PDP: a must join party (?)

Finally, the birds have come to roost. The result from Sokoto has sneaked in and PDP has been confirmed the undisputed political heavy weight party in Nigeria. Other political parties made a bearable gain. This is the crowning of one party state and any wise politician, should join PDP, wait for his turn and “win” election. Soon, PDP party card will be as rare as a virgin in a maternity ward. The gains by other political parties, is a disgrace, going by the campaign against PDP’s candidate in Sokoto.

After the court of Appeal nullified the election and ordered a re-run, many political analysts took to the air to interpret the judgment. Some contended that Wamakko having illegally migrated to PDP from ANPP, he is unfit and it will be a judicial hara-kiri for the election to go on and Wamakko on the ticket of PDP. The president, who has been parroting rule of law, went on full swing campaigning and mobilising for the by-election.

While Yar’Adua was using state funds to junket around, the opposition parties were busy turning to paper tigers. Baring their venom less fangs on AIT and pages of the newspaper, they failed to mobilise the people to vote against PDP. Even those who wanted to vote for these fair-weather opposition parties, do not see any variation in the manifestos of these parties from that of PDP. Before the tsunami of Sokoto and Bayelsa, it was Kogi where the tact team of ANPP and AC could not undo PDP and disgracefully Adamawa, were Atiku Abubakar could not win his local government.

The opposition parties/political right NGOs, should stop causing NEPA and light a candle. There is no organisation on ground to effectively challenge PDP. What we have on ground is a group of disgruntled and excluded ex-PDP men, masquerading as opposition. How are these riggings done? The opposition should stop shouting and become scientific and pin-point how PDP rigged these by-elections.

Nigerians are tired of the impotent boast by the opposition and have taken their faith to God, after all the General Overseer of Redeem Christian Church; Pastor Enoch Adeboye has visited Yar’Adua. Do the opposition need the devil to interpret Romans 12 Vs. 1-10 and that Nigerians are more Catholic than the Pope when it comes to being dogmatic about the teachings of the sons of (I-A)braham? The opposition should know that once a taboo is a year old, it becomes custom.

It’s one year seen the rudderless Yar’Adua administration has been at sea and the opposition cannot muster enough courage to proffer alternative. It is not only a wasted year under Yar’Adua, it is also a lost year for the opposition. There has been a lot of opportunity to engage Yar’Adua. One is the Hon. Patricia Eteh saga, another is the Prof. Adenike Grange, yet another is the Soludo case. Even the ignoble manner the new EFCC chair was appointed without first recourse to the National Assembly. What about the comatose power sector? Under OBJ, there was low shedding but under Yar’Adua, Nigeria is in total eclipse.

The hydra-headed Niger Delta that has remained a sore on our national face; what is the opposition’s alternative to PDP’s militarisation of the Niger Delta? That the VP is from Niger Delta and yet cannot calm his renegade brothers is enough to ask him to relinquish power. But because the opposition is as rudderless as PDP, the boys in the creek are asking Jimmy Carter to mediate. Isn’t this a slap on the face of the opposition?

A fine battle cry, is the 40 billion Naira voted for the importation of rice when the agricultural sector is lying fallow. There are bountiful grounds for the opposition to make this government/PDP unpopular and clinch power come 2011. Nigerians want the opposition to engage the Yar’Adua administration on how she has performed so far. Have the seven points agenda been met? What are the seven points agenda? What are the oppositions’ alternative? How can the opposition give us uninterrupted power? Whether it was OBJ that brought us into this quagmire of bad roads; no more lands in F.C.T, nor not, the fact that seems lost on the opposition, is that OBJ’s administration was a PDP government.

People should see through Yar’Adaua’s crocodile tears about the rot and loot in the power sector. It was PDP that ruined us. For a seriously minded political party, campaign for next election begins at the end of the present election. The political education of Nigerian electorates is poor. The opposition that rode on the anti-Obasanjo feelings should galvanise same into anti-PDP movement. The opposition should start now to merge, over haul themselves, do a face lift, educate Nigerians and offer themselves to Nigerians as the bride to enter into come next election by 2011.

PDP is planning for the next 60 years and most “opposition parties” are yet to organise a convention, how much more fine tune strategies to win. While plotting towards 2011, they should put PDP on her toes by proffering alternatives to the non-working policies of this administration. If the opposition is serious, they should jettison these cries over the massive judicial rigging by PDP and start planning towards 2011.

