Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Corruption in Nigeria
Corruption is the biggest among the challenges in Nigeria. It is clear to every citizen of Nigeria that the level of corruption in the country is high. Corruption in the country is found in all the entire sectors of the country. Be it a small or big sector, there is every possibility of observing corrupt practices when critically examined.
What is corruption? What is corruption to you? Corruption is dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power typically involving bribery. Corruption is illegitimate use of power to benefit a private interest (Morris 1991). Corruption is the giving of bribe by a person to an official so that the truth will not be told. It involves the embezzlement of public fund for personal use. Corruption is involving in any act which is considered to be criminal act according to the Law of the particular society.
Corruption in Nigerian Custom Service
Corruption in Nigerian Custom Service
Are the Nigerian customs really doing the work they are called to do correctly? The custom service of Nigeria is the organization that is authorized to clear goods that were imported into the country. This group is not free from the menace of corruption.
In most occasions, you must pay bribe to Nigeria customs before your goods are cleared to be taking to business places. Many containers that are being held captive by the customs is because the owners are not willing to pay the large amount of money being demanded by the customs.
TENACITY AND RESILIENCE: THE BUHARI EXAMPLE FOR THE NIGERIA CHILDREN
TENACITY
AND RESILIENCE: THE BUHARI EXAMPLE FOR THE NIGERIA CHILDREN
By
Comrade
Chinekwu Anthony Ugbor Jnr
Tenacity is using new data to
make new decisions to find new pathways to find new ways to achieve goals when
the old ways didn’t work by ~Seth Godin. Our hypocrisy has suffered shame. We are quick to use Abraham Lincoln as
an example of a man with a never-give-up
spirit. We use President Lincoln to motivate ourselves to never give up on our
goals and aspirations. But when GMB was showing persistence in the pursuit of
his aspiration, we lambasted him. We said he was too old to be the president of
the country. We said he was too desperate for Aso Rock, that he must have an
ulterior motive (like planning to Islamize Nigeria). What hypocrisy! But Buhari,
a great man, was never deterred. He was unmindful of our criticisms. After
three failed attempts, he finally got what he wanted. Those who said he was too
old now call him a dogged fighter, a man of history.
Whoever says he or she is too old for enthronement
should take a lesson from GMB. With persistence and courage, you can get to
your desired throne. Men, don’t give up. The power to
enthrone and dethrone a king resides in the people. Nigerians are increasingly
enlightened that political sovereignty lies with them. Spiritual
fathers are good. We need their prayers. But in politics, don’t lean on them at
the expense of your political godfather. Those spiritual fathers, they
understand everything but not the abracadabra of politics. Don’t abandon your political
master thinking the prayers of those little gods in cassocks will suffice for
you. In politics, place your political godfather above spiritual men.
Everybody
wants to associate his or herself to success not a failure 3 times this
man failed even his neighbour and family members were avoiding him now he
succeeded old classmates from 1953 now remember they were in the same school
together. The lesson here is never give up on ur dream! No vision speaks
at the beginning but at the end it shall speaks thou it may tarry. The
most difficult thing is the decision to act the rest is merely tenacity. The
fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to
change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.
~Robyn Davidson
Gen
Buhari is one man who has lived above board. People freely call him and
deservedly too, THE INCORRUPTIBLE. Gen Buhari has held virtually every juicy
position in Nigeria at the very top but till today even his worst enemies couldn’t
pinpoint even one kobo against him. Nobody has yet come out to accuse Buhari of
taking even a kobo that doesn’t belong to him. Buhari was head of state,
minister of petroleum resources, governor of Borno state and more recently, the
chair of the petroleum trust fund (PTF) which was then the cash pot of the
nation. However, there has not been even an allegation of Buhari taking even a
dime that is not his. This is remarkable. The Moto of Gen Buhari which he
stated was that anything that doesn’t belong to him, he doesn’t need it.
The only one to thank is God who gave
buhari the uncommon attributes of integrity, modesty and tenacity. Buhari’s victory, which is the first of such in the
country’s political history and a novel occurrence in the African continent,
actually tasked the commitment of Nigerians to the entrenchment of
representative government.
