FG uncovers Boko Haram’s new bombing tactics

From Umar Dankano, Yola & Joy Baba Yesufu

The Federal Government yesterday alerted Nigerians to new bombing tactics being devised by Boko Haram.

The Federal Government announced that it has uncovered plans by insurgents to use cobblers, otherwise called shoe shiners, and livestock to bomb public places.

Mr Mike Omeri, the Coordinator of the National Information Centre disclosed this Thursday at a news conference in Abuja to give an update on security situation in the country.

According to Omeri, “The insurgents plan to hide explosives in the tool boxes of the cobblers and detonate them at markets, political rallies, ATM points, restaurant and places of worship.

He said that there is also indication of a plan to use livestock such as goats, cows, donkey and camels laden with explosives to attack chosen targets.

“In view of this, the general public, including persons operating within and around the aforementioned places, are advised to be vigilant”, Omeri said.

He also urged Nigerians to be mindful of suspicious activities in their environment.

The coordinator confirmed the release of some persons abducted by the insurgents in Yobe, saying that they were currently being counseled by the military.

He said that they would be released to their families after the counseling.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has announced the liberation of Michika local Government Area in Adamawa State from the enclave of Boko Haram insurgents yesterday, Thursday.

Goodluck gave the breaking news at his presidential campaign rally held at the famous Muhammadu Ribadu square Yola, the Adamawa State capital promising Nigerians of his government’s commitment to providing security to all.

“I am glad to announce here that the Nigerian troops have just liberated Michika local Government from the occupation of Boko Haram today and Madagali will soon be liberated too”.

He also used the gathering to deny the allegation that, his government is behind the terrorists group (Boko Haram) stressing that, no reasonable leader can ever be behind such ungodly and inhuman act of killing and destroying properties of his people in his own father land just for selfish political reasons.

“There is no reasonable leader in the globe who can convene with terrorists to kill his people for political gains or reasons and those peddling such rumor (allegation) against us (presidency), I pray that may God Almighty forgive them.’ He stated

Peoples Daily

Jonathan Not President of Ijaw Nation – PDP

• Alleged plot to postpone elections unfounded, says Presidency
• February election must hold, Benin monarch insists

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday cautioned Ijaw leaders threatening war over the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan and added that Jonathan was not the President of the Ijaw nation alone, “but the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Also, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, debunked allegations by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that the Presidency and the PDP were involved in surreptitious schemes to postpone the February 14 Presidential elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, who cautioned the Ijaw leaders during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, also expressed optimism that if the general election were to hold today, the party would win over 64 per cents of the total votes.

The party also warned its members and supporters against making provocative statements in their course of supporting the re-election of the President.

Metuh said: “Though the PDP should not be held responsible for all their (Ijaw leaders) comments, we caution them to be mindful of what they are saying, especially as it concerns the unity of the country. PDP is a national party.
Though the President is from Bayelsa State, but he could be loved more by the people of Anambra State than the people of Bayelsa State.  The President is not the President of Ijaw nation alone; he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Even yesterday in Yola, the President said that he received more votes from the people of Adamawa State than he received from his home state, Bayelsa State. He said that Adamawa State gave him more votes than Bayelsa State, so he is not the President of the Ijaws alone.”

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP also cautioned other supporters of Jonathan to adhere to the presidential directives of ensuring that all campaigns were based on issues and not casting aspersions on candidates.

“The various support groups of the party should be cautious of what they say and ensure that they follow the dictates of the founding fathers of PDP. There is need to respect the sanity of individual privacy and human dignity and avoid issues that are personal to the families of the candidates.

“There is the need to maintain decency and ensure that campaigns are issue-based. This is how we intend our campaigns to be.”

On the evaluation of the campaigns of the party, the spokesman said it had surpassed more than 70 per cent and so far, “if the votes are cast today, the PDP would be winning with more than 64 percent of the total votes in all the elections, including the presidential election.”

Metuh who slammed the APC for making empty promises, dismissed them as unrealisable dreams.

“APC said that they would create three million jobs and pay benefits to the unemployed people. But the PDP is asking: How will they finance these projects that they are promising? These are nothing but empty dreams. We view these promises as mere mirage. The campaigns of the PDP have exposed their mirage and the insincerity of their campaigns.

“The APC said that they would end insecurity and insurgency in the country within three weeks and PDP would like to ask: Did the APC start the insurgency. Are they magicians or voodoo politicians?”

The PDP spokesman said Buhari was already weary of the campaigns and willing to pull out, stating that his body language was indicative that he was tired. According to Metuh, “It is because of the body language of Buhari that he is tired that the APC is accusing the PDP of plotting to shit the presidential election. The body language of Buhari is that he is willing to concede defeat; that is why the APC is claiming that PDP wants to shift the election.

Alleged plot to postpone elections unfounded, says Presidency…
Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali has debunked allegations by the APC that the Presidency and the PDP were involved in surreptitious schemes to postpone the February 14 Presidential elections.

In a press statement issued in Abuja, Alkali said rather than the Presidency and PDP, it is the APC through their members and supporters that had been doing everything possible to frustrate the conduct of a free and fair electoral process.
He alleged that the APC had been breaching the Abuja Peace Accord which all the presidential candidates subscribed to with impunity.

He emphasized that Jonathan had been receiving unprecedented support since he embarked on the nationwide campaign and “he is fully prepared for the election with the PDP.”

Alkali added: “From our tours and the unprecedented outpour of goodwill, we are confident of a wider margin of victory than ever before. We are ready and fully prepared for this election.

“We wish to assure Nigerians that the President is committed to a peaceful and successful conduct of the February 14 polls and will not be distracted by tissues of lies and cocktails of deceit from people who have run out of ideas on how to move our country forward.”

February Election Must Hold, Benin Monarch Insists…
Meanwhile, the Benin monarch, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo said in Benin that protagonists pushing for the postponement of the February 14 general election were only calling for anarchy, insisting that election must take place as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He also warned those making inflammatory statements to desist from heating up the polity while predicting that the election will be peaceful in spite of the beating of drums of war by politicians.

The Oba spoke at a press conference through the Benin Forum, an apex body of the Benin people. It was addressed by its Chairman, Chief David Edebiri.

The forum expressed satisfaction with the way and manner the major political parties in Edo South Senatorial District have conducted themselves.

Debate: APC Shielding Buhari’s Intellectual Laziness, – Fani-Kayode

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

•    UPP: Boycott, a great disappointment

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation said on Friday that the decision by the APC not to participate in the presidential debate being organised by the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) was simply to shield from Nigerians and the international audience its candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari’s “intellectual laziness and inability to constructively engage contemporary national issues in a live television and radio debate.”

The presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas Okorie also described the decision of the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) not to participate in the presidential debate as a great disappointment.

Director of Media and Publicity of the Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode stated that the APC knew that General Buhari “will flunk it if he is subjected to the rigours of debate on issues of national governance and development.”

Fani-Kayode said he was aware that the APC had already expressed its concerns, when approached by an international news channel for a debate, about the intellectual acumen of General Buhari and had assured the news channel that it was only comfortable with its vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who has capacity to feature brilliantly on the programme.

Fani-Kayode said: “We have just read a report in the media credited to the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation that the party would not allow its candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, to participate in the radio and television presidential debate organised by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON).

“The APC accused the organisers of the debate of unhidden bias and campaign of calumny by some key organisers of the programme against the corporate political interest of the party and its candidates.

“Whilst we will not bother ourselves with the many reasons adduced by the APC, we wish to state that we see the APC decision as an attempt to shield its presidential candidate from displaying his intellectual laziness and inability to constructively engage contemporary national issues in a live television and radio debate.

“We had envisaged that the APC would be reluctant to expose General Buhari to the rigours of a live television debate because the opposition party knows that its candidate will flunk it. If the APC truly believes that it is a party of progressive intellectuals as it claims it should allow General Buhari to prove that at the debate.

“Should the APC fail to participate in the debate, it would also show the disdain both the party and its candidate have for the Nigerian people, denying them the opportunity to make informed choices on the basis of what each candidate will articulate as propositions on issues that will be raised.

“We are convinced that General Buhari does not have what it takes to sustain a coherent argument on germane issues of governance and development.

“We challenge General Buhari to a debate on any national and international medium of mass communication and our candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan will be ready to participate.

“On the other hand, President Jonathan’s running mate, Vice President Namadi Sambo is also ready to participate in the debate and any other debate. Our presidential candidate and his running mate will not raise flimsy and escapist excuses such as “unhidden bias” and the like, since we believe that they are well-rounded intellectuals who have been prepared by their experience in office to answer any question under the sun on the governance of our nation.”

UPP chides Buhari over boycott of presidential debate…

The presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas Okorie yesterday described the decision Buhari not to participate in the presidential debate as a great disappointment.

Okorie in a statement said the presidential debate was a unique event in the current development of democracy in Nigeria that should be encouraged and not boycotted.

“The news that the APC presidential candidate, General Buhari, will not participate in the scheduled debates is a great disappointment,” Okorie said.
In the statement signed by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji, the UPP flag-bearer urged Buhari, “to reject his advisors’ voices and show up for the debate”.

Among the reasons given by the APC for boycotting the presidential debate organised by Nigeria Election a Debate Group (NEDG) debates scheduled for February 8, 2015 was the composition of its board.

However, Okorie said he did not find the rationale given by the APC for withdrawing from the debates convincing.

The UPP Presidential candidate said: “It is an encounter that the UPP candidate had looked forward to because the match-up was consistent with independent polling around the country that identified President Jonathan’s PDP, General Buhari’s APC, and Chief Okorie’s UPP as the three most serious contenders in the highly anticipated general elections to choose Nigeria’s next president for a four-year term.

“The Chekwas Okorie Presidential Campaign Organization (COPCO) believes the leadership of the most significant and largest democracy on the African continent should not be acquired by avoiding what may be difficult questions. My Vice Presidential candidate, Barrister Bello Umar (SAN) and I are ready for the debates

“I urge my compatriot, General Buhari, to reject his advisors’ voices and show up for the debates.  That is what the nation and the international community expect of him.”

THISDAY

Minister: Jonathan ‘ll concede defeat if he loses

Moro

President Goodluck Jonathan will concede defeat if he loses next month’s Presidential election, Minister of Interior Abba Moro said yesterday.

Moro who spoke to reporters in Abuja on internal security of the country gave the assurance that there will be enough security before, during and after the elections.

Reacting to one-time Minister of Defence Gen. Theophilus Danjuma’s call for the arrest of former Niger Delta militants for threatening to cause trouble should President Jonathan lose the election, Moro said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible election. In the unlikely event of him losing the election”, he would be democratic enough to concede defeat.

“So if Jonathan who is the main contestant in this election, who is the President of this country, who is the leader of the PDP can come out to say that he was going to ensure a free and fair election, I do not see where supporters of either Mr. President or any other political party for that matter, would derail the cause of this democratic movement.”

Cautioning against inflammatory remarks and actions that may plunge the country into avoidable crisis, Moro said: “It is reprehensible for people to threaten this country with mayhem and violence should their candidate lose the elections.”

He said the government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is working effectively to ensure that only qualified Nigerians have access to the polling booth and vote during the elections.

His words: “Following information reaching us particularly on the February 14 election that people are moving from their placing because of fear of election violence. This government is determined to ensure peace and security in Nigeria before, during and after the elections wherever anybody fines him or herself or reside.

”President Jonathan will ensure that there is peace and adequate security is provided for Nigerians to perform their civic responsibility to use the ballot to elect their leaders. The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) is adequately mobilised. I can tell you that the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense (NSCDC) too are ready to do their job.

“I can assure you that in spite of the anxiety that is trailing the campaign, Nigerians do not have any cause to worry. I urge all Nigerians to be law abiding. This election will come and go Nigeria will remain so we must do everything within our power to maintain and secure our democracy.

”A lot of activities are on now. All Nigerian security agencies are at alert and I want to state that no foreigner will be allowed to vote. The Federal Government is also working with INEC to ensure that only qualified Nigerians will be allowed to vote.”

On the attack on the president during the campaign in Bauchi, Moro said: “What the governor of Bauchi State said is out of context because the PDP cannot attack the PDP.”

@AtedoPeterside The Ugly side of Buhari and Jonathan

by Atedo Peterside @AtedoPeterside

“This election will therefore not be decided by the loyalists. It will be called by the large number of undecided voters (these are the swing voters) and they have one thing in common – they do not like GEJ, but then they do not like Buhari either (they want change but see Buhari as the type of change that is both alarming and worrisome).

 

In such circumstances, efforts by both candidates to sell themselves forcefully to their core constituencies may simultaneously alienate the swing voters. When Hausa/Fulani elders and/or retired Generals and Muslim leaders shout forcefully that Buhari must have it, the rest of the nation recoils in horror. The same thing happens when misguided elements from the South-South zone and Christian leaders insist that their zone (or a Christian) must have two full terms in Aso Rock. The truth is that the Presidency is not anyone’s birthright and so it is naive and downright foolish to go down that route. Indeed some of these bold declarations by core supporters are akin to a kiss of death with swing voters.”

