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SNGF Asaba Declaration: Roadmap To Nigeria’s Salvation

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Indeed, not many people saw it coming. But come out they did. With unity of purpose driven by a burning desire to save Nigeria from imminent collapse and in keeping with their sworn commitment to secure and protect the lives, livelihood and property of the people, they spoke out. They spoke out courageously. They spoke redemptive truth. They spoke clearly and unambiguously. Their choice of words, disposition and comportment addressed the issues dispassionately.
All the three political parties in executive positions in government in Nigeria were represented. But they did not speak partisanship. They spoke as leaders of the people and not as political lords. They spoke the feelings of the people and not the whims of their political associations. They were loud, they were clear, they were spot-on in their declarations and demands for a better Nigeria founded on equity, fairness and justice.
You do not need to be their apologist to agree with them. You donot have to come from their part of the country to appreciate imperative of their call. Because they didn’t pander to sentiment, sectorial and parochial interests, they have since received acclaim from home and across the country. You don’t have to like them to agree with them to discountenance the positions reached.
Evidently, they did not raise any fresh issues that had not been openly canvassed by well-meaning individuals and groups. As individual governors they had spoken on much of the issues themselves. All they did was to give it a collective voice and escalate the discourse with a view to drawing attention and precipitating action that could pull back the country from the obvious slide into monumental regrettable catastrophy.
When the heads of government of the 17 Southern States of Nigeria converged on Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, many were not aware of the meeting and not many who knew expected anything significant to come out of the very rare congregation. In all, 15 governors were present. Only Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Hope Uzodinma of Imo State attended by proxy. After four hours of deliberations, they came out and left no one in doubt as to the quality of the discussions they had had and the usefulness of the time they had spent.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the group, Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu read out a 12 –point communiqué to include that the forum: (1) affirmed that the peoples of Southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity and oneness and peaceful co-existence between and among its peoples with a focus on the attainment of shared goals for economic development and prosperity; (2) observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits into the southern part of the country has presented a severe security challenge such that citizens are not able to live their normal lives including pursuing various productive activities leading to a threat to food supply and general security. Consequently, the meeting resolved that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria; (3) noted that development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospect of conflict between migrating herders and local populations in the South. Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce the ban on open grazing in the South including cattle movement to the South by foot, (4) recommended that the Federal Government should support WILLING States to develop alternative and modern livestock management systems; (5) agreed that the progress of the nation requires that urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigerian Federation leading to the evolution of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favour if the sub-national governments and creation of other institutions which legitimately advance our commitment to and practice of true federalism; (6) recommended that in view of widespread agitations among our various peoples for greater inclusiveness in existing governance arrangements, the Federal Government should convoke a national dialogue as a matter of urgency;
(7) recommended that in difference to the sensitivities of our various peoples, there is need to review appointments into Federal Government Agencies (including security Agencies) to reflect federal character as Nigeria’s overall population is heterogeneous; (8) resolved to foster cooperation among the Southern States and the nation at large. In this connection, Secretaries to Government of the Southern States are to work together to develop and institutionalize a mechanism to foster this cooperation which will advance the comparative economic advantages and other interests of the Southern States;
(9) expressed concern on the continued gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and the nation’s economy being the sale outlet from Apapa Wharf. The meeting therefore recommended the activation and establishment of ports in the other states of the federation to create new jobs and promote socio-economic activities in the country;
(10) the meeting expressed concern on the economic implications of another lockdown on the country, and therefore suggested greater coordination and cooperation between Federal and State Government in evolving strategies for dealing with the pandemic;
(11) expressed very grave concern on the security challenge currently plaguing the nation and strongly urged that Mr President should address Nigerians on the challenges of insecurity and restore the confidence of our people.
Reacting to some voices raised against the Southern Governors position, Governor of Benue State, North Central Nigeria, Samuel Ortom said any Nigerian opposed to the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum’s decision banning open grazing of cattle has a hidden agenda . Delivering a speech on the occasion of Media Week and Communications Day 2021 organised by the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi at the Holy Ghost Parish Hall, Makurdi, Governor Ortom said that his Southern counterparts had chosen the right path to address the problem of insecurity, ravaging the country at the moment, maintaining Nigeria remains a great country with huge potentials and should, ordinarily, have no business with poverty if only there were guaranteed security for lives and property and the people are allowed to remain stable in their localities.
In their own reaction, the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a six-point communique after their meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital expressed support for “the earlier position taken by the Nigerian Governors Forum, Northern Governor Forum and recently, the Southern Governors Forum, to adopt ranching as the most viable solution to the herders/farmers clashes in Nigeria”.
The document signed and read by the chairman of the forum and Governor of Sokoto State (North Western Nigeria) stated in Part: “The meeting called on Mr President as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces to immediately send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian constitution to devolve more powers to the states with respect to security arrangements culminating in some form of state policing and the general security architecture”.
According to the governors, restructuring the Nigerian federation in such a way as to devolve more powers and functions to the state as well as a reform of various civil institutions, would go a long way to promote efficiency and equity for all sections of Nigeria.
Describing the Southern Governors Forum’s Asaba declaration as “ epochal” and “a watershed in the annals of the country”, the South-South study Group (3SG) commended the forum for their consensus in emphasizing the imperatives of restructuring and bare on open grazing, noting their intervention as timely.
In a statement signed by Otoks Dan Princewill, the 3SG urged the Southern Governors to go one step further to initiate collective action to make restructuring a concrete reality.
“The collective words outlined by the Southern governors as spelled out in the communique carry the weight of the will and shared the disappointment of the Southern people at the moribund state of federal governance conveyed Principally by the catastrophic state of insecurity and disastrous economic condition nationwide. “the timely intervention by the Southern governor presents a watershed moment as the nation becomes a contented arena between the progressive will of the people and the regressive whims and caprices of a few.
“It is for this reason that the commendable display of astutely effective diplomatic effort by the southern governors across party lines belies the urgency and need for relist as demanded by Southern of all affiliation”, the group said.
As a matter of fact, all patriotic lovers and everyone that in genuinely interested in the progress, prosperity and preservation of the Nigerian project cannot but endorse, support and press on with the Sothern governors position and prevail on Mr President to act with urgency.

 

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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