Category Archives: Politics

Press Release: No Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Meeting For Monday- Amaechi

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By Rotimi Amaechi

On Saturday June 15 and Sunday June 16, reports in the media credited to my brother governor, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State announced that he has called for a Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting. Ordinarily I would have ignored these reports as I do not imagine that as governors who hold our people’s mandate through the democratic process of free and fair elections, we would do anything to impugn our integrity.

Gov Rotimi Amaechi of River State & Chairman NGF

Gov Rotimi Amaechi of River State & Chairman NGF

However as chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, elected by my colleagues to safeguard their integrity and that of the forum it has become imperative for me to request my brother and Governor Jang to remain within the confines of decorum and cease to impersonate me and to stop parading himself as NGF chairman. There is only one chairman of the forum, duly elected by a vote tally of 19: 16 on Thursday, May 23, 2013.

For the avoidance of doubt, I as chairman of the NGF have not called for any Governors’ Forum meeting for Monday, June 16, 2013. The only meeting scheduled for Monday June 16, is a meeting of all Governors with His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan scheduled to hold at 9pm at Aso Rock Villa. All governors should please ensure attendance at this meeting with Mr. President.

I wish to reassure my brother governors that this storm shall pass and we all will be reunited as one family committed to our nation’s unity and supporting Mr. President in his vision for a Nigeria that safeguards the rights of all its citizens to good governance and democratic norms.

Governor Jang is my brother and friend and I harbor no ill feelings against him, but it is important that he stops this impersonation, as it could threaten all the good work we all have done together.

May I remind Governor Jang that there is a legal action that has been instituted against him by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State from parading himself as the chairman of NGF. As leaders elected by our people, Nigerians are closely watching us. We must comport our selves according the dictates and principles of democratic and lawful practices and norms.

CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI
Governor, Rivers State/Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF)

Esuene Wants to Succeed Akpabio

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Senator Helen Esuene, representing Eket Senatorial district, Akwa Ibom state in the National Assembly has indicated her intention to become the first female governorship aspirant in the state for the 2015 governorship election.

Her Excellency, Mrs. Helen Esuene

Her Excellency, Mrs. Helen Esuene

Esuene voiced her intention in her senatorial district, saying she has commenced consultations pending a formal declaration before the entire people of Akwa Ibom State.

“The governorship of this state with present administration ending 2015, a lot of people have come to me to say you must contest and I say why? They say we know that you are the one that can manage this state, so that there is unity, transparency, sustainable development.

“I know sustainable development is born out of three things. One justice, two justice which begets peace and unity and three is vision before you can have sustainable development otherwise we know that it is very difficult to build but to destroy is easy.” 

Teodorin Obiang: The Dictator’s Son with a Malibu Mansion and a Warrant for His Arrest

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Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue
ABDELHAK SENNA / AFP / GETTY IMAGESThis file photo taken on Jan. 24, 2012, shows Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of Equatorial Guinea’s President, speaking in the town of Mbini, Equatorial Guinea

Last Friday, just as the workweek in France was winding down in readiness for Bastille Day celebrations, French authorities quietly issued an arrest warrant for a man whose lavish spending has for years raised eyebrows not only in Paris but also thousands of kilometers away — in California. Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of the President of one of Africa’s smallest countries, Equatorial Guinea, had failed to appear at a French money-laundering investigation in order to answer questions about how he managed to spend millions of dollars despite earning a modest government salary.

For the 41-year-old potentate, the French warrant was just the latest episode in what has been a wild ride, one that includes a movie-star life in Malibu, allegedly fueled by proceeds from companies — mostly American — operating in his tiny oil-rich country. Now that bucolic lifestyle is under threat, in part, according to some activists, because Western tolerance for foreign dictators’ excesses has lately worn thin — and that’s in turn thanks, some believe, to the Arab Spring. “It doesn’t hurt that in the public perception, the catalyst for the Arab Spring was those leaders’ corruption,” says Joseph Kraus, development director of EG Justice, an NGO in Washington working on human rights in Equatorial Guinea. “Corruption is a difficult thing to prove, especially in a country which is so closed, but we hope the arrest warrant will be a signal for other countries to follow.”

But will it? That seems unclear, judging by a separate political wrangle unfolding this week in Paris. Despite the fury of human-rights organizations and Western diplomats, Teodorin’s father, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is due to arrive in the French capital on Tuesday to present a life-sciences award at the U.N.’s cultural agency, UNESCO. The African leader has given UNESCO $3 million over five years for the award. President Obiang, 70, has ruled Equatorial Guinea for more than 32 years, since overthrowing his uncle in 1979. Enraged by UNESCO’s decision, U.S. and E.U. diplomats have said they intend to boycott Tuesday’s event. “We have consistently and adamantly objected to this particular prize,” said U.S. ambassador to UNESCO David Killion in a statement, citing Equatorial Guinea’s record of human-rights abuses.

Yet, prizes aside, there is a new chill against the Obiangs, who for decades have been able to amass fortunes outside their country.

After years of trying to track Teodorin’s wealth, the U.S. Department of Justice finally filed a lawsuit last month in a California court alleging massive money-laundering and listing, among the eye-popping catalog of assets, his $35 million Malibu mansion — a 1,400-sq-m sprawl off the Pacific Coast Highway with a four-hole golf course, tennis court and two swimming pools. That’s just one of the acquisitions he’s made in the U.S. His first trip to California was in 1991, paid for by a U.S. oil company called Walter Oil & Gas Corp., when he was 20, to study at Pepperdine University (he dropped out after five months), according to the lawsuit. The U.S. complaint also lists, among Teodorin’s assets, a fleet of luxury cars, including a 2011 Ferrari worth about $532,000 and a $494,000 collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia allegedly bought at auction after the singer’s death, including seven life-size statues of the singer and a white glove from Jackson’s 1986 Bad Tour.

That is not all. In a separate case, French investigators are trying to track the millions Teodorin has spent in Paris — a longtime favorite place for dictators to make use of their ill-gotten gains. Last Friday’s arrest warrant came despite a move by President Obiang to protect his son through diplomatic immunity, by having him join Equatorial Guinea’s mission to UNESCO. Clearly, that ploy failed. The President’s son — currently Vice President and the likely successor for Equatorial Guinea’s top post — owns a five-story mansion on Paris’ swank Avenue Foch, where he kept 11 luxury cars, including a Maserati and an Aston Martin, until French police seized them last November as part of the investigation. Neighbors on the treelined avenue described to the Guardian how a parade of tailors from France’s top fashion houses regularly arrived at the house while Teodorin was there. Not bad for an official from an obscure African nation with just 720,000 people, whose official yearly salary was less than $100,000.

Indeed, Equatorial Guinea might have remained an impoverished backwater — a classic banana republic — had energy-exploration companies not chanced upon the country’s spectacular oil wealth in the late ’90s. Now, with Equatorial Guinea’s estimated 1.1 billion barrels in proven oil reserves, ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil and Noble Energy have plowed billions into the country, turning it into Africa’s fourth largest oil exporter, with much of its output headed to the U.S.

These days the country has a per capita income equivalent to its former colonial ruler, Spain. Yet the distribution of its wealth is hugely disproportionate, with many locals living below the poverty line, according to World Bank estimates. And although State Department human-rights reports have regularly assailed Equatorial Guinea for its imprisonment and torture of antigovernment activists, investments by U.S. companies have nonetheless expanded beyond oil. In 2010, the country signed a $250 million military-security contract with a Virginia company called MPRI to improve coastal surveillance, according to a corporate press release at the time. So dominant have U.S. investments been, in fact, that in 2009 a diplomatic cable from the U.S. embassy in the country advised that “the door is wide open” for the U.S. to exercise significant influence and to push the aging President to institute democratic reforms. “After all, we [via the U.S. oil companies] pay all the bills, and the [Equatorial Guinea] leadership knows it,” said the cable.

Although it is not clear whether U.S. oil companies helped pay for Teodorin’s high-flying lifestyle, last month’s U.S. lawsuit gives a rare window into how foreign corporations are expected to operate in Equatorial Guinea. In 2005, for example, Teodorin tried (and failed) to have a U.S. oil company called Ocean Energy pay for Gulfstream to furnish him with a $40 million private jet. Both companies refused to cooperate, according to the U.S. complaint. But other companies have not escaped being embroiled in Teodorin’s taste for luxury. The French engineering company Bouygues, which has large business interests in Equatorial Guinea, allegedly built a mansion for the President’s son in the country’s capital for free, according to the filing. And Teodorin, the document claims, also ordered foreign companies to upgrade thousands of poor people’s homes by installing zinc-tile roofs, at a time when he had a “substantial financial interest” in the zinc-roofing business.

Years of these corrupt practices may finally be ending — or at least are finding attention far more difficult to escape. Some legal experts have even argued to make such corruption a crime against humanity in the International Criminal Court. The challenge ahead, say anticorruption organizations, is making money-laundering cases stick. Such investigations are hugely complex and often take years, with witnesses and documents pooled in from multiple continents.

The Arab Spring’s financial investigations show just how difficult the probe into Teodorin’s alleged corruption might be. Over breakfast on Monday in Paris, Khaled Ben M’Barek, political counselor to Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, told a group of reporters that Tunisian officials have barely begun to unravel the finances of ousted dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who is believed to have siphoned billions out of the country during his 24-year rule. “Money is in many different countries and companies,” M’Barek said. In London, Global Witness campaigner Robert Palmer told TIME on Monday that U.S. and European officials could well face the same problem in trying to unravel Equatorial Guinea’s billions. “You just have to look at the Arab Spring to see how easy it was for leaders to bring their money into investment banks,” he said. “It is exceptionally difficult to track down assets when you can hide them in a web of shell companies.” Or when those assets come in the form of Malibu property and Michael Jackson memorabilia.

-Time World

Ahead 2016: Dickson Recruits 10,000 Cultists

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Gov. Seriake Dickson
 Gov Seriake Henry Dickson of Bayelsa State on Saturday stunned the public and observers of political developments with the announcement of enlistment in a youth empowerment programme of 10,000 of the 11,000 youths who reportedly renounced cultism.

The governor, who was speaking an elaborate ceremony at the Bounquet Hall in Yenagoa, said he had set aside N1 billion for the programmes to ensure they become self-reliant.

“If we do not help to build you all, then our future will not be assured,” he told them.  “You are all aware of what our Restoration Government is doing; building schools, roads, hospitals, investing in security and making our state safe, talking to people to come here to invest so that we can create jobs for you.

“All of these will come to nothing, if we don’t help to equip you with the skills that you need to partake in the economy to protect our future.”

He promised that the exercise is just the beginning, and that his team will conduct a meticulous verification exercise to select the 10,000 beneficiaries, local government by local government.

“When we are through with all of these, we are going to engage you in a special youth empowerment programme. A total of 10,000 youths will be engaged” Dickson said.

The announcement however caused a stir among those youths who were not part of the 11,000 that earlier registered to renounce cult participation.

The state government had announced the provision of free transportation from the eight council areas, a development that caused several thousands of youths to join the bandwagon.