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Opinion polls commissioned by ANAP Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls (using Gallup methodology) show that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) and his main challenger, Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Buhari) are currently running neck-to-neck in the 2015 Presidential race. The difference between them in terms of potential votes nation wide is statistically insignificant because it is dwarfed considerably by the much larger percentage of voters who remain “Undecided” – and so the race is truly too close to call.

This election will therefore not be decided by the loyalists. It will be called by the large number of undecided voters (these are the swing voters) and they have one thing in common – they do not like GEJ, but then they do not like Buhari either (they want change but see Buhari as the type of change that is both alarming and worrisome).

In such circumstances, efforts by both candidates to sell themselves forcefully to their core constituencies may simultaneously alienate the swing voters. When Hausa/Fulani elders and/or retired Generals and Muslim leaders shout forcefully that Buhari must have it, the rest of the nation recoils in horror. The same thing happens when misguided elements from the South-South zone and Christian leaders insist that their zone (or a Christian) must have two full terms in Aso Rock. The truth is that the Presidency is not anyone’s birthright and so it is naive and downright foolish to go down that route. Indeed some of these bold declarations by core supporters are akin to a kiss of death with swing voters.

Buhari publicly declared in 2011 that he will not contest again. Jonathan is said to have privately declared in 2011 that he would only stay for a single term. Let us therefore assume that they have both broken their word by contesting in 2015 and so there is little to be gained with the swing voters by dwelling on this.

Swing voters are moved more by what they do not like about either candidate. At the end of the day therefore they will vote “against” the candidate that they dislike more and their collective actions will determine who wins. That is why this article focuses on the ugly side of Buhari and GEJ and not on their strengths.

Many of the swing voters are upset. They feel that our two major political parties have “cheated” them by forcing them to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.

During the course of the 2014 National Conference, where I was a delegate, I made a contribution to the effect that past military rulers, who toppled democratically elected governments, should still be tried for treason so as to serve as a permanent deterrent to young and ambitious military officers who will then understand that the long arm of the law may get them even in their old age and even after they claim to have repented. Buhari dethroned a democratically elected government in order to become a military head of state at the end of 1983. Many of the swing voters are true democrats who abhor authoritarianism. Buhari was not a benevolent dictator either. He was a vicious and wicked one who used retroactive decrees to sentence youths to death and to jail journalists who dared to publish the whole truth. Can the leopard shed it’s spots overnight as some would have us believe?

Wickedness and callousness are not matters of style and/or fashion they are a reflection of a real personae. Buhari’s unguarded utterances about him supporting the institution of sharia nationwide and his “famous” statement that Muslims should only vote for Muslims and his threat that the baboon and the dog will be soaked in blood if elections were rigged are all consistent with his unelectable personae, hence his persistent search for devout Christians (with little or no political clout) as Vice Presidential candidates while he is on the campaign trail. Is he simply hanging on to political lightweights that he knows he can devour the day after he gets elected?

On the economy, Buhari was a disaster first time around. He was clearly an economic illiterate and thought he could run the complex Nigerian economy by controlling rations as was done in a military cantonment. He placed everything under import licence and empowered some individuals under him to prescribe what quantity of every good Nigeria needed and also sought to prescribe which individuals would import the item and in what quantity. Ignorance was on display all around and it was exploited through massive racketeering by persons in his government who called the shots. That he was deemed to be personally honest became irrelevant and so many of us cheered when ‎soldiers (not known for honesty) put him out of his misery by kicking him out of office in less than 18 months and before he could torture the nation any further.

GEJ is unliked by many because he is seen as being weak and unable to control the excesses of some of his close aides and party chieftains. ‎YES, he eventually stood up to ex-President Obasanjo (who tries to dictate to every serving President), but then who wouldn’t? All future Presidents (including those unborn) now know to avoid Obasanjo like a plague. What manner of ex-President will divulge details of his one-on-one meeting with a serving President to the general public ( in a book), without getting the latter’s prior consent?

NO, GEJ’s vulnerabilities are from the party chieftains and a few dodgy aides that he accommodates and/or tolerates. He also believed too much in assurances from our Security Agencies, Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence Staff, National Security Advisers etc. This entire group have lost credibility in the fight against Boko Haram. His most recent utterances suggest that he has realised now, how deadly Boko Haram are, but it is rather late in the day as the elections are a little more than a couple of weeks away. My own position on Boko Haram (BH) has remained consistent. The entire Nigerian elite continue to under-estimate BH at our peril. I would love to wish them away, but history and my head tell me that, like Colombia’s Farc Rebels, BH will still be around in some form or the other for decades.

Presidents who aspire to have a second term in Nigeria face this paradox; ‎if they stand up to all the party Chieftains, over-bearing Governors and Security Chiefs, they will not get re-elected because the Party will throw up a Challenger. If they succumb to this motley/unholy lot, they will slow down economic reform, secure their Party nomination but alienate swing voters nationwide.

The only reason for the swing voters to vote for GEJ therefore is if he can convince them that he will be able to free himself from this motley crowd next time around. Afterall, a second Presidential term is a final term and nobody (except Obasanjo) will ever dream about a third term. ‎In effect, GEJ must convince swing voters that, if they give him a second term, he will be man enough to bite many of the grubby hands that lurk around the higher echelons of his party.

Further complexities in the Presidential race arise because some of the ambitious and highly ‎educated politicians from the North East (in particular) do not want an ageing and not so capable Buhari to ascend a throne which they aspire to occupy in 2019. Buhari was rejected consistently by some of his newer supporters when he was younger and more capable. Ironically, the older and less capable he becomes, the more he appeals to them because they hope to usurp his authority. He has agreed to be dressed up in sheep’s clothing now, but they should beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. They might be shut out of Aso Rock if he wins.

Ironically, if these power brokers (who are not known for honesty) come out now to publicly affirm that they will have continuing relevance if Buhari wins, then again the swing voters get turned off because they see corrupt persons surrounding an old and infirm “honest” man who is driven by a blind ambition to re-occupy a seat from which he was booted out prematurely in 1985, even though he recognises that he is not clever enough to understand 21st Century economic and financial transactions through which some of his new and unscrupulous friends hope to loot and/or corner the national treasury under his lazy and ineffective watch.

GEJ has also gathered all sorts of renegades unto his campaign ship. The enemies of his enemy have all become his friends overnight. They are strange bedfellows. In his second term (if he wins) he will need to cut off many of these hangers-on. If he does that they will try to resist, but a second term President is hard to bully. GEJ needs to convince the electorate that he can continue with his bold agricultural sector reforms, his power sector roadmap, overhaul and reform of the transportation sector (beyond the celebration of token and/or paltry railway services) etc.

