Features
Appointment Of INEC Chair…Protests, Matters Arising
The key essence of the Federal Character provision in the Constitution of Nigeria is mainly to ensure social integration and give all sections of the country a true sense of belonging. It is also to prevent a situation whereby a winner in any election takes all to the exclusion of others.
With this in mind, even military administrations over the years demonstrated true care in ensuring that no section of the country feels short-changed. That was why at every step of the way, they tried to ensure reasonable balancing of appointments into key positions.
For instance, deliberate efforts were made by successive administrations to ensure that the three arms of government were not concentrated in the hands of one zone or a section of the country. They were often balanced at least to a large extent.
This is why the prevailing political situation which leaves the three arms of government in the hands of the Northern part of Nigeria is attracting criticism. Though not as loud as it should be, public resentment of the situation is real and should indeed worry the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government.
Similar protests attended Buhari’s appointment of his kitchen cabinet which many said was lopsided in favour of the North. Then followed the appointment of Mrs Amina Zakari as acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
That too attracted criticism from many quarters on the grounds that the appointee was indeed the President’s relation. That, many feared could affect Zakari’s required neutrality in superintending the affairs of the nation’s electoral body.
General expectations were that since the former Chairman of INEC under the Jonathan Presidency, Prof. Attahiru Jega is from the North, his successor under President Buhari should come from the South, as has been the case even during military rule.
This is indeed why it came to many as a huge surprise when President Buhari appointed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, from Bauchi, another Northerner as Chairman of INEC. One of those not happy with the turn of events is Ekiti State Governor Mr. Ayo Fayose who criticized President Buhari’s discretion on the matter. Describing it as insensitive to the yearnings of other sections of the country, Fayose said the appointment was not proper.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication’s and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose described the “appointment of yet another Northerner, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of INEC as a vindication of my position that President Muhammadu Buhari is a sectional leader”.
Fayose said the Presient still sees himself mainly as leader of the Hausa/Fulani, and not that of the entire people of Nigeria. He had expected the new INEC Chairman to be chosen from one of the three Southern geo-political zones, especially the South-western part of the country, being the only zone yet to produce Chairman of the nation’s electoral umpire, lamenting, “Nigeria has entered a one chance bus and it remains to be seen who will save the country from its sectional President”.
These may indeed be very strong words, but stronger are the likely consequences of concentrating power and all appointments in a section of the country. When people feel deprived, short changed, discriminated against and indeed isolated from the line of governance, they are often pushed to avoidable rebellion that very often blossooms into insurgency.
Nigerians may be quiet, but they are averse to the doings on. The appointment of INEC Chairman from the Northern part of the country while, the President is also from the North, is indeed a miscalculation that paints the picture that Buhari has no trust for any other Nigerian for that job except his kinsman. This is further fuelled by existing structures on ground.
There are in Nigeria, three arms of government: the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. The Executive has President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner as head. The Legislature has two arms: the Senate and the House of Representatives, headed by Alhaji Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara, both Northerners, as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.
The third arm is the Judiciary which has as its Head, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmud Mohammed (CFR) also of the North. He succeeded Justice Aloma Muhktar who retired November 20, last year. The second arm of the Judiciary, the Court of Appeal is headed by Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, another Northerner as President of the Appeal Court.
This means all three arms of government, the executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary are firmly under the control of Northern Elements to the exclusion of other sections of the country.
That is indeed why many consider the choice of an INEC Chair, also from the North as an over-kill and crass insensitivity to the yearnings and aspirations of other geo-political zones in the land.
Even with their desperation to hang on to power, in the Second Republic, members of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) with a Northern President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, did not appoint a Northerner to head the electoral body. Instead, Shagari appointed late Justice Victor Ovie-Whisky.
Even the Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha regimes appreciated the sensitivity of the issue and so went across the divide in choosing electoral umpires, since they were Northerners.
That is why Fayose is asking, “How can we have a President from the North and at the same time have INEC Chairman from the Hausa/Fulani Northern Nigeria?” . And thus concludes, “Obviously, what is being witnessed is more like a situation where, it appears, the President is more interested in having someone malleable to him than serving the interest of Nigeria and its people”.
Comments of this kind can be avoided if the new administration is a little more paintaking, objective and impartial in the choice of individuals into positions of trust. If sectional balancing, equity and fairplay indeed influence such appointments, there will be very little to worry about.
For instance, like all humans, Prof. Attahiru Jega was not perfect. Even as electoral umpire he was a member of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) which endorsed President Buhari as preferred candidate in the last election. Confronted, Jega accepted membership of the body but said he was not in the meeting where such endorsement was made.
A desperate President Goodluck Jonathan could capitalise on that and replace him, preferably with another lecturer from Otueke, in Bayelsa, the President’s hometown but he elected not to, apparently because of the need to ensure the long known balancing that existed long before the Second Republic.
Secondly, leadership of the second arm of government, the legislature, was in the hands of Northerners, mainly because the President was of the South-South. Why is such balancing now difficult?
What is indeed baffling is that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appears comfortable with the goings on, that tend to confirm pre-election comments that the party is an entirely Northern one. That the South-West was merely a tool used to actualise victory. We hope not.
But the right things should be done to carry everyone along. Let every section of the country have a sense of belonging and not isolation, because the journey of change in the country cannot succeed if many are left behind.
More importantly, every effort must be made to deepen democracy in the land. We must not forget so soon that the legitimacy that the last elections enjoyed was drawn from former President Jonathan’s disposition to the outcome, which for the first time prevented long litigations and if possible violence.
The Presidential election, like others before it, was far from perfect. But that singular statesmanly act, gave it an extra stamp of perfection and which for the first time, resulted in the enthronement of an opposition party over a ruling one.
But with the way key appointments are going, it is very doubtful if similar level playing-ground could be sustained for true democracy to thrive. That is the first and last responsibility of the incumbent President, and beneficiary of a relatively free and fair electoral process.
My Agony is that it is not often the habit of ‘great’ politicians to leave the ladder, after climbing to the top. They often take it up with them so no one drags the top with them.
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku