Politics
PDP: The Peace Option
The Rivers State
Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi in July this year cried out that the state was under siege. His painful outburst was as a result if the glaring partisanship of the Rivers State Police Command in the political imbroglio rocking the state. The governor who was speaking when the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration came to Port Harcourt on a fact-finding mission said:
“Yesterday, they shot tear-gas into Government House. When we were meeting with the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) today, the police claimed that it was inadvertent that they shot tear-gas into Government House.
“So, I asked one question, supposing it was live bullet and it hit me? They said no, governor was not outside. But I said I was outside, you can check. We are under siege here”.
Since it became obvious a couple of months ago that the governor is not on the good books of the president, some political opponents of the governor have cashed in in this development to advance their selfish interest. Having secured the support of the presidency, the group led by the Minister of State for Education, Hon Nyesom Wike, has engaged the services of the Rivers State Police Command in a war of attrition. The police in the state take directives from the group while the state governor who is constitutionally recognised as the chief security officer of the state is despised and subjected to all forms of humiliation. Nigerians in their numbers have continually expressed their discomfiture over the attitude of the police in the state, and the National Assembly two months ago acted swiftly by passing a resolution, calling on the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu. But the IGP for whatever reason has not effected this resolution.
Of course, evil begets evil. Now the crisis in Rivers PDP which is being fuelled by the powers-that-be has engulfed the entire party with the emergence of the new PDP. Surprisingly, a presidency that was visibly unperturbed about the ugly incidents that characterised the intra-party crisis in Rivers State became a trouble-shooter overnight. The reason being that a split in the PDP will impact negatively on the ruling party in 2015 general elections, particularly at the federal level.
Although the key-players in the crisis have repeatedly expressed the willingness to resolve their differences amicably, their actions and those of their foot-soldiers suggest the contrary. In spite of various litigations in the courts of law, both sides have continued to engage in verbal war. Those who are privileged to apply coercive powers have been very dutiful. Could it be the reason why security details attached to Senator Bukola Saraki, who of late has become a regular guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Alhaji Kawu Baraje were withdrawn?
Again, the President a forthnight ago sacked nine ministers from his cabinet. Yes, it is the prerogative of the President to hire and fire his ministers at will, but some political observers attributed his action to the crisis in the party as most of the ministers who were booted out of office were nominated by the G-7 governors. To buttress this point was the sack of Dr Shamsudeen Usman whom the President recently described as the best minister that piloted the affairs of the Ministry of National Economic Planning. Indeed, the president will find it an uphill task to convince Nigerians that the ministers that were sacked from his cabinet were the worst among the lot.
Also, Nigerians were thinking that the on-going reconciliation in the PDP would be applauded by the Police in Rivers State as an instrument that was created to maintain law and order, but they were disillusioned when Governor Amaechi in company of former speakers of state legislatures across the country was blocked by the police from accessing a shorter route to his official residence.
Meanwhile, the Police had earlier in the day sealed off the new PDP secretariat that was inaugurated by the Chief of Staff, Hon Tony Okocha. What impunity! This is not acceptable in a democracy. Political pundits are of the view that the Commissioner of Police is merely carrying out directives from Oga at the top.
Two days later, the Minister of State for Education, Hon Nyesom Wike added insult to injury when he declared that he would not allow Governor Amaechi to open a secretariat of the parallel People’s Democratic Party in Rivers State.
Speaking at Abonnema, during the inauguration of Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI), Wike said, “Change has come to Rivers. Amaechi, you are not God, because you are tenant. Your house rent has expired and you cannot pay. Pack and go. Tenant, pack and go.
“There is only one PDP. Those who said they have two million votes, they are still going for meetings to give conditions. We are not accepting any condition. The only chairman of the party is Felix Obuah.
“They wanted to dare us to see whether we are still in government. We are in government. We are PDP government and nobody can open office of any parallel party in Rivers State. They should go to their Government House, because their rent has expired”, he said.
The Minister of State for Education is one of the president’s foot-soldiers. From his ulterance, it is clear that the peace- talk is a smokescreen. But political pundits are of the view that the president is being deceived by his foot-soldiers, creating the impression that the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria can easily deploy soldiers to any part of the country to secure his victory at the presidential poll.
Could it be that what is going on in Rivers State is an experiment in preparation for the 2015 general elections? If so, they are treading a dangerous path, because Nigerians are wiser now. We believe that the President is morally bound to keep Nigeria in one piece come 2015, no matter whose ox is gored. We wish him well.
Reward Akwu
Politics
How We Saved N2.3bn From LG Reforms – Diri
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has revealed that the reforms initiated and implemented by his administration led to the saving of the sum of N2.3 billion for the local government councils.
The governor disclosed this recently at the opening ceremony of an orientation programme organised for newly-elected local government council chairmen, vice chairmen, councilors and principal officers at Perdis Hotel, Akenfa.
