, straight to jail," he said.

Initial reports said seven people died only for the Police to put the death toll at nine.

Amaechi bemoaned what he called police brutality on innocent voters in the state during the presidential election, but was optimistic that the situation would improve substantially in the April 11 Governorship/ House of Assembly polls following victory at the polls of General Muhammadu Buhari in the country's March 28 Presidential Election.

He said: "This time, election will be peaceful, free and fair. Last time, we saw policemen thumb printing for them. This time they will not.

If they do that, take their name, take their number, and record them for us.

The Director General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation reviewed his political sojourn and declared that he could not have made a better choice in dumping the PDP for the APC. He said: "People blamed me for leaving PDP to APC

•PDP thugs kill APC chieftain, his four children in Rivers •Four others also shot dead •Curfew imposed on Omoku From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt and I said they are wrong. They are wrong because God has directed that we should move to APC and because God said it and I have left them.

"I made it clear that God has said we would win Saturday's (March 28) election and I said we would be fighting with police and army, but God would be behind us and if God is behind us, we would win, didn't we win?

"They went to churches to preach. They went to incite our people in churches and said that Gen. Buhari is a Muslim, he will Islamise Nigeria, and I said I did not see that. I said to them I am a Christian, I am a Catholic, nobody can Islamise me. This afternoon, I observed the Catholic ceremonies. On Sunday, I will go to church to pray to my God and thank Him for bringing victory to us."

He reiterated that president-elect Gen. Buhari would not Islamise Nigeria. "I made it clear that God has said we would win Saturday's election and I said we would be fighting with police and army but God would be behind us and if God is behind us, we would win, didn't we win?"

He urged the people to be peaceful in the forthcoming governorship election in the state and vote for the APC governorship candidate.

"We would go out and bring in the votes. My phone will be open on that day, if you are bringing in the votes and any policeman harasses you, don't fight back. Just give me the person's name and number.

"I say they have the police, they have the army and I told you they don't have God. Didn't I tell you that? Have you seen God's work now?" he asked.

Yesterday, the police confirmed that an APC leader, Chief Christopher Adube, his four children and driver were killed by gunmen suspected to be political thugs at Obor and Obrikom in Omoku

Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government area (ONELGA) of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmad K. Mohammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed this via a text message yesterday.

Killed with Adube in his compound were Joy, Lucky, John, Samuel (his children), his driver named as Iyke Ogarabe and two others.

One other person was also reportedly killed at the APC party secretariat in the area.

Mohammad said the hoodlums struck at about 7:30 pm on Friday, shooting sporadically.

Several other people were wounded.

The police said the hoodlums also stormed the residence of the APC member representing ONELGA constituency in the state House of Assembly, Vincent Ogbuagu.

They killed his gateman and torched the house.

Ogbuagu is seeking reelection into the assembly.

The Police said a manhunt for the killers has begun and appealed for useful information that could lead to their arrests.

Members of the APC in the state and a son of the murdered party chieftain, Chamberlane Adube, condemned the killing and called for the immediate arrest of the killers and their sponsors.

He said his father died because of his support for APC and its governorship candidate Dakuku Peterside.

He said: "My father died for supporting APC. He was our bread winner, there is nothing again left for us to survive on. I call for justice on the killing of my father, brothers, sister, uncle and our driver. Let the police not politicize this killing, it is one too many."

The ONELGA council chairman, Austin Ahiamadu and the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim

Semenitari, also condemned the killings which they described as politically motivated.

Ahiamadu said: "This killing was politically motivated. Why should nine people die at a go without the police making any arrest?

"All the killings in ONELGA have all been against the APC.I use this opportunity to call on the police in the state ahead of the Saturday's election to sit up and do their job professionally to avoid further violence."

He announced the imposition of dusk to done curfew in the LGA (ONELGA), (between 6pm and 7am), to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Semenitari said: "All the people killed in the Friday attack at Omoku are APC members.

We have consistently complained that in Omoku we are in a situation where we are at war. People are being killed.

"This is not the first time, this is clearly unacceptable.

We have reported to the security agencies.

"It is clear to us that the DPO in Omoku should be picked up.

"We are asking that the perpetrators of this act should be apprehended and brought to book, together with their sponsors."

Residents quoted Adube's killers as saying, after the attack, that they had warned him to renounce his membership of the APC to no avail.

Amaechi and the APC governorship candidate in the April 11 elections, Dakuku Peterside had, at different times, raised the alarm about planned attacks on their supporters by the PDP. Peterside in a petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), last month said no fewer than 30 APC members had been killed in the state.

The police disputed his claim.

BUJA Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited (ABUCCI) is impressed by what it sees as positive response of the nation's economy to last weekend's presidential election.

The Vice-President, Media, ABUCCI, Chief Jude Igwe, said in a statement yesterday that the organisation was particularly impressed by positive developments in the capital market and naira's appreciation in foreign exchange market.

Igwe recalled that the private sector was worried by the negative trends that persisted in the economy before the presidential and National Assembly polls.

He also said the tension generated by some politicians during their campaigns put a lot of anxiety on investors, adding that business became ``more of sell off and take your cash."

"The business community is now relieved, cash has returned to the market and demands on equities increased to about N12 trillion all translating to positive earnings on the portfolios", he said.

Igwe stated that the positive development was good for both local and foreign investors as life had returned to the nation's economy.

He expressed optimism that that the president-elect would faithfully implement the economic policies he promised the electorate.

He stated that investors had confidence in Buhari's ability to run the economy well given his pedigree as a disciplinarian.

Igwe also said that investors expected Buhari to select a team of serious-minded and patriotic individuals as ministers.

He urged him to choose people with wealth of experience and love for the country to work with him.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Igwe stated that the private sector would like practical entrepreneurs, academics and technocrats with experiences to be in the new cabinet.

Fleeing Boko Haram terrorists kill seven in Chad village attack

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ighters from Boko Haram fleeing an offensive by soldiers from Chad and Niger launched a rare attack on Chadian soil, killing seven people, security sources said at the weekend.

The two armies drove the insurgents from Malam Fatori, one of Boko Haram's last major footholds along Nigeria's northern border last week.

While they faced little resistance as they entered the town on Tuesday, Chad claimed the joint force killed hundreds of Boko Haram fighters in clashes the following day in which nine Chadian soldiers died and another 16 were injured.

"Some Boko Haram militants fleeing Malam Fatori towards Lake Chad attacked Maidogo, near Ngouboua, on Thursday, killing seven people," said a Chadian security source.

The attack on Maidogo, which is located on an island in Lake Chad, was confirmed by other military sources.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015 ICA to president-elect: make Nigerians happy

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

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HE board and management of the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA) has charged the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to ensure Nigerians enjoy dividends under his administration.

In a statement by its Registrar/CEO, the Institute said: “Make Nigerians happy, ensure they enjoy the true dividends of democracy under your administration.”

While congratulating Buhari on his historic election, ICA, however, sounded a note of warning to the incoming government.

It said: “Note this that you only offered yourself but did not choose yourself, the people did. Therefore, do not fail Nigeria and Nigerians; do not also fail the friends of Nigeria in the uttermost parts of the world.

“Endeavour to deliver in accordance with your campaign promises to which you must expect that Nigerians and international community will hold your government.”

Onalo said the ICA expects the incoming government to “address the nation’s urgent economic, social and security situation, and to build a strong economy for the future.”

Besides, the ICA implored the new government to focus very quickly on structural reforms, fiscal responsibility and investment.

“You will quickly gain local and global acceptance if you drastically cut cost of doing business in Nigeria,” it assured.

NEWS

Easter symbolic for Nigerians, says Oni

Navy destroys 260 illegal refineries O T FFICERS of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) yesterday destroyed more than 260 illegal oil refineries in the creeks of Warri South council area in Delta state.

The men also destroyed not less than 5,000 metric tons of stolen crude oil.

Commander of the NNS Delta, Commodore Musa Gemu, disclosed these to reporters after a show-of-force exercise through many parts of the riverine Warri.

Speaking on the operation that destroyed the ille-

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

gal refineries and stolen crude oil in OtegbeneAgbara community, Bennet Island and Jones Creek, all in Warri South council area, Gemu said the places touched were new hideouts for oil thieves.

He noted that the renewed commitment of the navy to combating illicit oil deal was in line with the zero tolerance of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin on illegal bunkering along the waterways.

Gemu said that since those behind the dastardly act of sabotage have resolved not to stop, the navy has intensified its surveillance operations and destruction exercise along these creeks.

While lamenting the unrelenting persistence oil thieves, the Navy commander said their activities were not just impacting on the economy and the environment but on the lives of residents in the riverine communities.

He said: “We (Navy) are particularly concerned that in

spite of what the federal government, NNPC, NDDC, and DESOPADEC had done and still doing to alleviate the poverty in this region through youth empowerments, job creation and educational upliftment, some people are just not satisfied.

“They take to criminal activities as if it’s a way of life and that’s the more reason they indulge themselves in all sorts of criminalities along the creeks.”

Gemu warned those behind the dastardly act to desist or be prepared to face the music.

Nigeria needs N1.9tr for NHIS coverage

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IGERIA needs N1.92 trillion to achieve universal health coverage, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Femi Thomas, has stated.

Thomas, however, pointed out that this should not be difficult to raise as the nation cur-

•Says unplanned spending stands at N2.4tr From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

rently spends about N2.4 trillion, which he categorised as out of pocket- unplanned spending.

The NHIS boss stated these in Abuja during a meeting with commissioners of health and per-

manent secretaries of the state ministries of health.

He expressed concerns that the inclusion of health in the concurrent list has generated conflicts between the states and the federation government.

Thomas vowed that

the agency will turn the crisis to synergy to provide affordable health services to citizens According to him: “So, the time has come for us to use that principle of synergy to move health insurance forward in the country.”

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

HE deputy national chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Segun Oni, has described this year’s Easter as a special one that Nigerians should celebrate exceptionally and reflectively.

He said Nigerians must be grateful to God for His love and goodness towards the nation.

Oni said: “It is not by accident or coincidence but divine that Nigerians are celebrating this significant season of the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, while still basking in the euphoria of the long desired change in the polity with the successful conduct of the presidential election.

While wishing Nigerians peaceful Easter celebration, he prayed that the new dawn in the nation’s political firmament would bring forth joy and a life of true freedom and abundance for all in the years ahead.

Fayemi greets Christians

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Ex- Abiola’s aide hails Buhari

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ORMER special aide to the late Moshood Abiola, Lisa Olu Akerele, has described the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election as victory for democracy.

Akerele noted that Buhari’s victory was akin to Abiola’s in 1992, which broke all ethnic barriers.

The Abuja-based veteran journalist said: “Buhari made history as he triumphed over religious, ethnic and regional cleavages to win the presidential election.”

He said that despite efforts by ethnic jingoists to turn the historic victory into a regional affair, the president-elect won squarely meeting all constitutional requirements.

Akerele, who is the CEO of Richmark Nig Ltd, an Abuja-based public affairs consultancy firm, expressed happiness that many ex-associates of Abiola are part of Buhari’s team.

“It is apparent that the Abiola’s spirit still lives as the brains behind that success story are in place to ensure actual change in the nation’s development leap,” he said.

He lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat, urging his supporters to take the cue and accept the outcome of the elections.

Akerele advised persons aggrieved from the presidential and national assembly elections to seek justice in the law courts rather than resorting to self help.

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• Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun; chieftains of the All Progresives Congress (APC) and supporters during the governor's campaign at Ijebu East senatorial district in Sagamu... yesterday

Put national interest first, Mark tells Nigerians

S

ENATE President, David Mark, has urged Nigerians to put the nation’s interest a top priority despite religious and political inclinations.

“Whichever side of the religion or political divides we may find ourselves, what must be paramount is

the interest of our country.

What makes for the good of all welfare and security of our citizens must of a necessity be our vision and purpose,” he said.

He called for renewed faith and commitment to the ideals of nationhood, saying that Nigerians

should continue to demonstrate resilience and perseverance to reach the Promised Land.

Mark advised citizens to maintain peace and order especially during the period of transition in the overall interest of the nation.

He expressed satisfac-

tion with the peaceful conduct of citizens during the presidential and national assembly elections.

“Such conduct,” he said, “won us the accolades of the international community and must be sustained during the remaining processes.”

ORMER Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated Christians for the successful completion of the Lenten season, which culminated in the Easter celebration.

In an Easter message by his Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, Fayemi also called on Christians to always demonstrate the virtues of love and sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ exhibited in ensuring the salvation of humanity.

Fayemi stated that despite the merriment of the Easter season, the period also provides Christians ample opportunity for sober reflection.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe and reflect on the lessons associated with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The former governor urged Christians to also use the period to offer thanksgiving prayers to God for the successful conduct of the presidential election and pray for peace, development and prosperity of Nigeria as the country approaches the May 29 date for a change of leadership at the centre and other levels of government.

Ignore PDP lies on minimum wage, Fashola tells Lagosians

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AGOS State government at the weekend refuted claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it was yet to implement the federal government approved minimum wage structure.

It said Lagos was, in fact, the first state to implement the wage structure as far back as 2011.

It urged public servants to disregard posters by PDP’s governorship candidate in the state, Jimi Agbaje that he would implement the national minimum wage and pay leave allowances, if elected.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor Raji Fashola, Hakeem Bello, explained Lagos settled the issue of minimum wage on Tuesday, February 7, 2011 when it signed an agreement with the 14 approved labour unions in the State Civil Service to pay N18, 780 to the lowest paid workers.

The agreement, brokered by the then Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Jide Sanwoolu, Bello said, increased the minimum wage of the lowest paid worker

by 69.6 percent, which is a 7.6 percent increase over the federal government approved national minimum wage.

He said apart from commendations from the national leadership of the labour unions then, the chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) of the approved labour unions, Comrade Henry Akinwunmiju, thanked the state.

On leave allowance, Bello said the governor recently met with public servants and explained his administration did not stop

payment.

Rather, Fashola, he added, explained the system of annual payment of the allowance changed when the public servants requested to be moved from harmonised salary structure to consolidated salary structure as obtains in the federal civil service.

“What is happening now is that the worker is getting N10 because we are not saving N1 anymore,” Fashola reportedly said, adding that the workers have since requested to be placed back on harmonised salary structure.

Fashola also dismissed insinuations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, was dismissed from the Civil Service.

Ambode, he countered, retired voluntarily from the public service after 27 years of meritorious service, pointing out that he even wrote him a letter of commendation.

Urging Lagosians not to be deceived by such lies, the governor pointed out the federal government-led PDP has neglected the state in the last 16 years.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS EASTER GOODWILL MESSAGES

Amosun preaches harmony

Embrace peace, forgiveness, Oritsejafor pleads HE national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has urged Nigerians to embrace peace and forgiveness at Easter.

In a statement he signed yesterday in Abuja, Oritsejafor pointed out that President Goodluck Jonathan's acceptance of defeat at the presidential poll should be a reference point for national peace.

According to him: "We ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life to change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness and war into peace. Yes, Christ is our peace, and through him we implore peace for all of Nigeria.

"There is nothing greater than peace and love as enunciated by God and demonstrated by our dear president.

"Peace for Nigeria is what I bring to you at this celebrations, may unity and stability be restored permanently in Nigeria."

He also congratulated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on his victory and expressed optimism that Nigeria will witness peace and progress under his administration.

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We must be ready for sacrifices, says Uche HE emergence of Gen Buhari Muhammadu as president-elect at Easter season is a clear sign he must be prepared to sacrifice all for the nation's socioeconomic and political freedom, the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr Samuel Uche, has declared.

In his Easter goodwill message by the Church's Director of Media and Public Relations, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, the Prelate urged Buhari to lead Nigeria on a new path to prosperity and peace.

Uche said: "Easter Day is a day of rejoicing, celebration, happiness and hope restored and renewed. It is a defining moment in human history because it epitomises the liberation of humankind from the tragedies of the past.

"We must be prepared to share all we have and what we are with others because this is what God expects of us as His children who have been bought with the precious blood of the Lamb.

"Our political leaders especially our newly elected President in-waiting, General Muhammadu Buhari whom I congratulate on behalf of all the Methodist people on his victory at the polls must sacrifice their personal egos and forge a common front to make life better for the common man whom they have been elected to serve.

"I urge him to run an all inclusive government that leaves no one behind rather, gives everyone a sense of belonging. In recognition of the huge expectation that has come to greet his election, I want to assure him that he will constantly be in my prayers and quiet meditations."

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•Members of Bishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikeja at a special parade tagged Jesus festival in Lagos... at the weekend PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

Jonathan greets Nigerians P

R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan yesterday felicitated with Nigerians on the celebration of Easter in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In his Easter message to the nation, he urged Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the season to reflect on what more they needed to do to ensure the success of the current political process.

He assured that the governorship elections will be peaceful just as the presidential exercise.

He said: "I greet you all,

•Assures of peaceful gov polls From: Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

especially our Christian brothers and sisters as we celebrate Easter in commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

"For Christians all over the world, the major lessons of Easter, which we celebrate this year in the midst of general elections in our nation, are to be found in the Messiah's Divine love and glorious self-sacrifice for the redemption of mankind.

"This year's celebration

of Easter is taking place at a period of very critical national choices and decisions, during which we must all be prepared and willing to make sacrifices for greater unity, peace, political stability and progress in our beloved country.

"We must therefore seize the opportunity of the Easter holiday to reflect deeply on what more we need to do to ensure the political process in which we are currently engaged is successfully con-

cluded and that our beloved country, Nigeria, continues to move towards a better future for all of its citizens.

"Happily, we have already successfully scaled the hurdle of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

I am quite hopeful that the gubernatorial and state assembly elections will also be conducted peacefully." he said He noted that the collective actions of Nigerians since March 28 have assured the world that the democratic spirit is alive and well in the nation.

Oshiomhole: We have reasons to thank God DO State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said Nigerians have cause to be grateful to God for the avoidance of post-election crisis.

He said there were apprehensions of violence during and after the elections "but God has decreed peace "and there is peace everywhere."

In his Easter broadcast, Oshimohole said: "This period of Easter offers us another opportunity to reflect on our lives and our commitment to God; a period to remind us of

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Easter season, just a few weeks back, many of us were apprehensive that the country would break into violence, there were a lot of people who planned mayhem, there were all kinds of speculations of what will happen during and after the Presidential election, as you all can see, God decreed peace and there is peace everywhere."

"Indeed, this Easter season offers us yet another opportunity for us to demonstrate love to our neighbours, irrespective of our religious faith.

"Indeed, we have enjoyed

unprecedented peace across religious divide in virtually every home in this state, Christians and Muslims and even traditionalists live in peace and harmony.

"I want us to maintain this cordiality, this relationship, this effective collaboration between men and women of different religious faith, working together, living together in peace and helping to advance the course of unity of our state and indeed of our nation. We must build on this in the years ahead."

Ajimobi calls for sober reflection

yo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has called for sober reflection among Christians on the wind of change blowing across as they mark this year's Easter celebrations.

The governor, in an Easter message by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, also tasked Christians to pray for the successful

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From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin God's love for us. This period, we are enjoined to show love to our neighbours, our family members and indeed to our great country.

"I ask all of us in this season, individually in our quiet moments to reflect on our lives and give thanks to the creator for the wonderful things He has done in our lives and in our great country."

The governor added: "Already, there is so much we should thank God for this

completion of the next phase of elections on April 11.

He thanked the Christians for their fervent prayers during the 40-day fasting which culminated in the Easter celebrations, saying that the prayers had manifested in the peaceful and violence-free presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28.

Governor Ajimobi urged them not to relent in their prayers for the sustenance of an atmosphere of love and togetherness for the nation to attain greatness.

He urged Nigerians to emulate Jesus Christ who offered himself as a living sacrifice for the redemption of mankind.

He also said that they should use the occasion of

Easter celebrations to reflect on the opportunity offered them by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be closer to their Creator. ``Easter is not about wining and dining. Rather, it is an occasion to realise that we need to love one another as exhibited by God who offered Jesus Christ to die for our sins and to give life more abundantly."

APC seeks unity for national rebirth

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to come together for national rebirth in the spirit of Easter.

In an Easter message by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said this year's Easter celebrations could not have come at a better time.

According to the party: ''At the core of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, are the messages of renewal and rebirth, sacrifice, forgiveness and love.

"In the culmination of his life of selfless sacrifice, Jesus Christ gave his life for others to live. Let us emulate him, in our private and public lives,

by exhibiting those virtues for which he lived."

APC added:"This year's Easter celebrations have coincided with an ongoing political transition that has so far been widely adjudged a success and one that also paves the way for us to have a national rebirth.

"In doing this, we must

show love and eschew bitterness. We must put the acrimony of the long drawn electioneering campaign behind us. ''Just like Jesus Christ remains a shining light in a world of gloom, let us be beacons of faith, hope and love as we embark on the onerous task of making our nation great again.''

GUN State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has told Nigerians to embrace harmony in the nation's quest for rebirth.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Wakama, the governor said: "As we commemorate the resurrection of Christ, I see a new Nigeria under the leadership of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and I urge all well meaning Nigerians to join hands with him to bring about accelerated socio-economic progress."

The governor urged all to ponder over the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ and take a cue from His selflessness, by eschewing all forms of political, social and religious vices.

He prayed for God's guidance and blessings for the Buhari presidency and continuity in Ogun State.

'Celebrate birth of new dawn'

By Oziegbe Okoeki AGOS Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has charged residents of the state to celebrate the dawn of a new era in the nation in commemoration of Easter.

In an Easter message by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Adebayo, yesterday, Ikuforiji said: "It is with enormous joy in my heart that I call on all Nigerians to rejoice over the dawning of a new day in our country."

According to the speaker: "With the long-awaited change in the leadership of our country, which the Almighty God granted to us with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as President and Vice-President-Elects, it is now certain that the longtime prayers of we Nigerians have at last been answered.

"And what makes the new dawn more promising is the fact that it has been made to coincide with celebration of Easter, which marks the remembrance of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ."

He urged Lagosians to embrace all the lessons of the resurrection season in their day- to- day relationship with fellow citizens.

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Olubadan felicitates with Christians From Tayo Johnson Ibadan HE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana 1, has congratulated Christians for this year's Easter celebration.

The royal father exhorted Christians to imbibe the lessons of Easter period, which centre on sacrifice, humility, internal joy, love of God, perseverance, hope and submissiveness to the will of God. In a statement by his Personal Assistant, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, the Olubadan said: "I want Christians to be lawabiding and refrain from all acts that could undermine the peace of this period and even beyond and eschew all? acts of extremism and intolerance."

The monarch commended Nigerians for conducting themselves peacefully during and after the presidential election.

He called for maintenance of the same attitude in the remaining elections.

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NE week is a long time in politics. Seven days ago General Muhammadu Buhari was just the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Today, he's Nigeria's President-Elect. Although he's not on the ballot in the gubernatorial contests that would play out across the country this weekend, his influence looms large over the whole affair.

Expectedly, APC and its candidates would benefit from association with his name in the North West, North East and North Central. In the South West and South South, many are increasingly consideration whether they want to belong to the opposition in the new dispensation.

It is going to be battle royale in the 19 Northern states where the APC will slug it out with a depressed Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP). Other parties in contention in some states are the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

The battle in the North is unique because of the following factors: strong party affiliation; gale of defections; the likely bandwagon effect of the victory of Buhari; ethno-religious configuration; the personality of the candidates; zoning / power shift syndrome and probable voters' apathy.

NORTH WEST The PDP controls the state governments in Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna. This notwithstanding, the sentiments across the zone is largely pro-Buhari. Many candidates are expected to ride to victory on the presidentelect's coattails.

KEBBI Seventeen candidates want to be governor in Kebbi State but the odds favour the APC's Sen. Atiku Bagudu. His closest rival is Gen. Sarkin Yaki Bello of the PDP. Although APC earned 567,883 votes to PDP's 100,972 at the presidential poll, its leaders are working round the clock to seal victory on April 11. One of the party's leaders said: "We are not taking things for granted at all; we want to make it a finished business."

The imposition of the PDP candidate by outgoing Governor Saidu Dakingari triggered the defection of many party stalwarts to APC. They include ex-FCT Minister, Adamu Aliero, Sen. Muhammadu Magoro, Bala Na'Allah, Suleiman Mohammed Argungu and the APC governorship candidate.

It was not surprising that APC had a clean sweep last Saturday. Barring last minute gamechanger, the internal wrangling in PDP has laid the foundation for APC's victory.

Verdict: APC to win

Governorship Polls: How states will vote Come Saturday, the curtain will be drawn on the 2015 polls with the conduct of governorship and State House of Assembly elections across most states of the federation. The outcome of the March 28 presidential contest is expected to have an effect and alter projections in the gubernatorial race in many states. In others, with the contest between President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari resolved, local issues would determine the outcome this weekend. Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Sam Egburonu, Associate Editor, Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo, Assistant Editor and Sunday Oguntola review the outlook in the gubernatorial and assembly polls and project likely outcomes.

KATSINA This is the home state of Buhari. His image looms large over it and the bandwagon might dictate the outcome of the governorship election.

The gubernatorial candidate of PDP, Musa Nashuni needs to do something extraordinary to match the hurricane support of the APC candidate, exSpeaker Aminu Masari.

Verdict: APC to win comfortably.

KANO This is safe political terrain for APC where it polled a massive 1, 903,999 votes against PDP's 215, 779 last Saturday. The landslide victory of has sent jitters down the spine of PDP members who appear resigned to fate. The contest would be mainly between APC's Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Salihu Muhammad Sagir of the PDP. Verdict: APC to win comfortably KADUNA Having lost the presidency last Saturday, the only hope left for Vice President Namadi Sambo is to win the governorship slot for PDP in Kaduna State. His political godson and incumbent

governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero faces a Herculean electoral contest against the candidate of the APC, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, the former Minister of FCT. For APC to have garnered 1,127,760 votes at the presidential poll against PDP's 484,085, Sambo does not need a soothsayer to tell him that his party's prospects for this weekend are bleak.

Although APC is working against complacency, other strong things in its favour are the Buhari factor; the poor performance of Yero and the desire for change; the choice of Barnabas Bala Bantex, who is loved in Southern Kaduna, as deputy governorship candidate; and the defection of many stalwarts of PDP to APC. Verdict: APC to win.

ZAMFARA This is an APC stronghold. In the presidential election, the party floored PDP with 612, 202 to 144, 833 votes. Nothing substantial may change during the governorship poll because the masses are still behind ex-Governor Sani Yerima and his political godson, Abdulaziz Yari. Since 1999, PDP has not won the governorship election in Zamfara

State. There are 19 other candidates trying their luck against Yari - among them ex-Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi of PDP. Verdict: APC victory.

JIGAWA During his visit to the Presidential Villa on Friday, Governor Sule Lamido was quick to acknowledge that the PDP was rejected at the polls last Saturday by Nigerians. He was also forthright in setting the template for the governorship election when he said: "There is a tendency for bandwagon effect but it is up to us to work very hard."

The battle in Jigawa is between the APC candidate, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and PDP's Mallam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim.

Others are Sardauna Yaro (APGA) and Murtala Musa Galamawa (NCP). The race is a litmus test for the political survival of Lamido who has developed Jigawa in an unprecedented manner in the last eight years.

As a grassroots mobiliser, Lamido might not go down without a good fight. But the Buhari factor might just prove too much for him.

Verdict: APC to win SOKOTO The governorship contest is also a family affair in Sokoto where the leading candidate, Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (APC) is pitched against his political mentor, Sen. Abdalla Wali of the PDP. When Wali was elected a Senator in 1999, it was his lot to search for a competent legislative aide and he found one in the young Tambuwal. The rest is now history. Having been inspired by his time working in the Senate, he took a plunge into politics and rose to the peak as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The APC, ably coordinated by Governor Aliyu Wammako, remains the party to beat in Sokoto.

The party's vote haul of 671, 926 at the poll on March 28 was a signal that the PDP might not go far at the governorship level. Its lingering internal squabbles occasioned by the shortchanging of Deputy Governor Mukhtar Shagari may make the defeat of the outgoing ruling party a fait accompli.

Verdict: APC to win comfortably NORTH CENTRAL With the exception of Kwara and Nasarawa, PDP controls the state governments in the zones four other states - Niger, Benue, Plateau and Kogi. What used to be a PDP stronghold has been devastated by Hurricane Buhari. However, the results this weekend may still be determined by a complex mix of ethnic and religious politics that is never far from the surface in this zone.

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BENUE Watching Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State on the television on last Friday revealed the amount of pressure he's been under since he was humbled by Senator Barnabas Gemade at last Saturday's senatorial contest.

With the PDP losing two out of the three senatorial seats in the state, the governorship election could be slipping from its grasp. At the time of writing this report, the momentum was clearly on the side of APC with several PDP heavyweights billed to defect to APC in the days before the governorship election. The loss of these big names could prove psychologically devastating for the demoralized PDP. The top candidates are ex-Minister Samuel Ortom (APC) backed by Sen. George Akume, former PDP national chairman, Sen.Barnabas Gemade; ex-Minister Audu Ogbeh among others. Suswam's anointed candidate is Prince Terhemen Tarzor.

Verdict: APC to win.

PLATEAU For the first time since 1999, the fortunes of PDP in Plateau State dipped last Saturday pointing to the significance of the crack in its fold. At the presidential ballot, the party secured 549, 615 votes to defeat APC which garnered 429, 140 votes. The demand for power shift and other issues like the imposition of PDP candidate, Sen. Gyang Pwajok might make the governorship poll tougher. The people of Southern and Central Plateau have rejected the imposition Pwajok from Plateau North on them after the eight-year tenure of Governor David Jang.

Out of the 17 local governments in the state, Plateau North has six, South (six) and Central is left with five. Motivated by the urge for power shift, the people of Southern and Central Plateau have opted for APC leaving only Plateau North in PDP. The APC governorship candidate, Hon. Simon Lalong is from Southern Plateau and his deputy is the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Sonny Tyodem from Plateau Central. On its part, the PDP picked its candidate from Plateau North and deputy, U.G. Gomwalk from Kanke in Plateau Central.

The outgoing Governor Jang is locked in the fight of his life because Pwajok loss will overshadow his political legacy. He is likely to take advantage of the high population strength of Plateau North, the church and Berom ethnic nationality to upstage the APC candidate.

Verdict: PDP to win KWARA There are 16 governorship candidates in Kwara. The crowd notwithstanding, the real contest is between incumbent Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed (APC) and Sen. Simeon Sule Ajibola of PDP. A coronation is likely in the state going by the mood of voters at last Saturday's presidential election where they voted massively for APC with 302,146 votes compared to PDP's 32,602.

The problems with PDP in the state are wrong choice of candidate; restriction of the political influence of its candidate, Ajibola to only Kwara South Senatorial District; the recourse to religious and ethnic politics by Ajibola; abandonment by other PDP governorship aspirants except Prof Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem (the DG of Ajibola Campaign Organization) as well as the sudden loss of support from the centre and PDP financier in the state, Hajiya Bola Shagaya.

On its part, APC has gained more supporters with its ability to keep the state united; the strong platform of the late Wazirin of Ilorin, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki; the political support from Sen. Gbemisola Saraki; the religious factor; and the bandwagon effect of Buhari's victory.

Verdict: The state is 70-30 in favour of APC. KOGI There is no governorship poll in Kogi State but the struggle for control of the State House of Assembly will be between APC, PDP and Accord Party. Last Saturday, APC won all the three Senatorial seats in the state across 21 local government areas. While Accord is stronger in Yagba West, APC and PDP will slug it out in 20 others.

Verdict: APC to win majority in the assembly NASARAWA The results of the presidential election in Nasarawa State have shown that the governorship poll is an even fight between the APC candidate, Governor Umar Tanko AlMakura and PDP's Yusuf Mohammed Igabi. Last Saturday, PDP garnered 273, 460 while APC secured 236,838 votes. But a huge number of votes that could have gone either way were voided.

The indices which will shape the race are

Governorship Polls:

• Yero ethnicity; religion; godfathers; coalition of forces and performance in office.

The other candidates in the governorship race are Hajiya A. Mbaka (LP); Labaran Maku (APGA); Tanko Malami (PPA); Zakka Zaggi Rabo (ADC); Stanley John Mamud (Accord) and Haruna Shuaibu Iliyasu (ID).

Findings reveal that if there is an alliance between Maku, who is from the influential Eggon ethnic group and another candidate, the governor may walk on tight rope. The selling points of Al-Makura are his humility, sterling performance in office, ability to resolve the incessant crises between the natives and Fulani herdsmen; and earning the confidence of the peasant.

Verdict: Battleground NIGER The humiliating defeat of Governor Babangida Aliyu in last Saturday's Niger East Senatorial District election foretold what may happen in the governorship election in the state.

Apart from Babangida, most PDP leaders are yet to recover from what one of them described as the "Buhari Tsunami."

The battle in Niger State is purely that of former Army Generals and officers whose children are contesting. The APC candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello is the son of a former Army chief and a key stakeholder in MTN, Col. Sani Bello (retd). The PDP candidate, Umar Mohammed Nasko is a scion of Gen. Gado Nasko's family. Investigation also confirmed that the APC candidate is married to the daughter of a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

At last Saturday's election APC received 657, 678 votes to PDP's 149, 222. The gap may prove too big to bridge before this weekend's contest.

Verdict: APC to win NORTH-EAST The critical factor in the North-East is the insurgency and how the Jonathan administration has handled it.

That clearly weighed heavily in the minds of voters as they punished the president and his party at the polls last weekend. That pattern is expected to be repeated this Saturday. However, ethnic and religious factors could also affect outcomes in Adamawa and Taraba.

BAUCHI The earning of a paltry 86, 085 votes by the PDP in Bauchi State during the presidential election compared to APC's 931, 598 votes has left other parties with a little hope in the governorship poll.

Unless a miracle happens, the battle is over because the bandwagon effect of the poll success of the President-elect would be to the advantage of the APC governorship candidate, Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar. If it is true that Governor Isa Yuguda installed both the APC and PDP candidates, it must be a deft political move which may see him winning wherever the pendulum swings.

The other nine candidates include Danladi Musa (MPPP); Mukhtar Haladu (AD); Bello Ibrahim (APGA); Salisu Musa (UPN); Mato Musa (UPP); Bala Musa (PDC); Abdullahi Adamu Usman (KOWA); Jatau Mohammad Auwal (PDP); and Musa Yakubu Wanka (ACPN).

Verdict: APC to win comfortably GOMBE

• El-Rufai

• Tambuwal

Despite placing Sen. Danjuma Goje under house arrest, APC still won the presidential election with 361, 245 to PDP's 96, 873 votes. The tension in the state accounted for the low turnout of voters. Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of PDP is in dire straits because of the formidable forces arrayed against him.

He has an acceptable opponent in Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya of the APC, but the decisive factor would be the Buhari phenomenon. The rest of the field are Hassan Kidda (LP); Muhammed Ibrahim (AD); Ahmed Modibo Wali (APGA); Abdulhamid Sadiq (UDP); Yusuf Haruna (NNPP); Jafar Abubakar(ADC); Umar Ardo (PDC); Abubakar Hashidu (Accord); Gidado Hashidu (ACPN) and Muhammad Yelwa Daudu (SDP).

Verdict: APC victory.

TARABA Although ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Darius Dickson Ishaku of the PDP is the leading candidate, Sen. Aisha Jummai Alhassan is closing in on him.

The outcome of the presidential election in Taraba State suggests a tight governorship poll on Saturday because while PDP scored 310, 800 votes, APC was able to get 261, 326.

This trend left a difference of 49, 474 votes between the parties.

With more hard work, the table could turn against PDP at the governorship level unless the ruling party in the state is more circumspect in tackling the Buhari bandwagon effect. The factors that may ultimately determine the winner include ethnicity, religion, and the disposition of former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma. The PDP candidate is Danjuma's boy and that guarantees him the edge as far as funding is concerned.

Others seeking the office are Kabiru Umar (PDM); Hamman Mohammed (PPN); Razak Umar (LP); Gambo Usman (UDP); Bello Mohammed (PPA); Charles Buri (AA); Umar Arabi (DPP); Kabiru Bala (ACPN); and David Sabo Kente (SDP).

Verdict: PDP to win BORNO The declaration of Gambo Lawan as the PDP governorship candidate in Borno State by the Federal High Court, Abuja has thrown the party into disarray. The decision saw a former Governor of Borno State, Sen. Modu Ali Sheriff losing out in his bid to install his godson as governor of the state. The development has forced many PDP members to stand aloof and watch how Lawan will weather the storm.

Thus, Lawan is going into the governorship election as a political orphan. With APC's huge votes of 473, 543 in Borno State during the presidential election and PDP's paltry 25,640 votes, the outcome of the governorship poll is predictable.

Verdict: APC victory YOBE The APC is already in celebratory mood here following its overwhelming victory at the presidential election where it earned 446, 265 votes and left PDP with 25, 526.

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam(APC) is leading other contestants like ex-Minister Adamu Maina Waziri ( who is becoming a veteran governorship candidate); Buka Abba Isa (AD); Muhammad Musa Lawal (APGA); Alli Gunsama Jallaba (NCP). The

fact that the APC family had been united is strength for the party. On the other hand, the PDP has been battling divisions within its ranks since it concluded its governorship primaries.

Verdict: APC to win ADAMAWA It is a tough fight among four strong candidates in the state. They are the APC's Senator Jibrilla Bindow; the SDP candidate, Marcus Gundiri, who narrowly lost to ex-Governor Murtala Nyako in 2011; the PDP candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the candidate of the PDM, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo.

With the backing of the Christian community, especially in Adamawa North, Gundiri is set to give APC candidate, Bindow a good fight. The APC's leadership at the national level needs to intervene by prevailing on ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar to forgive Bindow the political sins he had allegedly committed or else Gundiri might have a slim win.

Already, there is pressure on the PDM candidate, Modibbo to step down for Gundiri in what appears to be a last minute accord. Although APC secured 374, 701 votes during the presidential election against PDP's 251, 664, Ribadu is facing opposition from within his party. Some influential leaders of the party are behind the campaign for a protest vote against Ribadu.

Verdict: Adamawa is too close to call.

SOUTH SOUTH As projected by this newspaper, President Jonathan won last weekend's polls comfortably in the South South zone. He is not on the ballot as the states choose their governors this Saturday. His loss could dampen the enthusiasm of his party men. The prospect of life in opposition could also affect the way some states vote. But in the final analysis local issues of power shift and balancing could prove decisive.

CROSS RIVER Going by the results posted by the PDP in the presidential race, its governorship candidate, Senator Ben Ayade, should be awaiting mere coronation next Saturday.

Voters massively chose PDP above other parties at the presidential election. It scored 414,863 to APC's 28,368. Such a wide margin makes any upset unlikely for the APC or any other party. The incumbency factor is also in favour in Ayade. His party has always won the state and has seemingly impenetrable structure in all the nooks and crannies.

But politics is never as simple as ABC. Things are not always what they look. A seemingly innocuous incident can upturn things in politics, turning a dominant party into an opposition in no time. While Ayade remains the clear favourite to grab the votes owing by the victory of his party in all local governments of the state at the presidential poll, the emergence of Gen Muhammadu Buhari as President-elect could sway votes in the direction of the APC. Its governorship candidate, Odey Ochicha, is no means a push-over. The staff of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NPIMS) has deep pockets and wide network. He is considered approachable and accessible but critics say he lacks political experience and has never won any election.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

How states will vote

• Wali There is talk that voters could look his way so as not to be in the opposition with APC in power at federal level but that remains to be seen. Except that and the unthinkable happens, Ayade might be on his way to winning the election.

Verdict: PDP to win AKWA IBOM As far as many members of the APC in AkwaIbom are concerned, the 953,304 votes scored by President Jonathan in the state were just concocted.

They claimed there were no elections in AkwaIbom. Some who accepted elections held alleged the exercise was marred by irregularities and manipulations.

The 58,411 votes for Buhari, they said, were just allocated to the president-elect. Realistically speaking, no one expected Buhari to win AkwaIbom going by the traditional voting pattern and mood of the state. But the massive margin enjoyed

by Jonathan convinced people there was more to the poll than meets the eyes.

Come April 11, APC's governorship candidate, Umana Umana, will be out to prove the large margin in Akwa Ibom by PDP was a fluke. He is from Uyo district with the largest voting population in the state. As former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), he has a wide network that could be handy.

His candidature is boosted by the support of former Governor Victor Attah and former Petroleum Minister, Don Etiebet, to the APC. The duo has scores to settle with Governor Akpabio and prove their relevance in local politics. With them, Umana is a stronger candidate.

But he is up against formidable forces in the PDP led by Akpabio who is bent on installing Udom Emmanuel as his successor. Akpabio is a major financer of national PDP so shouldn't have challenges spending to enable his anointed candidate win.

Verdict: Battleground RIVERS The April 11 governorship election promises to be an epic battle between the two major opponents, Dakuku Peterside of APC and PDP's Nyesom Wike. The election, from all indications, would be a battle of egos, money, the political future of the dramatis personae and much more.

For the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who is rounding up his second term in office, this is one election that would define his place in the political history of the South-South state.

And for his opponents, this is one 'battle' that nothing would be spared to reclaim the state from a man who, in the last two years, has proved a real handful.

Riding high on the back of his endorsement by the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, the PDP candidate is telling everyone that he is a man to watch out for.

But of great concern to PDP leaders in the state is the opposition to Wike's candidacy by influential opinion leaders in the state including former minister, Chief Alabo Graham Douglas and Ijaw activist, Annkio Briggs to mention just a few.

Their grouse is not unconnected with the failure of the PDP to respect the unwritten zoning agreement dating back to1998 regarding the governorship seat. It provides for rotation between the Upland and the Riverine areas of the state.

Wike hails from Ikwerre in the upland, the same ethnic nationality as the incumbent governor,

• Wike whose predecessor, Dr. Peter Odili, who governed from 1999 to 2007 was also from the upland.

The agitation for power shift favour Peterside.

From the Opobo kingdom, the youthful politician was elected to represent Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro area in the House of Representatives in 2011.

Peterside's emergence, sources say, was a deft move by his political mentor, Governor Amaechi to rally the support of the Riverine people behind the APC in the battle for the political soul of the state.

With the Riverine people expected to queue behind Peterside in the election, political observers are of the opinion that the support by the Ikwerre and Ogoni nationalities for or against the two major candidates would go a long way to determine who wins the election.

A few posers would suffice here: can Amaechi convince his kinsmen to reject another Ikwerre (Wike) in favour of Peterside? Would aggrieved PDP governorship aspirants and key stakeholders like Graham Douglas, Dokubo, Briggs and others work against Wike who is the anointed candidate of the Presidency?

In the Ogoni axis, Peterside, sources say, is head and shoulders above Wike in the battle for votes. His high rating is not unconnected to the influence of the Senator representing Rivers East, Magnus Abe, who though lost his return bid on March 28, remains a loyal member of the APC. With the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan in Rivers State still a subject of controversy, the Rivers APC is reportedly girding his loins in order to prevent a reoccurrence in the governorship election.

Against this backdrop, the party is not leaving anything to chance in its preparations for the coming polls. The victory of the APC in the presidential election, sources say, has galvanised members of the party to deliver the governorship seat for the party come April 11.

This is however not the case in the PDP camp.

The defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 polls, sources say has greatly dampened the initial enthusiasm in the party.

In the last one week, a palpable gloom has gripped the rank and file of the party who fear that the people of the state will likely pitch their tent with APC in the governorship election in line with the political history of the state which usually prefers to be in the country's political mainstream.

The pattern of voting in the governorship election, sources posit, would significantly reflect in the state House of Assembly which would hold on the same day.

Verdict: APC to win DELTA Still riding high on the crest of its victory in the presidential election, the Delta State chapter of the PDP is confident of recording a similar feat in the governorship election.

Its candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who started his political career as a councilor, appears to be the odds on favourite in the election in which his major opponent, Olorogun O'tega Emerhor, cannot be considered as a push-over.

A few major factors are working in Okowa's favour. First, is his deep understanding of the political environment owing to his almost two decades in politics.

A former councilor, ex-local government chairman, former commissioner and ex-Secretary

• Peterside to the State Government (SSG) and currently a senator, Okowa also enjoy the support of many political stakeholders in the state on account of the zoning formula, which favours the Delta North where he hails from.

The intimidating structures of the PDP due to its 16 years of dominating the political landscape of the state since 1999 would also come in handy for Okowa, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Health and is credited with the passage of the National Health Act, which was his initiative.

For the APC candidate, Olorogun Emerhor, an Urhobo, an ethnic group which unarguably controls the largest population in Delta Central, all hope is not lost despite the poor showing of his party in the presidential election.

The businessman turned politician, sources disclosed, is banking on the huge population of the Urhobos in the state to clinch the governorship seat.

But his aspiration is not helped by his party's lack of structures in the state coupled with his political inexperience. Though many Deltans believe that the APC candidate has all it takes to take the state to the next level if elected as governor, the division within the leadership of his ethnic group, many of whom are allegedly pro-PDP may work against him at the polls.

Despite the heavy odds stacked against the APC candidate, many party members remain upbeat on Emerhor's chances. Their optimism, it was learnt, stems from the party's victory in the presidential polls and the likely bandwagon effect this would have on the governorship elections.

Another governorship candidate many people seem not to be looking in his direction as capable of making any impact in the polls is Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party.

An Urhobo, Ogboru gave the incumbent governor a run for his money in the 2007 and 2011 governorship elections, and this fact that is not lost on political watchers of the state who argue that the LP candidate has the lion heart and popularity to pull an upset in the governorship polls.

However, the heavy depletion of Ogboru's resources which he expended on the prosecution of his 2003 and 2007 governorship campaign may hamper on his chances of realising his age-long ambition come April 11.

In the event that Okowa and Emerhor wins the majority votes in their respective senatorial zones, the battleground would be in the South senatorial zone where the incumbent governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, an Itsekiri comes from.

Sources say when the chips are down, the PDP candidate would win this zone barring any last minute upset. In the Ijaw speaking area of the zone, Okowa appears the candidate to beat, as influential opinion leaders in the area including Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark and ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo popularly called Tompolo, are backing him to the hilt.

In the worst case scenario, the Itsekiri votes would likely be split among the two major candidates thus putting Emerhor at a disadvantage.

And for the House of Assembly election, the PDP may win majority of the seats leaving a handful of others for the APC and LP. Verdict: PDP to win SOUTHWEST

11

With the presidential election settled, the gubernatorial contests in three South West states would be determined by totally local issues and personalities. However the Buhari factor could come into play as the people of the region as excited at the prospect of being in the same boat as the party that controls the center. This could have a bearing on Saturday's polls. Governorship elections would hold in only Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States. In Ondo, Ekiti and Osun only state assembly polls will hold.

LAGOS Although President Jonathan, ahead of the March 28 presidential elections, made tremendous efforts at swaying the electorate in Lagos in favour of his party, the PDP, it is doubtful if his political maneuvers now guarantee a victorious outing for Jimi Agbaje, the PDP gubernatorial candidate.

Not even the recent attempt by the PDP in the state to discredit APC's national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appeared to have succeeded as the electorate in their majority gave the state to Gen. Buhari and his party during the last electon.

Although the PDP pulled some surprise victories in some erstwhile APC strongholds like Oshodi-Isolo, Ajeromi Ifelodun, AmuwoOdofin and Surulere, pundits say the ruling party will still outshine PDP at the polls during next weekend's state elections. It is also believed that the bloc votes by non-natives that gave Jonathan a good performance last weekend may not be there for Agbaje and other PDP candidate next week, thus exposing the party to massive defeat.

"We all understand the role played by the vote of the non-natives in the victories of the PDP in those areas. We all know why they voted PDP in that election. Now that Jonathan is not contesting next Saturday, these people will vote their conscience freely without any ethnic or religious bias," Jimi Benson, the House of Representatives member-elect for Ikorodu federal constituency, said.

While some talk about a keenly contested two-horse race between the APC and the PDP, for who will become the next governor of the state, others insist Agbaje's candidature will not add any value to the party's chances as it will still be defeated.

Those optimistic about Agbaje's performance in the polls are citing the fact that the structure on which he contested the 2007 election has now been collapsed into the PDP. With this, they feel the party is further strengthened to tackle the APC in next month's election.

But there are those who feel that with PDP as his party of choice, Agbaje should not bank on the support he enjoyed in 2007. "While Agbaje may be well loved by Lagosians in a way, his candidature is not enough to change how the people of Lagos feel about the PDP. Also, months after his controversial victory at the primary election, Agbaje is still battling some serious issues within his party. And with these critical issues still unresolved, pundits say his aspiration to rule Lagos may remain mere wishful thinking.

Issues like the need to reconcile the several factions of the party and how the party will coordinate the governorship campaign slowed down the progress of the party towards preparing adequately for the all-important February election.

"We prepared seriously. But up till this moment, some leaders are not ready to work with others to ensure Agbaje's victory. Even after all the aspirants pledge their supports to him, some leaders remained aggrieved even after the candidate himself met some of them and pleaded for their understanding. Majority of them claimed they are not angry with him but with the leaders who imposed him on the party.

There was also the problem of how to run the campaign. This was a serious problem.

Some people wanted the structure established before the primary election to promote Agbaje retained. But several others made frantic calls for harmonisation to accommodate all interests in the party.

Feelers, however, indicated that the Bode George/Ogunlewe faction of the party remained unwilling to accommodate other interests and as such, shut many chieftains out.

A member of the state executive committee, who preferred anonymity, while speaking to The Nation, said the party realized the danger of the situation.

APC's control of political structures in the state is massive - from state to local council levels. This gives it an unparalleled ability to turn out the votes on polling day. Pundits say the party is already making good use of this advantage to correct some political mistakes in areas it lost last weekend.

By the time all of the above are placed side by side with the unending crises that have

•Contd. on page 12

12

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

Governorship Polls: How states will vote

•Contd. from page 11

rocked the PDP in the state for years, Akinwunmi Ambode, the APC governorship candidate, may most likely emerge as the victor in next Saturday's political contest.

But unlike in 2011, when it was a clean sweep for the ruling party, the PDP is expected to win a handful of assembly seats, especially in zreas like Amuwo Odofin, Oshodi-Isolo and Ajeromi Ifelodun where its candidates won some national assembly seats last week.

In 2011, Babatunde Fashola of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now APC, won re-election as governor of the Centre of Excellence by a total of 1,509,113 votes to beat Ade Dosunmu of the PDP to a distant second with 300,450 votes. The ACN also won all the 40 House of Assembly seats in the state back then.

Verdict: APC to win.

OGUN Before the March 28 presidential election, an array of PDP chieftains, including Buruji Kashamu, former party boss, Joju Fadairo, Adewale Osinubi, Doyin Okupe, amongst others, was working round the clock to deliver votes in the state to the PDP. They were determined to beat APC to second place. They campaigned against the wide acceptance of Governor Ibikunle Amosun. It was a huge task for Jonathan's men and at the end of last Saturday's presidential polls, they learnt their lessons. PDP lost the presidency and could only win a senate seat and two House seats.

Consequently, observers say the support base of the party in Ogun State is daily being depleted ahead of the governorship election, giving an impression that Gboyega Isiaka, the PDP governorship candidate may soon be alone and fighting a lost battle.

While rumours are rife that Buruji is already negotiating with the leadership of the APC for a soft landing following Jonathan's loss of the presidency, Okupe and Fadairo are said to be less interested in what become of Gboyega's aspiration as their interest in the entire process had all along been hinged on the presidency.

More shockingly, Osinubi, who is the candidate of the PDP for the House of Representatives for Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, on Thursday defected to the ruling APC, and vowed to support Governor Ibikunle Amosun's re-election.

This is just as the PDP is worrying its head over the seeming 'siddon look' attitude of people like former Governor Gbenga Daniel, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Jubril Martins Kuye and a host of other aggrieved PDP leaders amidst fears that they may work against its victory on Saturday.

Analysts are also of the opinion that winning the 2015 governorship election in the state for PDP may be a tall order. This is because, to majority of the people of the state across political party lines Amosun has performed well in his first term.

Verdict: APC to win.

OYO In Oyo state, the failure of Jonathan's party to make any appreciable impact at the March 28 election confirmed earlier permutations that Governor Abiola Ajimobi may be looking good for another term in the Government House. With the poor performance of the PDP and Rasheed Ladoja's Accord Party, the Adebayo Alao-Akala-led Labour Party (LP), is left to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday's election.

While the APC clinched all senate seats and majority House of Representatives slots, the LP won two House of Representatives seats. This signals the decline of both the PDP and the Accord Party in the politics of the state. The development also reinforced the readiness of the APC to continue in office beyond 2015.

Incumbent governor, Senator Ajimobi, who is seeking for a second term in office, is up against old familiar foes in the battle for the political soul of the pace setter state.

Lined up against him are his predecessor, Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Labour Party (LP); another former governor, Rashidi Ladoja representing Accord Party (AP); former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a youthful politician and wealthy businessman, Seyi Makinde, the flag bearer of the relatively new Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Although the likes of Jumoke Akinjide, Jonathan's minister from the state, and Senator Teslim Folarin, gubernatorial candidate, are still of the opinion that the people will vote

• Ambode

• Agbaje

for their party, indications that this may not be so are numerous. The daily defection of party leaders from the PDP, which started with the exit of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and continued after Jonathan's loss, remains an issue.

With APC determined to hold on to the state, enjoying the support of all the first class monarchs including Alaafin of Oyo, Soun of Ogbomosho, Olubadan of Ibadan etc, as well as its recent victories across the state in the national assembly elections, Ajimobi may have little or no problem pushing over Akala on his way back to the Government House.

Interestingly, the four leading candidates Ajimobi, Ladoja, Folarin and Makinde are from Ibadan, the state capital. While Ajimobi hails from Ibadan South, Ladoja comes from Ibadan North, with Folarin and Makinde both from Ona Ara. Akala is an indigene of Ogbomoso.

Against this backdrop, earlier permutations were that the votes from Ibadan would be shared among Ajimobi, Ladoja, Folarin and Makinde, with none of the contenders having a clear cut advantage. Not a few are also ruling Akala out in the scramble for Ibadan votes. The former governor was optimistic of posting a good showing, banking on the fact that his running mate, Sharafa Alli, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), hails from Ibadan.

But the massive support given to the APC last weekend by the people of Ibadan, with the party clinching all available positions, has may rubbished such calculations. If last election results are anything to go by, Ajimobi will mop up the votes in his native Ibadan and enjoy support from all other parts of the state.

Verdict: APC wins.

SOUTH EAST In spite of historical patterns the results of the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections in the South-East were controversial and intriguing. While informed observers had correctly predicted President Jonathan's victory in the zone, only very few, if any, imagined the possibility of the ruling party also claiming all the National Assembly seats from the zone.

This situation, coupled with the victory of APC's Buhari, at the presidential poll, has raised the stakes in this weekend's governorship and state house of assembly elections in the zone. Before the current realities, PDP supporters in the South-East used to joke that once you secure the party's ticket at the primaries; you were already on the way to the office you were contesting for. The permutations may have changed largely following the victory of Buhari's APC at the federal level and the usual craze in the zone to be part of mainstream politics.

ABIA In Abia State where Governor Theodore Orji effectively controls the PDP party machinery, the party is very hopeful of another landslide both in the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Describing Orji's control of the party machinery in an interview with The Nation, Chief Udensi Ukoma, a community leader in Abia North, said, " Over the years, PDP has managed to dictate the pace in Abia State politics because of Governor Orji's style of governance.

Until recently, he succeeded in rendering opposition parties redundant in Abia."

That state of inertia however changed tremendously during the preparations for this year's governorship primaries as most of the opposition political parties fielded what a

political commentator in Umuahia described as "equally strong governorship candidates, whose dynamism brought life to the opposition parties once despised in Umuahia Government House.

For example, the emergence of Dr. Alex Otti, the immediate past Managing Director of Diamond Bank, as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APGA) rejuvenated the party in the state, making it one of the major contenders.

For the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, who is from Agburuike Isiugwu in Obingwa LGA, the result of the March 28 presidential election, in which APC candidate emerged the President-elect, is a great boost to his quest to occupy the coveted seat at Umuahia Government House. Many believe that this turn of events in the country's federal political equation will help to make APC in the state a major contender.

Another factor that threw up the three parties and their candidates as the leading contenders is the zoning factor. They all come from the zone widely favoured to produce the next governor of the state. While his critics tried hard to dismiss Otti's Ngwa heritage, it seems difficult to say he has no connections with the Ngwa race.

So, these current realities have thrown up the three political parties; the ruling PDP, which has Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as its governorship candidate, APGA and APC as the major contenders in next week's governorship election.

While Ikpeazu's PDP, boasting of the incumbency factor in the state and the fact that the party cleared the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, is confident to emerge the winner, Nyerere and Otti's supporters believe the emergence of Buhari, as the presidentelect, has neutralized the political temperature in the state, creating a more level playing field. As a result, the two candidates are equally hopeful.

Verdict: PDP to win EBONYI Although Ebonyi is a traditional PDP state, we predicted that it would be a battleground in this year's presidential election mainly because of the ripple effects of the crisis in PDP, which culminated in the political coup that dislodged control of the party from Governor Martin Elechi.

As it stands, supporters of the embattled governor, who moved over to Labour Party from where they have arguably taken the shine off the PDP at governorship campaigns, are major contenders to the Ebonyi governorship race. The party's governorship candidate, Chief Edward Nkwegu, enjoys Elechi's support and this is widely believed to be a major advantage. He equally enjoys the support of former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who lost the PDP ticket to the Deputy Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, in very controversial circumstances.

Umahi, who is the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, since his dramatic emergence, fought a brave battle with supporters of Elechi. While his supporters say he has fought bravely enough to be reckoned as a major contender, many believe he and his party, the PDP, will be major casualties of the result of the presidential election and the emergence of All Progressives Congress (APC)'s Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect. This is because, Umahi's strength had been traced to his long connection to Abuja and Aso-Rock, but with the imminent change of baton, it is doubtful if Umahi and the state PDP will still get the kind of backing many anticipated they will get in order

to win the state governorship race. Some say even if his patrons like Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and President Goodluck Jonathan who had enthroned federal lawmakers in the state still threw their weights behind him, common voters may want to take into cognizance the reality that APC will now be in charge at the centre.

Already, there are stories that the supporters of Elechi in Labour may find an alliance with APC very attractive. If this happens, they may easily win the governorship election, if not, it will be a three horse race.

All these will however depend on how APC succeeds in handling the crisis that trailed its governorship candidate struggle. It would be recalled that in late February, some aggrieved stakeholders of APC in Ebonyi State threatened to leave the party if Senator Julius Ucha remains the party's governorship flagbearer. They reportedly said if they still remained in the party, they would work against Ucha as APC's candidate.

Verdict: Too close to call ENUGU Since the dramatic reconciliation of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu-led faction of PDP in Enugu State and that of Governor Sullivan Chime, described by PDP as the major political move that will preserve the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state, the party's governorship candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi-Ugwuanyi, has remained the top contender in this Saturday's gubernatorial election.

But the dynamic campaign of Okey Ezealed APC in the state, is now posing a more lethal threat to Ugwuanyi's predicted victory because of the emergence of APC's General Muhammadu Buhari as the President-Elect.

Already, The Nation gathered that many grassroots political leaders in the state, who never gave a second thought to APC are now willing to work for the party. This will serve as a major boost for the party. Dr. Kingsley Udeh in Enugu said "even if APC failed to win the governorship race in the state, it will get some state House of Assembly seats and that will be a good beginning."

Again, although the Chime/Ekweremadu rift has been resolved, insiders say many people were hurt in the process and such people may work against PDP. Also, with Enugu State's Catholic dominated population, there is the fear at the PDP camp that Father Mbaka's well publicized sermon may still sway some precious votes to APC. This notwithstanding, Ugwuanyi, who enjoys Governor Sullivan Chime's full support, according to most people who spoke to The Nation yesterday, remains the foremost contender in the race.

Verdict: PDP to win IMO The presidential and National Assembly election results notwithstanding, Imo State is an All Progressives Congress state, with Governor Rochas Okorocha flying the flag of his party for the governorship race.

Before the dramatic emergence of Okorocha, first on the ticket of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) before the formation of APC, the state had remained a traditional PDP state.

That explained the large number of experienced politicians that are still in the state chapter of PDP and the stiff political challenge Okorocha's APC still faces in the state. The way Okorocha and others criticized the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election, gives clear impression of the stiff competition in the state. In the said result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP besides winning the presidential race, cleared the National Assembly seats.

But with the emergence of APC's Buhari as the President-elect, observers say the state elections in Imo will be different. According Ikechukwu Anyanwu, "We know we have long association with PDP and there are many influential politicians in the party, there is no doubt that APC, the ruling party, will do better in next week's elections."

The governorship is a three-horse race between the ruling APC, fielding Governor Rochas Okorocha; PDP, fielding Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and APGA, fielding Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho. While the three parties enjoy sizeable followership in the state, the incumbent governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is likely to win the race. The party will also get majority in the House of Assembly but both PDP and APGA will also get seats in the Assembly.

Verdict: APC to win

•Contd.on page 66

Ropo Sekoni

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Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

The war that never was tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

The world had expected a bitter presidential poll but Jonathan saved the day by conceding defeat early

A

S a journalist, I should be one of the last persons to want a Buhari presidency. I was a few months to my graduation in the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, when the then Buhari/Idiagbon junta promulgated Decree 4 in 1984, under which even truth was inconsequential. But, if 31 years down the line I now find myself making a strong case for a Buhari presidency, then something must be gravely wrong with the existing order. If millions of Nigerians today find Buhari alluring, President Goodluck Jonathan is to blame. It simply tells of the rot that his government represents which, unfortunately, those in the government and their friends do not want to accept. Many people in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who say things are not bad under the Jonathan administration are only fooling themselves. But Nigerians who are feeling the effects of the ineptitude and massive looting in government know better.

How can any sane person say that a government that could not do much when the naira was strong will do better now that the national currency is weak? How can any sane person say that a president who until his defeat at the polls still did not believe corruption has reached a crisis dimension in the country despite the global concerns about it, will tackle corruption? How can a president who came into power partly because of people’s feeling that being once upon a time a shoeless boy, he would empathise with the poor, say there is no poverty in the country simply because a few Nigerians own private jets? Obviously, President Jonathan became disconnected with the people on getting to Aso Rock. His cause was not helped by the sycophants who surround him and are giving him the impression that all is well.

The full story of what led to the president conceding defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not yet out; but I suspect he did not consult widely before taking that decision. Otherwise, the Edwin Clarks, the Elder Godsday Orubebes, the Femi FaniKayodes, the Doyin Okupes, the Ayo Fayoses, the Segun Mimikos, not to forget the Akpabio Akpabios, the Tompolos, the Gani Adams, the Frederick Fasheuns, etc. would have told him not to surrender because of what they will eat. Orubebe had to mess himself up in the full glare of the world because he could not imagine that the honey pot from where they have been making money was about to be taken away just like that. So, how could such people want the president to concede defeat?

But personally, I was not surprised that President Jonathan lost. I had always told those who cared to listen that he would lose and that was obvious even in my write-ups.

It could not have been otherwise for a president with the record that I have painted.

Moreover, as at the time of the election, virtually all the party’s founding fathers had abandoned it. Many of its leading lights, including governors, had decamped to the opposition APC, yet, the remaining people kept deluding themselves that those who left had little or no value to add to the party’s fortune at the polls. The only surprise element for me in the defeat therefore was conceding defeat by the president, even before the result was officially announced. And that is where the spiritual dimension comes in.

Even atheists among us must be seeking

• Jonathan

explanations as to why an election that we all thought was going to be won or lost at the ‘war front’ and not at the polling booths ended on the peaceful note that it did. Many people had besieged the banks days before the election to get enough money that could last them for some time; many had done the same for foodstuffs. As a matter of fact, many of those with the means had left our shores, hoping to return after the ‘Jonathanian Wars’.

Our gratitude should go to those behind the postponement of the elections who must have thought they had done an unimpeachable job that would allow the government to rush what it had left undone for years in six weeks. But God, as usual, caught the wise in their craftiness by making them push the elections into the Lenten season. Take it or leave it, a lot of spiritual fireworks went into the elections. Even Muslim clerics did a lot of prayers in the mosques whilst the Christians did theirs alongside their annual fasting. By now, President Jonathan must have known the difference between Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, and the other men of God who might have kept telling him that he had any chance in the election. The president must have known the difference between a man of God properly so-called and people who were not called by God but who called themselves, or those who were called but derailed along the line for pecuniary gains.

One major factor President Jonathan did not reckon with is the fact that he is from a minority region. I guess that reality dawned on him when the votes from the north started coming in and most of them went to Gen Buhari. I had told my friends who had believed that the president would get so so number of votes from the north central, so so number from the north west, etc., that they would be roundly disappointed; in other words, that the average northerner would not abandon Buhari at the critical moment to vote for President Jonathan.

Thrice that Gen Buhari ran a solo presidential race, he polled about 12 million votes on each occasion. With the ‘coalition forces’ now with

The beauty of the presidential election, for me, is the fact that an incumbent president can be defeated in an election. This is the way it should be and that, as a matter of fact, is the sermon many of us have been preaching; that Nigerians should be able to fire any elected officer that is not doing well. In other words, votes must count. Gen Buhari too and the APC must be guided by this fact

him, it would not make sense for an average northerner to abandon him because they could never tell when another northerner would have the kind of support that Buhari had from a critical region like the south west. Performance was the other thing that could have made the average northerner prefer Jonathan to Buhari but this was missing in the Jonathan administration. Not only was the government incompetent; it was also monumentally corrupt.

It would therefore have been a disaster of equally monumental proportions if President Jonathan had won because that would have told us that the values that he and his ruling party have been inculcating in Nigerians over the years have gained ascendancy. That would have meant a general approval of impunity, of corruption, of lawlessness and what have you. That would have set Nigeria many decades back. You can imagine a Nigeria where the likes of the people I earlier mentioned would be the ones calling the shots!

Then, consider what was spent by the president on the election, especially during the six weeks. It is doubtful if President Jonathan himself can recollect how much of hard earned foreign currencies he wasted on ‘the polls. In the end, he lost. Although, in a sense, this gladdens my heart because it tells us that more Nigerians are wiser. I have always urged people whose conscience can take it to take bribes from politicians that choose to bribe rather than perform, and still vote according to their conscience. No one with good intentions would do such a thing the president did. If the president had won with the bribes, it is good governance and ultimately Nigerians that would suffer. There would not be any incentive for politicians to work hard in power if they know that everyone has a price and that once the price is right, they would always win elections.

Then, the president’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan! She was simply an irritant and a pollutant to many Nigerians.

She threw caution to the winds; and was speaking as someone campaigning for her husband in the race for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) chairmanship. That was how low she dragged the exalted office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Indeed, if the president lost in Aso Rock Villa polling units, we may have to situate that within the context of the failure of the woman of the house to worm her way into the hearts of her immediate constituency. Regrettably, President Jonathan’s friends too only showed him as a shade better than his wife during the electioneering. Obviously, neither of them realised that the PDP that they went into election with had been so mortally wounded that it could no longer perform the ‘feats’ it used to perform in elections.

All said, the good thing is that President Jonathan knew when to beat a retreat and he did. It is good that he realised that should anything go wrong, he would be the main culprit. All the others are mere footnotes. The beauty of the presidential election, for me, is the fact that an incumbent president can be defeated in an election. This is the way it should be and that, as a matter of fact, is the sermon many of us have been preaching; that Nigerians should be able to fire any elected officer that is not doing well. In other words, votes must count. Gen Buhari too and the APC must be guided by this fact.

CHIBOK GIRLS. STILL IN LIMBO. SINCE APRIL 15, 2014.

otufodunrin@thenationonlineng.net

08050498530(SMS only)

Sai Jonathan

W

HEN in 2012 TIME magazine listed President Goodluck Jonathan as one of the most influential 100 persons in the world, I wrote a column titled ‘Have you been influenced by Jonathan?’

I was amused about what could have informed the choice of our president, considering the largely negative perception about his leadership style which did not seem to make him suitable for such listing, which, according to the magazine includes “the people who inspire us, entertain us, challenge us and change our world”.

The citation by Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, in which she stated among others that “with leaders like President Jonathan, Africa is sure to move toward prosperity, freedom and dignity for all of its people”, didn’t also sound true based on what the situation in the country was.

My reaction to President Jonathan’s inclusion on the Influential persons list then was not because he had not made any impact that deserved to be acknowledged, but I felt he had not done enough to deserve such recognition.

I would probably not have been disposed to any similar recognition for President Jonathan even up till last week, until he did the ‘unthinkable’ by calling his main opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him hours before the announcement of the final result of the presidential election.

When both President Jonathan and General Buhari renewed their pledge to the peace accord ahead of the election, not many took them seriously. As far as many Nigerians were concerned, the commitment of the two gladiators was not worth more than the document they signed.

Given the intense hate and acrimonious campaign for the presidency, it was almost certain that despite the pretence of the candidates and their followers, the contest was a ‘do-ordie’ one. This explains why it was feared that violent protests may follow the announcement of the result either way it goes.

However, as it turned out, not only have we held the election using the controversial card reader anywhere it worked, but the loser has uncharacteristically accepted defeat while the winner has been magnanimous in victory.

Such was the envisaged crisis that the peace that has followed is still a surprise to all. It still seems like a dream from which some people are yet to awake from. But it is real and we have no other person than President Jonathan to thank for his willingness to put the country above his personal interest.

Notwithstanding the massive support for General Buhari which gave him a landslide victory, there are still grounds for President Jonathan to fault the election and give room for the expected violent clashes. But by conceding defeat easily, he proved that his claim that his election is not worth the blood of any Nigerian was not mere rhetoric.

Even when he could have made an issue about the embarrassment he suffered at the polling booth when he and his wife could not use the card reader which his party had said should not be used, Jonathan pleaded for patience.

Notwithstanding his shortcomings as President, history, as Senate President David Mark rightly said, will be kind to Jonathan for proving not to be as clueless as many of his critics think he is.

I agree completely with the statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Muhammed on the significance of President Jonathan’s action.

“By that singular act, which went a long way in dousing post-election tension, the President has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, written his name in gold in the annals of Nigeria’s history and catapulted himself to a statesman.”

14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

COMMENT

2015 electoral verdict and Nigeria’s destiny 1

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HIS column observed last week that if the 2015 presidential election turned out to be free, fair, and credible, Nigeria would have moved noticeably close to its destiny. After the verdict of the presidential and federal legislative elections have been released and accepted by the two leading candidates in the presidential election: President Goodluck Jonathan and General Mohammed Buhari, it is safer this week, than it was last week, to say that Nigeria is finally at the door to the room in which the country’s destiny has been imprisoned for decades. However, the elections left some areas of concern that all stakeholders: electoral candidates, political partisans, the citizenry, and our international friends need to pay urgent attention to as they all prepare to enter a new era in the history of the country.

The pattern of voting in the various regions indicate that the country is a divided one. Votes from the Southeast and the South-south, the two regions of origin associated with President Jonathan, voted almost 95% for him while the president-elect also got about 89% of the votes from the Northwest and the Northeast, the two regions that he can also claim as ancestral homes.

It is only in the Southwest and the Northcentral that both candidates actually split votes in a manner that suggests that the voters give considerations to the campaign messages of the two leading presidential candidates: change or continuity.

As many commentators in the social media and the traditional one have already acknowledged, the division existed before the election and is traceable to the rhetoric of antagonism among believers in the principle that federal power should be determined solely on the basis of geopolitical considerations, especially by many political and cultural leaders in the Northwest/Northeast and in the Southeast/Southsouth who did not have the courage to contest elections on the basis of allocation of national political power to specific regions but had the capacity to serve as leaders of thought for their people. It is thus not surprising that ethnic or

If APC had not functioned as an opposition party, it would not have been possible for citizens to choose it to govern them when citizens became dissatisfied with the PDP that had ruled for the past sixteen years regional ideology has left its mark on the ways people voted in the ‘far north and the far east’ of the country. However, this gulf cannot be left unclosed if the Ideology of Change, which is not an ideology based or derived from ethnic bias, is to spread evenly across the nation.

One challenge for the new president is setting in motion processes for healing of the nation, particularly after the intense campaign of calumny that prevailed in the last three months.

It is re-assuring that the healing process has been kick-started by outgoing President Jonathan and incoming President Buhari. In addition, many of the gladiators of the last six weeks, from Afenifere, members of the two factions of Odua People’s Congress (OPC), leaders of Niger Delta militia, to governors and party spokesmen who provided leadership for propagation of dirty and hate campaigns (capable of bringing disunity to the country) have also started to pledge support for the president-elect. Although no word has come from traditional rulers who joined the fray of partisan politics openly a few days before the election, it is likely that sooner than later such traditional rulers would use their Praying Rods or Walking Sticks to pray for Buhari and unity of the country.

More specifically, the job of healing the nation rests on the new party in power. While General Buhari focuses on governing the country properly as from May 29, his political party needs to redouble its intellectual and political energy to post-election selling or the ideology of change or progress to every nook and corner of the country, especially now that political and cultural leaders from across ethnic and regional divides have declared unequivocal support for the new president. Messages regarding the imperative of change in a country that has been in the wilderness of progress for decades are more likely to sink into citizens, now than a few months ago, when the political price was high enough for many politicians and their supporters to want to kill or maim others for it.

In trying to heal the nation, messengers of

peace and inter-regional cooperation must avoid the escapist measures that almost drove the country into crisis a few weeks ago. Before the election, several pundits overreacted to the tension in the air. Some of such opinion leaders called for an Interim government and a government of national unity or stability, contraptions that are essentially alien to our current constitution. The dare-devil ones even asked for a military government as one of the ways to avoid crisis in the polity. But the citizens had finally spoken with patience and clarity; the INEC that was identified by many for axing had also done a better job than it did in 2011 nationally or in Ekiti and Osun states in 2014; and the country’s international friends had stood solidly for free and fair election as the best option for peace and stability.

It is, therefore, distracting for anyone to start calling for a government of national unity after citizens had chosen the candidates and political party they want to govern them for the next four years. The constitution already requires the president to pick his cabinet from every state of the nation. Furthermore, the constitution does not forbid the president to invite persons from other parties or even non-believers in partisan politics to his cabinet if he believes such persons have value to add. But nothing in the country’s Basic Laws requires any president or party to form a government of national unity. It was the fear on the part of some people to face the challenges of electoral democratic elections that led them to call for Interim government or government of national unity before the election. Now that the election is over, the constitution must be given a chance to work until it is changed or amended.

Apparently, most of the masses who voted last week were more concerned about who to govern them in a way that is beneficial for them and their dependents, rather than in the appointment of ministers and board chairmen and women. It is the fixation of the ruling elite on distribution of largesse as the end of electoral

politics that made the election campaign in the last few months life-threatening to individuals and even to the nation. This is the time to move away from reducing matters pertaining to rule of law and good governance to personalistic and patrimonial politics.

Government of national unity may harbour more danger for the polity than we can immediately apprehend. The joy of multiparty politics is in the possibility of changing from one ruling party to another. This aspect of electoral and representative democracy puts all political parties in check, as it reminds both the electorate and politicians of the importance of doing what is likely to make citizens choose their own parties at elections. Nobody should have morbid fear about political opposition. Government of national unity has the tendency to stimulate one-party rule and thus suffocate oppositional politics. The new ruling party should exercise caution with respect to welcoming professional ‘decampers’ or addicted ‘carpet crossers’ into their fold. The Buhari APC government should remind all citizens that it is in the interest of the country for opposition parties to grow and thrive. That is part of the checking and balancing process in functioning democracies. If APC had not functioned as an opposition party, it would not have been possible for citizens to choose it to govern them when citizens became dissatisfied with the PDP that had ruled for the past sixteen years. Our political culture must always leave space for opposition parties that can challenge the ruling party every time there is an election. Removing the door to the recruiting room of APC in order to welcome those that the electorate rejected after ruling them for sixteen years, in the name of government of national unity or politics of inclusion may be another ploy to destroy the gain of last week’s election: a political culture that provides options for voters.

The world has become more complex than when Buhari first ruled Nigeria. The impact of global political ethics on so-called third-world countries now grows by the day and has now become evident in Nigeria. If there is anything that has become obvious from the election of last week, it is that it is citizens that can protect Buhari and his government, not power and positon-seeking men and women who would not want to be outside the corridor of power for any period of time, and for that reason, are already clamouring subtly for ‘government of national unity.’

•To be continued

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

COMMENT

15

Nigeria’s killer exports Rejection of 42 food items produced in the country by the UK for quality defects says a lot about what we consume

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IGERIA may have accepted its fate as a dumping ground for all manner of products. But the United Kingdom has demonstrated that it would not compromise its own standards, with its reported rejection of 42 processed and semi-processed food products of Nigerian origin between January and December, last year. In the period, 23 food commodities from Nigeria were destroyed, 11 re-dispatched while one was recalled from consumers and another one was subjected to official detention. Statistics from the European Union Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (EURASFF) which revealed the ugly development shows that the affected food products include sweet potato, cashew kernels, nutmeg, snails, soft drinks and sesame seeds, brown beans, melon seeds, honey beans, white beans and watermelon seeds. As a matter of fact, the contaminated and substandard food products from Nigeria are not limited to the UK; worse cases have been discovered in other European countries like Italy, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Belgium.

That the figure of such products rejected last year was by far higher than that of 2013 should worry us the more. It is a proof that the trend is worsening. In 2013, only about 18 such items were rejected by the United Kingdom authorities. The fact that the figure had jumped to 24 last year, a quantum leap, implies that the relevant agencies that are supposed to ensure that food items in the country, whether for export or local consumption meet certain criteria, have gone to sleep or lack the capacity to perform their functions.

We agree that every country has its own standards on such items, but the fact remains that there is a basic standard below which countries that place value on human lives will not fall. We are not surprised at the development because it is on

T

HE outcome of the recently conducted presidential election was both predictable and predicted.

A majority of Ndigbo simply chose to be driven by sentiments and parochialism rather than stone-cold logic and vested interests. I must confess that I was considerably alarmed by the fact virtually all those who hurled unprintable expletives at me for having the ‘animal boldness’ to ask Ndigbo not to hang the entire fate of the tribe on the puny shoulder of an individual were below 30 years of age - a clear evidence of a lack of deep intellectual content among our youth!

During the presidential and national assembly elections, I watched with rising

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh

•Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile

•Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye

•Associate Editor Sam Egburonu

•General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

items produced in the country. Regrettably, some of the producers of these items see themselves as being above the law. A few months ago, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and a soft drink producer in Nigeria were at loggerheads over a can of one of its products that was half filled. We cannot recount the number of Nigerians who had found strange objects in their soft drinks. These are things we have come to accept as normal. But to think that any other country would take such is unfathomable. We have had so many cases of premature and inexplicable deaths in the country which are blamed on witches and supernatural forces whereas they were the result of the consumption of some of these products. Unfortunately we never know the true causes of these deaths because many of them are not reported in hospitals for analysis and documentation.

It would have been better to check these lapses from within. But since we cannot, the rejection of these products abroad should wake the relevant authorities to their responsibilities. Nigeria needs to earn more foreign exchange to augment its revenue from crude oil which is dependent on the vagaries of the international market. But we cannot make money when the quality of our exported items is suspect. In this respect, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) which has been mandated to certify packaged, semi-processed and processed food commodities for export should see the rejection of our food items abroad as a wakeup call. It is its duty to ensure that exporters of any item under its jurisdiction meet the required standards before certifying them for export.

Where the agency needs any assistance, the government should not hesitate to provide it to save the country the perennial embarrassment of rejection of our exported food items.

LETTER

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HAD in an earlier article made it abundantly clear that this time around, General Muhammadu Buhari would no doubt scale the hurdle in becoming the country’s next president at his fourth attempt.

I emphatically said that the General would give the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan a good run for his money.

My assertion was basically based on certain indices as a result of the wind of change that was blowing across the country based on the wrong steps and mis-governance on the part of President Jonathan, which he failed to tackle, especially the insurgency in the North East, which has claimed the lives of so many innocent people and

record that some iporters tell foreign manufacturers to lower standards for products produced for the Nigerian market to enable the importers make abnormal profit at the expense of the consumers.

The matter is worse for drugs, some of which fail to work or even lead to the death of consumers.

