₦airaland Forum

Key findings

Legislative Watch

*KEY FINDINGS BY LEGISLATIVE WATCH*

1. Quality Representation, Legislative Advancement, Executive Oversight and Constituency Project are the key element of legislative assessment

2. Three (3) Lawmakers from Kwara North Senatorial District, namely Sen Sadiq Umar (20.5), Hon Bio Omar (20) and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu (15.5) emerged most performing lawmakers at the Senate, Federal House of Representatives and Kwara State House of Assembly respectively.

3. Lawmakers at the senate have greater understanding of their job than other lawmakers from the state and they are far more active, far more responsive and far more prepared for legislative engagement.

4. The Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District, Sen Sadiq Umar emerged as overall most performing legislator from Kwara State and the most performing senator from the state

5. Member of Federal House of Representative from Baruten-Kaiama federal constituency, Hon Bio Omar emerged most performing member of federal House of Representatives from Kwara State, beating Hon. Abdulraheem Tunji Ajulo Opin, who emerged distant second.

6. Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu emerged as most performing lawmaker in the Kwara State House of Assembly, beating Honourable Ojo Olayiwola from Oke Ogun State constituency, who emerged second.

7. Deputy Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Raphael Adetiba and 9 others emerged least performing members of Kwara State House of Assembly.

8. Hon. Yekini Alajagusi (3), Hon. Ismail Tijjanni (4) and Hon Abdulganiy Cook Olododo (4.5) are the overall least performing lawmakers from Kwara State and least performing lawmakers at the Federal House of Representatives from Kwara.

9. Top Three (3) lawmakers with highest score on Legislative Watch are Sen Sadiq Umar (20.5), Hon Bio Omar (20) and Sen Ibrahim Oloriegbe (19).

10. Vast majority of members of Kwara State House of Assembly have little understanding of legislative engagement, neither do they have the commitment to improve themselves through active participation in legislative activities.

11. More than 66% of Senators scored above average in the legislative assessment, indicating higher level of legislative understanding and commitment from the senators.

12. More than 80% of federal house of representative members score below average in the legislative watch assessment, indicating low level of legislative understanding and commitment.

13. More than 90% members of Kwara State House of Assembly score below average in the legislative watch assessment, signifying worsening state of legislative understanding in the Kwara State House of Assembly.

14. Kwara South Senator, Arc Lola Ashiru is the least performing senator in Kwara State, Hon Yekini Alajagusi from Ilorin West/ Asa is the least performing member of Federal House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Raphael Adetiba from Oke Ero and 9 others are the least performing members of the state assembly.

15. Lawmakers from Kwara North Senatorial District at the Kwara State House of Assembly performed better than lawmakers from other district with their 6.9 score, followed by lawmakers from Kwara Central with 6.25 and Kwara South lawmakers with 6.1 score.

16. Hon. Ojo Olayiwola from Oke Ogun is the over-all most performing lawmaker from Kwara South, followed by Hon. Abdulraheem Tunji AjuloOpin. Hon. Ojo Olayiwola is also the most performing lawmaker from Kwara South at the Kwara State House of Assembly.

17. Hon Yekini Alajagusi (3) and Hon Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo (4.5) are the over-all least performing lawmakers from Kwara Central Senatorial district.

18. Senator Ibrahim
Oloriegbe (19) is the over-all most performing lawmaker from Kwara Central, with Hon. Abdulgafar Olayemi Ayinla (7.5) and Hon. Mogaji Olawoyin (7.5) coming jointly at second position from the senatorial district.

19. Hon. Muhammed Ndamusa Guyeji (5), Hon. Ahmed Saidu Baba (5), Hon. Abdullahi Halidu Danbaba (5) and Hon. Bello John Olarewaju (5) are the overall least performing lawmakers from Kwara North.

*Kwara Must Change*

Breaking News
*Kwara Must Change unveil key findings of Legislative Watch*

One year ago, precisely in January 2020, Kwara Must Change, in partnership with Grand Plan commenced the development of Legislative Watch, a standard assessment of Legislators in Kwara State, both at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives and at the Senate.

Today, being 13th of January, 2021, ahead of the official release of the Maiden Edition of Legislative Watch, whose date shall be communicated in due time, we are proud to release the key findings of our first year assessment of Kwara Legislators.

Legislative Watch is a national project by Grand Plan, which is being piloted in Kwara State by Kwara Must Change.

Date of the release of the project shall be communicated in due time.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat
Convener
Kwara Must Change

Democracy is somebody's idea

From one person, it became a global practice. It is not perfect, it is not absolute, it is not permanent.

Few people must create the road, before majority will have their way.

If there's something that is not working for us in the democratic concept, we should amend it to suit our purpose.

If the amendment needs improvement, we should improve it for our own good.

