Politics

Politics Of A Presidential Team And S’South Dev

Published

4 years ago

November 27, 2020

The meeting was originally scheduled and publicised to hold on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and apparent regional headquarters of the South-South geo-political zone. It was, however, botched and some illogical explanations advanced by the Presidency following a barrage of protestations and a demand for an unreserved apology from the Federal Government by governors, governments and peoples of the region.

Exactly one week later, on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, the meeting between the presidential delegation headed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and a cross section of leaders of the region was reconvened at the Rivers State Government’s seat of power, this time around, without much pre-event promotional publicity that attended the ill-fated one.

Alongside the Chief of Staff on the presidential team were the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba, Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi and the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, amongst others.

Conspicuously absent was the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in spite of President Muhammadu Buhari’s express directive for all cabinet ministers from the region to be part of the delegation.

In attendance on the side of the South-South region were Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State (who is also the chairman of the South-South Governors Forum) and other stakeholders like the National chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Idongesit Nkanga.

While there is no indication yet whether the presidency offered the apology earlier demanded by the South-South stakeholders or that the leaders of the region insisted on it, the meeting obviously sailed smoothly.

Intended to identify and deal with latent fundamental issues with the potential of re-enacting the ill-fated #ENDSARS nationwide protests, the meeting, which had also held in other regions of the country, lived up to its billing as it afforded the South-South region’s leaders the opportunity to present nagging socio-political and economic concerns of the people.

Making the presentation on behalf of the governors and peoples of the region, the chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa demanded the restructuring of the Nigerian Federation to align with the principles of true federalism as a guarantee for peace, security and political stability of the nation.

According to Governor Okowa, only the practice of “True federalism guided by the principle of derivation, revenue sharing and control of resources by each state of the federation as it was the case in the First Republic” would meet the aspiration of the people.

“We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a little bit of effort, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the federation, as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse. This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country.

“What is worse and even more painful in this ugly situation is the deliberate lack of understanding, empathy and the uncompromising attitude of some Nigerians, who have refused to understand the challenges of the South-South region of the country, especially, the degradation of the environment and our waters. As a result, most of the demands of the region have remained unattended to while the resources of the region have been used continually to develop other parts of the country”, he said.

While reiterating the agitation for the relocation of the headquarters of all oil multi-nationals operating in the country and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the South-South region, Okowa urged the immediate implementation of the consent judgement delivered in the Supreme Court suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the South-South region get its share of $55 billion shortfall of collection of deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts.

The Governor of Delta State underlined the commitment of the South-South region to the restructuring of Nigeria in a way that guarantees fiscal federalism and devolution of powers to the states to create and manage their own police and security architecture under a federal structure.

He further demanded the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri Seaports in order to enhance the economic development of the region while asking for the immediate privatisation of the Federal Government owned refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri with the states in the region considered for considerable equity in fairness and justice.

In fact, the presentation is captured succinctly in a seven-point demand viz:

1. Immediate relocation of headquarters of oil multinationals to their operational bases in the South-South region.

2. Immediate relocation of government-owned oil subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the South-South region.

3. Immediate completion of the East-West Road under construction.

4. Immediate privatization of the two refineries in Port Harcourt and the one in Warri for efficiency.

5. Release of all funds due the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and that henceforth, all NDDC projects be executed in consultation with State governors.

6. The reactivation of seaports in Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri, including the realisation of the Lagos – Calabar rail line.

7. The implementation of true federalism, resource control, fair revenue sharing and state police as the way to achieving a better Nigeria.

While promising to present the demands of the region to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Gambari said that beyond the #ENDSARS issues, President Buhari acknowledges that the citizens in the region have also been dealing with other peculiarities such as the degradation of the environment due to decades of neglect, mishandling and non-adherence to environmental sustainability standards.

Many people in the region have since expressed mixed feelings with regard to the meeting as some hold that there was nothing new about the demands and all that was needed to make a difference in the socio-economic fortunes of the people of the region and engender peace, stability and development was the political will to implement the age – old demands.

