Issues
2020: A Year Like No Other!
It was a year many hoped will bring about major positive turnarounds for the country. There were projections that with various reforms agenda, policies, development plans and programmes claimed by the authorities to have been going on for decades, year 2020 will see Nigeria becoming one of the 20 largest economies in the world, able to consolidate its leadership role in Africa and establish itself as a significant player in the global economic and political arena.
But all the expectations and hopes seem not to have been met owing to several challenging circumstances, some of which are not peculiar to the country.
Kidnapping/Killing:
On January 13, 2020, four seminarians of Good Shepherd Seminary in Kaduna State were abducted from the school. While three of them were eventually released, the fourth, Michael Nnadi, was found dead three weeks later.
On January 24, the wife of Philip Ataga, a Kaduna –based medical doctor and her two children were kidnapped in their residence at Juji, near Sabo Tasa Chikun LGA of the state. After seven days in captivity, Mrs Ataga was killed by her captors allegedly for failure of her family to meet the demand of N150 million for the woman and the children.
COVID-19: On February 27, the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the index case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. An Italian citizen who returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos became the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January.
Consequently, the federal government and the various state governments swung into action to ensure that the outbreak was controlled and contained. On the federal level, a 12-member Presidential Task Force, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to coordinate activities aimed at fighting the scourge in Nigeria.
The task force and the state governors are said to have done well in controlling and containing the spread of the virus though the country lost many people to the disease including the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. The about six months lockdown imposed on the nation as a way of curtailing the spread of the disease took a toll on the people, more so, as there were stories of uneven distribution of the palliative items meant to cushion the effect of the lockdown.
ASUU Strike: In March, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on a strike to push for more funding for public universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement among other demands. The strike which paralyzed academic activities in the universities for over nine months was eventually suspended on Wednesday, December 23rd with a warning from the university teachers that they would not hesitate to return to strike without notice should the government fail to maintain its own end of the agreement reached with the union.
Royal Rumble:
In March, the former Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi was dethroned and exiled to Nasarawa State by the Kano State Government. To replace him, the Emir of Bichi, Aminu Ado Bayero, was appointed by the state government as the 15th Emir of Kano.
Politics:
Court Sacks Oshiomhole As Apc Chairman: Few days to Edo State election, the Court of Appeal upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
PDP Wins Edo Election: The Edo State gubernatorial election which held on September 19, 2020, saw the emergence of the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, who decamped from APC to PDP as the winner. By that, Edo State became a PDP state.
APC Retains Power In Ondo: The keenly contested October 9 gubernatorial election in Ondo was won by the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, of the APC. By that victory, APC is said to be the only party to have governed beyond eight years in the state. Both Edo and Ondo elections were said to be largely free and fair. INEC was commended for an improvement on the conduct of relatively credible elections.
Petrol Price/ Electricity Tariff Increase:
On September 4, a new petrol pump price of N160 per litre was announced. That was not to last for so long as the price was hiked to N168 per litre in less than two months. However, following series of meetings with labour leaders who kicked against the increment, the federal government reduced the pump price to N162.44 per litre with effect from December 14, 2020.
Similarly, in October, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) slammed Nigerians with a sharp increase in electricity tariff, which raised serious outcry and resentment.
#EndSARS Protest: On October 8, some Nigerian youths across the country took to the streets to protest and speak up against police brutality, injustice, corruption, inept and rudderless leadership in the country. The protest tagged #EndSARS was mainly targeted at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Police but other demands including justice for the families of victims of police brutality and other five core demands were also canvassed. The protest adjudged by many as the most peaceful and best organized in recent time unfortunately went bizarre following the shooting and alleged killing of some protesters by uniformed men at Lekki toll gate, Lagos State, on October 20.
The true story of the killings is still sketchy as Lagos State Government, the Military and the protesters continue to blame one another.
The two weeks protest was subsequently hijacked by some hoodlums who destroyed and vandalized many private and public properties. All warehouses containing COVID-19 palliatives were wrecked. Some of the results of the protest, however, were the disbandment of SARS by the Inspector General of Police and the setting up of another unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) to take up the duties of SARS. Reformation of the Police was also promised.
Independence Celebration:
Amid COVID-19 economic woes, the nation marked her 60th Independence with the president calling for national healing and stronger unity. According to the federal government, the 60th Independence anniversary celebration would be observed for a whole year, ending September 30th, 2021.
INEC Chairman’s Reappointment: President Buhari in October reappointed the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for another five-year term. Following the Senate’s confirmation of the appointment on December 1,Yakubu became the first person to serve as INEC chairman for two terms.
On November 28, suspected terrorists attacked a farming community in Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, killing about 43 rice farmers.
There were other cases of kidnapping, killings as insecurity remained a top challenge for the country. Series of calls were made by many Nigerians, including the federal lawmakers for the sacking of the service chiefs who they said are now bereft of ideas on how to handle the increasing security problems in the country but the president was adamant on keeping them in office. The lawmakers invited the president for a briefing over the insecurity issues in the country but that was not to be as the president made an eleventh-hour U-turn.