However, if it is no longer achieving its essence, we can introduce a better concept.

There's nothing like civilized climes.

There's nothing like advanced democracy.

What we simply have, is people taking responsibility for their society and creating standard and others that are just following other people's norms and following other people's standard without the courage and conviction to lead or take absolute responsibility for their own society.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat

*Kwara Must Change urges qualified sunset workers to reapply for the job*

A leading Pro Democracy Group, Kwara Must Change has called on recently disengaged sunset workers who are well qualified for teaching to reapply for the job, noting that the group will work with government to prioritize qualified sunset workers in the new recruitment.

In a statement by the Convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group stated that, it feels sad that the sunset workers were disengaged after so much efforts.

According to Hamzat, the disengaged sunset workers should understand that, the decision to disengage them became inevitable after all efforts to resolve the complications surrounding their engagement proved unsuccessful, with the numerous conflicting numbers and outright impunity in the process of their engagement, leading government to invite Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the matter.

Hamzat therefore maintained that, qualified candidate amongst the sunset workers should set their priorities right by studying the criteria for the new recruitment and quickly apply for the job, adding that Kwara Must Change will work with the state government to ensure that qualified sunset workers are given priority in the new recruitment exercise.

*Sacked sunset workers and our culpability in impunity*
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

Shortly after the emergence of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq as the Executive Governor of Kwara State, several individuals reached out to us at the Kwara Must Change, urging us to reach out to the new governor if we can, to prevail on him to resist the pressure and temptation of wanting to sack the sunset workers employed by the outgoing administration.

Others also urged us to convince the government to sack the sunset workers, describing them as a trap for the government.

The first argument was that, the sunset workers are Kwarans and irrespective of which government engaged them and when they were engaged, sacking them, as expected by many, would set a negative precedent, therefore creating a "we vs them" narrative, which would not be good for the otoge revolutionary people's government of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

Personally speaking, I agree with the concern expressed by group and share in their sentiment, but not also unmindful of the agitation of those who continue to canvas for the sack of the sunset workers to avoid a future problem.

The position of the second group was that, the outgone administration, which was paying geri gedi and owing several months of unpaid salaries delibrately engaged the sunset workers to create more problem for the new government.

You cannot be paying half salary and still owing several months unpaid, then engaged more workers on your way out of the system without any ulterior motive, they argued.

Even without being in the saddle, we were confused of which side to take, as both points have valid justification.

Before deciding to take a stand in support of the retention of the sunset workers, I recall that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on the day he was announced as the governor elect, took a personal tour around Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The governor didn't only demonstrate his street credibility by leading the people in victory walk on that faithful day from Adewole to Fate, he equally took a stand by saying very loudly that he would choose the people over anything else.

From his street walk around Ilorin, he later joined leaders of the ruling party at Fate, where they have been waiting to address a press conference.

At the press conference, which happened around 8 PM, the governor spoke for about 30 minutes or thereabout, promising to unite the people and not break them into "we vs them"

According to him, for APC to win more than 70% of the vote, it shows that almost everyone voted for the party, including those some people would naturally refer to as the opposition.

He concluded that he was made Governor by the people of Kwara State and not any political party and he would treat everyone as his people without any form of discrimination on the basis of party.
To demonstrate this, several people appointed by past administration are still on their jobs, including the Head of Service.

It was this realization that made us send our recommendations to the governor in favor of retention of the sunset workers. We reasoned that, it has become the duty of the otoge government to provide opportunities, enabling platform and jobs for the people and if it is the duty of the government to do this for all, sacking those you should provide for becomes questionable.

While it is true that many may have advised the governor on the need to retain the workers, including us, I believe strongly that the governor did what he believed to be the best then and even now.

As many already know, Governor Abdulrahman is a man of his own, who will do what he believes in, irrespective of who is against it.

However, after the retention of the sunset workers, it appeared some individuals within the system took Governor Abdulrahman's compassionate nature for some kind of weakness, thereby abusing the whole process and making it unreasonably complicated, leading to the eventual cancellation of the entire process, including the invitation of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the narrative that ensured after government announced the cancellation of the process more than a year after it had retained them, many have opined that the governor's fault was not sacking them earlier, when everybody, including the sunset workers thought they would be sacked, which I strongly disagree with.

In my view, not sacking them earlier wasn't a fault from the governor, it was a compassionate decision taken based on available information at the time.

The governor didn't sack them then, because he doesn't want to sack them at all.

I know, for a fact that, if he has option not to sack them now, he won't do it either.

The decision to sack them now after discovering so many fraud, irregularities and outright abuse in the process, was probably because there's no other sustainable option to take and the governor had to take the best decision, even if it is painful to do so.

