‎​February 3, 2015 by Azuka Onwuka

Governor Babatunde Fashola is perhaps the most long-suffering governor in Nigeria. When his predecessor and political godfather, Senator Bola Tinubu, was the governor of Lagos State, Tinubu had the free hand to choose his successor, running mate/deputy, commissioners, and aides. He frowned seriously on being patronised by the then President of the country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. He returned fire for fire on all issues concerning Obasanjo, and most Nigerians had sympathies for him, especially given the overbearing nature of Obasanjo as well as the fact that from 2003 and 2007, Tinubu was the only governor of the Alliance for Democracy (which later morphed into Action Congress, then to Action Congress of Nigeria, and then to the current All Progressives Congress).

Tinubu had a running battle with his first and second deputy governors, Mrs. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and Otunba Femi Pedro, and succeeded in easing both of them out.

But as a governor, Fashola was not allowed to choose his successor and other aides like other governors in Nigeria. When he was rounding off his first term in 2011, which was generally commended as exemplary, there were rumours that Tinubu was not happy with him and was planning to drop him in spite of his popularity and performance in office. It took weeks of agitation and unease before information circulated that Tinubu and Fashola had resolved their differences with the result that Fashola would be allowed to run for a second term in office. Interestingly, in all that state of uncertainty and the cheapening of his office, Fashola never made any comment against his political godfather, Tinubu.

‎​Towards the end of their second terms, most other governors used their power and influence in the politics of their states to get themselves nominated as senatorial candidates, but Fashola was not allowed to do so.

Even the last hope that he would become the APC presidential running mate was dashed because of the campaign against a Muslim-Muslim ticket. If the APC fails to win this month’s presidential election, Fashola may not hold any political post for a while and may gradually fizzle out of people’s consciousness just like the brilliant Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora was eased out in 2011 and made politically irrelevant.

Meanwhile, those who are not as good as these two are allowed to hold political posts and shape the future of our nation.

The same fate has befallen some other personalities with some promise in recent years. After his eventful and colourful tenure as the governor of Cross River State in 2007, in which he made Cross River the tourist capital of Nigeria, Mr. Donald Duke in 2010 resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party. Some pressure was applied by his associates and he returned. But he has been keeping a low life in politics since 2007. Also a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, who led the fight for resource control, is rarely heard of today. Mr. Peter Obi, who had an exemplary tenure as the governor of Anambra State, was last year denied a ministerial post because of the politics of the PDP versus the All Progressive Grand Alliance, in spite of strong indications that he would fill the Anambra quota in the Federal Executive Council after the exit of Princess Stella Oduah. Currently, Obi is serving in the President’s campaign team as the Deputy Director-General (South).

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/what-happens-to-fashola-after-may-29/

berem:
I saw the tyrant in an event yesterday. I felt like walking up to him and giving him a dirty slap.
Why is he intimidating his people? Why?

asadike:
He is alive, probably disguised and in d stadium. Let my enemy live and see what I will be in d future.

talktimi:
Amaechi na mbashi boy, I am sure the warning Timipre Sylva gave him during the APC convention in Abuja is still ringing in his ears like a cowbell

cyprus000:
..i heard he commited suicide,pls can any one,comfirm this report?

Bomb Explosions Rock Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat

28 Jan 2015. he Nigeria Police logo

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
The national secretariat of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation,  Ohanaeze Ndigbo, located at No 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu was on Tuesday attacked by unknown persons with objects suspected to be Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), resulting in the destruction of the building and some other important items.

However, the police in the state claimed that the development was a failed attempt by some people to reduce the main building to rubbles.

Though no life was lost, the explosion, which led to a fire outbreak that was subsequently put off, affected some parts of the Akanu Ibiam Conference hall of the secretariat.

THISDAY checks revealed that the explosion went off with a bang which rocked the entire area.

The unfortunate development is a new dimension to the leadership crisis rocking the organisation.

The elders’ council of the organisation led by Chief Mbazulike Amaechi had reportedly constituted a Caretaker committee with Chief Ralph Obioha as chairman. However,  Chief Gary Igariwey, the President-General is still laying claim to his position insisting that he had a four-year mandate and not two years as some people claimed.

The Chairman of the caretaker committee Chief Ralph Obioha who inspected the Ohanaeze main hall affected by the blast told  reporters yesterday that it is an unfortunate incident.

“I have inspected the place it’s quite an extensive damage. I can’t guess the motive or why such an attack should be targeted at Ohanaeze. It is a mystery and I condemn it in its entirety. It’s actually a bomb issue but the motive cannot be explained.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/bomb-explosions-rock-ohanaeze-ndigbo-secretariat/200319/

PhockPhockMan:
Don't worry Madam babyosisi for food, I will provide food free of charge.

Truckpusher:
Who is the dj in the house?

espn:
can't u decode wat I just said.. winning an election and defecting. Dis r 2 different words. U can look dos words up in a dic.

espn:
u joke. Did I hear u say defection..lol dey actually defected. Nd u call dat party. They could not win election but to bank on defecting members from other political party.

espn:
Lol..how many dem be? Some clowns just won't stop bin stupid. Dey can't even gather 500 votes.

Accord Party set to adopt Jonathan as its presidential candidate

|⁠  27.Jan.2015

ACCORD Party of Nigeria, on Sunday, began talks with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) towards adopting President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the February 14 presidential poll.

Speaking at a meeting convened under the aegis of the National Unity Group (NUG), a group comprising of members from different political parties, in Abuja, National Deputy Chairman of Accord Party, Oke Sikiru Adeposi, said the party was on a working friendly meeting with PDP to discuss the modalities for the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate for the February general election.

He said, “We do not have presidential candidate. This is not the first time our party is adopting PDP candidate as our own. Today, we are kick-starting the process.”

Responding, the National Co-ordinator of the group who is also the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, said members of the PDP within the group  has not taken over the responsibility of the PDP National Working Committee as everything discussed will be subjected to the approval of Adamu Mu’azu-led executive council.

Mohammed added that the NUG is working with the PDP towards the re-election of President Jonathan in the forthcoming general election in an environment void of violence, tribalism, among others.

“This group will do everything within its powers to preach against violence and all the prophets of doom who feed fat on a state of insecurity in the country.

“The group is working towards bringing unity to Nigeria. It is not only a PDP affair but rather that of people of like minds. Those of us in this group are not taking over the responsibilities of the National Working Committees of our different parties. We are only filling the gap,” he added.

Also speaking at the meeting, Senator Smart Adeyemi said, by all standards, President Jonathan has performed to the extent of being re-elected for the second term.

He added that the only issue confronting the government is insurgency, adding that such is not the doing of Jonathan and added, however, that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, is not a substitute to President Jonathan.

Balkan:
[size=20pt]LIKE APC
LIKE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD[/size]

IVORY2009:


my thought too, he might be asked to trade the presidency for Lagos i.e just like in 2011 elections, Nuru for Fashola....lolz

In Kebbi State, the spokesperson for the defectors, Alhaji Maikano Koko, told Governor Saidu Dakingari in Koko yesterday that the defection was sequel to the numerous development projects sited in the area by the current administration.

He said the PDP-led government had provided infrastructural facilities while giving attention to agriculture and youth empowerment.

Koko also said the defectors decided to join the PDP due to the equitable provision of state resources.

Also speaking, the state Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bello Doya, assured the defectors that they would be treated fairly, saying “ the PDP family cherishes honesty and fairness among members. “

Doya, who called on the new members to shun money politics, said “ we need trust worthy leaders who fear God and can impact positively on the lives of the people.’’

In his remarks, Dakingari commended those who defected and promised them equal treatment.

“Political activities are for development to take place and not primitive accumulation of wealth to the detriment of the generality of the people.

“We would sustain prudence and equity in leadership,’’ he said.

He urged the defectors to eschew violence and politics of blackmail and thuggery, stressing that peace was paramount to the nation’s existence and development.

The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Sarkin-Yaki Bello, promised to lead by example if elected.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/thousands-of-apc-members-defect-to-pdp-in-niger-kebbi/200249/

“APC is the only party that will make you swear with the Quran to abide by rules and directives of the party, which we did but when we discovered that it is all deceit, we had to leave the party back to the PDP where we left from.


“We had to return to the party that we can see its structures and development on ground, because there is no ward in the 25 local government councils in the state that has not received dividend of democracy through the Ward Development Project,” he explained.

He also stated that the over 2,000 decampees are from ten wards in the state adding that more would join them.

According to Suleiman, he was not financially induced to return to the PDP, adding that he returned because of his conviction that PDP has better things in stock for the people of the state.

He stated that people are worried about the continuity of some of the policies of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, adding that voting for the APC will mean discontinuation of the policies like paying of NECO and WAEC fees, which is difficult for some parents to pay.

Speaking after he received them into the party, Aliyu said most people, who left the PDP felt that the popularity of the APC because of the Presidential candidate was going to ‘catch fire’ but when reality dawned on them that it’s a party revolving around one person they had to come back home. “They had to come back to what they are used to.”

Aisha Wakaso in Minna  with agency reporting


Thousands of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger and Kebbi States.

While 2,000 members left the APC for the PDP in Suleja, 2,750 members also defected to the PDP in Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi state.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors in Suleja, Niger State,  a three-time chairman of the local government area, Alhaji Abdullahi L. Suleiman, said they had to leave the APC because the party had no direction, adding that they were also made to swear by the Quran to abide by rules and directives from the party.

berem:
Ifeanyichukwu,good morning to you.
Your comments have been terribly missed. I hope you are back fully?

berem:
Your comments have been terribly missed. I hope you are back fully?

FreeGlobe:
The only way out of Tinubu's impending defeat is to sacrifice Buhari which I'm afraid he'll do.

omenka:
Boy George, you are going back to jail sir.