We’re aware of decline in education — Buhari

University students writing examination

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that the government is aware of the decline in the standard of education in the country.

The President on Saturday in Rivers State, at the University of Port Harcourt’s 30th convocation and 40th anniversary, expressed the need for university authorities to give more attention to the security of lives and property within their environment.

The President, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, stated that no meaningful teaching, learning and research could take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and fear.

“The Federal Government is aware of the setback to research in our universities due to brain drain, loss of research development assistance and weakened links with overseas development partners in the last three decades.

“In recent times, the efforts of the private sector and government in the expansion of access to university education through the establishment of universities have been unprecedented.

“We must continue to ensure that our deserving youths, who are desirous of university education, are able to gain admission into universities and receive quality education.

“Students are at the centre of university life and must therefore be well catered for. Universities must strive to engage the private sector in adequately regulated Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model of provision of students’ accommodation to ensure that students are not exploited in any way.

“Universities must therefore endeavour to complete their perimeter fencing, where needed and adhere to legal processes concerning land titles and other issues,” the President said.

He explained that the newly revised and upgraded curricula for the approved programmes in Nigerian universities were based on the philosophy of training, primarily job creators rather than job seekers, which he said would go a long way in addressing the issues of skills acquisition and employability.

He pointed out that the capacity building project for improved teacher quality was yielding the desired results, disclosing that over 12,000 university teachers has benefitted from it.

“This administration will continue to support the Nigerian university system in ensuring that learning, teaching and research facilities are constantly upgraded and up to date so as to make the institutions globally competitive.

“We are aware of the concerted efforts made by UNIPORT in various aspects of research, particularly in the area of oil and gas studies, through your Institute of Petroleum Studies, “ he said.

The President explained that the Federal Government had in the past improved university education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

He called on universities in the country to seek the support of corporate organisations and development partners to improve their finances, while charging them to always relate with host communities and security agencies in their determination to ensure improved level of security within their environment.

In his remark earlier, UNIPORT Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka, asked graduands to take delivery of their certificates and transcripts immediately after the convocation.

Ajienka pointed out that it was the first time in the history of the school that graduates would be told to collect their certificates on the day of graduation.

Also, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, promised that his administration would always assist the university just as he congratulated the school on its 40th anniversary.

Change the mindset

“An empty stomach is not a good political adviser.” ? Albert Einstein

It is disturbing that in this day and age, people can work and not get paid and yet, it is expected, I mean, it is demanded that they continue to work and there is no promise of payment.  Only in Nigeria! Nigerian mentality is oxymoronic.

The logic is; you should be grateful, that you have a job, never mind that you have not been paid.  This is cruelty of the highest order. This is brutal, how could some people say that they are in same boat while others starve and their children go to bed hungry? This logic is beyond me and it smacks in the face of common sense and decency.

Many years ago, I worked as sessional worker in a radio station in Nigeria. I was young and naïve, but the lure of working at a radio station was a giddy experience. It quickly  began to  lose it allure  when, I  and others  were  informed that after many  months of  working, that we  either  put up  or shut and stop asking  for when will we get paid in fact  we  were  held  over  a barrel;  you either  get  paid  now, and get  fired or  you  get  paid  whenever in the future and  remain  working. Hobson’s choice: it was one option we had to either take it or leave.

I did the latter but that’s because I had other options; many didn’t.   This is the mentality of the Nigerian, the feeling of helplessness and gratitude never mind the fact that you have the right to expect a pay for a decent day’s work. No, you have to be grateful that you have a job at all, never mind that you are not paid for months. The last time I looked, slavery was abolished so why does it feel that it exists and thrives in Nigeria?

The employer behaves like the plantation lord and tells you, that you should be grateful and do not rock the boat. They say don’t bite the hand that feeds you, but you have been starved and told not to bite! If you do, you will be replaced and the worker in turn, sucks it up and continues to suffer in silence. This is not the plantation and we are Nigerians, we are deserving of respect, pride and integrity. If I ramble on, it is, because I am trying to prove a point that is known by many and acknowledged by the very few.

Gov Aregbesola

It is disturbing that in many states, workers in local authorities have not been paid for months. The excuse made by many of the accused states was that the federal government deliberately withheld funding to pay the monthly salary of local government staff.

