Politics
Nwuke: Living His Words
The term democracy is derived from two Greek words demo and krations which means people’s rule. In ancient Greece, every adult male citizen participated in the process of reaching decisions for the governance of the community. The practice then was called direct democracy which implied that every adult male citizen must be physically present to participate in taking decisions over things that affected him and his community.
But over the years human race has increased in population and modern societies larger and more complex than the societies in the ancient Greece, and therefore it will be cumbersome to practice direct democracy. It is for this reason that modern societies, including Nigeria, have settled for representative democracy as an acceptable arrangement where the people elect some persons in a periodic, free and fair election to represent them in government.
The beauty of democracy is that those holding political offices can be challenged and displaced in accordance with the will of the people through a wide range of institutional mechanisms. Political offices are not chieftaincy stools where the occupants have life-long tenure.
For advanced democracies you would appreciate how elected representatives apply themselves to the work they were elected to do so as to sustain the confidence reposed in them by the electorate. They consider it as a mark of honour to be chosen by their fellow compatriots to initiate and implement policies and programmes that will bring about dividends of democracy for their common good.
But in developing nations, particularly in Nigeria, politicians see public office as a goldmine. They hoodwink the people with mouth-watering promises during electioneering campaigns and turn their back on them as soon as they find themselves at the corridor of power.
Nobody can gainsay the fact that Nigeria is blessed with natural and human resources. But a situation where celebrated thieves and rabble-rousers steer the ship of state is not acceptable.
The problem of Nigeria as an independent nation is centred on leadership. Nigeria has continued to suffer from the misfortune of having leaders that place their personal interest high and above the collective interest of the generality of the people.
Public utilities and institutions are collapsing by the day while those that have been entrusted with the resources of this nation are feeding fat from the commonwealth. For this country to move forward the leadership must be prepared to purge itself of corrupt elements. This, the leadership cannot achieve by mere official pronouncements. Rather, deliberate actions should be taken to ensure the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.
It is against this backdrop that the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi kick-started his administration by appointing Hon. Magnus Abe as Secretary to the State government (now Senator representing Rivers South-East). Chief Nyesom Wike as Chief of Staff, Government House (now Minister of State for Education) and Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke as Director of Press Affairs to the Governor, (now member, representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency at the National Assembly). Six months later, Hon Nwuke was elevated as Commissioner for Information when the governor constituted his cabinet. He also served as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry where he later resigned to seek his people’s mandate to represent them at the National Assembly.
Before he was invited to serve in Governor Amaechi’s government, Hon. Nwuke had carved a niche for himself as a consummate journalist both in the electronic and print media. He worked in Radio Rivers for many years, churning out well-researched and incisive commentaries that received the commendation of the public in the 1980s. He founded the Port Harcourt Telegraph in 1999 and nurtured the Newspaper to become one of the leading tabloids in the Niger Delta region.
Ogbo as he is fondly called is also a social critic. He would bare his mind on topical issues and stand on the side of the voiceless majority. When he decided to join partisan politics some people felt he would compromise himself by doing those things he copiously condemned in his write-ups, because it is widely believed that decency and selflessness are not the attributes of a Nigerian politician. Moreso, social crities more often than not merely propagate theories that are not easily implementable.
Again some of them that were privileged to occupy public offices did not fare better. They were myopic and failed to realize that it takes a team to win a tournament. Probably they would have performed creditably in a civilized clime where people work assiduously to leave enduring legacies.
However, Hon. Nwuke proved skeptics wrong when he gathered his people on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 to appreciate them for their goodwill. On that occasion he empowered 150 persons from his constituency by awarding scholarships as well as presenting motorcycles and vehicle to them.
The ceremony which took place at Okehi, the headquarters of Etche Local Government Area was attended by political stalwarts, traditional rulers, students, youths etc.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Nwuke thanked the people for giving him the mandate to represent them at the National Assembly, saying “we have come to give back a little in appreciation of your goodwill”.
He emphasised the importance of education to human development, stressing that the best way to show love to a child was to send him or her to school to acquire knowledge to live a meaningful life.
He said that he had instituted a scholarship scheme for 20 students from his constituency in higher institutions of learning, pointing out that each of the beneficiaries would receive N100,000 annually for a period of four years.
The law-maker stated that he had earmarked the sum of N8 million for the scholarship scheme and advised the beneficiaries to take the studies seriously.
He also warned that he would not hesitate to withdraw the scholarship award from anyone that failed to measure up in his or her educational pursuit.
Hon. Nwuke noted that 129 Motorcyclies would been distributed to widows, ward chairmen and secretaries of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other members of his constituency to aid them in their daily pursuits, adding that the Lexus Jeep was for the Etche PDP Secretary, Mr. George Nwanjoku.
He assured that he would give out 100 motorcyeles every year to members of his constituency as their representative at the National Assembly.
It is interesting to note that all those who benefitted from the scholarship scheme are indigent students.
According to the chairman of Proud To Be Etche (PTE), the group that conducted the screening exercise, Hon. Nwuke did not interfere in the selection process.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Queen Nwala expressed gratitude to Hon. Nwuke for his magnanimity.
What Hon. Nwuke has demonstrated by this singular act is that leadership entails responsibility. A good leader must embark on programmes that will positively affect the lives of his people to sustain their loyalty and support. Therefore, those who are of the opinion that Hon. Nwuke has done well should say aye, while those who have a contrary opinion should say nay.
The ayes have it.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.
Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.
He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.
Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.
“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.
“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.
“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.
“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.
“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.
Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.
“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.
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