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Pendulum: Now That President Buhari Has Let the Cat Out of the Bag

Published

6 years ago

April 14, 2018

Editor

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, it has been a very interesting week in our dear beloved country. What has been a long purportedly hidden, but open secret, which we all knew about anyway, and which we knew was going to happen finally did happen. Our President, Muhammadu Buhari, dropped his muted bombshell as he was just on his way to London on a “working visit” but it was not exactly the explosive denouement to the “would he run, would he not” saga his acolytes would have expected. Rather it was an anti-climax or, more appropriately a whimper or simply, déjà vu. It was always obvious that the President would find the temptation to seek a second term very irresistible, like all ordinary mortals. The trappings, ceremonies and ostentation of power are too appealing and difficult to give up. The ability to shun this enticement is what made The Madiba, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela an uncommon and apotheosised being. He knew not all rights must be claimed or actualised. However, no one can deny anybody, including our esteemed President, his rights, if he chooses to exercise those rights. Clearly, those who have advised him against what they perceive as a misadventure, were amongst his biggest supporters in the past. They wanted him to recuse himself from the excruciating agony of what has turned out to be very tedious, unprofitable governance, and thereby rescue Nigeria from the burden of weak and ineffective leadership. Now that the President has made up his mind that those reasons are not strong enough to dissuade him from re-contesting a record fifth time, the best we can do, as his former followers, is to wish him the best of luck.

The beauty of democracy is that it guarantees the rights of everyman to vote and be voted for, as long as he has no criminal record or other impediment to debar him from doing so. I’m looking ahead to a very rigorous selection process and robust campaign in the dozens of political parties in Nigeria. It is obvious that the ruling party, APC would try to railroad its ticket in favour of the President. As for that, there is not likely to be any negotiation. Any challenger within the party would have an uphill task and be treated automatically as a renegade and recalcitrant outcast. For me, that is not a reason to give up. Any would be contestant within the APC must simply realise that he has a mountain to climb, but even Mount Everest has been scaled, so the task is not impossible. Indeed, it may be the saving grace of the party and its Presidential candidate, whoever emerges, be it President Buhari or some other person.

The other major party, PDP, would try to be more democratic in its selection process and hope the fallout from its primaries would not further deepen and expand the chasm within the party which is still trying to pick itself up from the recent near disintegration and catastrophe it has been faced with. Those hoping for a third force may be disappointed in the long run because it may not fly for this particular election. The time and resources needed are not there at this point in time. However, If I were the PDP, I would gauge the mood of the nation and plan to rebrand and merge with other parties. I would contemplate a change of name, like APC did, because the present name is greatly tarnished and damaged, albeit psychologically. Its recent campaigns in Jigawa and Katsina States may have however rejuvenated and emboldened them to consider retaining their present name.

Let me now address the issue of our restive youths who are clamouring for a total sweep of the old brigade from power at this upcoming elections. I sincerely doubt they would have their wish and desire in such a jiffy. I am under no illusion, or delusion, that any of our younger contestants would have the stamina, resources or experience to muscle their way through to the candidacy of either of the major parties. The obvious threat to their aspirations would be the proliferation of Presidential aspirants/candidates. The second, and more potent, threat is the ability of the oldies that they seek to depose, to clannishly stick together against an unwanted intruder. Therefore, none of them is going to emerge from either of the two leading parties. The smaller parties lack the structures to help launch and catapult them to power. I’m not a prophet of doom but I am only speaking from my personal experience in 2011. Not much has changed since then. I will now present some of the hurdles they would have to surmount.

ETHNICITY. One of the biggest diseases afflicting Nigeria today is ethnicity. It is not going to fly away readily by any magic. The most educated Nigerians behave like stark illiterates when it comes to defending their place of origin and tribe. The more States we have created, the more splintered the divisions have been. The two leading political parties have virtually, wittingly or unwittingly, zoned their candidacy to the North of Nigeria thus shutting out any chance of considering any genius from other parts of Nigeria. One of the younger candidates, like Donald Duke is already wasted, despite his wealth of experience. If he decides to try a third force, he would be stunned that most of those asking for his kind in Nigerian politics are really negligible and too few and far between. You would expect a lot of Nigerian students in particular to queue behind Omoyele Sowore, one of the greatest products of students’ unionism ever, but the students’ unions themselves are already divided along ethnic lines. Those who killed Nigerian education also killed students’ activism with it. They ensured the fractionalisation of our unions for their nefarious ends. I have spoken before of the Rwandan example, where ethnicity is now taboo, and, it is now prohibited to refer to tribe in public discourse. I believe and fervently maintain that one the greatest bane to our national cohesion, unity and development is the principle of Federal Character, which not only enshrines mediocrity and poorness, but crowns inferiority and dreadfulness. A nation that allows individuals who score less than 20% in exams to attain the highest levels of its technocracy and government can never expect to do well. Its progress is rooted in failure.