GEJ’s biggest failure on the economic front was his inability to introduce ‎earth-shaking reforms to trim our recurrent expenditure budget at the Federal level by instituting the massive lay-off of idle civil servants. He did not confront the National Assembly either on this thorny issue. Ironically many of those who accuse him of guilt in this area are guilty of the exact same allegation in their respective States and Local Government Areas.

I am sad that GEJ did not simply go all out to ‎transform our economy in his first term at the risk of being a single term President. Instead he slowed down on some economic reform because he was pandering to power brokers within his political party, who would have a say in helping him to secure a second term.

I am sad that an ageing and incapable Buhari refused to play the role of a King-maker by identifying a single well educated and well meaning younger person 2 or 3 years ago (even if he narrowed his search to his own North West zone) whom he could have groomed and backed to challenge GEJ.

If I vote for GEJ in this election it is because his ugly side is less ugly than Buhari’s known and well-documented uglier side and nothing more. If you disagree with me please note that there is no need for us to fight – our only weapon should be the ballot paper and how we decide to cast it. Those who think they can intimidate swing voters, by threatening mayhem if their candidate does not win a close election, do their candidate a massive disservice because their careless utterances send the swing voters in the opposite direction in a race that is currently too close to call.

Before anybody dismisses ANAP Foundation’s opinion polls again, let me add that similar polls commissioned concurrently by us (using the exact same methodology) show Nasir El-Rufai of the APC with a significant lead over the incumbent PDP Governor (Yero), while the PDP’s Nyesom Wike currently leads APC’s Dakuku Peterside in Rivers State, but there is a large “undecided” element in Rivers State.

ANAP Foundation will ‎release more information on all the Polls we commissioned (including Lagos Governorship) over the course of the next few days, using a multitude of media channels.
(Twitter @AtedoPeterside)

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The Opinions contained in this article are the Author’s and do not reflect Sayelba Times’ Editorial Policy

Jonathan backing N-Delta militants in threats to destabilise Nigeria — APC Campaign

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

THE All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, APCPCO, has slammed President Goodluck Jonathan for allegedly identifying with former militants in the Niger Delta who threatened to cause violence should he fail at the February 14 presidential polls.

The APCPCO said in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, that Jonathan’s unholy alliance with people that served a notice of their intention to foment trouble was against the oath of allegiance he swore to over five years ago to maintain the territorial integrity and indivisible Nigeria.

The statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu, condemned the President’s attitude of “condoning treasonable statements and gross indiscipline by some elements of his kinsmen— as a breach of presidential oath to protect all Nigerians and a sheer display of double standard and selective justice.

“How can the President feign ignorance of the war plots and call to arms in Bayelsa State Government House in Yenagoa, supervised by a PDP Governor, Seriake Dickson, and the Presidential Special Adviser on Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku, with majority of Niger Delta ex-militant kinsmen?

“Whereas this President was quick to condemn MEND for allegedly supporting the opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, and lambasted claims by the hoax Federal Government-hired Australian negotiator with the Boko Haram, Dr Stephen Davis; publicly bad-mouthed his critics particularly former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo; yet he has refused to call to order tribal war-mongers like Kingsley Kuku and his cohorts – Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Boy Loaf and others.

“This is a total and unequivocal support of Mr. President for aiding and abetting treason in the land, an impeachable offence by all standards.”

It also described as clandestine the procurement and distribution of arms and ammunition across the nation, saying it was a grand design by the President and his party to scuttle democracy or eventually break up the country for parochial gains.

“It is now common knowledge that strange planes and helicopters laden with arms have been landing at unauthorised spots in some parts of the country. The incident in Kano where a cargo plane supposedly going to neighbouring country of Niger landed unexpectedly, and the use of drones one of which allegedly crashed recently; coupled with the shady movement of millions of raw dollars to do undercover black market buying of weapons in South Africa.”

All these incidents ride against the tide of transparency and public accountability and a clear breach of the President’s oath of allegiance to the country’s constitution,” the statement added.

VANGUARD

Afenifere Endorses Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

President may have ruled out Sambo as successor

PDP leadership, President disown Maku

Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja and  Favour Shuaib in Lafia

After what had appeared as a group’s indecision, Afenifere,  the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural body, on Tuesday endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for the February 14 election.

The endorsement was the outcome of the meeting the president had with the leaders of the group in Akure, Ondo State.

The meeting was held at the residence of the Leader of the group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti and attended by leaders from the South West geoplitical zone of the country.

At the end of the meeting which lasted about one hour, the publicity secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin said the decision of the group was due to the commitment of the president to the National Conference.

He said  Afenifere believed that the confab is the only thing that can liberate the nation.

He said the president had expressed his commitment to implement the report of the confab report.

Odumakin said the president informed them at the meeting that Yoruba were the ones that were in the forefront of the clamour for the confab.

Also speaking, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko said what Afenifere did was an unequivocal endorsement of the president.

Mimiko said Afenifere expressed belief in the transformation agenda of the president describing it as systematic and strategic for the development of the nation.

The group, which had fraternised with the Jonathan administration, had before now prevaricated on a full support scale to the Jonathan re-election bid.

But in his response, a former governor of Anambra State and Deputy Director General of South in the PDP campaign organisation, Mr Peter Obi said he was not surprised at the Afenifere endorsement, stressing that, “Afenifere has always committed itself to the best interest and unity of Nigeria”, adding that the endorsement meant that, “Nigeria will endorse Jonathan”.

Meanwhile in an apparent nod to a younger generation of leaders, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday effectively eliminated Vice-President Namadi Sambo as his successor should he win next month’s presidential election, saying the next Nigerian president must be below the age of 60. Sambo is already 60 years old and will be over 64 by  2019.

Jonathan, who spoke to the crowd at the Lafia Township Stadium during his presidential campaign rally in Nasarawa State, said his administration believes in the youths and would do everything possible to support the younger generation.

“Obasanjo was president at 70, Yar’Adua at almost 60 and me close to 60, so the next president must be younger than me,” Jonathan stated.

Jonathan stressed that his administration would invest in the younger generation and promised a place for them in the future, adding that youth empowerment would be a major plank of his government, if he is re-elected president.

He also told his supporters that the crash of the price of petroleum products would make the  federal government focus more on solid minerals, which Nasarawa State has in abundance as part of the diversification process.

Jonathan also publicly disowned former Information Minister Labaran Maku, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Maku, who is former information minister in the Jonathan administration, is APGA’s governorship standard-bearer in Nasarawa State and he was alleged to have claimed that the president encouraged him to defect to the party.

Jonathan said he had at no time had any discussion or encouraged Maku to join another party.

The president stressed that  PDP is against anti-party activities, and as the president and leader of the party, he would never flout its rules and regulations.

He assured the people of the state that  the mineral resources that abounds in it would be tapped.