One of the so-called “repentant cultists” told our reporter that he was lured to join the group because of the empowerment attached to it.

“I can tell you that most of us here are here for the money, since the government is rewarding the lawless and punishing the lawful we have to play along, first it was the militants, now it is the cultists, may be armed robbers and kidnappers will be the next.

“This same government just increased tax burden on civil servants and has announced it will impose additional levies on citizens for refuse disposal.  Since there is nothing for the law abiding ones, we have to survive, that is the game,” said one of them.

It was however learnt that Dickson bought into the idea for calculated political gains ahead of the 2015 general elections and his re-election contest in 2016.

Said a resident, “This is just an exercise to worsen the spate of violence, we all know the history of militancy, the initial cache of arms they used were remnants from election duties and that was what took us to where we are today. It is rather unfortunate that we are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder by this policy of government. Let them wake up if they are dreaming.”

 

 -SaharaReporters

2015 guber election: Akpabio plots to frustrate Eket Senatorial District

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By Isong Udoh

Fresh facts emerged over the weekend on how the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio is plotting to kill any moves that could make it possible for any candidate from Eket Senatorial District,ESD, otherwise known as Akwa Ibom South, to clinch the top job come 2015.

Governor Akpabio smiles at the plot.jpg

Governor Akpabio smiles at the plot

An impeccable source revealed that soon after the last Akwa Ibom South(Eket) Senatorial District meeting held in Eket, Governor Akpabio’s team met at the Centre for the Study of Akpabioism, along Airport Road, Uyo to brainstorm on possible ways to frustrate the Eket Senatorial District bid for the governorship position come 2015.

The source said,“The fact is that they are planning on how to destabilize any bond that exist in the ESD that could form a formidable force which would lead to the choice of an acceptable candidate who will take over from His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio…” the source said

The source further revealed that the plan is to ensure that the existing Zoning regime of the office of the Governor based on Senatorial District is abolished permanently. It further said that the aim was to ensure that “Di-tribal” geo-political divisions be established in the state. Under this proposal, there will be only two geopolitical groups/zones -(1) the Majority (Ibibio) Group and (2) the minorities.

The source had revealed that Eket senatorial district which has 12 Local Government Areas may not even be able to realize their dream of winning the Governorship election even after 2015 has come and gone.

“There is no doubt that the enemies of Eket Senatorial District are not sleeping. They will do anything to snatch the office from Eket Senatorial District in 2015. Some very powerful selfish persons who are in power in the State want to colonize Eket even with their resources.” The source had explained.

FG grounds Oshiomhole’s aircraft

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By SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY-THE prevailing political tension in the nation as a result of the factionalization of the Nigeria Governors Forum became messier Friday as the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), grounded the chartered helicopter which was meant to convey Governor Adams Oshiomhole to Anambra state for the burial ceremony of the wife of Senator Ben Obi,the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mrs Collete Obi.

*Oshiomhole

*Oshiomhole

The drama started when the pilot, Captain James Manahash, who was already air-burn with the governor and his entourage was ordered to fly back to the Benin airport five minutes after taking off over what they described as failure to pay aerodrome and landing fee.

The pilot was threatened to fly back or the aircraft will be banned from flying. It was learnt that the governor who observed the argument between the pilot and the NAMA officials, prevailed on the pilot to come back and answer the call so as to sort out the issues raised.

But to the chagrin of the Governor and the pilot, they were delayed for over one hour thirty minutes even after the pilot paid the landing and aerodrome fees. After waiting for such hours a visibly angry Oshiomhole entered his vehicle and zoomed off. Saturday Vanguard later learnt that he headed to his village at Iyamho. He declined comment.

When newsmen met with the pilot, Captain Manahash, he expressed shocked over the incident, asserting that “I have been a pilot for 35 years out of which 7 years in Nigeria. So I was surprised when I was recalled back to the airport after we took off. The Governor prevailed on me to come back and answer them. When we got back I was told to pay landing and aerodrome fee which ordinarily we could pay later.

“Even after completion of the process of payment, we were still delayed for one hour fifteen minutes with the governor still seated in the aircraft. Ordinarily payment of such fees doesn’t take more then ten minutes. This is not the first time I have been flying the governor and we have never witnessed such a disappointment. It is really shocking” he stated.

More details soon

AMAECHI @ 48: AUDACITY AND REJECTION OF PDP’ S GREEK BIRTHDAY GIFT

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   By Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.com, 08038199163

PREAMBLE

Gov Rotimi Amaechi of River State

Gov Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State

Audacity, according to Dictionary.com is defined as one being very bold or daring, especially with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions. A “Greek Gift” on the other hand is a gift given with the intention of tricking and causing harm to the recipient. On May 27, 2013 while Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was celebrating his 48th birthday with youths and children of Rivers State in Government House, a ‘monstrous’ Greek Birthday gift was parcelled to him all the way from Abuja, the nation’s capital by the National Working Committee, NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a party he and others of like minds, have worked tirelessly to nurture to its present status of a national podium and a party with the largest membership in Africa.

In previous articles, I have said that Amaechi’s tie with the destiny of Rivers State is mysterious and different with that of any other political leader from the State.  He is the only political leader so far who has played a key role in shaping the political future of the State who shares the same birthday with the State. Whilst he was born on 27t May 27, 1965, the State was created two years after on May 27, 1967. This, somehow underscores why his commitment towards the emancipation and development of the State is total and unique.

Another unique aspect of this great leader from Rivers State is that he shares the same date with the day that Nigeria celebrates her children’s Day. Inspired by the United Nations Children efforts, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided in 1964 a year to the birthday of Amaechi to set aside the May 27 every year as Nigeria Children’s day. On this special day the whole Nation celebrates the Nigerian Child and the Federal Government declares a public holiday for public schools across the country. The day is usually marked by fanfare such as dances, singing by children in colourful dresses and youth parades considered by many as the highlights of the day.

To all intents and purposes, his massive investment in Education clearly shows his love for a better tomorrow for children, as there is no gainsaying the fact that education is the bedrock of development of any society. Today, his investment in Education in the State stands out in the country. The State and national awards the State has earned in this regard bears this out.

WHY AMAECHI IS AMAECHI!

The family of Amaechi in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State was blessed with the birth of a son who unbeknownst to all would become a force to reckon with in Nigeria’s political even before his 48th Birthday. He was named Chibuike which means “God is all Powerful” and “Rotimi” an abridged version of “Oluwadurotimi”meaning “the Lord stands by me”, while Amaechi means “who knows tomorrow?”. Remember the popular phrase, what is in a name? One does not need to be prophetic to know that all the meanings embedded in his name are playing out in the acts and arts of politics in Amaechi’s life.

Amaechi, as he himself has overtly said in several occasions was not born into opulence. As a child his family experienced real hardship and the young chap admits that he has gone through several challenges that have helped to shape his perception of life. His determination to ensure equal access to education for every Rivers child and bridge the gap between the privileged and underprivileged children in the state is unprecedented. Whenever the occasion demands, he (Amaechi) would not hesitate to point out that though he came from an underprivileged background; his was a modest family that inculcated in him the virtues of honesty, humility and sheer doggedness to succeed.

To give an insight into some of the experiences Governor Amaechi had to go through in order to be educated and which perhaps may very well be the reason behind his passion to provide free education for all children in the state, rich and poor as he says in a recent interview. “I don’t know how many people in my cabinet that could have experienced poverty like I did. I grew up at No.18, Chibu Street, I moved from there to Nnamdi Azikwe. Later, I live with one of my friends in one of the creek villages near Port Harcourt. And I knew that my parents suffered a lot. With tears, they were looking for money to pay for my school fees, buy me uniforms, bags and all that. When I was in the university, I used to tell the girls that none of you looked at my face because I was wearing one shirt, one pair of trousers almost every day with a sandal.’ On Fridays, we would wash it and we wouldn’t move out at all on Saturday to enable it dry; Sam Okah and myself. Then it would dry on Saturday, but on Sunday, we were back to life; wearing the same shirt and the same trousers. How many of those in the cabinet passed through that?” This is the pathetic story of the man that is driven with a passion in his drive for a better Rivers State.

He became Governor of Rivers State in October 2007, after his previous position as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from1999 to 2007. He successfully sought re-election and won as River State Governor on April 26, 2011.

An alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt and probably due to what he went thorough growing up; today, he is committed to ensuring that education is received without much burden in terms of finance to parents and guardians, as exemplified in the free education policy of his administration, including the provision of free uniforms, free sandals, free books, free hand bags and free tuition in the primary schools, while in the secondary schools, the government offers free uniform, free bags, free books and free boarding and free sandals. This may well be his own special way of living up to his birthday which coincides with the Children’s Day!

Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has also made massive infrastructural investments around the state, road projects, schools, health centres, rural electrification, ongoing monorail project, rural development, land reclamation, implementation of the Greater Port Harcourt Master Plan and most importantly the sustenance of relative peace and security evident in the continued attraction and influx of foreign investors to the State. Amaechi stands as the only African Leader to have constructed 60 health centres, donated the same to 60 communities in 60, a feat many within and outside the state describe as first of its kind. His astute leadership in striving for financial transparency, accountability and inclusive governance has earned the State a lot of accolades, numerous awards and recognition by international bodies and corporations including the ability to attract a B+/AA Fitch investment rating to the state, boost economic and structural development as well as enhance content development in all sectors of Rivers State.

As Speaker of the State House of Assembly, he was Chairman, conference of speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria (1999 –2000), Governor of Rivers State (2007 – date) and currently Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, a position he recent re-contested and won. He has received the prestigious national award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON.

Amaechi bagged the Sun Newspaper Man of the Year Award in 2007 and the Compass Newspaper Award for Security in 2008. The Governor of the year 2009 Award was presented to Governor Amaechi at the ‘Leadership Award for Excellence – 2009 and was the Vanguard personality of the Year for 2012.

AMAECHI AND HIS ENDLESS TRAVAILS

The issues around the governor’s forum and his desire to seek re-election and the eventual outcome are not new to Nigerians. Speaking manner of fact, Amaechi won the NGF election and the facts are there for all to see. The Rivers State Government plane was grounded in what was obviously a political action. Even after the House of Representatives has indicted both the Ministry of Aviation and its agency, the plane is yet to be released. The Police Commissioner in the State became a law onto himself – he is either threatening or withdrawing police orderlies of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly or that of the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government or locking up the Obio-Akpor Local Government Secretariat even against the order of a Court. The two day warning strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC in the State does not make any meaning to the Police. The duly elected PDP leadership under Chief Godspower Ake was ousted by a High Court in Abuja and the speed in which the Felix Obuh led Executive was inaugurated by the National leadership of the party lives a sour taste in the mouth. Some youths from neighbouring states were mobilised against Governor Amaechi, asking for his resignation for doing nothing not minding all his achievements to improve the lots of the State, while plots to get the Governor impeached by a minority in the State House of Assembly is still being hatched.

One starts to wonder if the Governor is being persecuted for performing as stated by an illustrious son of the State and former Minister of Petroleum Resources Prof. Tam David-West who described the unholy happenings in the State as “orchestrated travails” which is unfortunate in view of the fact that the governor has worked hard enough in restoring the glory of Port-Harcourt, known as the Garden City of Nigeria. To the University Don, Amaechi’s travails is “Nigerian paradox“where excellence is relegated and mediocrity is elevated. “I’m particularly worried about the trend, not only because I am a Rivers State elder, not only because I am a strong supporter of Amaechi without any regret, I am also worried as a Nigerian because what is happening to Amaechi underscores a terrible Nigerian paradox, which I call the paradox of excellence. We support him because those of us who grew up in Port Harcourt as a famous “Garden City” knew how the city changed to a rotten city. And Amaechi, who is also a Port Harcourt boy, returned the city back to its glorious “Garden City” status. Any person that does not realize this is not only blind but terrible.” This great Sage reminded Amaechi’s opponents that he who laughs last, laughs best, stating with emphasis that the governor would laugh last because his first name, Chibuike means “God is strength.”

Commenting on the perceived sins of Governor Amaechi to warrant all these attacks and plots against him; one of his closest allies, former Commissioner of Works and current Chairman of the Petroleum Downstream Committee of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chief Dakuku Peterside in a recent interview said “Some persons also claim that he is too forthright and I don’t know what crime that is called. However, the biggest unsaid problem is the perception by certain persons in the presidency that Governor Amaechi has ambition to aspire to higher office. The attempt to criminalize ambition, if any, is the root cause of the perceived problem in NGF. The second strand is speaking truth to power as can be seen in Governor Amaechi’s comments on sovereign wealth fund, excess crude account, Rivers-Bayelsa oil well issue, fuel subsidy, East-West road, Adamawa PDP amongst others”.

THE NIGERIA GOVERNORS FORUM ELECTION

Not minding all the obstacles put on the path of Governor Amaechi even the leadership of the party was mobilised to tour some States to lure their Governors to ensure that Gov. Amaechi was not re-elected and surprisingly to all Nigerians and even the Chief Godswill Akpabio led Campaign Team, could stop the moving train which Amaechi demonstrated by beating their preferred candidate, Governor David Jang 19 to his 16 votes. In a well-documented and videoed election which was democratically conducted by the Director General of the Forum, with Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan the Governor of Delta State acting as the Returning Officer as reported by the Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi and funny enough Dr Uduaghan came out in public to denounce the election and his role as the Returning Officer not knowing that the free and fair election was filmed.

The election exposed to Nigerians the type of stuff some of our leaders are made of. Nigerians are aware how some of these people went about cooking up any known story to discredit the election and by the type of video showing how the election was televised on AIT all of them hid their faces in shame.

THE GREEK BIRTHDAY GIFT FROM PDP

In a manner that shows that Chief Akpabio and his cohorts were playing out a script, the NWC of the PDP was summoned to an emergency meeting on the birthday of Governor Amaechi, leading to his suspension from the party and an 11 member Disciplinary Committee headed by Chief Joe Gadzama (SAN) was inaugurated to investigate the Governor. According to the party the Rivers State Governor was being suspended for disobeying the party to recall the Obio-Akpor Local Council earlier suspended by the Rivers State House of Assembly on charges of corruption without the opportunity for fair hearing. But it would be recalled that the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and PDP BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih had in their separate visits to the State said Amaechi is one of the great pillars of the party and is doing very well as Governor.

It seems Charles De Montesquieu had the action of PDP NWC on Amaechi in mind when he stated that “there is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.” The party according to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, that the party acted according to its constitution to suspend a man who did not commit any crime or abused the constitution of the party thereby undermining the motto of the party ‘JUSTICE, UNITY AND PROGRESS’ with the relevant sections of the party particularly Article 7 section C subsection iv which states that they should‘promote self-respect, self-reliance and human dignity’ and section vii ‘promote an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality and justice’ just because he contested an election and won in assumed democratic culture. It is sad that this development is contrary to vision of the founding fathers of the party – how a governor could be suspended without fair hearing.

GOVERNOR AMAECHI REACTS

Reacting to his suspension, Amaechi said it was political witch-hunt and I intend to agree with him as he was not invited by the National Working Committee of PDP neither was he given fair hearing. It may interest all to note that contrary to what the Governor was accused of, he did not suspend Obio/Akpor Council (executive) not minding that he has the power to dissolve the Council if the need arises as he said. “I can dissolve Obio/Akpor Council (executive). But I have not done that. What the assembly is doing is that they are investigating corruption. But the party said they should not investigate corruption, is it fair? If they are not guilty, then they will re-instate them, but if they are guilty, then we will ask for the dissolution of the council. We have not even gone half, and the party (PDP) says re-instate them. It means that the party likes corruption. Let the assembly resume and commence investigation, let’s see what goes on. Whether there is corruption or not, it is the business of the assembly. I have been a speaker, and I know the powers of a speaker and the legislature. I used it when I was a speaker”.

He urged the youths and people of the State to pray for God’ s intervention, stating that there is nothing wrong as governor and a PDP member for him to ask for his rights, which the PDP is now describing as anti-party. “I will not leave the PDP. I will go to court…. The plane issue is same politics, pure politics. For one year plus, a minister refused to sign import permit. I’m sure you are aware of the House of Representatives Committee report on the plane issue,” he said.

On the NGF election, Amaechi said: “You will see it on the internet when the governors were voting. All the governors were there and you will also see the counting. We (governors) agreed to voting, and all the governors voted, so any governor who said he didn’t vote is lying to the nation because all of us are on oath to govern properly, so we should not lie. Every governor voted, you would see the video. If we leaders of Nigeria today are refusing to accept the results of a properly organised election supervised by the director-general of the governors’ forum, it is bad. And somebody brought a paper that was signed in April. If you check that list, it was signed in April and you brought it on May 24 after the governors have finished voting their chairman into office. That list is not part of our election. There is a rumour that they want to go to court to stop me as NGF chairman. We are ready to meet them in court but they should not go through the back door to get an order”.

NIGERIANS REACT

Worried by the abnormality of his suspension, Nigerians from all work of life cried foul and wonders what such a scenario portends for her democracy.

Speaking on the axe on Amaechi, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and one of the founding fathers of the party who suffered a similar injustice like Amaechi in the past, when the party leadership ensured that he was deregistered from the party and not minding that for many years he was paying the rent of the National Secretariat of the party said, “I am particularly disturbed by the worsening polarisation of the party and internal divisions which might weaken the party structures at the state and deepen the crisis between governors and the president”. He lamented the failure of the National Executive Council (NEC) to meet in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution and the inability of the Board of Trustees (BoT) to arrest what he termed ugly development. He warned that if the crisis was not properly managed, the PDP might find itself weaker and politically vulnerable.

According to the National Chairman of the de-registered Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa described “the suspension of Amaechi as a desperate action. I am not talking as an opposition, but as a politician with greater interest in the democratic dispensation of the country. He said that because of the political future of Nigeria, every politician must see the action as a warning signal which must not be handled with sentiments. PDP has a big problem and as a ruling party, they have to show good example, rather than heating up the system all the time”.

In his reaction, the national secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mallam Buba Galadima, said the suspension was a minus for the PDP, adding that the party had now polarised itself.

Galadima said the party stood to lose many of its members, stressing that “it is obvious any member, who is loyal to the governor, will go with him and it will be a big minus to PDP.”

A constitutional lawyer, Mr Fred Agbaje, said the PDP had only shot itself in the foot, as the suspension was bound to bolster the popularity of the embattled governor. “PDP has succeeded in cutting its nose to spite its ugly face. The suspension can never demean the political ruggedness, popularity, astuteness and the ‘iroko-ness’ in Amaechi. PDP leadership is jittery and acting politically demagoguery and a clear case of infantile puerility”

Similarly, renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Itse Sagay, said the action of the anti-Amaechi governors violated democratic norms, because they were trying to upturn an election that was widely believed to be free and fair.

According to Sagay, “What the anti-Amaechi governors are telling Nigerians is that losers should refuse to accept the loss. (Jonah) Jang lost, (Godswill) Akpabio lost. Whatever mandate he was given, he could not defend it, they lost,” he said.

For a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Sokonte Davies, “It is unfortunate that this is the only time I have heard that somebody is punished for winning”.

According to Hon. Chief Dakuku Peterside a member of the House of Representatives, Governor Amaechi’s Suspension is a bad omen. According to the lawmaker, “this is an inauspicious moment to suspend a popular governor who is not only marking his 48th birthday today but was also a few days ago, re-elected by his colleagues in Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF as Chairman. This news is baffling and a major blow to lovers of democracy because it violates the right of an individual to associate freely, to vote and be voted for in any democratic process. The NGF is not an extension of PDP, thus not governed by the constitution of the PDP. This is also a major impediment to PDP’s future as a party as Governor Amaechi is seen in Nigeria today as one of the most outstanding governors. What would it benefit a political party to suspend its most performing governor,” he asked with awe.

CONCLUSION

Taking it all round, all these reactions condemning the persecutions and embarrassment Amaechi is currently being subjected to and seeing the bad image such an act is creating for our democracy and great party. The way it is now; only President Goodluck Jonathan, the leader of PDP can call off this bluff and attempt to smear his revered status as a true democrat by wearing the statesman toga and call for a truce before this madness goes too far, particularly going by claims by the presidency that he (Jonathan) has no hand in all these macabre dance. Perhaps Mr. President should read a recent issue of ThisDay editorial which partly read, “Ordinarily, this outcome ought to make the governors themselves proud in the sense that those who supported Amaechi and those who were opposed to his re-election freely cast their votes in a secret ballot and produced a result that is clearly a reflection of the wishes of the majority. However, the response of a handful of them led by Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio is not only disappointing, but disgraceful.

First, the disgruntled governors participated in the election. Second, they fielded a candidate to counter Amaechi. Third, they witnessed the tallying of the ballot and the announcement of the results. Unfortunately, because the outcome did not favour their candidate, the unhappy governors are playing up the existence of some pieces of paper conveying the intention of some governors, and signed before the election, as a more legitimate indication of their electoral choice at the expense of a ballot they themselves designed and participated in. To worsen matters, these renegade governors have continued with their impunity and dis-ingenuity to hold a meeting affirming Jang as the NGF Chairman in a rear guard plot designed to divide and kill the NGF much like the Biblical story of two women claiming one child. One of them, like the Akpabio-led Governors, wanted the child cut into two if she would not have him. President Jonathan -who has shown promise in upholding free and fair elections – must distance himself and his presidency from these bad losers by first congratulating Amaechi, and then going back to the drawing board to heal the deep divisions within his party and putting his house in order. His supporters may have lost this battle, but the political war ahead is even more important”.

In another editorial by one of the most outstanding online media – Huhuonline.Com titled, “Governors Forum and Presidential Impunity” said, “It has been said that those whom the gods want to destroy; they first of all drive them mad. This time-worn expression best describes the Presidency in their running battle with Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who has been ignominiously suspended from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). What began as a disagreement on policies such as the Sovereign Wealth Fund and the location of some oil wells between Bayelsa and Rivers State has now become an ego-tripping battle over who has more powers between Abuja and Port Harcourt. This is unacceptable and must stop forthwith. It is not what Nigerians voted for. As president, Goodluck Jonathan must at all times aspire to statesmanship and be presidential. He has a duty; both in his public conduct and private thinking not to act in a manner as to invite odium to his high office, or allow the public to hold him out as anything other than the President of Nigeria. Preserving order, peace and harmony is the highest objective of statecraft. Available accounts indicate that all the 36 governors, except Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, were in attendance for the election conducted by the NGF Director General, Asishana Bayo Okauru. The election was by open-secret balloting, whereby each governor was handed a ballot on which to write the name of his choice and drop in a box. Amaechi polled 19 votes to Jang’s 16, to win a second term as NGF Chairman. In a bizarre display of political imbecility, the sore losers led by Governor; Akpabio proceeded to create a rival faction with Jang as chairman. This is pig-headed and wrong. To make an already bad situation worse, Amaechi was suspended from the party without good reason. Even with the flagrant display of absurdities assaulting the sensibilities of Nigerians, this unfortunate development in the unfolding NGF saga is one bizarre event too many.

Governor Amaechi in his acceptance speech solicited for the support of his brother and leader of PDP, President Goodluck when he stated, “Today our democracy was tested and proven. Democracy is about participation. The aim of democratic governance is for everyone to partake in winning. Today the governors have spoken with one voice reaffirming our faith in democratic governance as the hope of Nigeria’s future. I must thank my colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum, but more importantly of our nation. We remain committed to supporting our leader, the president and commander in chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to realize the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country. We want to pledge our steadfastness and resolve working alongside Mr. President to better the lives of our people as we render transparent and accountable stewardship”

I will like to conclude this treatise by quoting the great Charles Spurgeon who said, “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble”. Mr President I love you because you are so enlightened and I know you still remember your good old friend, Theodore ”Teddy” Roosevelt  Jr. the 26th President of the United States (1901–1909) who was noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and particularly his quote, “If there is not the war, you don’t get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don’t get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name”. My beloved President, the ball is now in your court to seize this day and become the true Statesman that God has destined you to be, by righting the wrongs against an innocent man who wants to exercise his democratic right by ignoring the wise counsel of those who truly love you and continue with an act that will bring odium to all your great efforts to be an exemplary democrat.

To Amaechi, I hope you still remember the great Henry Alfred Kissinger the 56th Secretary of State of the United States from 1973 to 1977 particularly his quote which you have without knowing lived all your life? Listen to what he said about you, “A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone”. My brother, no matter the result, even if it cost you impeachment, which you have said you were not afraid of or disgraced but bear in mind that you have made your point and with God on your side, you will not be humiliated!

Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt

Akwa Ibom 2015 Governorship Poll: Eket Senatorial District Seeks Justice

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By Franklyn Isong
The good people of Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District seek for equity, justice and fear-play in the forthcoming 2015 gubernatorial election in the state, because the time for an indigene of the zone to superintend over the affairs of the state is now.
Akwa Ibom State past and present Governors

Akwa Ibom State past and present Governors

The zone lays the golden eggs (crude oil) that feed both Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria at large, and has never occupy the top job of the state in the history of the state hence should not under any circumstance be denied this opportunity to have it fear share to govern the state in 2015.

The two other zones in the state (Uyo/Ikot Ekpene) have respectively occupy the Hilltop Mansion 8 years each and there was no political tension, intrigues, nor was there subverting of the truth that the State stands on a trinity of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket senatorial district.

It will only be justifiable IF Eket Senatorial District is allowed to take a shot at the seat of power in 2015; it will only be fear for Uyo, and Ikot Ekpene SDs to support ESD in the issue; it will only show unity and love if Akwa Ibom people home and in Diaspora speak in favour of ESD; it will only also promote brotherliness if the good people of Ikot Ekpene SD throw their support to ESD in this debate.

I believe that every subterranean moves by politicians to subvert the open truth that Ex-governor Victor Attah and incumbent Governor Godswill Akpabio are not from Uyo and Ikot Ekpene SDs, respectively will definitely collapse as weak and empty argument.

Let the peace of God, unity and brotherly love currently in the state prevail in all our dealings with one another, irrespective of our ethic inclinations, religious stands, political parties, governorship aspirants, and senatorial district of birth, I so pray! Amen.

NGF CRISIS LATEST:Yuguda Quits Northern Governor’s Forum

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  • Malam Isa Yuguda, Governor of Bauchi State

    Malam Isa Yuguda, Governor of Bauchi State

     Malam Isa Yuguda will no longer participate in meetings of the Northern Governors Forum until anyone …of his colleagues publicly admits that he breached the agreement to adopt Da Jonah Jang as the consensus Northern candidate for chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum [NGF]. The Bauchi State governor, who spoke to Daily Trust in Abuja at the weekend, also said he will demand an explanation from the Northern governor that admits that he breached a solemn regional agreement.

    This is the latest twist in the crisis that has split the forum between Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Jonah Jang since the May 24 election. Governor Yuguda, an ardent member of the Jang-led bloc, said, “I don’t see any reason why I should attend the Northern Governors meeting again. Yes! If that is what we will do, I am not going to be a part of it. For the remaining two years of my tenure I will not be part of the Northern Governors Forum. I want any Northern Governor to come out and say yes, I voted [at the NGF election] and I voted against Jang. I will then ask him why, after sitting with me in the Northern governors meeting and agreeing on a consensus candidate, after saying Shema and I should withdraw for Jang, he then went and voted against Jang. I would like to know why.”

    Yuguda explained at length the events leading up to the May 24 episode that split the forum. He said, “There is no faction in the governors’ forum. We have a new leadership that has emerged in line with the procedures that were historically adopted for coming up with its leader. The drama that ensued at the forum was a deliberate attempt to divide the governors and also targeted towards destroying PDP. I say so because in all the leadership changes since the forum was initiated by our predecessors in 1999 elections were never held.”

    The Bauchi governor added, “The reason why the leader is always chosen by consensus is because elections will bring disunity. When Saraki was about to leave office in 2011, I was one of the 13 governors in Ilorin that picked Rotimi Amaechi through consensus. Goje proposed him, I seconded. In the same spirit we gave him all the support and we appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the forum as we saw at the American Governors Association.

    The constitution was drafted by Fashola, Suswam, Chime, Imoke and Namadi Sambo. In the draft they made, we provided for rotation between North and South, in addition to the gentleman’s agreement that already existed. I was personally shocked that some people wanted to breach this tradition. Anything short of following the tradition will break us, which is not good for the country’s unity and the common positions that we adopt at the National Economic Council, NEC.

    “So when they proposed elections we said no, there cannot be elections which was why 19 of us signed that there has to be consensus because that is what will unite us. In line with that position, the Northern governors met at 11am on Friday May 24. Only the Jigawa and Yobe governors were not present. Chief Servant brought a one item agenda, picking a consensus candidate because the seat belongs to the North.

    “Governor Shema and I had indicated interest. When the meeting started the two of us were requested to go out. So we left and stayed out for about 20 minutes before we were called back in. The chairman then announced to us that ‘we decided to drop the two of you and our consensus candidate is Jonah Jang.’ Both of us said fine, since that is the consensus we bless it. So we fully expect that all the Northern Governors will stand by the consensus choice. After Friday prayers we moved to the PDP Governors’ Forum. 15 out of the 19 Northern Governors including our chairman are PDP members.

    When we got to PDP Governors Forum, our chairman [Babangida Aliyu] reported to chairman of PDP Governors Forum that we met and adopted Da Jonah Jang as our consensus candidate. There was no dissenting voice from South East or South South since the slot belongs to us. So they all blessed it and gave Shema and I a standing ovation for withdrawing for Jang.

    “By 4pm we were at the venue of NGF meeting. Immediately we entered there was rancour. This one will say this, this one will say that. By my own culture, background and religion, I strongly believe that whatever is agreed upon, we must stand by it unless it is illegal. I thought just like our chairman reported to PDP Governors, I expected a similar report to be made to the Nigeria Governors Forum but that was not done, maybe due to the rowdy atmosphere. This one will say election, bring the ballot boxes, this one will say no election.

    “I expected common sense, rationality and fear of God to prevail. I expected Amaechi, as an honourable governor who has chaired the forum for two years with the understanding that he was going to leave after 2 years and he knows the implication of voting, which was why majority said no voting which can cause division in the country. It was a calculated attempt to break the country’s unity and to break PDP. He had perfected his plan in his own lodge, the ballot boxes and ballot papers were in his own lodge and he refused to agree that there should be no election.”

    Yuguda also denied allegations that President Goodluck Jonathan is the unseen hand behind the Jang faction. He said, “Before the president left for Addis Ababa, only 2 of us were challenging Amaechi.

    He didn’t have the faintest idea about Jang’s candidacy. Jang himself returned from abroad a day before and he arrived Abuja Friday morning and went straight to the Northern Governors meeting. He hadn’t an idea what was happening. He never told anyone that he was interested in the chairmanship. How could he be Jonathan’s candidate? President Jonathan couldn’t have in any way been responsible for the consensus candidature of Jonah Jang, so please count him out of this.”

    Daily Trust.

Anti-Amaechi lawmakers deny impeachment plot

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Rivers State Governor, Rotimi AmaechiRivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi
| credits: File copy

CONTRARY to claims in some quarters, five lawmakers believed to be against Governor Rotimi Amaechi in the current crisis rocking the state, have denied plans to impeach the governor.

The lawmakers said they were only concerned about the suspension of Obio/Akpor local government Chairman, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, the vice-chairman and 17 councillors of the area.

Spokesman for the lawmakers, Mr. Evans Bibi, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH in a telephone interview, maintained that they had never contemplated removing the governor.

Bibi explained that rather than impeaching Amaechi, they (five lawmakers) would advise him to do the right thing by recalling the suspended chairman of the council and others.

He said, “How can you suspend an elected chairman of a local government and go ahead to swear in a caretaker committee? The truth is that, if the chairman was not sacked, then why set up a caretaker committee.

“There is no move to impeach the governor, but he should do the right thing by ensuring that the Obio/Akpor Council chairman and others suspended are recalled. He (Amaechi) should also recognise the Felix-Obuah led executive of the state PDP.”

Calling on Amaechi to prevail on the leadership of the House to pay them their outstanding allowances, Bibi pointed out that they (five lawmakers) had been deprived of their security votes, constituency project allowances and other imprests.

Responding, the Press Secretary to Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Jim Okpiki, said the money due to the five lawmakers would be paid, and attributed the delay in payment to the crisis on the ground.

“The money is there. But as it is now, Mr. Speaker cannot call them to take their allowances due to the issue of trust and security. Even the security of Mr. Speaker was at a time compromised.

“Mr. Speaker is not happy about the crisis and that is why he is calling for the speedy resolution of the matter so that everybody would collect his dues. It is not in the character of the Speaker to withhold anybody’s money,” Okpiki said.