₦airaland Forum

Ify05:
Amnesty International reacts as Buhari govt slams treason charges on Sowore

The Ooni of Ife, His Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the spiritual head of the Yoruba people recently at the Brazilian Consulate in Lagos opened an exhibition of over 60 Ife artefacts, some of which date as far back as 13, 000 years.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust on Sunday at the sideline of the event, the Ooni discussed the historical significance of the exhibition, insecurity in Nigeria and how the Ife Kingdom taught ancient Egyptians the art of mummification. He also debunked the popular myth of Oduduwa, among other revelations. You seem very proud of this exhibition. Why do you think this is so important? It is important for us to showcase our heritage, our culture and our tradition.

This is the time we have to talk and tell our stories. Nobody tells the story of the black man. They tell the story on our behalf, we don’t tell our stories. And, how can we tell our story? It is through our heritage. Through our artefacts and antiquities and remembering the names and works of our ancestors. That’s why I am starting from Yorubaland to partner with many countries to showcase our heritage, culture and tradition.

Why the choice of Brazil to host the exhibition? We have more Yoruba people in Brazil than even in Nigeria. We have close to 80 million Yoruba people in Brazil. I don’t want them to be a lost tribe.

That’s why we have been doing a lot of programmes with them. That’s why we have the Ifa Heritage Mobile Museum set up in Rio de Janeiro in Valongo Wharf. That is the biggest port through which humans beings were moved and transitioned.

In that wharf, they moved more than 15 million people and most of them were Yoruba. Because of that, we have already established an Oduduwa Heritage there and we will move to many countries to showcase our heritage, culture and tradition. Not only in Brazil. We have a strategic alliance with Cuba and more than 20 other countries.

What are the benefits of this project?

It is a project that is talking about our heritage but how will this benefit us socially? For us to be very proud of who we are, for them not to be thinking that we belong to the Dark Age. How can we belong to the Dark Age? We are the cradle of civilization.

How did we do it then? They say we are idol worshippers. What Idols were we worshipping? What is greater than God? Nothing. We were idol worshippers then and we are the cradle of civilization? How did we do it? Now that people are saying we are no longer idol worshipers, things are moving backwards. We have to change the narrative and make sure that things are well.

As a result, what is critical here is, I told you we would work towards blending tradition and modernity and make it very effective, socially, culturally, traditionally and economically. Economically is the display of the treasure of our ancestors-we have gold in southwest and northern Nigeria.

It is a shame that our central bank does not have a register of Nigerian gold bars. It is a shame that they are looking at foreign countries where their warehouses are stockpiled with foreign gold, which in truth the raw material comes from Nigeria. Dubai is the gold capital of the world but when they see Nigerian gold, they are always happy. I am an operator in that sector so I am not just telling stories.

I want to showcase these things so that our leaders will know how we can empower these young people all over the country. Look at our stones. Nigeria has the best stones in the world in terms of hardness, clarity and colour combination. In my kingdom, we have a stone that has all the colours of the rainbow. Who will say this if not us? They have been coming to take it for years.

The biggest diamond ever seen in the world was taken away from my kingdom. It was taken away in the late 19th century. Who took it away? The western people. Because they think we don’t know its value. Now my point is I am proud to tell you that everything you are seeing on display is hundred percent done by Nigerians; the gold casting, the bronze casting, the stone faceting and polishing, the stone mining.

Everything. No external force. With that, we want to tell the world that we can do it. Let them go and test the quality and they will realise it is the best. So, we are showcasing these in a mobile museum that has social and economic benefits. Many industries will spring out of this mobile museum. So, you can see how passionate I am about this.

Indeed, Your Majesty. After this mobile museum, do you have plans to make it a permanent exhibition?

Well, we have base in two countries. A base in Nigeria, the kingdom of Ife and the cradle of the entire Yoruba people. We have a second base in Brazil. From there, it can move all over the world for a few months in each place, depending on the understanding we have. We want to change the narrative and that is what we are doing.

We have Ife artefacts scattered all over the world, stolen by colonialists and plunderers. How difficult is it to retrieve some of these? It is unfortunate. Ife artefacts are known all over the world as one of the best but are we treating our things very well?

We are not. So, for us to recover these things, it took us many years. We did it quietly. Some that we retrieved locally, it was a lot of work because we did not want to fight anybody, we did not want to fight any system, we just want to get things done. So when they see the way we carry our own, they will be the ones coming to say we have this with us, please can you put it in the museum or the archives. Right now, we have over a thousand artefacts we have collected.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ife-kingdom-taught-ancient-egyptians-mummification-ooni-of-ife.html

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The Federal Government of Nigeria and Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID), appear to be heading for a showdown as the outcome of the British court verdict empowering the latter to seize about $9.6bn worth of Nigerian assets is taking a new dimension. The case arose from the 20-year Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) entered into in 2010.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the forfeiture of assets of P& ID and its Nigerian affiliate, P&ID Nigeria Limited, after conviction on charges of fraud and tax evasion.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment, also ordered the forfeiture of “the assets and properties” of the two firms to the Nigerian government. He gave the orders in a judgment read after the two firms pleaded guilty to the 11 counts charges preferred against them by the EFCC. While P&ID Limited incorporated in British Virgin Island was represented in the dock by its Commercial Director, Mohammad Kuchazi, P&ID Nigeria Limited was represented by Adamu Usman, who is also a lawyer.

Among other charges, they were accused of fraudulently claiming to have acquired land from the Cross River State Government in 2010 for the gas supply project agreement which led to the $9.6bn judgment. EFCC investigator, Usman Babangida, gave testimony before the court after the representatives of the firm pleaded guilty to all the 11 count charges. While urging the court to convict them according to their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Bala S. Sanga, presented to the court, statements of account showing massive withdrawals of dollars, some running into as much as $700,000 and some of which established the violation of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, as well as the law on Advance Fee Fraud.

He revealed that contrary to the impression sold by P&ID that it was established in Calabar, the company did not as much as acquire land for an office structure. The EFCC said Section 10 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, states that: “Where an offence under this Act which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed on the instigation or with the connivance of or attributable to any neglect on the part of a director, manager, secretary or other similar officers of the body corporate, or any person purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, where practicable, shall be deemed to have committed that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.”

It further provided that: “Where a body corporate is convicted of an offence under this Act, the High Court may order that the body corporate shall thereupon and without any further assurance, but for such order, be wound up and all its assets and properties forfeited to the Federal Government.”

The judge reviewed the facts of the prosecution case which was not opposed by the defence. Subsequently, making an allocutus, plea for mercy, P&ID’s lawyer, Dandison Akurunwua, urged the judge to consider “the forthrightness and candour” of the firms by pleading guilty and not wasting the time of the court in the trial. Shortly after, the judge pronounced the two firms guilty and therefore ordered the forfeiture of “the assets and properties” to the Nigerian government. According to Justice Ekwo: “In view of the facts, evidence and guilty plea of the defendants, the orders to be made were for the winding up of the companies and forfeiture of their assets, which is the position of the law.”

And in statement yesterday, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the two companies were arraigned on 11-count charges, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, dealing in petroleum products without appropriate license, money laundering and failure to register P&ID with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) as required by law, amounting to economic sabotage against the Nigerian state. EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, on August 29, 2019 disclosed that the Commission had commenced investigation into the circumstances leading to the $8.9billion arbitral award against Nigeria by a United Kingdom court. Conviction key to reviewing $9.6b judgement- AGF Speaking on yesterday’s conviction of the two firms, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said Nigeria now had solid grounds to seek review of the $9.6billion judgment against it.

Accordingly, the justice minister said Nigeria will meet with its legal consortium early next week in the United Kingdom in preparation for the case listed for Sept. 26. In a statement issued by his office, Malami said: “The implication of today’s conviction is that Nigeria has a judicial proof of fraud and corruption as a foundation of the relationship that gave rise to a purported liability in the arbitral award. “A liability that is rooted in fraud and corruption cannot stand judicial enforceability. Nigeria now has a cogent ground for setting aside the liability.

“Nigeria is expected to review its strategy in view of unfolding developments as it relates to conviction of some of the suspects that have admitted fraud and corrupt practices in the transaction that gave rise to purported award. “Nigeria is meeting with its legal consortium early next week in UK in preparation for the case listed for 26th September.” We’ll identify, seize Nigerian assets- P&ID vows On its part, the embattled P&ID in a statement yesterday, vowed that it will continue its efforts to identify and seize Nigerian assets.

The company alleged that the Nigerian government continued to demonstrate no willingness to negotiate in good faith in order to find “a reasonable resolution to the debt.” “As a result, P&ID will continue its efforts to identify and seize Nigerian assets to satisfy the debt as soon as possible,” it said. The company alleged that the Nigerian government was executing a targeted campaign of unlawful and illegal detentions aimed at innocent individuals associated with the company.

