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
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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