It is obvious that the hanging judgments at the Court of Appeal will still favour PDP. If no other party have won a re-run/by-election, what is the guarantee that if a new by-election is ordered that the opposition will win? Oshiomhole and Mimiko, may be conceded to give credence to the judicial charade going on. With Buhari being a political orphan, don’t expect the Supreme Court to order fresh election that will be a waste of tax payers’ money, as PDP will still win.

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OBJ Carpets Hon. Elumelu

Ashimole Felix/Abuja. 

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) has replied the May 9^th 2008 Invitation to appear before the Hon. Ndudi Elumelu led Public Hearing on Power Sector.

Vintage OBJ pointed the structural flaws of the invitation but like a misunderstood statesman in an image reclaiming mission, OBJ took to lecturing the committee on Africa culture of respect for age and authority.

According to the text made available to journalists, OBJ denied awarding contracts to unregistered companies, stating that it is not the duty of the president to verify the corporate personality of a company bidding for contract and if such companies presented bank documentations and other Corporate Affairs Commission forms, than there must be a racket involved that need to be exposed and punished.

The former president also said that it will tend to portray inadequate knowledge or ignorance” for the committee to say that there is nothing at power project sites to justify the huge sums of money sunk into the power sector.

Obasanjo said that between 1999 and 2007, his administration spent about $6.5bn including letters of credit in the power sector.

He further urged the committee to hand over to EFCC and /or ICPC any minister or aide that served under his administration found to be corrupt but cautioned that the necessary documents must back up such.

 

 

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Where Is My god?

Written by: Che Oyinatumba.

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli, Eli lama sabachthani? That is to say my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?”-The Gospel of Matthew 27 Vs 46.

For those who share my Christian idiosyncrasy, the above should be read with a pinch of Roman Catholic flavour. Patron Saints are allowed and not being satisfied with Oyinbo Saints, I have started beatification of Nigerians, to swell up our quota in the chain of Saints. Who knows when we pray in the name of Nigerian Saints, who understand our peculiar plight, the right hand of God will be moved to revive Nigeria and rouse the sleeping giant in us all. For those who may want to accuse me of being an idolater, they should not be more Catholic than the Pope, Mother Theresa was made a saint while alive.

But the Nigerian I want to honour today is galaxy years ahead of sainthood. Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi (forget the SAN), is a god, whose invoke is a condition precedent to the analysis and solution to Nigerians injustice.

For some time now, my prayers have been rudderless as I do not know where my god is. I have consulted modern Ifa (Newspapers), wondered in search of direction, regurgitating old works of this colossus, praying for a direction out of this eclipse of Nigeria. It is obvious that the House Committee on Power to Stael (Steel) members are not well grounded on the facts of inquest they are prosecuting  and no social commentator has analysed it pragmatically as Chief (Gani) would have done.

How do you describe the sun to your inquisitive son but merely to ask him to look up? Same applies to any attempt to introduce Chief. Chief has been committed to the struggle for justice to all, especially the common man since he was an infant but came to national attention in February 1969, when as a young lawyer, he took the brief of a factory hand (Abashia) who alleged  that the then Secretary to Benue/Plateau government Andrew Obeya, had an affair with his wife. Joseph Gomwalk walked into the matter and used state apparatus to cow Chief and when this failed, a kidnap was attempted but it was also futile and the military detained him without trial thus beginning the long journey of detentions of Chief often without trial. (Imprisoned 29 times, living in 15 prisons and numerous police cells across the country.)

No lawyer has expanded the frontier of the constitution more than Chief. He has won landmark cases and pronouncements, which have enlarged the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by Nigerians present and yet unborn. No lawyer is a lawyer without reading Gani’s Nigeria Weekly Law Report (NWLR). Even the Judge that jailed Gani in 1990, Justice Ligali Ayorinde, agreed that “Gani’s chambers…have been terrorising the judiciary”-African Concord 29^th January 1990 Why I jailed Gani.

Gani the politician did not fare well. He lacks the subtle deception of Nigerian politicians. To confront Abacha, whom Chief had naively invited to take over and install MKO, he formed National Conscience Party and in 2003, contested presidential election. Most of his worshippers including this writer, felt Chief would have done well in the senate and build a vibrant opposition (it was clear he wouldn’t win any presidential election in Nigeria as presently constituted)

Chief as a social crusader, a judicial activist and intellectual, is in a class of his own. His passion often propels him into line of fire before grasping the facts of the matter. But once involved, he effortlessly changes trajections and armoury till he panels out a victory for the people. This was the case in his fight against ex-governor of Lagos state Bola Tinubu. Section 308 of the 1999 constitution came to Tinubu’s rescue but Gani got victory. You can now investigate a sitting governor; section 308 merely says you can’t prosecute.