The success of Mr. Buhari at the election across the country proved he is the
choice of the people for his resilience and tenacity over the years. By his resounding
success in the election across the country, General Buhari has proved that he
is the choice of the people,” his resilience and tenacity over the years which
have seen him equal the record of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln of the
USA. His victory is a lesson to all of us that we can be what we want to be if
we are patient and persistent in our legitimate pursuits in life”. “His
speeches before, during and after the election are also commendable because
they went a long way in dousing the tension in the country. This actually shows
that the ‘Peoples General’ as he is fondly called is indeed a statesman’.
It is not only the Super Eagles that can turn
Nigerians to sudden mathematicians. Results of the presidential elections can,
too. As the results were being announced, Nigerians were recording and
calculating the figures in their houses and offices, the victory is for all
Nigerians. Governance knows no
party. The APC, hear the words of Nigerians: We have set you on the throne with our political power; we can dethrone
you in four years’ time with the same power. Nigerians are difficult to please. They hail
you today and crucify you tomorrow. The APC stalwarts shouldn’t think that
Nigerians voted for the party because they love it. No. They voted for GMB. Four years ago, they voted
for GEJ and not the PDP. This
time, they have told GEJ enough is enough. They will treat the APC-led
government the same way if it fumbles. GMB must show us that there is a
difference between change and transformation. He must prove to us
that beyond semantics, change is
better than transformation.
Life is a struggle. Life wills through curveballs
at you, it will humble you; it will attempt to break you down. And just when
you think things are starting to look up, life will smack you back down with
ruthless indifference. The reason most people never achieve their dreams is
because they simply give up. Life was never meant to be easy it’s a constant
struggle, with extreme lows and extreme highs. Remember that the times when it’s
most important to persevere are the times that you will be most tested. Never
give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about by Sir
Winston Churchill.
chinekscau@yahoo.com
08033463859
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Photos: Iftar on the streets of London yesterday...
For those who don't know, 'Iftar' means 'the meal eaten by
Muslims to break their fast after sunset during Ramadan'. Pictured here
is what went down on some streets in London yesterday. Another picture
after the cut
uhari meets Nigerian governors today, bailout for states on the card
President Muhammadu Buhari will today meet with Nigeria’s 36 state governors at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Mr. Buhari’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, who confirmed the meeting said it would begin by 10am.
“Decisive parley. President Buhari meets governors of the 36 states this morning from 10 a.m. Bailout?We wait.,” Mr. Adesina tweeted.
The governors had earlier met last week and agreed to approach Mr. Buhari and ask for a bailout after saying most states are in a near economic collapse.
Chairman of the All Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, had while briefing journalists after their meeting said most states are unable to pay salaries of civil servants because of dwindling revenue from the federation account.
The nation’s income has been dwindling since the price of oil crashed last year.
Even the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, where revenues that accrued to the nation is shared among the three times of government could not hold as scheduled last week.
Mr. Buhari himself had in his maiden meeting with State House correspondents on Monday said he inherited a heavy debt burden and a near empty treasury.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
THE ABUSE OF RED CAPS BY NIGERIA POLITICIAN
It has become a common sight
nowadays, especially in cities within and outside the Igbo land, to see men
without traditional titles wearing “red caps’’ meant for chiefs. While some of
these men wear the “red cap’’ out of sheer ignorance; others wear the cap out
of utter mischief, deceptively parading themselves as chiefs. Nevertheless, a
handful of the cap wearers, indeed, deserve to wear “red caps’’, as they are
titled men and chiefs who are recognised in their various communities as
‘Ozos’, ‘Nzes’, ‘Ichies’, ‘Ogbuefis’ and so on. By most accounts, the “red
cap’’ in Igbo land is a symbol of authority, culture and tradition; and it
represents the chieftaincy institution, its power, and authority. The
categories of chiefs who are permitted to wear this sacred cap must have met
certain standards which they still maintain in their respective communities. For
instance, they are not expected to lie, swindle or engage in any activity that
can bring the traditional institution into disrepute. The number of eagle
feathers on the “red cap”, as the case may be, illustrates the status of the
cap wearer.