While some may condemn him for doing what must be done based on the prevailing circumstance, or even conjure all sorts of conspiracy theories, I believe that it is not proper to continue to aide impunity that has brought the country to its knees under the guise of speaking in favor of the affected workers.

In conclusion, the sunset workers have been sacked, sadly and reluctantly, but they have been provided with another opportunity to get the job back, through reapplication and nothing could be fairer than that.

We should all encourage qualified candidates amongst them to quickly reapply for the job, as the government is now employing double the number it sacked, through a more open and transparent system.

*Abdulrazaq Hamzat is the Convener of Kwara Must Change*

*Inlove with Nigeria*
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

"I have lived outside this country, but I have never loved any other place better than Nigeria. I have never exchanged my passport or pay allegiance to any other flag, even when I have been offered many opportunities to be citizens of other countries, because I believe that no other country in the world is better than Nigeria"

The above profound statement, was made by Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, a man who has not only seen it all by every standard, but has equally made it all.

The 2019 presidential candidate made this remark during the heat of the campaign, while advancing his vision to grow Nigeria's economy to $4trillion within 10 years and unite the country for greatness.

The global business mogul has not only traveled to more than 32 countries around the world, participating actively in global affairs, especially in funding and investment, he actually started small, in one corner of his room in Nigeria and grew it into a multi million dollars, multi national business, operating in 4 continents of the world.

Having seen the best of both world, or better still, the best of 4 continents and over 32 countries, his love and determination to get Nigeria working is beyond firm and the globe he has seen hasn't diminished Nigeria in his sight, but instead, energized him to take greater ownership of the country, beyond the usual elite criticism and general mass complaint.

This is what it means to genuinely love ones country and continue to strive to take it to the height it ought to be.

We cannot love Nigeria when it meets our needs and expectations, both economic and phycological and dislike it when it failed us material wise. We cannot love it when it gives us pleasant experience and safety and dislike it when it gives unpleasantness or exposes us to insecurity. We have to embrace the totality of the country, the good, bad and ugly and take firm ownership of it, with the aim of maximizing it potentials and transforming its deficiencies.

This is why Hashim is a rare gem, a unique character and a worthy national model.

Unlike many in diaspora, who are quick to switch their nationality at the least opportunity, yet continue to justify their self protectionist agenda while destructively criticizing every effort of the country, Olawepo Hashim is like a star in a dark night, whose quest for personal comfort and security wasn't placed ahead of love for the nation. Even when the cerebral businessman won a $20million damage against the federal government of Nigeria in a legal tussle, instead of celebrating his victory over the government of Nigeria, he is more concerned about what the government also lost in terms of revenue, which could have been used to better the lives of some Nigerians. To him, his business is not just to make money, but to improve the economic capacity of the populace.

Some Nigerians in diaspora, aswell as those in the country are quick to put out negative energy about the state of country and even sell negative stories about it to advance personal interest, yet they are quick to blame others for the woes of Nigeria, without realizing that they are part of the woes of Nigeria that continue inject toxicity into national consciousness with divisive narrative.

Recently, when the elite of Nigeria are divided along regional lines, arguing in favor of rotational presidency that is destined to further balcanized the nation into inconsequential lots, Olawepo Hashim emerged again with his voice of reason, arguing that merit based leadership is the only panacea to the misgovernance in Nigeria.

He maintained that, leadership failure is the problem of Nigeria and no amount of leadership rotation can undo the feeling of marginalization and correct leadership inefficiency.

The total summation of Olawepo's being, vis a vis his actions and inactions has made it become so obvious that, this man called Olawepo Hashim is inlove with Nigeria and all we can do as citizens desirous of a better Nigeria is to learn and take a clue from him.

It should be understood that communication is everything. The messages we communicate and how we communicate it have a great role in determining what happens in the country and how the rest of the world will relate with us and irrespective of our disappointment with development in the country, we owe it a duty to protect its national integrity.

Tearing the country down with destructive narrative will not build it up. But protecting its national integrity will most certainly attract positive goodwill.

*_Abdulrazaq Hamzat writes from Abuja*_

Hum

Coronabirus:
Nigeria's complexity is much less than the religious and ethnic diversity of China and India!

Very true

Flyingngel:
Nigeria existence is highly negotiable.
Anybody that say anything contrary to that needs examination of his or her entire body system.

TonyeBarcanista:
No entity on planet earth is nonnegotiable, not even the United Kingdom and United States of America.



[s][/s]

There's one.

It is called Nigeria

Nigeriabiafra80:
We agree
But that will be when biafra had left

My

capitalzero:
No nation with multiple cultures, different ethnicities, numerous languages, different religious ideas all combined together would ever develop. No single unifying factor apart from our dark skin. Nigeria unity is not possible.
Those that fought for independence were myopic.