This is shocking beyond words, one month delay has a knock on effect but  months of  arrears,this  is deplorable and  inconceivable that these  state governors that expected their staff to  go without, should truly be ashamed of expecting people to  be  productive  while they are starving . This  is cruelty in its rawest form and  unbelievable that a  crass excuse; that the federal  government deliberately withheld allocation payment cannot and  should not   wash while  some  are over indulging in  feast  while  others starve.

So, when some well-meaning people from the Christian Associations of Nigeria(CAN), called on  churches  to organise  food banks where  people  can collect food parcel for civil  servants  who  have  not  been paid  for  several  months, shows that things have  got that bad that the  church is  giving back! Osun is one of 22 states that are owing salary arrears to their respective workers.

Hunger, they say is a poor political adviser,  no one can  function on  an  empty stomach and no  administration should sit back  and watch while many are unable to feed their families and  still expect them to  be  productive. I know that GMB has instructed the states to pay their workers from the allocation that they had received from the federal government.  But the states insist that they are short of funds to pay salaries. Something is wrong here. Where is the money?

Speaking about the delay in payments, Reverend Elisha Ogundiya, chair of the Osun State chapter of CAN, called on church leaders to rally aid to assist them. He said that the church should go beyond feeding congregations with spiritual food especially at this time but should also rally round to offer them succour. He went on; “I talked about Christians and Muslims and others who are passing through hardship in Osun State because of the non-payment of their salaries for months.

Workers are passing through hardship and some who have retired have died because of lack of money to take care of themselves. He went on that “We Christians have to emulate the action of the Good Samaritan in the Bible who assisted somebody he should not assist ordinarily, so, we should assist our brothers and sisters. I urge church leaders and local government chairmen to go back home contribute food and other items to assist all these people who are in need.”

This is not the job of the church to feed the workers in as much as that is laudable and altruistic to do so.   I believe that if you work for an honest day work, that you should expect to be paid for your work. There is no quibbles here, you work, and you get paid.

Although the Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, described the  situation as “ very painful” the inability of some states to pay workers’ salaries, it is cold  comfort and there should have been  some contingency plans in place to  provide relief for this prolonged hardship.

Aregbesola, went on to say that the challenge of unpaid salaries should not be seen as opportunities by some to pillory either his government or any other facing the same challenges. With all due respect, this means nothing to those who go to bed every night on an empty belly. I am sure it will be a different story if the state representatives pay was delayed by a day, there will be a solution post haste.

One worker described his experience: “It has been very difficult to survive without salary for months. We cannot even afford to pay the school fees of children in private schools, while we also trek to the office sometimes”.   This is not how a civil society operate and you cannot expect a society to function if the gap of the “haves” and “have not” is so wide.

As a health professional working in psychiatry, I have seen the impact that poverty has on a person’s emotional health; the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, the impact it has on the individual and extended family. I see that in some of the personal stories resulted from the protracted salary arrears. It is devastating and unjust. One of the cases is that of Ojo Owolabi, a senior civil servant in Obokun local government area of Osun State, who attempted suicide by drinking a large quantity of insecticide. The  case of  Owolabi  moved  me  and I  can only  imagine the desperation he had been enduring to want to  end his  life because he could no longer cater for his family as a result of this debacle.

Owolabi, who is a sanitary officer at the council, and depending on how you view this, he was lucky to have survived.

N11m per annum pay for govs: Small pay, lavish lifestyle

The life of opulence of state governors in Nigeria has no bearing, whatsoever, with their legitimate earnings, based on the approved ‘Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders’ prepared by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission  (RMAFC) which became effective since July 1, 2009.

Based on the package, a state governor earns  annual salary of N11, 540,896.

N 2, 223,705  is annual basic salary; and an annual leave allowance of N222,370.50. Based on that 2009 approved earning, the governor is entitled to 400 per cent of his annual basic salary, amounting to  8,894,820.00, as loan for vehicles and  maintenance.

BUHARI MEETS APC GOVS/GOVS-ELECT. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze.

Governors usually go about with long convoys of four-wheel vehicles, SUVs and other luxury cars. The entire N8.9 vehicle loan cannot buy some of the cars in the convoy.

Accommodation, furniture are provided by the state government.

The RMAFC package, meanwhile, does not set a limit to the amount of estacode (allowance in foreign currencies for foreign trips) governors can take from state coffers.   It also fails to specify the amount to be collected as Duty Tour allowance for local trips.