If, as they say, health is wealth, it follows that any serious government must be concerned about what its country’s citizens consume. A situation where, after analyses, rodent excrement, dead insects, chemical contaminants like aluminium phosphide and dichlorvos, that are carcinogenic are found in food meant for human consumption does not speak well of the country. Reports even indicate that in some cases, chemicals used in fumigation, bacteria, fungi and mould growth were also noticed in some of the products. In more specific instances, some of the products like melon seeds were rejected due to illegal importation into the UK, some were destroyed because they had no health certificates, certified analytical reports, common entry documents and for poor state of preservation.

If we are not to deceive ourselves, we know most of these things are true because they are what we see often in processed and semi-processed food

Open letter to the President-elect properties worth billions of naira destroyed.

Sir, now that you have won and as you prepare to take the mantle of leadership of this country, I want to use this medium to address you on some fundamental issues: One among these issues is that a lot of bad eggs in your party got the advantage of your sincerity of purpose and honesty to have been elected, while in actual sense do not share your ideology of non being corrupt nor condone it

in every ramifications. As such, it has become absolutely necessary for you not to give room for corrupt persons to be so close to you and your administration.

This kind of people may use the opportunity to perpetrate acts inimical to your reputation as someone that has disdain for corrupt tendencies.

You should not allow such undesirable elements to have their way to siphon public funds from the coffers of the government as it would dent

your credibility in the eyes of the people, especially the common man and woman, who are your pillar and the international world.

You really have a very big challenge as most of those so far elected do not share the ideology you strongly hold as an incorruptible person. This is because virtually all those elected have different things in mind. You don’t need to allow yourself to be taken for granted especially by the lawmakers at the hallowed chambers of the

2015 elections: Whither Ndigbo? consternation as Ndigbo gleefully engaged in all manner of shenanigans just to deliver absolute victory to President Goodluck Jonathan and his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And when it became clearly obvious that the PDP had virtually won all the Senate and House of Representatives seats contested for in the Southeast geopolitical zone, a majority of Ndigbo had a Cloud Nine feeling of ‘mission accomplished’!

But it is now morning after and time for sober reflection. Just consider this: the All Progressives Congress (APC) won 64 senatorial seats while the PDP won 45. This means

that the APC would constitute the majority party in the incoming 8th Senate and would fill the positions for Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Majority Leader and Chief Whip. It is the same story in the House of Representatives where the APC will fill the posts of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader and Chief Whip. Since no APC candidate emerged victorious in the last national assembly elections in the Southeast, it means no Igbo would occupy any of these principal offices in both chambers of the National Assembly!

The reason is simple: you can only harvest what you

plant. Only a dubious fellow would work in Anambra Manufacturing Company (ANAMCO) and then expect to be paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)! An Igbo adage cautions that a farmer foolish enough to defecate in the entrance to his farm on his way home would meet the smelly faeces on his way back to the farm the next day.

Let me categorically state without any fear or favour that Ohaneze totally failed Ndigbo.

The current leaders of the supposed pan-Igbo organisation were arguably more interested in what was in it for them than what was in it for the greatest

National Assembly, who may resort to intimidation in order to have Ghana-must-go bags before confirming your political appointees.

You also need to be magnanimous in victory by embracing other political parties’ members as this country is greater than anybody and politics is a channel to offer selfless service to the people and not an avenue to accumulate ill-gotten wealth. Also, you need to fully empower the anti-graft agencies like number of Ndigbo. Yes, they can argue that their hands were tied because Ndigbo had already decided that they would deliver a block vote to one individual. But why are they leaders?

Leaders are meant to lead from the front.

Leaders are not meant to follow the crowd because the tail does not wag the dog.

Just before the March 28 elections, an intriguing advertorial was placed in several daily newspapers by a group calling itself Igbo Conversational Group (ICG). The chief convener is former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim.

At the last count, he was still a top-ranking member of the PDP but here he was raising posers that majority of his colleagues in the PDP would con-

the EFCC and ICPC to do their jobs in curbing corruption that has become so endemic.

You should overhaul electricity supply and high billing that the people pay through their nose in spite of the fact that the PHCN has been sold to private investors to manage. You should revamp the education sector with adequate funding, so that the youths would have access to quality education.

As the first opposition to have dislodged a sitting president in the political dispensation, you should realise that a lot is needed from you.

By Usman Santuraki, Jambutu, Jimeta-Yola sider very discomfiting.

I fully share ICG’s position that although it may appear on paper that presidential power may become less accessible to Ndigbo, given the outcome of the 2015 presidential election, the current state of affairs actually gives Ndigbo a golden opportunity to redefine their politics and forge a new and purposeful leadership.

Similarly, for the sake of the likes of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Ralph Obioha, Dozie Ikedife and Senator Chris Ngige, among several others, who chose to courageously swim against the tide, Ndigbo can renegotiate a new understanding with the incoming governing party.

By Ichie Tiko Okoye

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16

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

COMMENT

The change Nigerians want All proceeds of corruption must be retrieved; all scammers –oil subsidy, pension etc must be listed, publicly displayed and made to return every penny stolen

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N a 3-part article: Periscoping The ideal APC presidential candidate, which graced these pages between Sunday, 21 September and 12 October, 2014, and in which I concluded that Nigeria needs General Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, more than he needs Nigeria. I also quoted The Nation’s columnist, Gbogun gboro, as observing that Nigeria is now one of the foremost contributors to poverty in the world and that according to a World Bank Report, it will by 2030 be one of the main contributors to global poverty.

I followed that observation up as follows: ‘No thanks to a kleptomaniac PDP government which, rather than deal decisively with corruption prefers to romance it, serially dropping corruption charges against its members. Although the government has been touting its annual growth average of over seven percent, I think it needs be told that with the country’s dilapidated infrastructure and over dependence on oil, massive youth unemployment and, with between 60-70 percent of the population living below the poverty line, there is absolutely nothing for the Jonathan government to gloat about despite those voodoo statistics by the likes of TAN’.

Concluding, I wrote: ‘fifteen years after the PDP took over the reins of government, Nigeria now generates far less than the 4000 MW of electricity it generated in 1999 after having most of the 20 billion dollars it allegedly spent on the sector stolen. It will be interesting to see which sane people would vote more of the same at the 2015 elections, and thereby consign Nigeria to purgatory’.

Please come with me briefly to see the comments of some well connected Nigerians who did not agree with my views, going by their publicly stated

positions: Buhari will die before the election –Fayose Buhari is brain dead –Mrs Patience Jonathan If APC survives till October 2014, call me a bastard –Doyin Okupe Mark my words, it will not happen for Buhari to rule Nigeria –Doyin Okupe If APC wins, I will go on exile Bode George Buhari can never win in Yoruba land - Gani Adams Jonathan will shock APC with defeat –Femi Fani Kayode If Jonathan loses, we would set Nigeria on fire –Asari Dokubo We instigated the 6 weeks’ postponement so that Jonathan can win – Faseun I will deliver one million votes to Jonathan in Ondo State –Mimiko We shall deliver the South West vote to Jonathan –Afenifere Tinubu is no longer a force in the South West –Odumakin.

Now all these would have been hilarious if they were not uttered in moments of excessive arrogance of power by persons you will reasonably call advisers to President Jonathan and those he, unfortunately, depended upon for victory.

And while at this, even as President Jonathan may have saved lives, limbs and property by his telephone call to the president-elect, it would need some effort to convince many Nigerians that the call was not induced by the likes of Washington and London on the grounds that Nigeria might descend into an orgy of bloodletting if the election was called. I suspect this was what led to the proactive telephone call. I say

this because the president has shown severally that he is only a skin-deep democrat. Here is a president who did not utter a single word when a rogue parliament took over in Ogun State under Gbenga Daniel just as he has not deemed it right to caution Fayose under who the same has now subsisted for four months in Ekiti. Worse is the many references both Fayose and Obanikoro made to him as the master mind of the army-led rigging of the Ekiti governorship election of 21 June, 2014 as a bewildered world has come to know from the Captain Sagir Koli’s secretly recorded Ekitigate tapes. For the sake of posterity, it is important that these things be put in proper perspective Given that the president-elect had once opined that the PDP has, since 1999, presided over our country’s decline, leaving Nigeria divided and polarised as never before; this by an unthinking government hell bent on ruling and stealing everything, it is obvious that the change he and the party envisage must be a total rescue mission of a country already humbled by insecurity, corruption, an economy worse than he inherited in ’84, massive unemployment, a shambolic electricity, a ballooning cost of governance; a decrepit road infrastructure especially in the Southern parts of the country, a declining standard of education and a people whose circumstances is worse than that of Europeans coming out of World War 11. The task is therefore daunting but Nigerians are trusting General Buhari to hit the ground running.

Security concerns should immediately concentrate his mind because, without peace, we cannot claim to have a country and given that Boko Haram, which has accounted for over 15,000 deaths, is only the worst of the demons of insecurity tormenting our country, urgent steps must be taken to tackle insecurity. The administration must, therefore, aggressively continue the current push against Boko Haram in conjunction with our neighbours. Mul-

tilateral strategic assistance should also be sought from friendly overseas countries with hands-on experience in the fight against terror just as our men under arms must be adequately kitted and properly looked after. If the outgoing president could not deliver our Chibok girls before he exits on May 29, President Buhari must consider it a top priority of his government. With the help of hindsight, it is gratifying to know that the era of graft in our armed forces will be a thing of the past the minute General Buhari takes over as Commander-In-Chief.

That corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria is beyond doubt and government must approach it from two ends: a long term, fundamental re-orientation of the citizenry to the ends that corruption diminishes us all, and a short run that must be punitive. All proceeds of corruption must be retrieved; all scammers –oil subsidy, pension etc must be listed, publicly displayed and made to return every penny stolen.

Impunity must stop and everybody held accountable for his/her actions.

It is no longer rocket science tracing the proceeds of corruption. It has become one of the major ways the world is now confronting terror. Once they pay up, cases against them should be withdrawn as we profit nothing by their going to jail. We need the billions, even trillions, to upgrade infrastructure in all facets of the Nigerian economy.

Concerning the economy, a friend, Biodun Adu, a London-based consultant gynaecologist, has suggested that the starting point should be the sale of at least nine of the eleven planes in the presidential fleet. Nigerians expect to see the back of the coordinating minister and, ipso facto, what Dele Sobowale of Vanguard describes as Mrs OkonjoIweala’s “ abandonment of planning and forecasting for mere allocation of revenue and (mis)management of the Excess Crude Account”.

From my layman’s point of view, the incoming government should do everything to increase the quantum of

electricity available in order to stimulate economic activity at all levels. To begin to chip off from the huge unemployment numbers, government must immediately discontinue statutory allocations to revenue generating agencies and use savings there from to almost double the staff strength in the police and immigration. Skill acquisition centres should immediately be established to retrain the hundreds of thousands of our graduates of higher institutions and enterprising ones amongst them should be given seed money to start off their own small scale businesses.

Working harmoniously with the APC majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the government must ensure that it cuts to a reasonable level, the embarrassing allowances our legislators are paid. This must be reduced by about 60 percent while retaining the salary which was fixed by the RMAFC. It is mandatory on the Buhari government to reduce the cost of governance in the country.

At the beginning of its second year, the government should begin serious work on restructuring the federation.

It should set up a committee of not more than 33 experts – 5 from each geopolitical zone and 3 from the FCT - and task it with the responsibility of coming up with recommendations that should be approved, after appropriate constitutional amendment, only through a national referendum. The committee, in my view, should have at least 12 months to do its work, with the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference serving as its primary working paper. The committee should, however, expand the recommendations to arrive at a true federal system, anchored on the principles of fiscal federalism. Space constraint does not permit discussions on how to revive our education, make suggestions on a welfare programme for the elderly as Dr Kayode Fayemi did in Ekiti but now, unfortunately, cancelled; as well as proffer ideas on a robust youth policy. Without a shred of doubt, Nigerians can rest in the sure belief that the Buhari government shall work for them as the president-elect has promised. It is a new day in Nigeria. The change is here.

All hail the Nigerian electorate!

Yes, said someone to me rather violently, Nigerians have now become enlightened. They now know their rights (and lefts too) and no one can come again and think the presidency belongs to his father and stay there permanently. If anyone messes up, we vote him out!

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ONGRATULATIONS, Nigeria!

No, no. I am not congratulating us on electing a new president; I am felicitating with us on our new found voice. Last Saturday, we all went out to make our statements: oh no, we do not want Jonathan – we want Buhari; or oh yes, we want Jonathan – we do not want Buhari. Resolutely, Nigerians went out to choose for themselves someone whom they hoped would lead them at least somewhere towards the Promised Land. One of them did emerge, but only because we all agreed to disagree gently. Honestly, it was a very gratifying thing to hear Nigerians speak with one discordant voice and still hear each other.

Normally, one would not expect Nigerians to ever be able to speak with one voice on account of the very sharp lines of division. To hear each other hitherto, you had to be of the same ethnic or religious or family or spousal or eating group. Only twice have our voices crossed these boundaries. One of them was when we decried Jonathan’s subsidy removal plans.

Now, that plan stung so much we all collectively shouted, ‘what the heck!’ I think that was why we stood up together. The polls however were another challenge. When we voted Jonathan in, we all did stand together after a fashion; I remember that a part of the north was not altogether standing the way the rest of us were on the

matter; they were sprinting and shouting war hooplas. Unfortunately, many died.

So yes, the previous experiences of Nigerians at the polls did not quite prepare us for last week’s surprise.

Quite previously, whoever could among the political contestants found ways of snatching ballot boxes, stuffing ballot boxes or got someone to do some dirty tricks for him for some hefty sums. I think people generally call that rigging. By hook or by crook (often by crook), the payer found himself smiling to the polls as it translated to smiling to the banks, courtesy of the payee. He didn’t care that it was usually not courtesy of the electorate. The reason was that the numbers that ‘declared’ him winner of the ‘election’ often exceeded his expectation, and the voting population. Now, who can argue with that?!

That meant of course that all the while he got to enjoy his illicit time, purchased at a price, the politician did not care a hoot about the electorate whom he did not need in the first place; so why serve the blighters?

That was the trend before in Nigeria until last week. Last week, Nigerians spoke; and when the deaf and dumb speaks, there are bound to be some surprises.

First, there was the surprise of number. People really did turn out, including reluctant ones like me. And

they came prepared. The reports say people brought their chairs and mats.

Well, I saw the mats. I saw the chairs.

I even saw the kind they roll up and when you unfold them, you are not sure a tent or house will come up. I saw the water coolers, the soft-drink coolers, the lunch boxes… When the polls were really delayed in my polling unit, one woman told the security personnel that she had finished her breakfast and lunch on the queue (she showed them the plates), and the time for her dinner was fast approaching; so they had better let her vote or else they would be in real trouble.

They let her in. In my unit, the queue appeared endless, with me bringing up the rear of course, until one gentleman courteously stepped in. So you can imagine how many meals I required that day in order to vote…

The greatest surprises were the results, real and doctored. But who is to tell? I think we can safely leave the detecting to the forensic experts and calmly get on with our lives in the mean time. Up till this morning, the radio was still singing many people’s swan songs – Aliyu’s failed senatorial bid, Suswan’s failed senatorial bid, Adeyemi’s failed senatorial reelection bid, and on and on and on.

These things used to be automatic.

Whatever a politician wanted, he got.

Many writers have noted the political culture around here that allows a ‘winner’ to jump into the treasury and roll around in it like a cockroach in a flour bin. This motivated many otherwise innocent people to become politicians and transmute into unrecognizable

monsters who preyed on the people’s low interest level. So, an individual would leave the state assembly for the House of reps then to the senate then to the governor’s chair then back to senate, ad infinitum, without anyone challenging him in the state. Talk of recycling oneself.

Then, of course, there were the successful bids topped by that of Gen. Buhari’s in his fourth bid. Unfortunately, the guy hardly smiles; if he did, I would have said he would be grinning from ear to ear by now. Imagine, FOURTH bid! When I tell my dog to come for his food once and he doesn’t, I generally just give up on him. Now, I think I’ve learnt to be a little more patient: I will call him a second time, but I doubt if I can call him four times.

Many people have commented on the portentous fact that Nigerians did not only go out to vote, they had begun a new culture: trying out one president at a time. If they liked him, he would stay; if they did not, he would go. They say it like they are talking about trying on dresses. Come on! Yes, said someone to me rather violently; Nigerians have now become enlightened. They now know their rights (and lefts too, I might add) and no one can come again and think the presidency belongs to his father and stay there permanently. If anyone messes up, we vote him out! Excellent!

I find the fact that an underperforming president can be voted out rather thrilling, you know, like a drunk feels tremours course down his body when he sees a bottle of beer. I say I rather like it. However,

this election has brought out a troubling fact: Nigeria’s persistent bad voting pattern. I don’t know if you noticed that most of Jonathan’s votes came from his kinsmen, the southeastern part of the country, while the larger chunk of Buhari’s votes came from his kinsmen, the north. It left the third part of the country, the southwest, to break the tie. I am so buggered about it I keep thinking: when will these primordial ethno-religious cleavages stop? What will happen if the third factor is itself divided down the middle? When will we consider a man’s worth more than his money, tribe or religion? I take solace in someone’s consoling words: we are still young and growing in this democracy thing; it is enough for now that we can elect someone with a clear majority. Leave the fine things like personal integrity for later. Ok, I reply, I will leave well alone.

For now, it is enough that Nigerians have learnt to speak with one determined voice; so people of the world, Hail the Nigerian Electorate; it is growing up! The upside of growing up, to use a foreign terminology, is that people tend to know their minds; and the downside is that it is never good for the parent’s blood pressure. The political parties, particularly the PDP and the APC, would do well to learn this lesson and grow up quickly too. NIGERIANS ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO SIT, GRIN AND BEAR IT. THEY NOW FIGHT BACK, WITH THE BALLOT, EVERY FOUR YEARS. Congratulations, Gen. Buhari.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

COMMENT

17

(110) W

E have to admit it. President Jonathan surprised everyone in Nigeria and across the world with the readiness and the grace with which he conceded defeat and called Buhari to congratulate him on his victory.

Just the day before this happened, Femi Fani-Kayode, the megalomaniacal and evil-tongued Director General of the Jonathan Campaign Organization had been saying that the results being cumulatively and unofficially announced by local and international media organizations that put Buhari well ahead of Jonathan were all false. He had vigorously and falsely claimed that Jonathan and the PDP were in fact more than two to three million votes ahead of Buhari and the APC. And as if that was not enough, Fani-Kayode added that the internal figures collated by PDP field operatives showed that the party and Jonathan had won in 23 out of the 36 states in the country. Moreover, one so-called Elder Orubebe, PDP’s representative at the national election results collation centre in Abuja, had on the final day of the release of the election results and with extremely violent language, attacked the INEC Chairman, Jega for an alleged bias against his party, threatening that the PDP would not accept INEC’s figures for the results. These and other actions and words of PDP hawks gave a clear indication that Jonathan and the PDP would perhaps not accept defeat and that in all likelihood, the country was once again being deliberately set on the path of a debacle of post-election paroxysm of bloodbath and nation-wrecking mayhem.

It is against the background of such actions and words from key figures in his campaign organization that Jonathan’s speedy and gracious concession of defeat caught most people and news organizations by total surprise. And let us bear in mind also that on the day of the election, Saturday, March 28 when the electronic card reader in the polling booth at his hometown failed to authenticate his encoded biometric identity, Jonathan had asked for patience; he had asked Nigerians to recognize that the card reader hitches were just that – hitches that did not amount to an overall condemnation of the elections. Finally, still on that same day, Jonathan had urged Nigerians to accept the results of the elections regardless of who won or lost.

Those who are familiar with the extremely negative profile that this column has painted of Jonathan and his administration over the years would no doubt be surprised by the fact that I am hereby joining my voice to the voices of the great number of people that have given the President high praise for the magnanimity of his acceptance of defeat rather than following the inclinations of the fascist hawks in his party to plunge the country into chaos and bloodshed by a rejection of the will of the Nigerian people as expressed in the decisive victory they gave Buhari and the APC. So why then am I myself now singing the praise of Jonathan? Have I, like my

Democracy reached a new and higher level with the elections, but at what cost and who bore the scars of the trauma?

•The real heroes of the 2015 Elections

good friend of many, many decades, Odia Ofeimun, seen the light and have come to realize that, as Odia put it, Jonathan is the very best president we have ever had in this country? Absolutely not!

My reason for sincerely acknowledging and praising the generosity and maturity of Jonathan’s repudiation of the nation-wrecking desperadoes in his party and campaign organization is precisely to do just that: give the man his due and acknowledge that he will perhaps always be remembered for this extremely gracious final political or electoral act of his time in power. But there is another reason for joining the chorus of praises for the president on this one decisive act and it is the fact that I want to use that acknowledgment to raise the wider question what it cost Nigeria and Nigerians to be taken through desperation of national survival of such extremity that only Jonathan’s gracious act and nothing else could have averted great catastrophe. Moreover, I wish to raise the issue of who paid the price and will in future bear the cost of the kind of postelection trauma that we have just gone through. Is it likely to happen again? If not, what should we do to make its recurrence unlikely or perhaps even impossible? So while we all give praise to Jonathan for that act of great maturity and statesmanship, these are the sorts of issues that we must not ignore, that we must not bury under the psychic weight of relief that we all felt when Jonathan chose not take the preferred destructive path of the Fayoses, the Fani-Kayodes, the Orubebes and the Obanikoros of his party. I think it is best to explain what I have in mind here by using the analogy of what the costs are and what is at stake when a patient survives a life-threatening surgical operation for a deadly cancer.

The hope of all cancer survivors is that the survival will last and that the cancer will not come back. For this, the lucky patient must do everything possible to avoid carcinogenic agents and lifestyle habits that encourage cancer.

And of course he or she must continue to take the prescribed medications. Now, it takes no great act of wisdom or perceptiveness for anyone to see that it has been a deeply and widely cancerous democracy that we have been having since the return to formal democratic governance in 1999. In the present discussion, I will limit myself to only the electoral process.

We all remember the elections held under the supervision of the previous INEC Chairman, Maurice Iwu and his boss, Olusegun Obasanjo. In that evil collaboration, there was a crucial division of labor between the two men. Obasanjo’s part was to use money and the police and the army to either buy votes or intimidate opponents and the electorate into fear or submission. For his part, Iwu’s role was to deliver the votes and deliver them big. Now let us be clear that Jonathan not only continued this party tradition of using funds from our national coffers to buy votes, but he took the practice to absolutely new and unprecedented levels. For instance, most of the 2.53 trillion naira oil subsidy mega-scam of 2011 went to the slush funds for Jonathan’s 2011 election campaign. In the current electoral cycle of 2015, it appears that the President went far beyond that already extraordinary scale of 2.53 trillion naira since dollars, not the depreciated naira, was the currency of vote buying.

Now my central point here is, regardless of the praise for Jonathan for his post-election magnanimity, we MUST know how much of our money he spent

this time around. For not a kobo or cent - of that money is his father’s money; it is yours and mine and we have a right to know. In the exercise of that right, perhaps we might finally come to a constitutional ban on the use of public funds by all present and future incumbent governments to buy votes. This practice of the unrestricted use of public or state funds for election campaigns is without doubt one of the most carcinogenic agents afflicting or threatening our fledgling democracy. And the cost to the economic and social wellbeing of our peoples is incalculable.

Equally carcinogenic is the use of the police, the army and all kinds of quasi-official militias

by Jonathan and the PDP to intimidate and cow both opponents and the general electorate.

The scale of this abuse of incumbency for political or electoral advantage must be fully revealed. There is the specific case of Ekiti-Gate. That case must now be formally opened and brought to a conclusion that will serve to strengthen our democracy. The incoming administration must not be blackmailed by charges of witch-hunting or revenge mongering, especially when and if such charges are couched in the form of accusations of bad or mean spirited recompense for Jonathan’s act of magnanimity in that swift and decisive concession of victory to Buhari. The one does not cancel the other: yes, we must praise Jonathan for that one act; no, we cannot, we must not let any incumbent government ever again use the police and the army to pervert and distort the electoral process. Let us not forget that it is the people, in their tens of millions who bore the brunt of the state sanctioned violence that the PDP, in the years of its rule, routinely used as one

of its choicest means of staying in power.

The thing that personally nauseates me the most is the use

by Jonathan and his campaign hawks of hooded paramilitary operatives side by side with the regular units of the army and the police. I do not know if these spectral and sinister forces were used in the elections of last weekend, but they were widely used in the 2014 gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States. Hooded paramilitary operatives? It seemed to have come from the lowest common denominator of the melodramatic imagination of Nollywood scriptwriters and film directors. But it was real enough and it came from Jonathan’s Aso Rock.

These are all preliminary observations and reflections on the presidential elections of 2015. We are all greatly relieved that it ended well and there are no looming specters of bitter and divisive verbal and physical warfare on the horizon. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be time enough to turn our attention to the more weighty problems and challenges that the change from one ruling party to another will bring to our country and our peoples throughout the length and breadth of the land. I cannot end this piece without saying this: for me the real heroes of what happened last weekend are not Jonathan or Buhari; they are the millions of Nigerians who resisted intimidation, force, coercion and bribery to send the PDP packing. Let APC take note of this. What has been done to the PDP may or can be done to the new ruling party if no real or meaningful change takes place in the years ahead.

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

COMMENT

sms only: 08116759748

F

OR most of the last four years President Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria’s dartboard – the target at which we all projected our collective frustrations. Nigerians have voted for change and by that token made Muhammadu Buhari the new receptacle of our collective rage if things don’t start changing fast.

By convention, new governments get a honeymoon period where there’s little or no criticism as they try to bed in. The length of this blissful time varies depending on circumstances. Sometimes it could be as short as three months or as long as a year. But something tells me that for the new president and his All Progressives Congress (APC) that honeymoon would be very brief.

When Nigerians voted out Jonathan, and his ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on March 28, the problems that cost the outgoing president his job didn’t disappear with the ballot. They loomed large over Buhari from the moment he was declared winner.

The list is long and intimidating: a stuttering economy that has seen the naira collapse against major world currencies, massive unemployment, chronic inability to provide electricity, endemic corruption and a devastating insurgency that is yet to be stamped out.

This list of national troubles was compounded by a bitter election campaign that tested our ethnic and religious divides to the limit. It would require major work to heal the wounds and bruises of the last three months – and that is another of the heavy responsibilities that has landed on Buhari’s plate.

As daunting as the task may seem, the president-elect and his team have a unique opportunity not just to address the problems that now seem intractable, but also to change the very nature of Nigerian politics if they are willing to take radical steps.

Jonathan failed because he promised transformation but only delivered a damp squib. Instead of a breath of fresh air and a new Nigeria, we were confronted with business as usual and national decline to levels we never imagined possible. Values disappeared, parts of our territory were appropriated by mindless killers masquerading as Islamic zealots, and institutions were desecrated before our very eyes.

Those whose responsibility it was to ensure that these things didn’t happen couldn’t understand why we were complaining about the appalling new order. Their misunderstanding of what the times required is what has brought about the leadership changes that have been celebrated across the length and breadth of the country.

Permit me to refer here to one of the immortal quotes of disgraced former United States President Richard Nixon. Before he went to the White House, he had run for governor of the state of California.

On November 7, 1962, after he lost to Democratic Party incumbent Pat Brown, an embittered Nixon attacked the media, telling them: “you don’t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”

E-mail: festus.eriye@gmail.com Twitter: @EriyeFestus

How Buhari can avoid Jonathan’s fate

•Buhari

In another eight weeks we won’t have Jonathan to ‘kick around anymore’ over fuel scarcity, Boko Haram attacks, electricity and sundry headaches. The APC and its supporters who had excelled in their role in opposition would now have to make the swift adjustment to being on the receiving end. It’s a different ballgame when the buck stops at your table.

A few days ago Public Affairs Adviser to President Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who had sworn repeatedly that Buhari would never come to power, was forced to make

O

NE of its former national chairmen, Vincent Ogbulafor, once famously predicted that PDP would rule Nigeria for 60 unbroken years. Beyond reacting with consternation to that comment the opposition were in no shape to mount any credible bid for power, and such was the ruling party’s dominance of the political space it was hard to fault him.

A mere two weeks to voting day Jonathan was still bravely declaring that his party was too large to lose. After last weekend’s drubbing it is now clear that size couldn’t keep ‘Africa’s biggest party’ in power. Even worse, its huge proportions may just be its undoing out of office.

One of the things that kept the PDP growing over the years was access to federal patronage. It was what president’s used to keep re-

peace with the new reality in the land. He then declared – hopefully – that PDP would stage a comeback in 2019.

Some may want to dismiss him as a humbled dreamer, I don’t. If Buhari and APC don’t do what is required to move this country forward, it is possible that in 2019 PDP or a coalition of parties could oust them from power as we’ve just witnessed. Let’s not forget that Jonathan received it on a platter barely four years ago – and the party that toppled him is roughly two years old!

So, lesson number one for the president-elect and his party is: goodwill can disappear. The same people are jumping around doing cartwheels and screaming ‘Sai Buhari!’ are capable of turning around to chant ‘Ba mu so.’

In 2011, ten million votes separated Jonathan and Buhari. This year the challenger has prevailed with less than three million votes.

If ten million voters can desert a candidate in the space of four years, it would be no big thing for three million to evaporate.

The second lesson is that being nice and honest is not enough to succeed as president. In the beginning, and for much of his reign, Jonathan was sold as a simple and humble man. But he stumbled at the hurdle of competence.

Nigerians are looking for leadership that would deliver results.

Buhari and APC will not solve all of Nigeria’s problems in four years; they would be courting disaster if they create that impression. But if by 2019 Nigerians can flip a switch and receive electricity, they would reward Buhari with another term.

If not, then all of his reputation for honesty wouldn’t save him from punishment at the ballot box.

The only guarantee of longevity in power is good governance – and it begins with the team the president-elect puts together.

The APC is a patchwork of parties and interests so it is understandable that Buhari would be paying back lots of political IOUs. However, the biggest mistake he can make is to fill his cabinet, or the circles around him, with jobbers and the same old faces that have haunted the corridors of power in both military and civilian dispensations over the last four decades.

The experience of these people cannot be discounted and they could serve the new president very well as respected and distinguished counselors. But the federal cabinet should be skillfully put together in such a way that it addresses the

practical reality of paying off those who worked for Buhari’s victory, while infusing the government with younger men and women with the energy and vision required to transform the country into a prosperous 21st century democracy.

Perception is important and should not be dismissed lightly.

The PDP repeatedly raised the issue of Buhari’s age during the campaigns and we countered by saying there are times when an older leader is what a country needs.

That said the new government needs to tap a younger generation between 30 and 60 so that a new layer of leaders can be groomed to build on whatever the Buhari administration would do in the years ahead. If he’s to be viewed as a forward-looking leader, he cannot afford to surround himself with his age mates.

But of all the deadly poisons that finished off Jonathan and PDP, the one Buhari needs to avoid the most is the arrogance that creeps upon and ultimately overwhelms the powerful. The outgoing administration and its leading lights got so power-drunk they forgot that the people are actually the ones who decide who governs.

That arrogance was repeatedly captured in statements like ‘We will never handover to this or that’; ‘this person or that one will never become president – we would rather handover to the military.’ All those comments make no reference to voters. Those who had been voted into power now assumed they had the power over life and death.

It was that same arrogance that led Jonathan and PDP to turn state institutions like the armed forces, police, DSS into toys to be deployed for partisan ends. They and these institutions came to be reviled by all those they oppressed. In the end the oppressed spoke loudly with their ballots.

On March 28 and the weeks that preceded it, Nigerian voters were reminded again that power belongs to the people. Desperate politicians courted then assiduously with everything from bags of rice to crisp US dollar notes. By kicking out Jonathan, voters now know what their votes can achieve. It would benefit Buhari and his team not to become so arrogant and distant from those who can decide their fate.

PDP stares at the abyss bellious party men in line and what they used to seduce the desperate from opposition ranks.

In Nigeria government remains the biggest business – especially for the political class. For them being cut off from the central administration in Abuja is like an organism being separated from its life source.

It is that mindset that produces statements like ‘our people have never belonged to the opposition’ as though being out of government was a leprous affliction.

It doesn’t require clairvoyance therefore to predict that in the North where the Buhari-APC Tsunami has swept away a slew of PDP office holders we would witness massive defections to the new party in power in coming months. The same thing is bound to happen in

the South-East and South-South.

The president-elect in one of his earlier speeches after his election triumph declared that the one-party state was dead. I disagree. In another couple of months the APC might become the dominant party as the hungry flood its ranks in search of patronage.

I predict that the PDP will shrink dramatically unless it can throw up strong-willed leaders in the years ahead who are prepared to makes the sacrifices necessary to rebuild the party.

A sharp decline of the Nigeria’s once dominant political force would be a disaster. As the birth of the APC has shown, this country desperately needs a credible alternative at all times to keep whoever runs Abuja on their toes.

• Muazu

LIFE

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SUNDAY

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

Prologue

By Gboyega Alaka

•Continued on Page 20

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

20 SUNDAY LIFE

Gboyega Alaka highlights some of the incidents of violence that characterised last week's presidential elections

Sunday Osagiede, an All Progressives Congress, APC in unit 11, Ward 9 in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, recounts the mayhem that occurred at his polling unit, his close shave with death and the death of a community youth leader.

By Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia , Benin

•Osagiede

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE 21

Bloody elections in Anambra

Although renowned for electoral brigandage, Anambra State has never in its history witnessed the level of election violence and bloodletting as perpetrated during the last presidential election. Nwanosike Onu, reports.

Polling day fatal experience •Continued from Page 19

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

22 SUNDAY LIFE

Alhaji Taiwo Nasiru Bakare is Baale of Omole (traditional community head) under Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos and man of many parts. In this chat with Yetunde Oladeinde, he talked about his passion for culture, history and tradition, love for boxing, and his forays into publishing and football development.

• Baale Bakare with Bash Ali.

•Bakare

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE

Just back from a medical trip to Germany, Mariam Ogbe returns with awesome stories of unbelievable prudence, citizen’ welfare packages and an efficient and people-oriented health service.

23

24 SUNDAY LIFE

Popular broadcaster and humour merchant Bashiru Adisa a.k.a. Baba Gboin tells Daniel Adeleye the story of his rise from stage comedy to radio and television, plus the challenges of stardom.

•Adisa

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

29

APRIL 5, 2015

Ifunaya and Charles hooked

I

funaya Clariet Anih, daughter of Sir and Lady Philip Anih, got married to Prince Charles Ebosie, the son of High Chief and Lolo Ebosie. The wedding ceremony was held at St Peter Catholic Church, Ajao, Lagos. and guests were entertained at Neniv and Events Centre, Lagos.

Bride's parents, Sir and Lady Philip Anihh

Couple, Prince Charles and Ifunaya

Groom's parents, Chief and Lolo Ebosie

Pa Okikiade laid to rest

Mayowa Wed’s Ayoola

T

he burial ceremony of the late Lagos State National Coordinator of Deaf Supporters Group (DSG) was held at Christ Apostolic Church, Olowu, Lagos, while his body was committed to mother earth at Victoria City Garden, Ajah, while the reception was held at the Island Club Lagos. People present at the event included: Chairman of Spinal Cord Injury, Obioha Onogbu, Barr Tunde Olojo and group of Deaf Association from all walks of life‌ PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Children of the Decreased, L-R: Mrs Paulin Oshodin, Samuel Okikiade, Paul, and Michael,

L-R: Lagos State President, Deaf Supporters Group (DSG), Mr. Afolabi Dahunsui and wife, Bose

Mayowa Lawanson and Ayoola Ojediran during their wedding in Lagos recently

L-R: Akin Olukiran and Barr Tunde Olojo

L-R: Adejoke Afolabi, Chairman Lagos State Spinal Cord Injury, Obioha Onogbu, and Mr Alani Akiode.

The groom and bride parents with the couple during the traditional wedding

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

ETCETERA

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

If •

Or ‘Rhetorical rhyme’

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

IF infants take infant food, Would adults experience adulterated products?

If the piano player is a pianist, Would the rap artiste be a rapist?

And the racing car driver racist?

If twenty plus one is ‘twenty-one’, Eleven would be ‘one-ty one’, And twenty plus ten ‘twenty-ten’.

If you lose weight jogging forwards, Diet or not, You should gain weight jogging backwards.

If love is blind, The beholder would see no beauty, And look not before leaping.

If people enjoy what they do for a living, Working conditions would not matter, And no one would negotiate for better pay.

If a fine is a tax for doing wrong, A tax would be a fine for doing well, And a fine task that would be for the state.

If drawing boards are meant for drawing, And not strategising and re-strategising, There would be nothing to go back to when men err.

If leader turned follower and the led for once governed, Leaders would not do-or-die to rule, And ‘follow-follow’ as a rule would not be bad.

If votes truly counted, The electorate would count, And change would be permanent.

If free-and-fair elections would be the watershed, To mark exercises beyond 2015, Offenders would surely meet their waterloo.

If it brings sadness and ruin, War within a country would not be ‘civil’, And war without would never be ‘just’.

If beggars would ride wishes as horses, The rich would stop the talk, And walk the talk.

If white were black and black were white, The powerful would succumb to ‘whitemail’, And the corrupt to a ‘whitelist’.

If north were south and south were north, You would travel up north, And arrive down south.

If east were west and west were east, You would go west and be due east, And the sun would not set in the west.

If front were back and back were front, Start and stop would merge, And the first would be the last.

If left were right and right were wrong, I would no longer hold an opinion, Let alone right a wrong.

If right were left and left were right, The writer would read, And let the reader write.

If it works out, You would see the reader as writer, And the writer as reader..

QUOTE Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.

—Mao Zedong

Jokes Humour Rural Delivery IN a rural town, Josiah’s wife went into labour in the middle of the night. Someone fetched the doctor to assist in the delivery.

To keep the nervous father-to-be busy, the doctor handed him a lantern and said, “Here, you hold this high so I can see what I’m doing.”

Soon, a baby boy popped into the world.

“Don’t be in a rush to put the lantern down.

I think there’s yet another little one to come.”

Sure enough, within minutes he held another baby.

“Now don’t be in a great hurry to be putting down that lantern, young man. It seems there’s yet another!” said the doctor.

The new father scratched his head in bewilderment and asked the doctor. “Do you think it’s the light that’s attracting them?”

Arm and the Man BADA went to see his doctor. “Doc, my arm hurts real bad. Can you check it out please?”

The doctor rolls up the man’s sleeve and suddenly hears the arm talk. “Hello, Doctor,” says the arm. “Could you lend me twenty bucks please? I’m desperate!”

“Aha!’’ says the doctor to Bada. ‘’I see the problem.

Your arm is broke!”

Man Moth A GUY walks into a dentist’s office and says, “I think I’m a moth.”

The dentist says, “You shouldn’t be here. You should be seeing a psychiatrist.”

The guys says, “I was on my way to see a psychiatrist.”

The dentist says, “Well, then what are you doing here?”

And the guy says, “Your light was on.”

The Ghost MALA lay sick on the hospital, placed on a concoction of drugs which give him bowel problems. After many false alarms, he accidentally soils himself.

Much embarrassed, he rolls up the sheets and throws them out the window. At the same time, a drunk is staggering home. The sheets land on him and he starts flailing at them, throwing his arms around wildly.

At the sound of the commotion, a security officer runs over. “What’s going on here?”

“I don’t know, officer. But I think I just beat the s*** out of a ghost.”

•Adapted from the Internet

Writer ’s Fountain IPS for the beginner: Do not write long sentences—A sentence sentences and paragraphs from beginning to should not have more than 10 or 12 words. the end.

Avoid big words. The use of small words The shorter, the better for comprehension.

Each sentence should make a clear makes you think about what you are writing. statement. It should add to the statement that Even difficult ideas can be broken down into went before. A good paragraph is a series of small words.

Never use words whose meaning you clear, linked statements. As you write, are not sure of. Since the writer aims to imagine a fine thread running through the communicate with and inform the reader, he or she must have a good grasp of the story Historical figures: idea as well as the words to be used.

•Albert Einstein, of Jewish origin, was Avoid using adjectives, except those of offered the presidency of Israel in 1952. colour, size and number. And use as few •Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the adverbs as possible. Descriptions have a way telephone, never phoned his wife or his of slowing down action. mother, they were both deaf.

