₦airaland Forum

Governors Uneasy Over Obasanjo’s PDP BOT Status


By Maxwell Oditta, Asst Politics Editor, Lagos

June 29th, 2007
5 Stars - Excellent4 Stars - Good3 Stars - Average2 Stars - Fair1 Stars - Poor








E-MAIL IT
PRINT IT
PDF VERSION







Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors are feeling uneasy with former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman.

The amended BOT rules in the party’s constitution give the Chairman the power to supervise PDP Governors and sanction those adjudged as not performing.

Obasanjo is also the Life Leader of the party, unlike Tony Anenih, Solomon Lar, and Alex Ekwueme who were BOT Chairmen before him.

His new status was conceived long before the PDP commenced its electioneering campaign in February.

Party sources in Abuja said the arrangement was contrived to give Obasanjo in retirement such powers as would compensate him for the failure of the plot to extend his tenure as President.

It was learnt that former PDP Governors, while in office, consented to the amendment in the BOT rules because it was the other condition – apart from supporting Umar Yar’Adua’s Presidential candidature – the party leadership gave to shield them from probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This was the party hierarchy’s strategy of confining to the past things that happened in the past.

The reasoning being that the prosecution of so many former Governors in the PDP would give the party away as one in dire need of moral rearmament.

Serving Governors are concerned that the Federal Government would exercise such absolute control over federating units as though Nigeria were a unitary state.

They are altogether perplexed that so much power could be concentrated in a President that had negotiated his exit from office.

They contend also that even where the party, through its National Executive Committee (NEC) – and not the BOT – has the prerogative of monitoring activities of Governors and other party members in public office, the constitutional rights to sanction Governors should be exercised by state Assemblies.

Governors, especially those from the Niger Delta, are determined to raise this issue at the next NEC meeting.

"Our leader … Obasanjo will remain with us on the BOT and will be guiding the hands of the new candidate and all the Governors because the new BOT empowers him to question any Governor that does not perform. What happened has happened in the past. Let us march forward", Ali had said before the swearing-in of the new Governors.

The Governors had scoffed at the idea when Ali first announced it.

They believe that Yar’Adua would be self-respecting and not allow elements outside the government to perform such an important function.

Some openly argue that the North, whose lawmakers deflected Obasanjo’s third term goal, would never consent to the arrangement.

But there has been a recent rapprochement that has seen Obasanjo regain favour with Yar’Adua, Ali, and others, at a time some party leaders had hoped Anenih would continue as BOT Chairman

kulaShaker:
whether you say or not, whether i like him or not, it is a fact, go google it or something, he is the most unpopular Labour Pm in History , check it!

Big B1:
@McKren:

Quote by DOKUBO from Nigerian Newspaper (6/26/07[b])[/b]

Thank God, our new president is intelligent, a listener, honest and understands the role of a true learder.

Mr. McKren:
The wuruwuru, magomago, rushrush, pafpaf, and short cuts ERA is dead.
The Nigerian problems will be studied profoundly and a clear and effective final decision will be made at the right time.

Nigeria belongs to all of us, we all have our rights, we are all equal and no more dancing behind a fake messiah.

Problems in Nigeria will be resolved collectively as a group. There is no more one man show in town.

Failure is behind us and perfection is what we crave!

Nigerian president is here, it's time for business

One love

He's responsible for the crisis in Oyo state, Anambra and he has created the delay and the reason why none of these governors has been arrested

angel101:
I hope u're right.

@BigB1 & McKren
I beg to disagree with u. while i agree that Ribadu was selective in dealing with corruption, i believe he did the job to best of his ability. Abi u go do pass wetin your master send u? he was acting on instructions and could not do otherwise. EFCC was not an independent body. shikena!

chrisokw:
In negative terms, can we say that Anambra is to the Igbo, what Oyo is to the Yoruba. It is what Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers are to the Niger Delta and what Plateau and Kano are to the North?

And, in positive terms, it is what Ogun state is to the Yoruba. Anambra is where most of the best, the good, the bad and the ugly in Igboland come from.

I am very sure that for the simple fact that I am a practicing christian I cannot be accused of siding with the muslims so the issue of religous sentiments don't hold water.

My position remains that any bad or wrong action must be acknowledged regardless of the person, group or nation responsible.

Dokubo-Asari demands for N137m - Says no disarmament until the money is paid
Soji Ajibola, Yenagoa - 26.06.2007

LEADER of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, on Monday asked for the refund of N137 million being the amount he said he used to procure the arms he surrendered to the Rivers State government.

Addressing newsmen during his visit to Bayelsa State, Dokubo-Asari disclosed that Rivers State government still owed him N137 million, adding that the government should not talk about disarmament until the debt was settled.


Dokubo-Asari stated that the militant groups were ready to surrender various arms in their possession, but that the government must be ready to fulfil its own part of the bargain.


According to him, “we bought the arms, we did not pick it. If they are ready to pay, we are ready to surrender all the arms in our possession.”


On hostage-taking and other related crimes in the region, the leader of the NDPVF promised that these would be stopped, just as he warned both the government and affected oil companies against paying for the release of oil workers held hostage.

Blaming both the government and affected oil companies for encouraging the act which, according to him, was criminal, Dokubo-Asari said that since he was released on bail by the Federal High Court, Abuja, he had been consulting with various militant groups in the region and making them see reason why the act must be stopped.


“Hostage-taking is not part of our struggle. Ijaw people are not known for criminal acts as we hardly involve ourselves in criminal activities. In Ijaw land, prior to this period, both the strangers and indigenes co-habited peacefully, but now, the reverse is the case.


“Today, both local and foreign investors are running away from the region. I am going to meet with those that are aggrieved with our proposal; this evil called hostage-taking must stop. We must protect Bayelsa. This is the only state we can call our own,” he said.


He called on the leaders of the Ijaw nation to stand up for the liberation of the region.


On his view on the corruption allegation levelled against the erstwhile governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, he said those who did more than him were walking unmolested and wondered why he was still being detained.


According to him, “Alamieyeseigha remains the only governor still being held captive while others are now freemen. What manner of selective justice is this? Alamieyeseigha’s ordeal is an Ijaw cause, an injury to one is an injury to all. Ijaw people are now carrying the burden and disgrace that Alamieyeseigha stole money. We allowed him to be disgraced. We will not allow the situation to repeat itself.”


He called on the people to rally round the present administration in the country, adding, “a majority of Ijaw people believe in Goodluck and as a result, we will rally round him to succeed.”


Receiving the leader of NDPVF, the governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, thanked the Federal Government for its support, describing his release as a relief to the Ijaw people.

Mariory:
I believe the answer to that question is the subsidy. If the subsidy were completely removed, then you would see true market fluctuation in the price. I could be wrong about this though.

Bolarge:
Said like a complete gentleman. I appreciate that. Most peeps would still be trying to justify their stand however warped.

To all Nairaland ladies: Please forgive him O! He has apologised.

GNature:
Why don't you just ask her out ? It's pretty obvious that you are in love with her.

I-man:
Was the Govt one of the investors in Silverbird Galleria or in Shoprite? Govt should have no business in business.

9ja4eva:
The ambassador doesnt make sense.

Make someone ask am if him go school?