Politics
INC and Politics of Nation Building
The Ijaw National Congress (INC), a social-cultural organisation and the umbrella body of the Ijaw ethnic nationality has been a very vocal voice among the 250 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Found in six states of the federation.
They are Bayelsa, Akwa IBom, Delta, Edo Rivers and Ondo States that make up the geographical entity called Nigeria.
The organisation which pioneered the agitation for resource control, neglect, marginalisation of the Niger Delta People and South South president became a formaidable rallying point to demand for better treatment from the federal government. They condemned environmental degradation caused by multinational oil firms that explore and exploit the natural resources which God put in their soil that was meant to be used to tackle the difficult terrain of the area.
In other words, God deliberately created the people of the region, put them in the difficult environment and buried black gold that would be utilized to surmount the developmental challenges of the people. This led to agitations, following many years of unfulfilled promises to uplift the worsening condition of living of the Niger Delta region.
Consciously, the Federal government under successive administrations, presided over the wealth form the area through the crude oil resources that produce over 90 per cent of the country’s earnings.
However, the genuine struggle of the Ijaw ethnic nationality and indeed the entire people of the region began to attract international sympathy as the issue of indigenous notn working in the companies operating in the locality came to the fore. Thus, youth unemployment rose to the high heavens and the resultltant effect was the hijacking of the struggle by the youngmen who created illegitimate economy to survive and ciriminality creeped into the reasonable agitation for improvement in the living conditions of the people.
There is no doubt, the struggle of the Ijaw ethnic nationality can be described as successful, considering the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as Vice President and subsequent election as the first President of Nigeria from the Ijaw extraction.
Although, today, the activities of INC appear to have nose dived in recent times as alleged in-fighting and penetration of partisan politics into the ranks of the organisation may be diminishing the success recorded by the body.
Recently, the National President of INC Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime was suspended from office laying credence to the existence of internal squabble in the once vibrant Ijaw National Congress.
Perhaps, the inactive posture of the organisation may be a new strategy adopted by the body so as not to confront the federal government led by an Ijaw man, from Otueke, in Bayelsa State. But the Acting President of INC, Chief Joshua Benamaisia Ibiakpo, denied insinuations that the organisation is in disarray rather admitted that their activities have slowed down a little.
Chief Ibiakpo, who spoke to The Tide Political desk, said disagreements abound in every human organisation, including family set up but it does not translate to affecting the workings of the congress.
Though, the Ijaw struggle did not start today some achievements have been recorded, emphasising that the demand for resource control and self determination remains the reason for their support for restructuring of the country which is already before the National Assembly.
He restated the demand for the creation of two states, for the Ijaw race namely Oil Rivers out of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, Toru-Ebe out of the present Delta, Edo and Ondo States, insisting that they are against any balkanisation of the Ijaw people in the country and called on the federal government to intervene in the problem in Edo State where the Ijaws are being denied their place in the scheme of things.
As expected, INC proactive steps is to assist President Jonathan’s administration to succeed by giving him maximum cooperation which perhaps accounts for the slow pace of their activities. According to the Acting President the bomb blasts in the country are acts of terrorism by some unscrupulous Nigerians to distract the President who was voted into power as a unifying factor in the country.
To that extent, he argued that Nigeria is together and would continue to be one indivisible entity, emphasizing that what Nigeria needs at the moment is restructuring which would be achieved through the convening of an ethnic national conference. The present 1999 constitution is flawed for retaining military programmes in form of decrees and cited the land use decree as being in effect under a civilian regime.
Obviously, the only constitution INC would support is the one where the people will participate in its formulation so that various interests would be considered for the over wellbeing of the country.
On the position of Ijaw National Congress, on the proposed removal of Petroleum subsidy, Chief Ibiakpo, said “fuel subsidy has always been there since the military era and the system has remained porous which made the subsidy not to benefit the poor masses. For instance kerosene is subsided for N50.00 but today it sells for between N150 and N200 per litre, thereby making the ordinary people not to feel the impact of the subsidy.”
Fortunately, rather than criticise, the INC leadership took a step further by going to the Minister of Petroleum Resources to make inquiry and have gotten the full analysis which informs its position on the issue. The question that readily agitate the minds of Nigerians are not far fetched, who are the beneficiaries of the subsidy on Petroleum products?, why are the four refineries not working? What is responsible for the lack of political will to checkmake those obstructing the realisation of this programme over the year.
Answers to these questions would keep our minds pondering in different directions but the political class must embark on soul searching venture to purge itself of the enigma if the country must achieve its dream of being one of the best 20 economies in the world by 2020.
Even as the Ijaw nation continues its struggle which dates back to the colonial era and the achievement of some degree of success by the organisation, the present leadership of the organisation is being watched by many to see how the vision of the founding fathers of the body would be actualised in the years to come.
The perceived in-fighting in INC should be resolved quickly to enable it provide the needed cover for their kinsmen President Jonathan. Therefore Ijaw elders must rise to the occasion to proffer workable solution to the issues involved, otherwise the impasse may degenerate to factionalisation of the congress and that would lead to unsavouring consequences for a pace-setting ethnic nationality.
Chairman-elect of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Hon. Target Segibo has alleged that the prevalent security challenges in some communities of the local government area could be traceable to parental failure on one hand, and frivolous lifestyle of children and wards involved in crime and criminality in the area on the other hand.
