The zoning riddle and Bayelsa PDP

Shortly before the second anniversary of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson’s inauguration, words started going round that a grand plan is being hatched by some political stake­ holders to deny all the eight National Assembly members another term in 2015. The presence of all the lawmakers at the anniversary celebration coupled with the comments credited to Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, commending Dickson for his superlative performance was not enough to dismiss the plot.

Few weeks to the commencement of the primaries, what is being discussed in hushed tones is now in the open. Indeed, the gloves are off and the political gladiators in Bayelsa State after a long break are returning to the trenches.

Political pundits are of the opinion that the political stakeholders’ that resurrected the idea of zoning were not prepared for the political brouhaha the issue had triggered in the state. From Bayelsa West, Bayesa East to Bayelsa Central Senatorial districts, the groundswell of opposition has created a political quagmire for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

At the centre of the zoning controversy are some influential political stakeholders close to the Dickson government and they are squaring up with the eight National Assembly members that boasts of impressive war chest.

As the 2015 election approaches, flashpoints that would attract more than a passing interest are the three senatorial districts and five federal constituencies as the political gladiators are not about to shift ground in a battle that would either end the political career of some politicians or reinforce the political strength of others.

Before the crack

In the build up to the 2007 general elections, there was a fierce political battle between President Goodluck Jonathan who was governor then and Chief Ndutimi Alaibe for the soul of the PDP in the state.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was caught in the middle as Jonathan and Alaibe could be regarded as his political sons. In a bid to resolve the political logjam,Obasanjo directed both Jonathan and Alaibe to meet and share the National Assembly and State House of Assembly seats giving birth to political harmonisation in Bayelsa state.

Jonathan was given five of the National Assembly seats, comprising of two Senatorial seats and three House of Representatives seats. Alaibe on the other hand was given two House of Representatives seats and one senatorial seat.

In 2008, all the National Assembly members had ganged up to deny former governor Timipre Sylva the ticket of the party when the Court of Appeal called for a re-run election.

Eventually, Sylva won the ticket and the election but his relationship with the National Assembly members was anything but cordial.

The Doctrine of Necessity threw up by the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua illness in 2010 altered the balance of power as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors wielded enormous power and were given the opportunity to pick National Assembly members. The Presidency had directed the National Assembly members from Bayelsa to reconcile with Sylva if they want a return ticket. All of them expect Senator Amange reconciled with Sylva to get a return ticket.

In the 2011 elections, Lokpobiri and Paulker returned to the Senate, while Ikisikpo replaced Amange as Senator. In the House of Representatives, Henry Ofongo replaced Egberibin; Nadu Karibo replaced Ikisikpo; Jepthan Foingha replaced Belief; Ogoriba retained his seat and attempts to replace Dickson with Williams Ofoni fell flat on the face.

When the battle to ensure Sylva was dropped as the PDP governorship candidate commenced, all the National Assembly members pitched their tent with Sylva rather than Dickson, who is one of their own in the National Assembly. In several interventions, they wrote under the auspices of National Assembly caucus to the national secretariat of the party on the dangers of replacing Sylva as the candidate of the party. They were not part of the primaries that made Dickson as the candidate of the party and throughout his electioneering campaigns; they shunned the campaign train. Loyalists of the Governor took note of this and commenced undergrounds moves to pay them back in their own coins.

Resurrection of zoning formula

As soon as the PDP Governors, the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee of the party adopted Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the party in the 2015 election, political stakeholders in Bayelsa followed suit. While endorsing Jonathan, they also backed Governor Dickson for the 2016 governorship ticket of the party and declared that the 2015 National Assembly seats would be zoned in what close observers of Bayelsa politics said is a way of getting back at the National Assembly members.

The clamour for zoning was kick-started after a meeting convened by Bayelsa East political stakeholders comprising Ogbia, Nembe and Brass Local Government areas. It had in attendance, the Deputy- Governor, Rear Ad­ miral John Jonah, King Amalate Jonny Turner and other party bigwigs in the area.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, 95 politicians that attended the meeting voted for the zoning of the National Assembly seats in the district. If the political stakeholders have their ways, the trio of Senator Ikisikpo, Hon Karibo and Hon Jepthan would kiss the red and green chambers bye when the National Assembly is inaugurated in June 2015.

