Politics
Periscoping 2020 (I)
The receding year 2020 would not easily fade in the minds of many as the year of the Coronavirus that caused large scale disruptions and colossal damage to socio-economic activities, programmes and projects of individuals, organisations, corporate bodies and countries across the globe.
Like others, Nigeria was not spared the devastation as the country slumped into a second economic recession in just a couple of years.
In varying degrees, all sectors and sections of the nation were very badly hit with some succumbing to the situation and others needing a lifeline to survive. The political sector is, perhaps, among the most resilient as it was observed to have recorded among the least disruptions within the year as the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), managed to, largely, keep faith with its election calendar.
On the political turf, however, it was a mixed bag for players across the spectrum.
While some of the players, individuals and groups, could not have wished for better fortunes, others were visited with pains that would linger for years to come, losing exalted seats and coveted positions. For some others still, the devastation caused by COVID-19 pales in significance compared to the political debacle they suffered in 2020.
Let’s take a look at some of the events, activities and occasions that shaped the political atmosphere in Nigeria: With no fewer than 28 re-run and by-elections in 11 states to conduct on January 25, 2020, the President, Muhammadu Buhari, on January 7, 2020 met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, top management of the electoral commission and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Abubakar in Abuja, charging the electoral umpire to ensure a free, fair and credible electoral process.
“Those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen. Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must prevail. Get your acts right and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation”, the president told INEC.
To the police, he said: “Our elections must be done in violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices. It is the duty of the police to accomplish that and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead, and going forward”.
On January 8, 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria decided election disputes arising from the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial contests in Delta and Abia States. The court affirmed the victory of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State.
In the same vein, the court also finally resolved issues concerning the 2019 Abia governorship election in favour of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Alex Otti, had asked the Supreme Court to annul the results of the 2019 guber poll in 13 of the 17 local government areas of Abia State, alleging irregularities.
On January 13, 2020, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment, sacked the Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP and in his stead declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC as the duly elected governor of the state.
Reacting to the judgment, the PDP described it as, “another very sad commentary on our nation’s democratic order”.
The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodinyan, said it found it difficult to understand how Senator Hope Uzodinma and the APC, who came a distant fourth in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo, with just 96,458 votes will suddenly, by the token of the judgment of the Supreme Court defeat Governor Ihedioha that scored 276,404 votes.
Later, at a Press Conference, addressed by the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the party queried the validity of the judgment, pointing out that the 127,209 votes added to the votes of the APC candidate by the apex court could not be justified.
Secondus said the added votes of the APC candidate shot the total votes cast at the election above the number of accredited voters as contained in the record of the INEC.
According to him, while the INEC figure of accredited voters stood at 823,743, the apex court, through its judgment, shot the figure to 950,952, which the party said was in excess of accredited voters in the election. The party therefore asked for a reversal of the verdict.
Monday, January 20,2020, saw the Supreme Court uphold the election of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State. The court in a unanimous judgment by a seven-man justices led by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, dismissed an appeal the candidate of the PDP, Abba Yusuf, filed to challenge the outcome of the last governorship election in the state.
Similarly, the Supreme Court, same day, affirmed Aminu Tambuwal of the PDP as the valid winner of the gubernatorial election in Sokoto State.
The court dismissed an appeal the candidate of the APC, Ahmed Aliyu filed to challenge Tambuwal’s victory.
Another case decided by the highest court of the land that same day was the governorship dispute in Plateau State. In that matter, the court ruled in favour of Governor Simon Lalong, affirming him as the duly elected governor of the state.
In a unanimous verdict handed down by a seven-man panel led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the court dismissed the appeal which candidate of the PDP, Senator Jeremiah Useni filed to challenge the outcome of the gubernatorial coutest that held in the state on March 9, 2019.
Not least of all, Senator Bala Mohammed of the PDP also got the final affirmation of the Supreme Court as the lawfully elected helmsman of Bauchi State.
Next day, January 21, 2020, Governor Samuel Ortom and Ahmadu Fintiri of Benue and Adamawa States respectively had their electoral victories sealed by the Supreme Court.
Both governors who are members of the PDP had their returns as winners of the last gubernatorial elections in their states challenged up to the Supreme Court by the candidates of the APC in the states.
Same day, January 21, 2020, Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chiji Collins defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), taking along with him nine other members of the house from PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Action Alliance (AA).
In Abuja, same day, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) inaugurated two new Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC).
While Dr Johnson Alalibo, representing Bayelsa State was appointed to replace Frankland Briyai in Cross River State, Umar Gajiran from Borno State was sworn-in to take the place of his late compatriot, Baba Yusuf, in Taraba State.
An FCT High Court, on Thursday, January 23, 2020 turned down an experte application filed by the National Vice Chairman, North East of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, the factional chairman of the APC in Edo State, Anselm Ojezua and others, seeking to compel Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to vacate office as National Chairman of the party.
The move to remove Oshiomhole as National Chairman was however frustrated when the court refused to grant the exparte motion and rather ordered that the Defendant (Oshiomhole, APC and others) be put on notice before the motion was heard so as to ensure fair hearing.
On Monday, January 27, 2020, deposed governor Emeka Ihedioha approached the Supreme Court for a review of its judgment of January 14 in which it declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC as governor in Imo State.
The Civil Society Legialative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), on Tuesday, January 28, urged the National Assembly (NASS) to prioritise ammendment of the Electoral Reforms Act to promote credibility and transparency in the electoral process as the federal lawmakers resumed plenary for the year.
And on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, the National Assembly unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian armed forces and all security services for their collective failure to curb the menace of insecurity across the country.
The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, raised the motion titled: Nigerian Security Challenge: Urgent Need To Restructure, Review and Re-organise The Security Architecture.
The motion was supported by 105 other senators.
By: Opaka Dokubo
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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