The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to cause trouble in the country if its Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is not declared winner of the February 16 presidential election as it is clear that he will win the election.
In a statement today, Tuesday, by the National Publicity Secretary and Director of Media and Publicity of its Presidential Campaign Organization, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said: “it is incontrovertible that Nigerians have reached a consensus in rallying behind the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in this election.”
The party warned that any attempt by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) to illicitly deny its candidate the Presidency in the coming elections would be totally resisted.
“Any result that does not reflect the wishes and aspiration of the people will be completely resisted.”
The party accused the Buhari-led administration of deliberately heating up the polity in order to “heat up the polity, inject crisis, undermine the general elections, then carry out their heinous plots to use mercenaries from Niger Republic to unleash mayhem on our nation and blame it on the opposition.”
The statement partly reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes the incessant blackmail and threats against the opposition and law abiding Nigerians by the Buhari Presidency, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and surmised that Nigerians will not buckle under any jackboots.
“The PDP also notes the efforts being made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to heat up the polity, inject crisis, undermine the general elections, then carry out their heinous plots to use mercenaries from Niger Republic to unleash mayhem on our nation and blame it on the opposition, having realized that there is no way President Muhammadu Buhari can win in a peaceful, free and fair election.
“The PDP further draws the attention of the international community to the land mines being set on the way of credible elections by the APC, including the clamp down on opposition, foisting of President Buhari’s relation, Amina Zakari, as head of INEC’s collation center, the refusal by President Buhari to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act, the creation of illegal geo-spatial centers and polling units for allocation of fictitious votes for the APC, listing of APC supporters as election officials and the opening of our borders to mercenaries to participate in our electoral process.
“It is now clear to all that the target of the APC is to demonize and cow the opposition, instill fear in Nigerians, undermine our democratic institutions, attempt to subjugate the citizenry and pave the way for the actualization of a self-succession plan for President Buhari.
“The PDP, as a political party with the highest demography of members and supporters, in their millions, across our nation, therefore states in unequivocal terms, that Nigerians will never allow themselves to be blackmailed, intimidated or cowed by the APC into relinquishing their constitutionally guaranteed rights, to freely chose their leaders, no matter the threats.
“The PDP stands with Nigerians, across the board, in demanding for a free, fair, transparent and credible general election. This position must be respected, as the citizens of our country will spare no thoughts in vehemently confronting and squarely resisting, head to head, any attempt by anybody, whosoever he may be, to subvert our electoral process.
“It is incontrovertible that Nigerians have reached a consensus in rallying behind the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in this election. Any result that does not reflect the wishes and aspiration of the people will be completely resisted.
“The PDP calls on international community to note that the consequences of such resistance in a country of over 200 million people, who have made up their minds for a new leadership, is capable of triggering huge humanitarian crisis not only in Nigeria but also in the West African sub-region.
“PDP therefore urges all institutions responsible for the general election to save our nation from collapse by working towards guaranteeing a credible, free, fair and transparent election. This is all we seek.”
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has cautioned Nigeria against voting the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, alleging that he will sell the remaining national assets to his friends and cronies.
“They (Atiku and PDP) want to come back and sell our commonwealth. They promised to create two million job for you, and nobody ask them how.
“When you were there with Obasanjo how many jobs did you create? How many times did Obasanjo say Atiku stole PTDF’s money?
“The answer he always gave was that his former boss too stole money. Is this the kind of person you want to vote for?”
In a statement today, Tuesday, the APC chieftain insisted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku should explanations to Nigerians what how they mismanaged the resources of the Petroleum Trust Development Funds (PTDF), which Atiku superintended over during the regime administration of Obasanjo.
Tinubu said that PDP operatives are responsible for the electricity estimated billing system “saying their actions to share the electricity company into Generation and DISCO caused the hike in the tariff estimated bill.
“What is Atiku response and PDP? He said what is wrong if I share Nigeria resources with my friends? Is that what you want them to come back to do?”
President Muhammadu Buhari has put the security operatives on red alert, with an instruction that they should not allow corrupt politicians to escape from the country after the forthcoming general elections.
The President who gave the directive today, Tuesday at the Presidential campaign rally in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State that the fight against corruption will be intensified to cover those who have not been captured so far, shortly after the elections.