However, an Ozo title holder,
whose father is still living, cannot wear the “red cap”. Against this backdrop,
custodians of the tradition and stakeholders are bemoaning the deliberate and
sustained abuse of the “red cap” and the Igbo chieftaincy institution in
general. The Ezendigbo of Abuja, Nwosu Ibe, said that the “red cap’’ could not be
worn by everyone, insisting that it should only be worn by those who were permitted
by the society to wear it but today it is a symbol of political movement and
party such as PDP and KWANKWASIYYA MOVEMENT IN KANO STATE.
Everyone
that mattered in the APC, including President Muhammadu Buhari and his
vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, were at the meeting.
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
Everyone
that mattered in the APC, including President Muhammadu Buhari and his
vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, were at the meeting.
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
Everyone
that mattered in the APC, including President Muhammadu Buhari and his
vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, were at the meeting.
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
There, the party subtly ceded the Senate presidency to the North Central zone and Speakership to North East. Members had no qualms with the North Central having the presidency of the Senate. But tempers flared when South-West suddenly showed interest in the Speakership of the House after North East had been penciled down for the office.
Consequent upon the shouting match, a two-man committee was set up. The two men were Buhari and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. Their mandate was to think out the best way to accommodate the interests.
But there were doubts that the committee ever met to harmonize the interests. To lend credence to this, Buhari repeatedly sounded a caution when his name was dropped that he was backing a candidate for the top National Assembly position. He washed his hands off the allegation and later advocated free hand in the elections of the parliament leaders.
Now, when it became obvious that Akume’s candidacy would not fly for the Senate presidency in the emerging force of Saraki, a powerful man in the party opted for Lawan from the North East in a calculated attempt to dislodge Dogara who was waxing stronger from the zone.
In Dogara’s stead, Gbajabimila was prepared for the House speakership. Contenders tried to woo lawmakers from the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Election day upstage
On June 9, day of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, APC, having tried unsuccessfully to stop the participation of Saraki and Dogara in the contest after producing Lawan and Gbajabiamila as their consensus candidates in a straw poll on June 6 in Abuja, scheduled a meeting with all their National Assembly members-elect. But that was their greatest undoing.
While the party leaders and other incoming lawmakers were at the International Conference Centre, ICC, venue of the meeting, the Senate conducted its election and voted Saraki as president. That was not all. The red chamber went ahead and elected opposition senator PDP Ike Ekwerenmadu as the Deputy Senate President.
Also, at the House, with the participation of APC’s favorite candidates, Dogara was voted as the Speaker. Then the party began to boil. First, it declared the outcome of the elections unacceptable and disowned Saraki and Lawan as Senator and House Speaker. Second, it threatened to impose sanctions on them. But then, Saraki and Dogara had already acquired new designation, apparently irreversible now.
Anger
The duos elections later dovetailed into controversy. Of course, the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who largely supported Lawan and Gbajabimila, became sad, extremely sad. His sadness was further fueled by Saraki’s visit to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, another chieftain of the party, immediately after his election. Those in Tinubu’s camp felt that there was a “coup” against their principal’s interest in the APC. To make matters worse, Buhari and Atiku issued separate statements congratulating the new National Assembly leaders and pledged their readiness to work with them. But then, Tinubu’s anger continued to grow.
Oyegun, Mohammed torn between camps
Obviously, the crisis has sprawled to offices of the APC National Chairman, Oyegun, and the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. At the moment, both men are battling to save their jobs. Why? The bottled anger of many APC national leaders had exploded against them.
To many of the leaders, the mock election, which cost the party the Deputy Senate President, is chiefly Oyegun’s sin. He was also accused of not being man enough to resist overtures by powerful forces to conduct the mock election against the wish of the majority.
Mohammed is also not left out in the the bashing. He is accused of belittling Buhari and his office by saying that the President is not the leader of the party.