The provisions of the regulations simply said that estacode and Duty Tour Allowance would be provided upon request by governors. The states also bear the medical expenses of governors.

Any governor who successfully completes his tenure receives  N6,671,115 severance gratuity.

A deputy governor receives annual salary of N10, 772, 296

This is made up of annual basic salary of N2,112,215;  a vehicle loan of 8,448,860; and  annual leave allowance of N 211,221.50. His accommodation and furniture are provided by the state government.

Similarly, the state pays his medical bills, while, just like the governor, there is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies he is to receive when embarking on foreign trips, nor limit to what he can spend on local tours.

Each Secretary to State Government and Commissioner receives an salary of N10, 831, 522.

This is made up of annual basic salary of N  1,337,225; N4,011,675 for furniture; N133,722.50 leave allowance; and N 5,348,900 vehicle loan.

They receive a separate severance gratuity of N 4,011,675; $ 600 and N 25, 000 per night for foreign and local trips, respectively.

Chairmen of State Civil Service Commission, state Judicial Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission, State Independent Electoral Commission, Chairmen, and Chief of Staff to Governor  receive similar pay.

The accommodation of these public officers vary between 50 per cent , 60 per cent and 120 per cent of their annual basic salaries, depending on location of city or town.

Local Government Chairmen, on their own, receive a total of N5,994,659. This consists of annual basic salary of N 908,312; N1,362, 468 for furniture ( once in four years); 90,831.20 as leave  allowance and 3,633,248  vehicle loan. They receive severance gratuity of N2,724,936 at the end of a successful tenure.

The Vice Chairmen receive a total of N5, 630, 169.60. This consists of N 853,056  annual basic salary; N1,279, 584 furniture allowance; vehicle loan of N3,412,224; and leave allowance of N85,305.60.

They receive a separate N2,559,168.00 as severance gratuity after a successful tenure.

Local Government Councilors’ and Local Government Secretaries’ receive a regular annual pay of N 5, 341, 380. This is made up of annual basic salaries of N 809,300; furniture allowance, N 1, 213, 950; leave allowance, N80,930; and vehicle loan N3,237,200. They receive additional N2, 427, 900 gratuity at the end of a successful tenure.

Governors annual salary:        

N11, 540,896.00  : N 2, 223,705.00 is Annual Basic Salary,   Annual Leave Allowance  of N 222,370.50.   He is entitled to 400 per cent of

Annual Basic Salary, amounting to  8,894,820.00 as loan for vehicles and maintenance.

Deputy governors:

N10, 772, 296.00

Made up of an Annual Basic Salary

of N2,112,215.00

Vehicle Loan of 8,448,860.00

Annual Leave Allowance of N 211,221.50

Secretary to State Government and Commissioner:

Receive   salary of N10, 831, 522.00.

Annual Basic Salary of N  1,337,225.00; N4,011,675.00

Furniture; N 133,722.50 Leave Allowance ; and N 5,348,900.00 vehicle loan.

They receive a separate severance gratuity of N 4,011,675.00 as well as $ 600 and N 25, 000 per night for foreign and local trips.

Local Government Chairmen:

Receive a total of N5,994,659.

Annual Basic Salary of N 908,312.00

N 1, 362, 468 for furniture ( once in four years)

90,831.20 as Leave Allowance; 3,633,248.00 vehicle loan

Severance gratuity of N2,724,936.00

Vice Chairmen:

Receive a total of N5, 630, 169.60

N 853,056.00 Annual Basic Salary;

N1,279, 584.00 furniture allowance

vehicle loan of N3,412,224.00

Leave allowance of N85,305.60

Senate, House Leaders Controversial Emergence: The sound bites!

Diverse reactions trailed the emergence of  Senator Bukola Saraki (APC), Senator Ike Ekweremadu (PDP) and Hon. Yakubu Dogara (APC) as Senate President, Deputy Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker respectively. Some of the reactions:

Emergence  legal – NBA President

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), said the election of  Senator Bukola Saraki  as the President of the Senate is legitimate

“Inaugurating the National Assembly is considered as an ordinary business and, for an ordinary business, the requirement of a quorum is one-third. So, legally, there was a quorum. You can argue from a moral perspective but legally, it is in order,” Alegeh stated.

“There is a need to have respect for institutions. If the Senate was having an inauguration, other people should respect that fact and schedule meetings appropriately. The day for the inauguration of the House is a very important day in a democracy.”

It is  fraudulent – Itse Sagay

Dogara and Saraki

Law professor Itse Sagay believes the election of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu smacks of legislative impunity.

“If you look at the moral point of view, that purported election was fraudulent. When you purport to hold an election deliberately in the absence of your opponent, knowing that he is absent, and intending to win at any cost unopposed by ensuring that absence, that constitutes fraud. Not only that, I think it’s an act of gross indiscipline, not just against his party, but against the whole country because we are all stakeholders in the electoral process, in who becomes the Senate President and we all felt cheated because there was no proper election”, he said.

It is betrayal, indiscipline, treacherous- APC

The All Progressives Congress, APC,   described as totally unacceptable and the “highest level of indiscipline and treachery” the emergence of  Saraki and Mr. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

“Senator Bukola and Hon. Dogara are not the candidates of the APC and a majority of its National Assembly members-elect for the positions of Senate President and House Speaker. The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that decision. There can be no higher level of treachery, disloyalty and insincerity within any party

“The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed.

APC naive, unprepared for governance, says PDP

The PDP rejected threats by the APC on the new Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the claims of the APC were indicative of a party aiming to cover its naivety, inexperience and unpreparedness for governance.

APC North-Central backs Saraki

The   APC, North-Central, congratulated Saraki.

In a statement signed by state chairmen of Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Niger, the party described Saraki’s election as victory for democracy.

 Lagos APC wants Saraki, Dogara sanctioned

A  statement released by Lagos APC’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igboke, said: “The purported election of Senator Saraki and Dogara as the Senate President and Speaker respectively, is a clear transgression of both the tenets of democracy and party politics.

“The APC must come down strongly to mete out sanctions and punishments against treacherous members that perpetrated this ugly charade. “We see the clear road to enforce discipline in the treacherous conduct of some members of the National Assembly.

“It is certain that these betrayers are not members of the APC and we feel the Party must weigh in now and discipline these betrayers.”

….Kwara APC attacks Lagos APC

The Kwara State chapter of the APC berated its Lagos State counterpart for demanding that  Bukola Saraki be sanctioned for anti-party activities.

The Kwara APC Publicity Secretary, Sulyman Buhari, on Wednesday, described Lagos APC’s comment as uninformed, insisting that Saraki and Dogara did not breach the party’s constitution.

Unity Forum kicks, threatens legal action

A group of APC senators, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade under the aegis of the Senate Unity Forum, faulted the process that produced Saraki, saying his election lacked legitimacy. They were the main backers of Senator Ahmed Lawan, the man backed by the APC leadership for Senate President.

Gemade, who spoke for the Forum, noted that the insinuation that members of the group boycotted the election was unfounded.

His words: “The Clerk of the National Assembly, knowing fully well that the quorum for election of the Senate President had not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet would meet democratic parameter is done.   This process, which remains unconstitutional, cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President. Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons.

“The insinuation in some quarters that we boycotted the election is totally unfounded. As loyal party members, we would take all necessary political and legal means to strengthen our democracy and democratic process in line with the change that we promised our teaming supporters during our electioneering”.

… Like Minds Senators disagree

The Like Minds Senators, a pro-Saraki group, insisted that the Senate President emerged through due process and should be embraced by all senators irrespective of  political leaning.

“The President, in his constitutional duty, sent a proclamation letter to the National Assembly.

“In that proclamation letter, he stated categorically that the proclamation of the 8th Senate will be done at 10 a.m. on June 9, 2015.

“How can Mr President on one hand send a letter of proclamation to the National Assembly and on the other hand, call for a meeting at the International Conference Centre?

“If Mr President wants to meet legislators, the Defense House is there, the Villa is there, the banquet Hall is there; why International Conference Centre?

“However, did Mr President eventually attend to anybody at International Conference Centre? Capital No”, Senator Dino Melaye said on behalf of the group.

Gbajabiamila accepts defeat, pledges loyalty

Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, the anointed candidate of the APC who lost to Dogara in the House  leadership contest, pledged  allegiance to the new Speaker.

“We have just gone through an election in the House, so we came to meet with the party regarding the election and how the party is going to remain strong and united and move forward so that we can deliver the deliverables and programmes of the party through the House.

“Go to court for what? I don’t know about the Senate. I can only speak for the House. Nothing happened in the House. We had an election. It is different from the Senate. In the Senate, people were deprived of their fundamental rights to express themselves and vote.

“We will work with the leadership of the House and the Speaker, so long as the party’s programmes are properly articulated and pursued on the floor of the House. We will work with the leader of the House. He is an APC member. He is not the Speaker of the APC. He is the speaker of the whole House,” he said when he led about 20 supporters of his aspiration to the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja

APC will recognise Saraki — Oyegun

APC, on Friday, said it had recorgnised that the election of Saraki as Senate President was legitimate.

The National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, gave the indication while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja.

Odigie-Oyegun said that the election was one of the challenges the party had to face but added that it would wriggle out of it and the party had accepted him as the Senate President.

“Of course, he has been duly elected by his colleagues. End of Story. We have a reality, and we must live with it.”

Military alone can’t end insurgency – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

A statement on Friday by the African Export-Import Bank, indicated that the former president said this during the bank’s 22nd Annual General Meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia.Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said the use of only military operations to tackle Boko Haram activities in Nigeria and other violent groups across the world cannot end insurgency.

Obasanjo, speaking about conflicts in Africa, also said the crises were caused by failure to address certain social problems in the society such as educational disparity.

Afrixembank’s spokesman, Obi Emekekwue quoted Obasanjo in the statement thus, “He proposed a carrot and stick solution to the conflicts on the continent through an approach involving military solutions and social development since a purely military approach would not work.

“According to Obasanjo, a situation, such as in Nigeria, where one section had an educational attainment level of 79 per cent while another had only 19 per cent, created room for conflict.”

The former president also called on Nigeria and other African countries to pursue economic integration on the basis of regional economic communities rather than doing so with the over 54 countries on the continent.

He noted that by pursuing economic growth, each region of the continent would serve as platforms to strengthen Africa.

In a wide-ranging discussion, the ex-president stressed the importance of infrastructure in promoting intra-African trade and called for the establishment of a viable well-run coastal shipping line from Dakar in Senegal to Maputo in Mozambique to improve intra-African trade.

Obasanjo stated further that while Nigeria and other nations on the continent should encourage the local production of goods, they should also encourage and develop the process of moving those goods.

The statement added, “Former President Obasanjo added that Africa should start adding value to its commodities rather than exporting raw commodities only for those commodities to be sent back to the continent as finished goods.”

Meanwhile, the Afreximbank on Saturday announced the appointment of Benedict Oramah as its new boss.

Oramah’s appointment was one of the key decisions taken during the bank’s AGM.

“Dr. Oramah takes over from Jean-Louis Ekra, who has been the bank’s chief executive officer since 2005. Oramah, a Nigerian national, has served as Executive Vice President in charge of Business Development and Corporate Banking at Afreximbank since 2008. He was a pioneer staff of the bank, which he joined in 1994 as Chief Analyst, rising to the position of Senior Director, Planning and Business Development Department in 2007. He previously served as Assistant Manager (Research) at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank from 1992 to 1994,” the statement said.

Why Buhari has yet to choose ministers — Presidency

President Muhammadu Buhari

Shortly before his May 29 inauguration, Buhari had reportedly rejected plans by governors of the All Progressives Congress the party leadership in the states to submit ministerial nominees to him. Amid public outcry over President Muhammadu Buhari’s delay in announcing his choice of ministers, the Presidency has begged Nigerians to be patient.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Garba Shehu, in an interview with Sahara TV on Saturday, argued against comparing Buhari’s government to such states as Kaduna and Rivers, which have appointed some commissioners.

According to Shehu, following the 2011 elections, many South-West governors took several months to form their governments.

He said, “The President did say he would hit the ground running, but he has not been given the chance to hit the ground running because the administration that he succeeded — the Jonathan administration — did not deliver the handover notes until two or three days to the inauguration, meaning that these handover notes were submitted at a time when everyone had been consumed by (inauguration) activities.

“Unfortunately, there was no time to look at them until after the President had been inaugurated. The President was left in the dark. He had to understand what the situation was and what was on the ground. That was why he set up a different transition committee. It was only this week that the committee, led by Dr. Ahmed Joga, scrutinised the handover notes and handed over the report to him (Buhari).

“To be fair to him, he would have hit the ground running if the previous government had handed over the notes early. However, the Jonathan government did not even permit any minister to interact in any way with the Buhari Transition Committee. Evidently, we had our hands tied behind our backs until we took over. Thus, there is nothing shady about it.”

Shehu explained that the ministerial appointments had yet to be made because the committee needed to conclude its findings first, an 800-page report of which was presented to Buhari on Friday.

On Wednesday, there was speculation that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was prevented from attending Buhari’s meeting with the National Security Adviser on the orders of the President.

The Vice-President was reportedly denied security clearance to attend the meeting because of security reasons by the President.

In his response, the SSA said, “That is the creation of someone who just wanted to write something. It was on the same day he travelled to Sudan to represent the President, the government and the people of Nigeria at the inauguration of the president of that country.

“He couldn’t have been present in two places at the same time. Osinbajo is the Vice-President of Nigeria. In the absence of the President, he is the President. So, there cannot be dark corners into which he will not be allowed. It is not true.”

Speaking on the National Assembly crisis, the presidential spokesperson expressed conviction that the party with the majority, the All Progressives Congress, and the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, would coexist harmoniously.

On Tuesday, against the directive of the APC, Senator Bukola Saraki was elected unopposed as President of the 8th Senate. Fifty-one senators, include the party’s preferred candidate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, were absent. Saraki and Lawan have been engaged in a fierce contest to clinch the Senate top job.

The other senators were at the International Conference Centre, on the invitation of Buhari, who had called the meeting to resolve the National Assembly leadership crisis, at the time Saraki was declared Senate President.

Speculation had trailed Buhari’s absence at a peace meeting, with some arguing that Buhari favoured Saraki.

However, Shehu said, “It is a matter of courtesy that the office of the President would be given that respect. The PDP, which issued a statement saying the delay had embarrassed the country, should be asked: How many times have they suspended the plenary of the National Assembly, either the Senate or the House of Representatives, to go into the PDP caucus?

“A party needs to meet to organise itself and it can’t be taken for granted. Buhari could not have failed in wanting to meet his party members in order to convey an important message to them. And he has not allowed that chance because at the time when he was setting out to go, the National Assembly they had begun voting, hence the mission was aborted.

“The fact that he said he would work with the National Assembly (leadership) is consistent with his position as a principled democrat. It is a body recognised by law that is independent of his control. He cannot control them. They carried out a constitutional process and he will work with them.”

Saraki/Dogara: Buhari steps in, stops further hostilities

Embarrassed by the needless threats and vitriolic vituperation from the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a result of the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Ssenate President and  Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, President Muhammadu Buhari has prevailed on leaders of the party to sheathe their swords.

In fact, it took a personal communication between Mr. President and Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, before the breaks could be applied.

Consequently, it was Chief Oyegun who told State House correspondents on Friday after a brief meeting with the President that the party has accepted Saraki and Dogara as leaders of the National Assembly – its 8th  session.

Dogara and Saraki

Sunday Vanguard gathered that Buhari, who had just a few hours after the emergence of the senator and the House member, issued a statement through his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Femi Adeshina, congratulating them and averring that a constitutional process has just taken place, used the opportunity of the presentation of the handover notes on Friday, to speak directly with Oyegun on the matter.

Sunday Vanguard was also able to confirm that Oyegun, sensing the tone of the communication between him and Mr. President quickly used the opportunity of the press chat to make the detour, “as demanded by President Buhari”, a source revealed.

Oyegun’s recant was in complete opposition to the earlier position, though unspoken, taken by APC’s National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, whose hands and legs were alleged to be in the heated politicking to ensure that Senator Ahmed Lawan and George Akume emerged as Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively, while Femi Gbajabiamila emerged as Speaker of the House.

Indeed, sources close to Buhari informed Sunday Vanguard that by Wednesday, after the Senator Barnabas Gemade-led Unity Group members of the Senate took their oath, and the drama that followed with the walkout and the threat of litigation, made worse by the snubbing of Senate President Saraki by wife of APC’s National Leader, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the President and a few people in is inner circle were beginning to get worried.

Therefore, it was agreed that before his trip yesterday to South Africa for the Africa Union Summit, the matter must be laid to rest.

It was this decision that informed the presence of Oyegun at Friday’s meeting after which he spoke to members of the press.

It was a difficult pill for a section of the leadership of the APC to swallow as almost all stops had been pulled to ensure that Lawan and Akume emerged, just as it was hoped that Gbajabiamila would win the speakership.    It all turned out to be fools’ errand as none of these materialized.

Even the last minute name-dropping, of summoning a meeting of APC legislators for 9am on Monday morning knowing that the inauguration was slated for an hour later, and claiming that the meeting was called by President Buhari, a situation which strangely gave way to the loss and comeuppance, did not bode well with Mr. President.

Buhari

And whereas he had grudgingly agreed to attend the meeting that morning in honour of the party, President Buhari had been very insistent in maintaining that he would not interfere with the process that would lead to the emergence of the leaders of the National Assembly.

Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that whereas backroom channels were also used to call some leaders of the party who were baying for blood to order, Buhari had been making it known to those who had sought his views on the emergence of Saraki and Dogara that the peace, stability and progress of Nigeria far outweighed any individual’s ambition “to be in charge”.

And although the source bluntly refused to be dragged into explaining the veiled phrase, political observers were clear in their perception that APC’s National Leader may have been the arrowhead of the wing of APC that wanted Lawan and Akume as well as Gbajabiamila.

All attempts to get some leaders of the party to comment on the matter were unsuccessful.

In fact, one of the leaders of the APC was so bitter about Oyegun’s statement that he charged: “Go and ask the chairman who made the statement”.

Buhari Will Shock Nigeria For Good – Tallen

Dame Pauline Tallen is a former Minister of State for Science and Technology and former deputy governor of Plateau State. She bares her mind on governance in Plateau under former Governor Jonah Jang and what to expect from President Muhammadu Buhari, among other issues. She spoke with select journalists and Ruth Choji was there for LEADERSHIP Sunday.

How has life been after being the deputy governor of Plateau?
Beautiful. I had time to rest and reflect. I also had time to take stock of all I have been through. I have had time to thank God and praise him for surviving the storm because what I went through was not palatable.

Towards the end of your first tenure, there were crises between you and Governor Jang that led you to contest for his position. What actually happened?
I used to think before we got to office that Jang was a fair and just man. He claimed to be a reverend. I thought with his age, he would be fair and just and will do well so that he would leave a good legacy. Little did I know that he had his personal agenda which was not for the good of the state, but for himself, his family and cronies. But as I talk to you, I have close friends from Du (Jang’s village) who don’t want to hear his name and are not close to him. I believed in him to the extent that I went out of my way such that as a serving minister under the PDP government, I met then president Obasanjo and told him that I was working to support Jang under ANPP instead of my party, the PDP’s candidate. It got to the point where the president said, “all the elders in Plateau are not supporting Jang except you, what about you, don’t you want to be governor”? I said ‘‘No. I believe in fairness and justice. In my zone, Solomon Lar was the first civilian governor after which Tapgun came, so my zone and the central zone which Dariye came from have had their chance, but the northern zone has not ruled. Let’s give them a chance so that they can have a sense of fairness’’. Obasanjo said, ‘‘Is Sango not from the northern part’’? I insisted that Jang be given the chance. You know that Plateau is a multi-cultural state. How can Jang from one tribe want to lord it over others? If one is to unveil the appointments in the state, you will know that Jang was not fair. It is not even the whole Berom that enjoyed his tenure; some were not included except his cronies and families. Look at the road networks, they are concentrated in the northern zone. He started the injustice a year after we got into office. He is cunning just like a chameleon.

Do you have any regret serving in Jang administration?
The regret is that he did not listen to me for us to fulfil the promises we made to the people. At the same time, I thank God that I stood for justice and what I believed in. I did my best but when he didn’t listen, I had to do what I did. Some asked me why I did not resign. I told them that it wasn’t an appointment; it was a joint mandate. I have the same rights with him and I knew my rights. I believe in fighting and when it was time to contest, he didn’t want to carry me along, so I contested. Besides, it was impossible to work with him. He wouldn’t let me into his office and  his aides would stop me whenever I wanted to see him. So, I went to pick the form at the PDP secretariat for the governorship. I was convinced if there was a free and fair primary, I would defeat him. But the governor cornered the president. I was a member of NEC and BoT in the PDP. If Jang is coming for a meeting, as the only deputy governor that was in NEC, I also attend. Jang forgot how I put my job on the line as a minister under PDP to support him while he was in ANPP.

You contested for the governorship and you claim you won. What happened to your mandate?
I did not lose that election. If everything was free and fair, I would have been sworn in. The results were upturned. My facts are clear. We went to the tribunal, and Jang’s witnesses testified in my favour. The day they were to announce the results, a directive came from above that they should announce that the results were not ready until the following day. They came to the court with armoured tank. The chairman of the tribunal announced the result and was flown out of Jos immediately.

How did the APC win the governorship election in Plateau, in the last election, knowing how strong the PDP is in the state?
It was God. I believe in retributive justice. Jang and PDP played God and they are not God. It was because we wanted justice which was why we gave Jang the ticket in the first place. I went on my knees to beg Obasanjo to give him that ticket because the northern zone had not been given a chance. So, it was because of zoning that Jang became governor. So, why was it that after eight years, he didn’t want someone from the southern zone to be governor? They said I was bad, ambitious and called me all manner of names. I left after four years. He picked somebody from my zone whom everyone knows is quiet and humble unlike me that is outspoken. I went to the Labour Party because seven of us left the PDP with an agreement to support Mr President on the understanding that he will not interfere in the Plateau election, unfortunately, he too is not a man of his words. President Jonathan betrayed us because he interfered with the elections. But we prayed and God  vindicated all the people that cried for justice. Jang fought me and said that I went  to Labour Party and will  remain there and will never  give birth, but thank God, after four years, God has made my nephew the governor of the state. I have given birth to a governor; Lalong is my nephew and he is the governor. If he said I was bad, what is wrong with his new deputy governor who wanted to be governor? He refused to give him the seat. So, Jang is not a democrat. He is a Pharaoh. He didn’t just go and bring any Berom, he went and brought his nephew to be governor but God frustrated his plans.

Are you satisfied with the number of women that won elections in the 2015 general elections?
My heart bleeds with the performance of women, but I am not blaming any woman that lost election; it was a gross gang-up against womanhood. PDP was a big party and everybody was there; it was injustice that caused the downfall of the party and it was the same injustice that denied women their rights. It was money politics. The few women that managed to emerge and made it was just by the grace of God. Senator Aisha Alhassan did very well but they ganged up against her and used all kinds of false allegations against her. They brought in religion like they did to me in 2011. I was blackmailed that I loved the Muslims too much and that if I am made a governor, I will sell the state to the Muslims. I am a Christian and I am proud to be a Catholic, but again, I don’t treat people based on religion. The religion I know is love. If you have love in your heart, then you are a true Christian. For anybody to use religion to blackmail or work against others is wrong. I pray that we will stop using religion in politics. So, the last election was money-based politics and God wanted to humble those who played Him.

With the way women are treated during elections, do you think Nigeria can ever produce a female president?
Is anything impossible with God? Did anybody believe that Jonathan would not come back? When the time comes just like it came now and Buhari won the presidency, nothing will stop it. Even the Plateau Senatorial seat, we won it but Jang upturned it. We are now in tribunal. By the grace of God, Eunice Ayisa  Sambo will get her seat back. Jang did not win that election, he stole our mandate. What used to happen in the past will not happen in this administration. Jang refused to use the card readers in the three senatorial zones of Plateau State : Jos South, Riyom and Barkin Ladi.  They also did not use the PVC; they used the temporary voters’ cards and local voting. We have all our facts and I am sure that very soon, we will get our mandate. We need good representation at the National Assembly and Ayisa will get that seat.

Were you surprised when it was announced that Buhari was leading in the presidential elections
I wasn’t surprised; I was sure that Buhari would win and that was why I moved to the APC. I received Buhari in January in Jos and I was  happy with the response of our people. When I moved to the APC, my slogan in 2011 was ‘‘change’’, so it was like a prophecy and God saw that, from the bottom of my heart, I was crying for a change and so, He answered by giving my nephew the seat.

What does the victory of Buhari and the APC tell you about Nigerian politics?
It shows that power is from God, not your money. There was so much impunity in this country by those in power and a good leader must be humble. This is the first time in Nigeria that a serving president was unseated. God saw that Buhari was sincere and has the fear of God and I believe that Buhari will shock Nigeria for good. Good governance is the only thing that can unite Nigeria. Love disarms anything and if we can learn to love each other, we will be united again. Nigeria is blessed.