Since the murder of Dele Giwa (publisher of Newswatch) in 1986 under the dictatorial watch of IBB and Halilu Akilu, Gani has gone through the length and dept of Nigerian legal system to get IBB to answer some unresolved questions. At Oputa Panel, the articulation and brilliance of Chief was on display so much so that even his “enemies” could not help but admire his resourcefulness and commitment. But IBB and other ex-military heads of state beat him to it, got a court order restraining them from appearing before the panel. Another example of to Gani’s attention to details came to lime-light when like a village headmaster, a cane in hand, he appeared on a national TV and demonstrated the cost implication of ex-president Obasanjo’s perambulation and incessant increments of fuel price.  Today, Gani has been vindicated. All the globetrotting of Obasanjo did not bring any meaningful oyinbo investor rather inferior onyibos were imported to further under develop Nigeria.

Gani’s uprightness, high moral credentials and courage are unquestionable. Gani never waited for “anybody” to be out of office before pointing out his sins to him. Unlike these modern day turn-coat democrats, who are now calling OBJ names after stealing and aiding in OBJ’s ruin of Nigeria, Gani, a man of rare courage, took up every Draculan policy of any government to the cleaners before the ink enacting it dries up. Like a wasp perched on the testis of a hammer armed carpenter, Gani stood his grounds and dared Abacha, when fleeing was order of the day. According to Adebayo Adefarati (former governor of Ondo State-Gani’s home town), “All I can add on Gani is to acknowledge his courage and sagacity in public affairs. If more Nigerians had Gani’s courage, Nigeria would have been the greater for it”  

Adefarati’s admonition has not yielded fruit because members of the human right community have collapsed into NGO while running for foreign donors. A good number of them have abandoned ideology, taking up Special Assistant jobs from questionable politicians, who are yet to purge themselves of their anti-masses position during the military tyranny and the amok days of OBJ.  These ex-comrades are now come and raid, forgetting that human right abuses are more rampant and worst under unwatched and unchallenged democratic governance.

The last time I read with joy the Episcopal letter from my god was when he attacked the forced leave to Kuru of the median EFCC chairman. News had it that he wrote from a sick bed in London. (Like all gods from Zeus, Jupiter through Anu to Amadioha, my god is not physically intimidating or always in robust health. But he has never allowed his heart ailment and hypertension slow him down) Ever since then, I have been thirsty for news about my god. Like Laban confronted Jacob in Genesis 31 vs. 30 “…yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?” I ask you, where is my god?   

 

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE ON POWER COMMENCES SITTING

In apparent bid to get to the root of the lingering power outage in Nigeria despite the whooping sum of $13.27 billion invested into the power sector between 1999-2007, the House of Representative commenced open hearing on the power sector yesterday.

At the opening of sitting slated to last one week, glaring that a German company Laymeyer, collected N369 Million Naira without proceeding to site at Mambilla Hydroelectric power project.

The Minister of State for Energy (power) Hajiya Fatima Balaraba Ibrahim while testifying, unveiled that the National Assembly had approved in 1999 N6.697 billion, N49.7bn in 2000, N70.92 in 2001, N41.692b in 2002, N50.270bn in 2003, N54.21bn in 2004, N70.131bn in 2005, N72.393 in 2006 and in 2007, N61.161bn.

These were in addition to loans of $6.464bn, euro 330.037m, $3.07m, $464m and N235.5bn from the World Bank. According to the minister,”I know that Manbila has nothing on ground. Nothing has been done there”

During the tenure of President Obasanjo, when these monies where given for the project, no contract was awarded without going through due process, headed by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. This activity became ritualistic that Dr. Ezekwesili became known as madam due process. For the National Assembly to get to the tap root of this proplem, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili must be subpoenaed to the sitting, her job at the world bank not withstanding, after all, world bank’s loan is involved.

Meanwhile the power situation in Nigeria has twinkled from low voltage to total eclipse spanning over four days at a stretch.

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SUPER TUESDAY!

Written By: Che Oyinatumba.

Sorry, its not about Barrack Obama, who since after America’s Super Tuesday, has given all blackmen the faith to believe that dreams do come true and a man is judged by the content of his ideas, character and not the colour of his skin. Nigeria’s super Tuesday is on 26th 2008.

On Tuesday Febuary 26th, two great events will take place.One is a microcosim of the macrocosim. Whatever be the out come, it will affect me, if it doesn’t break my heart, it will scratch it and sure must leave an indelible scar.