He also gave an assurance that Doma Dam would be completed soon, as it would act as catalyst to dry season farming.

“What is good for you we will not wait for you to demand before you get what is rightly yours.

“We want to change the concept that farming is for the poor but that it is for the rich because the farmers in America are millionaires. We have changed the entire process of agriculture and added the value chain to make it a business.

“We want power to stabilise in the state so as to also boost the agriculture sector in the state”, Jonathan said.

His deputy, Sambo, noted that “PDP is Nasarawa State and Nasarawa State is PDP.”

While canvassing for votes, Sambo reeled out the achievements of  Jonathan’s administration, which included power, education, rail, agriculture, transportation, adding that the president would do more should he return to power after next month’s elections.

Also joining in the bashing of Maku, Senate President David Mark called on him to apologise and retrace his steps,  before he could be accepted back to the party.

Mark, who took a swipe at Maku calling him a liar, also told the crowd that “don’t be deceived by any son of yours that says he has been put in another party to run for the governorship. Mr. President is PDP from top to bottom.”

Mark stressed that the North-central zone was solidly behind Jonathan and would vote for him as  he had brought democracy dividends to bear on the region.

Mark, had earlier told the students of the College of Agriculture, Lafia that the present administration had shown uncommon commitment to education, youth employment and development.

Mark, who addressed the students from his official car shortly before the president landed in the school compound in his chopper, cited the YouWin programme and establishment of the universities under this administration as a demonstration of Jonathan’s commitment to youth development.

“The emphasis that the current administration is putting on education is in the right direction. I know that most people are complaining of unemployment but the government is generating employment through YouWin, youth programmes, SURE-P. These are areas in which government is putting a lot of attention.

“For those of us in the parliament, we are also putting emphasis in making sure that there is enough money in the budget for all the educational institutions to run them properly. Unless there is enough money, you will not be able to practise agriculture. It is good to learn agriculture on paper but you must also get the practical experience.

“So the PDP government is committed in continuing these laudable programmes” Mark said.

On his part, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, also said the North-central would vote for Jonathan  because of his achievements.

He expressed confidence that PDP would win back Nasarawa State,  describing APC as a party of liars and propagandists.

A former national chairman of the party, Dr. Amadu Ali, also described Maku as an “ungrateful animal”, saying despite using the platform of the party to rise to stardom, he jumped the ship because of greed to team up with APGA.

He said Jonathan never asked anybody to join any party to canvass for him, noting that Maku’s plot was to smear the image of Jonathan and portray him as a religious bigot.

He accused Maku of dropping the name of the president in his bid to realise his ambition, an ambition Ali said would never come into fruition because Maku lacks the integrity needed to realise such ambition.

Ali said Maku’s  people now treat him (Maku) with disdain because he does not portray leadership qualities.

He said Maku was a commissioner, a deputy governor and a minister all on the platform of the party, placing a curse on him that he would continue to fail henceforth except he retraces his steps, return to the party and apologise.

THISDAY

53 Insurgents Killed as Jonathan Promises More Equipment for Troops This Week

President Goodluck Jonathan 

•   Michika under renewed attack  S’Africa to send forces to fight Boko Haram

Jaiyeola Andrews, Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Daji Sani in Yola with agency report

Determined to win the war against Islamist terror group, Boko Haram, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said the Nigerian Armed Forces would take delivery of more military hardware this week.

This is just as the continuing coordinated ground and air mop-up operations by the military in Maiduguri and Kodunga in Borno State led to the killing of more Boko Haram terrorists.

The sect had launched multiple attacks on the Borno State capital, Maiduguri and Mongonu on Sunday, but were repelled by Nigerian troops in Maiduguri and neigbouring Kodunga.

However, Mongonu and a military installation in the border town were captured by the Islamists after fierce fighting with the troops.

On the arrival of the new military hardware, the president made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari, at his palace in the Kwara State capital.

Jonathan was in Ilorin for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign rally.

He expressed confidence that with the delivery of the equipment in two weeks, the military would move faster towards halting insurgency.

“You have observed us for the past four years. Yes, we have security challenges relating to the Boko Haram saga mainly in the North-east.

“Although their excesses extend to other parts of the North like Abuja, Sokoto, Gombe and Kano, but it is mainly in the North-east. We are working hard and we shall surely bring it to a halt.

“As far as the military is concerned, even as we are talking, we are expecting more platforms this week and next week.

“I believe that in the next two weeks or so, we will be able to move faster than we are moving.

“We have intervened in so many areas; agriculture that touches the life of the ordinary Nigerian is one of the areas that we have been working very hard on.
“We are trying to move agriculture to the next level, to a level that young graduates will be able to embrace,” Jonathan said.

He assured the emir that his administration was poised to move the nation forward by creating more jobs, as well as diversifying the economy.¨Jonathan told the traditional ruler that he was in the palace to personally inform him that he was interested in seeking re-election.

He also introduced the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Senator Simeon Ajibola, to the tradition ruler.

He said under the PDP, people of the state would continue to enjoy freedom and improved quality of life.

Gambari told the president that having watched his performance over the years, he was convinced that he had done very well.

He prayed that God would crown the president’s effort with success. He urged all politicians to conduct their campaigns without violence. He said since he heard of the president’s campaign trip to the state, he had been praying to God to make it hitch-free.

Earlier, the National Chairman of the  PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, had told the emir that the delegation was in the palace to seek his support and prayers so that the PDP could continue the good work it had started.

As the president opened up on the additional equipment expected to arrive this week, dozens of insurgents were killed yesterday when the military continued its ground and air mop-up activities in the aftermath of “diversionary terrorist attacks on Maiduguri and Konduga on Sunday”.

A statement by PR Nigeria, a media advisory to government security agencies, said security sources confirmed that at least 53 more terrorists lost their lives, as troops in pursuit of the terrorists engaged those that fled and the additional reinforcements on the outskirts of Konduga and Maiduguri in a battle from Sunday night to early yesterday morning.

According to PR Nigeria, the sources added that health and emergency workers were contending with the challenge of evacuating terribly mangled corpses of the terrorists for mass burial.

Also, a tweet on the twitter handle of the Defence Headquarters disclosed that a substantial number of heavy weapons had been captured in addition to the number of terrorists that died between Sunday and Monday.

It added that Nigerian forces also recorded some casualties but “troops and air force patrols are still ongoing”.

A military source told PR Nigeria that the suicidal attempt on Maiduguri and Konduga might have been staged to divert troops’ attention from their goal of commencing the “once and for all” battle against the terrorists by members of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) from Cameroun, Niger, Nigeria and Chad planned for early this week.

There are fears that saboteurs among local sympathisers in one of the affected communities might have betrayed the troops, especially on the plan to annihilate the terrorists in order to pave the way for the success and peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections in every part of the country.