Andrew Stafford Q.C. of Kobre & Kim, which represents P&ID, stated: “The Nigerian government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is carrying out a targeted campaign of detentions aimed at individuals associated with P&ID and the US $9.6bn arbitration award P&ID has won against Nigeria.

“The detentions are illegal, and appear to be aimed at coercing false testimony to support Nigeria’s claim that P&ID’s award is a fraud. Nigeria’s Attorney General Abubakar Malami has acknowledged that his aim is to provoke global opposition against P&ID, by undertaking these attacks. “P&ID calls on the government of Nigeria to accept its responsibilities under the law, and to cease the unlawful detentions,” the statement said.

UK court’s judgement not altered – Kirsty Brimelow (QC) The Head of International Human Rights Law at Doughty Street Chambers in the United Kingdom, Kirsty Brimelow (QC), said yesterday that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja did not alter the existing judgment of the high court in the UK. Brimelow, a former Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, said the Nigerian government will have to return to the UK court if it wished for the judgment of the UK government to be set aside. “The High Court judgment of England and Wales remains in force… Nigeria needs to return to the court in England and Wales if it has a new dispute over the $9billion. It does seem to be an extremely surprising development as previously, Nigeria’s arguments against enforcement did not involve allegations of dishonesty,” she said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/9-6bn-judgment-fg-pid-head-for-showdown.html

Buhari body language means different thing

..says Nigerians live in fear

Former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, says every Nigerian lives in fear, warning that a nation that remains like this may celebrate its 60th independence anniversary but will never celebrate 100 years.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos during the public presentation of a book, “The Bisi Akande Phenomenon?” edited by Lai Olurode and Dhikhrullah Yagboyaju, he said Nigeria was most enjoyable 50 years ago. The former governor of Osun State stressed that it was high time Nigeria examined its laws which he noted were “military decree-based”. He said he believed in restructuring as being advocated in some quarters but restructuring is difficult in Nigeria.

“The phenomenon of the country must be examined among three things and the first is our education. It seems to me that our education is colonial. It ends in literacy without numeracy,” he suggested. He said education of Nigerians in every community must be science-based to advance the technological base of the community. He said, “Secondly, I think our laws are military decree based and these military decree based laws cannot be used to sustain democracy. As long as we use these military decree based laws, our democracy will never prosper.

“Thirdly, our religions are mostly imported and because of that, we seem neither to be good Christians, good Muslims or good idolists. We merely live in fear and when there are problems, we have no laboratories to go, so we retire to churches and mosques for vigils. “A country that remains like this may celebrate its 60th independence anniversary but will never celebrate 100 years.

I think until all these three are looked at and addressed, or let me use the word; restructured – I believe in all these ethnic and political restructuring, but they are difficult to restructure.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-may-not-celebrate-100th-independence-anniversary-bisi-akande.html

Sai baba

Good one

The rich people are ruling the world

The lifeless body of a 35 years old man identified as Badamasi Musa was on Thursday morning found hanging on a Mango tree in Kabomo village of Bakori local government area in Katsina state. Musa had committed suicide by hanging himself following his inability to win the heart of a lady in the village, sources said.

The deceased, a farmer himself who also engages in other small businesses, got frustrated after he could not secure the hand of his lover whose name is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report. Our reporter gathered that the deceased was seen with the rope yesterday evening by his mother who confronted him and he told her that he was going out to get some firewood.

“This morning as villages were heading to farms, his body was found hanging by the tree which was cut loose and reported to police,” a source said. Already, the state police command spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, has confirmed the development, saying details shall be provided in due course.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/man-hangs-self-for-failing-to-woo-lover-in-katsina.html

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chai

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empty brain

chai

* as tribunal shifts judgement to Abuja

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal will on Saturday, September 21 deliver judgement in the petitions filed by three political parties against the election of Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo state.

The Secretary of the tribunal, Balarabe Garba, who disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, said the judgement will be delivered at Jabi High Court 5, in Abuja by 9:00am.

The governorship candidates of the Action Alliance (AA) in the election, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu and his counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hope Uzodinma and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ifeanyi Araraume, had filed petitions at the tribunal asking it to nullify the election of Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that Ihedioha was unlawfully declared as the governor of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

All the parties had on Sunday, September 8, adopted all their written addresses where they told the tribunal that Ihedioha did not win the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state.

