Tag: 2019 Elections

Removal of Acting DG SSS May Be the Last Straw
PRESS STATEMENT

Removal of Acting DG SSS May Be the Last Straw

The attention of the Southern and middle Belt Leaders Forum has been drawn to a clandestine plot to remove the Acting Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Matthew Seiyefa from office by a cabal in the Buhari presidency.

We ordinarily would have ignored this report but for the clannishness, sectional proclivity and exclusive handling of the security architecture of the country by President Buhari in the last three years.

He had defied all protestations from all well-meaning Nigerians in making appointments into all key and sensitive security positions in sectional and kith and kin affairs in a very insensitive and you-can-do-your-worst manner that until the recent sack of Daura 16 out of 17 service chiefs were from his corner of the country. It is equally not surprising to us that since the President returned from his holidays in London he has not made a comment on the invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS in his absence which led to the Acting President, Prof. Osinbajo rightly removing the former DG, Lawal Daura confirming speculation that he is not happy with the removal.

The plot to remove the Acting DG is said to be hinged on the professional reorganization of the service by him which the cabal is now interpreting as removing APC elements in DSS for PDP apologists, a clear indication of the divisions this administration has caused in every facet of our life as a nation.

Facts at our disposal however show that what the Acting DG has done is a good example of how to run a diverse polity which this administration has ignored in the last three years.

It was said that under Daura, every need to organize the service along federal character and fill existing vacancies were ignored as he concentrated on nepotism in running DSS and keeping a coterie of those who have retired or have passed retirement in service and many of them having nothing to contribute. The service rule says such people can only be taken on contract if they have special skills.

The Acting DG reportedly noticed that there were three other Directors from the South-South apart from himself and decided to relieve 2 of them so that a Director could be brought in from the South West that had nobody on the management and another person from the North West.

There were about 40 senior officers who were due for retirement or pre-retirement leave whom he had found competent replacement for in a fair manner and according to the service rules.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari is said to have given instructions that the DG should ask all the newly promoted to go back to their previous positions, a directive that ought to have come from the National Security Adviser if there was the need for any. Now the plot is to remove Seiyefa himself.

All these confirm the politicization of a purely security outfit and the denigration of all institutions by an administration that has shown scant regard for the due process.

We call on President Buhari to immediately call his Chief-of-Staff to order so that he can withdraw the obnoxious directive and allow the agency to run professionally.

We also warn of the consequences of further alienating sections of the country by the administration particularly the Niger Delta where the Acting DG is from and the South West whose only representation on the Management of DSS has now been reversed.

The rest of the country has lived with the insensitivity of Mr. President in handling the security architecture in the last three years with equanimity. It may be necessary not to overstretch it by removing the Acting DG and stopping the professional reorganization in the DSS because it is not in tandem with the ethnic domination script of Mr. President.

It may turn out the proverbial last straw!

Mr. Yinka Odumakin
South-West

Senator Bassey Henshaw
South-South

Prof Chigozie Ogbu
South-East

Dr Isuwa Dogo
Middle Belt
September 3, 2018
2019 Presidency: Atiku weeps, obtains PDP Nomination Forms
By Dirisu Yakubu

ABUJA- Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar Friday wept at his Presidential Campaign Office shortly after obtaining his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Abuja.

Atiku who was filled with emotions while receiving the forms from the Atiku Support Groups (ASG) which purchased same for him, reiterated his commitment to the Nigerian cause, and promised to do everything possible not to disappoint Nigerians if given the opportunity.

Unable to overcome his emotions while a member of the ASG, Princess Adekemi Adesanya was painting in graphic details, the sorry state of affairs in the nation, the former Vice President fought back tears as he sobbed, wiping his eyes with the aid of a white handkerchief.

He said: “The event today (purchase of nomination form) is significant and historic because this is the only time in my political career that young men and women in this country have come together without my knowledge or even consent to contribute their own hard-earned money to buy me an Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.

“You could have seen that one of the ladies who spoke virtually succeeded in getting me to weep. This is because she aptly described the challenges every Nigerian is facing in this country today and she believed honestly and sincerely from the bottom of her heart that I could be an instrument of addressing those challenges.