To everyone’s surprise, this claim emanated from no other person than Mohammad’s deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, who also called for Oyegun’s resignation.
Frank’s words: “If my party could not keep to the promise of change, then we must correct them to keep to that. I have no fear or favour than to say that the current leadership of the party has practically failed.
“With this incident alone, the Chairman should resign from his position after taking a position against the people and the people’s position has finally come to stay. In the Western world, by today, the party’s National Chairman would have resigned honourably.
“Not just the National Chairman but also the entire leadership that took this decision of conducting mock election against the outcry of the larger members of the party. Against the bigger picture of Nigerians, a handful of the party leadership came to take a decision, and, by today, the people have shown that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“You could see the way the party, including the National Chairman, was speaking before the NASS leadership elections. It showed clearly that the Chairman had totally taken sides which wasn’t meant to be. I understand, he took some of those decisions based on pressure. In this century, APC, as a party, does not need a Chairman that will be under pressure. “ And the party’s National Chairman caused it because times without number, some of leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was as ked to take a decision and let people follow, but he didn’t do that.”
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary went on: “They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
“Let’s go back and ask Lai Mohammed who the leader of the party is if he does not recognize the President as the leader. In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.
“We have seen that even in, the then PDP. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was the leader of the party. If in our own case the President cannot be the leader of the party, he should tell us who the leader is then.
“Those that are calling for the Deputy Senate President to resign are anti-people, and I will campaign against it. I will continue to support Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu and every progressive Nigerian should support this mission as it will take Nigeria to the next phase because failure to do this will disrupt democracy”.
Scapegoats
But speaking to Sunday Vanguard on Frank’s call for his resignation, Oyegun said: “It is neither here nor there. That’s his opinion. And I suppose he’s entitled to it. But I read the statement. He’s not a member of the National Working Committee (NWC). He’s a member of NEC alright. But not of the National Working Committee. So, it is neither here not there.
“When things happen, people look for scapegoats and it is a pity that he told the press instead of coming to say, `look, Chairman, what happened? How did things go the way they did?’ He might have just benefited from the education.
“I was not under any pressure in the sense that he’s taking it, but a party Chairman is constantly under pressure, especially when the time comes for dividing the spoils of office between people of different interests. It is for the National Chairman to moderate all these interests. And usually not everybody will be pleased. One way or the other, whatever decision you take, somebody is bound to be unhappy. That’s the way things run.”
Lai Mohammed also reacted this way: “Just ignore him. I said it in the context that Buhari is the leader of the whole of Nigeria, not just of my party. That is why I said I don’t want to react to Timi Frank. I don’t even want to answer him at all”.
Disappearance of Tinubu’s banners
Anyone who had visited the national secretariat of the APC since the party’s polls victory would attest to the fact that Tinubu’s banners, alongside those of Buhari and Vice President Osibanjo, littered the place. Tinubu’s were conspicuously displayed but, surprisingly, the banners had all gone as at Thursday. Who removed them and why? These are questions only the authorities could answer.
The escape route
At the moment, Oyegun and Mohammed are in a fix. They are torn between the camps of the majority party members controlled apparently by Atiku and the President Buhari, unsure of which camp to join.
For instance, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Oyegun, last weekend, had a meeting with Atiku where he pleaded that Gbajabimila should be made the Majority Leader of the House. But that request was a bitter pill to swallow by many northern elements in the APC who argued that the South West has got the Vice President and the Deputy Speaker.
Also, Oyegun presided over the meeting of the NWC on Thursday and Friday. The meeting had semblance of peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.
A statement issued by the party Chairman after the meeting on Friday said that peace was underway in the APC, even as he defended Mohammed’s actions in the crisis.
He said: “The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family.
“We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.
“The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.
“At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time. The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion”.
Last line
From all indications, it is obvious that personal aggrandizements were responsible for the crisis in APC. But now that the party leaders have realized their mistakes, it is only necessary to allow peace reign for the party to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians. But would they? The answer lies in the passage of time.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/apc-the-crisis-within/#sthash.JhLnJZOf.dpuf
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