He vowed to continue to deal ruthlessly with corrupt people and to get rid of graft in line with the promise he made in 2015 to sanitize the country.
President Buhari said that he is quite conscious of the promises he made while contesting four years ago, particularly the ones that have to do with corruption, insecurity and resuscitating the economy.
“We are fighting corruption but it has not been easy. But we told the security agencies to keep watch and ensure that those who have cases to answer do not escape justice.
“As part of our promises, we are building roads, rail lines, fighting corruption.
“We introduced Treasury Single Account and increased power supply so Nigerians can have their own businesses.”
Embattled Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has made it clear that he cannot stand for trial before the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar because he is a biased and tainted arbiter.
Onnoghen, who argued, among others, that justice is rooted in confidence, said he has no confidence in Umar’s capacity to do justice in his case.
He accused Umar of being the sole mind behind the ex-parte order on which President Muhammadu Buhari acted to suspend him (Onnoghen).
The suspended CJN, who described Umar as “a tainted arbiter” by virtue of the charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), “for receiving money bribe in the sum of N10, 000, 000.00 in charge No: CR/109/18 in FCT High Court,” argued that it was impossible for the CCT Chair to act with a fair mind.
Onnoghen asked Umar to disqualify himself in respect of the non-assets declaration charge pending against him (Onnoghen) before the CCT.
The suspended CJN made this argument in a motion filed for him yesterday, Monday by a team of lawyers led by Chris Uche (SAN).
The content of the motion seems a direct response to the directive given, on February 4 this year, by the CCT Chairman, to the effect that Onnoghen must attend the next proceedings at the CCT for him to be arraigned on the charge pending against him.
The motion on notice particularly, prayed the tribunal for an order directing “the honourable Chairman of the tribunal, Honourable Danladi Umar to disqualify/recuse himself from further participating in the adjudication of this case on the ground of real likelihood of bias.”
The grounds on which the prayer is made, include that “the Chairman has constructively convicted the defendant (The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria) sought to be arraigned before him without either hearing from him or his being formally arraigned before him.
“The Chairman authored and signed an ex parte order directing an unconvicted man to step aside on account of a charge not yet before him as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, which is in itself a conviction prior to arraignment and plea/trial.
“The Chairman had directed the Executive arm of government, contrary to the express provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and without reference to the National Judicial Council, the replacement of the office and role of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by his own nominee and appointee in the person of Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad JSC.
“The Chairman, on 23th January, 2019, entertained a motion ex-parte not moved by any known prosecutor, bearing the same title, charge number and purported accused person/defendant, Hon justice Waiter Samuel Onnoghen, CJN, GCON, dated 9th January 2019, which substantially predetermined the guilt of the defendant, without an arraignment.
“Consequent upon the above, the learned Chairman (Hon. Danladi Umar), who purportedly moved, made and signed the order, has put himself in the position of prosecutor, judge and jury to the clear prejudice and bias against the defendant.
“The learned Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (Hon. Danladl Umar) is a tainted arbiter by reason of a criminal charge at the Instance of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for receiving money bribe in the sum of N10,000,000.00 in Charge No: CR/109/18 in FCT High Court by an organ under the supervision of the office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, incidentally the prosecutor and complainant in this matter.
“With such sword of Damocles hanging over him, and himself not just recusing himself from a quasi-judicial function, is himself not likely to be a fair arbiter, but instead more likely to trade in the charges against him in quasi plea bargaining in the charge against him and enter summary conviction in this proceedings to please the prosecutor.
“Various comments and decisions/orders made by the Honourable Chairman of the tribunal clearly demonstrate beyond doubt that the Chairman of the tribunal had inclination or predisposition to decide the case in a certain pre-arranged manner without regard to any law or rules of procedure.
“In the course of the proceedings of this case, the honourable Chairman of the tribunal showed acts of partisanship by making decisions/orders and expressing opinions antagonistic to the applicant and on the other hand demonstrated favourable dispositions towards the respondent.
“The partiality of the honourable Chairman of the tribunal is not in doubt as there are manifest cases of real likelihood of bias on the part of the Chairman of the tribunal against the applicant by reason inter alia of the disclosures above.
