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Opinion: SOLILOQUY: Which Way Nigeria?

Published

5 years ago

July 28, 2019

Editor

By Michael Effiong

It was the Oziddi King, late Sonny Okosun that sang a popular song with the title ” Which Way Nigeria”.

The lyrics talked about the strife in the country, the blame game culture, the suffering of the people and ended with he question: which way Nigeria?

That song is ringing in my ears this morning as I reflect on the state of our nation. Where is the country heading to really? Some events of the last few days have made the question relevant.

Take for instance, the drama over the ministerial list. The list has eventually been dropped on our laps but guess what?

Like it has been done since 1999, names were submitted to the Senate without portfolios.Is that not a which way Nigeria moment?

I am told the reason Presidents usually keep the portfolios close to their chest is to avoid protests especially when some are given ministries that are not ” juicy” or allocated junior ministerial positions aka Minister of State.

Well, if this is the real reason, it does not hold water because either it is mentioned now or later, what will be, will be.

Granted it has not been the norm, but attaching portfolios to the list would affirm the Next Level ambitions of the present government and give it the much-desired PR boost as an administration that is light years ahead of the PDP…But this resort to business as usual, get as e be.

The embarrassing incident of “Bow and Go” would have been reduced if we knew the assigned duties of the ladies and gentlemen.

We, as citizens, could scrutinise these nominees on our own even before they step into the red chamber and our nation will be the better for it. Indeed, we could have been saved from the drama that played out inside the hallowed chambers.

I watched a few of the screening sessions and was not too impressed. The case of the immediate past FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello really hit a raw nerve.

I don’t know if he answered any question before I witnessed him telling the Senators that he should enjoy the privilege to ” Bow and Go” because he occupied the position of FCT Minster which was the equivalent of State Governor!

I was appalled that no one raised the issue that he was an appointee and not an elected official etc. He got his way with cheers from the floor.

Well let us not dwell on the negatives, the screening also brought to fore the need for technocrats and professionals to become politicians.

No doubt if you know your onions, you can stand at anytime to prove your mettle. And that was what Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Ali Isa Pantami, Festus Egwarewa Adeniyi Keyamo and Sunday Akin Dare showed.

Not only were they cerebral, they were very composed, articulate and regaled us with impressive stories of their personal and professional accomplishments.

While, I say kudos, will the Nigerian system, which stifled brilliant minds like late Chief Bola Ige allow these ones to soar?

Will they be given assignments that will allow them exhibit their prowess and talents? Or Will we come back in a few years to lament in our usual manner: which way Nigeria?

Just when I was pondering over all these, the BBC jolted me from my reverie with a powerful documentary on kidnapping in Nigeria.

Titled “Inside Nigeria’s Kidnap Crisis” by Kunle Falayi, the documentary again brought out the Which Way Nigeria question.

It highlighted the gallantry of the Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and his men of the Inspector-General Response Team which has led to the arrest of many daredevil armed robbers and kidnappers.

But the documentary also showed the extra judicial actions of some of the officers, especially the allegation of torture of suspects or relations of suspects.

The one that broke my heart was the story of the family of an IRT Inspector who was killed in the line of duty.

The family of this hero (a wife and four children) was living in penury because his entitlement has not been paid four months after his demise. His children have stopped school and his wife was begging for decent accommodation!

What made it painful for me was that the fine officer, Mr Kyari was right there as the broken, disappointed and despondent woman poured her heart, instead of tellling us how he will facilitate urgent succour for the family, he was lamenting about the poor welfare of his officers! Haba Abba! Which Way Nigeria?

Though he spoke about the need to boost the morale of officers with better welfare and care, the soothing balm for that woman was not to generalise her problem. Maybe he did that in private, but what was shown to us was not palatable at all.

Despite the good work of Mr Kyari and his men, the kidnapping palaver is hitting closer home with an incident reported at the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, as we are pondering over that, we now have the additional tension of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), the Shiite group led by El ZakZaky.

Though I am not a fan of the violent protest embarked upon by the group over the continued detention of its leader, the proscription order which was
nicodemously granted to the Federal Government may not be the right solution.

With all we have on our plate at the moment, was this action deeply thought out? Some say this is a knee jerk approach that will likely worsen the situation and lead to the usual question: which way Nigeria? God help us!

Headline

Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, 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 NECeeting on Thursday is 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.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of 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.

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Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

4 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

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Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

Published

7 days ago

April 12, 2024

Admin

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”