Avoid the abstract. Always go for the •Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian. He also had concrete ideas so that your story appears and his own private fifteen-car train named sounds simpler to the reader.

Amerika.

Every day writing practice at first: Write •The musical group ABBA got their name small words in short, clear, concrete sentences. by taking the first letter from each of their first names (Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, Anni- It may be awkward, but it trains you in the use of language. It may even help get rid of the frid.).

•At the age of 12, Martin Luther King bad language habits you picked up in school.

Only after mastering the rules above can became so depressed he tried committing suicide twice, by jumping out of his you step up your writing by exploring styles and experimenting. Good luck! bedroom window.

T

PAGE 31

APRIL 5, 2015

• Ngige

• Saraki

• Akume

High stakes politics of National Assembly leadership

• Ekweremadu

• Gemade

• Alimikhena

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

2015 Presidency: The 1

• Buhari

T

O some observers, All Progressives Congress' clear defeat of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in last weekend's presidential election remains a big puzzle. As a relatively new political party, being barely two years old, All Progressives Congress (APC) was given little chance of defeating the PDP, which many considered more entrenched, particularly because it has been at the helm of affairs of Nigeria's polity since 1999.

Conservative observers, who doubted the possibility of such an outright defeat on first ballot, based their predictions primarily on the fact that the candidates of the two leading parties in the election, President Goodluck Jonathan of PDP and General Muhammadu Buhari of APC respectively, were also the leading candidates in the 2011 presidential election, where Jonathan of PDP won with a wide majority. This being the case, Jonathan admirers predicted his reelection.

So, when the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, finally announced APC's General Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the presidential election, Nigerians and interested observers across the world wondered what changed the political realities in favour of the retired army general and former military Head of State.

The Nation investigation shows that Buhari's candidature and nine other factors were largely responsible for the result of the 2015 Presidential Election. They are as follows: Buhari: Because of his personality as the foremost apostle of discipline and anticorruption in Nigeria since the 1980s, General Muhammadu Buhari's candidature at this year's presidential race attracted deep interest and trepidation amongst his admirers and critics respectively.

His person, his traits and his passion became serious campaign issues both within his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposing parties, including the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Other Nigerians also took sides, depending on what they considered the major

• Osinbajo

• Jega

To conservative observers, All Progressives Congress' defeat of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in last weekend's presidential election remains a puzzle.

Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, Assistant Editors Dare Odufowokan and Remi Adelowo and Sunday Oguntade report on the 10 game changers that determined the result of the keenly contested election. challenges facing the country and how they perceived the person of Buhari.

His admirers for example insisted that Nigeria's number one problem remains corruption and therefore maintains that Buhari, more than any other presidential candidate in that election, has what it takes to effectively tackle the menace. They posited that when he emerged Nigeria's military Head of State on December 31, 1983, his government, coanchored with his no-nonsense second-incommand, the late General Tunde Idiagbon, practically anchored their regime on the fight against indiscipline and corruption until August 27, 1985 when they were overthrown in a palace military coup.

But for his critics, especially former political and economic leaders, who some say were afraid he may throw them into jail if he emerges the president, did everything possible to stop his election. This divide on the person and personality of Buhari not only served as the tonic for presidential electoral campaigns but also determined how many voters cast their votes. In the north, where he enjoys cult-like followership, he swept the votes as never before. Also, in the other parts of the country, especially in the South-West, where he garnered majority of the votes, most of his supporters said they voted for him because they believe in his ability to tackle corruption in high places.

All Progressives Congress Closely related to the personality of General Muhammadu Buhari is his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Registered as a political party late July 2013, the young party, which emerged through a merger of three parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) plus a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), took the country's political theatre by storm.

Deescribing itself as the mega party, the party took effective advantage of its spread at birth to position itself in such a short period as a truly national party.

Its efforts were greatly helped by the crisis in the ruling party, PDP; a crisis that led to the emergence of the historic 'New PDP.' Besides these preliminary advantages, APC, which has now, within two years of its existence, emerged the ruling party in Nigeria, was also helped to win the 2015 presidential election by the admirable performance of most of its state governors. Starting from Lagos, where the outgoing governor, Babatunde Fashola, is generally acknowledged locally and internationally as a shining star, to almost all the other APC states, the record of the state governments under APC has been widely adjudged very successful.

This record, according to most informed observers helped to convince voters to give APC a chance at the federal level. They argued that if the APC grassroots policies, including its free education policy, are extended across the country, Nigerian poor masses would be better for it.

Attahiru Jega In the opinion of many Nigerians and nonNigerians, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), headed by Professor Attahiru Jega is the major hero of the successful completion of a credible process that led to the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect of the country after three previous failed attempts at ruling Africa's most populous country.

Although it succumbed to pressure from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) by postponing the 2015 general elections, which were earlier scheduled for February 14, Jega's electoral body left no one in doubt from the onset of the electoral process that it was determined to ensure a free, fair and credible

election and it delivered on that vow with the conduct of the last election.

But the successes recorded by Jega and his team were not without some difficulties as many factors worked against both the commission and its Chairman, Professor Jega.

And to surmount these factors, pundits and insiders insist that the commission relied on, and benefited immensely from Jega's honesty and dogged belief in rule of law.

To say the least, Jega suffered untold hardship and humiliation for his determination to ensure that the commission remains an unbiased umpire in the highly competitive 2015 general election. To those who appreciate his stand, he came out in flying colours at the end of the day. To those who cannot understand why he was so unbending in his beliefs, he emerged as the man who made some things impossible.

But whichever way you view Jega, he is the man to praise in the long run. For those things he did and the many things he didn't do too, he proved to be a man who knew his onions.

And for knowing his onions, he came out tops in the delicate assignment given to him by his country, Nigeria.

For a man who suffered sustained media campaigns targeted at him in the build up to the 2015 general elections by several individuals and organisations based on various fears and allegations, Jega's decision not to be swayed by sentiments, threats and attacks, helped the process a great deal.

The attacks came from all fronts and all parties. Following the successful registration of APC as a political party by INEC, Jonathan was advised to beware of Attahiru Jega as he may have been compromised in the discharge of his constitutional duty as unbiased umpire in the country's electoral process.

Prominent northern youth leader and coordinator of the Northern Emancipation Network, NEN, Abdulazeez Suleiman, while

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

e 10 game changers

• Obasanjo castigating Jega back then, said given the extensive work his group has done on the nation's politics and political process, it is afraid that INEC under Jega may not guarantee credible polls in 2015.

According to Suleiman, whose group has the Arewa Youth Development Foundation and Northern Youths Council as affiliates, the INEC boss was in a hurry to pacify the North if he must be relevant after his service to the nation. "Jega had credibility before 2011 with northerners. Many northerners were deceived into thinking that because he is the INEC chairman, the north will definitely win, especially the crowd that was going for Buhari.

So, the entire North minus the elite, kicked against. The swiftness by which APC was registered took everybody by surprise," Suleiman said.

Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project, an amorphous pro-Jonathan campaign group, was an unrelenting force among many faceless groups that took on Jega and his team, calling not just for his removal, but his arrest as well.

The group, like many others, ran full page colour advertorials in some national dailies which read: "2015 General Elections… 26 Million Nigerians May not vote!" The advert ended with the poser: Is Jega really READY for this Election?" Jega was severally boohooed for the flimsiest of reasons.

During the struggle for and against the postponement of the election earlier scheduled for February 14th, many issues were raised.

Many people spoke. Many groups agitated. And in all these, Jega was not just the target, he was the victim. But he gracefully bore it all.

One of such attacks came in form of adverts sponsored by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation. The advertorial, which was the fallout of a press conference, read in part: "Professor Jega failed to tell Nigerians the whole truth that underpinned the postponement, thus providing the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) a questionable platform to accuse us of complicity in the decision to postpone the election."

Even the Presidency was not left out in the pressure against INEC while the sustained attacks lasted. At one point, the presidency said it was afraid that the commission may not be able to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Jonathan's men went for the jugular of the Professor and made several efforts to robe him in the toga of a compromised umpire.

• Tinubu Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, led the hordes of verbal missiles that trailed Jega at every opportunity from the presidency and Jonathan's political camp.

Even the opposition parties, including the APC that eventually emerged victorious in the election, on some occasions, accused Jega and his men of several atrocities. On one occasion, the APC said it is afraid that INEC may have been compromised following rumours about an imminent postponement of the earlier scheduled elections.

And by the time the PDP, through Godsday Orubebe, a former Minister of the Niger-Delta, challenged the sincerity of Jega over the declaration of Saturday's presidential election, alleging that Jega was partisan in conducting the presidential polls, nobody was left in doubt that Jega has become the cannon fodder of the 2015 general election.

Shouting on top of his voice, Orubebe, alleged that Jega, had taken sides with the All Progressives Congress. According to him, Jega had been attending to issues pertaining to the opposition APC while ignoring that of the PDP. He noted that he sent a message to Jega twice but was ignored by the INEC chief.

However, it is not because he was castigated, threatened or attacked that Jega became a hero, it is actually because he endured it all in a bid to ensure that the process was not aborted.

Yemi Osinbajo The emergence of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the vice presidential candidate to the All Progressives Congress (APC) not only threatened earlier permutations in some quarters but also forced major stakeholders in the 2015 presidential contest to re-examine the standing of their parties and candidates in the epic race.

33

• Jonathan With the emergence of the Southwest as the most sought after 'bride' by the nation's political gladiators, not a few persons were eager to know who the then rampaging opposition APC would throw into the ring as Buhari's running mate. And when the mantle fell on Osinbajo, the news was initially received with mixed feelings.

While those who knew him well went into a jubilant celebration of APC's tactical decision to field a man they felt would bring immense value to its ticket, those who didn't know him struggled to find out about him. But within a matter of days, the acceptance of his nomination as a value adding move became widespread among both APC supporters and opponents alike.

Before his emergence, heavy weights like Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi , Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and even the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have been considered and toyed with as possible candidates.

Though not known for any wizardry in politics prior to his surprise pick as running mate to the well-known retired General, many pundits back then vowed that the respected lawyer cum Pastor brought a lot of goodwill and value to bear on the APC ticket.

This position was premised largely on a number of reasons. One of such is his being a frontline pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Given the heavy religious biases that were brought to bear on the entire presidential campaign, Osinbajo's RCCG link turned out to be of tremendous help in endearing the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket.

Given his background in the church that has an estimated membership population of over five million members in Nigeria alone, Osinbajo's choice turned out as a deft political

Given his background in the church that has an estimated membership population of over five million members in Nigeria alone, Osinbajo's choice turned out as a deft political calculation that nailed the religious card being played by the PDP

calculation that nailed the religious card being played by the PDP. Also, northern Christians and others who saw Buhari as a religious extremist, lowered their guards when they heard of Osinbajo's candidacy on the ticket.

Secondly, Osinbajo's records as a successful legal practitioner and his performance while in office as the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Lagos State, aided his political profile. Many easily recalled Osinbajo's fiery defense of the 57 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) during the face-off between the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu-led administration and the federal government.

Many University alumni and scholars went with the APC candidates on the strength of Osinbajo being well-known in the academic circles where he was formerly Head of Department of Public Law at the University of Lagos. Not a few academia voted APC because they see Osinbajo as a highly respected University don.

Also, his being a son- in-law of the highly revered late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who is widely loved within and beyond the Southwest geo-political zone of the country, contributed to the quick rate at which he became accepted by party members and the electorate alike in many states of the country.

Pundits say by picking Osinbajo, the APC watered down the influence the endorsement of the PDP candidate by Afenifere, the pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, had on the voters in the southwest. With the Vice Presidential choice, the opposition party took great advantage of the political dynasty of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to tackle Afenifere's endorsement.

Although the Presidency's vigorously wooed the Awolowo family as usual with the help of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, and even made the grandson of the late sage, Mr. Segun Awolowo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), unlike in the 2011 election, Osinbajo's membership of that family worked against any endorsement for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Eminent Nigerians, like the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Tunji

•Contd. on page 34

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

2015 Presidency: The 10 game changers •Contd. from page 33 Bello, who had the opportunity of relating closely with Osinbajo, said he inspired to do more than the ordinary on many occasions.

The APC campaigned that Osinbajo's place on the ticket will help deepen the rule of law, uphold human rights of Nigerians, fiscal federalism and constitutionalism in the country.

Many Nigerians believed Bello and the APC and this played out in the victory of the party in the March 28, 2015 presidential election. To many who voted for Buhari/ Osinbajo, the presence of the legal icon on the ticket was a major factor that helped them in deciding what to do.

Olusegun Obasanjo Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has undoubtedly established himself as a factor to always reckon with in Nigeria's muddy waters of politics. Although a number of analysts may differ, preferring to say the retired Army General and former Head of State currently lack any electoral value at home and abroad, some major political events since his return to the political scene in 1999, may not agree with such analysts.

While it is correct to say Obasanjo started falling out with the leadership of his erstwhile party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) almost the very moment he left office, it is also on record that on several occasions, his influence and clout, local and international, had helped the party to weather some stormy periods.

It is also correct to say the former President had scolded the party and its governments on occasions before President Goodluck Jonathan's brushed with him, but never on any of those occasions had he been as critical of the party and its administration as he was of Jonathan's government and the PDP of his era.

But while it may be correct to say Obasanjo's criticism of the President contributed to his defeat last week, his dramatic exit from the ruling party ahead of the 2015 presidential election and the widespread publicity given to it, according to pundits, nailed Jonathan's re-election bid in many quarters across the country.

"It was not about whether Obasanjo can win elections or not. It was actually more about who he is. A former President who ruled the country for eight years on the platform of the same party; A former BoT chairman of the same party and a highly respected international elder statesman, dramatizing his rejection of the President and his party in such manner really did a lot of damage to the image of both the party and the government at home and abroad," Taiwo Odumbo, convener of the Democratic Platform (DP), he said.

In what many described as a frightening end to the sore relationship between him and Jonathan, which has deteriorated over the years, the ex-president publicly tore his PDP membership card and declared that he no longer has anything to do with the ruling party.

He did this in the presence of leaders of the PDP from the ward around his former residence in Ita Eko where he registered at his hilltop presidential residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The PDP chieftains had gone on a visit to express their concern with the former president's recent utterances against the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

But rather than placate them, Obasanjo complaining bitterly over what he said were the President's roles in the postponement of the general elections from February to March and April, announced his exit from the party and endorsed General Buhari's presidential ambition.

Not even PDP's precipitous apology coming after Obasanjo reportedly had a closed door meeting with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), could sway the former President away from his resolve to nip Jonathan's re-election dream in the bud. And he did this in a really dramatic manner.

"Though very few people would imagine a political rapport between Obasanjo and Asiwaju, only a few will argue

• Rotimi

• Baraje

against the fact that such rapport, should it happen, will carry a lot of weight. And that was exactly what happened, especially in the southwest geo political zone.

Obasanjo's support for Tinubu's party helped the APC to erase whatever sympathy Jonathan was expecting amongst the Yorubas.

And to say a certain Kashamu Buruji, one of the cronies of Mr. President had taken over the party machinery in Ogun State with pervasive influence across Southwest PDP. So, for Obasanjo, it was more or less a personal war.

His exit from the PDP badly affected its image among the people of Yorubaland," Odumbo said.

The deft political move by Obasanjo to show the world his disapproval of Jonathan started with his open letter passing off the President as an incompetent leader and desperate politician who has failed to honour a supposed gentleman pact to step aside for a northern President by 2015. Jonathan's unmeasured reprisal only helped the spread of the message Obasanjo intended to pass across.

Although he curried verbal attacks from many quarters for openly attacking the President and publicly disgracing the ruling party, with the likes of Femi Fani Kayode and Doyin Okupe taking him to the cleaners at the slightest provocation, Obasanjo stood firm and continued his demystification of Jonathan ahead of the presidential election.

What followed thereafter was shocking and unexpected. One after the other, seven governors, Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) staged a walkout from the arena.

Other dignitaries, including Senators Bukola Saraki and Abdullahi Adamu, to mention but a few also joined the governors in the walk-out.

As the convention went on, the aggrieved PDP chieftains also converged at the Shehu Yar' Adua Conference Centre, a short distance from the Eagle Square to address a news conference.

They were joined by other chieftains including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Amaechi, former National Secretary of PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and several others.

Within minutes, the long planned plot finally came to the fore. A new faction, called the New PDP, was born.

Former acting National Chairman of PDP, Kawu Baraje, was named the National Chairman of the 'New PDP', former PDP Deputy National Chairman Sam Jaja became the Deputy National Chairman, while Oyinlola emerged as National Secretary.

In his address, Baraje said the New PDP members were "worried by the increasing repression, restriction of freedom of association, arbitrary suspension of members and other such violations of democratic principles by a faction of our party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur."

He continued, "While we have done everything humanly possible to bring to the attention of critical stakeholders within the party the dangers inherent in the course being charted by that leadership, it has become very clear that the desperate permutations towards 2015 general elections have blinded certain people from the consequences of their actions."

Baraje identified violations of the PDP constitution committed by the Tukur-led leadership to include change of the date for the special convention from July 20 to August 31 without reverting to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, "the only authority vested with such powers, recognition of delegates to the convention from nine states whose congresses the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had rejected and jettisoning of the party's constitutional requirement for the holding of at least one NEC meeting in a quarter.

The suspension of Wamakko, Amaechi's suspension and dissolution of the Adamawa State chapter of PDP were also listed by Baraje as part of their grievances.

In his brief speech, Atiku explained the motive behind the formation of the new PDP. He said, "The party we conceived in 1998 to be a rallying point for all Nigerians, to be a source of unity, to be a party that will fulfill the aspirations of Nigerians, has today be dragged down by people who don't even understand what party politics is all about."

He said he had on several occasions drawn the attention of the leaders of the party and the

The 'New PDP' It was a script that was well planned and clinically executed. The drama, which took place on August 30 at the famous Eagle Square in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), could arguably pass as the final bombshell that demolished the political behemoth known as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

From that day till when the party lost the presidential election for the first time since 1999, it has been woes upon woes for the PDP, which some of its leaders had boasted would dominate the political landscape for 60 years.

And back to the drama at the Eagle Square.

The event was a mini convention to fill some positions in the party's National Working Committee (NWC). It also coincided with the 15th anniversary of its creation.

In attendance was the cream de la cream of the party, including President Goodluck Jonathan; his vice, Mohammed Namadi Sambo; the then National Chairman, Alhaji Bamaga Tukur, governors, ministers amongst others.

The Chairman of the convention's Electoral Committee, Chief Ken Nnamani, had stirred the hornet nest when he announced the names of candidates for election at the convention referred to as 'Unity List,' which excluded most of the names of allies of some Northern governors and that of Dr. Sam Sam Jaja from Rivers State who was to contest for the office of the Deputy National Chairman.

Jaja was the nominee of Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who had weeks earlier been expelled from the party for his alleged "anti-party activities."

government to the "wrong direction" the country was going on their watch, adding that such counsels had fallen on deaf ears.

The reaction of the Presidency and the national leadership of the mainstream PDP to the formation of New PDP was at best knee jerk.

Tukur was, in fact, dismissive of the relevance of the nPDP. He said, "The PDP does not recognise any parallel party. Those who staged the walk out, organised kangaroo meeting are all self-seeking and treacherous individuals pursuing neither regional nor religious agenda except their own personal interest.

"Their attempt to create a parallel party is illegal, unlawful as there are no crisis within the PDP whatsoever. They were all active participants in the setting up of this convention. And many of them were with the President and rode with him to the convention venue and joined them in the salutation of all the delegates, including their state delegates. The PDP is studying the situation as it unfolds and will deal decisively as the situation warrants.

"It is obvious that they are creating crisis where there is none to give the impression that the party is divided. This, in their thinking, will allow them persuade loyal members of the National Assembly to cross carpet with them. We will resist this."

The succession of events thereafter was as rapid as it was dizzying.

The main opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) quickly capitalised on the division in the PDP for the sole objective of expanding its scope in the polity. Its leaders embarked on an aggressive marketing of the party to the aggrieved members of new PDP. After weeks of negotiation, the new PDP merged with the APC with the exception of its members like Governors Lamido and Aliyu who opted to return to the mainstream faction.

It was a political masterstroke that catapulted APC into a formidable opposition party and in addition altered the nation's political equation. And as days, weeks and months passed by, APC became the nemesis of the PDP, with the ruling party showing signs of its vulnerability until its final unraveling on March 28.

Bola Tinubu Event: Bola Ahmed Colloquium in celebration of the 63rd birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Venue: Eko Hotel and Suites on Victoria Island, Lagos.

On the podium to read a profile of the celebrant and introduce him onto the stage was the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

The governor's description of Tinubu was very apt. He said, "It's rare to find people or politicians who are tactical and strategic. Asiwaju (Tinubu) is both a tactician and a strategist."

The applause that followed the governor's comment from the distinguished audience which included Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and now President-elect, governors and notable politicians, was spontaneous.

Indeed, the story of the victory of the APC in last week's presidential elections would not be complete without a prominent mention of the role played by Asiwaju Tinubu.

From being the National Leader of the opposition party to the Leader of the party that would form the next government at the centre from May 29, the frontline politician has engraved his name in gold in the political history of the largest black nation in the world.

That Tinubu is loved and hated in equal measure by his admirers and critics alike is not in dispute. But ignoring him is completely out of the question.

Tinubu's trajectory in politics from the late 80's till today has been eventful with its attendant success stories and physical and emotional bruises to show for it.

His first taste of elective office was in 1991 following his election into the Senate.

Of most significance, however, is scoring

•Contd. on page 41

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35

Forces behind Aliyu's election defeat

O

NE week after he failed to win election to occupy the Niger East Senatorial seat, Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, is still quietly licking his wounds.

In the National Assembly election results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governor was literally taken to the cleaners by Barrister David Umaru, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the contest for the Niger East Senatorial District's seat.

Announcing the results, the Returning Officer for the district, Professor Ali Audu Jiigam, said Aliyu got 46,459, while Umaru polled 149,443 votes.

Not only was Aliyu roundly trounced in all the wards of the five local government areas of the zone, he was also defeated right in his local government area, Chanchagi, where he got 17, 209 votes as against 46, 459 for Umaru.

The governor's shocking defeat, The Nation learnt, is the climax of his frosty relationship with some powerful figures in the state, particularly two former military Heads of State, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

While the three men managed to give the impression that all was well with them at least in public, sources say a deep seated resentment had brewed between the governor on one hand and the two retired generals in the last six years.

There are conflicting reports to why the governor got into the bad books of the former military rulers. On one hand, the governor's uncompromising stance and refusal to consult the two influential leaders on important state matters have been cited as the cause of their fall-out. Other sources said the cold relationship may not be unconnected to the battle for power succession in the state.

The governor, it was gathered, had from the day he was inaugurated as governor in 2007, resolved to be his own man on account of the circumstances surrounding his election in 2007.

The governor, many recalled, was drafted into the race at the eleventh hour, allegedly by the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to spite the then governor, Abdulkadir Kure, who was then backed by Babangida and Abdulsalami.

Aliyu, sources alleged, was persuaded by Obasanjo to retire from the Federal Civil Service as a Permanent Secretary to contest as governor. In his almost 35 year career, Aliyu had stints in strategic ministries, including the Federal Capital Territory, National Planning and Aviation.

Despite opposition from Kure's camp, Obasanjo succeeded in 'foisting' Aliyu as governor in 2007. Kure was left in the cold. But he was appeased with the Niger South Senatorial District's seat, which he ceded to his wife, Zainab.

Battle for succession The race on who succeeds Aliyu this year started about two years ago, with many prominent names coming up for mention.

Babangida's eldest son, Mohammed, was allegedly one of those interested in the race following alleged assurances by the governor that he had no anointed candidate to succeed him.

There was also the governor's former Chief of Staff, Prof. Musa Yahaya, whom many thought, was Aliyu's preferred choice.

Other governorship aspirants included a former Deputy Inspector

The defeat of Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, in the National Assembly election may have changed the political equation in the North Central state, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo

• Aliyu

General (DIG) of Police, Senator Nuhu Aliyu, who lost his fourth term bid to return to the Senate in 2011 to the candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Musa Abdullahi; the Deputy Governor, Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto; former Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Matane.

Also interested in the governorship seat included the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Muázu Mohammed Bawa, whose father, Alhaji Bawa Rijau, was one of the power brokers that held sway during the immediate past administration of Engineer Abdulkadir Kure and the Chief of Staff to the incumbent Governor Aliyu, Umar Nasko, the youngest of all the contenders and son of one-time former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gen. Mohammed Gado Nasko (rtd).

There were also Alhaji Sheidu Abubakar, the Chairman of Wushishi Local Government, Alhaji Mohammed Dukku and a former Military Administrator of Benue State, Col. Aminu Kontagora; former Minister of Commerce and Investment and former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Export Promotions Commission (NEPC), Engineer Mustapha Bello and another former commissioner under Aliyu, Abubakar Sani Bello, son of wealthy boardroom guru, Col. Sani Bello.

Bello had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sometime last year having realised that the governor had endorsed another aspirant, Umar Nasko.

To avoid any confrontation with Nasko at the PDP governorship primary, Mohammed Babangida quietly withdrew from the race citing his close friendship as his reason.

The primary finally came and true to earlier permutations, the youthful Nasko defeated all comers for the PDP governorship ticket.

• Umaru

The defection of these party bigwigs dealt a devastating blow to the unity and cohesion in the party, with reports claiming that the defectors allegedly received the support of the elder Babangida and Abdulsalami before making their move public Predictably, his victory created bad blood within the Niger PDP, with many chieftains of the party, led by the deputy governor, Ahmed Ibeto, defecting to the APC few weeks before the presidential election.

The defection of these party bigwigs dealt a devastating blow to the unity and cohesion in the party, with reports claiming that the defectors allegedly received the support of the elder Babangida and Abdulsalami before making their move public.

Early signs of defeat First signs that the governor may have lost his grip on the politics of the state came early September last year during the bye election into the Niger East Senatorial District seat, which became vacant after the death of Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta.

Dr. Shem Zagbai was declared the winner of the hotly disputed election, but his victory was upturned by the Election Tribunal in favour of David Umaru of the APC.

Curiously, Umaru was not allowed to occupy the seat until he contested again on March 28, this time against the state governor, whom he defeated with a wide margin.

The governor's scandalous loss, sources argued, could be attributed to two major factors. First, was his below performance in the last eight years and the determination of his powerful critics to silence him politically.

Aliyu, who is the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, seems to be taking his setback in his strides. 24 hours after his defeat at the polls, he congratulated Umaru and extended his hands of friendship to him.

What to expect on April 11 With the clean sweep of the March 28 elections by the APC, panic has gripped the governor's camp over the likely fate that awaits the PDP in the April 11 governorship election in the state.

All over the state, the momentum that trailed the APC victory is increasing every passing day making many political pundits to conclude that the party's governorship candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello, is headed for a resounding victory against his PDP counterpart.

"Powerful forces in the state have vowed to teach Governor Aliyu a lesson and the result of the April 11 governorship election would finally nail his political coffin," said an APC chieftain in the state.

But in spite of the powerful gang-up against him, The Nation gathered that the governor's camp is battle-ready to prove that the APC's victory on March 28 was just a fluke and not the true reflection of the party's strength in the state.

Who wins the governorship election between Nasko and Sani-Bello? The answer would be provided in the next six days

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

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• Ngige

• Saraki

• Akume

High stakes politics of Natio Following the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari from the North-West as the President-elect and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo from the South-West as the Vice-President-elect, the politics of the leadership of the next National Assembly is the current puzzle in Nigeria's political theatre, especially as the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to produce Senators and House of Representatives members in both the South-East and the South-South, reports, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan cursory look at Nigeria's political process is suggestive of a situation where the South-East may have lost the chance of producing Nigeria's next Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives under the General Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

Based on what has become the unwritten zoning arrangement adopted in the sharing of political offices amongst the geo-political zones of the country since Nigeria's return to democratic governance in 1999, it would have been expected that since Buhari from the North-West, would be President and the Vice Presidency is in the South-West with the election of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a Yoruba man, the Senate Presidency would have naturally been ceded to the South-East.

A

However, with the 15 senatorial seats in the five South-East states of Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi won by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) emergence as the party with the majority in the senate, it appears the Igbos of the South-East may have ruled themselves out of contention for the coveted seat of the Senate President and head of the legislative arm of government.

With the results of the National Assembly election declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the APC has taken over PDP's majority party status in the next session of the 109 membership Senate.

Before the election, the Peoples Democratic Party enjoyed the majority status in the red chamber with 64

members while the APC has 41. Other parties, like the Labour Party, the Accord Party and the Social Democratic Party, shared the remaining five seats.

And if you think the South-East will have to make do with being given the number four position of the Speaker of the Federal House, you may again be wrong as that is also threatened by the absence of an elected member of the lower house from any of the states in the SouthEast.

In the South-South, the situation is just a little better given that the APC won only one senate seat and a handful of House of Representatives slots in Edo State. The rejection of the party by the voters in these two zones and its victory across the country may have altered the zoning permutation and opened up the two coveted positions of the Senate presidency and the Speakership to be snapped up by any other zone aside the South-East.

South-East As stated earlier, it is nearly a closed case for the region in the struggle for both seats. A former governor of Anambra State and serving senator, Chris Ngige, who was positioned for the Senate President slot, lost his bid to return to the upper legislative chamber.

Ngige was defeated by Uche Ekwunife of the PDP. A serving member of the House of Representatives, Ekwunife will now represent the Anambra Central Senatorial District when the next Senate session opens June, closing the door on Ngige.

The incumbent Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District, is returning to the National Assembly for the fourth time, but on the platform of the defeated PDP. Consequently, he is not in contention for the coveted position as we speak.

However, there are two possibilities being examined by pundits that may still see the zone getting the Senate presidency. One is the expectation that Ngige, who has made clear his intention to contest Ekwunife's victory at the tribunal, may still make it to the senate in time to emerge as Senate President.

"Ngige will win at the tribunal because we have ample evidence to show how the desperate PDP ensured the victories of their unpopular candidates across Igbo land. We all know what happened. At that time we were helpless and could only watch as they robbed us.

"But the tribunal will settle all that and either call for fresh election or declare Ngige and others as the winners. That way, our real choice will represent us at the National Assembly. It is a matter of time and these pretenders will be shown the way our," Cecelia Ihueze, an APC woman leader in Awka, told The Nation.

The other possibility, according to reliable sources, is hinged on alleged moves by Ekweremadu to dump the PDP and wriggle his way into the victorious APC before the inauguration of the next senate session. Although none of Ekweremadu's men would confirm this report, it is being widely discussed within and outside the PDP in his native Enugu State.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

• Ekweremadu

POLITICS

• Gemade

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• Alimikhena

ational Assembly leadership The Nation also learnt that the suggestion for a Senator of the current Deputy Senate President's caliber to move into the new ruling party emanated from the leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, as a measure of avoiding a situation where the Igbos would be onlookers in the next government.

"I don't know if this has been made official yet but I know that at an emergency meeting of the leadership of the Ohaneze few days ago, the idea of telling some of our elected senators to move into the APC and secure our place in the next government was discussed. It is nothing spectacular. It is just the necessary thing to do to avoid a situation where we will be mere onlookers in the next government," a Lagos-based Igbo elder statesman said.

Second, Aimikhena will not be a ranking senator because he is coming to the upper chamber for the first time. Consequently, he is barred by the rules of the Senate which says only ranking senators can aspire to the office of the Senate President

South-South With its loss of the presidency and APC's victory in a few constituencies in Edo State, the South-South region, The Nation learnt, is making a dash for either the Senate or House of Representatives leadership. This move by the region further endangered the chances of the South-East to clinch any of the two positions as one of the two must go to the northern part of the country.

Some analysts say the APC could be forced to zone the position of the Senate Presidency to South-South zone where the party has so far won a seat in Edo State.

The party's candidate, Francis Aimikhena, won in Edo North.

However, the possibility of Mr. Aimikhena picking the slot is remote for two reasons. First, he is from the same zone and state as the party's National Chairman, John Oyegun. The fear that party politics may stop Oyegun and Aimikhena, both from the same state, from holding these two coveted positions, is currently very rife.

Second, Aimikhena will not be a ranking senator because he is coming to the upper chamber for the first time.

Consequently, he is barred by the rules of the Senate which says only ranking senators can aspire to the office of the Senate President.

In an Assembly that will have the likes of Senators David Mark, Ekweremadu, Senator George Sekibo, Senator James, and numerous others, it is very unlikely that the fresh man from Edo will be elected President.

The situation may play out in the House of Representatives where the

presence of ranking lawmakers like Femi Gbajabiamila and other multiple termers may rob the newcomers from Edo the chances of becoming Speaker.

Lucky North Central?

Given the situation, pundits say the North-Central zone may benefit from the loss of the South-East in the permutations.

With the APC doing creditably well in the zone with surprise victories in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger states, the party, sources claimed, may be looking in that direction to pick the Senate President.

The fight then, will be straight between a former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Benue State and Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, and a former National Chairman of the PDP, Barnabas Gemade.

While Akume is returning to the Senate for the third time, Saraki and Gemade are returning to the red chamber for the second term. The three are respected ranking Senators and acknowledged politicians in their respective rights.

"Apart from Gemade who joined the party after losing the primary election in the PDP, the two other Senators are well positioned within the party as leading chieftains, to occupy that position.

If you understand the style of the APC as a party where the leadership of the party is highly respected and as a party that intends to have a firm hold on its elected officials, you will understand why one of these two men would be preferred to head the National Assembly," a chieftain of the party said.

A governor's lamentation Saddened by the looming loss of the coveted positions by his kinsmen, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, recently, lamented that except the APC senatorial candidates regain their mandates that was stolen by the leaders of the PDP, the Igbo might have lost their chance of producing the next Senate President.

The governor, who blamed Igbo leaders in the South-East zone for the unfortunate situation, regretted that their selfishness and lack of vision have kept Ndigbo in the backseat of the nation's politics, despite their contributions to the overall development of the country.

Okorocha said, "It is very painful for the Igbo to lose the position of the Senate President after being denied any leading position in the country for a long time because our political leaders and office holders used their position to rig out APC candidates in the election.

"We saw it coming and we told the political leaders why Ndigbo should embrace the APC but they could not believe us but today the story has changed and the PDP they have been following all these years with nothing to show for it, is now an opposition party."

The governor however assured the APC supporters that the hope of Igbo man becoming the Senate President was not totally lost, as he vowed that the party would reclaim its mandates that were freely given to it by those who were desirous of change.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

Jonathan, Buhari must ensure smooth transition – Latinwo Y

OU predicted victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) prior to the presidential election. How are you feeling now?

I congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for his victory at the last presidential election. The result was undoubtedly brought about by his popularity and the love the people of our great country have for him. I'm glad that a man like Buhari, who wore our military uniform with badges of honour at the highest level and became Head of State, serving our country bravely and with distinction, is once again called upon to serve.

Nigerians have finally shown appreciation for his meritorious services in the past with the number of votes he got and the geographical spread of the votes credited to him during the presidential election. I also congratulate his party and its leaders for a job well done. It is to Buhari and by extension, his party, that Nigerians have now entrusted this country.

With the presidential election over, what do you think is the next line of action for the President-elect?

Now that the election has been won and lost, the President-elect must hit the ground running. He has a lot to do for Nigeria and Nigerians. He must immediately bring back peace, unity and love to our dear country. It is important that he should win hearts and minds of the aggrieved ones and heal all wounds inflicted over the years with hate messages and distrust.

He must once again show the world that we are one nation with one destiny and this position must be reflective of the Presidentelect's disposition and standing. Buhari is a man of honest character who lives by the truth and his words. He is firm and highly committed to the cause of this country. He has all the outstanding qualities to do the job and do it well. So, he should not hesitate to do a clean and highly transparent job.

There are a lot of urgent and demanding assignments out there for him to embrace immediately, but he should tread with caution too. I have no doubt that he will do a perfect job.

Contrary to widespread expectations, President Goodluck Jonathan wasted no time in congratulating Buhari. What is your take on this?

I want to thank President Jonathan for that singular act. I appreciate him for promoting peace and love in our country. History will remember him for demonstrating magnanimity, courage and friendship to his opponents. Undoubtedly, he is still very relevant in the scheme of things.

What do you think should be done to ensure smooth transition of power following the outcome of this election?

The transition period should be carefully managed by the two leaders.

Given the current economic situation of the country, nothing should be done by either party to hurt the country's fortunes.

We must put politics aside and ensure a

Weeks before the March 28th date of the last presidential election, Group Captain Salaudeen Adebola Latinwo (rtd), former Military Administrator of Kwara State, predicted victory for General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, he explains why he was so sure the APC will win the election. The retired Air Force topnotch, who was appointed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, the then Head of State as the Military Governor of Kwara State, said the image of General Buhari as an honest leader and the popularity of the APC decided the outcome of the election. The erstwhile Director of Administrations at the Nigerian Air force Headquarters said considering the situation, Nigeria has once again found itself, the country needs a man of Buhari's character, credibility and ability to weather its current stormy tide. He however urged both the President-elect and President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure a smooth transition process in the interest of the country. smooth transition with all honesty and patriotism. Issues like the falling price of oil, our depreciating currency and the threat of further devaluation must be discussed and

handled carefully in the interest of the country. Another sensitive area is agriculture. It is advisable that the outgoing and incoming administrations should

exchange notes on the agriculture sector.

If possible, the new team should understudy the current handlers of the sector to ensure a smooth transition.

Jonathan not yet a hero

B

Y taking one of the most courageous decisions of his life, President Goodluck Jonathan once again became a darling of Nigerians. His currently popularity could indeed, be compared to the days that preceded the 2011 elections. The move that many saw as an icing on the cake was the phone call he made to his main challenger at the polls and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Mohammadu Buhari conceding defeat.

Before the now famous phone call, the nation was under the cloud of uncertainty as there were speculations that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not accept the outcome of the presidential elections. What further gave credence to this conspiracy theory and made many Nigerians, both home and abroad, to stay glued to their television, was the erratic and unwarranted behavior of former minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe at the presidential election collation centre.

Apparently not comfortable with the results coming in, which shows that his boss was being trounced, Orubebe grabbed the microphone and was accusing the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega of bias. Orubebe who was also one of the agents of the PDP at the centre, said they have it on good authority that Jega was working for the APC, adding that his refusal to deal with the petition sent to him was enough ground for them to doubt his independence.

In the full glare of global audience, the former minister kept on shouting abusive words on Jega, but the INEC boss kept his cool. Few minutes after tempers have flared, Jega took the pain to explain what has happened and why the process, which he said has been going on peacefully should be allowed to continued. Jega's response which has become the envy of most Nigerians and one of the defining moments of this election, douse the tension and made Orubebe to look ordinary and dis-honourable.

It was few hours after that news filtered out that the President has reached out to Buhari to congratulate him, even when INEC was still waiting to collate the last state, Sokoto. In an unprecedented move Jonathan etched his name in the sands of time. The move, seen as unusual in this part of the world, was widely applauded.

Not only did the concession doused tension all over the country, it also places a burden on Buhari to reciprocate the gesture. More than that, it places the President on the same pedestal with his

By Habib Aruna opponent. This was hitherto not case before the election.

Thus, rather than burning tyres and engage in violence, the youths in most parts of the country, were dancing on the streets and celebrating, not only the victory of Buhari, but the beginning of a new dawn. The masses of the people have won after an excruciating and mudslinging campaign that was characterized by hate and less on issues affecting the country. And even though this will be the first time that the opposition would be defeating a sitting president, the courage exhibited by the President moved him above the ordinary and solidifies the nation's democracy.

It was therefore a surprise that many are already describing the President as a hero. Some even said he deserves more praise than Buhari, the winner and Jega, who successfully organized an election that changed the status quo. Methink it would be premature for us to describe Jonathan as a hero. Statesmen yes, for the way and manner he rose above his personal interests and other mundane considerations to put the nation first; statesman because he demonstrated though his action that Nigeria can once again lead the continent morally, economically and otherwise; through his actions, he has shown that pragmatism was much more enduring than sheer opportunism.