It appeared you came from mars

LogoDesigner01:
Then, all inclusive government is is the answer.

True

*Nigeria's unity is not negotiable*
By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

The phrase, Nigeria's unity is not negotiable came into existence in 1959, during the debate of whether or not, to include separation clause in the independent constitution between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nnamdi Azikwe.

Dr Nnamdi Azikwe coined the phrase to advance his position on the need for Nigeria to aspire for collective greatness beyond myopic consideration.

While Awolowo argued that, separation clause should be included in the constitution to give room for regions willing to explore Independence if they are unhappy with the arrangements in the future, Zik on the other hand argued otherwise. He stated that, once Nigeria is a united country post Independence, it's unity is not negotiable and no separation clause should be included in the constitution to avoid unnecessary balcanization on clownish basis.

Some people have erroneously claimed that the phrase, "Nigeria's unity is not negotiable", came from the military, but this is not true.

Personally speaking, I love the phrase because, it is not only firm, it is also universal. Unity, by nature is not negotiable. Even between countries, unity is still not negotiable because, no matter how much you fight with your neighbor, sooner or later, you both will come to the realization that you must unite. That's why every country, including South and North Korea are always talking about it despite their years of hostility.

So, I love the term, our unity is not negotiable. It is a universal truth that is just being reemphasized here in Nigeria.

For me,i enjoy every bit of Nigeria, it's challenges and the opportunities.

It is my decision that, while I will continue to work to expand the opportunities in Nigeria, I will equally continue to work to strengthen it against it's obvious challenges and under no circumstance, will I allow my voice to be silenced, no matter who disagrees with my position and no matter how many they are.

Everyone has the right to their views, but I choose to see only the positive things in Nigeria.

I made this decision because, the positives far outweigh the negatives and no one has been able to prove otherwise.

You can't force me to be sad about Nigeria with some disjointed views, you can't force me to be unhappy or less optimistic. To change my perspective, you have to provide superior information and context. Until then, I find Nigeria enjoyably optimistic and I will defend it as promised in our national anthem.

While growing up, I made promise every morning at school to defend the integrity of Nigeria and you know what, we all made this promise and unfortunately, not many are fulfilling this promise.

Meanwhile, I have never worked with or benefited from any government in the country. I have never been a beneficiary of government appointment or contract, but I will never seize to fulfill my promise to Nigeria.

If you observe carefully, the loudest critics of Nigeria are people who have been benefiting from government all of their lives and their criticism of the country is often from personal interest and quest for personal advancement.

Yes, I have been a victim of the system in the country. I was once expelled from the University for standing against maladministration, corruption and abuse of office. I have been arrested, intimidated by a state government and as a matter of fact, N10billion defamation lawsuit was once filed against me by a former governor and former senator for speaking up against human rights violation, but still, I stand with Nigeria. Conduct of individuals, whether in government or outside of it should not be used against the country.

It is my resolve to continue to protect the corporate integrity of Nigeria, always, against the destructive narrative of some people.

While It's your choice, to see what you choose to see about Nigeria. What you see, maybe different from what I see and we may be seeing differently, even when we are looking at the same thing and you cannot impose your views on others.

I have examined all claims by the various groups and I do not see any fundamental flaw in Nigeria. All I see are semantics.

I have gone through the Constitution many times and I do not see any insensitivity in the manner many are talking about, apart from few things here and there. Ofcouse, those few things matter, but not in the manner many exergerate.

So, if I say there's no flaws in Nigeria, what then is responsible for its slow pace of development?

To put it straight, Nigeria is not making the desired progress because of poor leadership and poor followership. Nothing more, nothing less.

Our lack of progress has nothing to do with a flawed union or constitution.

All of the issues we are raising as flaws in our constitution are not flaws in the real sense, they are possibly honest insertion, out of sheer patriotism.

We talked about resource control, fiscal federalism, decentralization etc, but in the first republic, each region was controlling its resources, power was decentralized to the region and what came out from it? The 12 days war led by Isaac Boro from Nigeria Delta, which metarmophozed into Niger Delta Militancy. Military coup, which killed many brutally and the eventual Civil war that claimed millions of lives. All of the above came out from a decentralized Nigeria and a Nigeria, where each region was controlling its resources.

My position is very simple, no matter our renegotiation, if our quality of leadership and followership didn't change, we will have the same issue.

So, instead of focusing on the semantics, why not focus on the source of the issue and address it once and for all?

Abdulrazaq Hamzat

?

Group cautions youths over politics of bitterness

_Says attack and counter attacks will not move the state forward_

A leading Pro Democracy Group, Kwara Must Change has cautioned youths and youth groups in the state to jettison politics of personality attacks in their quest for good governance, relevance or even social justice.