“The applicant has no confidence in the honourable Chairman of the tribunal to do justice fairly between parties in this case. as he is a man on a mission to please his masters.
“In spite of the fact that the attention of the tribunal was drawn to four different orders of court, the Chairman, in ruling, abandoned two of the orders and kept on emphasizing on the orders from the Federal High Court and the F.C.T High Court alone supported by Member ll.
“The tribunal has by the conduct, comments and pronouncements of the Chairman on the 14th of January, 1019 and supported by Member II on the 22nd January, 2019 has predetermined the motion of the defendant, challenging its jurisdiction before even same can be heard.
“After the rulings of the 22nd January, 2019, the counsel to the prosecution, again urged the honourable tribunal to make an interim order for the defendant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of the National Judicial Council, but the Chairman of the tribunal in open court stated that the prosecutor should exercise patience, because his motion on notice for stepping aside would be heard at the next adjourned date, which caused all lawyers and members of the public present in court to exclaim in bewilderment before the honourable Chairman struggled unconvincingly to correct himself to the effect that what he meant was for the motion challenging jurisdiction be taken first and thereafter the motion for stepping aside.
“The honourable Chairman later rightly informed the prosecution counsel, in open court, that he was not going to make any interim order for the defendant to step aside, because the issue of jurisdiction raised was fundamental and then adjourned the matter to the 18th January, 2019 for the hearing of motions.
“Surprisingly, on the 23rd of January, 2019, a day after the proceedings of 22nd January, 2019, wherein matter was adjourned to the 28th January, 2019, the Chairman and Member 11 purportedly issued an order ex-parte, directing the defendant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council and also directed the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to swear-in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.
“The Chairman and Member II of this tribunal gave the prosecution/complainant/respondent, through the back door, what they seek by their notion on notice dated 10th January, 2019. Following the said order ex-parte, which was never served on the applicant or the National Judicial Council, the President purportedly suspended the Defendant/Applicant from office on the 25th of January, 2019 and appointed Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.
“There is a clear case of bias against the Defendant/Applicant from the facts narrated above. The defendant/applicant has become totally apprehensive of the proceedings of the honourable tribunal and cannot continue in the proceedings because it has become palpable that he cannot get justice from the conduct and disposition of the Chairman and Member II.
“The honourable tribunal, especially the Chairman, has constituted himself as the prosecutor and accuser of the defendant/applicant and cannot in good and clear conscience continue to be part of the proceedings and trial of the applicant.
“It is most honourable for the honourable Chairman and Member II to recuse and disqualify themselves from the proceedings so that a person of firm and unbiased disposition can be appointed to preside over the proceedings of this matter.
“The Chairman has constructively convicted the defendant (the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria), sought to be arraigned before him, without either hearing from him or his being formally arraigned before him.”
President Mohammadu Buhari has appealed to Ekiti Obas to support him ahead of the February 16 Presidential election which he is contesting for a second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President told the obas, led to the meeting at Ado Ekiti, the state capital by the chairman of the state council of traditional rulers, Oba Michael Oluwole Ademolaju: “I am here again to ask for your support which I usually get from you.”
He expressed gratitude to the traditional rulers for the support they gave to the APC in the state, which led to the election of Dr. Kayode Fayemi as governor of Ekiti State during the July 14, 2018 election in the state.
The President recalled that he had enlisted the support of the obas for the Governor, during his meeting with them few days to the election, and that they did not disappoint him as they supported his candidate and are still supporting the Kayode Fayemi administration in the state.
He assured them that Fayemi would perform creditably as Governor, having put up a good performance as Minister in his cabinet, adding that he is impressed by the Governor’s record of performance so far.
President Buhari, who cited the national railway line that was re-designed to ensure it passes through Ekiti State and the dualiasation of Ado-Ekiti- Akure road as some of the federal government projects in Ekiti State, said the state would benefit more in the next four years if voted in again as President.
In his welcome address, Governor Kayode Fayemi said that the APC-led government has a record of putting the people first, adding the people of Ekiti have alreay started enjoying the dividends of good governance in the past three months.
Dr. Fayemi said that regular payment of workers’ salaries and pensions was being given priority attention by his government in line with the President Buhari’s belief that workers should not be denied their wages under n circumstance.
