Politics
The Politics Of Obasanjo’s Visit To Rivers
Last week Monday,
former President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived Port Harcourt to commission various projects executed by the Rivers State government under the watch of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The visit which lasted for two days, was on the invitation of the State Governor, Amaechi.
To keen political watchers in the last six and half years, the former President’s visit was more than a surprise, especially in view of the k-leg saga that earlier denied Amaechi the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which he won in the state in 2007. The k-leg saga was orchestrated by Obasanjo who was then the President and national leader of the PDP at that time. It, however, took the intervention of the Supreme Court before the party’s ticket and mandate were returned to Amaechi.
Since then, Obasanjo’s path and Amaechi’s had never crossed each other. The new romance between the two former political adversaries has therefore thrown many analysts off balance. The latest move by the two leaders has further confirmed the popular axiom that in politics, there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies.
While many people have argued that Obasanjo’s visit was more political than commissioning of some state projects, some others see it as an opportunity for Amaechi to showcase his achievements.
Both positions could be said to be right. For instance, the former President’s visit to the State has straightened the k- leg that caused political mistrust between the two leaders.
Obasanjo, during the visit, admitted that he was responsible for the k-leg and that he acted based on the security report in 2007 against the governor.
He commended Governor Amaechi for acting wisely by going to court.
According to him, Amaechi did what was required in a democratic dispensation, by going to court to straighten the K-leg issue.
“I am one of those who when he (Amaechi) got the judgement, found it awkward. I did not voice it out publicly but I found it awkward. Awkward in the sense that how can a man who has not contested an election, a man who has not been voted for be declared the governor?
“But I mused over it because he got it from the Supreme Court. As far as I am concerned that was the end of that K-leg saga,” he said.
He challenged those who are not satisfied with the Supreme Court’s verdict to take their case to God.
He also appealed to Amaechi not to blame his predecessor, Dr Peter Odili for the K-leg, saying he (Obasanjo) should be held responsible.
“I phoned Amaechi not to take anything against his predecessor. Hold me responsible for whatever decision taken against you, not your predecessor”, he said.
Obasanjo’s pronouncement particularly drew reactions from the opposition who challenged the former president to tell the public why he initiated the K-leg in the first instance.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through the Special Assistant on Media to the State Chairman, Mr. Jerry Needam said Obasanjo should make public the security report he got against Amaechi in 2007. But to Obasanjo, the k-leg issue is history.
Meanwhile, besides straightening the k-leg issue, the commissioning of some landmark projects by the former President known for his bluntness on issues, has also kept the opposition in check.
Obasanjo who commended Amaechi for his developmental strides in the area of education, health and agriculture, also gave a tacit endorsement of the monorail project which the opposition in the State, has variously criticised as a white elephant project.
According to the ex-President, many people would not appreciate the worth of the monorail now until it was completed.
Describing the monorail project as landmark and a reference point, Obasanjo stated “the only state that can do that now with the visible power that they have is Rivers State because they generate well over 700 megawatts of electricity with what I commissioned yesterday.”
Obasanjo’s assessment of the commissioned projects was far above average, going by his words.
“I am here to see development and acknowledge development, and so far, I have seen indeed.
“I am really proud over the infrastructure and particularly road network.
Amaechi had during his second tenure campaign said he was embarking on the ‘Change You Can See.’
“Our concern is to bring the projects and the policies of the government to the people and allow the people to take the decisions on the present and the past,” Amaechi said.
On why Amaechi invited the ex-President to the state, the governor told the audience at the Ambassador Nne Krubo Model School, Ebubu Community, Eleme Local Government Area of the state, that he invited Obasanjo for two reasons.
“I told my cabinet that we will achieve two things: the first is to showcase to Baba and see whether he is convinced that we have done anything at all. The second is to also showcase to the public that these young politicians who are moving around, that you can refer to them that they are my boys, even though I do not like having boys”, Amaechi said.
He continued “I tried to bring you (Obasanjo) last year, but it was impossible, but this year, I fought extremely hard. Let me tell you what my cabinet said, they said it will repair the k-leg.
“I told them that I know Baba, if he is not satisfied, he will damage the k-leg further. Don’t ever remind baba about the k-leg, but I said the only reason I am pushing Baba to come here is that we share few friends most people do not know about. They said anytime they try to convince Baba that we ar working, Baba will say ‘ I don’t know becasue I have never been there’.
“So I said the best thing for me to do is to bring Baba here, to see for himself, and if you know Baba very well, I am a smaller version of Baba, so if we are doing well, baba will say it and he will tell me in the car that Amaechi, I am not impressed. If you give him microphone, he will say it in the open”.
The implication of Obasanjo’s visit to Rivers State, is however, not far-fetched. While his visit has laid to rest the k-leg issue, it has also debunked the speculations that the ex-President was in the state to do the yeo-man’s job for Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During his two-day visit, Chief Obasanjo restrained himself from making political statements capable of labelling him as Amaechi’s supporter against President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP which is the main opposition party in the state. Even when Governor Amaechi pleaded with the former President to intervene on behalf of the state over the alleged attempt by the Federal Government to stifle development in the state, Obasanjo turned down the request.
He said, “If people oppose you, leave them in the court of God, provided you are doing the right thing. Let us have politics with principles, love and not politics with bitterness. All those requests you want to send me, take it and deliver them yourself”.
The implication of this is that Chief Obasanjo only came to the state “to see development and acknowledge development”, and he has indeed seen development, to paraphrase Obasanjo’s words.
And for a man of Obasanjo’s standing to describe Amaechi as a visionary leader who understands the needs of his people, it goes to say that the former President’s assessment of Amaechi’s administration is far above average. So, even if you do not like Amaechi as a person, you cannot take the credit away from him.
Boye Salau
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (2nd left), cutting the tape to commission Prof Kelsey Harrison Hospital in Diobu, Port Harcourt recently. With him are Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi (left), his wife, Dame Judith Amaechi and Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Hon Sampson Parker (right).
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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