Politics
Why APC Boycotted LG Polls – Princewill
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State excused themselves from the just concluded local council polls in the state for fear of exposing their weaknesses since they were not prepared for the contest.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairmanship candidate in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Chief Odiari Princewill made the assertion while exchanging views with newsmen at Buguma, headquarters of the LGA, last Saturday.
According to Princewill, the APC took the best option out of a contest that they could never have won due to their unpopularity in the local government area in particular and the state in general.
“That is the best option for them. When a man is not prepared for something, will he come to a contest? He will fail,” he said, adding that “They didn’t want to expose themselves. They were wise to excuse themselves from the exercise so as not to show their weakness. 95 per cent of the electorate in Asalga are PDP.”
The PDP candidate, who hailed the conduct of the elections in the area commended the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, the security agencies and the people for the peace and orderliness that characterised the exercise in the area, said gone were the days when politicians engaged thugs and miscreants to disturb and subvert the will of the people.
“I give kudos to RSIEC. All arms of the security apparatus are working and even the people are willing to keep the peace. We are tired of somebody coming from nowhere, pay thugs to come and disturb our environment, our community and our LGA”.
He insisted: “If you have any ambition, come openly, make your point open to the people, try to sell your product, if they buy it, fine, if they don’t, forget it. Democracy involves the mandate from the people and once the people say no, it’s no and their yes will stand.”
Princewill described the exercise as a foretaste of what is to come in 2019 as the people were wiser and prepared to take their electoral fate in their hands subsequently.
On his plans for the people of the area if he wins the election, the candidate of the PDP promised to priortise the security of lives and property while running an administration that will accommodate all interest groups in the area – with special focus on empowerment and development of the youths.
“When it comes to security, I will not compromise because it is the key that will attract development to our area,” he said, adding that youths will be constantly engaged in empowerment programmes from crime and other social vices.
Opaka Dokubo
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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