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Weekly political notes

By Samson Ezea
29 July 2017   |   3:49 am
The Imo State governor had taken a swipe at FFK following doubts expressed by Nigerians over the authenticity of the photograph emanating from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

The Imo State governor had taken a swipe at Fani Kayode following doubts expressed by Nigerians over the authenticity of the photograph emanating from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Senate Rejects Devolution Of Powers To States
The Senate on Wednesday voted to reject a proposal to amend the 1999 Constitution to devolve more powers to states. Using electronic voting, 48 of 95 Senators present voted against the proposal, which had been challenged on Tuesday by Adamu Aliero, who argued it should not stand without reviewing the revenue sharing formula to give more money to states.

The Senate’s decision is not unexpected, considering its insouciance over the consistent clamour for restructuring. It is obvious that if restructuring as being canvassed, or clamoured for becomes a reality, the Senate will either be scrapped or weakened. So, it is not surprising that members of the upper chamber are on the self-protection mission.

This may be a tip of iceberg of the shockers that will emanate from the ongoing constitution review by the National Assembly. To Senator Adamu Aliero, who was a former governor and minister, what efforts has he made with his Northern brothers in the upper chamber to review the revenue sharing formula before now, especially as it favours states in the North than those in the South?

Fani-Kayode Replies Okorocha
Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode (FKK) has reacted to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s attack on him. The Imo State governor had taken a swipe at FFK following doubts expressed by Nigerians over the authenticity of the photograph emanating from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

In a statement signed by Fani-Kayode’s special adviser on media, Jude Ndukwe, the former minister described Okorocha’s action “as a sign of desperation to serve the evil purposes for which he has been procured.”

The statement read: “This is true to the character of Okorocha, who is well known for his garrulousness, which he ridiculously mistakes for oratory, with which, unfortunately, he has been misleading the good people of Imo State.

“Okorocha is a man who serves and defends a president and government that have murdered, insulted, marginalised and humiliated more of his own Igbo people than any other government in the history of Nigeria outside of the civil war.

Fani-Kayode’s choice of words is harsh, just like that of Okorocha. It is a style Fani-Kayode enjoys so much that makes him different thing to different people. His lack of interest in the Buhari’s personality and government is a public knowledge. He is entitled to it, no matter how anybody feels.

So, it is not a surprise that he doubted the authenticity of Buhari’s recent London photo with some Nigerian visitors. It is possible he might also doubt pictures of his PDP governors, who also visited Buhari in London.

Meanwhile, it was not expected of Okorocha to join issues with Fani-Kayode, considering that Okorocha is not the presidential spokesperson. But it seemed Okorocha played to gallery to please the presidency. If not, why should he say categorically that Buhari would return in two weeks time, only for him to be countered by the presidency? Okorocha, enough of this political sycophancy before Fani-Kayode finishes you, because mouth pass mouth.

APC’s Bad Governance Has Divided Nigeria–Wike  Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Wednesday that bad governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has left the country divided.

Speaking during the official flag-off of the reconstruction/rehabilitation of Abuloma, Fimie, Ozuboko and Amadi-Ama community roads in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Governor Wike said: “Nigeria is divided because of the APC leadership style.

“Wherever you go today in this country, there is one problem or the other. Is that how Nigerians want it? We need people who will promote peace through quality leadership.”

The governor said Nigerians were deceived into voting for the APC, pointing out that in 2019, no Nigerian will be deceived by the empty promises of the party.

Wike has not said anything new. This is because there is no much difference between 16 years of PDP’s administration and the two years of APC leadership. The only difference is that some PDP members who benefitted immensely from the party defected to APC before 2015 elections. And luckily for them, APC won the presidency and they were accommodated in the present government.

There has been bad governance and division in Nigeria, due to inequality in the country’s structure and bad leadership. It is not about one political party, but about leaders who are not different in character and leadership vision.