Within my own little world, the Registrar General of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has called for a meeting to address the hydra-headed problems confronting CAC. We salute the courage of the RG to dream up this idea. In as much as we have misgivenings about the venue, we encourage all lawyers to attend and bare their minds. Our mis-givings over the venue-Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, is hinged on the fact that about a year ago, the CAConline programme was midwifed at this centre and since this premature delivery, the online registration suffered the faith of African child-manultrution and death. Taking us to this centre gives one a feeling of dejavu.

The other event that will take place on Tuesday the 26th of Febuary, is the delivery of the Court Appeal sitting in an electoral capacity over the infamous Iwu doctored April 2007 General (s)Elections in Nigeria. A lot has been said about the outcome and the reaction of President Yar’Adua. While others opine that the president will not seek re-election based on fear of one way ticket to Germany to cure cold; he will not appeal the judgment, this writer is of the opinion that PDP will never allow him. After all the Supreme Court in Amaechi Vs PDP & Others ruled that it is the political party that contests election. So whether Yar’Adua refuses to contest the re-run, PDP will still hoist a candidate from the North-East, where the party has zoned the presidency.

The members of the Yar’Adua is doing well school of thought, believes that if a fresh election is organised, Yar’Adua will win free and fair.This argument is anchored on the fanatical zeal with which Yar’Adua’s administration is dismantling the ‘legacies’ of Obasanjo. According to the radical wing of this school of thought, the tribunal, will rule in favour of Yar’Adua and PDP.I differ with these argument.

Let me take on the radical die hard faithfuls. The lower tribunals have removed five(5) governors, unmarked Mark the Senate president, who are all product of the same election that vomitted Yar’Ardua on us. Doesn’t logic and common sense explain that a paper used to wrap salt, is salty? Weren’t some of the elections discredited by the tribunals done on the same day with Yar’Adua’s? Did INEC change staff to conduct presidential election? Did places where PDP was indicted of rigging, only rigged for the Senator and not the presidential election?

The wise men at the tribunal, should borrow a leaf from their brothers at the lower tribunals, continue to reinforce the new found faith of Nigerians in the judicial system and …(its prejudice to rule for the court). Their fearless ruling will have a ripple effect on other states, whose tribunal is yet to rule.

Yar’Adua’s winning of a bye election(?), is as a result of dearth of viable opposition in Nigeria. In well over 6months into Aso Rock, Yar’Adua has not fulfilled any of his electoral promises. The energy sector has gone from epileptic to comatose. The joy of this administration is “reversalism”, running a relay race backward. I am not holding forth for OBJ, Fani-Kayode, Remi Oyo, Nweke Jr and diminitive El-Rufiai are still alive to defend what their administration did while in government.

For non-developing nation like Nigeria, continuity of governmental policies is the express way out of the woods. These policies may not have been the best, but it behoves on the masses, to prompt their representatives, to repeal this or that. But with the excutive fiat Yar’Adua is turning the apple cart,one can not but smell rat that this administration is waging an economic terrorist attack on a sector of the rich class without the interest of the masses at the base of the ladder. What becomes of the shares of impoverished Nigerians in these companies the government has rolled over? Should Yar’Adua win a re-election, rejoice not O Nigerian, for then will your sorrows multiply.In the sense that the real Musa will emerge without fear of election petition, or the hairy hands from Ota Zoo.

Should Yar’Adua lose, the opposition should make the removal of Iwu as a sina quanon to participating in any bye-election. All the resident commissioners who pertook in the conduct of the ignoble election, should be reliefed of their job.

As a matter of National urgency, they should not take part in Kogi, which is the litmus test.

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Nigeria: Man Of The Year!

Written By: Ashimole Felix

The GOLD MEDAL GOES TO Professor Maurice Iwu

The year 2007 started in Nigeria with a lot of anxiety. This uncertainty exhumed from the failed attempt at constitutional adulteration to midwife tenure extension for the Obasanjo administration.
People were skeptical if the Obasanjo administration will hand over come May 2007. On the shoulders of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rested the fate of the Nation.

Ever since the infamous April 2007, INEC and the loquacious Frankenstein Maurice Iwu have dominated the news in Nigeria. The election tribunals/courts are reversing the results from Sokoto to Kogi, through Adamawa to Rivers State. In Imo State, the Prof’s state, the fate of his kinsman (Both are from Mbano) Governor Ohakim, is on an unequal balance. President Yar’Adu’s presidency is still uncertain and may snowball into a record in Nigerian political history, if the tribunal has the balls.
Without losing steam, Maurice Iwu is still the dominant news person of the year 2007. When Nigerians thought that the upper-cut given to Iwu both by the international and local observers have floored him, he bounced back and insisted that the fraud of April 2007 was better organized than the landmark June 12, 1993.

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