Segibo, who was a pioneer member of the State House of Assembly between 1999-2003, stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital recently while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC).
He indicated his continued desire to work for the peace and rapid socio-economic development of the local government, noting that having been actively involved in the politics of the area for decades now, he was more grounded in working on modalities towards ensuring enduring peace and unity in troubled communities of the area.
The Chairman-elect who also lauded the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, the state’s leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the electorate for finding him worthy to be elected Chairman of the local government, called on parents/guardiance not to renege on their primary responsibilities of watching over their children and wards, arguing that as the largest local government area in the state, Southern Ijaw should also be noted for peace and development.
“For over 20 years, I’ve been living peacefully with all my neighbours, both at home in Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA and here, in Yenagoa.
“I’ve grown up children, but I don’t give them more than what they needed as students to go to school and stay okay as a father because I discovered that most of the security challenges we’re facing today in the Southern Ijaw LGA, and other parts of the state, is traceable to parental failure and children’s wanting to lead a frivolous lifestyle”, he said.
“As parents/guardians we should be able to know the kind of friends our children/wards keep. We must not pamper them. We must tell them that they have to do something legal to earn a living. We must question any source of sudden wealth and affluence on the part of our children and wards.
“But I want to assure our people of Southern Ijaw that as their incoming Chairman, when I’m sworn-in, having been actively participating in the politics and other activities of the area, collectively we’ll work to ensure enduring peace, unity and development of the LGA”, he added.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed the first batch of Commissioner-nominees for Governor Diri’s second term State Executive Council.
The Tide gathered that the State Chief Executive in a bid to form his cabinet for his second tenure had earlier submitted a list of 14 names to the state legislature for confirmation as commissioners.
However, The Tide reports that only 13 out of the 14 nominees attended the constitutional exercise of the lawmakers.
Though no official reasons have been given, the immediate past Commissioner for Sports, who is also a former member of the state Assembly, Hon. Daniel Igali, was conspicuously absent during the screening exercise.
Inline with the House’s rules and Standing Orders, two other former members of the state Assembly who were also part of the nominees, Dr Gentle Emelah, immediate past Commissioner for Education, and Mrs Ebiwou Koku-Obiyai, were simply asked to take a bow and leave.
Following the exhaustive grilling, however, the immediate past Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Biriyai Dambo, SAN, his Finance counterpart, Mr Maxwell Ebibai, were confirmed.
Also confirmed were the immediate past Works and Infrastructure Commissioner, Moses Teibowei, Mrs Koku Obiyai, Dr Gentle Emelah, Ayibakipreye Brodericks, George Ekpotuatein Flint and Komuko Akari Kharim.
Furthermore, Mr Perepuighe Biewari, Dr Jones Ebieri, Barr. Peter Afagha, Mrs Bidei Elizabeth and Michael Magbisa received the nod to be appointed commissioners by the state lawmakers.
In his advice to the nominees shortly after their screening, Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, enjoined the Commissioner hopefuls to work as a team with those they will meet on ground, admonishing that they remain loyal to the government at all times.
On his part, Leader of the House, Hon. Monday-Bubou Obolo, said the people of the state expect a lot trom them and that the House will do its best to keep them on their toes through its oversight functions while giving them the needed legislative support where necessary.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
A former lawmaker representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Farah Dagogo, has described the outcome of the 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as another demonstration of the resilience of the party to weather any storm that comes its way.
This is contained in a statement released bythe Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the estwhile federal legislator, Ibrahim Lawal, at the weekend.
In the build up to the NEC meeting, suggestions and permutations had been rife of the likelihood of the PDP running into another round of crises as the party tries to navigate a path for the North Central Zone to produce a substantive National Chairman to complete the truncated tenure of former Chairman, Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu.
Speaking on the sidelines of the NEC meeting that saw Umar Damagum retain his position as the party’s Acting National Chairman until the next NEC meeting scheduled for August, Dr Dagogo said those who genuinely have the best interest of the party at heart made timely sacrifices to keep the party firm and afloat.
The former member of the National Assembly said but for the political maturity and sagacity employed by the party’s National Leader and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alongside other leaders, before and during the NEC meeting, the party would have ‘played into the hands of some individuals, who wanted the party to implode in order to improve their political fortunes’.
He expressed optimism that by the adjourned date of August, Damagum would have seen that “it is in the best interest of the party for him to vacate the position for a more purposeful and result oriented leadership’’.
“ For me, the outcome of the NEC meeting was a win-win situation. Against all odds, the party came out unscathed and will continue to wax stronger.
“Yes, the Acting Chairman retained his position, but it is obvious to him now and others that it would be in the best interest of the party for him to vacate that position for a more purposeful and result oriented leadership by August.
“The so called tension generated in the build up to the NEC Meeting was actually orchestrated by the inordinate desire of some few individuals who wanted to thwart the sterling call by party faithful for a review of its failing leadership and directionless.
“ The Party however did not play into the hands of those individuals, who wanted the party to implode in order to improve their political fortunes. Thanks in good measure to the political maturity and sagacity employed by the Party’s National Leader and Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alongside other leaders, before and during the NEC Meeting. We are where we are now because of their sacrifices and dedication to the party, “ he added.
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