Wike mind you, neither PDP nor APC has offered or will offer Nigerians something different with this same set of corrupt and greedy leaders. They are all the same, with just different platforms that do not make much difference.

2019: Coalition Of 15 Parties Vows To Unseat APC
Ahead of 2019 general elections, 15 registered political parties have formed a new political group, Coalition for a New Nigeria (CNN) with the aim of fielding a consensus candidate in the next presidential election to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The 15 political parties include; Labour Party (LP), Alliance for Democracy (LD), Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC), Action Alliance (AA), Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), Young Democratic Party (YDP) Democratic Alternative (DA) and National Conscience Party (NCP).  Others are; People Democratic Change (PDC), United Democratic Party (UDP) and National Action Congress (NAC).

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, during the official public presentation of the new group on Tuesday, the national chairman of LP, who also doubles as the coalition’s chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said all the parties involved will work together to ensure its common candidate emerges victorious at the next election.

“After several consultations on the political and economic situation of the country, we, the following political parties to be known and addressed as Coalition for a New Nigeria have decided to chat a positive course for a new Nigeria,” he said.

This is a good political development, but whether it will be sustained is a doubt. This is considering the fact that none of the parties is in control of political power anywhere in the country; and some of the parties exist only in the portfolio of the founders, who see them as a means of livelihood during elections.

Apart from this, won’t members of the parties involved be compromised by the ruling or major opposition party when election time comes? This is not the first time they are coming together and this may not be the last. What is of importance is the outcome of their coming together. Will it business as usual or something different this time around?

We’re Working Hard To Bring Back Atiku- Adamawa PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is making unrelenting efforts to woo former Vice President Atiku Abubakar back to its fold, the Adamawa State chairman of the party, Abdurrahman Bobboi, has said.

Addressing a press conference in Yola, on Tuesday, Bobboi said the opposition party could not afford to allow Atiku remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He revealed that the PDP at the national and state levels were making efforts to convince the former vice president and other founding fathers who left the party to return.

“The former vice president was a founding member, was vice president under the PDP and he is resourceful. He has acquired vast experience and should not be abandoned. They’re working hard at the centre and we are doing same here in his home state,” he said.

Even though, Atiku is yet to publicly declare his 2019 political ambition, it will not be a surprise to see him return to the PDP, especially as his chances of realising his 2019 presidential ambition in APC looks slim.

Atiku is one of Nigeria’s greatest political defectors, having jumped in and out of PDP before now. It will not be out of place if he has concluded plans to defect to the PDP again. It is possible that the declaration by the Adamawa PDP chairman is part of Atiku’s defection plans. After all, he is a typical Nigerian politician who knows how to keep his political plans to his chest.

As an experienced politician who has been desirous of leading the country, it is hoped that Atiku realises that defecting to PDP is not an assurance that he will get the party’s presidential ticket and getting PDP’s presidential ticket might not guarantee a presidential win. Victory in the election goes beyond all these. This is the reason Atiku should do more homework in pursuit of his presidential ambition. This approach in the past has not worked for him and nothing has changed now. Who knows if he would be lucky in his third bid like Buhari.

Two PDP Governors Visit Buhari In London
Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State and his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi were among the six governors selected to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in London on Tuesday, where he is currently receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.

The visit, put together by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno (rtd) is coming less than a week after governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) visited the President.

The visit by the PDP governors is a good step, considering that some PDP leaders and many citizens are still doubting Buhari’s true health condition. This is despite disclosure by the APC governors and leaders that visited him in London recently.

It is often said that a snake seen by one person might turn out to be python. Now that PDP governors have visited Buhari to see him, what will Governor Ayo Fayose, Femi Fani-Kayode and other doubting Thomases say again about Buhari’s health? Will they believe what their governors-Udom and Umahi will say or will they remain doubting Thomases? The next challenge is for the president to return to the job he was voted for. That is the final way to rest all doubts.

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