The question is: What hope is there that this meeting will bring any succour to the suffering people of the oil rich region?

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege has already pointed out that much of what is being demanded can only be achieved through a constitutional amendment. However, there are a whole lot of others that can be achieved through the exercise of political will by the President and commander- in-chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For example, while it is true that such issues as resource control, devolution of power and the like may not be achievable by a Presidential Fiat, the completion of the East-West Road, the revamping of the seaports and related others can be done by executive intervention and policy reorientation.

Indeed, the governors and those who represented the people of the region did not make any fresh demands from the Federal Government. They merely repeated what had been the main thrust of the heart cry of the people through the activities and presentations articulated and enunciated over the years by such groups as the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities (TROMPCOM) and sundry ethnic nationalities, associations and personalities at various official and non-formal fora.

All said and done, the people of the South-South are not asking for special favours from the Nigerian Federation. All they ask of the Nigerian State is fairness, equity, justice and inclusion. And these are the ingredients for a stable and sustainable polity.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Why I Won’t Help Tinubu’s Govt Overcome Economic Challenges – Sanusi

Published

7 days ago

January 17, 2025

The Tide

The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, says he would not help President Bola Tinubu’s administration to correct the administration’s policies affecting the citizens.

Emir Sanusi spoke on Wednesday in Lagos as the chairman of the 21st Anniversary of Fawehinmiism (Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture 2025).

The emir stated that while there were “a few points” he could offer to explain the trajectory the administration had taken and how such decisions were predictable, he chose not to do so because “they don’t behave like friends.”

He said explaining the government’s policies would help the government, but he did not intend to assist them due to the way they had treated him.

“I can give a few points that are contrary, that explain perhaps what we’re going through and how it was totally predictable, most of it, and maybe avoidable. But I am not going to do that.

“I have chosen not to speak about the economy or the reforms or to even explain anything because if I explain, it would help this government, but I don’t want to help this government,” the emir said while addressing some of the points made by speakers about the economy.

He added: “You know they’re my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So I watch them being stooges. And they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they are doing. I am not going to help. I started out helping, but I am not going to help. I am not going to discuss it. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why the policies that are being pursued are being pursued.

“Meanwhile, I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands. But I will say one thing: What we are going through today is, at least in part, not totally, but at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.

“People were told decades ago that if you continue along this path, this is where you’re going to end up, and they refused to open their eyes. Now, is everything being done today correct? No.”

Emir Sanusi, who was deposed as the 14th Emir of Kano in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the current national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was reinstated as the 16th Emir of Kano in 2024 by the New Nigeria People’s Party-led Kano State Government.

His emirship has faced ongoing challenges from forces believed to be backed by the federal government, including federal officials’ continued recognition of his predecessor, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.

Last month, the police barricaded his palace, with the state government accusing the federal government of orchestrating the action to stir unrest in the peaceful state.

Politics

Reps Loses Deputy Chief Whip

Published

7 days ago

January 17, 2025

The Tide

The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Oriyomi Onanuga, is dead.

Also known as Ijaya, Rt Hon. Onanuga, who was the member representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, is said to have died following a brief illness.

This was confirmed in a tweet on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday night.

Rt Hon Onanuga, who was born in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents on December 2, 1965, was a politician and entrepreneur. She held the position of Deputy Chief Whip in the Nigerian House of Representatives since 2023.

She contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. She also served as the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.

Politics

Aiyedatiwa Dissolves Cabinet, Retains Finance Commissioner, Attorney-General

Published

7 days ago

January 17, 2025

The Tide

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The State Executive Council members include commissioners, Special Advisers and the Secretary to the State Government, SSG.

Gov. Aiyedatiwa, however, exempted two members of the cabinet from the dissolution due to the critical nature of their duties.

The two commissioners exempted include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac.

This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Mr Adeniyan said in the statement that “All the affected cabinet members are to hand over all government properties in their care to the accounting officers of their respective ministries.

Gov. Aiyedatiwa thanked the executive council members “for their service and contributions to the development of Ondo State under his administration and wished them well in their future endeavours”.