Uzodinma, through his counsel, Olusola Oke (SAN), is asking the tribunal to declare him as winner of the election. He contended that the results he obtained from 388 polling units were not given to him, making the PDP to have an edge over him. In his own submission, Nwosu through his counsel, Niyi Akintola, also asked the tribunal to either cancel the election or order a supplementary election between him and Ihedioha. He told the tribunal that Ihedioha did not meet the constitutional requirements of one quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state.

He also contended that the votes allocated to Ihedioha in the three local government areas of Aboh, Ahiazu and Ezinihitte Mbaise did not tally with the number of registered voters.

Araraume, on the other hand, is asking the tribunal Ararume to void Ihedioha’s election on the grounds that it was invalid and non-compliant with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 and the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his petition no: IM/EPT/GOV/03/2019, Ararume also asked for an order directing the INEC to conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Imo state in compliance with the provision of the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act.

He contended that all the scores and purported votes from Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ehime Mbano and other 17 local government council areas of the states, were void and unlawful.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-imo-guber-ihedioha-nwosu-uzodinma-araraume-to-know-fate-saturday.html

Good development

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Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson, has sacked Mrs. Helen Bob as a Special Adviser in his administration with immediate effect over ‘Acts of gross indiscipline and misconduct.’ The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Wednesday, stated that Mrs Bob was dismissed for repeated acts of gross misconduct, indiscipline, irresponsibility and acts unbecoming of a person occupying the high position of Special Adviser in any government whatsoever.

The governor’s spokesperson said that Mrs Bob who had been a Special Adviser for almost eight years was among 130 Special Advisers out of over 2,000 appointees engaged by the governor to render necessary services to the state and to give a sense of belonging and legitimate support to party members.

He, however, wished Mrs Bob well in her future political endeavours. Our correspondent reports that the development is not unconnected with the politics of the just-concluded governorship primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where Mrs Bob supported Member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency, Fred Agbedi to clinch the party governorship ticket outside the governor’s preferred candidate, Senator Douye Diri.

Bob was also a strong advocate for the deputy governorship slot of the party to be zoned to Ogbia local government in Bayelsa East senatorial district, former President Goodluck Jonathan area, while the governor preferred somebody from his Sagbama local government. Before her appointment as the special adviser, Bob was the PDP state woman leader, where her influence in mobilizing the women of the state was very paramount to political office holders.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bayelsa-governor-sacks-aide-over-misconduct.html

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The Founder, Alabasta Africa, Kenya, Ms Martha Bwore, has given an account of how she survived seven abortions that almost ruined her career. Bwore, now a human rights activist, made the revelation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) when she participated in a Non-Governmental (NGO) Foundation for African Cultural Heritage (FACH) 2019 programme.

The FACH programme with the theme, “Responding to the Challenges of Youth, Family and Society: The Millenials Response’’ was held at the Afe Babalola Hall, University of Lagos on Saturday. Bwore, aged 55 added that it took her 40 years to recover from the aftermath traumatic experience of her abortions.

“I had nine babies, but two are alive because I lost seven to various abortions, including a twin and I have to say that abortion is murder and it does affect one psychologically. “I was disturbed on the account of the various abortions until I got help through counselling and most of it all, God did it for me and healed me. “Now I am looking forward to marriage for the first time in my life at the age of 55, it has never happened before.

“I want to advise the youths that there is no short route to enjoyment, abstinence is the key to good life because sex before marriage is sin. It is a road that leads to destruction. Bwore said that her may abortions were due to being dumped by those who claimed to love her before getting into family way, hence she always consider abortion as an escape route.

“My abortions came as a result of my carelessness. I do have pregnancy for those who care less about me which tells much about the dangers inherent in having sex as pleasure before marriage. “Those that indulge in pre-marital sex do suffer many abuses, mentally and physically because they will be upset after the whole charade, they will feel used and dumped. “It took me several years to rediscover myself and thank God he rescued me and I am starting afresh at 55 years,’’ she said.

A guest speaker at the programme, Mrs Chinelo Ujubuonu, alluded that Sex Education in the school as propended in some quarters might be a way to self-destruction for the youth. “Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) guidelines focus on children seeking pleasure instead of teaching the children the hazards of pre-marital sex, this is not education, CSE simply stands for condoms and sex everywhere.

“The family is the most suitable place to initiate children and youths into the practice of good character, values, life skills and wholesome sexual behaviour. “The role of the teachers are to cooperate in educating the children in the way of good character formation; parents are, however, the first and best educators. “We concerned mothers would like to call the attention to the dangerous ideology called CSE, which is being promoted by United Nations representatives, it is not right,’’ she said.