Fayemi who said the Ekiti people fully embrace the change agenda said the party is busy working to ensure that it post 90 per cent of the votes for President Buhari in the February 16 election.
Governor Fayemi who also congratulated President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo over the latter’s escape from the helicopter crash attributed the Vice President’s escape to the fact that God has a purpose for his life.
The spokesperson for the traditional rulers and Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, HRM Oba Adebayo Adewole, thanked the President for his developmental strides in Ekiti State including connecting the state to the national railway project, adding however, that the state would be expecting more in the next four years.
Specifically, the Oba Adewole urged President Buhari to appoint an Ekiti son or daughter to fill the state quota as minister in the federal cabinet.
Present at the meeting were the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osnbajo (SAN); Governors of Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ondo states. Others include the state deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; deputy national chairman of the party and former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Deputy Governor, Osun state, Otunba Iyiola Omisore.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello hit the road in Abuja campaigning for the re-election of his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari under the umbrella of the ruling all Progressives Congress (APC), today, Tuesday.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has asked the embattled Chief Judge of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen to spare the nation’s judiciary of trauma by resigning.
In an interview with Channels Television’s Seun Okinbaloyo today, Tuesday, Oshiomhole said: “You can’t fight corruption selectively; Onnoghen should spare the Judiciary the trauma, and resign.”
The APC boss said that it is morally improper for Chief Justice of Nigeria to maintain multiple foreign accounts, adding: “Nigeria’s democracy cannot be stable if the rules are only made for the poor”.
Reacting to a statement by the former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo to the effect that President Muhammadu Buhari had returned the nation to the era of dictatorial rule of late General Sani Abacha, Oshiomhole insisted that Obasanjo;s era as President was worse than that of Abacha.
Oshiomhole said: “Obasanjo can’t look me in the eyes and say those things; he is a worse dictator. He was worse than Abacha.”
He said that Obasanjo ruled for eight years and could not fix Nigeria, and “we are saying Buhari should fix Nigeria in three and half years.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has made it clear that Abuja belongs to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Minister who received into the fold of the party of the former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the FCT Alh. Yunusa Suleiman also known as Y.Y congratulated him for what he called “returning home,” as APC is the party for Abuja.
Muhammad Bello is on the APC campaign tour of the FCT South.
He vowed that the APC government will complete the Abaji Water Works in six weeks’ time..
He also gave assurances that all hindrances to the take-off of the Abuja University of Technology, Abaji (AUTA) have been removed and that what remains is the admission processes and minor logistics issues.
He promised the Abaji monarch, Alh. Baba Yunusa, that the Administration will extend the erosion control work in the town further inland to effectively stem the recurrence of the gully erosion that had afflicted the area over the years.
Cyprian Ekwensi’s novel: Survive the Peace was premised, among others, on the disrupted family ties and social relations that emerged in Igboland, after the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us, who witnessed the war, albeit as kids, will confirm that things actually went awry: Brothers turned against brothers; most time, as they squabbled over resources that were, indeed, very scarce. Unfortunately, while in some cases, the enmity caused by the situation has petered out, in others, erstwhile harmonious relationships have been destroyed forever.
By some surprising amnesia, sadly, today, some of those who witnessed that low era, in Igboland, seem not to have properly digested the lessons of the period hence the stage is set for a repeat of that history. This time around, it is the countdown to the 2019 elections, a period that is, again, pregnant with unfathomable forebodings, as Igbo brothers squabble over the best strategy to confront what many regard, as an existential challenge.
From the current fireworks, ignited by the recent endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over and above the incumbent President Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari of the All Peoples Congress Party, APC, it is obvious that, no matter the outcome of the elections, things will no longer be the same again. While the pro-Atiku groups do not see anything wrong with the Ohanaeze position, those in the pro-Buhari camp disagree vehemently with and, in fact, reject the endorsement. Those who want to dismiss the disagreement with a wave of the hand should be concerned that Barrister Uche Okwukwu, the secretary general of Ohanaeze, has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari, obviously conveying the lack of consensus on such a serious matter.