“So, for such a woman to believe that I have got those leadership qualities and including those of you who have brought out your monies to by this form, is one of the most serious challenges I have ever faced in my political career.

“And believe me, addressing those challenges is possible because we have brought young men and women, Nigerians who have got the talents, who have got the education, who have got the experience, who have got all what it take to honestly turn this country around.”

Atiku also attributed the slow pace of development in the country to the failure to harness the creative energies of young people by successive administrations.

“Putting together such talented young Nigerians requires leadership and it is that leadership we have not been fortunate enough to have on a consistent basis that this country has not been able to take her rightful position in Africa and indeed, the world,” he stressed.

That said, the Wazirin Adamawa eulogised former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (of blessed memory) on whose feet, he learnt the rudiments of partisan politics.

His words: “The man who actually brought me into politics, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, when he invited me as a young man told us to break the regional siege that every parts of this country had been subjected to.

“He asked us reach out to every Nigerian across the Niger. To him and for him, that was a major objective; so when he died and I decided to build the Yar’Adua centre in his memory, we got an architect to design the uncompleted bridge.

“The significance of that bridge was that we had started building bridges of understanding and unity across this country and unfortunately, the man who started building that bridge died. I wish I could complete building that bridge.

He thanked his supporters, and assured them of his commitment to job creation if voted into office as President even as urged them to accompany him to Wadata Plaza for the submission of the forms.

“On that day (submission of forms), let us overwhelm the PDP secretariat, let us bring Abuja to a standstill. I bet you by the time we overwhelm the secretariat and bring Abuja to a standstill, the PDP will have no alternative than to give us the ticket,” he added.

Note: The Atiku Support Groups (ASG) is made up of various non-governmental agencies, who believe in the leadership skills of the principal, HE, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Wazirin Adamawa, the man who can move Nigeria forward progressively and in unity.
August 31, 2018
Group presents PDP presidential forms to Atiku
In readiness for the PDP party primaries, Members of All Atiku Support Groups officially presented PDP Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms purchased by the group for His Excellency Atiku Abubakar (GCON) at the campaign headquarters Abuja today 31st August, 2018.

This is not only in support of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar interest in contesting for the seat of President, but the belief by these support groups that he is the best option to put forward by the party in the next presidential elections.

The presentation to HE, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Acknowledgement by HE, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Appreciation by HE, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
August 31, 2018
The Fulani Herdsmen Attack Again
While the president is being praised by his supporters for walking 800 meters, opening his own bottle of water, and brushing his own teeth, the security of lives in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is threatened. Take over of villages at the Nigerian border persists and the armed forces is still not deployed to engage these attackers.
August 31, 2018
2019: PDP, ADC, R-APC, 36 other parties sign grand alliance MOU to oust APC
By Dirisu Yakubu

ABUJA-The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) and 36 other political parties Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a grand alliance to form a government of national unity in 2019. The sole agenda according to the MOU, is to produce a joint Presidential candidate capable of winning the election and enthrone a new government at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2019. Former Acting National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Ben Obi in his opening remarks said the various parties chose to come together to salvage the nations and put to end all semblance of nepotism and tribalism.

According to him, the President Buhari administration has left Nigerians more divided than they were in 2019. “We are here to begin a process that will lead to the formation of a government of national unity. We are here to put to an end the nepotism and corruption that the APC government has been known for in the past three years. “They promised to tackle corruption, revamp the economy and address security challenges and restructure the nation but as soon as they were elected, they denied making such promises. ” We are here to put an end to to dictatorial tendencies and this is a war between light and darkness and I can assure you that light would prevail,” said Senator Obi. Also speaking, R-APC national chairman, Buba Galadima noted that the MOU will send shivers down the spine of the ruling party, adding that since he led a splinter group out of the ruling party, the R-APC has been receiving messages of solidarity from across the world. Buhari will lose 2019 election-Galadima For Galadima, President Buhari is fated to lose the 2019 election, adding that if the President knew what awaited him, it would have been better for him not to go into electoral contest at all. “With what I know, I can tell you that President Buhari will not only this election, he will lose his deposits. Let us not forget that the man we will be facing is a military general. We are ready, prepared to take on this fight despite their intimidations and threats. “I know him but if I was his adviser, I will tell him not to contest,” Galadima said even as he reminded parties to the alliance that the APC has set aside huge sums of money to buy them over in the months leading to the general polls.