The group stated that, promoting quality dialogue on sound political ideals, developmental initiatives and social inclusion is the hallmark of progressive youthfulness, which should be embraced by all and sundry.

In a statement by the convener of Kwara Must Change, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group maintained that, youths should lead discuss on policy reforms and developmental governance, not personality attack that doesn't add any value to societal upliftment.

According to Hamzat, everyone has a right to air their opinion, which maybe right or wrong, but the best amongst youths are those, whose opinions are based on substance and geared towards societal progression, with a view to strengthening governance, and providing direction.

Hamzat explained that, youth groups can debate on politics and governance, they can express their agreement or disagreement as loudly as possible, but what they should not do, is liter public space with bitterness, undue personality attacks and counter attacks and most importantly, they should not strive in distorting facts just to suit their agenda, because doing that will hurt the society, especially the youths constituency more than it would advance it.

Kwara Must Change therefore urge youths and youth groups in the state to focus on leading government to development, through active, but factual engagement, not distract it with undue personalization of politics and governance.

End

*Olawepo Hashim, a voice of national unity in a season of division*

By; HASSAN IBRAHIM

The last few months have been turbulent for the Nigerian government, if you think of the impactful #EndSARS protest, the dip into another economic recession, the killing of 43 farmers in Zarbamari Village, Borno State, and the rising wave of kidnappings, armed robberies, banditry, and much else. The #EndSARS protest that was at the behest of Nigerian youth, was a reminiscence of the famed Arab spring, which altered the political order in some Maghreb countries and the Mid-East, with yet unresolved residual effects.

The #EndSARS protests exposed Nigeria to the world as a country with socio-economic contradictions, fit enough to throw the nation into a tailspin. With the calming of nerves, or respite, from the protests, the times seem ripe for voices of reason to rise in interventions, to provide pathways to peace, development and growth, in a plural nation, often enveloped by mutual suspicion, poverty induced crime, and threats to unity, despite age-old commitment to harmony and indissolubility.

For the entrepreneur and former Presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election, Mr. Gbenga-Olawepo Hashim; he is concerned about issues that would rather strengthen the nation, as against dividing it. He cites the example of the debate on zoning the contest for the office of the president in the 2023 elections, arguing that zoning is divisive, patently false as a narrative, and inimical to national development. He hinges his argument on the placidity of the endeavour, and one that is capable of diminishing competition, and boundedness.

A typically cerebral thinker, Olawepo-Hashim stressed that zoning is counterproductive to the nation’s unity and national development for its tendency to be reductionist, and for putting off merit, in political permutations.

To the politician and business mogul, what is rather needed is a president that will unite the country, secure it, and transform the economy, from a toddling underdeveloped economy, to a modern productive, and an effective one. This kind of president should emerge from a painstaking process of assessing his/her records, vision, mission, and objectives, rather than the simplistic course of allocation, implied in zoning.

Deducing from history, the business executive said Nigerians are always ready to vote for a good president without zoning. Stressing with no zoning in 1993, late Chief MKO Abiola got votes from Kano against Alhaji Bashir Tofa, his principal opponent, who hails from there. Obasanjo also won elections in 1999, without the support of his South-West origin. Therefore, “The talk of zoning the Presidency is a false narrative, divisive and inimical to national development, as it amounts to a case of our turn president”. This eventually “makes leaders escape accountability, because it becomes difficult for the people to question such leaders, on account of the defence from his people who are wont to argue that he is there man”

“This phenomenon” he pursued, “is dangerous for national unity, cohesion and national development. Rotating president is a pedestrian diversion from the current subject of devolution of power and decentralization of power from the over centralized centre to the federating states in Nigeria. Nigeria would not just become a just and fair federation, simply because a southerner is exercising the over blotted power at the centre. It will be more equitable and efficient when the powers are devolved more to the states, regardless of who occupies the office of the President,”

He reasoned that as a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and first Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party at a young age in 1999, he could recall that most of the people talking of how Obasanjo, a Southerner became president in 1999, were not there in the PDP. “Because of this, they are now simplifying issues. I was one convener of the PDP in 1998. I know the proper context for what we did. It was not as if other people from other zones did not contest against Obasanjo.

“Alhaji Rimi contested against him in 1999 from Kano, also Dr. Alex Ekwueme. In 2003, Chief Barnabas Gemade from the North contested against President Obasanjo. Ditto for Buhari in 2015. Chief Rochas Okorocha from the Southeast contested against him. The emergence of any leader or presidential candidate at any time, is usually a product of intense horse trading, negotiations and bargaining. Not outright zoning to any region,”

Not done yet, he argued that “any discerning mind that means well for Nigeria, must construct a national platform and build a national consensus behind their programme. Now, what Nigerians need are justice and good governance. Many Nigerians are victims of injustice. Our politicians should avoid ethno-religious narratives that pitch citizens against each other”

Olawepo-Hashim had earlier outlined certain facts that Nigeria can be proud of amid the many economic, political, security, social and even religious issues it faces even 60 years after independence. He cites those developments as “inspiring milestones in the nations strive for national unity and integration.” According to him, in “1950, Dr. Olorunnimbe was the first Mayor of Lagos, while Mazi Mbonu Ojike was his deputy, just as Chief Ekyuiyasi from Ogwashi Ukwu (Igbo) represented Benin West in the Western House of Assembly in 1952, in an election he twice ran for.