Ujubuonu said teaching of CSE would further encourage sexual pervasiveness, adding that the parents should not abdicate their responsibilities to the teachings in school. “This ideology of CSE which is already adopted in some schools promotes such things such as abortion, homosexuality, masturbation and other controversial sexual ideologies to children as early as eight years old.

“The perversely demonstrate with the aid of mannequins of genital organs how they can enjoy sex without hitches. This is a gradual process of turning our children into animals and devaluation of our culture. “This is why studies have showed that school-based sex education does not reduce teenage pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases, rather, it makes it more rampant and dysfunctions multiply in types.

“Countries that have fully integrated sex education also have legalised abortion, homosexuality and same sex unions, is this what Nigerians want or need? NAN reports that participants for the FACH programme were drawn from among primary and secondary school students, undergraduates and the public. FACH is an NGO that seeks to make the society better through inspirational seminars and empowerment programmes. It seeks to promote the African values and communicate through dealing with human life issues, promotion of family, empowerment of youths and providing medical care for those that are challenged.

The discussants and guest speakers include Prof. Funmi Bameke, the Dean of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, a renowned lawyer, Mrs Elizabeth Idigbe and Mrs Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Winner, Nigerian Media Merit Award 1994. Others are ace actor turned academician and Head of Department, Theatre Arts and Music, Lagos State University, Prof. Sola Fosudo and Mrs Chinelo Ujubuonu, a Mass Communicator and Manager, Myschoolarena. Also in attendance were the Director of Islamic Affairs and Chief Imam, Nigerian Navy, Imam Gidado Miqdad, the wife of popular musician, Naeto C, Nicole Chikwe and Dr Obielumani Ideh among others. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-i-survived-7-abortions.html

There was pandemonium and confusion in Kaduna as youth staged a protest over accident allegedly caused by men of Kaduna Traffic and Law Enforcement Agency, KASTELEA along Nnamdi Azikwe Express-way in the State. The incident which occurred around 9: am led to gridlock. Tanker drivers had blocked the highway.

Eyewitnesses said the accident involved an 18-seater bus which which was returning from a journey. ‎The pleas for the youth to vacate the road – to allow access for other road users – from the Kaduna South Chairman, Senior police officers – who visited the scene – fell on deaf ears.

It took the intervention of security agencies; Soldiers, Police and Civil defense officers to clear the road. The security agents employed the use of teargas to disperse the irate youth who threw stones at them. It was gathered that the accident occurred when the bus driver who was asked to stop by the road marshals refused. The marshal on duty tried to force compliance by dragging the car steering wheel with the driver. The action from the marshal led to the driver losing control of the moving vehicle and as such it fell into a ditch by the roadside. Daily Trust reporter who visited the scene reported that some of the 18 passengers in the vehicle sustained injuries ‎and were taken to a hospital.

“All we are saying is the the state government or the leadership of the KASTELEA must pay for the damaged bus because it was pathetic what happened. We need justice in this country, ” a driver who witnessed the whole incident said. Another eyewitness blamed the road marshals for insisting on stopping the moving vehicle after the driver refused to stop. “They shouldn’t have dragged with him over the steering since he refused to stop. I think the marshals need more training on how to deal with erring drivers.” Daily Trust gathered that the road marshals that were said to have caused the incident ran away.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-youths-protest-over-accident-caused-by-kastelea-in-kaduna.html

The Ghana police have confirmed the death of four girls allegedly kidnapped by some Nigerians at Takoradi, Western Region of the country in 2018. This followed the release of the DNA report conducted on some body parts, discovered inside a septic tank at the home of the main suspect, Samuel Udotek Wills in August this year.

The victims, Ruth Abakah, Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Ruth Love Quayson and Priscilla Koranchie went missing at various times between August and December in 2018. The Acting Inspector General of Police, James Oppong Boanuh, in a statement on Monday night confirmed the death of the missing girls.

“The officers of the Ghana Police Service informed the four families in Takoradi in the Western Region that the DNA test conducted on samples discovered in the course of police investigation into the disappearance of four missing girls have turned positive as the remains of the girls,” he said in the statement. The Chief of Police further said, the families of the four missing girls have been duly informed of the news. Boanuh affirmed that the girls were victims of a kidnapping and murdering syndicate that operated in Takoradi in the past. The Chief of Police, who regretted the inability of security officers to rescue the missing girls, assured that the syndicate has been effectively dismantled.

“While for various reasons we were unsuccessful in obtaining and acting on accurate actionable intelligence in good time to enable us rescue the girls, we believe the arrest of the culprits has effectively thwarted the ability of this syndicate to continue with further kidnappings and murders,” the statement concluded. Three Nigerians have been linked to the kidnappings. They are Samuel Udotek Wills, John Orji and Chika Nnouedem.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/police-confirm-death-of-4-kidnapped-ghanaian-girls.html

How Buhari, Jonathan, will shape Bayelsa, Kogi guber polls By Bassey Willie, Yenagoa & Itodo Daniel Sule, Lokoja | Published Date Sep 15, 2019 0:59 AM TwitterFacebookWhatsAppTelegram Buhari, Jonathan President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and other godfathers, are going to play key roles in determining the winners of the November 16, governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, Daily Trust on Sunday analysis reveals. Governorship candidates of the two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are banking on the influence of Buhari, Jonathan and other godfathers in the two states to win the elections. Daily Trust on Sunday reports that since the inception of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, the role of political godfathers in the emergence of governors and those seeking to occupy various elective positions have grown in leaps and bounds.

Governorship elections in Bayelsa have always been factored around godfatherism and the influence of the government at the centre (federal might). For instance, during the 1999 governorship election in the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of the PDP was considered ahead of a popular and acceptable candidate then, Chief Francis Dokpola, of the then APP because PDP had just won the presidential election, political gladiators then noting that Bayelsa was too young to be in opposition with the party at the centre. After the impeachment of Alamieyeseigha in 2005, his then deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, backed by the Federal Government under then President Olusegun Obassanjo took over as the governor of the state.

Also, in 2007, Jonathan again was chosen by the power at the centre to fly the PDP flag in place of Chief Timi Alaibe, who controlled the party structures in the state at the time. Even when Jonathan was eventually picked as vice presidential candidate to Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, it was the same federal might that brought Chief Timipre Sylva as the PDP candidate and eventually the governor of the state. In 2012, Jonathan, through his allies, including King A J Turner and then National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi, brought the present Governor, Seriake Dickson, to take over from Timipre Sylva who was already having issues with the power at the centre. The forthcoming election in 2019 in the state may still go in the way of godfatherism and federal might despite the fact that federal might could not really work in the state during the 2015 governorship election, solely because Jonathan, who is a well respected leader in the state, had just left office as the president of the country and still commanded the highest respect from the Ijaw people. The masses action as was witnessed in 2015 may also be a deciding factor.

Already, the candidate of the APC, Chief David Lyon, appears to enjoy the support of the masses judging from his philanthropic gesture and empowerment of youths across the eight local governments of the state. Before the just concluded PDP primary in the state, there was serious wrangling between the camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Gov. Seriake Dickson’s camp, popularly called “Restoration caucus”, although Dickson’s camp prevailed by finally producing Senator Douye Diri as the governorship candidate for PDP ahead of Chief Timi Alaibe, but the main election could be challenging for the party except they are able to put their house together. Dickson, before now, was also a loyal member of the larger Jonathan political family, which was then called “Green Movement”.

It was on that consideration that he was chosen as the governor in 2012, but shortly after the defeat of Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, Dickson began to make his own political family, the “Restoration Caucus”, more prominent and relevant.

The restoration caucus, before 2015, was part of the Green Movement. Dickson’s restoration caucus became so powerful that every government appointment, chairmen of local governments, all those that floated the PDP flag in the 2019 national and state assemblies elections were chosen by the restoration caucus, a situation that caused confusion in the party and made PDP lose some national and state assemblies seats to APC. In Bayelsa East, which is Jonathan’s senatorial district, Dickson was said to have handpicked a member of his restoration caucus without consulting the ex-president, a situation that made people vote massively for the APC.

Jonathan’s influence is currently dwindled in the politics of the state, as he rarely talks or gives direction on the things that affect his people. In the just concluded primary of the PDP, Dickson totally overran Jonathan by single-handedly producing his ally and member of his restoration caucus, Senator Douye Diri, as the governorship candidate of the party.

However, Dickson’s action is posing a serious danger for the PDP ahead of the governorship election on November 16, as some aggrieved PDP members in the state have allegedly indicated that it was the same action by the governor that made the PDP lose Jonathan’s senatorial district and some other positions in the state during the 2019 general elections.

Also, the PDP is facing a major crisis of choosing a running mate for Douye Diri ahead of the November 16, poll. Dickson is said to have already submitted the name of his political godson, Senator Lawrence Ewredjiakpo, to INEC as the running mate to Douye Diri, a situation that has not gone well with the party’s stakeholders in the state.

The APC too had its challenges before the primary, but the strength of the leader of the party in the state and current Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, can never be undermined. Chief Timipre has already secured the party’s governorship ticket for his ally, Chief David Lyon, and also facilitated the picking of a running mate, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, a combination believed by many Bayelsans as capable of ousting the PDP years in the state. Chief Lyon is a well known philanthropist who has used the resources of Hus Oil to empower several citizens of the state, especially in his Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

His effort also helped in reducing illegal oil bunkering in the state. The APC is also banking on its strength during the 2019 presidential, national and state assemblies’ elections, where the party, inspired by Sylva, garnered about 45 per cent of votes in the state for President Buhari’s re-election. It also won a senatorial seat, two out of the five federal constituencies and some seats in the state assembly. Besides, Lyon is from Southern Ijaw, the largest local government area in the state, with the highest voting strength.

Registered voters in the local government area are almost half of Bayelsa State voters, and certainly, Lyon will get more than 80 per cent of the votes during the governorship election. Places like Nembe, where he picked his running mate from, Brass, where the leader of the party in the state hails from, and Ekeremor, home of the immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, are all strongholds of the APC. Governor Dickson, who is fast becoming a political godfather in the state, recently warned the PDP against playing into the hands of the APC during the governorship election because of the struggle to produce a running mate to Senator Douye Diri. Up till now, the PDP has not picked its deputy governorship candidate due to divergent interests.

Incidentally, Dickson convened a meeting of the top leadership and critical stakeholders of the state chapter of the PDP to agree on the zoning of the deputy governorship ahead of the September 23, deadline for a candidate’s substitution for the November 16, 2019, gubernatorial election.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said critical stakeholders of the Bayelsa PDP, including himself, Jonathan and others would take a final decision on the issue of the running mate for the party’s candidate. Governor Dickson, therefore, warned PDP members in the state to avoid playing into the hands of the opposition APC which carried the burden of an “unmarketable” gubernatorial candidate. He said the APC which was not on ground in Bayelsa was only banking on violence and federal might to kill innocent voters during the election.

The governor noted that the APC ticket clearly showed desperation to hijack the government of the state and have it run by proxies. Also, the leadership of the PDP in the state has said that it would stand by any faithful and loyal member of the party that might be nominated by its candidate, Senator Douye Diri, as his running mate. The state chairman and secretary of the party, Mr. Moses Cleopas and Chief Godspower Keku, respectively, in a statement recently, said since the party’s candidate had come from the Central Senatorial District he was at liberty to select any suitable member of the party from the other two zones, Bayelsa West and Bayelsa East.

The PDP state leadership stated that the party was not too concerned about a running mate, which according to it, was like a senior adviser to the governor; not different from marrying a wife, which must be done by the candidate himself, adding that the party had no reason to lose sleep over the issue of a running mate. According to the party leadership, the history of sharing of political offices in the state from 1999 to date had always reflected the principle of fairness and equity: 1999 – Governor: Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (Central), Deputy Governor: Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (East), Speakers: Rt. Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi and Boyelayefa Debekeme (West). 2005 – Governor: Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (East), Deputy Governor: Peremobowei Ebebi (West), Werinipre Seibarugo (Central). 2007 – Governor: Chief Timipre Sylva (East), Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi (West), Speaker: Werinipre Seibarugo (Central). Following Ebebi’s impeachment: Governor: Chief Timipre Sylva (East) Deputy Governor, Werinipre Seibarugo (Central), Speaker: Rt. Hon. Nestor Benabo (West). 2012: Governor: Henry Seriake Dickson (West), Deputy Governor: Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (East), Speaker, Konbowei Benson and Rt. Hon Tonye Isenah (Central).

The PDP leaders said the positions of the governor, deputy governor and speaker had always been shared among the three senatorial districts, stressing that the governor and the speaker were the more powerful of the three.

They said, “We advise party members and the general public not to lose sleep over the issue of the choice of a running mate. The party will support any choice made by the candidate. Those who wish to be on the ticket must first contest an election and not play foul politics by spreading blackmail and propaganda.” However, despite the popularity and general acceptability of the APC candidate, Chief Lyon, there is need for the party to carry out proper reconciliation among the aspirants in the just concluded primary and other stakeholders of the party if they must win the governorship election.

Recently, a frontline governorship aspirant of the party, Chief Preye Aganaba, asked the High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to void the primary that produced Chief Lyon as the candidate of the party. Chief Aganaba, a founding member of the APC in the state, dragged the APC, Lyon and INEC to the court as defendants in a suit he personally filed on Seprember 12, 2019. He prayed the court to make a declaration that the primary scheduled for September 4, across the 105 wards in the eight local government areas of the state did not take place.

In Kogi State, the flag bearer of the ruling APC and incumbent Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, will unarguably be banking on the support of President Buhari and the federal might influence. This is more so that Governor Bello is believed to be one of the privileged governors that have “the ears” of President Buhari. Governor Bello has always seen himself as the political son of President Buhari and as such will bank on the support of his political godfather in the forthcoming election. In the 2019 presidential election, Bello, in demonstrating his loyalty and support for President Buhari, ensured that he (Buhari) won the election in Kogi.

Buhari polled 285,894 in Kogi to defeat his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who polled 218,207 votes. One good turn deserves another and as such, it’s now time for President Buhari to reciprocate the kind gesture of his political godson. Although President Buhari who is from Daura in Katsina State will not be among the eligible voters who will cast votes in the forthcoming election in Kogi, his support can, however, go a long way in determining how Bello will fare at the poll. Perhaps, one of the tacit ways in which the president has shown his support for Governor Bello’s re-election bid, according to political analysts, was the release of N30.8bn bailout to enable the governor offset backlog of salaries.

The Governor Bello-led administration had come under heavy criticism from the opposition, the organised labour and the people of the state over the issue of non-payment of salaries and pensions. But with the release of the bailout few months to the November governorship election, Bello has been able to address the issue of non-payment of salaries and pensions largely, thus clearing the coast for him and his party, the APC, ahead of the election. It would be recalled that the immediate past administration of Governor Idris Wada of the PDP had applied for bailout of N50.8bn in 2015 to offset salaries, but the fund was not released to him on alleged account of some political considerations in the build up to the November 21, 2015, off-season governorship election in the state.

However, when Bello emerged governor in January, 2016, a first tranche of N20bn bailout out of the N50.8bn bailout earlier applied for was released to him. After much lobbying, including a visit by some prominent traditional rulers from Kogi State to President Buhari at the Aso Villa, the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), eventually released the second tranche of N30.8bn to Governor Bello in July, 2019. Another way Bello can bank on President Buhari is the issue of “federal might” and backing, especially as it relates to security. In every election, the security agencies play significant role in the outcome and as such, pundits believe that the governor may stand on an advantageous ground when it comes to the issue of security as far as the election is concerned.

Besides, the governor will also be banking on other political godfathers such as the APC National Leader, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who have expressed determination to win the November governorship election in Kogi. Bello will equally be counting on the support of his fellow APC governors who would be ready to give both moral and financial backups to enable one of their own emerge victorious. On his part, the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Musa Wada, will also be counting on the support of a couple of political godfathers in the opposition PDP ahead of the election. One of such political godfathers is the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Wada, who also happens to be an elder brother of Engr. Wada.

Former Governor Idris Wada contested the September 3, governorship primary election of the PDP but lost to his younger brother, Engr. Musa Wada, who emerged the party’s flag bearer. Although there was a misunderstanding between the two Wadas in the build up to the primary election, Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the two have put their differences behind them after the outcome of the primary and have agreed to form a common front to wrest power from the incumbent Governor Bello. Engr. Wada will be banking on the political structure of the former Governor Wada to advance his governorship ambition in the state.

In the same vein, Engr. Wada will most likely be counting on the support of former Governor Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) who happens to be an influential political godfather and the PDP leader in the state. Apart from being a political godfather, former Governor Idris is a father in-law to Engr. Wada. During the PDP primary, former Governor Idris supported his son, Abubakar Ibrahim, against his son in-law, Engr. Wada, who eventually emerged the flag bearer of the party. Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that former Governor Idris and his son, Ibrahim, were not happy with the outcome of the primary. Given the foregoing, it implies that Engr. Wada must be able to pacify and reconcile with his father in-law, as well as brother in-law, if he must enjoy their full backing in the forthcoming election.

He may also enjoy the backing of political leaders such as a former Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, and a former acting Governor, Clarence Olafemi. Engr. Wada, through the influence of his brother, Idris Wada, can most likely get the support and backing of the PDP governors ahead of the election. As it stands, only time will tell how far the support of these political godfathers will go in deciding who emerge governors after the November governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-buhari-jonathan-will-shape-bayelsa-kogi-guber-polls.html

Sai baba