On December 11, over 300 students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State, were abducted from their institution. Fortunately, all the kidnapped boys were freed from where they were being held in Zamfara State on December 17.
Border Reopening:
On December 16, the federal government announced the reopening of four land border crossing points with the assurance to reopen the remaining crossings on December 31. Government had closed the borders in August 2019 due to concerns over smuggling.
Another Recession:
As COVID-19 continued to bite, Nigeria’s economy sunk into another recession, making it the second recession in less than five years.
Flood:
Like in the previous years, flood was a big issue in 2020. Many communities in the coastal areas were ravaged by flood. Farmlands, crops and valuable properties were destroyed with members of the affected communities constantly crying out for aid from government which most of the time was slow to come, if at all.
In all, it was a year full of many ups and downs which made life difficult for many people. Nigerians only wish that 2021 will bring better tidings.
By: Calista Ezeaku
This is an open letter to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Your Excellency,
Sir, ordinarily, I would not be writing an open letter to you, but like a wise man once said, “Silence would be Treason.” So I prefer to stay alive than face the consequences of silence in the face of crime. With each passing day, and as the socio-political tides continue to turn, it has become more pertinent that more people speak up in a concerted MANNER to prevent the death of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as we appear to be, in the words of W. B. Yeats, “turning and turning in the widening gyre” heading for an end where the falcon will no longer hear the falconer
It is unfortunate that since losing control of the Federal Government, with the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan at the poll in 2015, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued on a downward spiral. It is much more painful, that where it is expected that leaders within the party should rise to the challenge and put an end to this decline of our great party, some have instead taken up roles as its undertaker.
It will be hypocritical to claim aloofness to what I believe is your grouse with the PDP and I am not a hypocrite. It will be uncharitable on my part to discountenance the role you have played in strengthening the PDP from 2015 up until the last Presidential primaries of the party. It is my belief that your grouse against certain members of the party who you perceived worked against the party and abandoned it in 2015 and then came around much later to take control of the party, is justified. Also know that your decision to remain in the Party and stifle its progress on the other hand, as a sort of payback, stands condemned. For a man of your pedigree and stature, it is a dishonorable act, highly dishonorable and stands as testimony against all you claim to stand for.
At least, it can be argued that those who you hold this grudge against, abandoned the party completely and did not sit back while actively working to destroy it from within. But what then can be the argument on your own part, seeing that those you are currently working with against your party are the same people who set in motion, and executed surgically, the plans that not only ended our Party’s leadership at the centre, but ended up dislodging the first Niger Deltan to occupy Aso Rock as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Is this not akin to “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face?” That will be worse than folly. Let us not throw away the baby with the bath water because we do not like the soap used in bathing the baby. It will be a grave mistake.
Honourable Minister, sir, it is rather unfortunate that of all people, you have also decided to play the role of an undertaker not only for our party, but for our dear Rivers State.
I will like to take you down memory lane a little. Let me remind you of your emergence as Guber candidate of the PDP in Rivers State, against all fairness and justice in 2014. You will remember that despite the reality being that you as an Ikwerre man was poised to replace a fellow Ikwerre man in Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in our multiethnic state, Rivers people overwhelmingly stood by you and pushed for your emergence as Executive Governor of Rivers State in 2015. I dare say that your popularity in the entire Niger Delta region was at an all-time high at this point.
I want you to understand why you were loved across board leading to your eventual emergence as Governor of Rivers State in 2015; it was because when it looked like all were against the second term ambitions of the first Niger Delta man to emerge as President of Nigeria, you became not just a pillar but a beacon of resistance by standing for Goodluck Jonathan. Rivers people, as grateful and rewarding as they can be, paid you back by ensuring your electoral victory against the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) led by your predecessor. On your emergence, where there were second term Governors in the region, you, a first term Governor, was seen by the people as not just the leader of the PDP, but the leader of the entire Niger Delta region. You earned it, and no one could dispute it.
In 2019, when your re-election bid was being challenged ferociously, Rivers people once again stood solidly behind you. Many were killed in the process of defending your votes. Do you remember Dr. Ferry Gberegbe that was shot and killed while trying to protect your votes in Khana Local Government Area? There are many more unnamed and unrecognised sons and daughters of Rivers State who sacrificed their lives so that you could emerge as a second term Governor of Rivers State.
In 2022/23, Honourable Minister, you oversaw a party primary across board that saw some candidates imprisoned and internal party democracy jettisoned for your wishes, leading to the emergence of flag bearers of our party all singlehandedly picked by you. You have on more than one occasion publicly stated that you paid for all their forms. Even those shortchanged in this process licked their wounds and continued to play their roles as party members to ensure the success of the party at all levels. In what will go down as one of the most keenly contested elections in recent Rivers history, with formidable candidates like Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the vibrant youth driven Labour Party (LP), PDP emerged victorious across board except for Phalga Constituency 1 that was lost to the Labour Party. (Not that you did not loose in some other LGA’s but let’s stick to the official figures declared by INEC).
It begs the question, why then do you want to burn down Rivers State, when everyone who now holds political office emerged through a process designed and endorsed by you? Is it that you do not care about Rivers people and you are all about yourself? If so, I am forced to believe that those around you are not telling you the truth. The truth being that in a state where your words were law; where houses and businesses could be demolished or closed down without any recourse to legalities, where Executive Orders could be deployed to stifle the opposition, that your popularity is now at an all-time low. Probably because they are afraid of you, or of losing the benefits they gain from you, they fail to tell you that what you might perceive as a battle against your successor, has slowly but gradually degenerating into a battle against Rivers State and Rivers people. You know, there is a popular saying that, a man can cook for the community and the community will finish the food, but when a community decides to cook for one man, the reverse is the case.
LEAVE FUBARA ALONE
You have gone on and on about being betrayed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. You point fingers forgetting that some of those same fingers quick to spot betrayals point straight back at you. It is not Governor Fubara that has betrayed the PDP by working against it in the just concluded General Election, and working with the opposition at the State and Federal level to destabilise the party. It is you, Honourable Minister. It is not Governor Fubara that betrayed Rivers people by instigating a political crisis with propensity to escalate ethnic tensions in Rivers State. It is you Honourable Minister. It is not Governor Fubara that has declared himself God over all in Rivers State and has no qualms with burning the state to the ground to prove a point. It is you Honourable Minister. It is you Honourable Minister who told the world that the APC was a cancer and you can never support a cancerous party. It is you Honourable Minister who ended up facilitating the emergence of the same “cancerous” APC that has accelerated the economic decline of this country and further impoverished our people with no remorse. All so you can be a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory? The lack of self awareness is gobsmacking.
Some days back I came across a video where you talked about death and how you do not cry when you hear about the death of some people because you have no idea what might have caused it considering many a politician swear “over dead bodies” and still go back on their words. Those words made me think, and I could see the reason behind them. You see, in chosing to be God in the affairs of Rivers people, you have closed your eyes and ears to reason; you see nothing and hear nothing that can cause you to rethink on the path you have chosen. In your quest to “show Fubara” you have unwittingly united a vast majority of Rivers people behind him, so much that even those who despised him because of you, now like or love him, because of you too. In your scheming, I will advise you not to forget that “the voice of the people is the voice of God”.
Note that the war which you have or are waging against Governor Fubara, has gone beyond being merely political as you might see in your minds eye. It is now one that, fortunately for some and unfortunately for others, has evolved into a war against Rivers people. It is good to point out that no one has taken a stand against Rivers people and won. No one has gone against God and won. In your defiant characteristic manner, it will be unfortunate if you believe your own hubris and that of those around you on the possibility of you being the first to successfully go against Rivers people. It will be a needless gamble; one where if you win you create more enemies for yourself than you can withstand on your political journey, and if you lose, your legacy becomes an inglorious and irredeemable one in Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria at large. For your sake as regards posterity, it is my greatest wish that you have a moment of sobriety and a deep reflection and introspection on this path you have chosen.
Honourable Minister, sir, what is left of your legacy is on the brink of being completely desecrated and relegated to the dustbin of our political history, and it will be a sad end to what I will say has been a wonderful political career that many can only dream of. The ball is in your court, and may God Almighty have mercy on us all and forgive us for our shortcomings.
Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson
Dr Pidomson is former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and former member, Rivers State House of Assembly.
In 2015, I made a conscious decision to invest my financial resources, my time, and energy into supporting Nyesom Wike’s gubernatorial campaign. I poured my heart and soul into ensuring Nyesom Wike emerged victorious even at the risk of my personal safety.
Again in 2019, I doubled down on my commitment. I invested a significant amount of money to procure campaign outfits for all twenty-three Local Governments Areas of Rivers State. I spared no expense in supplementing Wike’s election efforts in my own local government, and once again putting myself at great risk to safeguard the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
However, despite my unwavering loyalty and sacrifices, I found myself abandoned and forgotten by Wike. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he failed to acknowledge my contributions or fulfill his promises and agreements. Even as a former Deputy Governor, Wike denied me my severance benefit.
My investment in Wike’s governorship was not just financial – it was a commitment of passion, dedication, and belief in a better future for Rivers State. Yet, his leadership style of dishonesty, greed, drunkenness and rash abuse of senior citizens brought me nothing but disappointment, misery and losses.
By the grace of God, today I speak not as a victim, but as a hero. I have accepted my losses, and I have moved on. And as I reflect on my experience, I cannot help but urge Wike to do the same and allow peace and development to reign in Rivers State.
Nyesom Wike, when you speak of investing in Governor Sim Fubara’s election, remember those like me who also invested in you. Remember the sacrifices I made, the risks I took, and the promises and agreements you left unfulfilled.
It is time for you, Wike, to let go of the past and allow Governor Sim Fubara the breathing space he needs to lead Rivers State forward. Allow him to focus on the challenges of good governance and the aspirations of the people. Spare him these unwarranted and ill-conceived political manoeuvrings founded on personal agenda and not for general good of Rivers State and her people.
I may have lost my investment on Wike, but I have not lost hope in the future of Rivers State. And together, we will continue to strive for a brighter tomorrow.
Long Live the Governor to Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara!
Long Live the Good People of Rivers State!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Engr Ikuru is former Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
Tele Ikuru
