Politics
Abuja: The Next Battle Ground
The euphoria or jubilation at the swearing-in of the President, State Governors and elected members of the Houses of Assemblies is finally over with the President and Governors sitting down to face the stark reality of what governance is all about.
This is especially applicable to the newly elected Governors who initially might have thought that it is really easy to govern a people with the resources at their disposal.
Most of the governors will eventually meet what they would later claim as empty treasuries on their assumption of office but that, to a lot of Nigerians, is just rethorics. A mandate has been given and it behoves the elected official to think outside the box and seek for solutions to the teething problems they must face.
Already, one week has gone by, with the various governors beginning to see if the lofty speeches they made and the policy statements read on their inauguration can be implemented.
Some have kicked the ground running by making key appointments into various positions while others are still thinking on what to do.
At the federal level, it was quite disappointing that President Muhammadu Buhari had nothing new to offer Nigerians as he never uttered a word at his inauguration on the new direction his administration would take.
This, observers believe is sign posts admission of failure and lack of anything convincing on the credit side of the balance sheet of his administration.
At least what the president should have done was to come out publicly with his achievements or short comings, especially in the areas of security and infrastructural development. If his silence is seen as a mark of success to his administration, then Nigerians should be ready for a very rough four years ahead.
The main focus now is that all elected executives should take a holistic look at the problems of their various states, especially the Governors who are saddled with the complex rule of governance based on what they can generate as internal revenue.
In virtually every state, no incumbent had it easy prior to the elections which brought them to power as their major opponents gave them a good fight and it was after the final verdict by the electoral umpire that they got to know or realiz that they have won.
So the time for politicking had ended automatically with their assumption of office on the 29th of May 2019.
The reality today is that in Nigeria campaigns never seems to end as politicians are always jostling for power even when is it not yet the time for election thereby distracting most governors from really focusing on governance.
Although there is nothing wrong in keeping the governors and the president on their toes with criticisms, such objections to certain policies should not be done with malice.
It should be a constructive and one which cannot be faulted.
In some states, payment of salaries, gratuities and pensions are big problems which seem to be unending.
Sadly too, the president has not made any key appointment one week after taking his oath of office, and there is indespread hope that this will not be a replica of what happened in 2015 when it took him about six months to constitute his cabinet.
If he is really serious, by now he would have done so. By repeating the same thing he did four years ago it is an indication that he never did a good homework on positive governance.
In other climes, a president once elected and sworn-in within few hours or days makes key appointments which clearly signals his policy direction and to delay creates more anxiety in the business community.
This is 2019, let no chief executive make the old mistake of making appointments that are at variance with the principles of federal character or balance base of the geo-political nature of the state.
It is only under prescedent in the nation’s history that virtually all heads of the security, judiciary and even juicy positions in the presidency are from one geographical part of the country. Despite the hues and cries from other parts of the country he suddenly became deaf and dumb within his first term in office. He is not the only culprit as even some state governors were not left out of this same sin and if the president had been from a minority ethnic group with this catalogue of constitutional violations some ethnic jingoists would have been calling for his impeachment. Likewise, some of these state governors if they are also from the wrong side of the divide.
At the federal level the president still has more time, especially in constituting his cabinet as he is waiting for the 9th national assembly to be inaugurated, but this is not really an excuse as governance is a continous process.
Even the outgoing National Assembly especially the Senate, which has the responsibility of screening ministerial appointees, can still do the job. But if the President believes that he will wait for the 9th Assembly, which he hopes will rubber stamp any appointments or decision he makes, they may be making a wrong assumption.
In politics, anything can happen. It is only a vibrant national assembly that can cheek the excesses of the executive.
Again, this is 2019, the APC does not have absolute majority in the senate. From available records the PDP has 51 senators-elect, the APC 55, the YPP I and two to be determined by the court out of a total of 109 senate seats.
So the power game will be very interesting as to who becomes the Senate President and Vice President next week.
As usual, Abuja will be the next battle ground which will involve the presidency, state governors, party strategists, political jobbers and money bags.
The same goes for who becomes the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
As all the interest groups and power brokers descent on Abuja, the future of the next four years will be determined by one vote and just six votes to determine the number three, four, five or sixth in the nation’s hierarchy of power.
Let the battle begin!!!
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
The House of Representatives has summoned Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, and Faruk Yahaya, Chief of Army Staff, over the alleged involvement of some soldiers in the assault of residents in Gboko, Benue LGA.
The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during the plenary session on Wednesday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Mark Gbillah, the lawmaker representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency of Benue State.