Gov Diri stated that on assumption of office in 2020, some local government councils were highly indebted and unable to pay salaries but his administration took measures that resulted in regular payment of salaries, execution of projects and saving of funds.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive restated his call on the Federal Government to create additional local councils in the state, saying it was injustice for some states to have more than 40 councils and receiving monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Commission (FAAC), while the state had only eight.
He charged the newly elected local government officials to make good use of the two-day workshop to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to carry out their responsibilities.
The governor also called on them to work as a team to ensure that development was felt at the grassroots.
“Local governments as at 2020 were unable to pay salaries, particularly Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama. There was some form of dissatisfaction in the system.
“After I went through the recommendations of the Deputy Governor, whom I entrusted with investigating the local government, I wasted no time in approving the recommendations.
“The recommendations included the ban on loans from any source by local government chairmen without approval of the governor; compulsory savings by every council; and the division of balance after payment of salaries into 60 and 40 per cent respectively. One part was for compulsory savings and the other to project implementation and immediate commencement of computerisation of their payroll as well as compulsory quarterly award of projects by each council chairman.
“We found a lot of fraud in the local government system. But as it stands today, our councils have N2.3billion as a result of the combination of the factors of reforms and proper supervision of that tier of government.
“The breakdown is N400million compulsory savings while N1.9 billion for capital projects. This is aside from the one done by caretaker committees in terms of project execution within the short period they stayed”, the governor said.
Gov Diri assured of his administration’s commitment to support the councils to achieve their goals and expressed confidence that the new officials would meet the expectations of the people.
“We firmly believe that good governance begins at the grassroots level. That is precisely why we have gathered here to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve our local government administration and enhance service delivery.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Politics
Monarch Cautions Against Divisive Politics, Declares Support For Fubara
The Eze Oruamara/Regent of Okwuzi Kingdom in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the State, Eze Victor Afaka, has sued for peace among the political class in the State.
Eze Afaka made the appeal while speaking with The Tide on the sidelines of the governorship victory thanksgiving service by the Ogba Egbema /Ndoni Chapter of the Simplified Movement in Omoku.
He said Governor Fubara should be allowed to display the vision that God has given to him to govern the state.
According to him, since every administration has its term and tenure, the man presently at the helm of affairs in Rivers State must be given the opportunity to complete his own term and tenure.
“I advise politicians to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign. Politics and governance have their terms and tenure. When it is your tenure, you have your vision to display; when you conclude that vision God has given you as a leader of your community or of a state, you step aside and leave the next person to display the vision God has given to him” he said.
The traditional ruler said he and his people, including the youth, women and the Ogbakor Egbema, decided to attend the service because of the excellent vision of Governor Fubara
“We are happy, Okwuzi people are in full support of the government, the government of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, he added.
He said that the governor’s peaceful disposition to governance has endeared him to His Kingdom, noting that Okwuzi kingdom was already a beneficiary of the present administration’s purposeful governance as the Omoku/Okwuzi road abandoned 10 years ago, was nearing completion.
“ONELGA, Okwuzi are benefitting from his government.The road that was abandoned for ten years is being completed right now and we know that there are so many other things he will do for us”, he said.
While urging the state government to give desired attention to the Okwuzi General Hospital that is in a state of dilapidation, Eze Afaka entreated Governor Fubara not to be distracted, but to continue to promote peace and development across the State.
John Bibor
Politics
APC Stakeholders Storm Secretariat, Demand Ganduje’s Resignation
A group of North Central stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the protesters said their demand followed his recent suspension by a faction of his ward executives and the alleged bribery allegation levelled against him by the Kano State government.
While they chanted solidarity songs and displayed several banners some of which read, “Ganduje must resign” and “Return the APC chairmanship to North Central,” the protesters appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to consider returning the leadership of the party to the North Central.
Only on Tuesday, the Forum of APC State Chairmen had passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje, affirming their unalloyed support to him.
The protesters under the aegis of Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders lamented that the continued stay of Ganduje in office was a clear violation of the zoning principle in the party.
Mohammed Saba, who led the protesters, said unlike the 37 APC state chairmen, his people in the North Central have passed a vote of no confidence on the national chairman and equally demanded his immediate resignation.
Saba reiterated that the people of North Central felt betrayed when the position of APC national chairman was hijacked from them following the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu despite giving Tinubu the third highest votes after North West and South West at the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “We, the North Central APC Concerned Stakeholders, have resolved to unanimously agitate for our right and reclaim our mandate which was handed unto us by the National Convention of our great Party in 2022.
“Various sections of our constitution have established the procedure of replacing an executive member at all levels of the party in the event of death, resignation, incapacitation or expulsion from the party by any executive member.
“It is a fact that the emergence of Dr. Umar Ganduje as national chairman was done against the spirit and soul of the APC which is the constitution of our great party. This singular act has impacted negatively on us as a people in the North Central.
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