RELIGION. There is no opium stronger than religion in Nigeria. We used to tolerate religious freedom in the past, not anymore. It is one of the reasons Buhari, as a candidate, had to pick ardent Christians as his running mates in the last two elections he has contested. He actually got two Pastors, Tunde Bakare and Yemi Osinbajo, back to back, for these two contests. That was also the only reason the former Governors of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fashola, could not be considered by him. It is noteworthy that in 1993, Moshood Abiola was forced to risk a Muslim/Muslim ticket because the North told him plainly they would not accept a Christian to represent them. He got away with it because the South parades many Christians and Muslims, except in the South East and South South where Christians are very dominant. Abiola’s unprecedented popularity across the nation helped propel him a great deal and made for the success of this ticket. The type of religious tolerance that existed then has since exited with Abiola. Any Southern Christian would find it almost impossible in this coming election to get substantial votes in the North. That is too certain. This is another of our hidden, unuttered taboos that we must do away with if we are to make any progress as a nation. This will not however happen at this impending election.

MONEY. The role of raw cash cannot be over-emphasised in politics all over the world. It plays an even more crucial role in poverty-stricken nations. With all due respect, as prosperous as Nigeria is, ours is still rated as one of the poorest nations on earth. I won’t bore you with the obvious reasons. The disparity between members of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is unbelievably wide. It is, therefore, very easy to induce the poor with what may be considered a mere pittance. The very poor constitute the highest number in any nation, and given the state of the Nigerian economy, the percentage of impoverished people is naturally larger. The influence money would play in the next election would therefore still be huge. The candidates would have to run their campaigns nationally, by road, by air and by water in the riverine areas. They need to print banners, posters, leaflets, t-shirts, face-caps, handkerchiefs, gift items, etc. Nigeria is a big country in land mass and population. Let’s even assume the new breed candidates would perform the miracle of turning water into wine, they would still need to pay for their agents nationwide, without whom their genuine votes may not be protected. This would run into billions of Naira.

This is why it is not easy to fight corruption in Nigeria. It would have been impossible for Buhari to win the last election without the avuncular support of moneybags within and outside his political party, including some very wealthy members of the private sector. Until he makes his second term, it is virtually impossible to fight all the humongously wealthy politicians in his party right now. They have to be carefully managed and jealously guarded for the party to have any chance of winning the next election. How many of such filthy rich Nigerians are available to sponsor our fresh candidates? Most of them have fled to APC while the balance of them are in PDP. While Sowore would appeal to the downtrodden who want to shut down the prevailing system, Fela Durotoye would appeal to the middle/upper class, but I’m not sure either of these classes can fund their campaigns yet in Nigeria.

Those three highlighted issues of ethnicity, religion and money are the major obstacles to getting good leaders in Nigeria. The other major problem is the confusion amongst the electorate on how to make their choice. An enlightenment and awareness campaign is absolutely necessary. For example, many Nigerians would tell you corruption is their biggest and only worry. That was the main reason we ended up with Buhari. Most of those who supported him in 2015 merely pandered to pervasive public opinion engendered by those who saw Buhari as the last remaining saint standing. Had we not tried Buhari, they would have told us Nigeria is in a mess because he was not allowed to assume power. They would assert that the free fall of the Naira would never have occurred under a Buhari Presidency and that Buhari would have wiped out corruption and exterminated corrupt leaders within a short time. This is why the APC change mantra has remained “war against corruption.” Despite the obvious hypocrisy, the APC would have to shout that slogan till kingdom come, hoping that more and more politicians would run into its fold for much needed protection, and that the gullible public would buy into the charade. This is its own winning formula. Time will tell.

The PDP would try to contradict this APC mantra by exposing the APC as a party of liars and incompetent people. There is already a tit for tat approach with PDP offering its counter list of corrupt persons ensconced and buried in APC. This melodrama would continue unabated. PDP would have to be an umbrella for all those who feel Buhari would victimise them if he comes back to power. This would be the biggest attraction to hard core politicians. APC may suffer a major setback and lose a large chunk of its big names in the near future because of the palpable distrust between the party chieftains.