For those who do not know, Okwukwu is an unapologetic pro-Igbo Ikwerre man from Rivers State; he is one whose Igbo DNA has not undergone any mutation, even if you prefixed his first name “Uche” with an “R”, to read Ruche! It is against this background that the reported suspension of Okwukwu, last Friday, should be viewed as not just a dangerous escalation of a worrisome crisis but a questionable strategy for resolving an impasse that could have been averted, had Ohanaeze Ndigbo not been dragged into the murky waters of partisan politics.
Here again, history appears to be repeating itself, as this looks like a throwback to the situation just before the 1979 elections when the leadership of Ohanaeze, at the time, endorsed the Shagari-Ekwueme ticket. Predictably, Ohanaeze went comatose after that incident, only to be revived in 1983. Let us hope that the body is not being railroaded into another state of suspended animation! It is interesting to note that the great ZIK of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was on the ballot as the presidential candidate of the defunct Nigerian People’s Party, NPP, the same year Ohanaeze endorsed Shagari. This time around, by some poetic coincidence, Buhari was at Onitsha, Anambra State, commissioning the Zik Mausoleum, a project that had been abandoned for over 20 years, just as the Nnia Nwodo-led Ohanaeze leadership was publicly endorsing Atiku Abubakar. History!!!
Passions are understandably very high at the moment with each group posturing sanctimoniously, as the moral beacon of the Igbo society. This is particularly the case with those who support the Ohanaeze President, the erudite Dr. John Nnia Nwodo who, in turn, sees himself, not without justification, as the repository of the sovereign socio-cultural authority, of the Igbo nation. Curiously, that is the source of the problem: his authority is socio-cultural, not political. The Ohanaeze leadership was never intended to usurp the role, of political parties, to openly canvass for votes, in a purely partisan fashion. Those who take this line of argument have a strong point, for several reasons.
The first reason is that Ohanaeze is supposed to act as FATHER, to every Igbo person, no matter where the person lives or what interest group, the person belongs. That is why people of Igbo extraction, in the South-South, who share common geo-political and socio-economic affinity with other ethnic groups, also belong to Ohanaeze. However, given their dual identity, their political interests may not always converge with those of the core Igbo heartland. It is precisely for reasons such as this that, playing the role of FATHER demands a high level of dispassion, on the part of Ohanaeze leadership. Put bluntly, neutrality confers on the body, the moral authority to legitimately expect those in dispute to enthusiastically submit to the organisation’s adjudication. But when the body takes an overtly partisan posture as it has done, it subverts its own authority.
The second reason is that partisan politics exposes the actors to all sorts of indignities, given that politicians are not known to be too economical with disparaging language. To be in politics is akin to entering the boxing ring, for a fight: Once in, you cannot hide; you throw and take punches and your opponent may not respect your height or status. Could that be what is happening right now between the Ohanaeze President, Dr. Nnia Nwodo and Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra State? It is precisely for this reason that traditional institutions and socio-cultural organisations like Ohanaeze are advised to steer clear of partisan politics. At any rate, if one may ask, what makes it mandatory for Ohanaeze to make its support public? Are there no corridors for conveying the position of the group, in a manner that it still retains the confidence of all, without exposing some of its members to public ridicule or even danger?
We must face the fact: that is precisely what Ohanaeze has achieved. It has given the impression, which is wrong, that those who support other candidates, especially President Buhari, are less patriotic than others; that they do not have the interest of Igboland at heart. Yet we know that that is debatable. For crying out loud, it is preposterous for anybody to claim that every person, of South-East extraction, in the APC, is an Igbo hater. Furthermore, it will be dubious in the extreme, to suggest, let alone insist, that Igboland got to its present sorry state, just in the past four years.
Let’s face it: the poor infrastructure, absence of strategic national assets such as refineries, iron and steel complexes (in spite of the abundance of coal in the zone!), etc did not just start, four years ago. By some coincidence, many high-ranking members of the Imeobi, the apex decision making organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have held sway in Nigeria’s political scene as governors, ministers, special advisers, chief execs of strategic federal institutions or top party men, even as infrastructure in the south east deteriorated and sunk into complete disrepair. If one may ask, did the miserable state of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway just happen? It will be interesting to tell our people why that stretch of road has lingered in that condition since the restoration of democracy in 1999. What about the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri? Do we need a national referendum or United Nations supervised plebiscite, to provide the infrastructure required to achieve its designated status? Why have successive administrations before now not effectively tackled the indefensible underutilization of sea ports in the eastern corridor of the country? Did President Buhari or the APC stop any previous administration, from doing the needful? I think the time has come for us, Ndigbo, to be more honest with ourselves.
Another strong case that should discourage Ohanaeze, from overt political exposure, is the fact that, by its structure and role, it interfaces with similar bodies in other parts of Nigeria. Granted that other socio-cultural organisations necessarily have their political preferences, these are astutely masked by emphasizing matters that affect regional interests and programs, rather than endorsing individuals or political parties. One possible exception to this rule is the Afenifere which publicly supports any candidate or party. But they hedge their bets through what, some have argued, are public stunts, designed to obfuscate their overall strategy. While I do not necessarily agree with that position, the reality is that, head or tail, the Yoruba will always find a way of not losing out completely; it doesn’t matter if they scream to the top of their voices that the contrary is the case! I think they have mastered the art of not stacking all their (political) eggs in one basket! Are there lessons for the Igbo in this?
Political wisdom will dictate that institutions, like Ohanaeze, retain the credibility to act, on behalf of their groups, no matter the outcome of the elections. There are moments when people think that elections have been wrapped up, that the public mood, as expressed on social media or even dictated by opinion polls or public debates, have settled the outcome of elections. That is where false confidence can be disastrous. Let us hope that Ohanaeze does not become a victim of such over-confidence. Should Buhari/APC win, and going by the demographics and the peculiar primordial determinants of electoral behaviour in Nigeria, nothing so far suggests that the party will lose, it is hoped that Ohanaeze will retain the moral fiber to present itself as a credible voice of the Igbo, thereafter.
Besides, it needs to be stated that one way to avert a reenactment of the immediate post-civil war era calamity, where the Igbo found surviving the peace much more difficult than surviving the war, is to commence immediate fence-mending steps, to repair the damage already caused. Ohanaeze Ndigbo can borrow a leaf from President Buhari who, while campaigning in Owerri, advised voters in Imo State to vote for candidates of their choice, across party and not ethnic or religious lines.
Emma Agu is a fellow of both the Nigerian Union of Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
President Buhari receives in Courtesy Visit some Former Military Governors and Administrators in State House on 4th Feb 2019
Ahead of the February 16 Presidential election in Nigeria, no fewer than 58 top army generals and other officers have endorsed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The retired generals and officers who were led to the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, Monday by the former military governor of Lagos Sate, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, were made up of one Vice Admiral, two Lt-Generals, 15 Major Generals, two Rear Admirals, eight Air Vice-Marshals, 12 Brigadier-Generals, three Commodores, nine Air Commodores, and 17 former military governors/administrators, among others.
Brigadier-General Marwa, who was military governor in Borno, and later military administrator of Lagos State, said that the retired top officers thought it right to visit the President, “to say that you have represented your constituency very well.
“You announced a simple three-point agenda upon assumption of office namely security; fighting corruption, and the economy. You have kept your words as an officer and a gentleman.”
Gen Marwa added: “We the retired armed forces officers, representing 99.9% of our colleagues say that we are proud of you; proud to be associated with your administration and proud to witness this era of Nigeria rising again under your able leadership.
“We support you fully and totally in the presidential elections next week and will do whatever we can within the law to contribute to your emergence as the victor in the election in order to take Nigeria to the next level.”
Also, the most senior of the retired officers, Vice Admiral Jubrila Ayinla, a former Chief of Naval Staff, said future generations would acquit President Buhari most creditably.
“On behalf of the generals here today, I congratulate you on the tremendous work done by this administration, and wish to state unequivocally that we are proud of you and fully behind you in the presidential elections next week. We pledge our full support and continued loyalty.”
Responding, President Buhari said: “God has made this country great. We have human and material resources, and may God continue to give us the right leaders. My objective is very clear, and I will continue to do my best.”
Buhari recalled what he said in his days as military head of state that; “We have no other country but Nigeria. We will stay here and salvage it together.”
He said that even if one is blessed enough to send children for training abroad, and that after such training, they will still have to come back here.
“We must, therefore, give our best for our country. The patriotism imbued in us by the military will ever remain relevant. Let’s do our best for this country.”
The President describing Nigeria as a fabulous country, adding that if it were not so, the country could not have survived the damage done to it materially and morally in the past.
He glorified God that after 30 months civil war, with over two million lives lost, “we are still one country.”
He described the military as an institution that gives him amazing opportunities to know the country, its different peoples and cultures, “and I am very grateful that you have claimed me back as one of your own. I was governor of North-east, which is now six states, Minister of Petroleum for over three years, head of state; I was arrested and detained, but did not lose my rank, because nothing was found against me.”
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The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to cause trouble in the country if its Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is not declared winner of the February 16 presidential election as it is clear that he will win the election.
President Muhammadu Buhari has put the security operatives on red alert, with an instruction that they should not allow corrupt politicians to escape from the country after the forthcoming general elections.
President Mohammadu Buhari has appealed to Ekiti Obas to support him ahead of the February 16 Presidential election which he is contesting for a second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ohanaeze Ndigbo And 2019 Presidential Elections, By Emma Agu
By some surprising amnesia, sadly, today, some of those who witnessed that low era, in Igboland, seem not to have properly digested the lessons of the period hence the stage is set for a repeat of that history. This time around, it is the countdown to the 2019 elections, a period that is, again, pregnant with unfathomable forebodings, as Igbo brothers squabble over the best strategy to confront what many regard, as an existential challenge.
From the current fireworks, ignited by the recent endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over and above the incumbent President Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari of the All Peoples Congress Party, APC, it is obvious that, no matter the outcome of the elections, things will no longer be the same again. While the pro-Atiku groups do not see anything wrong with the Ohanaeze position, those in the pro-Buhari camp disagree vehemently with and, in fact, reject the endorsement. Those who want to dismiss the disagreement with a wave of the hand should be concerned that Barrister Uche Okwukwu, the secretary general of Ohanaeze, has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari, obviously conveying the lack of consensus on such a serious matter.
For those who do not know, Okwukwu is an unapologetic pro-Igbo Ikwerre man from Rivers State; he is one whose Igbo DNA has not undergone any mutation, even if you prefixed his first name “Uche” with an “R”, to read Ruche! It is against this background that the reported suspension of Okwukwu, last Friday, should be viewed as not just a dangerous escalation of a worrisome crisis but a questionable strategy for resolving an impasse that could have been averted, had Ohanaeze Ndigbo not been dragged into the murky waters of partisan politics.
Here again, history appears to be repeating itself, as this looks like a throwback to the situation just before the 1979 elections when the leadership of Ohanaeze, at the time, endorsed the Shagari-Ekwueme ticket. Predictably, Ohanaeze went comatose after that incident, only to be revived in 1983. Let us hope that the body is not being railroaded into another state of suspended animation! It is interesting to note that the great ZIK of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was on the ballot as the presidential candidate of the defunct Nigerian People’s Party, NPP, the same year Ohanaeze endorsed Shagari. This time around, by some poetic coincidence, Buhari was at Onitsha, Anambra State, commissioning the Zik Mausoleum, a project that had been abandoned for over 20 years, just as the Nnia Nwodo-led Ohanaeze leadership was publicly endorsing Atiku Abubakar. History!!!
Passions are understandably very high at the moment with each group posturing sanctimoniously, as the moral beacon of the Igbo society. This is particularly the case with those who support the Ohanaeze President, the erudite Dr. John Nnia Nwodo who, in turn, sees himself, not without justification, as the repository of the sovereign socio-cultural authority, of the Igbo nation. Curiously, that is the source of the problem: his authority is socio-cultural, not political. The Ohanaeze leadership was never intended to usurp the role, of political parties, to openly canvass for votes, in a purely partisan fashion. Those who take this line of argument have a strong point, for several reasons.
The first reason is that Ohanaeze is supposed to act as FATHER, to every Igbo person, no matter where the person lives or what interest group, the person belongs. That is why people of Igbo extraction, in the South-South, who share common geo-political and socio-economic affinity with other ethnic groups, also belong to Ohanaeze. However, given their dual identity, their political interests may not always converge with those of the core Igbo heartland. It is precisely for reasons such as this that, playing the role of FATHER demands a high level of dispassion, on the part of Ohanaeze leadership. Put bluntly, neutrality confers on the body, the moral authority to legitimately expect those in dispute to enthusiastically submit to the organisation’s adjudication. But when the body takes an overtly partisan posture as it has done, it subverts its own authority.
The second reason is that partisan politics exposes the actors to all sorts of indignities, given that politicians are not known to be too economical with disparaging language. To be in politics is akin to entering the boxing ring, for a fight: Once in, you cannot hide; you throw and take punches and your opponent may not respect your height or status. Could that be what is happening right now between the Ohanaeze President, Dr. Nnia Nwodo and Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra State? It is precisely for this reason that traditional institutions and socio-cultural organisations like Ohanaeze are advised to steer clear of partisan politics. At any rate, if one may ask, what makes it mandatory for Ohanaeze to make its support public? Are there no corridors for conveying the position of the group, in a manner that it still retains the confidence of all, without exposing some of its members to public ridicule or even danger?
We must face the fact: that is precisely what Ohanaeze has achieved. It has given the impression, which is wrong, that those who support other candidates, especially President Buhari, are less patriotic than others; that they do not have the interest of Igboland at heart. Yet we know that that is debatable. For crying out loud, it is preposterous for anybody to claim that every person, of South-East extraction, in the APC, is an Igbo hater. Furthermore, it will be dubious in the extreme, to suggest, let alone insist, that Igboland got to its present sorry state, just in the past four years.
Let’s face it: the poor infrastructure, absence of strategic national assets such as refineries, iron and steel complexes (in spite of the abundance of coal in the zone!), etc did not just start, four years ago. By some coincidence, many high-ranking members of the Imeobi, the apex decision making organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have held sway in Nigeria’s political scene as governors, ministers, special advisers, chief execs of strategic federal institutions or top party men, even as infrastructure in the south east deteriorated and sunk into complete disrepair. If one may ask, did the miserable state of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway just happen? It will be interesting to tell our people why that stretch of road has lingered in that condition since the restoration of democracy in 1999. What about the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri? Do we need a national referendum or United Nations supervised plebiscite, to provide the infrastructure required to achieve its designated status? Why have successive administrations before now not effectively tackled the indefensible underutilization of sea ports in the eastern corridor of the country? Did President Buhari or the APC stop any previous administration, from doing the needful? I think the time has come for us, Ndigbo, to be more honest with ourselves.
Another strong case that should discourage Ohanaeze, from overt political exposure, is the fact that, by its structure and role, it interfaces with similar bodies in other parts of Nigeria. Granted that other socio-cultural organisations necessarily have their political preferences, these are astutely masked by emphasizing matters that affect regional interests and programs, rather than endorsing individuals or political parties. One possible exception to this rule is the Afenifere which publicly supports any candidate or party. But they hedge their bets through what, some have argued, are public stunts, designed to obfuscate their overall strategy. While I do not necessarily agree with that position, the reality is that, head or tail, the Yoruba will always find a way of not losing out completely; it doesn’t matter if they scream to the top of their voices that the contrary is the case! I think they have mastered the art of not stacking all their (political) eggs in one basket! Are there lessons for the Igbo in this?
Political wisdom will dictate that institutions, like Ohanaeze, retain the credibility to act, on behalf of their groups, no matter the outcome of the elections. There are moments when people think that elections have been wrapped up, that the public mood, as expressed on social media or even dictated by opinion polls or public debates, have settled the outcome of elections. That is where false confidence can be disastrous. Let us hope that Ohanaeze does not become a victim of such over-confidence. Should Buhari/APC win, and going by the demographics and the peculiar primordial determinants of electoral behaviour in Nigeria, nothing so far suggests that the party will lose, it is hoped that Ohanaeze will retain the moral fiber to present itself as a credible voice of the Igbo, thereafter.
Besides, it needs to be stated that one way to avert a reenactment of the immediate post-civil war era calamity, where the Igbo found surviving the peace much more difficult than surviving the war, is to commence immediate fence-mending steps, to repair the damage already caused. Ohanaeze Ndigbo can borrow a leaf from President Buhari who, while campaigning in Owerri, advised voters in Imo State to vote for candidates of their choice, across party and not ethnic or religious lines.
Emma Agu is a fellow of both the Nigerian Union of Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.