Representatives of the ADC and former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola on his part described the coalition as “an assignment from God,” even as he urged the parties to be committed to the letters and spirit of the MOU. He said: “We are committed to restructuring of this nation and we must respect the spirit and letters of this understanding.”

When Nigerians voted in 2015, they thought the APC vehicle will take them to the promised land. But three years after, the APC has failed and failed tragically too.” Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Minister of Finance, Chief Olu False lamented what he termed the “gross incompetence” of the APC-led government and tasked all parties to the alliance to team up in supporting not only a sole Presidential aspirants but sole governorship candidates, Senatorial candidates as well as House of Representatives candidates across all states of the federation. “All our votes must go to the Presidential candidate and to the governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives in every state of the federation. “It is not sufficient to produce the President alone because if we have a President who does not have majority of seats in parliament, there will be challenge as to what the President would be able to do,” he noted. Parties that signed the MOU were the Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Africa Democratic Party (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Better Nigeria Progressive Party, Democratic Alternative (DA), Democratic Peoples Party (DPC), Grand Democratic Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), KOWA Party, Labour Party (LP), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN). Others included the National Conscience Party (NCP), New Generation Party (NGP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), Peoples Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL), Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), People for Democratic Change (PDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Providence People’s Congress (PPC), Reformed All Progressive Congress (RAPC), Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), National Interest Party (NIP), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), and Young Democratic Party (YDP) among others. Baraje, Melaye return One of the highlights of the wells attended event was the formal return to the PDP of its former Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and the lawmaker representing Kogi East, Senator Dino Melaye. While thanking the PDP for accepting him back in its fold, Baraje said a prodigal son regardless of his sins, would always be received with joy upon repentance from his sins. “We went astray but we are back now. If a child burns one of his fingers, he quickly retreat the others. I will like to thank you for accepting to take us back,” he said. Like Baraje, Melaye said he had the option to flow with the crowd but chose to return to PDP to remain politically consisted, saying come 2019, “President Buhari will fail because he is entitled to failure. Dignitaries at the event included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President, David Mark, the governors of Gombe and Akwa Ibom States, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Udoh Emmanuel respectively. Others were Senator Liyel Imoke, Gbenga Daniel, Ibrahim Mantu, Tom Ikimi, Zainab Maina, Ike Ekweremadu and Chief Bode George.
July 9, 2018
Has Aisha Buhari Gone Missing?
In Nigeria, during campaigns, we are used to First Ladies, that’s the wives of Presidents, campaigning for their husbands rigourously for reelections. Prior to 2015 election, we saw Aisha Buhari frying ‘akara’ in the street in support of her husband but forward to 2018, some months to the presidential election, we have hardly noticed this strong willed woman who has been defiling all odds, even shackling religious odds, to speak against her disappointment over her husband’s administration.

Ok let’s say we have not been noticing her disappearance because we are not accustomed to the unusual situations of this administration, people ordinarily talk about things that ail them. But should we have totally forgotten about the first lady that is almost on the side of the suffering masses?

There are some dangerous conspiracy theories concerning her being incommunicado recently but one cannot vouch for such theories. But in 2016, if we can jolt our memory, she said in a BBC interview that her husband has been “held hostage by a cabal” to which the president reacted by sending her to ‘the kitchen and the other room.’ Feminists kicked against his primitive comment all over the world, especially when he was being hosted by a female Chancellor, Angela Merkel of Germany.

Aisha then took to her tweeter handle retweeting both senators Misau and Ben Bruce criticizing her husband’s administration’s lackluster. As if that internalized criticism was not enough, last year, she declared openly that there were no syringes and other items in the Aso Rock Clinic in spite of the huge budgetary allocations for the past two years. And this administration claimed it was fighting corruption. And to this criticisms she was awarded the Vanguard Personality for speaking truth to power even in her difficult condition to do so. She said her position concerning her criticism was not necessarily about confrontation but her sense of justice.

