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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Nyako and PDP Demystify Atiku

By Ashimole Felix/Abuja.

The result of the re-run gubernatorial election in Adamawa, gave Governor Murtala Nyako of the PDP a resounding victory, with PDP polling 361,739 votes to win in all the 21 Local Government Areas of the state, while the AC candidate Alhaji Ibrahim Bapetel won 201,843 votes.

Nyako’s election during the April 2007 guber election was nullified by the Court of Appeal due to INEC’s non-inclusion of the gubernatorial candidate of the AC.

Before the re-run on Saturday April 26^th 2008, the Turaki of Adamawa, Abubakar Atiku had vowed to deal with the PDP and reassert who is in control of the political machinery in the state. Atiku parted ways with the PDp during the questionable attempt at constitutional amendment by the Obasanjo/Atiku regime in 2006. Since then, Atiku has been trying to foist himself as the face of the opposition and his party as the opposition party in Nigeria.

This landslide victory by the PDP in Atiku’s state-PDP also won in Atiku’s local government, has put a question mark on Atiku’s relevance in Adamawa political horse trading.

Voices from Yola have it that Atiku’s hold was weakened by the combined efforts of Senator Jubril Aminu and Ambassador Buba Maruwa, who closed ranks and buried their differences to work together to undermine Atiku.

Meanwhile, Atiku’s appeal to Supreme Court to challenge President Yar’Adua’s victory comes up on Tuesday 29^th April for mention.

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Vice President Goodluck Jonathan’s PDP runs out of luck

by Ashimole Felix/Abuja.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt this afternoon nullified the election of Governor Timipre Sylva and orders the immediate swearing in of the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. INEC should organize a fresh election within 90 days says the Court of Appeal.

At the filing of this report, the Court of Appeal is still reading the lengthy judgment.

 

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PDP Convention & Ndi Igbo

Written By: Ashimole Felix.

This esteemed democratic five star Generals were on parade during the build-up to the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Convention at Eagle Square on Saturday March 8th. Some names we thought were democratic war weary, dusted their younger days picture and printed posters. That reminds me, they should remove these posters that are defacing the beautiful city centre.

I never knew Ndi Igbo can assemble such galaxy of heavy weights.

I congratulate all of you. Igbo kwenu!! I also wish to congratulate Ayim Pius Ayim, who was shrewd enough to jet to Katsina for condolence once it was obvious that the horse trading did not favour him. I hope he made political gain with this visit to Katsina for the burial of the late emir.
Another contestant worthy of congratulatory wishes is Sam Egwu, the mature ex-governor of Eboyin State. Although it was glaring that OBJ was the backbone of his campaign, the ex-governor carried his campaign with dignity and sense of propose.
Between Sam Egwu and Anyim Pius Anyim, there is no victor no vanquish. Both benefited from the imperfection in and garrison structure of the PDP. Pius rather than suffer defeat at the PDP primary unceremoniously eased himself out of national discourse and “retired” from PDP. Kites flying around had it that the ex-Senate President had gotten a call to be a Pastor, and have waved goodbye to politics. It should also be remembered that there was a burning war between Egwu and Pius over who controlled the PDP machinery in Eboyin. Elders of the party from Abuja partially intervened and “peace” was restored in Eboyin.

Sam Egwu having won the “war” pocketed Pius and become the mouth piece of constitutional adulteration aka thirdterm. Nigerians were wondering if the “born again” Pius will see a vision of solutions to Nigerian problems and document same in a book, were dump founded when Pius emerged on the stage to via for PDP chairman.

Without much ado, both Egwu and Pius were paid with their coin. Egwu lost for sporting third term, Pius for keeping dangerously quiet during the headed debate, taking solace in religion. I guess the governors felt they can’t trust a Pius leadership, as he did not take stand. In a decisive point, a man must take a stand, even if not popular. Your enemies may disagree with your stand but will respect you as a man of principal. This is one cardinal rule most fair weather Nigerian politicians are yet to understand, despite having copies of Machiavelli’s The prince, Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power and Luzuin port of war on their self gathering dust.

I congratulate Vincent Ogbulafor, not for being the consensus candidate but as an epitome of the ephemeral anti third term forces in PDP. I do not envy him for he is in for a rough ride. He has a President who is not firm and constantly revising himself. I pray his “I am neutral” support for Ogbulafor will last. He has a president who supported third term as Governor of Katsina States a President ; whose SSG died while defending Hon. Olubumi Patricia Etteh; I hope the governors who chose him did not do so as a result of the weak platform on which he will operate or did the governors choose him to enable them consolidate as the new power base in PDP? But the victory dance by the Owo king maker once Obulafor’s name was announced gives me the glitters that the old fox may have had the last laugh
Whenever it tilts, Vincent Ogbulafor will be cultivating a mine field. The spikes will soon start flying. The muted detonations have started vibrating.

The forces that favoured an election to test the might of the governors on the battle field against the secrete endorsement/support they gave Pius and Egwu in their government Houses are rocking the boat. As is typical with disenfranchised PDP renegades, one won’t be surprised to see them contesting the Chairmanship of one of these social clubs masquerading as political party. Egwu should stop crying over spilt milk, he should have known how treacherous a sitting governor’s endorsement is. No governor stabbed him in the back. They just obeyed simple human instinct-self preservation.

Every tribe in Nigeria has its Judas but Ndi Igbo often express political naivety brazenly. Instead of jumping off a sinking boat, they should bate and reposition themselves. With the party Chairman in their kitty, arm wrestling should start to get the party to zone the presidency to the south East. The current shadowy PDP division of the country into South and North is a calculated fraud, for there are six geo-political expressions in Nigeria. As Oracle, I see into the future. Should Yar’Adua survive the 18 grounds of appeal of Buhari at the Supreme Court, the south-South will wage a war to succeed Yaradua in 2015. The argument will be tailored after American’s system, where except the VP rejects the party ticket, it falls automatically into the waiting hands of the VP (Regan to Bush Clinton to Al Gore).

The generals from technocrat Izuogu through the feather weights to the timber and caliber, should stop splitting hair; crying about marginalisation of ndi igbo, close ranks and re-position themselves for the party’s presidential ticket, once Yar’Adua’s tenure is over. They should not go into habitation but harbinger towards an Igbo president. Ndi Igbo and her socio-cultural groups-Ohana Eze, Aka ikenga, igbo professionals, should know that eme ngwangwa, emara odachi, anu bu uzu na awu nmiri oma. Furthermore they should start now to fine tune strategies to capture power, economic revival and repositioning as the North had started courtesy of Leadership Newspaper Groups conference tagged DE-INDUSTRIAL OF NORTHERN NIGERIAN: which way out.

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Prince Vincent Ogbulafor emerges New PDP Chairman

Prince Vincent Ogbulafor a consensus candidate has emerged as the New Chairman of the PDP.

Characteristic of the PDP no single vote was cast. This brings to the core once again, party democracy and its practice by the PDP.

As the Special convention proceeds we will bring you more information.

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WHO IS AFRAID OF OHAKIM?

Written By: Che Oyinatumba

The executive governor of Imo State, south-east of Nigeria,Chief Ikedi Ohakim in a state wide broadcast, alleged that some politicians are out to assassinate him.

From the text of his message, one can not but have sympathy for Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, who with naked innuendos the governor accused of being behind the plot.

I am not an Ararume loyalist. In fact if its only my vote that will swing the election in favour of Senator Ararume and this running mate Barrister Bethel Nzimako, I will cast the vote into Otamiri. You know the taste of an excretion from the smell of the fart.

These duo by their antecedents are not fit to rule Imo State. Barrister Bethel was one time Owerri-West Local Government Chairman. And while his tenure lasted, there was no significant project in Owerri-West. Same is applicable to Senator Ararume, who as chairman South-East caucus of the Senate, kept criminally silent during the raging third term issue. Furthermore, the immediate past President while endorsing Charles Ugwuh as the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer said unprintable things about Senator Ifeanyi Ararume. These utterances should be of concern to every eligible voter in Imo State.

Be that as it may, the latest attack on Ararume and the PDP, to the extent of importing militias from outside the state to cause mayhem during the welcome back into PDP rally. This phobia by Ohakim, gives one a sense of de javu. As such antics was used by Orji Uzo Kalu, when he ran out of steam in his battle with President Obasanjo before he decamped to form PPA, which true to call, is cloning a millipede of Kalus. If not why should a chief security officer wake up with this fear for his life?

Ohakim’s ill-advised broadcast has shown him as a weakling who can not hold the state. Who is Ararume that the governor should loss sleep? Or more aptly, who is PDP in a PPA controlled state? If the governor knew all he bared at the broadcast, what is stopping the Commissioner of Police from arresting Ararume? Leadership is not friendship, it takes men of courage to take a decisive decision and do that which is for the greater good of the majority of the ruled.

I guess I am getting senile, how could I have forgotten that Ohakim became governor by default and by the lingering crisis in PDP between Onongaono and Abuja PDP. With the arrow head of Abuja PDP in Imo, pacified with an ambassadorial appointment and Onongaono in firm control of all the structures in Imo State, Ohakim’s insecure feeling is manifesting in his reasoning. After all he who rides on the back of the tiger, often ends in the belly of the tiger.

Governor Ohakim, if you want to discredit Ararume, do not fan the ambers of insecurity in Imo State. If your fears are hinged on the out come of the electoral tribunal, don worry, re-present yourself in the fresh election and see whether it was the people of Imo that gave the mandate or was it a mid-night underhand dealing, presided over by the PDP war dogs now in the camp of Ararume, lapping and panting for a taste of your political blood.

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