I however find it difficult to pitch tent with those who hold the above position, because heroism is a much more profound word that should be associated with someone who sacrificed even his life to the betterment of the people and the interest of his country. A hero is someone who has been consistent and brave on matters that affect the people and the country; someone who is naturally disposed to what affects the generality of the people and who is ready to pay the supreme sacrifice to make it happen.

History is replete with this kind of people: we have a man who is widely regarded as the best Prime Minister of Great Britain, Sir Wilson Churchill; we have a Nelson Mandela, who stayed in prison for 27 years and resist every pre-condition to be released until his people are freed. Aside being denied his freedom, when he came out and became the first president of a democratic South Africa, he pledged to serve for only one term. The sacrifice he made pave way for a better future for his country made him a hero.

Going to the United States, it would not be too difficult to classify the civil war President, Abraham

• Jonathan Lincoln as a hero given his contributions to the stability in terms of race and progress in terms of upholding the principles of the rule of law. Abe as he was fondly called risked everything including his life in making sure the most powerful country remains one. There are others like former Ghanaian President John Kuffour, Johachin Chinssano, Patrice Lumumba, among others.

Hence, before we reach the conclusion of calling President Jonathan a hero, it must be within the context of his commitment and sincerity to the democratic project. In that case, one can reasonably contest his qualification because his adherence to the above context are greatly in doubt. Yes, he came out briskly to concede against all expectations, but by planting landmines and using the instrumentalities of state to suppress opposition, he cannot be a hero.

He might have easily qualified as one if he had demonstrated enough commitment and sincerity ab initio and cap it all with an abiding faith on the outcome of the polls.

Understandably, his supporters have gone to town flaunting his credentials, they however need to be reminded that their principal was faced with little choice than to face the reality, which is that he has lost the election and concede.

Even at that he already had a place in history, but to call him a hero would be antithetical to the facts on ground. History will judge him well! •Aruna, a journalist lives in Ikorodu, Lagos

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

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'Gang-up against Ajimobi will fail' The All Progressives Congress (APC) won the three senatorial and 12 House of Representatives seats in the March 28 election. As a response, the four other major parties in the election came together to form an alliance against Governor Abiola Ajimobi who is the candidate of the APC in the April 11 governorship election. But the chairman of the APC in Oyo State, Chief Akin Oke, in this interview with Bisi Oladele and Bisola Oloyede, emphasised that the alliance would fail. He also spoke on other issues around the election

Y

OUR party won three senatorial and 12 House of Representatives seats in the March 28 election in the state, as you approach the governorship election, whatare your party's feelings now?

We give all glory to Almighty God and also thank the people of Oyo State for the unprecedented result. In fact, it was unbelievable to the opposition. We give all glory to God again. We feel good on it and we are approaching the next election with confidence in God to make it happen again Your success in this last election is unprecedented. How did you do it?

I will not say it is unprecedented because the last time we had this kind of result was in 1979, when Osun State was still part of Oyo State. That was the election that brought in the late Chief Bola Ige. You will recall that was an election where it was only in Ogbomoso that we lost. We won all other places in the state. The honourable members we had in the House of Assembly were from Ogbomoso then.

Ogbomoso was the only place we lost, just like what happened now.

Does it mean Ogbomoso has not always been going with the progressives?

Well, I will say what happened can be traced back to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola's disagreement. Because before that disagreement, Ogbomoso used to be part of the progressives. And, I believe that in no time, Ogbomoso will have no choice than to support, particularly now that we have won the federal.

I will be surprised if we do not win some seats in Ogbomoso come April 11. I will not write off Ogbomoso for now. We will work harder. I hail from Ogbomoso, we are working hard and I assure you there will be surprises from Ogbomoso this time around.

A lot of people believe that the popularity and victory of APC in Oyo State is as a result of the massive support General Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed across the country. What is your view on this?

Well, that may be a factor but I can assure you that is not the only factor. Because if you take a look at states where APC control, you will see that they performed. So, I will say that the Buhari factor is one, the performances of the state governors is another factor. And of course, people are fed up with 16 years of misrule by PDP. They want something different and things to change. And coincidentally, our party decided to use "Change" as its slogan. And the change fits in very well. So, most of the intellectuals, elites, and those that normally do not vote bought into our slogan. And it worked like magic. And we thank God. Opposition parties in the state have been going around saying the candidature of Buhari helped APC in Oyo to win the National Assembly seats. What is the frame of mind of the APC members as they prepare for the April 11 election?

Well, that is what they choose to say. I read about what the Resident Electoral Commissioner said to their allegation that the election was rigged in favour of

• Oke

APC. The people want change and are in support of continuity. They want us to control the federal, the state and the lower divisions. So that there will be no excuses of no payment of salaries because money will be flowing. All the federal allocations that have been hidden will be released. In terms of our economy in Oyo State, we have been prudent. If we have a federal that is prudent, that is pre-disposed to every state in terms of allocation, not taking in the impunity that is commonly known in PDP, then the state will prosper. The people in Oyo State are reasonable, wise and I am sure they will give in to Ajimobi come April 11.

Talking about financial prudence, the civil servants in Oyo State are complaining about unpaid salaries and it is believed that it can work against the governor's re-election. Don't you think so?

I am surprised to hear that from you. The civil servants and the teachers know that their salary is not being paid because the state has not been paid. We are owing February and March salaries only because we are yet to receive February and March allocation.

Comparatively, our neighbors in other states are owing five months salary and so on. We are owning just a month and hopefully within two to three days it will be paid. So, I do not think any teacher or civil servant has an excuse not to vote for Ajimobi if they fear God. Nobody, none of the previous governments has done what Ajimobi has done for them.

As you go to the governorship poll in Oyo State, what is your message to the people?

My candid message is that first, I want to thank them. They have done very well for us and we appreciate them for that. What is happening now was what Chief Awolowo wanted and it never happened. That is a situation whereby SouthWest, that is the Yoruba as a group, will be working with the Hausa and Fulani. This is going to be the first time, when Igbos are going to be in the opposition. The Yorubas have always been the main opposition.

And I am not surprised, the expectation of the whole world is very high because these two zones have the knowledge, the drive for governance. Really, I am not surprised. Now there is going to be unprecedented development in the country. I am appealing to our people in Oyo State, now that we have APC at the central, come April 11, they should vote Abiola Ajimobi so that we will now have APC at the top, that is federal level, the state, which is the middle and the bottom.

How confident are you that you will win this election?

By the grace of God and the support of the people of Oyo State, I have great confidence that we are going to win. Take a look at the analysis of the party, the performance of each party at the senatorial level, the House of Representatives level and so on. I heard they (the oppositions) are ganging up, their ego will not allow them to gang up successfully.

'I've not seen governor like Ajimobi since I got to Ibadan 56 years ago'

Y

OU are a renowned artiste.

What motivated you to wax an album for the re-election of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State?

I know the nooks and crannies of Ibadan very well because I have lived in the city for many decades. The reasons why I waxed an album for the re-election of Governor Abiola Ajimobi are many. I've not seen a performing governor like Ajimobi since I got to Ibadan 56 years ago.

The only time we witnessed things like these was during the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo's era when he recorded many firsts like the first television in Africa, NTA, the then Liberty Stadium, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and Cocoa House.

It was during those days that I last saw things like these. What Ajimobi has done amazes me. The environment has totally been changed, which made the Olubadan in-Council to bestow on him the Aare Atunluse of Ibadanland. This is in appreciation of the transformation Ajimobi has brought to the state. And that motivated me that a performing governor must be supported by all

and sundry. If we allow him do another term, he is going to surpass all his predecessors combined.

Why are you supporting Governor Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and not someone from the opposition camp?

Well, as for me, I see APC as the best party. It is a party of great Nigerians. See the leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; he is the best leader I have ever seen. He is not a shameless leader like his contemporaries from the South West. He is not greedy. He loves progressiveness. See what Ibikunle, Rauf Aregbesola, Raji Fashola etc are doing in the various states. Let me tell you something, the people of Ogun State will regret if they fail to re-elect Ibikunle Amosun. The man has really tried. Ajimobi has also tried. If Tinubu were to be like others, we would not have found ourselves where we are. He fits into Awolowo's shoes; taking us to greatness. If Awolowo were to be alive, he would not have aligned with those elders acting otherwise.

Awolowo would not have worked with a party like PDP

The making of a President E ACH time one had to give example of doggedness and persistence, the name that readily came to mind was American President Abraham Lincoln. He was determined and kept striving to serve his people. He worked, he would not give up until he obtained the prize.

Now, we have another example in the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari. He had been a military leader. In 20 months, he was sent packing by his Chief of Staff, General Ibrahim Babangida. At the time, it appeared all over for him.

He simply faded away. He got involved in the political arena shortly after the return to civil rule in 1999, He attempted the presidential race for the first time in 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party,. He lost to the incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo. That was not enough to deter him. He was again the party's flag-bearer four years later. But, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Action Congress, Buhari lost to the candidate of the ruling party. His performance however earned him national attention as a politician of note and promise. By out-performing Atiku, he proved that the future could be brighter.

All attempts to come up with a coalition of forces with Buhari as the symbol and candidate failed. He went his way and emerged the presidential candidate of a party that lacked structure, soul and character. The Congress for Progressive Change could only win the governorship in one state- Nassarawa. He cried foul.

He yelled and shrieked. But the harm had been done. It was either he overestimated his worth or simply did not give as much thought to harvesting the votes as he gave to soliciting. But, again, he was second.

For most people, that would have been enough to retire him from the race, but not the Daura-born leader of men. He chose, at about 72, to give it another shot. This time on the platform of a broad coalition that has tested political generals. Atiku worked for him. Bola Tinubu was at hand to lend the move his support; Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wamakko, Al Makura, the South West governors, Edo State's Adams Oshiomhole, Rochas Okorocha and the dashing Rotimi Amaechi worked assiduously for him. He is now President-elect.

It is my hope that the experience gathered along the line would serve him well. He was not a reluctant or accidental President. In 1999, Obasanjo merely saw power drop on his laps; in 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua was good enough for the office just because he was anointed by the incumbent. And, the death of Yar'Adua was the reason Dr. Goodluck Jonathan emerged President in 2011. None worked for it. None had developed a vision and mission to lift Nigeria out of the woods. None was known to the

political scene as a political general.

Therefore, none of the former Presidents had a pact with the people. They failed. If we go further down the road, in 1979, Alhaji Shehu Shagari's modest ambition was to be a Senator-it was the infamous Kaduna mafia that fished him out and enthroned him. He had been investitured before he realised the enormity of the task at hand. In the First Republic, Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa would have been content with being a minister had Sir Ahmadu Bello not resisted the move to be dragged away from the North where he was premier. So, none of our leaders was ready-made and it showed in their dismal performance in office.

Buhari now has the chance to show that he has not been merely hungry for power. He cannot afford to disappoint the millions of Nigerians who bought his message.

I love his short acceptance speech after collecting the certificate of return from INEC. He said he would fight corruption and that, with the cooperation of all Nigerians, it would be defeated. I hope he realised the enormity of the task. Corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of the society; it is so entrenched that only a determined president who has the right team could tame the monster. In NNPC, Sports, the civil service, the cabinet and even the political parties, the monster has taken position and is ready to fight back. But, a President Buhari would have one weapon to fight the battlea popular mandate.

The new President would also be confronted with the burden of breaking the backbone of terrorism.

This should not be too difficult with the support of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Our military, too, seems to have realised the need to rise to the occasion. General Buhari has the reputation of being a patriotic officer. He once warded off an attempted incursion by Chad Republic. As GOC of the Jos-based Armoured Corps, he chased the marauders into the Chadian territory and great was the cry of agony in that Army. Would he repeat that feat against Boko Haram as he has promised?

My admiration for the General is because he is Spartan. He does not appear to worship at the shrine of mammon as most politicians do. It remains to be seen how he would convince or fight his colleagues to join in the crusade. If Buhari succeeds in achieving his objective, he would have solved a major problem. He would have saved Nigeria trillions of Naira pillaged from the country yearly through over-invoiced contracts, by ghost workers and to service godfathers. We are watching.

I join millions of the President's well-wishers in urging him to write his name in god by doing the will of God and wiping tears from the faces of the 70 per cent of his compatriots who fall below the poverty line.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

Lawan in last-minute push for Borno governorship

“W

E will rally round you because we know you; you have been with us. You identified with us and shared in our agony and anguish."

"We know you and we know what you stand for. As our council chairman, your record of achievement speaks for you. We wish you well."

The foregoing were some of the words and sentiments expressed at the weekend by some electorate in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, once ravaged

by Boko Haram insurgency, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, began a last-minute campaign for the governorship. Lawan is the former Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Chairman of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement. He had won the PDP governorship primaries conducted at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa following President Goodluck Jonathan's intervention to resolve the lingering disagreement over the PDP governorship ticket in the state.

The president himself was the Chief Returning Officer of sort for the primaries head at the Villa. In attendance during the primary election were VicePresident Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu. Others were Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Borno State PDP Chairman; Minister of State for Power, Hon. Muhammed Wakil; PDP Board of Trustees members and other stakeholders from the state.

Gambo Lawan was affirmed by the party's delegates and a Certificate of Return was issued to him after the election. After Lawan's emergence, Jonathan was quoted as saying: "Nothing can change this victory. The PDP leaders here (who supervised the process) were like the Supreme Court of PDP and this election is now fool-proof".

But for some inexplicable reasons and notwithstanding the presidential assurance, the governorship ticket was yanked off Lawan's hands a few days later. On the eve of the submission of parties' governorship flag bearers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lawan's name was substituted by the PDP National Chairman, Muazu, with that of Alhaji Mohammed Imam, a nominee of former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Lawan was not told anything. Even the President who assured everyone Lawan was the candidate did not volunteer any explanation to him. Imam that was picked as the party's flag bearer in the state had contested and lost the House of Representatives seat in the 2011 general elections to

• Lawan

By Ibidapo Balogun the incumbent Hon. Kaka Kyari Gujbawu of the PDP. Piqued by the development, some concerned elders and stakeholders of PDP in the state immediately kicked against the wrongful substitution of Lawan as the party's governorship candidate for the state in the 2015 election.

In an open letter to President Jonathan dated December 26, 2014, the party stakeholders called for a reversal of the wrongful substitution in the interest of justice and fair play. The petition was signed by Aminu Yakudima, Ibrahim Abatcha and Salisu Aliyu.

Speaking about the process that produced Lawan, they said "the process and composition of the people present is first of its kind in the history of our great party, which Your Excellency described as the Supreme Court of the party whose decision is final.

"You may wish to recall further that Gambo Lawan having emerged from the old PDP as the candidate, you directed the new entrants to the party to nominate the candidate for the deputy governor.

"It is disheartening to note that 14 days after the nomination and affirmation of Gambo Lawan as the candidate, he was wrongly and illegally substituted with Mohammed Imam on the eve of the closure for the submission of the gubernatorial nominees to INEC. "We want to believe that Your Excellency is unaware of this ugly and sad development, particularly in a nomination process of this magnitude that was conducted by the highest office of the federation.

"In this regard and in the best interest of the party, we call for the immediate reversal of the decision to substitute Gambo Lawan" When Jonathan and PDP refused to right the perceived wrong, Lawan dragged Mohammed Imam to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja,

claiming he was a usurper and that he was the rightful candidate.

Joined in the suit were PDP and INEC. In the end, the court returned a verdict that Lawan is the bonafide PDP candidate for Borno State and that his name should be forwarded to INEC. Specifically, the court ordered INEC to take all necessary steps and actions, including the listing of the name of Lawan as the governorship candidate of the PDP for Borno State and allowing him contest the April 11 governorship election. The top echelon of PDP expectedly dragged their foot on the matter. But

recently the electoral commission complied with the order of the court to replace the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mohammed Imam, with Gambo Lawan.

The decision was in compliance with the order of the Federal High Court judgement in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1123/14 between Alhaji Gambo Lawan Vs. Alhaji Mohammed Imam & 2 Ors. In a letter with reference number INEC/LEG/DR/356/VOL.1/79 signed by INEC Secretary Ibrahim Bawa and addressed to the Resident Electoral Commission, Borno State, the electoral Commission ordered that the substitution should be effected immediately. The letter read interalia: "In compliance with the said judgement of the Court, the commission has directed that the name of Alhaji Gambo Lawan be included in the list of Governorship Candidates for Borno State as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)."

With the clean bill of health given him by INEC, Lawan has hit town, traversing the length and breadth of the insurgency ravaged state. The state at present is a major stronghold of the All Progressives Congress with Alhaji Kashim Shettima as governor. But Lawan insists Borno is a PDP state and would be won back from APC. His campaign message has been predicated on his having the capacity to lead and provide service to the people. Lawan said his decision to run for the governorship was a product of a long period of self-interrogation and the strong conviction that he had the capacity to help in rebuilding the state. The gubernatorial candidate said he

would also build confidence and trust in the state and members and leaders of the party who have become distraught from internal wrangling that has fractured harmony in the party and damaged the party's structure in the state. He said: "None of the people I discussed with expressed doubt about my capacity to lead the state. I have experience in party administration; therefore, I am not new to the nitty-gritty of the assignment before me, which is governance. I will, indeed, ensure that our party is a truly democratic party. I am poised to replicate and even do better in bringing about a utilitarian leadership that will rekindle a sense of belonging to our state.

"I believe in the true principles of democracy; I believe in ensuring that party members do have the opportunity to contest for any position within the party and achieve it without having to be imposed or anointed by anybody other than the process that has been laid down. I believe in a party that is built on unity and harmony; I believe that once the process of democracy is allowed to take its course, party members will have a sense of belonging."

Apart from being Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and GDM Chairman, Lawan was also at a time Board Chairman of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in Delta State. He had also vied severally for the national chairmanship of PDP.

• Okorocha

intellectual-academic power of Igboland. If Okorocha and Madumere win again, the excitement and bravery that comes with good governance will be felt by both Imolites and Nigerians in general. These two leaders understand the rudiments of governance and political machinations as if they are oracles.

These two great role models have a natural flare and nose for what the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo fondly called "political arithmetic" - an illustration of the mental calculation that must govern politics, governance and its practice. They understand the needed permutations, dwelled on political and economical substance but also know the kinetic force of sound bites and frequently put them to good use.

Whenever you encounter Okorocha and Madumere at a political forum or holding court in a diplomatic cocktail circuit, they are always voluble, quick thinkers and savvy analysts of governance.

They should be remembered for all they stood for, professed and aspired to see in the land.

- Abanum wrote in from Lagos

If Okorocha and Madumere win again …

I

have watched the dance steps of our politicians across the country. And the more I watch, the more I remember the two special brands in Imo State called Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha and Prince Eze Madumere.

The theories and leadership template of Okorocha and Madumere, as well as their enchanting nuances remain aperture by which politics and governance is yet viewed in the country.

Madumere and his big brother, Okorocha, came to rescue Imo State at a time all hope was lost in every sphere of the state.

Madumere's unquestionable loyalty to Okorocha over the years has increased the guts, aura and political capacity of the governor.

Over the years, under the watch of Okorocha and Madumere, the political buccaneers of Imo State have been silenced; they have been normal budget expenditure; contracts are awarded and executed and this explains the quality of infrastructure in Imo State.

If Okorocha and Madumere win again, they will be breather

By Allison Abanum and ease of arbitrariness in every part of Imo State and Imolites will be proud of the thorny politics.

So, if Okorocha and Madumere win again, the sloppiness that beset Imolites on all fronts in the system will be worked on or worked at. Given their attitude towards good governance, they will stoke the fire on the butts and get failed variables out of inertia.

It is a tribute to the fighting spirit of Okorocha and Madumere that Imo State, less than four years under their watch, is back as the

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

41

2015 Presidency: The 10 game changers Nigerians lost confidence in the government's ability to protect them.

In alarm, Nigerians watched as northerners ran from their towns and villages into Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs). Many Nigerians became refugees in Chad, Niger and Cameroon. It would appear the more attacks, the more Nigerians craved for a change in government to take on the terrorists. His supporters reminded all that the APC's presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is a veteran who took on the equally extremist Maitatsine sect in 1984 as a military commander. It was therefore understandable that many northerners and blood-sick Nigerians saw him as the only man who can take on the terrorists and secure the nation.

The massive votes he garnered from northern states were not unconnected with this hope.

Even when the military launched the offensive, recapturing towns after towns, in unbelievable spate, Nigerians had moved on.

They had given up on the government. A change must take place and they became desperate to stop at nothing to effect it. Their votes, on March 28, were mainly inspired by the inability of government to stop the Boko Haram insurgency at infancy.

•Contd. from page 34 the highest number of votes in the senatorial election in the entire country.

But it was not until the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999 that Tinubu's political profile assumed a larger than life status.

Elected as Lagos State governor in 1999 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), his re-election in 2003 in spite of formidable obstacles erected on his path by powerful forces within and outside his party took his profile several notches higher.

As the only AD governor who survived the PDP tsunami in the 2003 general elections, which swept away his four other colleagues in the South-West states of Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, Tinubu's victory became arguably the turning point in his political career.

Always looking beyond immediate gains in his political calculations and actions, Tinubu in the run up to the 2007 general elections, spearheaded the formation of a new political party, Action Congress (AC) in response to the intractable crisis that rocked the AD and had defied solutions.

From boasting just one governor in the person of Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State in 2007, the AC, which later metamorphosed into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) got three more states, Ekiti, Osun and Edo into its kitty between 2009 and 2010.

With his political leadership of the SouthWest firmly established, Tinubu, alongside other committed progressives, soon realised that without the control of the central government by a progressive party, the future development of the nation's constituent states is imperiled.

After weeks and months of intense negotiations by four opposition parties, comprising of ACN, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed about two years ago. It was one merger that survived several booby traps from forces within and without.

Tinubu's contributions to making the merger happen remain indelible. Not a few Nigerians believe that without the former governor, the idea of the APC would have been a pipe dream.

The Presidency seemed to share in this belief. With Tinubu out of the way, it reasoned, the opposition would be in disarray. The former governor's trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in 2011, many argue, was aimed at clipping his wings. It failed, as Tinubu was pronounced not guilty

by Justice Danladi Yakubu Umar.

Beside his mobilisation and leadership skills, Tinubu's uncanny gift to decipher political currents in the country with utmost accuracy and responding with the right tactics and strategy, coupled with his consistency and loyalty to the progressive cause has elevated him as arguably Nigeria's most influential politician today.

TECHNOLOGY It was an intense battle. The crux of the matter was the insistence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use technology to minimise electoral banditry. Many parties and leading contestants kicked. The idea, to them, would amount to electronic voting, which amounts to a constitutional breach.

But INEC's chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, would have none of it. The 2015 polls, he insisted, must make use of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and Smart Card Readers (SCRs). Appearing before the senate on February 18, Jega maintained there was no going back on the use of the two devices.

Despite hues and cries, the commission stuck to its gun. The elections held with electorates exercising their civic obligation with the PVCs. Politicians and parties that mobilise reluctant voters to participation during registration were outwitted. Several millions of PVCs remained uncollected because they couldn't be used by persons other than those with the biometric features.

With the PVCs, INEC blocked the first loophole for rigging. Buying the PVCs became unattractive and a wasteful venture for parties and candidates. Only authentic registered

• Abubakar Shekau: Boko Haram leader

Their deadly attacks became a campaign issue with the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleging the sect festered because the PDP-led federal government lacked ideas on how to tame its fighters voters would be able to use the device. The incidence of multiple voting became impossibility. No voter could present the PVCs twice whether in his or her immediate polling unit or elsewhere in the country.

That effectively checked rigging, multiple voting and electoral manipulations generally.

With that hurdle crossed, INEC also introduced the card readers for accreditation of registered voters. Initially, many of them malfunctioned during the presidential elections. Even after four readers were deployed, President Goodluck Jonathan couldn't be accredited. The commission had to resort to manual accreditation for him and the First Lady when they returned to their polling unit.

But as the accreditation process grew into hours, many INEC officials became more familiar with the readers. The initial hitches gave way as they got the information that the seal on the device must be removed while voters must wipe their thumbs well to be recognised by the device.

The card readers and PVCs tightened the possibility of electoral manipulations. Many acclaimed riggers and electoral bandits became disillusioned and helpless. Even desperate measures, like hacking the commission's website while voting was on-going, could not save them. INEC had beaten them at their games and the nation will have a credible electoral process.

Though not directly under the ambit of INEC, the social media also helped to protect the sanctity of the polls. Average Nigerians took to social platforms such as twitter, face book, instagram and WhatsApp to post declared results from their voting centres. They shared pictures of incidences and reported cases of malpractices that checked culprits.

That way, even the international community could follow the polls all the way.

The impact of the social media was so much that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar acknowledged the upset was possible because of the "power of social media anchored by vigilant youths." From its situational rooms, observers and INEC's volunteers offered reports and updates that sanitized the process in an unprecedented way in the nation's electoral history. But for the uploaded results,

many figures would have been altered between the voting centres and collation points.

BOKO HARAM Another important game changer in the last presidential election was the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. In fact, nothing threatened the polls like the terrorist attacks.

The attacks offered the Service Chiefs a rare opportunity to arm-twist INEC to postpone the polls from February 14. According to them, a major offensive against the terrorists, who had captured several towns in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states, was to commence on the same day.

The insurgents also stopped the polls from holding.

Their deadly attacks became a campaign issue with the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleging the sect festered because the PDP-led federal government lacked ideas on how to tame its fighters. The party made it a point to Nigerians that President Goodluck Jonathan was not doing enough to win the terror war.

No fewer than 20,000 have been killed by suicide bombers and fighters of the sect in the north. The killings gave Nigerians a sense of insecurity and rattled the international community. The Boko Haram fighters became more emboldened by the inability of federal troops to match them. They attacked religious centres, schools and police stations.

On several occasions, the terrorists launched daring attacks at military formation and even capital cities of the besieged states. Residents said only divine providence stopped them in their strides to Government Houses. Many federal soldiers died while much more were injured. Others deserted the military, alleging they were not well-equipped and that they lacked incentives to take on the terrorists.

On the night of 14-15 April 2014, 276 female students of Government Secondary School in Chibok were abducted by the militants. The abduction shocked the world while the brazen effrontery of the terrorists worried Nigerians.

"BringBackOurGirls" became a global campaign with world leaders urging the federal troops to rescue the girls.

Almost a year after, elections held with the girls nowhere to be found despite assurances from the military and federal government. Many

Patience Jonathan Presidential aides remain adamant she is a political asset but her critics believe the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was largely responsible for her husband's defeat at the poll.

Though blessed with amazing skills as a mobiliser, the out-going First Lady was described as a disaster in Public Relations by her critics.

She caused not a few Nigerians embarrassment with her handling of the Chibok girls saga days after the abduction. Mrs. Jonathan summoned school authorities and political leaders in the community to a mock court in Abuja, trying frantically to prove the abduction was a ruse. Shockingly, the presidency reacted with the same sense of incredulity for weeks.

Her pronouncements and mannerisms at the mock court nauseated sensible Nigerians, though they later became national jokes. They considered her reactions classless and unbefitting of a First Lady, claiming to be mother of the nation. They were proved right when the electioneering campaigns started.

Mama Peace, as she fondly calls herself, took leading roles in marketing her husband to voters.

She preoccupied herself with mobilising women through rallies and campaigns. Her rallies were colourful and dramatic. There was no dull moment with Mama Peace of Africa.

In one state, she entertained supporters with the popular Asonto and Choki dance steps.

But her speeches were putting her and her husband in trouble. In Kogi State, she threw tantrums at Buhari; describing him as braindead. To many Nigerians, that was crossing the line. But Mama Peace knew better. She added that PDP supporters should stone anyone telling them to embrace change. The nation raged in fury that the First Lady was inciting violence. The APC fumed. It reported Mrs. Jonathan to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for inciting violence.

Rather than beat a retreat and appease supporters, Mama Peace kept at it. She took on anyone she considered opposed to her husband's ambition to seek re-election. To her, politics was a do-or-die, a war that must be won and lost. And her weapon was abuse upon abuse, since she was untouchable.

Those tantrums and abuses, according to our findings, alienated many neutral voters.

They were alarmed the First Lady was hitting her husband's opponent, instead of selling his achievements. Many die-hard PDP supporters had a rethink. They started seeing her as uncouth and unbearable. She lost their attention and support. Her husband became the victim, losing many votes through her pronouncements and negative speeches.

While many express sympathy for the outgoing President, they have nothing but disdain for his wife, blaming her for being anything but an asset to her husband, politically. They point out she was the cause of the misunderstanding between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and President Jonathan. But for her, the governor, they say, would have still been in the PDP. Many governors and presidential aides, they say, have suffered from her butts and these they said, helped to ensure her husband's defeat at the polls.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS

42

Buhari's victory and Falae's double-speak

Agboola still in shock • Falae EADING reports on how the National Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, spoke on the election of General Muhammadu Buhari as President, many Nigerians were forced to ask which Falae the reporters were referring to.

According to reports, Falae, who congratulated the president-elect on the victory, said his election would send signal that rampant corruption would no longer be tolerated.

"It sent a signal that the rampant corruption will no longer be tolerated and that public officers must disengage from corruption and take their career seriously with leadership by example", he said.

This is the same Falae that barely weeks back, urged Yorubas to reject Buhari and support Jonathan! It was Falae who swore that Buhari has no interest of the country at heart.

He noted that "all the blue print proposed by its presidential candidate, General Buhari, was just "an acted script full of political propaganda."

Suddenly, Pa Falae agrees there is corruption under Jonathan and Buhari is the man who can stop it. Well, if the same old man who warned the people of Ondo State not to vote for Candidate Buhari now believes President-elect Buhari holds the magic wand against corruption, then things are surely getting better.

R

•Uduaghan

Defection rumour hits Delta PDP

•Agboola

I

f there was one senator who was sure of his re-election, it certainly must be Hosea Agboola, the lawmaker representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. A grassroots politician well loved by his constituents, Agboola's massive trouncing by Hon. Fatai Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to generate intense debate in Oyo State. Sources disclosed that the lawmaker himself is still in a state of shock over his defeat and is allegedly contemplating challenging Buhari's victory at the election tribunal.

M

ANY members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State are mulling the idea of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), it was learnt. Many of those planning to defect base their decision on the imperative of not belonging to an opposition party following the victory of the APC in the presidential election. This development is reportedly causing jitters in the PDP even as the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, are said to have held series of meetings with some aggrieved members of the party to reconsider their stance to leave the party at this crucial period. In the view of Uduaghan and Okowa, any mass defection to the APC at this moment would deal a devastating blow to the fortunes of the PDP in the governorship elections.

Lagos governorship: APC will win, says Igbo community

T •Oba Adeyemi

The fear of Alaafin T

HE overwhelming victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ancient town of Oyo has once again confirmed the larger than life influence of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in the politics of the town and by extension, the Oke Ogun axis of the state. Before the election of March 28, there were reports of massive discontentment of many indigenes of the town, who were said to have vowed to demystify the monarch whose support for the APC in the state is no longer a secret. APC not only swept the polls in Oyo and Oke Ogun, the icing on the cake for the traditional ruler is the victory of his son, Akeem Adeyemi, who has been elected to represent Oyo West/East/ Atiba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The younger Adeyemi defeated the incumbent lawmaker, Kamil Akinlabi, a former godson turned political foe of Oba Adeyemi who contested on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) will win at least 85 percent votes in the April 11th 2015 governorship election in the Lagos State, Igbo community in Igando/ Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has said.

To achieve this, it said concerted efforts are in progress to mobilise the people to come out en masse and vote the APC candidate on the election day, adding that every eligible voter in the area has secured his/her PVC. Raphael Otum, who spoke on behalf of the community, said the infrastructural development put in place by the APC government in the state is enough evidence for people to stand up and give their votes to any candidate coming out under the umbrella of the party Speaking with The Nation in Lagos, Otum disclosed that the community, including chiefs, elders, market men and women and the youths, has unanimously endorsed the party's candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, for governor in the coming election According to him, the APC government under the administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola has brought about the dividends of democracy in the area evident in road construction, hospitals, education to the people

Ambrose Nnaji living in the area, adding that the incoming governor under the platform would consolidate on the achievements of the predecessor He said: "We believe that Ambode will continue the good work the administration of Governor Raji Fashola has put in place and we consider it wise that all Igbos in the area should come out en masse and cast their votes for APC. We have been following the party right from AD, ACN to APC and have seen that APC is a progressive party that has achieved a lot in the state and also has the interest of the people."

He continued: "Let every one of us, elders, chiefs, market men and women cast his/her vote for Ambode", adding that this will give the opportunity for more developmental projects in the area. He said Ijegun and Igando roads, as well as the general hospital, are true dividends of democracy brought about by the APC government in the area High Chief Andy Adah said the support for Ambode is to ensure continuity of the good governance put in place by the present administration, urging the incoming governor to consolidate on whatever

• Ambode achievements that have been made so far.

In the same vein, Chief Sylvester Ekegha said it has been the tradition of the Igbo community in the area to mobilise its people in support of the APC government He however appealed to Lagos State Government to find a lasting solution to the plights of the Igbo traders at Ladipo and Alaba markets. "We want him to help us find a place for our business men and women where they will stay and do their businesses so that they will value what they are doing in Lagos State," he said.

APRIL 5, 2015

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

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IN VOGUE

By Kehinde Oluleye

Tel: 08023689894 (sms) E-mail: kehinde.oluleye@thenationonlineng.net

Raising a voice for the Nigerian girl With Temilolu Okeowo temilolu@girlsclub.org.ng 07086620576 (sms only) Please visit my blog www.temiloluokeowo.wordpress.com for more inspiring articles. Twitter@temiloluokeowo

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

‘Our scripts must reflect our cultures’ Theodore Chukukadibia Anyanji is a graduate of Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and also a film producer, director and script writer. An alumnus of the famous New York Film Academy, Anyanji who has won several awards in the industry is based in Owerri, Imo State, but shuttles Lagos, the hub of the movie industry in Nigeria.

In this encounter with Edozie Udeze, he bares his mind on a number of issues bordering on scriptwriting, film directing and productions and lots more

F

OR the past twenty years or so, he has been holding fort in the home video industry as one of its greatest assets in the areas of scriptwriting, directing and production. Theodore Anyanji, who has just finished work on his latest offering named Ambulance Woman, a story that dwells so much on the odd sides of what a woman can do, said: “it is not in our culture for a woman to be driving an ambulance and corpses. In this movie, therefore, you’ll see how Chimamanda, the main character showed her brevity more than a man could. She did what some men cannot do.”

Anyanji who goes for high profile artistes in almost all his works says that in doing so, this helps him to draw unprecedented attention to his movies. In Ambulance Woman, the likes of Ngozi Ezeonu, Harry B, Ben Ibegbu, Ngozi Ebuka and more, were used by him to prove his mettle. Also in his latest sensational movie entitled Ada Mbano, the script writer infused a different dimension into his story. “I only want to think differently; to give viewers something that is quite unique and mind bogging. Can a woman be a mortician, an undertaker? Yes, this is what I tried to explore in this movie and it worked out fine. You see, a lot of people would like to wonder to what extent a brave woman can go to dare where even some men may fear to enter,” he explained.

That, to Anyanji, is one of the issues that a good script writer should be involved in. “Yes, it depends on who is writing. Some of our scripts are not well-researched. I agree with you. But before I became a script writer, I underwent a tutelage for close to ten years. It was years when I took many lessons and courses in order to equip myself well enough for the task ahead. When I wrote the movie, Indian Doctor, I put my personal religion aside. I wanted to be deep, to let the world see the true concept of the issues I handled there. In fact, when I finished it, a lot of people thought I had become a Hindu. The way I dismissed Hinduism, people thought I believed in their tenets,” he explained.

The idea of doing a thorough research before a script is written has helped Anyanji to carve an enviable niche for himself. In the home video genre in the country, most big time producers and directors always go for his works because they see in them ideas that are not only compelling, but intriguing. For him, even though writing could be a gift, yet as a writer there are possible issues and themes and ideas you need to know. These issues indeed play prominent role in aiding your concept of writing and the profundity of what you produce. “What about the use of language, creative language?” the writer asked, raising his eyebrows. “What about understanding what it means to write a good script? What type of suspense do you create; how do you employ the concept of dialogue and so on? Most of these ingredients lack in what we have in the home video parlance in Nigeria. However, most of my works address these concepts in their totality and these indeed are the basic components of good scripts,” he proffered.

As a writer, Anyanji takes enough time to look at the resolution of the scripts, the storyline itself in order to have not only a convincing story but one people can identify with. “Yes, you have to understand that there is a thin line between twist and suspense. Then you need to know how to invent the appropriate characterisation. Then, thereafter, you look closely at the story itself to see if there is a back-up somewhere.

It is not just about speaking English or writing it to suit some whims, but to apply so more appropriately to produce the necessary results.”

As a character writer, he pays more attention to his artistes once they are on set, to be able to enable them interpret their roles more proficiently. “Yes, this is one of the best ways to bring out the whole beauty of what we do to make a story more endearing to viewers. In all, one character should be different from the rest. That distinctiveness should be there and welldefined too. How do you judge a character if he or she

is not divorced from the rest? It is unfortunate that these days you see conflicting characterisation in most of our stories. This has to change, especially in terms of language and the way it is presented.”

Anyanji argued also that stories ought to present the cultural history of the people as they truly are.

“This is what we need to have, stories that edify who we are. The stories have to be objective. In as much as I know we could have a fiction, but even when a story is told, it ought to have some element, of believability. It has to be believable. Now, can people tune in to that story and like it and also relate it to their own culture? Now, when a story is told and you cannot genuinely relate it to what is happening around you, it is a flop. Don’t make the story elitist because it would look as if you are telling a story from the Mars. In all, therefore, the story must affect what we call my affective domain.”

When therefore a script story is told it must create unalloyed interest in the people; people should be made to like it, mostly due to how it is written. Anyanji enthused thus: “it is even better when the story is well-presented in a movie and the people can see themselves in it.

However, we have a problem in the industry.

Now, everybody thinks he or she is a script-writer.

They sit down and narrate some story or tell a story. It took me many years before I decided to become a script-writer. I went through proper training based on the gift God has already given to me. Not just one training, but several of it for nine years before I came to the realisation that I could also write very well.”

Starting out differently, Anyanji delved into creating his own lexicons. “As a script writer, you have to create your own lexicons,” he averred. “That and more will shape your success and chances of being who you are. Even when I use other people’s works like a bestseller, I ask you to give me that licence, that liberty to go ahead and use your work. That will enable me to relax and tell my story. You have to respect the writer’s views and that again will not make you to emasculate the story itself. I should be able to do so well and then have a good movie.”

Concerning scripts which deliberately have fewer characters in order to save production cost, Anyanji said, “oh yes, it happens. But if it is based on low budget, I’d do it in such a way as not to kill the central concept of the story or emasculate it. If the image is not too good, I’ll not do it because it will kill my creativity. Therefore, professionalism should come into not just the script writing, but directing and producing. This should affects all facets of the industry, because it is not all about the second largest producers of movies in the world, but giving total credence to the movies. We need quality works and that is my concern. We therefore need to preserve our cultures whether we are Christians or not.

He took a swipe at the quality of plays and novels being produced now and said that they are not as good as what the older generation of Nigerian writers were able to do. Yet, he believes that if given the opportunity, he could go on ahead to put Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God or There was a Country into movies. “These are fantastic books with deep narrative techniques. If they are done in movies the world will enjoy them”, he decided.

•Anyanji

Some of his movies He Goat, Ambulance Woman, Indian Doctor, Dirty Secret, Ada Mbano in London, Plane Crash, Sunrise, Handkerchief, The Devil you know, Sex Slave and more.

56

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

APRIL 5, 2015

Artist shows concern for mentally ill women

S

EVENTEEN fascinating abstract paintings

by Nengi Omuka in her ongoing solo art exhibition portray what she called “A State of Mind,” inspiration by a “madwoman I saw in Ibadan.”

Omuka’s empathy for the number of mentally ill women roaming the streets is interpreted in most of the works on display at Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. “I am very concerned about the amount of madwomen we see on the streets. That is where the state of a mind thing came from. The first madwoman I saw in Ibadan dressed very beautifully in ankara and she still had her hair dishevelled, so the hair was kind of showing her state of mind and it concerned me that a woman has gone into this state and I wondered about where she came from and what made her got into this state.”

Omuka said: ‘I am basically drawing attention subconsciously, it’s not like I can go to the street and protest but what I can do is paint. This is something that concerns me; this is a personal thing and I am doing a whole lot of painting series on mentally ill women.”

She presents this in a piece she titled: “Who be You?” she composed her impression with total care through colours and shades. You could deduce from Omuka’s works that she loves green a lot.

I

N order to reform and regulate the voice-over industry, the Association of Voice-Over Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA) has stated that the organisation will no longer take it likely with non AVOA member who engages in voice over practice.

The president of the association, Mr Ehi Omokhuale, made this known recently in a press statement in Lagos. Omokhuale said any organisation that employs the services of unregistered AVOA members will be sanctioned.

The aim of the reforms, according to him, is to improve the standard of voice-over practice in the country.

Title: A Wrong Time To Weep Author: Soji Obebe Publishers: Emmanuel Publications, Ibadan Reviewer: Edozie Udeze

By Udemma Chukwuma

Many among the seventeen works have a touch of green while about three are produced with various shades of green, one such as Green Scape. “I situate bodies in spacing; sometimes I separate the body from the space. For example, Together Forever has no spacing but it has a space, the red background serves as the space. This piece is a scape, it could be water and it could be anything.”

Her abstract works are neatly done and can be mistaken for a print. The exhibition opened on Saturday, March 21 and will run until April 8.

This Rivers State artist who lives in the United Kingdom hinted that she “gets a lot of questions from people about my works because they are abstract and not immediately understandable.”

When asked what genre is her art, she said, “I feel surrealism, expressionism, realism, impressionism, all these isms were from something very past and are from the West. I don’t want to weigh myself with theirs; my works are Nengism (laughs); that is what they are, it doesn’t belong to any genre.”

Art to her “is not just about things that are happening outside; sometimes it could be something that happened within you. That is what my paintings are.”

28 years Omuku is also a sculptor. She has

•Fear, 2011, oil on canvas

been painting and sculpturing for eight years and bagged a Bachelor degree from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (UCL).

AVOA sanitises voice sector

By Udemma Chukwuma

Omokhhuale used the medium to plead with individuals and corporate bodies who engage voice-over artistes to support “the efforts of AVOA in rebuilding a formidable professional national body capable of delivering quality services. With the understanding of and cooperate of our clients, this ugly trend will stop.”

He intimated that the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) “inaugurated a committee on the reforms on Wednesday,

December 22, 2010,” and AVOA was formally registered as a member of APCON on November 28, 2014, “to streamline, sanitise and effectively coordinate the activities of the professionals engaged in voice over practice.”

Names of registered members will be sent to APCON, Omokhuale said, adding that ‘the doors of AVOA are open to persons who intend to make a living “as a voice-over artiste. He urged that unregistered voice-over artistes to go to any AVOA office nationwide and register. “AVOA is a body

Too late to weep

W

HEN psychologists say that the law of retributive justice will always catch up with those whose past are bad, not many people tend to understand this. But in the story of Tinu and Jonas in A Wrong Time to Weep, Soji Obebe takes his time to justify this age-long aphorism. A sequel to his former book entitled The Payback, he concludes the story of Jonas who at the height of his prowess as young man dashed the hopes of many young girls. One of them was Sola, who bore him a daughter whom he also discarded.

After his many years of philandering, Jonas decided to marry Tinu. For many years there was no issue. Tried as much they could, there was no success. In the interim, Tinu consulted her mother who gave her and Jonas some herbs to drink in order to make them more potent to have children. But Jonas did not take a liking to this. In the end, the concoction as he termed it was thrown overboard and their worries continued unabated Even the entreaties by Tinu that they sought the attention of either a spiritualist or a medical doctor fell on deaf ears. After seeking the advice of her bosom friend, Tinu went after her former boyfriend, a custom officer, who later impregnated her. From one child to another, Tinu forced her husband to believe that truly he fathered those children.

But what was the driving force in the mind of Tinu? She wanted to have children by all means in order to inherit Jona’s many estates littered here and there.

Indeed, A Wrong Time to Weep stretches Jona’s saga in The Payback, so says the author. Jonas equally tastes the sour grapes of the seed he sowed into the life of Sola, this wonderful lady who bore him a daughter which he disowned. It is clear here that the author deliberately rounds off the

•I Can Drive, 2014, oil on canvas

tale on the well known epigram of the rejected stone which later became the cornerstone.

Jona’s fruitless marriage was to show him how to go in search of Sola and get her apology and indeed demand for his child. It is not proper to really reject the woman who sacrificed so much for you, more so when she has a child for you. This is one of the reasons why it is believed that nature or law of karma has set out to haunt Jonas.

There is too much of heartache in the story. It also exposes and captures some marriages where women go outside to get children for their men. The men would believe that the children are theirs.

Like it is usually said in the local parlance, that it is only the woman

who can tell the true father of her child.

When Tinu set out to do her own deed, she did not think of the consequences until it caught up with her. Here, it is an issue she will live with all her life. But did it ever worry her?

The twists and intrigues in the story were well taken care of by the author. The presentation is convincing because it is not always that authors get sequels to their stories well knotted out.

In The Payback, the story is left to readers to deduce its import. However, in A Wrong Time To Weep, the whole issues are made clearer to the people.

It is a book to read to know more about such mundane issues and problems that daily beset families and tend to tear homes to shreds.

It was after the sudden death of Jonas that the real hanky-panky erupted not only to harass and haunt the children but also Tinu could not comprehend her own action anymore. She was not only distraught deep in her heart; she did not know how to face it. From her confusion, it is easy to finally grasp the total import of the book and why the author set out to write it in the first place.

Most people in life too should desist from bad friends for, like the English will say show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.

•Bodija Heiress, 2013, oil on canvas,

She is being represented in Nigeria by Omenka Gallery. of professionals registered under the Incorporated Trustees of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our members provide voice work on broadcast advert materials, Interactive Voice Response, Ring Back Tones, Computer Software, Documentaries, Cartoons, Radio Drama and other voice-related works in the advertising and allied industries.”

However, Mr Isaac Moses, a member of AVOA who was present during the press session, said anyone who goes against the law of the AVOA will be warned by their lawyer the first time, “the second time you will be fine and third you will be prosecuted. These are the three punitive majors we will be taking.”

POEM Annals of the Gambia I James Island: That frozen phallus of a cannon stares Endlessly upon a fecund, ageless sea.

Witness trees, weather beaten and gnarled Affinitize with the elements, Whispering the songs Of Neptune when the wind is high.

This is James Island, Spartan as the sun Where the fittest marched in chains to merge With futures alien as the skin of shipmasters.

History was here, woven into syntax Of the rolling, intrepid waves.

History, Ghostly now and fading, was here Material as the mineral of the sea.

II There is a dappled song of rust Trembling in the stricken throat Of silenced guns Whimpering Upon this beachhead of the Middle Passage.

The very soil of the Island hums the song When the last tourist must have left Echoing the sorrow of the song in shades Incandescent and tortured as memory.

And you can hear this Island lamenting and lost Haunted like the eyes of scattered children Seeking shelter in a strange and rattled world Thrust out at turns by traitors and aliens.

III Here, Fofana, Friend of all my fathers,

Still inhales the Atlantic Mingled with the scent of Kambiya Bolongo.

Conjuring ruptured memories, singing A long song of this vanishing island Strumming the khalam and the drum For drums speak the language of spirits And khalam’s music is the ransom for lost souls…

King Niumi’s Island, St Andrews Island, Fort James.

So many names for one island of sorrow So many wars to own a phantom in the end.

Our congreries tend the tripod of hope As tourists survey the remnants of the Island Like probe instruments on a strange planet.

IV We exhale with the metals on this anniversaryMetals of cannons, ores of cannon balls.

We exhale with metals laid to rest, metals On the prye of the sun. sighing metals Strangled of speech, steel of human resolve.

We join a century of metals exhaling here And each shaft of the sun sings as we Exhale. A choir of the cosmos joins the hymn.

And now, Fofana, friend of all my fathers, Let us inhale with the trees, the grass The very island and the sea. And strum The salient khalam, muse of living souls, Muse of redemption. Strum Beyond the sighs and sorrows and the pain.

Excerpts from Sahara Testaments by Tade Ipadeola

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

Life is hell at Dorman Long Page 58, 59

•Adekoya

Experts set agenda for incoming government • Suggest quick wins A CROSS-SECTION of experts have impressed on the incoming government, the need to set machinery in motion aimed at turning around the nation's nearly comatose economy.

Firing the first salvo, the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), urged Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the President-elect, "to ensure that Nigerians enjoy the true dividends of democracy under your administration."

The body made this clarion call in a statement issued on behalf of the Institute by its Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer, Prof.

Chris Onalo.

The ICA is Nigeria's only national body for overseeing and monitoring standards, behaviour and administration of those who give, take, facilitate and manage credits in the economy.

The ICA boss while congratulating General Muhammed Buhari on his historic election, however, sounded a note of warning to the incoming government.

"Note this that you only offered yourself but did not choose yourself, the people did. Therefore, do not fail Nigeria and Nigerians; do not also fail the friends of Nigeria in the uttermost parts of the world. Endeavour to deliver in accordance with your campaign promises to which you must expect that Nigerians and international community will hold your government."

While giving Buhari a vote of confidence, based on

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf the conviction that the former has the requisite discipline to lead the country into the next regime of strong economic prosperity, social justice and freedom, Prof.

Onalo suggested some useful tips on how best the incoming administration can turn around the nearly comatose economy.

Prof. Onalo said for starters, the ICA expects the incoming government to "address the nation's urgent economic, social and security situation, and to build a strong economy for the future."

Besides, the ICA implored the new government to focus very quickly on structural reforms, fiscal responsibility and investment.

"You will quickly gain local and global acceptance if you drastically cut cost of doing business in Nigeria "It is really possible to fix electricity by all means within six months.

Prioritise nationwide road construction.

"The policy thrust of your government should be economic growth revival and massive infrastructural build ups to help boost economic growth.

"The Central Bank of Nigeria is too saddled with too many things, you may need to look at this. There is need to stream down the functions of the Central Bank of Nigeria to make it more functional and efficient with its traditional monetary policy moderation

mandate.

"Nigeria must engage free market economy in order to achieve overall resilience in economic activity, employment and fiscal performance "Abundance of credit availability in monetary and trade terms to fuel exports of made in Nigeria goods must become the major driver of your economic reform agenda.

"We must bring it to your attention that the poor attitude to credit, especially to public loans provided by government's development finance institutions, and lack of a robust regulatory regime for the DFI sector to operate is a fundamental threat to the health of the Nigerian economy. Your government is expected to be committed to enhancing the regulatory regime; your government is expected to enhance credit regulations by providing greater protection for the country's DFIs. "However, regulation alone is not enough. In granting credit, both parties to the transaction need to be guided by a sense of values and ethics in their business dealings. The present situation of credit lax in Nigeria has evidenced the gaping hole that should be occupied by values.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr Jonathan Aremu, an economist, holds the view and very strongly too that Buhari has a lot of socioeconomic issues to contend with in the coming months.

‘We do the right thing at the right time’

57

-- Page 53

How NEPC, SURE-P, OPS boost employment Page 60

According to Aremu, who is the former Deputy Director, Research and Planning at Central Bank of Nigeria, said, though the country was touted as the largest economy in Africa, following the rebasing of the GDP in 2014, in practical terms, things are not working.

Specifically, Aremu said the much touted growth is faulty because the economy is still worst off.

"Everything points towards economic crisis in every sector.

What we have is largely growth without development. Nothing seems to be working."

While commenting on the change in government and what would give, Aremu, who chairs the global body of Finance and Investment Analysts, said, there is a lot of work to be done.

"In terms of quick wins, l would say the government needs to address the problem of infrastructural decay. Our naira which has gone downhill needs to be fixed. There is also an urgent need to fix the manufacturing sector as well as address the problem of food insufficiency.”

Successive governments, Aremu stressed, “have been pursuing growth at the expense of real and actual development.

So, my advice is that what we need now is for the government to focus a lot more on development because growth without development is big for nothing."

Abdulraheem Luqman, an economist and former lecturer, Centre for Technology and Development is also on the same on page with the duo of Onalo and Aremu. According to him, "As far as Nigeria is concerned, we have so many economic policies, the so-called vision 20: 2020 blueprint. But it is not about the policies but about the will to grow as a nation. We must have the will and discipline to set things right for the economy once again."

•From left: Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group CEO/The Chair Centre Group, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and Managing Director, Eventful Limited, Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus at the Premier of B430 TV Series Supported by FirstBank to promote creativity and enterprise in the entertainment industry… recently.

•Aganga

Page 62

Akwa Ibom to privatise power plant

A

KWA Ibom state government has said that it is disposed towards privatising the Ibom Power Plant in Ikot Abasi council area of the state, Senior Special Adviser on Investment and Industrialization, Chief Senas Ukpana has said.

Ukpana who disclosed this during a media parley with members of the Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Uyo recently said that the arrangement was consistent with modern investment practices.

"Government policy is to privatise such investments and this is in line with global practice and in reality with modern times. It has been proven that it is difficult for government to do such business." Ukpana, who is also the chairman of the State Investment Corporation explained.

He said that insinuations by some members of the opposition that the state government was trying to mortgage the future of youths in the state by selling the power plant is being promoted by those who lost out in the last PDP primaries.

He also disclosed that a private investor has proposed to establish another power plant at Ikot Abasi due to the availability of gas supply from the Uquo Gas plant in Esit Eket local council of the area.

From Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo On fears expressed by some people from the Oron area of the state over plans by the state government to relocate the proposed sea port planned for Ibaka in Mbo local council to Esit Eket, the Special Adviser explained that such decisions were technical and would be taken by experts handling the project.

It would be recalled that Senator Ita Enang had in a local radio programme recently urged the state government to reconsider any move aimed at selling the state owned independent power plant for the interest of the future of the state.

Enang had said that feelers that the Governor Godswill Akpabio led administration want to sell the power plant have received a negative response from stakeholders in the state.

The Senate committee chairman on Business and Rules was of the opinion that selling the plant would not only jeopardise efforts at ensuring 24 hour electricity coverage for the people of the state but could deny future generations of the state a valuable asset.

He however said that other less viable investments made by the state government should be sold if there is any need for extra fund for the running of government.

Firm launches cash '4' cover promo

C

HEMSTAR Paints Industry Nig. Ltd, manufacturers of Finecoats and Shield branded paints, has launched a scheme to reward painters across Nigeria in a transaction valued at about N95 million.

According to the Sales Manager of the company, Oladosu Olawale described the scheme as a proactive measure to make painters all over Nigeria happy for their patronage in the last two decades.

"Year 2015 is a year to tighten one's belt as Chemstar celebrates its 20th year anniversary. The year would be a year of excellence for painters in Nigeria because we are fully prepared to make painters property owners," he stated.

'Cash "4" cover' is a promo that that would run from 1st of April through 31st of August, 2015, which attracts cash offer for all the brand of paints' lids from Chemstar paints products.

"The good thing about this promo is that as you bring the paint covers and we identify

By Daniel Adeleye them as authentic covers from our company, we are instantly giving you the cash that worth the number of covers that you bring. We will also register your name and the number of covers that you bring. At the end of the promo, there would be a collation of figure of painters and we would identify 10 painters that bring highest number of paint covers for the future raffles that come later in the year," Olawale added.

In his own remarks, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the company, Apostle Remi Awode observed that the importance of painters to the company in the last two decades of manufacturing paints cannot be overemphasised and that made the management of the company came out with the scheme to appreciate and reward painters with cash, refrigerators, TV sets, car and trip to Ghana for training which its value worth N95 million.

58

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

BUSINESS

IS voice waivered, shifting and dispirited, like a funeral dirge. "I regret working for Dorman Long," said Ahmed Tella, softly and quite sadly. Subtle as his voice was, it boomed like internal monologue of grief and exasperation.

Tella, 43, is a broken man. The father of two is jobless and handicapped even as you read. Having worked as casual labourer for Dorman Long Protective Coatings (DLPC), Agege, Lagos, a subsidiary of Dorman Long Engineering (DLE) for nine years, tragedy struck Tella in common hours in his fourth year, while working with a crane in the company's Agege factory complex.

"That crane was faulty. Before it maimed me, I had persistently complained about the faulty equipment but the company's management refused to look into it. So on that fateful day, I had been working the crane with a colleague when it malfunctioned again. My hand got stuck in its groove and the machine crushed my finger, tearing my flesh and breaking the middle finger on my left hand," disclosed Tella.

Six years after the tragic incident, Tella, a trained mechanic, is totally incapacitated. His middle finger, which got crushed in the factory accident, can no longer function like a normal finger. A clinical evaluation cum disability report carried out on the handicapped finger declared thus: "Current evaluation of the left hand revealed an inability to actually flex the middle finger and distal interphalangeal joints of the same finger, even though stiffness is gone. He may require a functional arthrodesis (Arthrodesis, also known as artificial ankylosis or syndesis, is the artificial induction of joint ossification between two bones via surgery. This is done to relieve intractable pain in a joint which cannot be managed by pain medication, splints, or other normally-indicated treatments) to get the finger out of the way of the other functional fingers."

The report was signed by Dr. M.K. Chira, the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Yaba's consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

However, due to paucity of funds to pay medical bills and his employer's refusal to assist, his crushed finger has become an impediment to his survival, he claimed.

"I can't do any mechanical work now. I can't do my job like I used to. I need all my fingers working perfectly in order to do my work. I wouldn't have suffered the deformity if my employer (Dorman Long) had offered me all the assistance that I needed. I got hurt in the line of duty. The mishap could have been avoided if the company's management had claimed responsibility for the incident. They ought to consider the fact that I had persistently alerted them to the danger involved in working with the faulty crane," said Tella.

The father of two stated that although the company footed bills for the initial and second surgeries carried out on his crushed finger, the company refused to reimburse him for money he spent on subsequent treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi in Yaba, Lagos.

"I was told at the clinic that I need to undergo physiotherapy to heal my handicapped finger but when I informed the company, the management refused to assist or foot the bills for the physiotherapy sessions. I tried to foot the bills for the treatment but I couldn't because I hadn't enough money. I didn't even have money to eat and take care of my family.

"Since I joined the company, I realised that the management loves to owe staff salaries. Our salaries are never paid on time; the company usually owes three months salaries and pays one month's thus keeping us perpetually in need of money. To worsen my plight, the company sacked me after the accident. They treated me like

Life is hell at Dorman Long Olatunji Ololade, Associate Editor, in this special report, recounts the pitiable but harrowing experiences of staff of Dorman Long Protective Coatings (DLPC), Agege, Lagos, a subsidiary of Dorman Long Engineering (DLE), Lagos, in the hands of management just as he mirrors the wave of workers' abuse at different sectors by their respective employers. With additional reports by Wale Ajetunmobi

•Tella

I had become irrelevant and worthless to them," lamented Tella.

'At Dorman Long, life is hellish on the factory floor' Dorman Long paints life in its factories as intrinsically rich and financially rewarding. Its corporate mission statement reads: "Dorman Long will adopt the highest safety and quality standards and provide rewarding career prospects to its employees" among other pledges.

But while the company's management portrays its leadership as the quintessential type that inspires glorious acts of self-sacrifice from the lowliest employee, staff of the company laugh off the myth as "arrant nonsense." But most of them are forced to swallow it.

"What is happening at Dorman Long is very wrong. The management forces us to work in hazardous conditions. They do not pay our salaries in due time. It has become a tradition for the management to owe us three months salary and pay just one month's. And before we get one out of three months' salary, we have to protest or embark on strike action. At Dorman Long, life is hellish on the factory floor. We are not given appropriate safety kits and most of the equipments and facilities are deteriorating.

We work in deplorable conditions and at great peril to our lives," claimed a welder in the company's galvanising department.

The welder who pleaded anonymity revealed that the company had been using him as a casual labourer since 2009. "There is no hope that any of us would ever get staffed," he said.

Corroborating him, Michael, another casual labourer who works in the company's galvanising section claimed that he had been in the company's employ for six years.

He said Dorman Long has established a culture of using workers as casual labourers even though they love to call them "contract staff."

"Look at me for instance; since I received my employment letter in 2008, I am yet to be staffed by the company. My letter stipulates that my employment would be regularised

•This dilapidated galvanizing zinc is also a source of concern to casual workers

and I would be fully staffed by the company after six months, seven years on since I received my employment letter, I am yet to be staffed. The same applies to all of my colleagues working on the factory floor," he said.

But while his colleagues can still hold on to the false hope that things might get better, Etim Okon Mbanga can no longer afford himself the luxury of such hopeful enterprise. Mbanga was sacked after serving Dorman Long for nine years as a casual labourer.

Although the company alleged in his sack letter that he was getting the boot because he drank alcohol while on duty, Mbanga argued that he got the boot because he joined his colleagues in a one-day strike action to protest and demand for three months unpaid wages.

"They did not pay us December 2014 and January 2015 salaries. They made it difficult for us to enjoy the Yuletide. Most of us were forced to endure very bleak Christmas and New Year celebrations because Dorman Long refused to pay us our salaries when due.

"I was sacked because I joined the strike action; they felt since I joined them as a pioneer labourer at the Agege factory, I was supposed to be loyal to the management no matter the situation but the impact of their management style is worse on me.

Few months ago, I lost my daughter to an ailment. At the time she fell ill, I hadn't any money on me. Dorman Long owed us three months salary; I approached them for help but they refused. I couldn't pay my daughter's medical bills because my employer refused to pay my wages. That was why she died. I had been working with the company for nine years, since 2004.

I served as security man, gardener, and I also worked in the galvanising and maintenance departments. I don't deserve the shoddy treatment I have been subjected to by Dorman Long.

God will judge between us," Mbanga lamented.

On another note, Manya, another welder disclosed thus: "Staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) visits the factory intermittently

to give us pep talks. Before some of such sessions, the management sends all casual labourers out of the factory and then they order some administrative staff to dress up in appropriate kits in order to put up a satisfactory show of being safety conscious before the SPDC visitors. This is what they do to us every time and as a result, the SPDC expatriates remain in the dark about the injustices been done to us.

They do not know that Dorman Long keeps us as poorly paid and inappropriately kitted casual labourers."

Agege is the location of Dorman Long Protective Coatings (DLPC), an engineering hot dip galvanising facility. It was designed very much with the demands and specifications of the oil and gas industry in mind.

'We are treated like slaves in a slave camp' Several workers at Dorman Long Engineering's Agege factory complex complained of extremely poor working conditions. Worst hit are labourers in the factory's galvanising section.

Kunle complained of the fumes he and his colleagues are forced to inhale daily in the course of their work.

"The fumes we inhale are extremely dangerous to our health. I have developed chesty coughs and throat sores severally due to the thick fumes I'm persistently exposed to while working in the section. I have complained bitterly and requested for the necessary safety kits but the company has persistently refused to grant my request. When our complaints become too much, they send us to the company clinic for medical check-up but the doctor in charge never lets us know the true picture of our health status. He never reveals the medical report to us. He said he only has to show it to the company's management, as directed by the management. So unless, we go for self-sponsored medical check-up somewhere else, we can't know how badly affected we are by the poor working conditions at Dorman Long," he said.

The workers claimed that the DLPC's galvanising, pretreatment and kettle sections are very hazardous.

"The pipes are rusty in the acid pretreatment section which is very dangerous for anyone working there. Most times, we work under grave fear of suffering acid bath. In the Kettle section, fumes are persistently released in the course of work; these fumes are very thick and very dangerous. We know because it makes us dizzy every time we inhale the fumes," disclosed a casual labourer in the company's kettle section.

"When we protest, they threaten to arrest us. They threaten to invite police officers from the police post located very close to the Agege abattoir to arrest us. We are treated like slaves in a slave camp. We know the law states that if the company does not staff us in six months, it should treat us as contract staff and renew our contracts but the company never does that. I'm still with the employment letter I received from the company six years ago. Some of us here have spent seven, eight and nine years working as casual labourers," argued Adeola, a welder.

In the same vein, Thomas noted that while DLPC denies them appropriate safety kits, "Several other companies give members of their staff doing similar work appropriate safety kits; they also give them soya milk and other nutritious meals to keep them healthy and safe because of the nature of our work but Dorman Long never does that. Most times, when I get dizzy from inhaling too much fumes in the course of my work, I have to rush outside to buy soya milk to replenish any likely damage to my health.

While shedding light on the treatment meted too fresh recruits, a source disclosed that: "The way the company treats younger casual labourers or freshers is also very bad, according to senior casual labourers within the factory. They claimed that newly contracted casual labourers are denied their full pay. Whereas those kids are supposed to earn N1, 500 per day but the management cuts N800 off each labourer's wage and pays him N700.

More worrisomely, these youngsters are forced to work in dangerous con-

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015 ditions.

"The freshers are recruited by a recruitment agency. The manager of the agency allegedly splits the N800 skimmed off each labourer's wage with a very senior manager of Dorman Long, Agege unit. One such freshers lamented that although the company is supposed to pay them their wages every two weeks, the management delays the payment till after six weeks," the source stressed.

Dorman Long's long drawn-out response Attempts by The Nation to get Dorman Long's defense to the allegations proved abortive. When the reporter called Godfrey Ogbolu, Manager of the company's Agege plant, he continually deflected claiming he was not in the best position to speak on the company's behalf. Even after phone conversations with him and text messages were sent to him stating clearly the allegations against him and the company's management by casual labourers in their employ, Ogbolu refused to budge and instead directed The Nation to contact the company's head office at Idi Oro, Mushin.

The Nation's visits to the company's head office also proved abortive, as attempts to speak with the company's Group Managing Director (GMD), Orji Nwosu, were unsuccessful. Subsequently, The Nation wrote and hand delivered a formal letter requesting interview with the company's GMD. Although a senior staff of the company assured that the GMD would get back to The Nation immediately, GMD Nwosu's response had not been received as at press time. The company also refused to contact The Nation through the business card and phone number that The Nation dropped with the organisation.

Further investigations revealed frantic attempts by the company to quickly renovate certain sections of its factory complex in Agege soon after The Nation cited those areas as sections identified by its workers as problematic, to the company's management in its correspondences. Even so, the company could not fix up certain sections of DLPC at press time; this the casual labourers blamed on massive deterioration of the affected areas.

Nature of casualisation The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines casuals as workers who have an explicit or implicit contract of employment which is not expected to continue for more than a short period, whose duration is to be determined by national circumstances. This ambiguous definition has led to varying definitions of casual and contract workers and their rights in different jurisdictions.

Casualisation involves a process whereby more and more of the workforce are employed in casual jobs. It is the corporate trend of hiring and keeping workers on temporary employment rather than permanent

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worrisome if the company involved xxxx in casualisation of labour and gross

•An exposed acid tank

employment, even for years, as a cost reduction measure.

In Nigeria, casualisation is a term used to describe work arrangements that are characterised by bad work conditions like job insecurity, low wages, and lack of employment benefits that accrue to regular employees as well as the right to organise and collectively bargain. In addition, workers in this form of work arrangement can be dismissed at any time without notice and are not entitled to redundancy pay. It is an unprotected form of employment because it does not enjoy the statutory protection available to permanent employees.

An ageless evil The evils of job casualisation has for a long while been on the frontburner of national issues in the country. Traditional industrial relations systems based on the concept of a fulltime employee working within an enterprise are increasingly being challenged by the use of nonstandard work arrangements by employers. These changing patterns of work are at various instances described as casual, contract, temporary, part-time employments, and have created concerns for workers and trade unions alike, especially in Nigeria over job security, social security, terminal benefits and minimum conditions of work are some of these issues.

Not a few stakeholders have argued that the new forms of work arrangements have led to the prospects of a "race to the bottom" in labour standards, particularly in the developing nations. Casual work which is supposed to be a form of temporary employment has acquired the status of permanent employment in the country without the statutory benefits associated with that status.

According to Rosemary Adishetu Danesi, a University of Lagos lecturer

in Law and Industrial Relations, the emerging pattern of employment in Nigeria today is casualisation which is fast becoming the dominant form of flexible work arrangement particularly in the oil and gas Industry.

Danesi noted that there are two forms of employment under casualisation in Nigeria: casual and contract labour. "The terms and conditions of employment of this category of workers are not regulated by the Nigerian labour laws in the sense that their status is not defined nor do the law make provisions for the regulation of the terms and conditions of their employment, hence the mass exploitation of these workers by employers. Employers use casualisation of the labour force as an effective means of reducing cost, maximising profit and de-unionising the work force," she said.

Why casualisation thrives The characteristics of most casuals indicate that this form of employment has more to do with limited choices available to young people, women and low skill workers than any flourishing of choices for people at work according to Rasaq Bamidele of Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun state. "Cost saving associated with casuals are not achieved by cutting their hourly wage rates, rather it appears to arise from the workers' weakened ability to obtain standard rights, traditionally associated with ongoing employment and an inability to fulfill their own working time preferences as they meet the needs of production or service provision," he said.

What the law says about casual labour Contract employment or casualisation of labour contravenes Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198, Laws of the Federal Republic

•Fumes from kettle section constitutes a big problem acoording to the casual workers

of Nigeria, 1990. The law provides that, "not later than three months after the beginning of a worker's period of employment with an employer, the employer shall give the worker a written statement, specifying the terms and conditions of employment." The conditions include the nature of the employment and if the contract is for a fixed term and the date the contract expires.

Recently, the organised private sector unions accused employers of hiding behind what they call the 'core' value of their businesses to casualise over 70 per cent of their workers. The unions alleged that the growing culture of casualisation by employers was more common in banks and other financial institutions, insurance firms, food and beverage companies as well as in the printing and publishing sectors of the economy.

Chairman of the Industrial Global Union (IGU), Sub-Saharan Africa, Comrade Issa Aremu, said that organised labour is determined to end precarious working conditions in the country. He said, "currently, worldwide and in Nigeria too, workers are exposed to worsening health and safety situations with increased cases of deaths and injuries at work.

"In Nigeria, companies are replacing their full-time workforce with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers at a frightening rate. Employers now hide behind what they call the 'core' value of their business to casualise over 70 per cent of their workers.

"Low incomes, job insecurity, delayed payments of salaries and pensions, long hours of work without overtime payment, denial of sick leave and payment for sick leave, denial of annual and maternity leaves, lack of redundancy benefits, poor health and safety conditions and non-payment of compensation for injuries sustained at work, poor working conditions, poor motivation and lack of social protection are bedeviling employees.

Local and international labour unions frown at what they described as "violation" with "impunity" by employers particularly in the private sector as workers are often denied the right to organise protests against unwholesome practices by their employers as is often the case at Dorman Long's Agege complex, according to casual labourers in the company.

Just recently, the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) threatened to downtools without further notice to Chinese construction firms over what it termed unfair labour practices in Nigeria, particularly the casualisation of workers at their sites and in their offices.

However, it becomes even more

violation of workers' rights is administered by Nigerians, laments Otaobayomi Sanyaolu Davids, a lawyer.

Some practical way out "We need to adopt a multi-dimensional personal work contract framework for Nigeria that will take into cognisance various types of employment contracts, and consequently provide a legal framework for the regulation and protection of employment of workers‌The Nigerian industrial relations system is tripartite in nature like most others in the world, therefore the government has to step in through legislation and policy to protect the weaker party in the contract of employment (in this case the employees) from exploitation by the employers," noted Danesi.

She said that government's policy on casualisation must be harmonised and explicit as opposed to the current situation.

"The demise of standard employment need not necessarily undermine standards in the labour market; indeed, new standards and arrangements, designed around the fairer sharing of risk, are necessary to ensure sustainable bases for labour productivity growth nurtured in future," she stressed.

Practical as Danesi's panacea is intended to be, the status quo of Nigeria's business sector heightens fears of a worsening situation.

Eleven years ago, Alex, a 35-year old factory worker with a steel company in Ikeja, Lagos, was beheaded by a machine in a factory accident. The late worker, a native of Edo State, lost his life when the presumably switched off machine suddenly clicked into life, chopping off his head like the guillotine. Despite the grim occurrence, his Chinese employers behaved as if nothing abnormal happened. They simply ordered their factory supervisors to go on with the day's activities.

Three years later, about 100 of 249 casual workers were burnt alive after their Chinese boss locked them in the factory during a night shift.

The Chinese supervisor reportedly needed to rest hence he locked the factory gate and left for the official quarters of the Chinese owners located within the factory premises.

By locking the gate, which happened to be the only exit, he sealed the fate of the workers like poor, hopeless inmates of a slave camp.

Barely thirty minutes since his departure, thick billows of smoke wafted out of the factory store. Instinctively, many of the workers made for the exit but some of them never made it. Trapped in the raging inferno they were simply burnt to death - over a hundred of them.

However, fire alone was not responsible for the deaths. Most of the survivors were treated for gunshot wounds. One such survivor who had actually escaped but was shot while trying to rescue some of his colleagues claimed he was shot from behind by the factory owners. He claimed he saw some of the Chinese men shooting randomly and indeed the General Manager of the company admitted to shooting at so-called "hoodlums" to protect company property. According to him, "only ten people died."

Years after these terrible incidents, many Nigerians still slave away helplessly in hideous work conditions imposed upon them by their employers. At DLPC, Agege, Lagos, things couldn't get any worse.

Addendium: Readers should please note that most of the names mentioned in this report with the exception of Mr. Ahmed Tella and a few others, are not the real names of their respondents to safeguard their identities.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

BUSINESS

ORAY into insurance sub-sector I have been in the insurance sub-sector for 30 years.

First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited is a brokering outfit. We're into insurance business and we're the intermediary between the clients and the insurance companies.

First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited was registered in May 1987 as James Sanfol Insurance Brokers Unlimited. It commenced operations on 1st July of same year. But I acquired the company in 1998.

The company which is registered with a share capital of N100,000.00 had its capital increased to N250,000.00 in 1991. In line with the provision of the 1997 Insurance Decree, which prescribed a minimum share capital of N5 million for Insurance Brokers, the capital base of the company was further increased to N5,000,000.00 in November 1998. As at date, the share capital of the company is N20million and fully paid-up.

The company has a professional indemnity cover for N250 million, more than the N5million required by law. This policy guarantees indemnity against legal liability to pay any claim attributed to professional negligence that may result from the activities of our employees.

In September 1999, the company changed its name from James Sanfol to First Dominion to reflect the new ownership structure of the company and a deliberate marketing strategy at repositioning the company for efficient service delivery to our numerous and cherished clients nationwide.

As I said earlier, I myself have been in the insurance industry, so when I came out I acquired the company and then restructured it. I took over formally in 2001. I had people running it before I came on board. I have been the CEO for the past 14 years.

Insurance as a hard sell Yes, it is a hard sell. My assessment of why I think insurance sector is a hard sell is that I think it's because in the past people have not been working hard enough to sell insurance. People were laidback and expected clients to come and see what's available. But actually, that is the reason for a broker. The insurance broker is really the one that interfaces with the clients. Just like lawyers, the insurance brokers serve the interest of their clients, in terms of equal representation, educate them, and then we take insurance to their doorsteps.

We also let them know that they don't just walk up to an insurance company and say 'I want to take this cover' without necessarily knowing all the intricacies and all the rest of them. It is we the brokers that would tell them this is what is required, this is what you don't need, this is what you should pay and vice versa. And when you have claims, we make sure that you get the value for that claim.

Claim settlement as bane of insurance Insurance companies don't ask anything out of this world. It is just due to the level of ignorance in the society. You see, when you're taking up an insurance cover, you just have to go through an expert. There are conditions precedent that determine what you get in an insurance cover or claim as the case may be.

When there is a claim, there are conditions precedent to the settlement of those claims. There are certain pieces of information you need to provide, you're in possession of those information so you need to provide them. But then, when you have a broker that is not job, it is your broker that would run around for you and put all these things together.

So, you don't have to read the small print, you don't have to bother yourself about the policy statement. It is your broker who will make sure that your interest is covered in that policy document and when there is anything, they take

'We do the right thing at the right time' Adeyemi Ilori Adekoya, astute administrator, insurance broker, is Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited, a frontline insurance brokerage firm. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he speaks on the prospects and challenges of insurance vis-à-vis the operating environment, development in the sector, his management style, among others. Excerpts:

•Adekoya

care of it. You just sit back and get your cheque. That's all.

Capitalisation in the insurance sector I want to say that the level of capitalisation in the insurance sector is inadequate now. We're talking about N3billion for general business, N5billion for composite business ventures. If you

compare that to the recapitalisation in the banking sector, it is low. And that is why we don't have capacity to underwrite certain risks 100 per cent in Nigeria like the oil and gas sector, aviation sector, instance, etc. Basically, we do about three per cent. The rest are all reinsured abroad.

So, with N5billion, how can you go and

“Well, there is no winning secret other than the fact that we try to do the right thing at the right time. At First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited, service is our watchword. You see, when you give good service to a customer, they will always come back and will often refer others to you, that is just the secret”

take up a risk that is worth hundreds of millions of dollars? That is not just possible. So, we don't have that capacity locally, hence, there is a lot of capital flight.

So, in my own opinion, I think that the issue of a robust capital base in the insurance sector needs to be readdressed.

There is need to jack up the capital base, otherwise we're not in business.

But if we must recapitalise, it is not something you can do spontaneously. It has to be structured somehow. It is something you have to take up gradually. You can have a kind of five years development plan aimed at the growth of the insurance industry and you say okay, in the next five years, this is what we want to achieve and so on and so forth. We should look forward to companies within the sub-region coming to us to insure their businesses.

Management style You see, first and foremost, it is not easy. We have a set up in the six geopolitical zones in the country. You see, one thing is this: insurance is my profession, I have passion for it. I don't have any other business besides insurance.

So, if I must do and I must earn a living from it, take care of my responsibilities, I need to do it right. Though I must confess, it has not been easy at all. But there is no alternative to it. Winning secrets Well, there is no winning secret other than the fact that we try to do the right thing at the right time. At First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited, service is our watchword. You see, when you give good service to a customer, they will always come back and will often refer others to you, that is just the secret.

Turnover Well, that's a tough one but I can say something without necessarily disclosing it. Any insurance brokerage firm that is worth its salt and has been in business for 28 years, that is doing less than N100million per annum, should think twice. I don't see any future for it. So, I think that answers your question.

(Laughs).

Staff motivation I apply the stick and carrot approach.

You see, insurance business is a marketing-oriented business. It's unlike civil service where oga ta, oga ota, owo alaru a pe (translated to mean, whether there is sale or not, you must pay workers).

This one, it is work and eat. What you produce is what you get. So, if you work extra hard in addition to your salary, you get a competitive bonus. So, if you don't, you're home and dry.

Toughest decision as CEO The toughest decision I have had to take over the years is not sacking anybody. But, of course, I will encourage you to find another greener pasture if you know that you cannot put in your best. I sit down with you and discuss fruitfully.

Of course, a relationship you have built over the years, it would be very difficult for you. So, that's why it's very difficult for me to sack people. I sit down with you and advice and say, 'look you're not really putting in your best'.

Succession plan Of course, I do. Most insurance brokering outfits operating in the country today, about 600 of them, most of them are what you can call portfolio companies, they are just one-man businesses.

They're just in one room or they don't even have office at all. If one has taken the pains to open offices in the six geo-political zones across the country and you have employees, and you have opened up your shares to members of the public, north, south, east and west, it means that yes, you have a succession plan and you want that company to survive you; you want the company to be a continuous business venture. So that is just it. So I believe that just like European and American companies, I'm already envisaging what First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited will be in the next 10-20 years.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

Police arrest thugs with arms in Osun From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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OLICE in Osun State have arrested two suspected political thugs in Ilesha town.

Found in their possession were dangerous weapons, including axes, cutlasses, arms and ammunitions.

Security men drawn from the Police Mobile Training College, Ila recovered the arms near the collation centre for the results of the Osun East senatorial election at Ilesa Grammar School, Okesa.

It was gathered that two vehicles, including a white unregistered Toyota Hilux van and an 18-seater commercial in which some guns, axes and cutlasses were recovered had been impounded by the police at the Ilesa Area Command.

An informed source said that the thugs in the two vehicles escaped into a nearby market when they realised that the police had closed in on them, thereby making it difficult for the security men to apprehend them.

However, the driver of one of the vehicles and an Okada rider suspected to be their informant were arrested.

The two suspects and the recovered arms had been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the state police command in Osogbo, the state capital.

The Police Commissioner in charge of Elections in Osun State, Mr. Sam Okaula, who confirmed the incident, said the case would be thoroughly investigated.

Ajimobi deserves reelection-LG boss From Tayo Johnson

T

HE Caretaker Chairman of Akinyele Local Government in Oyo State, Hon. Ope Salami, says the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, deserves re-election due to his verifiable achievements in the last four years.

Salami spoke while moving round the 12 wards within the council area to solicit support for the governor in the April 11 governorship election.

He advised members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be united, steadfast and to avoid factions within the party to enable them achieve their aims.

Stating that the state was in quandary before the governor's emergence in 2011, the council boss said, "The leadership qualities of Senator Ajimobi could not be overlooked as he has revamped the state's economy to an enviable position. He had also assisted rural communities in their selfhelp projects through provision of rural agro industrial equipment such as palm oil and cassava machines."

The council boss also commended the governor for what he described as his monumental achievements in virtually all the sectors of the economy, particularly the urban renewal programme, education, health care delivery, massive infrastructural development and youth empowerment.

NEWS

Defection: Mimiko stops Dep. Gov aides' salaries C

ONSEQUENT upon the defection of the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has allegedly ordered the stoppage of the salaries and allowances of all political aides of his deputy.

A source said Mimiko took the decision as payback to his deputy who ditched him and the PDP at a very crucial period.

It was also gathered that Mimiko had initially ordered the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Isaac Eke, to withdraw all the security aides of

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Olanusi, in addition to preventing him from having access to all official vehicles attached to the office of the deputy governor.

Sources, however, said immediately Buhari was declared winner on Tuesday by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, the CP immediately restored Olanusi's security details, while he also allowed him access to all his official cars.

The source disclosed how the drama all played out: "You know Olanusi's defection came as a rude shock to the governor. He never believed the man would defect to APC, because

as at Tuesday before the presidential election, both of them and other PDP leaders were all present at the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan's rally in Akure.

"The governor does not forgive people easily, but Olanusi is well prepared for the huge task ahead. Immediately the information reached the governor that his deputy had defected, he directed the Commissioner of Police to withdraw all the security personnel attached to the office of the deputy governor and also grounded all the vehicles belonging to the office.

"The CP, however, returned all the security men attached to the deputy governor

on Tuesday once it was clear that President Goodluck Jonathan had lost the election.

But the governor is not giving up. He has given a directive that the salaries of all aides of his deputy should be stopped.

This is Mimiko's political style."

Confirming the development, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the deputy governor, Daisi Ajayi, said his boss' security details and vehicles were withdrawn before it was restored on Tuesday.

He also confirmed that there was a directive from the governor to stop the allowances and salaries of all the political aides working with the deputy governor.

From L-R: Former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Sosan; APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Lagos APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Chief Charles Ahize, during Ambode’s campaign visit to Alaba International Market on Saturday. PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Osun PDP crisis: Omisore threatening my life, alleges Ogundokun T

HE crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has deepened with a stalwart of the party, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, alleging the party's governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has threatened to assassinate him.

In a letter to the state Commissioner of Police, dated 30th March, 2015, Ogundokun said, "Omisore and his agents are on my trail to assassinate me. Omisore began a campaign of calumny, blackmail and accusation of anti-party activities against me for my boldness in disclosing before Mr. President and others at Aso Rock of his selfish role, dictatorial tendencies and his failure to take advice and listen to voice

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

of reason during the gubernatorial election in Osun State in which he was our party's candidate."

He added, "On 30th of March, 2015 at about 7.48 am, I received a private phone call that I would be assassinated due to a matter concerning my encounter with Omisore."

Asking for police protection to protect him from possible harm, Ogundokun in the letter to the Osun CP pleaded, "I seek, with respect, your command's protection for my person by deploying your men to guard and guide me in my daily activities in order to save my life from

Senator Iyiola Omisore and his agents. It is only when I have protection that my immediate and extended families and well wishers will have the confidence that I can live to see my old age.

"I am also imploring you to invite Omisore to your office to sign an undertaking promising not to threaten my life, not to assassinate me or use his agents to threaten or kill me within and outside Osun State."

Insisting that he has evidence to prove that Omisore and his agents are after his life, Ogundokun in an interview with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, expressed displeasure about

the alleged assassination of his character by Omisore, who, he said, was peddling the rumour that he stole N99 million from his campaign fund and that he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Alleging that Omisore was only pursuing his selfish agenda in order to appropriate political positions to himself and his cronies, the PDP chieftain maintained that time has come to address the challenges Omisore's personality is posing to the PDP and chances of its candidates in the coming polls.

According to him, support for the PDP in Osun State was because of some good people in the party, many of whom Omisore are frustrating with his selfishness and bad image.

Be wary of sycophants, religious leaders, Arewa leader urges Buhari T

HE Seriki Hausawa of Ibadanland, Alhaji Ahmad Dahiru Zungeru, has urged the President-elect, Gen. Muhamadu Buhari, to keep political sycophants and religious leaders at arm's length, if he hopes to succeed in office.

Addressing journalists in his Sabo Palace, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Zungeru

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

said with Buhari's experience and maturity, he would have the wisdom to lead the country in a positive direction.

While urging Buhari not to let down Nigerians, the Arewa leader further tasked the presi-

dent-elect to ensure the transformation of the nation into an egalitarian society where everyone is equal and catered for.

He also called on Gen. Buhari to extend his hands of fellowship to his opponents and should also engage the services of technocrats to assist him in

delivering on his campaign promises.

Zungeru, who commended Nigerians for their peaceful conduct during the elections, also admonished the Hausa community in the state to be law abiding and ensure free, fair and credible election in next week's governorship and house of assembly elections in the state.

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Alaba stands still for Ambode

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OR the first time ever, traders of the Igbodominated Alaba International Market in Lagos closed their stores to express solidarity with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who visited the popular market on Saturday.

Accompanied by Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and other APC chieftains, Ambode was greeted with cheers from the excited traders, as his train moved through the market.

One of the leaders of the Industrial Market Union of the Alaba Market said the decision to close their shops to gather in support of Ambode, was borne out of their unanimous resolve to contribute to the sustained progress and prosperity of Lagos.

Ambode expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support from the traders, while promising a Lagos where dividends of governance will be provided to residents of the state without discrimination.

He said, "With the APC government at the centre, our economy is set to get a boost, and infrastructure is also set for a remarkable rise. But you know what, Lagos State has been our home, and we will largely benefit from this possibility only when we all vote for the APC at all levels in the state elections. It will be for the good of your businesses, your livelihood and further prosperity."

While urging the traders to vote for the APC governorship candidate, Osinbajo commended them for the massive turnout, and tasked them to shun any form of ethnic bias ahead of the gubernatorial elections in the state.

"Bad governance doesn't know tribes or religion, and fortunately, this is the same for good governance. Vote for the APC, vote for Ambode, to ensure that Lagos grabs this opportunity to get to a level where every Nigerian in Lagos will enjoy," Osinbajo said.

'No government will take Nigerians for granted again'

By Oziegbe Okoeki

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HE Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, has congratulated Nigerians for their patriotism and success of the March 28 general elections.

In an interview with our correspondent, the lawmaker praised the courage, resilience and patriotism displayed by Nigerians, which he noted, has positively enhanced the image of the country.

He said, "Indeed, democracy has come to stay in our nation and henceforth, no regime will take Nigeria for granted again," adding that the election has sent a strong signal to all politicians that the welfare and interests of the people must always come first in the discharge of their duties.

Abiru also congratulated the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, for organising free, fair and credible elections.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS REVIEW

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What becomes of Jonathan’s women?

In the past few years, the administration of outgoing President Goodluck has given women more voice in government.

While some of the women were humble with power, others became burdens to the government. In this piece, YUSUF ALLI, MANAGING EDITOR, NORTHERN OPERATION looks at what next for Jonathan’s women.

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ISPUTABLY, the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan prided itself as having increased women’s participation in government from 10% to above 30 %. In a foreword to a book, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Champion for Women, the controversial Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said: “This is indeed, not just historic, but something special in the history of Nigeria! Half the world’s population is female but the international average of women in elected office is only around 20%. Look at the top officeholders, and the figure is lower still; in Nigeria, however, one in three members of the Federal Executive Cabinet is a woman. It is a fact of which all Nigerians, male and female, can be justly proud.”

Some of the key appointments bestowed on women in the last four years were the Chief Justice of the Federation, ministerial appointments, DirectorsGeneral / Executive Secretaries of key parastatals, the first female Rear Admiral, and the enrolment of female regular combatant into the Nigeria Defence Academy among others.

But the most contentious had to do with the appointment of female ministers. It was a motley crowd with mixed grill results. From the self-styled mother of the nation, First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, whose grammatical blunders were theatrical, to the untouchable ex-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

The women in Jonathan’s team regaled the nation with different scenarios. Miffed by the absurdity of some of the women in government, exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo at a point said there were five presidents in Nigeria, referring to President Jonathan, the First Lady, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; exMinister of Aviation, Stella Oduah; and the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr.(Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Their unexpected disengagement from power leaves a question: what becomes of them? The list includes the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; Minister of State for Education, Prof.

Viola Onwuliri; and Minister of State for Agriculture, Hajia Asabe Asmau Ahmed.

Others are Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi; Minister of Environment, Mrs. Lawrencia LarabaMallam; Minister of Information, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki; Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs. Hauwa’u Lawan Bappa; ex-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah; ex-Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia; ex-Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Lady Amal Pepple; ex-Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai; ex-Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi; ex-Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada.

OKONJO-IWEALA The 61-year old, Minister of Finance since 2011 had occupied the same office between 2003 and 2006. For a brief period, she was also Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her second missionary journey into the Federal Executive Council has been lack luster, riddled with controversies and largely a disaster. Right from the onset, she assumed the unconstitutional status of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy to the consternation of her colleagues in the cabinet. In spite of the constitutional aberration of the office as conferred on her with fiat by the President, she pretended all was well while usurping the position of Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is naturally in charge of the

•Jonathan coordination of the economy. Besides most Ministers go cap in hand to her for budgetary allocation, the implementation of the nation’s budget had hardly reached 60 per cent implementation in the last four years. To her credit, the economy grew to become the largest in Africa, following a rebasing exercise, with little impact on the standard of living of Nigerians. Although Okonjo-Iweala serves on the Advisory Board of Global Financial Integrity, it was amazing that under her nose there was fuel subsidy scam and about $20b oil cash could not be accounted for. All manner of consultants were imported to manage the economy in one form or the other. There can be no better verdict on the state of the economy than the 10-page treatise of a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, who said: “Our public finance is hemorrhaging to the point that estimated over N30tn is missing, or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged.” Certainly, this her second coming has affected her rating as a development economist. She is likely to return to her NGO, NOI Global Consulting after a troubled tenure. But no one will listen to her shriek voice anymore. Above all, she has a job to clear her name of the financial sleaze in President Jonathan’s government.

ALISON-MADUEKE Born in December 1960, the Queen of the oil sector has set a record of being the most powerful minister Nigeria has ever produced. Her words were law in the Federal Executive Council and no Minister could oppose her memo. Doing so will incur the wrath of the powers that be.

Ministers dote on her because that is the surest way to win the hearts of forces at the Presidential Villa. Once at a session of the Federal Executive council (FEC), she banged the phone to the consternation of all. Yet, there was no reprimand because she towers above all. In his bid to get reappointment after cabinet dissolution, a former Minister allegedly once prostrated for Alison-Madueke in her home.

A mermaid with her unique beauty, the minister who grew up in Mubi had been a trail blazer with many firsts including the first Nigerian woman to be on the board of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Nigeria; the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources; the first female Petroleum Minister to work with five Group Managing Directors of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and the first female OPEC President. The fuel subsidy scam under her care led to a nationwide shut down in January 2012 and the protest almost brought the Jonathan administration to its knees. Apart from the local content development initiative, it is difficult to point out any spectacular achievement of her in office. The failures were like anthills: over $20b oil funds unaccounted for; disinvestment in the oil sector by International Oil Companies (IOCs); fall in the sale of crude oil; nonpassage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB); increase in oil theft; award of N4b pipeline protection contract to ex-militants and militia leaders. Although she still has an assignment in OPEC, it is likely she might step aside as the cartel’s President because the slot is usually for a country and not an individual. What next is being

•Okonjo-Iweala

•Akinjide a player in the oil sector. But before she becomes an oil baroness, she may appear before many panels to defend her tenure.

She will have rough days ahead but she has the gut to survive the odds.

OMOBOLA JOHNSON The Minister of Communication Technology was born on June 28, 1963 to the family of the late High Chief Bayo Akinnola, who was the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom. Born into a family noted for its integrity and hard work, she was the Country Director of Accenture (a Management Consultancy Group) before she emerged as a Minister. Though on the quiet side, she has been able to achieve an increase in ratio of mobile subscriptions from 68.49% in 2011 to about 85% in 2015.

Also, the mobile phone coverage which stood at 40% in 2012 might increased to about 55 to 60 per cent before the end of the year. Her greatest weakness is the inability of her ministry to address epileptic GSM service by telecoms firms.

Though the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) imposed over N1.17billion on some telecoms firms, the sanctions were like mere slap on the wrist.

Mrs. Johnson might return to the private sector after leaving office.

SARAH RENG OCHEKPE A quiet and highly religious Minister, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe was born in October 1961. A trained journalist and holder of Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Jos. During her tenure, Nigeria has been able to achieve about 69-70 per cent access to potable water; constructed or rehabilitated 33 dams and 28 earth dams nationwide; and executed 15 irrigation projects which could create two million jobs when fully utilized.

The ministry also secured a N2.4billion grant from Japan for water supply to five states. She was also able to address annual flooding in the country by developing Flood Control and Early Warning System (FEWS). For the first time in the history of the Ministry of Water Resources, she ran a trouble or scandal free tenure. Soft spoken and brilliant, Mrs. Ochekpe ran into political storm when she coordinated the controversial campaign dinner for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan where about N21billion was raised beyond the N1billion campaign limit in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Before she could be consumed by the campaign fund crisis,

•Alison Madueke former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana came to her aid by claiming that the funds were meant for the completion of PDP National Secretariat. After May 29, Mrs. Ochekpe will remain a key grassroots player in Plateau State from where she was catapulted into national limelight. She used to be a member of Afri Foundation seeking to tackle poverty in Africa.

Definitely, she will return to local politics because she is rated as “loyal”.

JUMOKE AKINJIDE A product of Harvard Law School, the 56-year old Oloye Jumoke Akinjide is often judged in the shadow of her father, Chief Richard Osuolale Akinjide (SAN) who was known for the controversial 12 2/3 politics at the Presidential Election Tribunal in 1979 which led to the upholding of the election of ex-President Shehu Shagari. Oloye Akinjide’s vision was for the FCT to be “among the top 20 capital cities in the world.” But she is leaving a decrepit city whose master plan has been abused by Abuja land grabbers. All the six Area Councils she superintends are gradually turning into slums where nothing works. She has spent the last two years preoccupied with politics in Oyo State because of her deferred governorship aspiration. She is likely to return to her Newman Legal Office after her tenure has elapsed. But take a bet, she will not stop playing politics in Oyo State because she thinks she is a force to reckon with.

VIOLA ONWULIRI A Professor of Biochemistry, she was a shadow minister under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in the last four years.

Her devastating moment in office was when she lost her amiable husband, Prof.

Celestine Onwuliri in the DANA Air crash of June 3, 2012. A mother of five and grandmother of three, she was born in June 1956.

While as a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, she was in charge of bilateral agreements and the coordination of BiNational Commission with the United States. She burnt her political fingers recently when she was involved in a protest march with some widows in Owerri, Imo State. With the way she was panting after a raw deal in Owerri, she does not have a strong heart for politics. She has the choice to return to the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Jos or engage in NGO and church activities which have earned her more than 200 recognitions.

ZAINAB MAINA One of the oldest in the cabinet, Hajiya Maina was born in 1948. A caterer par excellence, she has spent a greater part of her life as an advocate for women. Apart from being a former National President of the National Council for Women Societies of Nigeria, the climax of her career was in 1994 when she was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Adamawa State Women Commission. During her administration, she has been able to prevail on 23 states to pass the Child Rights Act; she launched the National Database for Vulnerable Children; promoted Affirmative Action which led to more positions for women beyond the 20% target set by the UN and establishment of skill acquisition schemes in 20 VVF Rehabilitation centres nationwide. She is going back to the grassroots for more

women advocacy after May 29.

STELLA ODUAH Despite the fact that she is no longer in President Jonathan’s cabinet, Princess Stella Oduah is one of the five mighty hands behind the wheels in the presidency. In and out of office, she remains an unseen hand. While in office, she embarked on the remodeling of Lagos New General Aviation Terminal, and airports in Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Katsina, and Akure. She also renovated Hajj terminals in Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Sokoto.

Hardworking but rated as power drunk, the 53-year old ex-Minister was one of the “untouchables” in Jonathan’s cabinet until she was indicted for the purchase of two bulletproof (armoured cars) at a cost of N255million for use as a Minister.

The scam led to her unceremonious exit from the cabinet.

President Jonathan’s foot-dragging on Oduah’s fate almost created a moral problem for his administration. After sullen period, the princess has regained her track. She is now a Senator-elect from Anambra State.

After May 29, she has a date with history because she is still being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

AMA PEPPLE Until she was suddenly sacked by President Goodluck Jonathan, she was one of the most experienced female ministers Nigeria has ever produced.

Armed with a First Class Bachelor’s Honours from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), she was a Clerk to the Senate, ex-Permanent Secretary in seven Federal Ministries. As a Minister, she developed National Housing Policy and National Urban Development Policy. Her early exit from the cabinet was due to her audacity in telling the President to settle his political differences with Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Not minding her age, she knelt down for President Jonathan in order to avert the inevitability of losing his reelection bid. She was booted out of the cabinet. But today, she can walk tall because she has been vindicated by the defeat of Jonathan. She is a good chorister in church. She might bounce back to power soon.

PATRICIA AKWASHIKI Born on November 2, 1953, Patricia Naomi Akwashiki, once representing Nasarawa North as a Senator. Though she is presently the Minister of Information, she was yet to settle down when her boss was defeated during the Presidential Election. As a Senator, she sponsored a bill to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau Act. As a politician, she had defected from the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She may likely return to politics which has entered her blood.

ASABE ASMAU AHMED Before her appointment, she has had a brilliant career in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and what a source described as a “rewarding experience” in the private sector. A reputable town planner, Asabe is also respected for her frankness, honesty and devotion to duty. She will surely go back to the private sector.

AKON EYAKENYI A former Commissioner for Industry, Commerce and Tourism in Akwa Ibom State, she is a nominee of Governor Godswill Akpabio. With the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development proving a hard nut to crack since she came on board, she is likely going back to her state for local politicking.

LAWRENCIA LARABA MALLAM Prior to her nomination, she was the National President of Catholic Women Organization (CWO). Her appointment was borne out of political exigency and calculation for the just-concluded Presidential Election.

As a grassroots mobilizer, she could however not save Jonathan from defeat in Kaduna. She may return to church activism.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

NEWS

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

KUPOLUYI

EZEDANI

CHANGE OF NAME LAWAL

I formerly known and addressed as Miss OLUWAWEMIMO STELLA KUPOLUYI, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. ARIYO OLUWAWEMIMO STELLA. All formal documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

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ADELAKUN

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Adetunji Wasiu Ayinla and Adetunji Wasiu Adekunle refers to one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Adetunji Wasiu Ayinla. All former documents remain valid. WAEC and general public should please take note.

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EPHRAIM I formerly known and addressed as Miss Theresa Edem Ephraim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Favour Archibong Effiong. All formal documents remain valid.

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ODUSOLU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Odusolu, Adeola Miracle Iyanuoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Ajibade, Adeola Iyanuoluwa Miracle. All formal documents remain valid.

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Obafemi AwolowoUniversity Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife and general public should please take note.

FATUNBI

I formerly known and addressed as Fatunbi, Ganiat Abeje, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kosoko, Ganiat Abeje. All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

RAPHAEL I formerly known and addressed as Miss Raphael Helen Titilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olobatoke, Helen Titilayo. All formal documents remain valid.

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BELLO

I formerly known and addressed as Bello Nurudeen Lekan, now wish to be known and addressed as Bello, Fawaz Olamilekan. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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AJAYI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi, Olumide Sefunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo, Olumide Sefunmi.

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Crown Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti and general public should please take note.

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I formerly known and addressed as Miss Fabunmi, Olayemi Olusola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omole, Olayemi Olusola. All former documents remain valid. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, NYSC and general public should please take note.

OGUNTUBERU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oguntuberu, Funmilola Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obabire, Mary Funmilola. All former documents remain valid.

College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State Government and general public should please take note.

JACOB

I formerly known and addressed as Jacob Monday, now wish to be known and addressed as Jacob Michael Monday. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NWACHUKWU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluchi Nwachukwu, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Oluchi Yellow Ikpegbu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AWOFISIBE I, formerly known and addressed as AWOFISIBE BOLADALE AJOKE, now wish to be known and address as APARA BOLADALE AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UZOR

OZOR

ONYEIZU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzor Amaka Silvia now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mokwunye, Amaka Silvia. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria immigration Service and general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss ANEZICHI ANNUNCIATA ONYEIZU, now wish to be known as Mrs. ANAEZICHI ANNUNCIATA UMENDI. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

NKENCHOR

CONFIRMATION OF NAME AGBAKWARA ONYEKACHI OSCAR and ONYEKACHI OSCAR ABGAKWARA. refers to one and the same person, now wish to be known as ONYEKACHI OSCAR AGBAKWARA. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nkenchor Chukwudumebi judith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. FredrickNkenchor Chukwudumebi Judith.

All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public should please take note.

ORJI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Awa Orji, and wish to be known and addressed as Mary johnson Eme. All former documents remain valid,general public should please take note.

AKUGBE

OBASHOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Tunde Damilare Obashola, now wish to be known and addressed as Obashola Gideon Babatunde. All former documents remain valid.

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OJO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ediare Precious Akugbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. AghedoJonathan Precious Akugbe. All formal documents remain valid.

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I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo, Tomilola Tolu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adegun, Tomilola Tolu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Djibo Tahirou is the same person as Sawani Jibrin All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Glory Oscar Bassey, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Glory Uche Elechi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

LAWAL

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Lawal Fatima Adeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ahmed Fatima Adeola. All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MOJEKWU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Mojekwu, Adaobi Leticia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ikenta Adaobi Leticia. All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

TORIOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Toriola Olayinka Aramide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Badmus Olayinka Aramide. All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Bello Ayinde is the same person as Ayinde Ismalla All formal documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AZUBUIKE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Azubuike Ugochi Chidire, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mgborogwu Ugochi Chidire. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

ORJI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Orji Oluchi Irene, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ikechukwu Oluchi Irene.

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NNELI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NNELI ANULIKA FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NGANABA ANULIKA FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

BASSEY

AYANKUNLE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayankunle Margaret Fiyinfoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olabiyi Margaret Fiyinfoluwa . All former documents remain valid. Osun State Universal Basic Education Board, Osogbo and genera public take note.

OKOWARE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoware Oluwabusayomi Rebecca, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oladejo Oluwabusayomi Rebecca. All former documents remain valid Sterling bank and general public take note.

ONWUKE

OBIRI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Pamela Nana Obiri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Pamela Nana Okojie. All former documents remain valid .The general public please take note.

EZEUKWU

I formerly known and addressed as, Miss Ezeukwu Irene Ekwutors, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Lawe Irene Ekwutors. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

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JAYESIMI

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SUNMONU

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OKUNOREN

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OGUNLEYE

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OSUJI

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ADEYOOLA

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OBI

EWETAN

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CHUKWUEMEKA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kole Olubusola Tosin Josephine, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Ajani Olubusola Tosin. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

HASAN

I formerly Known and addressed as Miss Kuponiyi Iyabo Temitayo, now wish to be Known and addressed as Mrs Adebowale Iyabo Temitayo. All former documents remain valid. Ecole professionnelle Specialisee la cite, NYSC and the general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Gladys Obi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odom Chioma Gladys. All formal documents remain valid.

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I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Idayat Adenike Hasan, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Idayat Adenike Owolabi. All former documents remain valid.

United Kingdom Embassy and general public should please take note.

AZEEZ

KUPONIYI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS KEHINDE OLABISI ADEYOOLA, now wish to be known and address as MRS MAJEKODUNMI KEHINDE OLABISI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss AZEEZ OLAWUMI HAFSAT, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. AWE OLAWUMI HAFSAT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLADOKUN

ADEDOYIN

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adedoyin Esther funmilola, now wish to be Known and addressed as Mrs Abayomi Esther Funmilola. All former documents remain valid. uniilorin Union bank and the general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Glory Ikechukwu Onwuke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Glory Musa. All formal documents remain valid.

Nigerian Army, First Bank of Nigeria Limited and general public should please take note.

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that NWANEVU , UGOCHUKWU PROMISE and NWANEVU, UGOCHUKWU refers to one and the same person ,and now wish to be known and addressed as CHIJIOKE ,PROMISE UGOCHUKWU .All former document remain valid .General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oladokun Temitope Ajoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo Temitope Adebisi. All former documents remain valid. SPED International Sec. School F.C.E (Special), Oyo and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

KOLE

ABDULRAHIM

CHIKEZIE

I formerly known and addressed to as Miss. CHIKEZIE IJEOMA. Now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. GOODLUCK-CHUKWUEMEKA IJEOMA. All former documents remained valid. The general public should please take note.

COLLINS

I formerly known and addressed to as COLLINS CHARLES IYALA. Now wishes to be known and addressed as FELIX IKIRIKO. All former documents remained valid. The general public should please take note.

ONABOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as ONABOYE AFOLABI QUADRI now wish to be addressed as POPOOLA AFOLABI QUADRI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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65

Amaechi calls for peace, love, unity

R

IVERS State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has called for peace, love and unity among Nigerians as Christians celebrate Easter.

Amaechi urged Christians to use the Easter celebrations to thank God for His grace and continue to pray for peace, development and the greater good of the country.

In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt by his Chief Press Secretary, David Iyofor, the chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said Christians had a task to reflect on their belief of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, through constant prayers for the nation.

Amaechi said: “Our Christian leaders should use

the Easter period to pray for peace, unity and love among Nigerians. We are one Nigeria.

“Christians, at this time, have a duty to always reflect their belief, according to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, through prayers for our nation.

“This is because Jesus Christ died, was buried and on the third day arose that the world may be saved.”

Amaechi also emphasised the need for Christians to use the Easter period as a moment of sober reflection and thank God for the success of the 2015 presidential election, while praying for peaceful conduct, fairness and credibility in the April 11 governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

Obiano canvasses national sacrifice

T

HE governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has called on Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice as an imperative tool for nation building.

In his special message for Easter titled “The supremacy of sacrifice to human advancement and nation building”, Obiano said: “Nigeria is on the cusp of change and the situation requires greater introspection and better appreciation of the place of sacrifice in the handling of the delicate issues of nationhood.”

According to him, at no time is humanity more vividly

reminded of the significance of sacrifice to human progress and nation-building as the period of Easter.

“Indeed, every Easter, the entire Christendom is forced to recall that our salvation is a product of priceless sacrifice that there can be no progress without sacrifice.”

He observed that President Jonathan demonstrated a deep understanding of the imperatives of sacrifice to nationbuilding when he accepted the collective wish of Nigerians and congratulated the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in last Saturday’s presidential election.

Adeleke: Buhari’s victory a big leap

F

ORMER governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeleke, has described the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as a big leap for democracy.

In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media & Public Affairs), Olumide Lawal, Adeleke urged the president-elect to put new wine in new bottle and avoid the recycling syndrome.

He appealed to Buhari to fully seize the moment to put Nigeria back in the comity of nation.

The former Chairman of Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) praised the rare courage of Prof Attahiru Jega in the face of extreme provocation antidemocratic forces.

Latter Day Saints berths in Ugep

HE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is set to open in Ugep in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State.

Pronouncing the establishment of the branch, the Mission President of Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, President John Edafe Kosin said that the establishment of the branch of the Church in the area was overdue.

The church held a devotional organised by Kosin, in Ugep in preparation for the creation of the unit of the church.

Kosin said he had one hundred eleven days to round up his mission work in the area but got the prompting to bring the gospel to the land.

“I feel elated to be part of the history of bringing the restore gospel to Ugep. The people of Akwa Ibom and

T

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar Cross River State are very friendly and by nature, they are inclined to embrace spirituality that helps the scripture to spread in this part of the world.

“So far, there has been a lot of increase, an average of a thousand added to the church every month. That shows that the people of the land, Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State love the Lord and they have fullness of the gospel. The time of Ugep has come; it is glorious moment that people are part of,” he stated.

President Kosin however decried the rising level of illiteracy was on the increase in the area.

He said the church has a programme to check the situation.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2015

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WORDSWORTH O

Celebrating Oba Adetona’s 55 years on the throne

EBERE WABARA

08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Elegy for TAN? T

HE Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) rounds off its presidential electioneering fiasco with these wrap-around congratulatory blunders: “We congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for (on/upon) his victory in the just concluded (just-concluded) Presidential election….”

“Polls: World leaders thumb-up for Nigeria” Either: leaders’ thumbup for Nigeria or leaders thumb up Nigeria The Guardian Front Page Banner of February 6 takes over from TAN: “Council of States (State) advise INEC to consult on polls” “Jonathan, Fashola, others mourn late Okoya-Thomas” (THISDAY Front Page Headline, February 3) Why not mourn OkoyaThomas? Do we mourn someone who is alive?

“APC to boycott BON organized (BONorganized) television debate” (Full-page advertorial by Nigeria Elections Debate Group, January 31) “Ice blocks (cubes), sachet water, soft drinks imported from Cotonu” “I have vowed to rebuild our dear state ABIA. We cannot continue to be first only on Alphabets. Join me to rebuild Abia and restore our bartered (battered) dignity. It is a promise I must keep.” (Full-page advertorial signed by the APGA governorship candidate Dr. Alex Otti, OFR) “Fuel scarcity: FG gives Finance Ministry marching order (orders)” “In Enugu, masquerade (masquerader) sings gospel song” “President’s convoy trapped, heavy casualities recorded” Spell-check: casualties “Fashola allays fear (fear) of post-polls violence in Lagos” (THE NATION Front Page Sub-headline, March 31) From Vanguard of March 20 comes the next set of slip-ups this week: “Over 350 experts from 30 countries are expected to converge in (on) Lagos come (in) November for the annual (yearly, preferably) Nigeria Hotel and Tourism International Conference.” “…the AYC trophy which has eluded the country for sometime (some time) now.”

“Even a child in this

nation knows that the police derives (derive) its (their) enabling and operational authority from the dictates of the Centre….”

The paper’s Metro Section institutionalized this same lexical bondage in one of its headlines: “In Kano, Police allegedly shoots (sic) tanker driver over bribe” Its Editorial was equally not left out in this particular police howler: “Nigerians would no doubt be happier to hear from the Nigerian Police what it is (they are) doing to enhance its (their) capacity….”

FEEDBACK The Pentecostal faithful introduced “send-forth” to denote the “sending forth” of their ministers on evangelism.

Sadly, some of us have ignorantly adopted the phrase when a retiring worker is being feted or sent off. A referee equally “sends off” a culpable player.

I notice that parents contribute greatly to the poor use of English.

For instance, they, including educated ones, ask their children to “on” or “off” the tap, fan or generating set. These words are prepositions that are being made to do the work of verbs such as “switch” or “turn” on the television set etc.

Similarly, the parents ask their wards, who eventually grow up learning bad grammar, to bring out the “packer” instead of the “dustpan” to collect dust/waste. Now this! An educated neighbour tells her son to give her the “mopper” instead of “mop” (both noun and verb). God help me! Dear brother, keep educating them.

With due respect, the headline “NLC splits in (not into) two, as another faction emerges” is correct. Wordsworth in The Nation, March22, Page 66, refers. Please, look up “split sth in two” on Page 1697 and “cut sth in half/ two” on Page 416 of the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (New Edition) for Advanced Learners.

Uncle Tunji Oseni was the Editor-in-Chief of OPEC News Agency (OPECNA) with the late James Audu as the Head of Information, when I worked as its Nigeria’s Liaison Correspondent (1985-1987). You were absolutely right in your tribute to him. May his soul continue to rest in peace.

(KOLA DANISA, 07068074257)

Editors at The Nation newspaper must have, on March 29, Page 12, been overwhelmed by the enormity of poll-related news stories that they passed “al-Makura CASTED his vote”. The word “cast” either in the past tense or past participle is CAST. Also on the same page, the paper stated that “voters troop out EN MASS in Suleja”.

It should have read EN MASSE (with an E after mass). But for how long should journalists be reminded that “underaged” and “overaged” are outside known dictionaries. Sunday Vanguard, March 29, Front Page, refers. “Underage” and “overage”, both adjectives, are the approved uses. However, “middle-aged” (with a “d”) is correct. (Credit: as above) EBERE, I am happy to say that many of our colleagues are beginning to appreciate the objective of your column. Congratulations!

(SUNNY A G B O N T A E N , 08062998165) “OUR economy which was adjudged the best in (on) the continent….”

And this: “Our politicians need to get their acts (act) together” (STANLEY NDUAGU, 08062925996) The next two interventions are also from Nduagu.

The Government of Ebonyi State of Nigeria circulated the following grammatical errors in its full-page advertorial on page 10 of the Daily Sun of Thursday, March 26, 2015: ...government has sustained the payment of salaries and allowances to workers ‘as at when due’ (as and when due).

This is, therefore, not the time to ‘demand for’ (demand) salary increase in any form. ...its policy of ‘labour friendly’ (labour-friendly) relations... ...which informed the ‘strike action’. (yank off the noun ‘action’) ...a rally which was addressed by the ‘ambitious gubernatorial’ candidate. Is there any guber candidate that is not ambitious?

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room unveils “it’s” (its) Election Situation Room. Are you embarassed by the above error? Please blame it on the election fever.

LAGOSIANS, VOTE AMBODE THIS SATURDAY!

N April 2, 1960 Prince Sikiru Kayode Adetona was crowned as the 52nd Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland and presented with the staff of office by the Premier of the defunct Western Region, late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola before an unprecedented crowd on Itoro grounds, Ijebu Ode. Unarguably the longest reigning Awujale in recorded history and currently the longest reigning first-class monarch in Nigeria, Oba Adetona has been a major actor in the sociocultural and developmental history of Nigeria since the country’s independence.

Oba Adetona is from the Anikilaiya Ruling House which by the declaration made under Section 4(2) of the 1957 Chiefs’ Law regulating the selection of the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy, is one of the four ruling houses in Ijebu Ode. The other Ruling Houses are Fusengbuwa, Fidipote and Gbelegbuwa.

In the fifty-five years he has spent on the throne, Oba Adetona has seen the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of the polity. No wonder, he bestrides the traditional institution like a colossus. A sagacious, courageous, charismatic, dependable and reliable traditional ruler and statesman, A no-nonsense Oba Adetona, he is known to always damn every demagogue. Indeed, he is providentially always on the part of history. At least two instances will suffice here.

During the infamous Abacha era, he was the only Oba that told the late maximum ruler the truth, which the ruling junta had to swallow. Equally, when other Yoruba Oba were falling over each other to pray for and bless the second-term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, he was the only paramount Yoruba Oba who was candid enough to frankly tell the President that it was not part of Yoruba culture for an Oba to do such. He went on to say that for an Oba to do that, he would be inviting disaffection and disharmony to his throne and kingdom since the subjects hold divergent political opinions. That was vintage Oba Adetona.

The 55th anniversary of his ascension to the throne is an opportunity to write on this unique monarch and his kingdom.

In his seminal book, The Ijebu of Yorubaland 18501950: Politics, Economy, and Politics, the late Professor Emeritus Emmanuel Ayandele (1992), gave a remarkable account of an equally remarkable and uniquely adaptable people. In a generous but factual assertion, the author in the Preface, inter alia, states that in any computation of human excellence and ability to make the best of any situation, the Ijebu stand very high in Africa in general and in Nigeria in particular .... Internally, in the bewildering power politics of Yorubaland ... held their own in a spectacular fashion, the Ijebu kingdom being the only survivor of the large-scale cataclysmic eruptions that shattered other Yoruba States in the nineteenth century.

Ayandele further disclosed that perhaps the best illustration of the genius of the Ijebu for survival and timely adaptabil-

•Oba Adetona

By Fassy Yusuf

ity was their going the polar opposite by recognising and appropriating in the nick of time, the dynamics of social and economic process offered by westernism, their erstwhile bugbear which they had strenuously resisted to the point that the British maxims and seven pounders had to speak to them. The Ijebu inhabit the south-central part of Yorubaland- bounded in the north by Ibadan, in the east by Ondo and Okitipupa, and in the west by Egba. The southern boundary of Ijebu is the coastline that stretches from Ikorodu, Ejinrin, Epe, Abigi, Ebute Oni, to Ode Omi. Even though part of Ijebuland is to be found in the present Lagos State, the people of Ikorodu, Imota, Epe, and Ejinrin who have found themselves in Lagos State have always regarded themselves as one entity even when the migration legends that have often been cited point in different direction.

There are several accounts on the origin of Ijebu people.

The accounts being largely oral, opinions are divided on how the people came to inhabit the present Ijebuland.

The seemingly most factual of all the accounts was that the Ijebu people migrated into Nigeria from the Southern Sudanese region called Owadaiye, now corrupted to Waddai. The Lagos Times of May 9, 1890 was right when it wrote that Ijebu is about the the only province now in what is commonly described as the Yoruba country that has not lost its original seat from the vicissitudes of inter tribal warfare, which has sorely affected the land.

It is in the formidable town and the unique land of Ijebu Ode, capital of Ijebuland that Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona was born May 10, 1934. Today, May 10, 2009 he is seventy-five years old and half a century less one year on the unique and ancient throne of his ancestors as the fiftyeighth Awujale. Being a first class monarch and the longest reigning Awujale in recorded history, Oba Adetona has every reason to give thanks to the Almighty God. His reign has been a monumental success and a pride to the Ijebu of Southwest Nigeria, the several tribulations he faced up to 1984 notwithstanding. He personifies the attributes of Ijebu that include fierce and sturdy independence, candour, objectivity, sincerity, entrepreneurial spirit, reliability, and resoluteness. .

Young Prince Adetona, variously attended Baptist School, Ereko, Ijebu Ode; Ogbere United Primary School, Oke Agbo, Ijebu Igbo; and Ansar-Ud-Deen School, Ijebu Ode between 1943 and 1950. For his secondary education, he was at Olu-Iwa (now Adeola Odutola) College, Ijebu Ode from 1951 to 1956.

Between 1957 and 1958 he took up appointment with the then Audit Department of the Western Region, Ibadan. The charming prince resigned his appointment in 1958, to pursue further studies in Accountancy in the United Kingdom.

By a letter, dated January 4, 1960 referenced CB. 4 1/333, the Permanent Secretary in the Western Region Ministry of Local Government conveyed to the Local Government Adviser in Ijebu Ode, approval of the Western Region Governor in-Council, the appointment of Prince Sikiru Kayode Adetona as the Awujale of Ijebuland with effect from that date (January 4, 1960). It became the lot of Ijebu notables like the late Ogbeni-Oja, Chief (Dr.) Timothy Adeola Odutola; Bobasuwa, Chief Okunowo; and Asiwaju, Chief Samuel Olatunbosun Shonibare to arrange for the homecoming of the Kingelect. On January 18, 1960, the Head of the Ijebu Ode Regency Council, the Ogbeni-Oja, Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola formally presented the new traditional ruler to the whole world. This presentation, which was a novelty, signalled the commencement of the installation ceremonies of the king-elect. It was indeed, a new dawn in the annals of Ijebu people. The king-elect thereafter, proceeded to undergo the traditional seclusion at the Odo for three months.

On Tuesday, April 5, 1960 newly crowned Oba Adetona, took his seat as a member of the Western Region House of Chiefs, after a formal introduction. So charming and captivating was Oba Adetona, that some Obas, and Chiefs nominated him for the presidency of the House of Chiefs, albeit, an older Oba, late Sir Adesoji Aderemi, Ooni of Ife was eventually elected the President. The thought here was that early as a monarch, the twenty-six year old Awujale was a fit and proper king for the exalted position.

No doubt, this consideration was an admission of the uniqueness of the Awujale of Ijebuland.

As if confirming the aphorism that a golden fish has no hiding place, the new Awujale was appointed by the Western Region Government as a Minister and Member of the Region’s Executive Council.

This position he occupied until the outbreak of the Western region’s political crisis of 1962. With the declaration of a State of Emergency in the Western Region by the then Federal Government, the Administrator of the region found the services of the young Awujale indispensable. He was thus made a Commissioner during the Emergency period.

Since 1960, Oba Adetona has succeeded in raising the status and reckoning of his Ijebu people. He is known and perceived as one of the country’s greatest monarchs dead or alive. A philosopher and social scientist, his fame and popularity extend beyond the shores of Nigeria.

A creative and strategic ruler, Oba Adetona has been a significant factor in the nation’s socio-political and economic development.

• Continued on page 70

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015

POLITICS EXTRA

T is Wednesday 1stApril, 2015. 9am.

It has the feel of a new day – this morning.

There is something different about the air.

Yesterday something unknown in the annals of Nigeria’s history happened. A serving President telephoned his opponent to congratulate him on his success at the polls, effectively conceding victory.

The import of the occasion seemed to get lost in the reportage. To hear some people talk, it was almost as if it was the most natural thing in the world. What options did the man have, anyway? There was quite clearly pressure from ‘elders’ and ‘outsiders’ interested in the survival and well being of the Nigeria project. The handwriting, as the cliché went, was on the wall. The experts who reveled in crunching numbers were very specific. At the time the telephone call went, there was only one state’s vote left to add to the tally – Borno. Borno had one point four million PVCs. Even if all of them were deployed to vote for the incumbent, the tally would still favour the General.

Such reasoning missed the point.

From Monday, the day after the two-day elections, the tension in the nation had been electric. The traffic in the normally bustling roads of the Lagos metropolis had thinned out considerably. Banks sent out text notification to their customers that they were closing early.

The State Secretariat in Alausa emptied out by mid-afternoon, on the strength of a rumour, later refuted, that the authorities had instructed early closure, fearing some kind of trouble.

Schools had closed early for Easter break, and parents kept their children at home. Many shops were closed, or opened only partially for business, with the shop owners keeping a wary eye out for trouble. Here and there, armed Police patrol teams were seen on the streets.

Teams of soldiers in patrol vans were in evidence, driving up and down the streets. The sight of the law enforcement agencies simply added to the fear. The soldiers especially to some people exuded the air more of an occupying force than a calm and reassuring protector of the public peace. They would weave through the traffic, their guns trained menacing on the distance, and the man in the street would quickly arrange to move his body or his travelling contraption out of the way.

The air all around was thick with foreboding.

Nobody was clear what the danger was, and where it would come from. The closest anyone came to giving an explanation of the strange general anxiety was that some aggrieved persons might react when the vote tallies were announced, if the vote went against them.

This was the prevalent atmosphere up till the morning of Tuesday, the second day of the announcement of results.

And then came the bizarre incident of the man in the bowler hat, who held up proceedings at the International Conference Centre, Abuja for close on thirty minutes, as all the world watched.

Was this a spontaneous vituperation from an ‘elder’ with more wind than sense? Was this the carefully planted booby-trap some people had been anticipating, designed to blow up the electoral process, and light the tinder-box of violence across the nation?

Different scenarios offered themselves to the imagination on how the drama could have evolved. Most scary, and most certain to lead to disaster was the ‘law and order’ approach, where the INEC Chairman, reacting to the disruption of procedure and the personal abuse, would order the forcible removal of the individual from the premises, as he was entitled to do. A scuffle would ensue, the bowler hat would fall off, and the man would fall to the ground. The hall would erupt in chaos. And the streets outside, including those a thousand kilometers away, would erupt.

Was this the script?

Or was it just a temporary lapse of judgment in a man who felt his world of unearned privilege ebbing away from him every minute as the results tumbled out, and needed to react in some way?

Whatever it was, the import for Nigeria was clear. There were people in powerful places who, as the certainty of defeat loomed, were not going to go down without a fight. And – oh! –what a fight it could be!

On the streets, people reset their agendas.

People who had planned to get home a little early reset their schedule to get home very early indeed.

In the event, the handling of the incident

by Professor Jega could not have been bettered by the most consummate practitioner of what may be called Power Psychology.

Allow the hot air to dissipate. Do not get into an argument. Do not raise your voice. And – yes – have the last word.

‘Nothing in life became him like the leaving it’ •For GEJ, the General, and the Nigeria Project

Jonathan

By Femi Olugbile

If this was a booby-trap, was this just the first in the queue? Were there others to follow, as the proceedings moved inexorably to a predictable conclusion? Would we be hearing from AsariDokubo? Would MASSOB be out on the streets? And the hordes on the streets of Kano, reacting?

This was the context into which the news of the President’s phone call of congratulation and concession arrived.

No one act by anyone could have changed the game, as did that simple conversation. By making the call, President Goodwill Ebele Jonathan reset the bar of what is possible in leadership in Africa – not for beyond-the-reach titans such as Nelson Mandela who come once in a generation, but for the regular Joe who finds himself in a position of leadership and has to make a decision about whether to stay and damn the consequence, using the formidable machinery of state, or bend to the people’s wish – unfair or uninformed as it may be in his judgment, and go. In going, he would be risking the ire of the coterie of ‘kinsmen’ and ‘supporters’ who have formed a consortium for which he is merely the fronts man.

The story of Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast is still fresh in the mind. After his election loss, it took the expert skills of a French expeditionary force to smoke him out of his impregnable redoubt in his undershirt, so determined was he to stay.

The idea of ‘losing gallantly’ to his ilk was simply a contradiction in terms, a virtual oxymoron. The political culture of Africa, and Nigeria in particular, is shot through with such sentiment.

When the history of the GEJ years gets to be written, the manner in which he raised the bar for the exit culture on the political podium is certain to be noted as one of his major achievements. By taking ownership of the situation and defusing the impending crisis, in the evening of Tuesday the thirty-first of March, 2015, the President led Nigeria away from its worst fears into – at least – the possibility of a new beginning. In his moment of grave defeat he achieved his greatest victory.

Shakespeare’s MACBETH is a study of the physical and psychological consequences that can be suffered by a man in the throes of ambition. In a supernatural encounter with three witches, a general in the Scottish army is informed he will be Thane of Cawdor, and King of Scotland, both of which positions are currently occupied by others.

He is also assured that he cannot be killed by ‘any man born of woman’. Soon after the encounter, he is made Thane of Cawdor, because the incumbent has been caught in treachery against the king, and sentenced to death. The quick fulfillment of one prophecy becomes a logical premise for him to ‘claim’ the other prophecy, egged on by an overweening wife. He kills the King to take the throne. But that is only the beginning of tragedy culminating in ignominious death. He is killed in combat by a man who is not ‘born of a woman’ because he was surgically taken out of his mother’s womb. An illustrious career ends on a note of

shame. Juxtaposed is the career of the erstwhile Thane of Cawdor, who before his exit confesses his treachery, begs the king’s pardon, and reconfirms himself as a nobleman in the best ethical tradition of ancient Scotland. It is in reporting the death of this noble man to the King that a Prince of the land makes the famous, pithy statement: ‘Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it…’

It is very likely that the significant story of the GEJ era will end on the high note of that phone call.

The remainder will just be detail.

But what a story it has been. The poor boy from Otuoke who had no shoes and walked barefooted to school.The boy from nowhere who made good and aspired to the highest office in the land. It was touchingly romantic. For fair-minded Nigerians of every description, especially the youths, it was emblematic of a yet-to-crystallise Nigerian dream – where anyone from anywhere could aspire to be anything based on his God-given abilities and the promise offered him by the Nigerian nation. In your voting booth on election day, you observed that most voters simply ignored party loyalties and voted for the boy from Otuoke.

The sentiment was very similar to the reaction of Americans – friend and foe, to the story of Barack Obama while he was in the struggle to becomethe first black President of the United States of America.

Everybody realized that history was being made, and felt they were part of it.

Has the heady promise been fulfilled in the years since?

Every so often, you got the sense of a man struggling to find his form and stand out from the morass of contending interests surrounding him.Predominant among them were his ‘it is our turn’ kin,and the overweening presence of a better half who would be a challenge to any public figure.

Every so often he talked the talk. Innovation.

Enterprise. Diversification of the economy.

Empowering the youth.

Yet where was the high ground? Where was the compelling Vision?

If they existed, they did not come across with vigour, and they were not executed with authority.

The Nigerian essence was not projected in a way to commandthe respect of others at preexisting levels, not to talk of acquiring fresh impetus. People made snide remarks about Nigeria – with apparently good reason. A country with hordes of private jets, but not a great deal of sense or purpose.

Winston Churchill once described one of his contemporaries as ‘a modest man with much to be modest about’ (or words to that effect).

The ‘he’ there could describe the Nigeria of the GEJ years.

And now?

And now, here comes the General, in his second incarnation.

There is a heady promise of redemption, individual and collective, a chance perhaps to right old wrongs, to apply new and better solutions to old problems. A new beginning for the Nigeria project – the nation, the citizenry, the leadership.

It cannot, must not, be business as usual. It cannot, must not, be the logic of ‘it is our turn’ on

anybody’s part. It is Nigeria’s turn.

Transparency is good, but it is not an end. It must be informed by vision, by evidence, by innovation. There is a requirement to build a ‘knowledge’ economy. Leadership must meet the basic yearnings of the people, but it must also ‘do the Vision thing’ and ‘see round the corner’. Some kind of ‘Marshall Plan’ is required for the most vulnerable populations in the blighted areas of the country. For a change, the system must get a handle on the basics.

Compulsory School Enrollment.A health facility – government or private, appropriately standardized and monitored, within easy distance of every neighbourhood.Compulsory birth and death registration, with no one falling outside the net.

But the issues of Nigeria are not just the physical structures. The issues include how Nigerians think, and how they behave.

Nigerians beat the red traffic light, and do not like to take their turn in the queue. They do not regard public property as their responsibility, and would drive by when they see someone damaging structures on the road median, or unscrewing and carting away the metal railings on the Eko Bridge. In his first incarnation, the General dealt with some of these by regimentation, by a strict enforcement regime, sometimes including the threat or actuality of corporal punishment from soldiers. There is a limit to the possibility of the more florid forms of this approach in a democracy. But even in the most ‘disciplined’ societies, enforcement has a place in the psychological mix. Sustaining behavior change in people however requires getting their buy-in. It requires education to ‘catch them young’, because many adults are set in their ways, while children are more malleable. It requires ‘social marketing’.

Some months ago Lagos State held an international ‘Livable City’ conference focused on assessing the experience of citizenry about their lives in the city and how these could be improved.Lagos is the only Nigerian city that is internationally ranked on ‘Livability’. It is ranked rather low. But the things that need to be done to improve the living experience of citizens are quite clear, and eminently doable if the will is there and public and private resources are deployed. The consequence will be improvement, leading to upward movement in the chart. Colombo in Columbia did it in the past, moving up more than twenty places after concerted action. And if it can happen in Lagos, it can happen in other cities in Nigeria. Abuja.

Kano. Port Harcourt, Enugu. Onitsha. And so on.

What are the rights of citizens in society?

What is their entitlement from society? Which aspects are rights, and which are privileges?

What are the duties they owe society? How cognizant are they of these duties?

What is their experience of the Police, for example? What is their expectation? And vice versa.

The rules guiding social interaction in Nigeria are very imprecise, which is why people often get in each other’s faces. If a citizen is stopped at a check point, what is the law officer entitled to ask for, so that the citizen is certain if he has them, he can go about freely?

The issues look trivial, but they are the determinants of the trust the people have in social institutions, and they go to the very heart of the livability of Nigeria as a nation. They also go to the heart of the ownership and entitlement people need to feel about their nation. They are responsible for the unique entity known as ‘Patriotism’, which is a love and readiness to commit to, and sacrifice for, the collective. This is freely given, and cannot be enforced. It goes beyond sporting events, and encompasses all aspects of life. It is the certainty that a Nigerian citizen, including a girl from Chibok, must feel that her nation will come to rescue her from danger, sparing no risk and balking at no cost. In return, she will do her duty, including the possibility of military or social service, by the nation. It is part of what makes great nations great, and when once-great nations lose it, anomie sets in, and they become history.

The Nigerian project can over time engender a genuine patriotism. Leadership, if it is sustained, can create the right environment in the minds of the people.

Nigeria is a great nation, bursting at the seams with human energy. It is the largest nation in the world that is made up of indigenous Africans. It is a potential top twenty world power.

For leader and citizen, redemption and transcendence beckon, as the Nigeria Project cranks up for the new day, massing up behind the General.

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POLITICS EXTRA

‘Y

OU be thief, I no be thief; you be armed robber, I no be armed robber…’ This evergreen satirical lyric from one of the music albums of the late Afro music legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, aptly encapsulates the recent exchange of diatribes between Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and one of his predecessors, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, over the refund of a contentious N500m allegedly looted from the state’s treasury.

Ladoja is a politician well ingrained in the late Lamidi Adedibu’s political school of thought, having secured the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket for the 2003 governorship election through the old rascal’s magic wand.

Chief among what the followers of the deceased nemesis of Oyo State politics have in common is to paper over the cracks and unabashedly swear with the Holy books to justify their position. One is, therefore, not taken aback by the insistence of Ladoja that he knew nothing about the reported malfeasance, for which he was the guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a number of occasions in 2008. This is in the public domain. Not even a written confession of one of Ladoja’s personal aides and two brokerage firms used to covetously corner about N2bn from the sale of shares of Oyo State in some blue chip companies, will move the exgovernor into changing his stoic position.

But, the Ladoja aide had claimed that on Ladoja’s instruction, he spent the former governor’s share of the graft to purchase exotic vehicles and Government Quarters for him, with his boss maintaining his innocence. No doubt, Ladoja, who is the Accord Party’s Oyo State candidate for the April 11 governorship election, may have capitalized on the short memory and inability of Nigerians to hold politicians accountable for their deeds and

EFCC as determinant in Oyo

•Ajimobi

By Salami Akinkunle

misdeeds of the past.

Sadly, a school of thought suggests that it will be difficult to adjudge whose government was more involved in corruptionrelated scandals between Ladoja and his successor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, upon which the EFCC temporarily made Oyo an abode in 2008. Incidentally, Akala is the state’s Labour Party’s candidate for the forthcoming governorship election. At a point, the two ex-governors engaged each other in a battle of wits.

In a classic case of a pot calling kettle black, it was Ladoja that fired the first salvo when he reported the excesses of Akala to the EFCC shortly after wresting power from his former deputy in December 2006. Ladoja unwittingly stirred up the hornet’s nest by setting up an administrative panel, which indicted Akala of corruption shortly before the 2007 general election.

As it later played out, Akala paid his former boss back in his own coin. Shortly after his pyrrhic victory in the 2007 governorship election, he pored through the

•Ladoja

books only to discover that Ladoja’s administration was clever by half judging by the manner it hurriedly sold the shares held by the state in some companies at the twilight of his administration.

For starters, a section of Ladoja’s autobiography on Wikipedia (a reference website with global acclaim since 2001) titled ‘Later career,’ is instructive: ”On 28 August 2008, Ladoja was arrested by the EFCC over allegations of nonremittance of the proceeds of sale of government shares totaling N1.9bn during his administration. He was briefly remanded in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos 30 August 2008. He was granted bail on 5 September in the amount of N100 million with two sureties for the same sum. In March 2009, a former aide (Adewale Atanda) testified on the way on which the share money had been divided between Ladoja’s family, bodyguard, senior politicians and lawyers.”

On September 4, 2008, the EFCC said that the confession of Atanda, and other principal

•Akala

actors in the scam led to the recovery of N500m and a bulletproof sport utility vehicle valued at N42m from them. Some 600,000 pounds sterling was said to have also been laundered through one of the women in Ladoja’s harem. He is today facing a N4.7bn money laundering and corruption charges, following a February 14, 2014 judgment by the Court of Appeal dismissing his prayer to be left off the hook.

Until recently when he revived his ambition for the Office of the Governor, Ladoja did not deny all these revelations nor choose to square up with the EFCC for ‘libeling’ him. For indubitable political reasons, Ajimobi had recently, at different fora, refreshed the memory of the people of the state on how Ladoja and his gang refunded N500m to the coffers of the state in 2008. Curiously, but unexpectedly, Ladoja is still insisting that no such thing happened, regardless of unimpeachable publications in the public domain suggesting that he might have indeed soiled his hands.

The alleged financial

recklessness that tainted the public records of Ladoja is also trailing Akala, his successor. Since July 14, 2008 when the Punch newspaper blew the lid off EFCC’s inquiry into Akala’s alleged fiscal indiscipline, till October 7, 2011 when the agency’s operatives arrested and arraigned the exgovernor, newspapers were awash with his mind-boggling alleged penchant for public fund.

The publication with a banner headline, ‘How Alao-Akala looted N1bn in 11 months – EFCC,’ exposed how the former governor allegedly used two publishing firms and another company to fleece the state of over N1bn. This was between January 12 and December 7, 2006 when Akala supplanted his former boss, Ladoja, following a phantom impeachment.

In its July 18, 2008 cover publication, the Punch newspaper again exposed findings by the EFCC on how Akala allegedly routinely inflated contracts “with a view to enriching himself” during his first 11-month spell as governor.

The damning publication exposed how two pliable publishing firms became a

conduit through which over N1bn was siphoned from the treasury of the state. To underscore their level of complicity in the shady deal, both publishing houses were made to cough out N22m, which invariably was their share in the illicit deal.

The EFCC report also identified shady deals in a multimillion contract awarded by the Akala regime for the computerization of the state’s personnel payroll and production of staff identity cards.

The agency said it indicted the ex-governor for abusing his office by “enriching himself contrary to his oath of office” and for betrayal of public trust.

On the strength of the above, the EFCC arrested and arraigned Akala on October 12, 2011 upon a N11.5bn corruption charges. And on April 16, 2014 the Court of Appeal dismissed his suit seeking an order for the stoppage of his trial. As it stands now Akala and Ladoja have corruption charges hanging around their necks like an albatross.

Granted that in the face of the law, an accused is presumed innocent until proved guilty by the court, one would have expected the two former governors to first clear themselves of these corruptionrelated charges before seeking to rule the state again. But, this is Nigeria where anything goes.

Politicians are wont to take the people for granted because of the inability to properly scrutinize their credentials.

It behoves the electorate in Oyo State to put the candidates jostling to rule them from May 29 on a scale of performance and antecedents and decide whether it will serve their interest better to put their destiny in the hands of gourmands that will fritter the people’s patrimony or those with clean records. It has been proved that it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a leopard to change its spot. The choice we make today will determine our fortunes tomorrow.

•Akinkunle is a lawyer and human rights activist.

Celebrating Oba Adetona’s 55 years on the throne

• Continued from page 66

The Awujale is loyally and devotedly committed to the Nigerian State. He is indeed, a patriot. He has built bridges across Rivers Niger and Benue.

He admonishes his people to be thoroughbred wherever they find themselves. No wonder that the Ijebu people have not only comported themselves wherever they are but it is on record that no inter or intra ethnic clash has been recorded in Ijebuland since he ascended the throne in 1960.

He was in the forefront of finding a national solution to the political logjam of 1993 to 1998. Oba Adetona consulted widely and hosted several fora. He was never a sell out. He brokered peace and concord in 1998 and 1999, and the current major actors in the nation’s political parties will readily attest to this disclosure. However, for Oba Adetona’s commitment to the nation,

his pronouncement otherwise would have swayed public opinion in favour of those agitating for the balkanisation of Nigeria.

Perhaps, if Nigeria had been abundantly blessed with Nationalists, such as Oba Adetona, the country will be nearing Eldorado, if not already there.

The submission here is that more traditional leaders of the type of Oba Adetona are needed.

Parts of the incorruptibility of Oba Adetona had earlier been given in this write-up. I state without equivocation that spoils of office cannot corrupt the monarch.. He is just, transparent and equitable. Oba Adetona loathes indecency. He eschews corruption like the plague. He has been known to chastise corrupt leaders and quite often to publicly denounce them. Woe betides any Ijebu person who gets his hands soiled. Such an Ijebu person has no home to return to. His long and enviable reign has not made Oba Adetona to decay nor decompose.

During the dark days of

the late maximum ruler, he was amongst the few leaders that stood to be counted on the side of history. Time has in deed vindicated him. Oba Adetona, to paraphrase Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 to 1881), is one leader “whom the lust of office does not kill.’’ A leader “whom the spoils of office cannot buy”. A monarch who “possesses opinions and a will.’’ A king “who has honour, who will not lie”.

A legend that has always “stood before a demagogue and damned his treacherous flatteries without winking”. He is a monarch among monarchs.

That every successive administration in Ogun State and Nigeria holds him in high esteem is a manifestation of his incorruptibility and sagacity.

He has immeasurably succeeded in bringing about religious harmony among his people to the extent that religion does not dichotomise the Ijebu.

The Christians live in harmony with Muslims in Ijebuland.

The traditionalists are equally not isolated. The common saying in Ijebu is that “religion cannot divide us”. The Holy Quran confirms this, to wit: “to you, your religion, and to me, my religion”.

Albeit Oba Adetona, is the President of the United Muslim Council (an umbrella Islamic organisation for Muslims), he attends several Christian functions and he is quite versed in the Holy Bible. The Ijebu Christian Community holds the New Year Prayer Session in the Awujale Palace. Many of his high-ranking Otunbas and Chiefs are Christians.

The Palace is an admixture of Christians and Muslims.

Oba Adetona’s purity and righteous deeds are accounting for his success in this world and will surely account for his securing al-Janah (paradise) in the Hereafter.

Given his spirituality, one is left in no doubt that, Oba Adetona will reign for more

decades as Allah guarantees longevity for leaders who fear Him and thread His path.

The 58th Awujale has used his sagacity and creative ingenuity to bring the traditional institution in tandem with civilisation. The old and fetish practices have been jettisoned in Ijebuland, thus making the institution to be attractive to successful technocrats, professionals, and business moguls of royal lineage. There is no better way to conclude than to say that as a monarch, Oba Adetona has personal warmth and integrity. He has positive attitude and high energy level. The Ijebu monarch has enormous sense of humour. He is resilient, creative, sagacious, objective, and incorruptible.

Oba Adetona has brought tremendous honour and dignity to the Traditional institution, especially to Ijebu Traditional Council. His records of excellent and unsurpassable service to

his people and country are heart warming.

Albeit, one issue agitating the mind of this quintessential monarch is the desirability of creating an Ijebu State out of the present Ogun State, his subjects are unanimous with him in his quest.

Indeed, for justice, fair play, and equity to reign in the land, the Ijebu deserve a State of theirs.

Surely, at God’s own appointed time, the Ijebu would have a state of their own.

I sincerely salute the living legend, the great and amiable monarch as he clocks fifty-five years on the throne of his forefathers.

May his reign continue to be peaceful, progressive, and beneficial to Ijebuland and indeed, the country.

•Dr. Fassy Yusuf, former Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Culture, is a Lawyer, and Development and Communication Consultant is the Baagbimo of Ijebuland (E-mail: cfaoyusuflaw@yahoo.com.

08033154488)

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SPORTS THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Chrisantus scores twice for AEK Athens

EXTRA

APRIL 5, 2015

Alexis Sanchez celebrates with Olivier Giroud after his stunning strike from just outside the penalty area made it 3-0 to Arsenal in the first half

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ORMER Nigeria youth international Macaulay Chrisantus was the hero of AEK Athens as he scored a brace in a 3-0 spanking of AOT Alimos in a Greek second division game.

AEK Athens remain top of the league table with 65 points from 24 games.

The former Sivasspor of Turkey forward opened the scoring for his side in the 10th minute and completed his brace in the 48th minute to give them a 2-0 lead.

He has now scored three goals in the league. He played for Las Palmas (Spain), FSV Frankfurt, Karlshruer, Hamburg (all in Germany) and Sivasspor (Turkey). He was the top scorer at the 2007 FIFA U17 World Cup in Korea when Nigeria won the title.

Messi fit for Celta trip after foot scare

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A R C E L O N A forward Lionel Messi is fit for today's trip to Celta Vigo in La Liga after a scare over a possible foot injury according to coach Luis Enrique.

Messi, the top scorer in Spain's top flight with 32 goals, did not feature in either of Argentina's friendlies during the international break after sustaining a blow to his right foot which caused swelling and inflammation.

"He is perfectly fine, in perfect condition from what we have seen during training," Luis Enrique told a news conference.

"Players are used to it and Leo and the rest of the strikers know that it is a part of their career in football," added the former Spain and Barca midfielder.

Fit-again Dele Alli targets promotion

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IGERIAN-BORN England youth international Dele Alli has set his sights on helping his League One side MK Dons secure promotion to the Championship before he returns to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

Alli signed for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in January, but has returned on loan to his former club until the end of the campaign.

RESULTS Premier League Arsenal 4 1 Liverpool Everton 1 0 Southampton Leicester 2- 1 West Ham Man United 3 1 Aston Villa Swansea City 3 1 Hull City West Brom 1 4 QPR Bundesliga Leverkusen 4 - 0 H’burger E.Frankfurt 2 - 2 Hannover Freiburg 1 - 0 Cologne Hoffenheim 1 - 4 M’bach Bremen 0 - 0 Mainz 05 Wolfsburg 3 - 1 Stuttgart

Arsenal spank sorry Liverpool 4-1

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RSENE Wenger was delighted with the way his team blew Liverpool apart in a 4-1 victory at the Emirates.

"It was a very great day," Wenger said. "It was an important game today. We had the chance to make a difference with Liverpool and we took the chance."

Hector Bellerin stunned

Liverpool when he cut inside to open the scoring in the 36th minute, swiftly followed by Mesut Ozil's free-kick and Alexis Sanchez's strike, with Olivier Giroud capping the afternoon late on.

"It was a first half of quality on both sides," Wenger said. "I must say Liverpool played well, it was started with big intensity.

"Their keeper kept them in the game and then they had a good chance before we scored but we were focused, clinical, and I think if you look at the table and see the number of goals we score it's no coincidence."

Hector Bellerin gave Arsenal the first goal in the 37th minute. Three minutes later, Mesut Ozil scored from

Awoniyi eyes World Cup glory

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LYING Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, says just like the expectations of Nigerians, he's also expecting they win the U20 World Cup for the first time in the country's history.

Nigeria has had relative success at the U20 level, but are yet to win it at the world stage, not even when they hosted in 1999.

The belief amongst Nigerians is that the current crop is potentially the best ever U20 side ever assembled

by Nigeria, hence the expectation for them to go all the way in New Zealand.

And Awoniyi says he also shares the sentiments of the fans.

"I know a lot of people

expect so much from us and that is because they believe in us," he began.

"They expect us to win the World Cup which is what we are also expecting. We are expecting to go there and win it.

"The support and encouragement from the fans have been good and we appreciate them. And the way we can really show our appreciation is by always doing well and that is what we want to to," he said.

The 17-year old however adds that winning the U20 World Cup would not be as easy as saying it.

He said: "It won't be easy so we have to work hard for it.

We must fight and give our

best there.

"Our coaches have also told us that we must improve and that is what we all want to do before the World Cup. "We want to go there and showcase ourselves to the world and also do our country proud and hopefully we will get there and win it.”

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older brother Kolo Toure stepped down from the outfit following their AFCON triumph.

“I want to continue to progress with the Ivorian team and at my club. I am the kind of person who is always willing to win and move forward,” he told French radio RFI. “I will hang up my boots the day I no longer have the

three goal cushion in the injury time.

Arsenal were awarded a freekick after Santi Cazorla was fouled in the 40th minute and Ozil curled home a sublime free kick from 20 yards.

Pillars crash out of Champions League

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IGERIA champions Kano Pillars yesterday crashed out of this year's CAF Champions League despite beating Morocco's Moghreb Tetouan 2-1 at home.

Pillars thus crashed out of the tournament 5-2 on aggregate having lost the first leg in Morocco 4-0.

Poor finishing robbed Pillars of a more convincing win, while the Moroccan champions made the most of their chance.

Moghreb Tetouan took the lead in the 33rd minute through Mouchine Iajour,

who scored a hat-trick in the first encounter.

However, Pillars drew level after 61 minutes t h r o u g h T o n y Edjomareigwe.

The home team scored again a minute from full time through Rabiu Ali, who dribbled his way into the box before he fired home.

But it was too little, too late as Pillars then needed to score six other goals to advance to the second round of the competition.

Oshoala set for Malian test

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Toure refutes retirement reports

lephants of Cote d'Ivoires captain Yaya Toure has doused rumours that he was planning to retire from the national team after they won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea in February.

Reports in Abidjan suggested the 31-year-old Manchester City midfielder wanted to follow suit after his

a free kick before Alexis Sanchez scored the third goal to see Arsenal go for the break leading by three goals.

In the 76th, Jordan Henderson pulled one back for the visitors before Olivier Giroud restored Arsenal's

zeal to compete for titles and victories,” he said.

Toure participated with the Elephants in last week's international friendly matches against Angola, 2-1, and Equatorial Guinea,1-1.

However, an after-match interview he gave to a local newspaper torched off the rumours that he was about to bid bye to the team.

EIGNING African footballer of the year, Asisat Oshoala has arrived in the Nigerian camp ahead of next weekend's All Africa Games (AAG) qualifier against Mali.

Nigeria's Super Falcons drew 1-1 with the Malians in the first leg of their AAG qualifier two weeks ago in Bamako.

Oshoala who missed the first leg is now set to do business against the Malians in the second leg on April 10.

“I feel happy again meeting my teammates, all again-old time friends. It's been awhile, about three months or so,” the Liverpool

Ladies attacker said.

“When I came in, all of them came out to welcome me. I am looking forward to the task ahead, that's what brought me back to the country.

“I am not here for jokes or to make friends. I am here for business against Mali next weekend.

“I am ready for training. I will not promise to score against Mali next weekend because I am not one to make promises.

“The only thing I can say at this moment is that I will give my best and if the goals come, then we will thank God for it,” she said.

QUOTABLE “While in Ohafia, the tension was so high as the youths were all over the place ready to kill us because they said that if we give wrong verdict, none of us would get out of there alive.”

SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3176

—INEC’s returning officer for Abia North Senatorial District, Dr. Ihekweaba Chukwugoziem, revealing the grave condition under which his team operated during the collation process of the last presidential election

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VEN before one ballot was cast in the March 28 presidential and legislative elections, few could resist the temptation to see the election as a referendum on the Goodluck Jonathan government rather than an endorsement of Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Gen Buhari is undoubtedly qualified to rule, and he brings into the presidency rare qualities seldom found in Nigerian rulers, to wit, discipline, honesty, reliability and determination. But Dr Jonathan’s weaknesses were even more striking and electorally damaging than the general’s strengths were electorally productive and praiseworthy.

Though the APC candidate trumped his PDP opponent by a robust two million plus votes, the winning party must judge the strength of the foundations upon which its March 28 victory is built if it is to finalise the design and construction of the former opposition party, achieve success, and build a lasting legacy.

As comprehensive as the party’s victory in the North may appear, and as solid as that victory may seem in the North-Central and in the Southwest, APC’s electoral performance, which will most probably be replicated in Saturday’s state polls, may be more tentative than the party may want to believe. While its victory is unprecedented, making it the first time in Nigeria a ruling party was defeated by the opposition at the national level, it is not clear the party’s success is due mainly to the strength of its manifesto or to the voters’ love for the party. The opposition party’s victory is of course not attenuated by fears of future disappointment; but given the scale of the rot left by Dr Jonathan and his team, and the drastic remedies the winner will need to administer very deeply and quickly, the infatuation between the voters and the APC could very quickly turn into frustration or, worse, repudiation.

If the APC is able to measure the structure and amperage of the victory it secured over the PDP last Tuesday, it will put things in the right perspective. It will easily recognise that the talents and industry it required to defeat the PDP and Dr Jonathan are somewhat fundamentally different from the qualifications and attributes it needs to manage its success and govern well. There is nothing in their short pedigree, having come all of two years, nor in the rapid and drastic manner they secured victory, to suggest they do not have the men to lift the party above the common level, or the tactics and strategies to cobble together a great and success-

Buhari’s delicate victory

•Buhari

•Osinbajo

ful cabinet.

The party appears to know already the priorities of the electorate. First is the economy, which decline is indicated by revenue shortfalls and states unable to pay salaries or execute major projects. Second is insecurity, also depicted by the humiliating help Nigeria is receiving from neighbouring countries and mercenaries to fight Boko Haram. On Friday, the Chadian army chief publicly mourned the near absence of Nigerian troops on the frontlines. Third is the abducted Chibok schoolgirls whose rescue and return the country craves badly. And fourth, on the aesthetic level, is the need to build the support pillars of Nigerian politics and democracy, a task the PDP forsook for 16 years.

The APC made history last week by winning the March 28 polls, and changing the face of the incoming National Assembly; it stands on the threshold of a much bigger history if it manages against all predictions to assemble a competent multicultural and multidimensional cabinet to right the wrongs of decades past. It will need the disciplined commitment of the president-elect himself, the energy and vision of men like Bola Ahmed Tinubu, guardians of the constitution and civil rights like the incoming vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, and

the maturity of party elders like John Oyegun and Ogbonnaya Onu. Atiku Abubakar will have a say, though he had often showed a willingness to run with the hare and hunt with the hound; and so, too, will former president Olusegun Obasanjo, notwithstanding his imperiousness and messianism.

Though he is a man of few words, yet even in his quietude, Gen Buhari has given the impression he is loth to inquire into the financial and probably also political madness that unhinged the country and predisposed it to disequilibrium. However, he really has little choice but to probe the past, for the scale of the madness must be investigated and requited if similar malfeasances are not to be repeated.

There was hardly any election in much of the Southeast and South-South last month; even if the APC will not head for the tribunal, it must document what went wrong, and in the case of criminal acts, such as were orchestrated in Rivers State before and during the presidential poll, those indicted must without fail be brought to justice. Dr Jonathan appears to have got some soft landing; but everyone knows he opened the country’s financial tap and let loose a gale of subversion of the people’s will through unrestrained inducement. Surely, the

Dressing Jonathan in borrowed ‘statesman’ robes

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OR conceding defeat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28 poll, President Goodluck Jonathan has been lavishly described as a statesman. The word is debauched. Nigeria was doubtless on edge shortly before and after the poll, with many people stockpiling food and provisions and relocating from towns and cities they feared could erupt in violence if the poll results did not favour one of the contestants. But by placing a call to Gen Buhari and conceding defeat, the unbearable tension was instantly relieved. A grateful nation, it seems, could not have enough of the new Jonathan, whom they immediately dressed in the borrowed robes of a statesman.

A stupefied Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military head of state, ran breathless, together with his new National Peace Committee, to the president to thank him for his kind consideration and understanding. World leaders, awash in emotions, also sent word appreciating the new Dr Jonathan for placing country above self and ensuring post-poll peace. Even the APC itself, the main beneficiary of the electoral revolution that took place seemingly against the run of play, gushed to the president in coded language that all was forgiven. The president’s friends, hangers-on, and the media he dedicated to himself for the reelection race, have all painted him in glowing statesmanlike colours.

It is apparently so soon forgotten that Dr Jonathan, more than any other person, politician or unprincipled security agent, was responsible for the tension that convulsed the country weeks before the fateful race. He destroyed the security services, disemboweled them, and turned them into his party’s enforcement arm, to the extent that the world scorned what had become of Nigeria, and neighbouring countries ridiculed its armed services. It is also forgotten that the president was directly and solely responsible for creating and fostering religious and ethnic divisions in the country, and aggravated his irresponsible behaviour by condoning the threats and sabre rattling from Niger Delta militants and larcenous political elders sworn to his protection.

Moreover, though he was unable to deploy troops for counterinsurgency duties in the Northeast and had had to rely on Chadian soldiers and other heavily paid mercenaries, Dr Jonathan found the temerity to deploy soldiers for election duties in Ekiti and Osun States, and then finally on March 28, all over the country.

Together with the police, the troops undermined balloting in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States. Such mindless intimidation never occurred in these parts before, let alone on that sickening and humiliating scale.

And finally, who could fail to notice that after securing postponement of the polls for six

crazy and indefensible weeks, Dr Jonathan then sidelined his campaign organisation, opened the vaults and proceeded to seduce and induce those he identified as opinion moulders and grassroots mobilisers in the Southwest and a few other parts of the county. In any other country, the insane spending that closed the last week or so of electioneering, which the president unconscionably masterminded, should be enough to get him locked up for life.

Yet, after Dr Jonathan spent more than four years nurturing these horrifying malfeasances, he is today dressed as a statesman by public commentators, many of whom are satisfied with low public morals and standards. Everyone is lining up in the shrine to pour libation to the new statesman. Palladium will not, even though he recognises that Dr Jonathan redeemed a little of the damage he had done to the polity by calling Gen Buhari and conceding defeat. If Dr Jonathan’s expiatory afterthought is what it takes to be a statesman in Nigeria, the country must begin to mourn the loss of its future, and in particular the loss of the great values that undergird every sane and stable society. A nauseous culture is seemingly being bred — indeed as the cult of former heads of state already indicates — whereby a leader propitiates his misrule by the simple act of vacating power.

money came from somewhere. The country needs to know, if not immediately, then sometime in the near future, how and why institutional controls failed so woefully. If perpetrators are not called to account now, nature itself will withhold its goodwill. The blood of the innocent must be avenged in Rivers State and elsewhere.

The nature and dynamics of the APC victory is in many ways instructive of the present and the future. The Yoruba political organisation, Afenifere, actively campaigned for Dr Jonathan on the dubiety that voting for APC was an endorsement of the enslavement of the Yoruba by the North.

But both the results of the 2011 and March 28, 2015 polls showed clearly that the nature and dynamics of Nigeria’s electoral politics had changed considerably. No zone, let alone a cabal, can win elections without an active alliance with some other zones. Dr Jonathan realised this in 2011 but strangely failed to nurture and sustain the alliance that brought him to power. Gen Buhari failed in 2011 because he embraced the old politics of dominance, but succeeded last month partly because he embraced the new politics of accommodation. If its victory is not to be a fluke, the APC must recognise and nurture these new dynamics. Despite the shape of its electoral performance, especially its near zero impact on the Southeast, it must not fail to bring into the cabinet great minds from that protesting or absentminded region, men and women like Charles Soludo, Pat Utomi and Victoria Ezekwesili. There is no room for the bitter, malicious and acrimonious politics of the past, the kind still risibly and anachronistically subscribed to

by Afenifere.

Above all, the APC must assign itself the legacy responsibility of laying a solid foundation for democracy, the best in Africa. The PDP failed disastrously to carry out this responsibility. Now is the time for real democratic and structural change. To this end, APC must reform the system fundamentally and build and defend national institutions, including the security services bastardised by Dr Jonathan. It must also ensure that subsequent elections improve on the use of technology as well as neutralise violence in politics. The party won a historic election; after April 11, it must now settle down to its historic duty.

Lagos’ll vote APC governor

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HERE are fears in some quarters that Lagos State, given the more than 600,000 votes it gave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recently concluded presidential election, would vote for the defeated party in the state governorship race. The possibility does not exist. The PDP got that number of votes because the voters hoped Dr Jonathan would win at the centre, and then instigate a stupendous and unprecedented win in Lagos on April 11.

Now that he failed, who thinks Lagos would ignore the pains it had endured for about 16 years while in opposition to the ruling party in Abuja, and now foolishly vote to enter into another slavery and opposition to the (APC) national government?

Are they sadists or gluttons for punishment?

For 16 years, Lagos was abandoned by the federal government to rot and pine away in hopelessness. No one said a word in its defence, and no one came to its help.

Without doubt, on April 11, the state will vote APC governor in order to get the help its beleaguered people have richly deserved since the federal capital moved to Abuja. It had consistently craved more local governments and a special status. This is the state’s finest chance to land both prizes. Those who hazard APC’s loss in the Lagos governorship race should instead prepare themselves for the election of an APC governor by a healthy and irresistible plurality, and not only in Lagos, but perhaps in states like Imo, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

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Website: www.thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE