Kwara and the Abiding Faith in Party Leadership
01 Dec 2013
By Hauwa Sambo

It was a classic made in Kwara State. About three weeks ago, 15 incumbent local government chairmen and 181 Councillors in a move that should provoke a fresh study in consensus politics voluntarily tendered their resignation ahead of their tenure expiration in solidarity with the political structure and the leadership of the ruling party in the state. Newly elected chairmen and councillors were subsequently sworn in.

What prompted this rare demonstration of commitment by these elected members of the local government was the move by some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, who lost out in the local government election primaries to scuttle the swearing in. These elements readily became the working tools of a faction of the party at the national headquarters in Abuja.
On its part, the opposition political party, the All Progressive Congress, APC did not meet the time mandated by the electoral law to participate in an INEC organized elections. The party made spirited efforts to participate in the LG polls by seeking extension of the election date from the courts. It’s prayers that as a newly formed political party it needs more time to put structure in place to conduct its primaries were dismissed by the state high court on lack of merit.

As the opposition APC was battling to participate in the election, the aggrieved PDP elements were also pulling the strings.  They took their grievances to national headquarters of the party alleging irregularity in the conduct of the LG primaries. Unknown to them however, the party in the state had already satisfied all the requirements by the national body and was given the go ahead to conduct the primaries.  Realizing they had lost at the party level, the aggrieved elements headed for courts. By this time, the election had been worn by PDP, with the elected Chairmen and councillors waiting to be sworn in on the expiration of the tenure of the incumbents.

However, with the legal moves by the aggrieved elements which sought to truncate the swearing in of the newly elected Chairmen and councillors, the incumbents in rare show of commitment to the state party leadership, voluntarily resigned from their positions, paving way for the swearing in of the newly elected LG office holders. This patriotic move by the outgoing Chairmen and councillors guaranteed the political peace and stability Kwara State is known and reputed for. It also showed the abiding faith the resigning Chairmen and councillors had in the Bukola Saraki-led political structure.

Historic as this development was, it should not come as a big surprise, especially to those conversant with Kwara politics. The emergence of the late Dr Olusola Saraki on the Kwara political scene in the 60s came with a brand of politics which has since become a case study for political scientists.
Late Saraki provided a political leadership. He gave a political direction upon which Kwara thrives till his demise late 2012. His death did not toll the knell of his political philosophy and enduring followership. Kwarans have kept faith with his son and successor, Dr Bukola Saraki who has not only taken the mantle of political leadership to higher heights in Kwara, but has also risen to become a key player in national politics.

Today, the younger Saraki is solidly on ground. Heg has further strengthened the political structure he inherited from his father and made it more formidable. The plethora of success the ruling party has recorded under Bukola’s leadership underscores his acceptance by majority of Kwarans as the de-facto strong man of Kwara politics.
–– Hauwa, a freelance journalist writes from Ilorin

Speed Doesn't Kill When it comes to Molding New Leaders.

Speed kills. Except when it comes to the development of our emerging leaders. Distinguished Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki out of his selfless attitude and generosity, has speeded up his unique way of molding our leaders.
     In my experience, many emerging leaders move too slowly to expose their developing followers to new and more challenging situations. This is a mistake that artificially inhibits professional growth and potentially risks losing the interest of your best and brightest emerging followers to become a leader in making.
 Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki teaches us with the experience he had while at diaspora and with the adorable leadership skill he has. He leads by doing. There is no substitute for time spent doing, either successful or not . He took it as a responsibility, to take a few risks to get our emerging leaders busy guiding them, bringing some initiative to fasten needed development change we always clamour for. No doubt, Rome wasn't built in a day. We are definitely progressing and with time we will surely get there. With the good team and the set of your bright set of new and old leaders we have here... Success is guaranteed! Either you are a progressive or conservative your support is always needed positively, team work should replace negligence, strategy should replace attacks and unison should replace division.
 He, Senator Saraki always point the way, he understands the purpose and desired outcomes from good initiatives. Part of what he is helping with is human development via his empowerment scheme i.e Scholarship for students of Aviation College, Unilorin, Monthly Assistance fee for beneficiaries at his ABS Mandate Office just to mention few. His enthusiasm on structural and infrastructural development brought about his constituency projects across Ilorin Central. His tolerance for and response to situations of increasing ambiguity is highly commendable.
  There is need for the new wind blowing on the leadership role in Nigeria because many Nigerians at home and in the diaspora are frustrated with the disconnect between the government and the citizens in terms of  economic, youth and structural development, leadership role across the spectrum.
Senator Saraki success as leader has been built on his ability to have profound conversations with constituents and the masses. He uses online social media in his role as a leader to create an environment of openness and transparency! The Question is Have you practiced your leadership skills through a range of different media?
 Indeed! Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is a natural born leader that knows what it takes and the challenges faced as a leader didn't break him but motivates him.
 God bless Kwara! God Bless Nigeria!

Bukola Saraki Remains Kwara Political Leader- Monarchs

From Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER

Traditional rulers in Kwara state have threw their weight behind the political leadership of the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Bukola Saraki.

The traditional chiefs said their declaration of open support for the scion of the famous Saraki political dynasty became necessary in view of the unfolding political development in the country.

Addressing a crowded news conference in Ilorin, the state capital yesterday, the monarchs said Saraki's unmatched contributions to the development of the state in the past one decade eminently qualified him to be the state's political leader.

The chiefs that addressed the news conference came under the aegis of Ilorin Emirate Magajis  and Alanguas forum.
The text of the news conference read by the Magaji Nda of Ilorin was signed by 350 chiefs from Ilorin Emirate.

Ilorin Emirate is made up of Ilorin East, West, South, Asa and Moro local government areas and boasts of 48 percent of the state's population.

The. Statement reads:
"We,the undersigned traditional chiefs appointed by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Ilorin,from the various districts, wards,towns and villages of Ilorin Emirate in Ilorin West, East, South, Asa and Moro local government areas in Kwara state having painstakingly deliberated extensively on the new political development in Nigeria, particularly as it will the general wellbeing of our people, progress and development of Kwara state in future and having held necessary consultations with our large people, we have unanimously resolved to support the political leadership of Senator (Dr) Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

"Our decision based purely on their unequal track records of unprecedented achievements in the state and beyond.

"We therefore pledge our continued unalloyed support and loyalty  for their present political mission,which we considered justifiable."
ENDS,

"We reported to the EFCC about the missing N67 billion, which was misappropriated by the administration of Ikedi Ohakim, but as I speak to you, neither the EFCC nor the ICPC has done anything about the matter. It seems that those who have connections with the Presidency cannot be probed by the EFCC or the ICPC and that is why they have kept mute. Unfortunately, the same anti-graft agencies that has refused to probe the looting of the state treasury by the government of Ohakim has been harassing the officials of my government on continuous basis; so we decided to take our case to the court of public opinion, as our only option, since we do not have control over them. Since it is obvious that the EFCC is now a tool of political witch-hunt against perceived opposition to the presidency, we have already concluded plans to establish our own anti-graft agency, which will be known as the Imo Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to help us tackle the problem of official fraud in the state.” - Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Kwara24/7
TENSION IN ABUJA AS HOUSE OF REPS FINALLY MOVES TO APC

For the first time in the last 14 years, a majority of the National Assembly in Nigeria is now dominated by the leading opposition party, the APC. The political development is highly unsettling. The stakes are high but the odds may even be higher, as the House Speaker, Rt Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, is set to unveil the reality.
The House of Reps is now revelling in jubilation over the fortunes recorded by the APC…
With the defection of Governors Chibuike Amaechi, Aliyu Wamakko, Murtala Nyako, ABDULFATAH AHMED and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to the APC, the political equation in Nigeria has changed drastically.
After a long battle with President Jonathan and the PDP leadership, the governors in concert with lawmakers controlled by them and other dissident PDP chieftains, defected to the APC.
The decision of the big shots to move over has become a subject for frenzied debate.
The defection of the governors have resonated in the National Assembly. Though the elation is controlled for now, but it is set to bob up to a frenzy this week when the defectors finally declare their allegiance for APC.

We're not against President Jonathan - Gov. Ahmed

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has said that the movement of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors from the party to the All Progressive Congress (APC) was not a fight against President Jonathan, but against a party that has lost all traits of democratic etho, a party that pursues personal rather than collective aspirations.

Governor Ahmed gave this explanation in Ilorin during a Radio Programme, Focal Point on privately owned Royal FM, saying that the PDP refused to be reinvigorated, reformed and rehabilitated, as a culture of impunity had taken toll on the party and like minds become disenchanted with developments in the party.

According to him, he and the Governors of Adamawa, Kano, Rivers and Sokoto States have found the APC as an enabling platform to advance the cause of their people and other Nigerians. He, however, gave an assurance that they remained open to collaboration with the presidency on matters that can advance the development of the country.

Speaking further on the programme, Governor Ahmed said his administration will create additional 5,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2014 as an indication of what the forth coming year's budget would potend for the people of the State.

On human capital development, the Governor disclosed that the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo, under construction, will enrol its first batch of students in the second quarter of next year, while three technical colleges in Ilorin, Erin-Ile and Patigi would be rehabilitated to promote technical education in the State.

Governor Ahmed added that his administration would also earmark N50million on quarterly basis to assist individuals to drive small scale entrepreneurship in the State. This, he noted was apart of the N100 million loan scheme extended to artisans in the State.

Ahmed allayed fears that the new security outfit of the state, Operation Harmony, a collaboration between security agencies in the state, could harass the people of the State. According to him, minimum best practices have been set to guide its operation.

Why Nigeria President was snubbed @ Mandela's funeral by Gov. Fashola:

“How you will be regarded abroad is determined by how you’re regarded at home. Now how is the Nigeria state regarded by Nigerians? The Nigerian state is regarded by Nigerian as an uncaring state, as a heartless state, as a state that has no love for its people, as a state that has abandoned its people. So how has the Nigerian state treated its own people before we start taking offence at how the Nigerian state is treated by another country?
“Those who may be belly-aching about not being giving recognition by the organisers of the funeral of Mandela should know that while they may not be regarded, the South African people regard Nigeria. Go and read all the accounts, the role that is played by Nigerians is recognised in all those imperishable works and this cannot be obliterated by this treatment that is accorded to Nigerian officials that we at home have contempt for. If we are disgraced outside, that disgrace didn’t come from outside that disgrace come from within because we have disgraced and debased ourselves. Do you expect anybody to take you seriously when what your rulers are known for is taking your money and cashing them away? In fact it s better they are humiliated outside so that they can come back home and be serious. If bad people are accorded all the respect and dignity that good people should be accorded how do you think they will change.”

Obasanjo and the 18-page letter.

Obasanjo has his own share of blame for the present state of affairs in Nigeria. This truth is indelible. We have one of its proofs with us today: President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. But this fact cannot be used to undermine the weight of the charges he has brought to the fore. Indeed, in all the rebuttals and back-talking that I have seen, none has refuted Obasanjo or absolved Jonathan. These charges are serious.

Take, for instance, this one: "Allegations of keeping over 1000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snippets and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. Here again, there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them. And no one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone."

Pertinently, I am reminded of some unanswered questions regarding the unfortunate decision to place security of our waterway in the hands of militants in the Niger Delta.

1. Who supplies the weapons being used by those boys?
2. Who pays for the weapons?
3. Who keeps the weapons?
4. Are the boys being trained? By whom and where?
5. Are the weapons legal?
6. How much weapons do they presently have in their arsenals? Does the government know?
7. Are there any plans to return security of our waterways back to our nation's security forces or is this a permanent arrangement?
8. If there are plans to return security of our waterways to our nation's security forces, what are the plans to retrieve these weapon?
                             By: Choice Ekpekurede

NIGERIA A THEATHER OF ABSURDITY- Missing fund again revealed by CBN Governor that 48.9billion dollars was not remitted by NNPC, an agency of FG. GEJ and PDP will bleed to death with these sorts of
attacks and revelations, aside from Governors pulling out. CBN Governors'
revelations on the crude oil sales remittance are
damning and worse than IBB`s inability to
account for gulf war1 oil wind fall. This government will finish and wreck Nigeria, its high time for the patroits and concerns Nigerians to rise up to stop this vultures in power before they finish devouring Nigeria completely. Obasanjo open letter is another great indictment on Jonathan administration and till now nobody has refuted or counter all the allegations OBJ levelled except the attack on the person of OBJ. As much as I dont like OBJ, he actually stated an obvious fact and the reality of now in his letter to his sinking political son 'Jonathan'.

Former FCT Minister, Nasir El-Rufai recently highlighted some of the reflections on Obasanjo's letter to Jonathan. Read the full text by the author, Zainab Usman, below .

Last night, I was distracted from concluding my tribute to Mandela which I started writing a few days ago. This distraction was the lengthy 18-page open letter (PDF) written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan. I took my time to read the letter described as 'historic' by Premium Times (which broke the story) in detail. For obvious reasons, this document and its contents have gone viral within the Nigerian online and mainstream media, public discourse and even the international media.

What frightens me deeply about the contents is not the allegations made, but that General Obasanjo (the President's mentor) made these grave accusations. Disturbingly, the allegations only confirm many rumours that have been going round (most of which I hitherto refused to believe in) such as:

Clannishness and ethnic factionalism in government on the part of the President in favoring his Ijaw kinsmen principally, and his region to the exclusion of other Nigerians;

Deliberate polarisation of Nigerians across a North-South and Muslim-Christian divide to such a level not seen since the Civil War, to further narrow political ambitions;

The President's tacit support to some of his aggressive kinsmen and known militants who threaten others for disagreeing with him;

Brazen corruption and impunity in government on a scale unrivaled in Nigeria's post-independence history (the $50 billion unremitted by the NNPC surpasses the $12bn windfall earnings which disappeared under General Babangida. This is just one of numerous cases) - crude oil theft and systematic plunder of the nation's wealth by powerful people;

Indirect fueling of the Boko Haram insurgency by refusing to take concrete and feasible steps to address it;

Extreme intolerance by the government for any form of dissent by opposition politicians or civil society;

The existence of a clandestine "killer squad of snipers" and a political watch list containing over 1,000 names;

…and many other such allegations.

Where are we heading to in this country!?

Just on Monday this week, we found out about the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's letter alleging that $50 billion went missing under NNPC's watch between 2012 and 2013. Then on Tuesday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives accused the President of encouraging grand corruption. Then on Wednesday, this scathing letter from Obasanjo was published.

All this is barely two months after the corruption scandal involving the President's close ally, the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. Nothing yet has been done about this.

This systematic plunder of our country's resources and values is perpetuated against the backdrop of monumental crude oil theft in the Niger-Delta and other numerous scandals.

Is this a country we can thump our chests about? What example are we setting for the rest of Africa? Is this the leadership that will create a strong and united country? What future (or lack of) are we building for our offspring?

True, General Obasanjo is not at all blameless in all this and he is one person whose intentions are always, always, ALWAYS suspect. We vividly recall how his ambition to elongate his tenure beyond the constitutionally mandated two-terms threatened to plunge the country into chaos between 2005 and 2007. Perhaps, as the late Whitney Houston once sung, Jonathan "learnt from the best".

Yet, given Obasanjo's close relationship (as a mentor) with President Jonathan, it would be extremely naive and foolish to dismiss these allegations in their entirety.

Say what you want about Obasanjo, but at the very least, his administration established a relatively effective EFCC to fight corruption, established an effective NAFDAC, reformed the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Customs service and many other institutions. Where are all these institutions today? Where is the EFCC today?

In this interview with Sunday Aborisade, a former governor of Kwara State and the Senator representing Kwara-Central Senatorial District, Bukola Saraki, speaks on the crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party


In a political clime like Nigeria where political parties lack ideology, what are the qualities that you see in the All Progressives Congress that make it better than the Peoples Democratic Party you have rejected?

First of all, we must ask ourselves and look at the background, especially of issues we are complaining more about. Over the last few months, we have been asking the party (APC) about the inclusiveness that does not exist in the Peoples Democratic Party. There is the need for a level playing ground and due process; the need to have internal democracy. There cannot be impunity and high handedness and they must abide by the constitution and follow due process. There are many examples of certain things that have happened, starting with the dissolution of the Adamawa State executive of the PDP; suspension of party members that should not have been more than 30 days, among others. In Kwara State, impunity manifested during our local government election. We had started the process of election, we had conducted primaries, and the national body sent representative to oversee the primaries. They also presided over the appeals of the aggrieved aspirants and we all agreed at the end of the day that the cleared candidates after the exercise were those that emerged at the end of the day. But to our horror and shock, 24 hours before the election, a list emerged from the headquarters and was sent to the state Independent National Electoral Commission, containing names of 16 chairmanship candidates and 196 councillors. We asked ourselves, “Where did these names emerge from?” It means that they just sat down and wrote names. We thought that close to 16 years of democracy in Nigeria, this was not the level of democracy we expect of our party. This development really shocked us in the state. This means that in 2014, the choice and the wish of the people may not be guaranteed in determining who represents them at the polls.

What efforts did you make to correct some of these things?

Over three and half months was ample time to resolve these issues but instead of doing the right thing, they were engaging in actions that further made it worse and compounded. Generally, as people in the state, you will now believe that we are not wanted in the party. To me, that is the message that you can get out of the whole thing and it is the time when you are not wanted that you leave. If you are not wanted somewhere as a politician, you leave. Those are the core essence of democracy and party politics.

Are you saying you find internal democracy entrenched in the APC better than in the PDP which you are moving out from?

Well, we have to experience it.

How will you react to the allegation that some of you in the defunct New PDP and G-7 Governors were prosecuting your agenda for selfish reasons?

What is the selfish interest? The selfish interest is to stay in the PDP. It is the government party. It is the comfort zone. It is from where you get patronage because it is in government. What then is selfish interest in what we were doing? It is more of a sacrifice. It is something you have built and lifted to a certain height; it is not easy to just leave just like that. That was why it took several months for us to take the decision. This is more of a sacrifice. Is it easy to take on government? If our struggle was to achieve a selfish end, we would have stayed in the PDP. We know all what we will benefit from government by doing so. We are talking about our people. It is not about an individual. Far from it, it is the opposite.

What if your followers fail to follow you to the APC, don’t you think you might fail in the APC?

How can our followers fail to follow us to the APC? It is not a decision that I unilaterally took. You have to understand how we do politics in Kwara State. It is not a decision that I or few of us sat down and took in Abuja. The choice we made is the decision of the people. We went back home and we said this is our predicament, this is where we are. The last straw that actually broke the camel’s back was the last council election that was conducted in Kwara State. Did I contest in the election? If it was my own election that brought about the protest, and I now forced it on the people then you can say, he is one that is driving the process but when grass-root politicians can see something, it is different. They had nominated Musa Ali as councillor for Akanbi ward four, and they heard later that Abuja had supplemented Ali’s name for Deji Oni. It is not a question of whether the followers would follow us, it is the followers who are saying, “Are we still welcomed in this party?” We had taken decisions at the primaries and had chosen our own candidates and the party in Abuja was doing something else, is this the party we should belong to? At that stage, there was nothing we could do. So, we are being driven by the choices of the people.It is not us taking a position. That question does not arise in Kwara State, it could be the case in other states but not so in Kwara.

Would your late father, Senator Olusola Saraki, while alive, have considered joining the APC notwithstanding the alleged injustice in the PDP, if he were in your shoes?

Yes. You will remember in his time, at one time, we were in the All Nigeria Peoples Party before we went to the PDP. We have been through this before and that is why people will tell you in Kwara that the current development is not new to us. We were in the ANPP and we went to the PDP when there was injustice. PDP, at that time, was a minority party but when we took over, it became the majority party. You will find in Kwara State, again this time around, that the APC would become the majority party.

Since you defected to the APC, what has been the views of your late father’s political associates like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Alhaji Arisekola-Alao, among others?

This is a Kwara State issue; you are talking of an event of how many weeks ago? We have not gone outside Kwara to seek advice and opinions of people. I don’t know their comments. This is not the decision of an individual. We should all try to know that why we have been able to sustain a machinery like this is because our political structure is built around our people. It is not built around any individual. Kwara politics is about people. It is the people at the grass-roots level that determine and dictate to us the direction that we are going. We are serving the people. If they are now saying, ‘Oga, we no longer wanted in this party, this is where we are no going,’ I will agree with them. We will not go to other states and be seeking opinions; it is our own people who have the final say.

What is the problem with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum which you once headed as the chairman?

Unfortunately, I think that there has been too much external interference in the affairs of the forum and I think people sometimes misread what the forum is about and sometimes perceive it to be a forum that must be dismantled or weakened. The forum has positive values. Development is only seen through the mirror of politics. It is not all about politics. The forum was set up as a peer review mechanism; as a way of improving governance at the state level. That is to say, if Cross River State has a very good educational policy, Zamfara, Kwara and Kaduna can come in and share in that value. And by so doing, the people are better served. That is what the forum is all about. But, unfortunately, some people do not see it that way. Rather, they believe that it is about politics and power. If you look at the positive contributions that the forum has made in the political development of Nigeria, these people will not express such fears, which are misrepresentations of what the forum stands for. Instead of interference, if the governors are alone, they will resolve their issue because it is a voluntary organisation. People were not forced to join. Leave them alone, they will resolve their problems.

How will you describe the roles played by Governor Jonah Jang in the whole saga?

I don’t really see any role he played. The damage had been done before he was brought into the fore. I think and hope that they will still find an avenue to resolve the problem because I believe that the institution should survive beyond this time. As we all know, an election was held and it was clear that the governor from Rivers State won. Whatever the politics that happened before the election; whether some people promised to vote but did not vote; some signed and swore that they will vote for a particular candidate but at the end of the day, they did not vote; that is a different issue. Those issues do not matter. What matters is, at the end of the day, what was the result of the vote? The Rivers State Governor won. What they needed to have done was to reach a compromise. They will now go back to the table and say in the interest of everybody, this is what we will do. Even now, I still believe that there is room for compromise. Yes, Governor Amaechi won but there is no doubt that there are issues and crisis, and I think they can still give and take. Either you allow the man to finish his term or ask him to spend half of the term and go. There must be compromises here and there in the interest of the institution. I am sure that there will be progress, if they look at that direction and are prepared to do that because it is a legacy that they will all want to leave behind. They must find a solution. Amaechi won the election about a year ago now. My take is that if the crisis is not resolved, the damage it will do will be greater. There is an argument that we didn’t conduct election in the past. Yes but the constitution provides for it. It is agreed that a time will come when we will do election and if the election is held, it must be respected. If there are still issues after that, then there should be give and take in finding solution to that.

What are your views on the PDP Governors Forum?

As a party, there is nothing wrong about that. The only reason why we used to combine both the chairmanship of the NGF and that of the PDPGF was for administrative convenience because it is easier for you to administer that way and there is no problem with that. Also, there is nothing wrong with having a PDPGF chairman, once the reason for it is for good intentions. There is nothing wrong with that.

What can you foresee about the 2015 general elections?

Generally, the major issue is that as a country, we must ensure that we have a transparent, free and fair election. That is the greatest challenge before all of us, both the politicians and, especially, INEC. That is the main issue. INEC must live up to the expectations of Nigerians and the international community. The danger is not being able to have a transparent election that is free, acceptable and representative of the real wishes of the people. That is the major challenge. The other issues that are happening at the party levels are secondary. The parties will resolve their problems and if they fail to resolve their problems, the people will leave them and join other parties of their choice. What is the greatest danger to our democracy is being unable to have a credible election much better than the one we recently had in Anambra State, which INEC itself admitted was not perfect. Ekiti and Osun states (governorship) elections are coming up, I hope INEC will not have cause to give excuses again. INEC should build back the confidence of the people in elections. There is the issue of voter card largely unresolved. There must be proper logistics planning before the next general elections. Once we can have a free and transparent election, I believe that is the number one issue before all of us.

Why do you think governors fail to conduct local government elections in their states?

I cannot speak for other governors but throughout my eight-year-tenure as governor of Kwara State, we conducted local government elections as and at when due. My successor too has been conducting elections as at when due. In other states, I don’t really know the challenges they are facing.

Do you have any advice for them, based on your experience in Kwara.

The wish of the people is the most important and we must try and ensure that we build institutions and ensure that we follow and respect the provisions of the constitution.

You recently advocated for the declaration of a state of emergency in the labour market. Why?

What we are saying, basically, is that whenever we go about, interacting with the people, one of the major challenges that keep confronting us is the issue of unemployment. In as much as I say that Kwara has one of the lowest records of unemployed youths in the country, if we still have one or two cases, it is still a problem that any responsible government must take seriously, especially when the youth account for about 70 per cent of the population of the country. We should address it aggressively with passion, as something that is urgent. We must devise our own approach to tackle it. What we did by having that summit is that we considered the needs of the people. We are stressing the need to promote entrepreneurship, find out whether the youths have the skills. If they don’t, can we partner with some of the institutions that can provide them with some of the skills? If they have the skills already but lack capital, we would walk into some of the banks and co-operatives to ask ‘what can my constituency office do to help?’ We will now engage the government to see what we can do. The state was able to make some commitments by pledging to provide 500 new jobs in the area of those that will be employed under KWABECH and also about 4000 in vocational training. In all, about 6,000 people could be employed based on the approach we have designed in the next 60 days. That is what I meant by emergency declaration in the employment sector, which will help significantly to reduce unemployment among our youths.

What is your next move after 2015?

You can see how active we are in 2013; I think 2015 is still a long way to go. We have many challenges — we are building a new party in Kwara, we are addressing the issue of working towards ensuring that there are free, fair, transparent and credible elections. We are working on our assignment at the Senate in the area of environment, especially issues of flooding, degradation and many others. All these are keeping us busy and challenged that I think that to start talking of something two years ahead is really not what is paramount to us now.

There appears to be sharp division among your major party members in Kwara State. Again, the problem between you and Abdulraheem Oba, who is aggrieved that you did not support his re-nomination as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission has again deepened the crisis with some of them threatening now that they would not allow you to have your way in the Kwara State politics anymore, how would you react to this?

I don’t want to comment on some of the questions but I learnt something from my old man in politics. He would say ‘let us meet at the poll.’ Politics is about people and, like I said, we have a big family. Sometimes, people will stay with you, sometimes, due to one or two reasons, some people will go but posterity will judge us. It is a pity that you are here in Abuja, if you were a correspondent in Kwara State, you will not ask me that question because you will know the reality on ground.

There are insinuations that your relationship with your state governor is sour and that you are likely not to support him for another term in office. How true is this?

Like I said earlier, I will not want to comment on some of these issues. A time will come when we will comment on this kind of issue. I can tell you that I have a very good relationship with my state governor because I believe that if we are successful in Kwara State in showing that somebody can take over after you, then you can have a cordial relationship for the development of the state. As I said, it is only in Kwara State that Senator Shaaba Lafiagi who is a former governor; myself, a former governor and Fatai Ahmed is a governor, attend functions together. There is no acrimony; nothing and I see no reason why it should be. And again, I think we are showing a model and I pray it works for me or for him, and I think this will in a long way to helping development.

Would you attribute some of the noticeable absence of good relationship between you and some of your loyalists to the absence of your father?

I have said it that there is no problem in the politics of the state

But you acknowledged that there were some divisions earlier.

I said one or two. Look at those that supported us, we still have 99 per cent of the support in the state; we are still one big family. We just conducted local government election. The state Assembly members are intact; the council chairmen and 196 councillors are intact. The traditional rulers’ support is there. There was a transition, even in the life time of my father, there was a process and it prepared us for this day to continue what he used to do, it is difficult for me to talk. I would have preferred this kind of meeting to be back in Ilorin, when you spend an evening with us there and those of you that know what it used to be at his time and begin to see that the institution is being sustained, then you e what I am talking about here. So what you are seeing from some of the elders are for selfish reasons and they are local issues. I don’t what to respond to them. Those that will respond to them will do that. But I can tell you that majority of the people are still with us, those that followed Baba are still together. and that is why we keep telling people that anyway, anytime, we will deliver in Kwara State.

Would you say your father’s shoe is too big for you?

Yes, his shoe is too big to step into because he has a large heart. You cannot train somebody to get a large heart, it is either you have it or you don’t have it. Truly, he had the ability to give; he could give you anything and I think that is rare. And to give is not just to give money but giving your time to somebody who you do not even know. I wish one can have even half of what he had but people like that are once in a life time.

The suit by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the G5 Governors for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been dismissed as an exercise in futility. “The suit is laughable and betrays the ignorance of the PDP leadership about the laws of the land. It is also a further demonstration of the impunity

associated with PDP in its disdain for democracy and due process,” erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of New PDP, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said in a statement issued this afternoon in Abuja.

Eze quoted relevant sections of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution to prove that the seats of the affected governors, namely, Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara), are safe.

His words: “For the education of the confused PDP leadership and its legal team, there is no danger of any of our Governors losing their seats as made clear by sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in relation to the status of members of a legislative house (state and national) who defect from the political parties from which they were elected to join another political party.

“The wordings of the aforesaid sections are in agreement with those of sections 64(1)(g) of the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria given judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court in the case of FEDECO Vs Goni (1983) FNR 203. This case was argued by the best legal minds of that era (Chief FRA Williams SAN and GOK Ajayi SAN). The court held that such a member keeps his seat if his defection is as a result of a division or split in his party.

“G5 Governors must be commended and congratulated for standing against the draconian and undemocratic acts of PDP and should go about their normal business as both PDP and its sponsors lack the power to sack any of them. This as well covers all members of the National Assembly who desire to join the Aso Rock-bound train (APC) come 2015.”

Eze said it was not debatable that PDP is crisis-ridden, thus guaranteeing that none of its members who defects can be punished as a result. He quoted and attached a recent letter by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voiding the suspension of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje and Dr. Sam Sam Jaja as proof that PDP is in crisis.

The letter signed by INEC’s Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, was dated November 25, with reference number INEC /EPM/PDP/02/024/Vol.T/161 and titled: ‘Re: Suspension of Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ambassador Ibrahim Karaure from the PDP”. The letter, addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, reads: “This is to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated November 12, 2013 informing the commission on the suspension of four members of your party.

“The commission notes that some of the individuals so suspended held positions covered by the provisions of section 85(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and that no notice of the meeting which approved their suspension was provided to the commission. “Accordingly, the records of the commission does not reflect the process and composition of the meeting that approved the suspension of the individuals, as such, the commission cannot establish an informed position on the matter “Please accept the commission’s highest regard and consideration.”

Eze supported INEC’s position by quoting Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which states thus: “Every registered political party shall give the commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.”

The former New PDP Spokesman accused PDP of mischief for instigating the Houses of Assembly in the affected states to start impeachment proceedings against the defected Governors as being witnessed in Rivers State, where six rebel legislators are desperately trying to impeach Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. He warned PDP to desist from any further act of destabilisation capable of plunging the country into chaos and truncating the country’s hard-won democracy.

In conclusion, Chief Eze asked how come that PDP received Chief TA Orji of Abia State and Chief Ikedi Ohakim former Governor of Imo State that defected from PPA and Alh. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State who defected from ANPP and joined PDP without declaring their seats vacant. Now that PDP is at the receiving end of the same medicine they administered on others and they are window shopping for ways to have their cakes after devouring them. What a pity as about seven more PDP Governors will be joining APC by the first quarter of 2014 at that time they will be preparing on how to bury PDP formally by 2015

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze

National Publicity Secretary of the defunct nPDP

Kwara24/7
@Bukolasaraki, @Governor_Ahmed, others declare for APC

The media had been flooded with news of G-5 governors deserting nPDP and joining forces with APC thereby making the former a minority in terms of numbers.

Today, the Distinguished Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki alongside the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed has openly declared for APC.

Speaking today at the party’s monthly meeting, Governor Ahmed said the merger became necessary due to the lack of unity and one voice in the leadership of PDP as preferential treatments were being given to some section of the party.

He added that in about a month’s time, 6000 youths would be gainfully employed as a result of the tangible effort that has been put in place by the State Government.

Senator Bukola Saraki also said the move to APC was born out of selfless sacrifice for the State and the Nation as a whole. The need for fresher pastures was to ensure that Kwara State remains relevant in the helms of the country’s government.

He then urged all the faithful supporters to ensure they register in the forthcoming APC registration that would commence and to co-operate with the new party.

Saraki is a good guy I personally like, but his greatest misdoing is that he (and his father) sold Yoruba out. The Yoruba populace is watching him, he better gets his consciousness back and do the right things before it's too late.

my opinion

i am not sure if that is the right to do, tinubu has no credibility to help him win election.

and the apc license is subject to a court decision, meaning anyone who contest under the apc may have their election revoke by the court. tinubu knows the license is not good, but only deceiving them because he is working for jonathan secreting.

and after 2015 if jonathan is still in power, he will pay back all of them. using the court. team up with tinubu is not a job thing because if election are free and fair tinubu will not win. and come 2015.. apc is expect to loss alot of its state to the labour party in western nigeria because the apc governor in ogun, oyo, osun, lagos failed to perform compare to labour party in ondo state.

eko altantic is not own by lagos govt. by a private company. mostly they have been deceiving people as if they are the owners.. which is making people come to their party.

so na 419


http://www.chagourygroup.com/real-estate/eko-atlantic/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFjWFOcn1y8

MY DISCUSSION WITH TUKUR –SARAKI

A Former Governor and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Kwara State, SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI at the weekend in Ilorin said he advised the embattled Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to avoid any unnecessary conflict with his state governor after his election as party chairman.
SENATOR SARAKI who made this disclosure while explaining what necessitated their move to the All Progressive Congress (APC) to party members at the monthly interaction held at Ile-Arugbo, GRA, Ilorin, said rather than find ways of harmonious relationship with his state governor, Tukur embarked on a journey of vindictiveness dissolving one state's exco to another.
SENATOR SARAKI traced the dictatorial tendency and resort to unilateral decisions to undue intervention of the PDP National Executive council led by its Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur in the internal affairs of State chapters, particularly in Adamawa and Rivers States and lack of confidence in the ability of the Tukur led executive to uphold the sanctity of the Peoples interest as some of the reasons for dumping the party.
The Senator told his supporters that the defection to the APC was necessitated by the need to sustain the collective interest of the people of the State and not out of selfish interest.
SENATOR SARAKI urged party supporters to turn out enmass when the registration of APC members begins next year so that they could be stakeholders in the transformation of Nigeria for good.
Citing the non reinstatement of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the authentic party secretary despite a court judgement to that effect, Governor of Kwara State, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, in his address to the people said PDP had become retrogressive and devoid of respect for the rule of law.
The Governor promised the people that in the new year his administration will create 6,000 new jobs for the youths in the State.

A nairalander wrote : If you blame APC for handling the party platform to Saraki, it means you are a PDP tools, any party willing to win an election must do what he knows best to win it, Jonathan set Bode George which you and i knows that is an ex convict free in order to use him as a distabilizer in Lagos and also against OBJ, Jonathan free Alamesiya from jail, Al Mustafa from prison, Stella Odua is working freely on the street, subsidy probe indictment theives are walking freely ,he is doing all this to win 2015 election, he is encouraging curruption in order to win 2015. My question is ,do you want APC to fold their hands and watch while 2015 is drawing close? The answer is NO, they've to use their common sense to achieve a result.

BUKOLA SARAKI TO HAND-PICK KWARA APC CHAIR – LAI MOHAMMED

APC leaders and members across the sixteen local government areas of Kwara state got the shocker of their lives penultimate Monday, when the Party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed revealed that the national leadership of the APC of which he is a prominent part had given MR BUKOLA SARAKI and Mr. Fatai Ahmed the unfettered power to single-handedly handpick the chairman of the APC in the state.
‘You all must have read of a purported agreement between the APC leadership and the G5 Governors of the PDP. Well, I am assuring you today that there is no iota of truth about it. Whoever tells you that he is in possession of such an agreement papers should be challenged to bring it forth. The only agreement we have with the defecting Governors is that they are going to enjoy similar privileges like the original APC Governors. And what is the privilege? It is that they are going to single-handedly produce the Chairman of the APC in the state they govern. So does that amount to handling over of the party structure to the governor?’ Mr. Lai asked rhetorically.
Mr. Lai, who stated this at his private residence along Pipeline road in Ilorin, during an interactive session with existing APC members in the state, said the clarifications became necessary in order to debunk the insinuations that the national leadership of the party had ceded the party state structures to the G5 governors who defected into the APC from their former party, the PDP. He denied that there was any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the APC and the defecting governors of the PDP as speculated in a section of the media, and challenged any media house that has any such document to produce it for the public.
E-kwara correspondent, who monitored the event, observed that the disclosure was spontaneously greeted with murmurs of disapproval and disappointment by the mass of supporters who had gathered at his residence as early as 10am Monday morning. Instead of the spontaneous claps of approval that heralded other disclosures from Mr. Lai, the crowd grew suddenly restless and responded disapprovingly.
But perhaps sensing the public show of displeasure by his supporters, Mr. Lai Mohammed quickly reverted and hinted that the work of interim party executives would not be more than the coordination of the party’s membership registration and congresses. Still not done with the damage control, Mr. Lai Mohammed revealed that the interim party structure in the state would only have less than a month to commence and round up its assignment, which according to him is not any much time for any individual to leverage upon politically.
The event was attended by a horde of members and supporters of the Party from across the state. The meeting had in attendance, Mr. Saliu Mustapha, a national chieftain of the Party, Mr. Taiwo Eleja, Alhaji Tunji Buhari, Alhaji Shuaib Sanda, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassada, Mr. Akeem Amao and a host of other big names in the Kwara APC.

Kwara24/7
Ilorin‘s Aviation College to close manpower gaps – Minister

Minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has described the training of airline pilots at the International Aviation College ( IAC), Ilorin , Kwara State as one of the steps that will close the gap of manpower needs in the aviation sector.

Speaking at the graduation of the first set of nine pilots by the Kwara State owned International Aviation College, she said the investment on human capacity development by the state government is a response to the aviation road map put in place by government to fix deficiencies in the aviation sector.

Oduah who was represented at the graduation ceremony by the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN), Mr George Uriesi , urged other state governments to emulate the steps of Kwara State to build the aviation industry by embarking in projects that will generate endless employment opportunities for Nigerians.

She lauded efforts by the Kwara State government in investing in manpower development for the aviation sector, which she said will transcend the nation's boundaries .

She said: " It is noteworthy to appreciate the efforts of state and local governments and other organizations that have sponsored young Nigerians at this college and encourage others to join hands to build an aviation industry that will generate endless employment opportunities for Nigerians and contribute to the economic development of the country."

Also speaking, the state governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed urged the Federal Government to continue to support the International Aviation College, Ilorin to enable it consolidate its leading role as a foremost centre for the training of pilots for the West African sub region.

Ahmed described the training of pilots at the college as one of the steps that will bridge manpower gap in the sector.

He spoke of plans to sustain the standard of training in the college, affirming that Kwara State government is committed to the aerotropolis project initiated by government.

Ahmed urgeurged the minister of aviation to speed up the construction of a cargo terminal at the Ilorin Airport, a project he said will accelerate the pursuit of a hub status for the airport.

He said: "As the aviation industry expands, more pilots will be needed. This explains why we will continue to invest in this college to boost capacity for the aviation industry."

He spoke of plans to expand infrastructure in the college with the construction of additional hostel, an aircraft hangar and a workshop for aircraft repairs next year.

He said the state government was working on partnership to introduce additional aeronautical engineering and management courses for the college at the state university.

In his remarks, the chairman of the college board, Captain Edward Boyo described the graduation of the first set of pilots as a milestone for the industry, as the pilots concluded their programme in sixteen months .

He called on the state government to assist the college with the acquisition of more trainer aircraft to boost its growth.

Also speaking, the chief of air staff, Alex Badeh, said the College has contributed significantly in the training of pilots who are critical in the security of the country.

He said the college has trained about 25 officer, as a foremost institution that deserves to listed as the best aviation training institution in Africa.

In his remarks, the director general of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu urged the college to maintain the highest standard of safety ,so that the entire industry will benefit.

He said :" The college must stay on the standard and imbibe a culture of safety. The college must inculcate safety culture in the students as it is training pilots. The managers of the college must try to improve on safety standards."

Kwara24/7
BARAJE, SARAKI HAIL REPS DEFECTION TO APC

A former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, DR ABUBAKAR SARAKI, on Thursday hailed the defection of 37 members of the House of Representatives from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress.
Baraje and SARAKI, who had defected to the APC, said the defection was good for democracy and would ensure good governance in the country.
They spoke during the empowerment programme of a member representing Ilorin East and South Federal Constituency, Dr. Ali Ahmad.
Baraje, who urged Nigerians to remain law abiding and avoid taking the laws into their hands, said more PDP members and the representatives would still defect to APC.
“I am happy with the defection of some members of the House of Representatives from the People Democratic Party to the All
Progressives Congress. More members of the PDP and the Reps will also defect to the APC,” he said.
SARAKI said Rep members from Kwara State played prominent role in the defection of the lawmakers. He commended them for good representation of their people.
Ahmad, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Justice and one of the defectors, said it was imperative to address unemployment in the country.
He stated that he invested over N100m in the empowerment programme. He claimed that no fewer than 15,000 people, including about 10,000 youths as wells as traders, artisans and people in other economic sectors would be both direct and indirect beneficiaries of the empowerment programme.
“I am giving out 10 cars which cost N1.5m each. We have 50 deep freezers, 50 motor bikes and other empowerment tools. There is also the information and communication centre. So I am investing close to N100m in this empowerment,” Ahmad said.

APC Wins Again As Court Bars Tukur, PDP, INEC From Declaring Defecting Senators, Reps Seats Vacant

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has barred the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, its Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives from declaring the seats of the defecting federal lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress vacant.

Sitting yesterday, the Presiding Judge, Justice A. R. Mohammed in his ruling Motion on Notice said, "Upon the case coming up for hearing of the Plaintiffs Motion on Notice, dated and filed on the 28th day of November, 2013 for order of interlocutory injunction.

"After hearing Tairu Adebayo Esq with A. A. Muhammed Esq, of counsel for the Plaintiffs; henry Micheal-Ihunde Esq with C.P. Nzedebe Esq of counsel for the 1st (Bamanga Tukur) and 4th (PDP) Defendants/Applicants moved in terms of the motion paper; 2nd (Senate President) and 3rd (Speaker, House of Rpresentatives) Defendants have been fully served but absent and not represented in Court by counsel; Abdulaziz Sani Esq with Rahimatu Aminu (Mrs.) Esq and Ibrahim S. Mohammed of counsel for the 5th Defendant/Applicant (INEC).

"It is hereby ordered as follows: The 2nd and 3rd Defendants should be asked to maintain status quo on any proposed deliberation to declare the seats of the affected and interested Plaintiffs vacant, at least, pending the hearing and determination of the Plaintiffs motion for interlocutory injunction."

The Judge directed the parties and in particular the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to maintain status quo on any proposed deliberation to declare the seats of the affected/interested Plaintiffs in the suit vacant pending the hearing and determination of the motion.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja for an order declaring the seats of the five governors who defected from the ruling party to the All Progressive Congress (APC) vacant.

But in a bid to save their seats 22 Senators and 57 members of House of Representatives who were aggrieved members of the PDP approached the federal High Court to stop declaration of their seat vacant.

Kwara24/7
‘G7 INTACT, BAUCHI, OTHERS TO JOIN APC SOON’

A traditional title holder in the Kano Emirate Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Danpass, has said that the seven governors (G7) that were hitherto having a running battle with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are still together fighting a common cause.
This he said was despite the fact that two of them, Governors Babangida Aliyu and Sule Lamido of Niger and Jigawa States respectively, failed to announce their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with five others.
It will be recalled that five governors, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto); ABDULFATAH AHMED(Kwara); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State joined the APC recently.
Danpass, in an interview with journalists in Kano, said more of the governors would soon defect to the party to swell its number of states under its control to about 27.
According to him, the Niger and Jigawa State governors are only bidding their time before they would cross-carpet to the party, emphasising that they were still very much intact with the initial group with a common cause as revealed by Governor Aliyu himself during a visit to Kano Government House recently.
“G7 is still intact; they are still together. In fact, we expect more governors to join the train very soon. As you can see, the two governors (Niger and Jigawa) that are yet to declare for the APC would soon do so.
“This is because their followers are pressurising them to do so. They know if they reject the wish of the people, especially their supporters; they would be abandoned.
“Besides, as things are today, there are some states where the governors have not declared for APC, states like Bauchi and Taraba, among others. I believe they would soon do so, because they are naturally APC states”, he affirmed.
The politician hinted that they have commenced their calculations as the APC is expected to have outright majority when the census of governors and their parties are taken as it would boast of 27 governors leaving the rest for others.
Danpass, who headed the Abubakar Rimi Presidential Campaign Organisation for the 2003 general elections, is of the opinion that if this happens; APC is poised to control the centre from Aso Rock in the next dispensation, however, he added that “2014 would make things clearer for everyone.”
He also debunked insinuations that the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole was unhappy in the APC and would soon decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that the rumour is the handiwork of jobless elements and propagandists as he was still a very strong member of the party.

APC ON THE RIGHT TRACK SAYS OBASANJO

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken the first step in the right direction towards making Nigeria great again.
Obasajo stated this on Saturday when he met with leaders and governors of the APC on Saturday evening at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The meeting is said to be in continuation of their consultations on political developments in the country. The APC leaders including of the Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso(Kano) and Mutala Nyako (Adamawa) drove into Obasanjo’s mansion on Segun Osoba Hill – Top by 5:50pm in convoy.
General Mohammadu Buhari, three – time presidential contestant, arrived Obasanjo home, the venue of what was described as a “high – powered meeting of an equally high powered coalition of progressive forces,” by 5:56pm on Saturday.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) who drove himself with Mallam Nasir El – Rufai on the passenger seat, arrived by 5:59pm and followed closely by Governors Abiola Ajimobi(Oyo) and Babatunde Fashola(Lagos).
Few minutes earlier around 5:23pm, a convoy of three jeeps including the one marked Lagos JJJ 956BQ and carrying Chief Femi Fani – Kayode and former Anti – graft Czar, Mr Nuhu NRibadu arrived the venue.
Others attending the meeting are APC Interim Spokesperson, Alh. Lai Mohammed, former Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ogun(2011), Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, former Governor of Borno State, Alimodu Sheriff and Bob Effiong.
The Progressive governors and the APC leaders who arrived Abeokuta by noon earlier met with the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at the Government House, Isale – Egbein, Abeokuta where they deliberated for hours before proceeding to Obasanjo’s home.

PDP SENATORS PLAN MASS DEFECTION TO APC

Just three days after 37 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the House of Representatives dumped the the party for All Progressives Congress (APC), many senators elected on the platform of the party at the upper legislative chamber are planning mass defection to the opposition party, Saturday Independent has gathered.
The move according to impeachable sources in the Senate would be finalised by January.
The senators we learnt are buying time pending when discussions will be concluded with the APC caucus leaders at the National Assembly.
Already, according to our sources, the yet to defect senators have been assured of automatic ticket to fly APC flag at the next election as one of the baits to lure them.
We gathered that some of the senators that had indicated interest to dump PDP surprisingly are from some of the states where their governors appeared to be backing the leadership of PDP under Bamagar Tukur and President Goodluck Jonathan’s yet to be declared second term ambition.
Some of the PDP senators (name withheld) confirmed the development.
They also revealed that the Senate President, David Mark, apparently disturbed that he may be consumed by the move, has been sending emissaries to top PDP leaders to appease the senators to stay back in the party.
A senator in one of the South South states confirmed that some of them will be joining APC next year.
“Yes we are leaving PDP. My state is now APC state and I have to move with the tide,” the senator who pleaded for anonymity said.
Former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, confirmed the plan saying some of the aggrieved PDP senators have made up their mind to team up with APC by January.
According to him: “It is no longer rumour, we are expecting the PDP senators to join our party and those who are bold among them will soon defect to APC by January. The plan will soon be concretised.
“They are talking to us but I can’t confirm to you their numbers yet. They are many. That does not mean that when they join us that we are going to push for change of leadership at the senate. Whichever way, the signals are clear that PDP is going into extinction and Nigerians at all levels are tired of the party. Of course the process is being perfected for early next year,” Kaka said.
In a separate interview, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of APC, LAI MOHAMMED, said his party was eager to receive the PDP senators as soon as possible.
“Our doors are open. We will accommodate them (PDP senators). They will find our party worthy to join. We have no cause to worry about the PDP antics of trying to use court to intimidate those senators not to join us. That will fail. However, we are leaving the discussion to our caucus leaders at the National Assembly to handle. They will advise us better on how to go about it.
“You asked if we are not bothered that it might be an attempt to plant moles to destabilize our party? All I can tell you is that we are always many steps ahead of PDP in terms of reasoning and planning.”

SARAKI HAILS DEFECTION OF 37 REPS


Former Governor of Kwara state and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI yesterday hailed the defection of 37 members of the House of Representatives to the APC, describing it as a welcome development.
Some lawmakers including all the six Rep members from Kwara State dumped the ruling the PDP for APC on Wednesday.
Speaking at the empowerment programme organised by Rep. Ali Ahmad representing Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency of Kwara state where items worth N100 million were doled out, SARAKI hailed the federal lawmakers from the state for what he called their bold decision to formally dump the PDP.
“What happened in the House of Representatives in Abuja would not have happened without the support and cooperation of members from Kwara State. It is an indication of their acceptability and endorsement in the House”, said SARAKIwho is also a Senator representing Kwara Central.

OBASANJO EMBRACES APC

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday openly threw his weight behind the All Progressives Congress when some national leaders and governors of the APC visited him, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Our correspondent gathered that the APC leaders at the meeting solicited Obasanjo’s support for the party in the forthcoming elections.
The visitors started arriving at Obasanjo’s Hilltop Mansion around 5:22pm. A former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, led APC leaders, including the party’s Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari; former speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari; former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff; Senator Osita Isunazor; SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI; Mr. Lai Mohammed to the meeting.
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State came to the former president’s house in company with the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissioin, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the former minister of aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and others in a convoy of three black jeeps.
Other APC governors at the meeting included Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdulfattah Ahmed (Kwara), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).
The Chairman of the New PDP, Kawu Baraje led some of his members and the former Kaduna State Chairman, Yero Makama, to the meeting.
Presenting the party chieftains and the APC governors to Obasanjo during the opening of the meeting, Akande said the party was in support of the former president’s 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The APC National Leader, Tinubu who alluded to Obasanjo’s contribution to the building of the Nigerian nation, lamented that the country was divided more than ever.
Apparently referring to Obasanjo’s recent letter to Jonathan, he enjoined the former president not to shy away from speaking the truth.
Tinubu added that the APC had resolved to rescue Nigeria, appealing to Obasanjo to lead the mission.
“You’ve come out of tribulation and held the highest position in this country. We are here because of your courage. Nobody can say he has information more than you. You have surmounted a number of crises. Nigeria is divided more than before; to realise stable Nigeria, we want to encourage you to continue to speak the truth. We’re resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria. We want you as navigator,” he said.
Responding, Obasanjo, who said he remained a card-carrying member of the ruling PDP, described himself as an “incurable optimist” totally committed to Nigeria’s well-being.
He vowed that nothing would distract him from his commitment to the Nigerian nation.
Obasanjo also enjoined the opposition party to play a constructive politics “without bitterness”
The former president said, “I am a card carrying member of the PDP but the politics I play traverses Nigeria, Africa and world in that order. I am a democrat and one of the essential ingredients of democracy is opposition. A democracy that has no opposition built into it is not democracy.
“As an opposition, you are enhancing democracy. You are at home, you are welcome. I will just appeal that the politics you play is politics without rancour, without bitterness, with decency, that has Nigeria at heart. I am an incurable optimist about Nigeria, I am totally committed to Nigeria and nothing will divert me from that commitment.”
At the end of their two-hour meeting, Tinubu, in a chat with newsmen, denied that the APC had come to woo the former president.
He said, “The meeting was not to woo him but to tap from his wealth of political experience.”
One of those present at the meeting, Fani-Kayode told SUNDAY PUNCH that Obasanjo embraced the APC at the meeting. He said, “The ex-president told us that APC has taken the first step in the right direction towards making Nigeria great. It was an excellent meeting.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the PDP and the presidency were futile on Saturday as the spokesmen of the party and presidency could not be reached. Their phones were switched off.

SARAKI, A DIGITAL POLITICAL LEADER

With the emergence of Abdulfatah Ahmed as the Governor of Kwara State after the 2011 general elections, a systematic hand-over of SARAKI political dynasty from late DR ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI to DR. ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI was obviously completed.

And just like what late DR ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI said after one of the popular and confusing elections in the history of the state so far, ‘I am not a loser like some great politicians who had nobody to hand over to’, even though his daughter, SENATOR RUKAYAT GBEMISOLA SARAKI was involved in the whole game and drama.
Just like the late political icon, SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI has continued to uphold the vision of the dynasty as an instrument of unity, good governance, development, prosperity and progress of Kwara and Nigeria at large.
As a selfless leader, just like late DR. ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI, he has continued to lighten the burden of the people, ensuring freedom, encouraging good governance and giving hope to the less privileged.
Before now, that was when the late political icon was in charge of it all in Kwara state, the popular question was ‘Who succeeds, SARAKI?
The question was, beyond anything, an academy exercise on the political plans of Kwara State after the former Waziri of Ilorin might have retired or have completed his course.
Conscious attempts were then made to distinguish between SARAKI as the Waziri of Ilorin or as the political kingmaker, or better still, as the customary philanthropist.
Many believed that OLUSOLA the kingmaker of Kwara polities would be very difficult to replace. Then, SARAKI’S place as the political kingmaker has attracted the extremes of emotions both from friends and enemies.
No other leader caused likely sparks in the political terrain of this great nation during the reigns of late DR. ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI.
When he’s not leading the Senate; he’s changing the political leadership of Kwara to his own taste. But that question, ‘Who succeeds Saraki’ has been answered. The successor is Senator (DR.) ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI. He is not doubt, a worthy successor and a trustworthy leader.
SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI is operating though, on a faster lane… on a different wave length… and the systematic change of baton during the 2011 elections was absolutely a switch from analogue to digital type of politics.
His takeover of the dynasty and the gradually unfolding scenario is proving doubting Thomases wrong. He has no doubt proven that he has truly answered that question people kept asking some years back.
Leadership is all about selflessness, about sacrifice, collectiveness and togetherness, which all bothers on making everybody relevant, as SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOALA SARAKI has continued to do.
During his eight years reign as the governor of Kwara State, he opened the minds of people to numerous possibilities and realities of total development and the resultant advancement, both physically and otherwise, has lifted the state to an enviable height.
Under SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI as governor, Kwara State witnessed tremendous human and physical development that has brought it to the mainstream of commercial class in Nigeria. In agriculture, aviation, education, health, sports as well as other sectors, Kwara today ranks among the best.
Just like late DR. ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI, since making his debut into politics, always sought relevance and when you feel he’s finished in the game, he bounces back on the scene of relevance like an acrobat. Just like late SARAKI, there is much to BUKOLA SARAKI that his political opponents are willing to concede. Think of how he beats his opponents in the game… his intelligence, ability to think beyond ordinary… definitely, a leader must prove that ability to lead… he has continued to do just that.
A leader must also lead no matter whose ox is gored. As a leader, what has continued to keep SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI above board, just like late DR ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI was his maturity, even in the face of provocations and other challenges.
A leader thinks less of himself, but what would benefit the generality of his followers. That was why before the 2003 elections that brought in DR. ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI as governor of Kwara State, late DR ABUBAKAR OLUSOLA SARAKI and his followers dumped All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), all in desperate search for relevance and comfort zone.
That gamble really paid off. And that was the same scenario currently unfolding, with the defection of DR. BUKOLA SARAKI and his people from PDP to All Progressives’ Alliance (APC), all in the name of searching for relevance and comfort zone.
And just like it happened with the late Saraki, when some of his followers thought otherwise, it’s now happening again. But a leader who has a vision will always think and plan beyond pettiness, beyond sentiment, beyond sectionalism and beyond name calling.
But if they did not succeed with late SARAKI then, why would they succeed now? This is because, they have at one time or the other, benefitted from what they are criticising today, and just like former PDP Secretary in the State, Prince Yemi Afolayan said, nobody succeeds after biting the fingers that fed him or her.
According to Afolayan, the so-called ‘rebel’ members are zero in politics individually and collectively. ‘They are failures, he had said.
And just like it happened then with the late political icon, some of them came back, to re-trace their steps, when their bids failed.
The handwriting is definitely on the wall for the wise to comprehend. Time will tell.

We Can’t Declare APC Members Seats Vacant – INEC Replies PDP

Pressure mounted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on INEC to declare the seats of the 37 Reps who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has met with rebuff from the commission.
The embattled Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, the National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo, and the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon, had signed a letter asking INEC to immediately conduct elections into the affected constituencies following the defection of its members to the APC.
But INEC has told the PDP that it is not within its powers to take such an action:
“Honestly…it is not the job of INEC to take such a decision. INEC is not the one to declare seats of elected public office holders vacant. That is not what the law says and I can tell you that INEC is not going to do that.”
Speaking to The Nation on the matter, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Kayode Idowu, said it is not the duty of the commission to declare the seats of lawmakers vacant in whatever circumstance.
Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, was quoted in a newspaper interview that the PDP had written to INEC and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, to declare the seats of the 37 Reps vacant.

OBJ vs GEJ: Jonathan’s Response Shallow, Disappointing — Northern Elders

Barely 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan replied his predecessor Olusegun Obajanjo, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has expressed disappointment with Jonathan's response to the issues raised by the former President.

The NEF lamented that Jonathan adopted what it called 'pedestrian approach' to addressing the core issues raised by Obasanjo and ended up creating more tension in Nigeria than what his predecessor's letter had generated.

"We feel highly disappointed by the tone and contents of Mr. President's response to Obasanjo's letter," Secretary General of the NEF, Prof Ango Abdullahi, commented on Jonathan's move.

NEF representatives blasted Jonathan for him not taking time to explain to Nigerians whether he had fulfilled the electoral promises he made to the nation and whether in his view, he had made the country better than he met it on assumption of duty.

Moreover, Abdullahi claimed that Jonathan should sum up courage as the current leader to address the germane issues raised in the letter so that the country could move forward.

He noted that the country was going through a complicated period in its political history and that Jonathan should take reasonable steps to arrest the drift rahter than pretend that everything was fine.

Abdullahi also said that it would have been better for Jonathan to keep quiet over the Obasanjo letter than offer a lame reply, which in the main, shies away from the bone of contention.

He stated the following:

"By the response given by Jonathan to the Obasanjo's letter, the impression seems to be that Jonathan lacks a clear understanding of the major problems facing the country and does not seem to appreciate the innocuous admonition given him by Obasanjo in his letter.

"Our simply and innocuous advice to Mr. President is to use the remaining part of his tenure to find answers to the raging problems facing Nigeria and desist from acting as if all is well with the nation.

"If Mr. President does not know or the people around him have shielded him from knowing, the truth remains that Nigeria is drifting and its citizens in dire need of a leadership that can take them to the next level."

Hmm, will read the whole thread later.