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Between The People’s Trust And Self Service

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Hon Onofiok Akpan Luke is the member representing Etinan/Nsit Ibom/ Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives.
Hon Luke is the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary.
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was a former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and pioneer Speaker of the Nigeria Youth Parliament.
On Friday, November 27, 2020, the federal lawmaker was guest at the November congress meeting of the Akwa Ibom State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Uyo, the capital city of the state.
In his address to members of the fourth estate of the realm in that state, the fiery politician gave a swift rundown of his political life, ideology and accomplishments as a lawmaker and representative of his constituents.
One of the cardinal points he made in his presentation was the fact that critical issues of national development always require dispassionate and non-partisan approach from representatives across party lines to resolve.
He said for the country to make progress, matters of national development required bipartisan approach and expressed regrets that his critics expect him, as a PDP member, to oppose every issue introduced in the House by APC lawmakers.
The trained lawyer submitted that such critics do not mean well for the wellbeing of the country and the generality of the citizenry who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the business of the lawmakers.
“What my critics don’t understand is that, at the national level, bipartisan approach to governance is essential, if not pivotal.
“Your ability to coalesce the inputs of various stakeholders, regardless of party affiliations to drive home the interest of your constituency is a necessary survival instinct.
“You cannot be defining PDP/APC when there are pressing topical national issues seeking attention and legislations. Acknowledging this should not suddenly make you disloyal to your party,” he said, arguing that “Today, with this bipartisan approach to politics, I have advocated the granting of licence for the operation of Ibom Deep Seaport, reviving of Aluminum Smelter Company in Ikot Abasi, and the creation of a division of the Court of Appeal in Uyo”.
For all intents and purposes, representative Luke’s philosophy is as much needed at the national level as it is required at other levels of government, including the state and local councils, and by all political office holders for the benefit and over all development of the people on whose behalf they are in office.
Especially for some Rivers State politicians and political office holders, this is particularly instructive and one cannot but urge them to let the interest of the people’s wellbeing and welfare override their personal, sectional, party and sundry considerations.
The recent refusal by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to be part of the South-South stakeholders meeting with the presidential delegation at Government House in Port Harcourt is one case in point of how not to behave as a political leader and a representative of the people even in appointive position, many people think.
Reacting to that unfortunate development, a faction of his own party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, expressed disappointment at the Minister’s boycott of the meeting and called on him to render an unreserved apology to Rivers people (whom he represents as Minister) and the APC (over which he reigns as political godfather and leader in the zone).
In a release issued by the Igo Aguma-led faction of the APC in Port Harcourt, the party disclosed that Amaechi received the presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Amb Ibrahim Gambari at the Port Harcourt International Airport, but later “disappeared”.
The statement reads in part, “Information available to the APC in the state is that the Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi was at the airport in Port Harcourt to receive the presidential delegation, escorted them to the venue of the meeting, disappeared and was never part of such a critical stakeholders meeting that has to do with the South-South geo-political zone.
“The absence of the Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who is supposed to be the minister representing Rivers State in the Federal Cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, is most unfortunate, as there can be no justification for his non-participation.
“This is because there can be no plausible reason for his disappearance from such an important meeting of the leadership of the South-South and the Presidency aimed at discussing issues affecting our region.
“The action of the godfather of the APC in Rivers State, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi is an evidence of the type of leadership he is giving the APC in the state, which is solely aimed at destroying the party at all cost for his personal gain in keeping with his vows”.
While the bold and courageous stance of the APC in Rivers State in pointing out the grievous error of their leader is worthy of commendation, the message must be taken to all other politicians in the state who have continued to equate their private interest with the interest of the state in general. There are yet many politicians who see service to themselves as service to the state and have continued to wage a war with the present administration in the state only because their private interests are not being served.
Politics, they say, is a game of interest. While this may be true, the question is: whose interest is politics meant to serve, public or private? The point remains that while politics may serve private interest as well, the private interests that politics is meant to serve are only those that align and fully given to the benefit, promotion and furtherance of the public good.
It is against this backdrop that Rivers people must begin to take notice of those who ride on their back to office, only to leave them in the lurch and relegate issues concerning their welfare and wellbeing to the background.
The point cannot be overstressed that continued bickering and bitter political rivalry after elections have been lost and won and a government legitimately put in place to run the affairs of the state amount not only to a disservice to the people but also a declaration of a position of enmity against the people and the state.
As Hon Luke noted, all political office holders and indeed politicians worthy of the enterprise, whether elected or appointed, and at all levels, must purge themselves of selfishness, pride, arrogance, undue partisanship and such other debilitating tendencies in order to qualify as leaders in name and in fact.
Going forward, the only consideration that ought to confer legitimacy on any political leader in Rivers State should be what they have to show as their contributions to the overall development of the state through the instrumentality of their previously held political offices and not how loudly they criticised, how stoutly they antagonised or how bitterly they fought the governor and government of the day because indeed the state is bigger and greater than any one person, section or political party.

 

By: Opaka Dokubo

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Kwankwaso Agrees To Rejoin APC, Gives Terms, Conditions

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has given terms and conditions to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sen. Kwankwaso, while addressing a gathering at his Kano residence, said any political alliance must recognise and respect the interests of his party and political movement.

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.

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I Would Have Gotten Third Term If I Wanted – Obasanjo 

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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.

 

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Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

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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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