These looming elections promise to be one of high stakes and protection of vested interests. It is a chance for Nigerians to embrace true change not just in personnel, but also in their approach to the selection of their leaders and their demand for accountability and improvement in governance.

Time will tell.

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Connect Initiative Celebrates Gov. Umo Eno’s 60th Birthday by Empowering 60 Individuals, Visiting Hospitals, and Prisons

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Admin

In celebration of the 60th birthday of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, the socio-political group, Connect Initiative, has embarked on a series of impactful initiatives.

They have empowered 60 vulnerable individuals and extended compassionate visits to hospitals and prisons across the state.

The group made up of professionals and entrepreneurs kicked off its activities with a low-key ceremony where 60 indigent people were given financial support.

The beneficiaries were carefully selected from across the 31 LGAs of the state.

In his opening remarks, the group’s Chief Conector, Dr Frank Ekpenyong, stated that the organisation decided to toe this line because it is the right thing to do putting into consideration the present realities in Nigeria.

He noted that the event which was to commemorate the birthday of Governor whom he described as a humble, compassionate and visionary leader that believes in development from the bottom up.

Dr Frank said that Comnect Initiatives will soon up the ante in terms of standing in the gap for government through impactful programmes and projects

In the course of the ceremony, seven respected Akwa Ibom indigenes were inducted into the Connect Forum: Sir Okon Okon, Captain Iniobong Ekong ( Retd), Aniekan Essienette, Ime Udo, Murphy Esin, Hon. Mbosowo David and Mrs Imobong Akamba.

The group then began the next day with a visit to the St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo LGA where they cleared the bills of some indigent patients.

The patients who were in the maternity, female surgical and paedetric wards had concluded their treatments but could not be discharged due to inability to pay their bills.

All the patients: Patricia Victor Brown ( from Itu LGA), Nkoyo Edet Okon ( Oron LGA), Emem Gabriel David ( Nsit Ubium), Enobong Gabriel Emmanuel and Mavelous Bassey were thankful for this womderful intervention of Connect Initiative on behalf of the governor.

The most moving moment of the visit was the case of Mrs Magdalene Okon Edet. After listening to the pathetic story of her surgery and condition afterwards, the group decided on-the-spot to foot her over N400,000 bill.

She and her family broke into uncontrollable tears of joy.

In addition, during the ward rounds, the team was given the cheering news that a mother had earlier that day been delivered of a baby girl.

Not only was the Ebong family’s bill settled, when the good news was relayed to HE Governor Umo Eno that he now had a new birthday mate, he immediately requested to meet with the father of the baby.

The lucky father was acknowledged and presented with special gift by the Governor during the commissioning of Atiku Abubakar Way project in the presence of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

In his remarks, Rev. Father Gabriel Ekong the hospital Administrator thanked Connect Initiative for embarking on this noble cause that has brought relief and joy to many homes.

While praying that God would replenish the pockets of all those who contributed to the kind gesture, he applauded the vision of Governor Umo Eno for urging wellwishers to embrace charitable causes instead of spending the funds on parties or other unproductive endeavours.

He used the opportunity to pray for excellent health and wisdom for Governor Eno, while wishing him a very successful tenure in government.

The next port of call for the Connect Initiative members was the Methodist General Hospital, Ituk Mbang, Uruan LGA.

There, the team visited the wards where Baby Favour Edidiong, Joyce Isaac Mbaba, Imeh Phillip Etukudo, Prince Asuquo Okon and Nko Etim Umoh were all cleared to go home with a commitment that all their outstanding bills would be fully paid. Again the patients erupted in happiness and were full of prayers and praise for the celebrant and Connect Initiative.

The Hospital Superintendent, Dr Aniekan in his remarks thanked the group for this humanitarian gesture, adding that this act was worthy of emulation by other organisations
The day was rounded off at the Minimum Correctional Centre, Uyo where the team pledged to pay the fines of 13 inmates with minor offences

Speaking to journalists after the visits, the President-General of the group, Ms Idy Ekwo stated that its itinerary was carefully planned in accordance with the wishes of the celebrant, Governor Umo Eno.

She noted that based on what was discovered during the visits, Connect Initiative would make charitable interventions a more frequent affair.

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Prioritize Existing Unfinished Projects, Peter Obi Tells FG

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Eric

Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has advised the federal government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Obi, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stated that the project was a misplaced priority given the numerous unfinished roads throughout the country.