“Other than this, in 1957 Felix Okonkwo, was a special member of the Northern House of Chiefs in Kano, while Malam Umaru Yushau, the Sarkin Hausawa or Chief of the Hausas in Onitsha was elected a member of Eastern House of Chiefs in 1957. Additionally, Aba, an Igbo society voted Margaret Ekpo, a non-Igbo in 1961, just as Abakaliki voted Chief Eyo Bassey to represent them in parliament.

There are more. “Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Imam from Maiduguri represented Tiv land Gboko in the House of Representatives, and Chief John Umolu from Estako represented Port Harcourt in the Eastern Region House of Assembly. In the South west, as well, Obafemi Awolowo led the campaign for Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw man to defeat Chief Akinsanya in a Lagos election. Nnamdi Azikiwe also led the NCNC to a clean sweep of legislative seats in Lagos and an Attorney in Calabar, Atta Mumu, from Ghana, represented Calabar in the parliament.”

He noted that these facts are well documented by well-meaning Nigerians, and he hopes the country returns to this glorious era of detribalization. He recalled that in Sardana’s North, though the Premier was Muslim and Islam the dominant religion, Sharia was not a tool in the hands of the corrupt and the inept to whip up cheap support through hollow religious rhetoric. No one lost his life or a limb through the decision of a suspicious court, and they sentenced no one to death for making a song. Christians and Muslims worked and lived peacefully, and they represented both religions in government.

“It was a very interesting part of Northern history when late Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, the Aro of Mopa–a Christian Northerner and accomplished technocrat was as an influential figure in Sardauna’s administration as any talented Muslim Northerner could be. He played the role of the Chief of Staff in a clime when even Easterners and Southerners were judges and administrators in Northern Nigeria. This is the Nigeria of my dream”

And on the youth question, he said “Nigeria is undoubtedly a nation with a huge potential. The youth make up its major population and asset. No nation in its right senses plays with the youth population. In fact, the youth are drivers of development and should not be neglected” He had planned to engage the teeming unemployed Nigerian youth in all the productive sectors of the economy, when he ran for the Office of the President last year. He had a blueprint of such integrated and all-inclusive developmental agenda.

To Mr. Hashim, neglecting such a vital sector, was a great disservice to humanity. One of the consequence, as Hashim had predicted, was the #ENDSARS protest which erupted like a hurricane in most Nigerian cities. There were various propositions on the structure of the Nigerian state, before the youth protest. While others called for restructuring, some had called for the dissolution of the union. I wish we were sensitive to all these to prevent the protests”, the entrepreneur pursued. To the thinker, activist, politician and businessman, it seems therefore that it is morning yet on day on his increase in political participation.

Hassan Ibrahim , a public affairs analyst , writes from Abuja.

Olawepo-Hashim kicks against zoning 2023 presidency

Olawepo-Hashim

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Trust (PT) in the 2019 presidential election, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned that zoning of the presidency in 2023 will be counter-productive.

Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Abuja, said that Nigeria needed a good president from any region who was prepared and capable of promoting the nation’s socio-economic development.


He said the issue of rotation or zoning might not foster national unity and development and described the talk of zoning as a false narrative, divisive and inimical to national development.

“This phenomenon is dangerous for national unity, cohesion and national development, and more importantly, rotating president is a pedestrian diversion from the current subject of devolution and decentralisation of power from the over-centralised centre to the federating states in Nigeria.

“Nigeria would not just become a just and equitable federation simply because a southerner is exercising the over-blotted power at the centre.


“It will be more equitable and efficient when the powers are devolved more to the states, regardless of who occupies the office of the President.”

Olawepo-Hashim, a business mogul, said that position of the president “should not be based on tribe, religion or region but on a candidate’s ability to support the social and economic development.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/12/09/olawepo-hashim-kicks-against-zoning-2023-presidency/amp/

Olawepo-Hashim and his quest for national unity
By Hassan Ibrahim


The last few months have been turbulent for the Nigerian government, if you think of the impactful #EndSARS protest, the dip into another economic recession, the killing of 43 farmers in Zarbamari Village, Borno State, and the rising wave of kidnappings, armed robberies, banditry, and much else. The #EndSARS protest that was at the behest of Nigerian youth, was a reminiscence of the famed Arab spring, which altered the political order in some Maghreb countries and the Mid-East, with yet unresolved residual effects.


The #EndSARS protests exposed Nigeria to the world as a country with socio-economic contradictions, fit enough to throw the nation into a tailspin. With the calming of nerves, or respite, from the protests, the times seem ripe for voices of reason to rise in interventions, to provide pathways to peace, development and growth, in a plural nation, often enveloped by mutual suspicion, poverty induced crime, and threats to unity, despite age-old commitment to harmony and indissolubility.

For the entrepreneur and former Presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election, Mr. Gbenga-Olawepo Hashim; he is concerned about issues that would rather strengthen the nation, as against dividing it. He cites the example of the debate on zoning the contest for the office of the president in the 2023 elections, arguing that zoning is divisive, patently false as a narrative, and inimical to national development. He hinges his argument on the placidity of the endeavour, and one that is capable of diminishing competition, and boundedness.

A typically cerebral thinker, Olawepo-Hashim stressed that zoning is counterproductive to the nation’s unity and national development for its tendency to be reductionist, and for putting off merit, in political permutations.

To the politician and business mogul, what is rather needed is a president that will unite the country, secure it, and transform the economy, from a toddling underdeveloped economy, to a modern productive, and an effective one. This kind of president should emerge from a painstaking process of assessing his/her records, vision, mission, and objectives, rather than the simplistic course of allocation, implied in zoning.

Deducing from history, the business executive said Nigerians are always ready to vote for a good president without zoning. Stressing with no zoning in 1993, late Chief MKO Abiola got votes from Kano against Alhaji Bashir Tofa, his principal opponent, who hails from there. Obasanjo also won elections in 1999, without the support of his South-West origin. Therefore, “The talk of zoning the Presidency is a false narrative, divisive and inimical to national development, as it amounts to a case of our turn president”. This eventually “makes leaders escape accountability, because it becomes difficult for the people to question such leaders, on account of the defence from his people who are wont to argue that he is there man”

“This phenomenon” he pursued, “is dangerous for national unity, cohesion and national development. Rotating president is a pedestrian diversion from the current subject of devolution of power and decentralisation of power from the over centralized centre to the federating states in Nigeria. Nigeria would not just become a just and fair federation, simply because a southerner is exercising the over blotted power at the centre. It will be more equitable and efficient when the powers are devolved more to the states, regardless of who occupies the office of the Presiden.”

He reasoned that as a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and first Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party at a young age in 1999, he could recall that most of the people talking of how Obasanjo, a Southerner became president in 1999, were not there in the PDP. “Because of this, they are now simplifying issues. I was one convener of the PDP in 1998. I know the proper context for what we did. It was not as if other people from other zones did not contest against Obasanjo.

“Alhaji Rimi contested against him in 1999 from Kano, also Dr. Alex Ekwueme. In 2003, Chief Barnabas Gemade from the North contested against President Obasanjo. Ditto for Buhari in 2015. Chief Rochas Okorocha from the Southeast contested against him. The emergence of any leader or presidential candidate at any time, is usually a product of intense horse trading, negotiations and bargaining. Not outright zoning to any region,”

Not done yet, he argued that “any discerning mind that means well for Nigeria, must construct a national platform and build a national consensus behind their programme. Now, what Nigerians need are justice and good governance. Many Nigerians are victims of injustice. Our politicians should avoid ethno-religious narratives that pitch citizens against each other”

Olawepo-Hashim had earlier outlined certain facts that Nigeria can be proud of amid the many economic, political, security, social and even religious issues it faces even 60 years after independence. He cites those developments as “inspiring milestones in the nations strive for national unity and integration.” According to him, in “1950, Dr. Olorunnimbe was the first Mayor of Lagos, while Mazi Mbonu Ojike was his deputy, just as Chief Ekyuiyasi from Ogwashi Ukwu (Igbo) represented Benin West in the Western House of Assembly in 1952, in an election he twice ran for.

“Other than this, in 1957 Felix Okonkwo, was a special member of the Northern House of Chiefs in Kano, while Malam Umaru Yushau, the Sarkin Hausawa or Chief of the Hausas in Onitsha was elected a member of Eastern House of Chiefs in 1957. Additionally, Aba, an Igbo society voted Margaret Ekpo, a non-Igbo in 1961, just as Abakaliki voted Chief Eyo Bassey to represent them in parliament.

There are more. “Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Imam from Maiduguri represented Tiv land Gboko in the House of Representatives, and Chief John Umolu from Estako represented Port Harcourt in the Eastern Region House of Assembly. In the South west, as well, Obafemi Awolowo led the campaign for Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw man to defeat Chief Akinsanya in a Lagos election. Nnamdi Azikiwe also led the NCNC to a clean sweep of legislative seats in Lagos and an Attorney in Calabar, Atta Mumu, from Ghana, represented Calabar in the parliament.”

He noted that these facts are well documented by well-meaning Nigerians, and he hopes the country returns to this glorious era of detribalization. He recalled that in Sardana’s North, though the Premier was Muslim and Islam the dominant religion, Sharia was not a tool in the hands of the corrupt and the inept to whip up cheap support through hollow religious rhetoric. No one lost his life or a limb through the decision of a suspicious court, and they sentenced no one to death for making a song. Christians and Muslims worked and lived peacefully, and they represented both religions in government.

“It was a very interesting part of Northern history when late Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, the Aro of Mopa–a Christian Northerner and accomplished technocrat was as an influential figure in Sardauna’s administration as any talented Muslim Northerner could be. He played the role of the Chief of Staff in a clime when even Easterners and Southerners were judges and administrators in Northern Nigeria. This is the Nigeria of my dream”

And on the youth question, he said “Nigeria is undoubtedly a nation with a huge potential. The youth make up its major population and asset. No nation in its right senses plays with the youth population. In fact, the youth are drivers of development and should not be neglected” He had planned to engage the teeming unemployed Nigerian youth in all the productive sectors of the economy, when he ran for the Office of the President last year. He had a blueprint of such integrated and all-inclusive developmental agenda.

To Hashim, neglecting such a vital sector, was a great disservice to humanity. One of the consequence, as Hashim had predicted, was the #ENDSARS protest which erupted like a hurricane in most Nigerian cities. There were various propositions on the structure of the Nigerian state, before the youth protest. While others called for restructuring, some had called for the dissolution of the union. I wish we were sensitive to all these to prevent the protests”, the entrepreneur pursued. To the thinker, activist, politician and businessman, it seems therefore that it is morning yet on day on his increase in political participation.

Ibrahim, a public affairs analyst , writes from Abuja

*As group finalizes Legislative Watch*

Few months ago, Kwara Must Change group conceived the idea of Legislative Watch, a standard performance rating model for legislative assessment in the country.

Our aim, was to design a standard measurement modality that could be used for legislative assessment in a professional and scientific manner without fear or favor.

To achieve this mission, we enlisted the service of a technical consulting partner, who are reputed for developing measurement standards for assessment and together, we developed a template for Legislative Watch.

After the initial draft of the measurement standard, we equally developed relevant questions to accompany the assessment model, which would give life to the measurement model already developed.

In our quest for perfection, we hosted a session for review and criticism of the model, which was attended by selected activists, politicians and advocate of good governance.

The review session, afforded us a rare opportunity to take valuable input from our invited associates, who made highly important observations that were later factored into the final draft and adopted standard for the Legislative Watch.

To set the ball rolling after the adoption of the measurement model, we reached out to all legislators in Kwara State, both at the State House of Assembly and Federal level (Senate and Reps) and presented them with the Legislative Watch questionnaire for their responses.

In total, we submitted questionnaires to 32 Kwara lawmakers, which promise of 3 senators, 6 members of federal house of representatives and 23 members of state house of Assembly.

It should be noted that, there are 24 members at the Kwara State House of Assembly, but due to the demise of a former member, representing Patigi Constituency, we didn't give the questionnaire to the newly elected member who is yet to settle into office at the time of distributing the questionnaire.

Furthermore, out of the 32 lawmakers that received our questionnaire, only 7 responded to the questionnaire, while the remaining 25 choose to disregard it.

The 7 that responded to Legislative Watch questionnaire include:

-3 Senators
-2 members of Federal House of Representatives
-2 members of the Kwara State House of Assembly

It is important to note that, the none response of 25 lawmakers will not shield them from being assessed in the Legislative Watch.

The only difference is that, while those who responded will be rated based on formal information provided by them, those who didn't respond will be rated based on available public information.

Unfortunately, the available public information may not properly capture their entire performance, since not all their record is available in the public domain.

However, the lawmakers will take responsibility for their lack of response, as we can only rate them based on information available to us.

It is important to note that, Legislative Watch assessment program started about 6 months ago and our intention for the program was to ensure that more lawmakers, especially those at the State House of Assembly and Federal House of Representatives will take advantage of the period to respond to the questionnaire, which didn't manifest as much as expected.

Notwithstanding, the legislative watch rating shall now proceed as every lawmaker in Kwara State has been given more than enough time.

It is important to note that, Legislative Performance cannot be rated based on bills or motion sponsored alone.

It can also not be rated based on constituency projects or oversight functions alone.

To rate a legislator rightly in a fair and professional manner, all factors of legislative assignment must be fully evaluated and this is what we are set out to do.

*Legislative Watch*