A top intelligence source also told THISDAY that there are ongoing operations on several fronts by the troops, as they fight to reclaim lost territories, including Monguno, which was captured by the terrorists on Sunday.

The source said that even though the towns were yet to be liberated, the terrorists are dying in large numbers with their charred bodies littering the streets and bushes due to the pitched battles.

“There is a fierce battle going on in Monguno, supported by the continuous aerial bombardment of their position. As a result, there are many casualties on their side. Many of them are being killed and the charred bodies of their fighters are all over the place,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the headquarters of Michika Local Government Area in Adamawa State was reportedly attacked by the Boko Haram sect yesterday.

A military source, who confirmed the attack, revealed that the military authorities had drafted more troops to the area so as to repel the insurgents from taking control of the town and its environs.

The source said the Nigeria troops, in collaboration with local hunters, were involved in the fierce battle with the insurgents.

He expressed confidence that the troops would overwhelm the insurgents in the battle for Michika.

Also confirming the attack, the secretary of the local hunters association, Mr. James Philip, revealed that the insurgents had been on the rampage for three days in communities around Michika.

He said people living in the affected communities had fled and taken refuge in the surrounding hills while some were hiding in the bushes.

He said although the insurgents had killed several people in the areas, the troops and local hunters were doing everything possible to repel them completely from the communities.

“The troops also killed several insurgents. These boys don’t stay in Michika; they come from their hideouts to attack whenever they want to, and normally come in their hundreds to attack,” he said.

An eyewitness also disclosed that the insurgents stormed Michika at about 4 pm from Sambisa forest, but on reaching the town they met stiff resistance from the troops detailed to cordon off the area.

The member representing Michika in the Adamawa State House pof Assembly, Adamu Kamale, also confirmed that for three days the insurgents had had a field day, in surrounding areas before targeting Michika.

He urged the federal government to act fast to prevent the insurgents from overrunning Michika and wiping out other surrounding villages.

In September last year, Michika was captured by the insurgents for some weeks. However, troops and local hunters, in a counter-attack, recovered the town.

In a related development, former South African defence force soldiers will reportedly form the core of a multinational team of private military experts, who are en route to Nigeria, to help the country fight against Boko Haram militants.

Netwerk24 reported yesterday that the 100-strong team has been tasked with training the Nigerian military in a massive campaign against the terrorist organisation.

According to the Netwerk24 report, Boko Haram leaders and fighters will be targeted.

The team will attempt to thwart Boko Haram’s bloody raids and also try to free the remaining kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls. More than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram last year.

The leader of the team told Netwerk24 that they are not mercenaries, but have a government contract to assist the Nigerian military with training. The team involves South Africans who gained experience during the border wars, as well as Britons, Indians and other nationalities.

The African Union is reportedly considering military intervention as a regional multinational force including Niger, Chad and Cameroun to fight against Boko Haram.

An earlier report revealed that a team of South Africans were involved in training Nigerian soldiers, and the Nigerian government had asked for additional training.

A military expert earlier in January warned that South Africa would be under threat if its soldiers joined AU forces in fighting against Boko Haram.

THISDAY

When a Public Mistake Requires an Old Fashioned Apology

By Magnus Onyibe

The title of this article is adapted from a piece by Ron Ashkenas, managing partner of Schaffer Consulting and co- author of The GE Work-Out and The Boundaryless Organization, which was published in Harvard Business Report, (HBR) that l received  on January 8, 2015. Some salient points in the article struck a chord in me as l was ruminating over the imminent February 14th presidential elections in Nigeria which is now a two horse race between the incumbent, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GEJ and former military head of state, general Muhammadu Buhari, GMB.
As an active subscriber and an avid reader of Harvard Business Review, HBR publications , Cambridge university, London School of Economics, LSE and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (my alma mate) bulletin as well as other intellectual journals, my commentary on issues and events in Nigeria is usually not drawn only from local dynamics but equally considered from the prism of global experiences which l try to bring to bear in my analysis.
It is based on the foregoing that the HBR article “When A Public Mistake Requires An Old Fashioned Apology” is very poignant and relevant to our current situation in Nigeria as it discusses public mistakes by leaders and how they can control the damage to regain respect.
Incidentally, both Jonathan and Buhari have had the rare opportunity of ruling Nigeria at different times-Buhari as military head of state some thirty years ago and Jonathan as the siting democratic president. In the course of leading Nigeria, both men must have made mistakes, which are obviously hunting them especially in this period of campaign for election as president.
Without equivocation, the issues being thrown up by both campaign teams are a sort of referendum on both the incumbent and challenger’s time in the exalted office of the president and commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Do Nigerians require apologies from the two contenders for their past mistakes in governance before they can seek for and probably receive our mandate to lead us ? Before going into the dialectics would like to first of all crave your indulgence to consider the interesting perspective from the business world in the HBR article by Ron Ashkenas as reproduced below:
“Everyone makes mistakes. We make bad decisions and insensitive statements, we speak before we think, and we let our emotions get the best of us .But since we hold very senior executives to a higher standard, when they mess up, it often becomes a public spectacle .
Consider the case of AOL CEO Tim Armstrong. On August 9,2013- a time of disappointing quarterly results -he held an all-hands conference call with 1000 Patch (AOL’s hyper-local news division) employees. During the meeting, which was called to announce layoffs and site closings, Armstrong publicly fired Patch’s creative director for apparently recording the meeting. This “brutal” firing created a firestorm of negative publicity both for AOL and for Armstrong. Several days later, Armstrong issued an apology to all AOL employees, in which he admitted that he has “ acted too quickly…(and) learned a tremendous lesson…”
Six months later, Armstrong was forced to apologise for another incident. In announcing his plans to delay retirement contributions , he mentioned the high cost of health care benefits and cited two individual cases, which the company paid $1 million dollars to care for “ distressed babies. “Not only were his remarks callous , they also violated the privacy of the employees involved. after another round of disastrous publicity, Armstrong again issued a statement saying “ l made a mistake and l apologise for my comments. “He also reversed his decision to delay retirement contributions ( notice the similarities to president Jonathan’s reversal of his initial removal of petroleum pump price after a public outcry)
Of course Armstrong are not the first , last, or only senior executive who has made troublesome public remarks. Tony Hayward, the former CEO of British Petroleum, famously complained that he “wanted his life back” in the midst of the 2010 oil spill.(He later apologised to the families of the workers who had died in the tragedy, as well as the thousands of people whose lives were totally disrupted.) Former Harvard President and Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers had to apologise in 2005 for his contention that “innate differences “ between men and some accounted for the under-representation of women in the sciences. Senior advertising executive Justine Sacco was fired for posting an insensitive and racist tweet about AIDS in Africa. And more recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella apologised for suggesting that women should not speak up about pay inequities.
The question then becomes how to recover from one of these moments.
A written and public apology is a good first step, particularly if you’ve offended thousands of people. The next step is to proactively seek out the few people who have been most affected and talk to them privately. Public apologies are impersonal. People who have been hurt need something more human. They want a genuine, direct apology….
The third step in the recovery process is to find out whether the poor behaviour was a one time slip, or part of a recurring pattern.