Speaking on the motion, Gbillah alleged that on March 18, officers of the 401 Division invaded Old Barn Hotel, Gboko, in army trucks and “viciously assaulted and brutalised several persons and guests”.
He said the officers, about 20 in number, were dressed in military uniforms but “without any identifiers such as nametags, any form of personal identity or ranks”.
“The military men ordered all persons within view to move, gather in groups and squat on the ground without explaining such cruel and inhuman treatment,” he said.
Gbillah said Kpam Sokpo, a lawmaker representing Buruku Federal Constituency was also attacked by the soldiers.
“Despite introducing himself as a serving member of the House of Representatives, the soldier rather poured more invectives on the honourable and ordered his subordinates to slap him and in an attempt to defend himself from the unprovoked assault, about 20 soldiers pounced on him and others with guns and brutally assaulted them. This resulted in serious injuries on his head, face, shoulders, chest, back, both arms and legs.
“This same team of soldiers were allegedly responsible for the extra-judicial killings of at least two persons in Gboko in two separate instances on the same day”, he said.
The motion, which was not debated, was adopted when Idris Wase, the presiding officer, put it to a voice vote.
The army and defence chiefs are expected to explain to the lawmakers the circumstances behind the “unprovoked attack and why these military officers did not carry proper identification or inform the civilians about their mission.
“And to brief house about actions currently taken by military authorities to investigate the unprovoked assault on residents of Gboko, including honourable Kpam Jimin Sokpo and the shooting to death of two persons in Gboko on 18 March 2023.”
The Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Michael John Williams, has stated that the people of the Kalabari Ethnic Nationality voted massively for the Rivers State Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and all the National and State Assembly candidates of the party in the just concluded general elections, to show appreciation to Governor Nyesom Wike.
The Council Boss, who disclosed this during the commissioning ceremony of the first phase of the Trans-Kalabari Road, noted that the Kalabari people have benefited more from the Wike led administration than they had done from any other government since the creation of the State.
He said that though some persons from the Kalabari extraction threw their hats in the ring in the governorship election, the Kalabari people rather opted for Sim Fubara to demonstrate their appreciation to the governor for his magnanimity towards them.
The DELGA helmsman further stated that the Kalabari people were overjoyed with the actualisation of the first phase of the road project, adding that the crowd of people at the event came to say ‘thank you’ to the governor for linking six island communities, that were hitherto inaccessible by road, to the mainland.
Earlier in his address, the Amanyanabo and paramount ruler of Abonnema, King Disrael Gbobo Bob-Manuel, Ekineye Gbobo, Owukori IX, while thanking Gov. Wike for the milestone achievement, noted that the governor had lived up to the title of Se-Ibidokibo 1 of Kalabari (one who does good for the Kalabari people), bestowed on him during the grand civic reception, held in his honour by the people of the ethnic nationality.
The Monarch, who is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Benue State University, particularly thanked the governor for elevating several chieftaincy stools in Kalabari and recognition of incumbents, as well as executing several notable projects in Kalabari land and prayed God to give the governor the grace to continue to stand by and support the Kalabari people, even after he leaves office.
In his address, Rivers State Governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike thanked the Kalabari people for what he described as their “wonderful performance” during the just concluded governorship election.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the people of Kalabari, making up the three LGAs for the wonderful performance you showed in the last election”’ he said.
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has received commendation over his examplary leadership qualities that led to the emergence of Sir. Siminialayi Fubara as Governor-Elect elect in the State.
Former Deputy Leader of Ikwerre Local Government Legislative Assembly, Hon. Amadi Jacob made the commendation while exchanging views with journalists on Wednesday at Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
According to him, the victories of Sir Fubara, Allwell Onyesoh and Boniface Omerengwa in their respective positions was a clear testimony of good leadership by Gov. Wike.
“ I sincerely thank the electorates for coming out en masse to vote for all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the State, especially in Elele town.
“I use this forum to congratulate the Governor-elect, Sir Siminialayi Fubara , Chief Allwell Onyesoh and Boniface Omerengwa for their landslide victories at the polls.
“We have no doubt that they will perform creditably in their respective positions”, Jacob said.
The former Deputy Leader who is also one of the leaders in Ward 4 in the area expressed the confidence that Sir Fubara would consolidate the good works of Governor Wike following his track record as a civil servant.
“I also thank the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Council, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike for his role during the elections.
“Besides, the appointment of Chief Mike Elechi as member of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission is highly welcomed”, he stated.
By: Tonye Orabere
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