The same scenario is playing out in Bayelsa Central Senatorial district where the political stakeholders have decided to end the tenure of Senator Paulker and Hon Ogoriba.

In a meeting attended by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Friday Konbowei Benson, former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and others, they argued that the Senatorial seat is being rotated among the three local government areas in the district.

According to them, Southern Ijaw local government area was represented by Senator David Kobina Brigidi who did two terms of eight years( 1999-2007) and Yenagoa local government area is being represented by Senator Paulker who would have done two terms of eight years( 2007-2015). They said they have decided to zone the seat to Kolokuma/ Opokuma while the House of Representatives seat for Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/ Opokuma federal constituency should move to Yenagoa local government.

Not to be left out are some political stakeholders in Bayelsa West Senatorial district led by the pioneer chairman of the PDP in the state, Engr Charles Dorgu who are championing the zoning arrangement. In the middle of a rally, Dorgu in breach of the programme of events came to the podium to announce that in the interest of peace and stability in the district, the political stakeholders have decided to zone the Senatorial seat to Sagbama local government area, while the House of Representatives is zoned to Ekeremor local government area.

Floodgate of protests

The barrage of protests that followed the decision to zone the National Assembly seats threw some of the political stakeholders off balance as political experts in the state are of the view that the resolve of the supporters of the National Assembly members was underestimated by proponents of zoning.

Eye-witness account said hardly had Dorgu finished his statement on zoning at the Sagbama rally when supporters of Lokpobiri staged a walk-out to take off the shine of the rally.

A furious top party member in Bayelsa West who did not want his name in print said those behind the zoning arrangement have no right to take a decision for the party when it is clear on which party organ can take crucial decisions for the party.

Dismissing some of the political stakeholders as those that cannot deliver their wards in a general election, he saidthe motive of the champions of zoning is to create political confusion in the state.

“There was a meeting held to deliberate on the endorsement of President Jonathan and Governor Dickson and at no time was a decision taken to zone the National Assembly seats. The Constitution of the PDP is clear and there are organs of the party that can take a decision on zoning. Decisions on zoning cannot be taken at a rally. We have decided to endorse President Jonathan for 2015 and Governor Dickson for 2016 but nobody should foist the issue of zoning on the people. It was not even in programme of events “he said.

In a move to douse the tension the issue of zoning had generated, concerned leaders, elders and representatives of the 26 electoral wards led by the highly respected Chief Dennis Daunemigha at a meeting held amidst tight security at Ekeremor said the statements on zoning canvassed at the concluding part of the Sagbama rally were extraneous and clearly beyond the power, scope and authority of the rally.

In Bayelsa East Senatorial district, the political fight is messier as concerted moves were made to prevent supporters of the incumbent National Assembly members from holding a meeting at the Ogbia brotherhood secretariat.

The supporters who moved to another venue during deliberations condemned plans to intimidate supporters of the National Assembly members and endorsed them for another term.

The former chairman of Ogbia local government council, Chief Innocent Kaku said that all the lawmakers currently representing the district have not only performed credit­ably well but are also closely working with the President to achieve his transformation agenda. In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Bassuo and others, the stakeholders resolved that “as experience is the best teacher and our representatives are experienced in the legislative business, it is our decision to give them another opportunity for effective representation consolidation and impact meaningfully on the gains of democracy.

It further stated: “We totally condemn in strong terms, the zoning arrangement by the purported political stakeholders of the senatorial district and advised whoever is having any political ambition to come and test his popularity.”

Bayelsa central senatorial district political elites have also thrown their weight behind Paulker and Ogoriba. In a well attended meeting, the political elites of the district rejected the zoning arrangement and endorsed the trio of President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Dickson, Senator Paulker and Hon Ogoriba.

Stemming the tide

Those who have closely followed the politics of Bayelsa State said those agitating for zoning are believed to be loyalists of Dickson. In fact, they have told who cares to listen that they have the backing of Jonathan and Dickson in the quest to ensure the zoning arrangement stands. The proponents of zoning argues that those against it should come out clean on the reason why they are opposing it and stop pretending as they are unaware that zoning has been in existence in the state.

The PDP state secretary, Mr Godspower Keku said the party should not be dragged into the zoning controversy as political stakeholders were the ones behind it. Keku explained that the zoning arrangement differs from one senatorial district to the other because of the peculiarity of their political situations.

“Zoning has been the practice of the district right from the time of Chief Melford Okilo when he was in the Senate. They allow their senators to go for one term only.

The Sun Newspaper

Abuja-Idu-Kaduna Rail Will Be Ready By Dec – FG

The federal government said the ongoing construction of Abuja- Kaduna standard gauge rail line would be completed and delivered by the end of 2014.

This was made known by the minister of transport, Senator Idris Umar, at a ministerial press briefing on the programmes and projects of the ministry and its agencies. Umar also mentioned that about 155kilometre of the rail track has been laid out of 187.5kilometre which constitutes 85 per cent of the project.

The minister also disclosed that the construction and rehabilitation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge rail line was expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2015, even as he added that arrangements have been concluded for the purchase of two more locomotives in the first quarter of 2015 to be added to the 25 HP locomotive acquired from General Electric for narrow gauge rail lines.

While stressing the importance of transportation in the economic, political and social development of any nation, Umar expressed optimism that the ministry was leaving up to expectation to develop an adequate, safe, environmentally sound, efficient and affordable, integrated transport system within the framework of a progressive and competitive national and international market economy.

He stressed that the rehabilitation of over 90 per cent of the entire existing narrow gauge lines throughout the country was ongoing; the rehabilitation is the first segment of the 25 years Railway Strategic Vision.

Senator Umar further stated that the main Western line, Lagos-Kano (1,124kilometre) was completed and passengers’ services and haulage of goods along the line were flagged off in December, 2012.

“The rehabilitation work in Eastern line Port Harcourt- Maiduguri (1,657) is progressing steadily with the Port Harcourt-Gombe segment, including the branch line from Kafanchan-Kaduna expected to be completed December, 2014.

“Rehabilitation of sidings and loop lines along the Western line, including connection to key industrial locations within Apapa, 74 stations and branch lines between Lagos and Kano, the 300meter link between the Apapa Port Complex and the national line and the spur line to the Kaduna power plant complex have commenced and would be completed by the end of 2014.”

He however said that some the modernisation of rolling stock for narrow gauge track includes: modernisation of 60 Nos. Flat Bed Wagon (primarily used for movement of bonded containers from port); modernisation of 20 Nos. Pan Xtra (PXG) covered Wagons (primarily used for movement of bagged cement); modernisation of 40 Nos. Covered Hopper Wagon (CHW) primarily used for movement of wheat; and modernisation of6 Nos.

Power Cars (primarily used for housing generators that supply electricity for air-conditioning and lighting in passengers coaches.

Adding that, these achievements would surely reposition the nation’s economy for the overall benefit of the citizens.

Leadership

How Buhari Intends to Fund His Presidential Campaign

Former military Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), has said he would fund his presidential campaign principally from funds generated by friends, associates and well-wishers.

It also expected that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled states would contribute to his campaign should he secure the ticket of the party.

A close ally of Buhari who spoke anonymously to THISDAY in Abuja yesterday, said Buhari is not the typical rich Nigerian politician with loads of cash to spend.

He said: “Buhari is a poor man by the standards of the average Nigerian politician. I don’t know if you know that Buhari does not have a house in Abuja. He doesn’t have a house and sometimes I wonder what kind of human being he is.

“He doesn’t have properties all over the place. In fact, the only house he has is the one in Kaduna and in his native village Daura.” Since he left office, the source said, Buhari has basically depended on hand outs from his friends and supporters.

The former head of state who picked his nomination form last week to run for the presidency, had complained that the cost of the form was exorbitant.
There are also speculations that he might not be able to fund his campaign.

But his ally said Buhari would run a very robust campaign which would see him spending millions on transport, consultations and other aspects of the electioneering.

“Buhari would not need money for ‘stomach infrastructure’ because the people freely mill around him. He doesn’t need a hired crowd and they don’t need any money to come to him. In short, they are drawn to him naturally. There are friends, well wishers and cooperate bodies that are ready to contribute their pennies to make Buhari president because they believe in him. The good will is just tremendous,” the source said.

He said the declaration last Wednesday was an example of such affection from his followers.

With some governors and party chieftains attending his declaration event, Buhari appears to be in an early lead as he seeks the party’s ticket.

Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, are the other top contenders for the APC ticket.

It is not clear if the APC would favour a Muslim-Muslim ticket as speculated in some quarters but Buhari, who has been accused of being a religious fanatic, is now a major Contender.

Thisday

WHO to declare Nigeria Ebola-free today

The World Health Organisation is preparing to announce that Nigeria has not had a confirmed case of Ebola for 42 days – or two incubation periods of 21 days – just as it did for Senegal on Friday. WHO on Friday declared Senegal free of Ebola after 42 days passed without a new confirmed case.

“WHO officially declares the Ebola outbreak in Senegal over and commends the country on its diligence to end the transmission of the virus,” the UN health agency had said in a statement.

The benchmark of 42 days is twice the maximum incubation period for the disease. A similar WHO statement on Nigeria is expected on Monday (today) after the requisite period without a new infection.

The Nigeria’s achievement is coming amid global fight against the disease that has continued to ravage West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There are also mounting fears around the world of EVD becoming a global plague. Already, the disease has claimed the life of a victim in the United States of America.

The disease has claimed more than 4,500 lives this year. Close attention is being paid to how Nigeria, with an under- funded and ill-equipped health system, managed to contain the virus, as specialists look for a more effective response to control the EVD spread. But there were warnings against any premature celebration, with complacency still a risk and luck considered to have played a part in containing the outbreak.
Eight people died out of 20 confirmed Ebola cases in Nigeria, with all infections traced back to the index case, the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who arrived in Lagos on July 20. Many feared the worst when Sawyer died on July 25 in a private hospital in Lagos.

Doctors were on strike at the time the EVD case occurred over pay and conditions in the public health sector; and many state hospitals lack running water, let alone soap and other basic equipment.

Yet the doomsday scenario of rapid spread among the populace did not materialise. “Nigeria acted quickly and early and on a large scale,” the Agence France-Presse quoted the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Vertefeuille, as saying.

“They acted aggressively, especially in terms of contact- tracing,” Vertefeuille told AFP. Key to the response was an existing plan for a mass outbreak of polio, which was adapted to Ebola, as well as a rapid appeal for foreign help.

The Ebola Emergency Operations Centre prioritised contact-tracing and twice-daily monitoring of those at risk, with experts aware that every Ebola case was in contact with about 50 people.

In all, nearly 900 people were monitored in Lagos and Port Harcourt in Rivers State, where one contact of Sawyer, an ECOWAS protocol official, Ibukun Olu-Koye, travelled after slipping surveillance. The ECOWAS official, curiously, was treated in an hotel room by Dr. Iyke Enemuo. While Olu- Koye survived the disease, Enemuo died of same.

Some 1,800 people were trained to trace and monitor those at risk, as well as decontaminate infected places and care for the sick, said the head of the EEOC, Faisal Shuaib. Luck cannot be discounted in Nigeria’s first brush with Ebola. Sawyer was taken straight to hospital after arriving from Monrovia visibly ill, keeping him off Lagos’ teeming streets.

The late Dr. Stella Adedavoh, who treated Sawyer had also prevented him from discharging himself.
Public health campaigns, including a giant electronic billboard warning about Ebola just outside the hospital where Sawyer died, have helped raise awareness.

Airports and seaports have introduced compulsory screening on arrival and departure; temperature checks and hand sanitiser use for the public are now the norm. Greater knowledge about Ebola is likely to help in reporting any new cases, an epidemiologist who runs the Nigeria Health Watch website, Chukwe Ihekweazu, said.

But he warned Nigeria against celebrating its Ebola-free status.

“It’s premature when you see the situation in West Africa right now. There is still a lot to do. It is not the right time to celebrate,” he said.

Punch

Jonathan, PDP governors meet at Aso Rock

President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday night met behind closed-doors with some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja Journalists were not allowed near the First Lady Conference room, venue of the meeting when the meeting started around 9.25 p.m.

The meeting, however, is not unconnected with moves to resolve issues and grievances that could heat up the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Among the governors at the meeting are Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), James Ngilari (Adamawa), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers).

Also at the meeting are Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Theodore Orji (Abia), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sarieke Dickson (Bayelsa) and Umar Garba (Acting Taraba). Deputy governors of Kogi and Nasarawa states were also at the meeting.

The Nation