Occasional mistakes can be forgiven, but if the same behaviour occurs a number of times, an apology will ring hollow. (Buhari’s retroactive decree no 20 that resulted in the judicial murder of three alleged drug dealers and decree no 4 which led to the jailing of journalist for writing the truth plus kidnapping, drugging and putting into crate of Umaru Dikko for illegal deportation to Nigeria qualifies as reoccurrence of same behaviour)
The real key to moving forward is to accept that you’re not perfect, and that future mistakes are probably inevitable. Without this mindset, executives can easily  convince themselves that they were actually “ misunderstood” or there was poor communication -that it wasn’t really their fault. But without taking true accountability, executives won’t learn from their mistakes, and the next public gaffe isn’t far away.

When executives do admit their flaws, they are better able to fix their mistakes and reclaim respect.”
As the author posited, human beings crave apologies, which is a humbling way of earning the sympathy of people. Accountability is also a critical factor for apologies to be effective.
Most Public mistakes are not confined to the business world, which the author focused on but even required more in the political space. Take for instance the case of senator Hilary Clinton ,the wife of former USA president Bill Clinton who stood stoically by her husband during the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal that rocked Clinton’s presidency with the potential of having similar catastrophic consequences as the June 17, 1972 breaking in at the DNC headquarters at Watergate, Washington DC famously referred to as the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of president Richard Nixon in the 1970s.
Mrs.  Clinton’s apparent detachment from the  indignation expressed by American women towards her husband’s apparent philandering, made her look inhuman and haunted her when she was contesting against president Barack Obama for the ‘primaries’ for  the Democratic Party ticket. Realising that the American female voters were not queuing up behind her as they should ,she broke down and cried during one of her campaign activities and that emotional vulnerability turned the tide. Women switched their support to her but it was too late as the ‘Obama for president’ train, as it were had already left the station.
Coming back home to Africa , it may be recalled that the late Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, 1994-1999 instituted the Truth and Reconciliation committee which enabled ex presidents and apartheid Apostles, Iain Smith, Fredrick De Clerk  and a host of other ethnic supremacists to apologise to their black victims thereby bringing to a closure the evil ordeal for people like bishop Desmond Tutu, who wept during one of such occasions .In Nigeria , how can we not remember clearly how the tears of late Sam Mbakwe, the then governor of IMO state 1979-1983 who was nicknamed the WEEPING governor, generated goodwill for him and his people.

Also, Ernest Attah, the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom state, 1999-2007 who broke down in tears during agitation for resource control and Supreme Court judgment on the onshore offshore oil dichotomy is a more recent reminder.
While not advocating that Jonathan or Buhari should break down in tears during campaigns , in my view they owe Nigerians a huge debt of apology for the following mistakes :
GEJ for attempting to remove fuel subsidy and thus increase fuel pump price by 100% with the potentials for exacerbating poverty in the country and for waiting till the visit of child rights advocate, Malala Yusufzai before inviting parents of the kidnapped Chibok girls to Abuja commiserate with them amongst others.

GMB on his part has to apologize for the judicial murder of the three Nigerian youths accused of drug trafficking  who were sentenced to death with decree no  20, a law that was enacted after the alleged offense was committed which is retroactive justice. The jailing of the Guardian newspaper journalists , Tunde Thompson and Nduka lrabor for reporting the truth with decree no 4 which is a retroactive law similar to decree 20 in his bid to muzzle the press and the barbaric kidnaping, drugging and putting in a crate in the UK of ex transport  minister, Umaru Dikko in 1984,in an attempt to forcefully and illegally bring  Dikko back to Nigeria to answer corruption charges.
For sure, my list of public mistakes requiring apologies from the two contenders for Nigeria’s presidency in 2015 maybe not be exhaustive but it remains to be seen if either  of the two presidential hopefuls thinks Nigerians deserve such nicety.
Nevertheless, whether Jonathan or Buhari chose the path of honour to apologise to long suffering Nigerians for their mistakes that have hurt them or not, the fact remains that with the murk so far raked up in the ongoing campaign, leaders will, going forward, think twice before formulating policies or making decisions that would hurt rather than help their fellow compatriots. That would be a positive and beneficial lesson to be gained from election 2015.

• Mr. Onyibe, a development strategist and futurologist, sent this piece from Lagos

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The Opinions expressed in this article are the Author’s and do not reflect Sayelba Times’ editorial policy.

 

Assessment of Jonathan

By Akin Osuntokun

 

There is before me a legitimate and compelling request. And that is the presentation of the performance score sheet of President Goodluck Jonathan. But since I have identified myself as a partisan witness, I decided that the evaluation of Jonathan is more credible if given by objective third parties and they don’t come more credible than the British House of Commons, Brookings Institution and the Transparency International (TI) or do they?

From The Library of The British House of Commons

Jonathan’s record in office
When President Jonathan took office in 2011, he promised a ‘Transformation Agenda’ for Nigeria. What is his record in office?

On the positive side:
Nigeria has consistently averaged over 7% real annual GDP growth under his watch. This has led some to view the country as an emerging economic giant.
The restive Niger Delta has been relatively peaceful. He has continued to support the Niger Delta Development Commission, created in 2000, but also announced in April 2014 a ‘Presidential Initiative for the North East’, which is intended to promote development in that conflict-affected area.
He has not engaged in any frontal attacks on the formal institutions of democracy and in some cases – such as INEC and the National Human Rights Commission – backed strengthening them.
He has signed Freedom of Information and National Health Bills into law and created a Sovereign Wealth Fund.
He also has significant infrastructural achievements to his name.
In 2014, he commissioned a ‘National Conference’ to come up with proposals to transform Nigeria for the better in future.
Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak was handled effectively.

On the negative side:

Nigeria’s domestic security situation has dramatically deteriorated, with the state until recently appearing relatively unconcerned about it.
The government’s response to the kidnapping by Boko Haram in April 2014 of 270 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, was widely criticised for its complacency – similar accusations have been made since then.
The security forces continue to commit serious human rights abuses. Corruption remains pervasive.
The Sovereign Wealth Fund mentioned above is yet to start operating effectively.
Promised reforms – for example, opening up the petroleum and power sectors to private ownership and investment – have proceeded slowly, if at all.
Progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals has been patchy.
Nigeria remains a major importer of refined fuel and the country still suffers from chronic fuel and power shortages. A 2012 attempt to end the subsidy on fuel was partially reversed following large-scale street protests.

Brookings institution

On President Jonathan’s performance:
“Despite Boko Haram—the country is thriving: The economy continues to grow and with the rebasing of its GDP—became the largest economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world. Jonathan’s supporters also point to his success in containing the Ebola virus, which earned him commendations from countries and institutions around the world.”

Transparency International

“Global perception of the anti-corruption battle in Nigeria got a modicum of approval, recently, after the global anti-corruption body, Transparency International, TI, moved the country four places up in its yearly ranking (and thirty-eight places from the most corrupt country designation of 2003) of public sector transparency.
Nigeria’s 139 ranking was up from the 143rd position the country was ranked last year, according to the TI ranking released a few weeks ago.
Now I am not excited at this mixed report but that is precisely what it is — mixed report — dramatically different from the censorious dismissal of Jonathan by oftentimes conniving media and partisan intelligentsia as a complete failure and absolutely ‘clueless’ leader to whom any other Nigerian rival contender (no matter how obtuse, mendacious and dangerously bigoted) is preferred.

CRY, BELOVED NATION

The late Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin, Ajibola Ige and Olabisi Onabanjo — all direct victims of Buhari’s tyrannical visitation — would be bewildered and hard put to understand the politics of Yoruba land today with particular reference to the portrayal and marketing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, as a new political icon.
The melodramatic qualification is to say that these personalities would turn in their graves. And this is despite the anguished prompting of our collective institutional memory by the globally acclaimed scholar and Yoruba gift to the world of wisdom and understanding, Professor Wole Soyinka.
This time around, Buhari has had two significant opportunities to indicate his disposition towards the sensibilities of the Yoruba people and on both occasions his actions spoke louder than words.
I put the question to his most passionate supporters — would it be appropriate for the APC candidate to express regret or remorse over the fate suffered by the late Chief Awolowo at the hands of his military junta in 1984-85-when he visited the Awolowo matriarch in Ikenne? Of course, he did no such thing, despite the fact that his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (whose name he could not even pronounce correctly. He called him Osinbade!) is married to Awolowo’s granddaughter.
In tandem with his ‘first without equal’ status in the hierarchy of Yoruba traditional rulers, the Ooni of Ife is the custodian of the spiritual and primal origins of the Yoruba. Along with the late Emir of Kano, the Ooni Okunade Sijuade, Olubushe II, was humiliated with the impoundment of his international travelling passport and confinement to Ile-Ife for six months for visiting Israel by the Buhari-led junta.
Buhari held his presidential election campaign rally in Osun State about a week ago and the remarkable omission of that campaign tour was his failure to pay a customary courtesy visit to the Ooni. Even if he felt no remorse for the contemptuous treatment meted to the foremost traditional ruler under his iron fisted rule, doesn’t the symbolic embodiment of the Yoruba deserve this elementary courtesy and respect? How would it be received, if, reciprocally, an APC presidential candidate of Yoruba origin were to similarly snub the Sultan of Sokoto?
Yet the blame is not totally Buhari’s, if I were in his shoes, that despite his trademark disdain and disregard for other peoples sensibilities, he could still command the hero worshipping of some political leaders of the South-west, the chances are I may not be aware I did anything wrong. As the Yoruba adage goes — If you sell your kith and kin cheaply, do not expect others to rate him highly.
In this political season, I insist that the Yoruba are being sold short to the APC. Before the political party was consummated, the Yoruba were near unanimous in the desire and aspiration for the restructuring of Nigeria towards decentralisation and devolution of powers from the centre to the states, zones and regions.
The opportunity to advance this cause materialised some months ago with the convocation of the National Conference by President Goodluck Jonathan. And then the South-west faction of the APC suddenly developed cold feet and aversion towards the prime time platform to frontally re-table this priority and long held objective.
The embarrassing spectacle was such that while the godfathers were declaiming the Conference, the godson, Afenifere renewal group (AFR), was the most passionate canvasser of the Yoruba irreducible minimum demand of regionalism at the gathering.
And to what do we attribute this awkward summersault if not the deference of Yoruba APC leaders to the contrary wishes and beckon of their new political icon. I refer readers to the response of Buhari to the issues of restructuring and resource control in interviews he recently granted. In one of them he mocked ‘what is resource control… who is to control what’? The irony here is that there is an element of truth to the below stated observation made by a columnist with the Vanguard newspaper.
“With all the noise currently being made about Buhari’s candidacy, one important point is often overlooked: Buhari is not even well-liked by his own people. A lot is made of the 12 million votes he obtained from the North in 2011, conveniently forgetting that Goodluck Jonathan also obtained a sizeable eight million votes from the same North. Indeed, in 2011, Goodluck Jonathan won 428,392 votes in Buhari’s home-state of Katsina; to Buhari’s 1,163,919. That means Jonathan won 37% of the votes in Buhari’s backyard.”
He canvasses further “It is also instructive that in the primary election for the APC presidential candidate, Northern delegates did not vote for Buhari. Instead, they gave their votes to Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Delegates from Buhari’s North-west voted for Kwankwaso, while those from the North-east voted for Atiku. Buhari’s votes came primarily from the South-west, as well as from the South-east and the South-south.”
Beyond the persecution complex motivated (Buhari-personified) vengefulness of his Northern underclass supporters, there is a modicum of truth to the assertion that ‘Buhari is not even well liked by his own people’. And it could not have been otherwise. They don’t come more loyalist than one of his most dedicated lieutenants who lies abandoned for years to the fate of his terminal illness. He is just one of many.
Permit me to share with you the following transmission (catechism) from Mohammed Abacha:

“Buhari… the Change We Don’t Need”

• I have never seen any school built in his name. I have never seen any borehole constructed by him.
• There is no record of any scholarship awarded by him or for him nor through him.
• I have never seen him use his popularity to canvass for any charitable work nor any humanitarian effort, not even at the height of the polio scourge where other purposeful and prominent leaders led the campaign for immunisation.
• No single text book has been donated to any school either by him, for him or through him.
Asides from doing nothing for others, he has not even improved himself since his exit from office.
• No book written, no memos, no lectures, nothing!
• The only thing of note he can point to are his numerous interviews on the BBC Hausa station.
• He never championed for a university in his state nor has he ever been involved in any kind of development programme to better the lives of the Almajiris in Daura.
• His entire existence has not led to any meaningful development in Daura, yet they say he can change Nigeria.
Doesn’t charity begin at home anymore?”

 

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The opinions expresses in this piece are the Author’s and do reflect Sayelba Times’ editorial policy