The former governor of Anambra State mentioned that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.

Obi therefore, advised that the government prioritize the existing infrastructural projects in the country before embarking on any new and colossal projects like the Lagos-Calabar super highway project.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

Back in March, the Federal Government began constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through 9 states with two spurs leading to the Northern States.

Recall that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier described the project as a fraud.

“Umahi had announced that Hitech would fully fund the project, and based on this, there was no competitive bidding. He (Umahi) then said that Hitech could only raise just 6% of the money for the pilot phase. This smacks of deceit,” Atiku said.

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2027 Presidential Race: Opposition Parties Under Attack

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

While it is still a whole three years before the next general election in 2027, The Boss has learnt that opposition parties in the countries are being muffled to pave the way for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to, and retain power.

From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the Labour Party (LP), and down to the New Nigerian Peoples Paty (NNPP), crises have engulfed the rank and files, in what a source told this paper was the attempt and making of the ruling party, APC, to decimate, destabilize and make redundant the machineries of the opposition parties.

It is believed that by 2027, the apparatuses holding together the various opposition parties would have weakened irredeemably to the extent the country would seemingly nosedive into the inglorious one party state that every civil right advocate and democrats abhor.

It is alleged that all the crises in all the opposition parties are being engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling APC, with the hope of getting the fibres of their system weakened, thereby luring the members of the crisis-ridden parties into the APC.

Slightly one year after the last presidential election, the two major opposition platforms, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have separately been embroiled in a crisis of confidence which has diminished their capacity to provide viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The crises in both opposition parties got to a head. The Labour Party led by its national chairman Julius Abure held its much-opposed national convention which was boycotted by its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; its only governor, Alex Otti of Abia State; federal and state lawmakers elected on its platform, and the organised Labour.

In the Labour Labour, members have been embroiled in endless battle of supremacy with a faction led by Mr. Apapa steadily contesting the leadership of Julius Abure.

Consequently, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, reverence as a leader in the fold, noting that whatever the party faces presently, that Nigeria’s problems are far bigger than the crises in his party.

The LP has been embroiled in crises — ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussle, to calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman.

TheCable reported that “On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state where Julius Abure was re-elected as its national chairman.

Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he may be mulling over ditching the LP for another platform.

Speaking during an appearance on HaveYourSay247, an interactive online session hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo over the weekend, Obi said he is confident that the crises rocking the LP will soon be resolved amicably.

“Whatever is happening in the Labour Party is so minute compared to what is happening in the country,” Obi said.

“So, for me, it is something we will resolve amicably, and it is not anything to worry about. Let us worry about the country.

“Let us worry about how the average Nigerian would be able to have a means of livelihood to be able to eat, that should be our worry.”

Obi said he has no interest in being the party’s leader but only to make sure things are done properly.

“I don’t see what I do in politics as being the leader of any place or not. My position is that just like I always say, I am not desperate to be president of Nigeria, I am desperate to see Nigeria work because I know it can work,” he added.

“We have a more desperate situation. Parties are just a means to be able to contest elections. What is important is that being a leader of a party does not reduce the price of food.

In the PDP, the shenanigans of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has practically kept the party in constant crisis with many observers concluding that the now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is working for the APC, and is just a mole in the PDP. Wike has denied the allegation, however,

But news filtered in last week as that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NEC meeting on Thursday was not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

While political stakeholders concluded that the outcome of the Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan; every page of what finally transpired at the meeting pointed to the fact.

The much touted removal of the party chairman, who is believed to be a crony of the Abuja minister, Damagum, retained his seat, with his executives.

“It is very clear to everyone that a lot of money politics is being played to cajole many loyal members of the party, forcing them into frustration, and eventually it of the party. The option afterwards, will be the APC. This, will for all intent and purpose actualize the intended one party state as an APC agenda.

The Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP is not faring better either. The only governor under their ticket, Abba Kabir Yusuf, just had the confidence of their party on him withdrawn. He was fighting for his political life until suddenly it was announced the the APC in Kano has collapsed its structure into the NNPP.

“This is just another APC strategy to actualize their hidden intentions. Time will reveal the very sinister agenda they harboring,” an analyst said.

Much as 2027 is still three years away, but intrigues are in play to render Nigeria a one party state, and perpetuate the APC in power. The three other opposition parties are basically under attack to bring to pass this unpopular agenda.