Is it that Aisha, who has apparently shown distaste for her husband’s incompetence has finally been silenced? Who knows, perhaps she has.

Well, the reason behind her lack of many public appearances campaigning for her husband is shrouded in secrecy but might not be unconnected with her perception of her husband’s led administration which had not lived up to expectations. It has rather been bizarre, lackluster and out-of-bound in most cases. We should be interested, especially the women folks to whom she dedicated her last year award, feminists and anti-sexist organizations to know what’s happening to her. Its certain things are not normal, and it will get more abnormal if unchallenged.

#WhereIsAishaBuhari

Elempe Dele
June 3, 2018
IS PLATFORM MOBILITY THE REASON FOR POOR GOVERNANCE?
By Dr. West-Idahosa

Nigeria’s independence was not the product of any tough or ideological struggle. It came as a result of Britain’s political decision to let a number of countries off the hook following the popular crave for independence at that time. Nigeria happened to be one of them. There were no strong ideologies like the type that existed in some former colonies that got their political emancipation through ” blood and iron”.

The early set of political elites probably founded their political parties on some sort of development theories. NPC was anchored on a catch-up- the south development prototype. Action Group was predicated on populist welfarism and NCNC on nationalism. Even then, the advent of decamping gained prominence in the then western region, when Action Group is believed to have instigated indigenes of the region to leave other parties for ethnic reasons. Nationalists like Azikiwe who had won elections in the west were left in bewilderment.

Subsequent generations of politicians diminished in character and preparedness for real governance. The decline of the political environment led to the militarization of governance with the Babaginda era signposting the final fall of official morality. The post Babangida era politicians came in with an inherent settlement culture that commercialized the electorate at a time when everyone was expectant of a share of the national cake. The public became less interested in the quality of governance as long as their votes were procured.

The political parties became zonked in patrimonialism and side effects like godfatherism, impunity, imposition, purchase of party tickets etc became characteristic of the partisan political system. Those who were lucky to occupy the positions of power and influence schemed to exclude rivals from the centre of control. Dominant elites squeezed life out of challenging elites.

The survival struggles promoted platform mobility which enabled politicians to search for platforms of convenience. It must be remembered that the 4th Republic which has been the longest, started with the likes of Bola Ige preparing the manifesto of PDP, APP and AD in the same spirit but different semantics. There was no real difference. Ige and his co-travelers left PDP on the excuse that there were unwanted elements in their midst. They formed APP. They again left for the same reason and formed AD.

The seed of platform mobility which they sowed germinated into a home grown acceptable political behavior. Innumerable number of politicians have benefited from this over the years. It can no longer be regarded as an aberration or can it be credited for the failure of any elected public officer in office. This practice existed before 1999 and has remained thereafter. There are very few real political operatives in our country who may not have changed their platforms. The likely reason for that may be that they are members of the clique that manipulate the party’s control apparatus. Once they lose it, they too may be on the move.

The public is aware of this behavior and seem to have endorsed it over the years by continually voting for politicians without any regard for his platform history. This is clearly a ratification of such practice, which by evolution is now part of the political culture of our country.

Can this be the reason why some public officers let the electorate down after being elected to office? Certainly not. Public officers fail for for many reasons. Some have no capacity to cope with the large demands from the office they occupy. Others are too neck deep in their plan to enrich themselves and nothing else matters to them than their plot to steal the nation dry. A category of elected officials are slaves to nepotism. They think corruption is all about stealing money and turn government appointments and contracts into a theater of mediocrity. Of course, they end up failing.

Most elected executives end up larger than the political parties that sponsored them. They fail to consult with the parties or even glance at the manifestos of such parties. They maintain an olympian aloofness from their political parties. What a pity! The parties may have created their own irrelevance in the political system that we operate. When party leaders and delegates are paid to fly their parties’ tickets and sometimes by all manner of people, what really do they expect from such commercial contractual mandate? Can you eat your political cake and have same? I am sure you cannot.

Platform mobility is not the problem with Nigeria’s political system. It is a mere symptom of other underlining political problems. We must look deeply into the causes of such mobility in order to proffer pragmatic solutions to the real problems with our political system in the hope that we can achieve our dream of an egalitarian society.
November 26, 2017