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DELTA 2023: THE REALITY OF ‘WHO THE CAP FITS’

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DELTA 2023: THE REALITY OF 'WHO THE CAP FITS'

DELTA 2023: THE REALITY OF ‘WHO THE CAP FITS’

By: Charles Enuma

As the race for who eventually occupies the Dennis Osadebe House Asaba as the Number One Citizen of Delta State heightens, there appears to be a general consensus that Delta Central Senatorial District is poised to produce the next occupant, according to what has been loosely termed the Zoning Formula of the Ruling Party PDP.  Delta Central Senatorial District comprises 8 LGAs out of the 25 that make up the entire State and it is predominantly occupied by the Urhobos that also form the highest homogeneous voting population of the state. It is therefore not surprising that the region is currently parading the highest number of governorship aspirants while only a handful from Delta South Senatorial District of mostly Ijaw extraction are also testing the waters to revalidate the sanctity of the PDP Zoning Formula that has brought about relative peace and stability in the political atmosphere of the State.

Political pundits have been gazing at the crystal ball, trying to decode the body language of the incumbent governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in order to pitch tent in the camp where victory is sure. There was an initial pandemonium when viral media reports claimed that the Governor had decided to jettison the Zoning Arrangement as it was not enshrined in the PDP Constitution as the Primary Election that produced him as Governor also fielded contestants that cut across all 3 senatorial districts. At a quarterly media briefing held on 20th May 2021 in Asaba, the Governor was widely reported to have said, “a gentleman’s agreement is one that is not written. I want to believe that that is what it is supposed to be. There was no formal meeting where a gentleman’s agreement was reached and that is the truth as of today.” The dust arising from this controversy seems to have whittled down as the Governor may have resolved to look towards the direction of Delta Central for the choice of his successor come next year 2023 in honour of the ‘Unwritten Gentleman’s Agreement’.

In his recent remarks during the celebration of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) 90th Anniversary, where he was Special Guest of Honour, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa called on Urhobo people to prune down the number of aspirants in the governorship race, advising that it was in their best interest to reduce the numbers. According to him, “when there are too many sons and daughters in a race, it creates its own challenge and I believe that the elders have understood this. There is a need to trim down and I believe that the time is now.” It is generally believed in some quarters that it was this crucial advice of the Governor that inspired the much acclaimed Screening Exercise of DC-23, a PDP Pressure Group that had been conscientiously and vigorously canvassing for the emergence of a Governor from Delta Central in the next dispensation, in accordance with the Zoning Formula.

Also Read: CCECC Promises Involvement in Nigeria’s Economic Recovery

12 Aspirants who had earlier declared their gubernatorial ambitions were invited and painstakingly examined by a Screening Committee with great emphasis on scrutiny and evaluation of their individual profiles, manifestos, leadership antecedents amongst others. Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Chief James Augoye, Chief David Edevbie, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Rt. Hon. Chief Sheriff Oborevwori emerged the Top 5 that their chances of victory would be further evaluated in that order here.

*Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo*

He appears to be the most prepared, going by his leadership antecedents and experience in public service. He has tested the waters of contesting and winning elections, being the only Deltan currently that had represented his constituency in both chambers of the National Assembly (House of Reps Member and Distinguished Senator). He also emerged the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at a time when most of the aspirants were still learning the ropes in public service. He served some time with the incumbent Governor in the 7th Senate, and both of them can be likened to be contemporaries. There is no doubt that there is strong affinity between these two and it was not surprising that the Governor promptly picked him to chair his Transition Subcommittee on Infrastructure. The recommendations of the Subcommittee became an integral part of the SMART Agenda of the current administration and he was subsequently appointed Special Adviser on Infrastructure and Housing Development by the Governor. Aguariavwodo comes with a lot of experience that cuts across both private and public sectors and his humility in service is quite exceptional, which his critics have used to campaign against him in their illogical assertion that having risen to echelon heights of NDDC Managing Director, overseeing execution of intervention projects in 9 states, it was condescending of him to have agreed to serve as a Special Adviser to the Governor. His critics are also quick to point out that he is the oldest amongst the Top 5 aspirants and has ran the most silent campaign that makes some members of the public wonder if he is truly in the race.

*Chief James Augoye*

He can be classified a newbreed of emerging leaders in Delta State as the highest political office he has ever occupied was being Commissioner for Works 2015-2019 in the Okowa Administration before the dissolution of the cabinet by his Principal on Tuesday 18th May 2021. He is reputed to be the longest serving Commissioner for Works in Delta State. Prior to this, he had been elected Councilor representing Ward 10 in Okpe Local Government Area 2004-2007, appointed Okpe Local Government Council Caretaker Chairman 2012-2014 and Okpe LGA Coordinator 2015 PDP Campaign. He was also appointed member of the Okpe Local Government Transition Committee, where he served as Chairman of the Internal Revenue Generating Committee in 2003. His critics are quick to point out that his leadership antecedents appear too localised and he lacks the exposure to tackle governance issues in a dynamic state like Delta that is long overdue to connect into a global network of emerging state economies like Lagos and derive inherent benefits of astronomical growth and rapid transformation with abundant opportunities.

*Chief David Edevbie*

He has quite a robust profile, making his debut in public service as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning under the Ibori Administration, Director of Finance and Strategy in the campaign of the then PDP presidential candidate, Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who later appointed him Principal Secretary upon his election as President in 2007, where he served until April 2010 after the death of President Yar’Adua. He would later go on to establish his own consulting firm Avantgarde and he stayed outside public limelight for a while, especially during the trial, conviction and eventual incarceration of Ibori in the UK. He returned to mainstream politics in 2014 to contest in the Delta State PDP gubernatorial primaries of 8th December 2014, where he lost to Okowa, emerging the First Runner-up, albeit with a wide margin. He was appointed Commissioner of Finance and Chief of Staff in the first and second tenures respectively of the Okowa Administration. Prior to his foray into public service, he had cut his teeth in international banking, rising to become the Head of Asia and Pacific  Regions of Commonwealth Development Corporation in the United Kingdom, where he was born and bred. His critics believe he is being carried everywhere by former Governor James Ibori, largely perceived as his political godfather who had been spoon-feeding him from his political cradle till date. He is generally seen to be only relevant to the extent that Ibori’s shadow covers him. In political circles, he is also touted as one that cannot be trusted, having brazenly violated the same PDP Zoning Formula he is exploiting today, by vigorously contesting against Gov. Okowa, even when he knew it was the turn of Delta North to produce the Governor. His personality in social and community circles has been dubbed as one of an unrepentant snub, finding it mostly difficult to socialise and interact with those he thinks are below his social status, a class where most Deltans he seeks to govern belong. It is not surprising therefore that he has never contested and won any election in his entire political career apart from privileges of appointments at the instance of his benefactor Gov. Ibori.

Also Read: KADCHMA: Governor El-Rufai urge to sack Deputy’s Son over…

*Chief Kenneth Gbagi*

He also comes with a rich profile as well but a personality wrapped in countless controversies. He is a lawyer, criminologist and entrepreneur who has dubbed himself the largest individual employer of labour in Delta State, having acquired immense wealth from buying and selling of properties at an early age by his claims. He is a security expert and instructor who has taught many top military officers hence his deep connections with the Military who controlled the wheel of fortune of Nigeria for a greater part of its post-independence years are not in doubt. After the creation of Edo and Delta states from the defunct Bendel State, a former Military Administrator of Delta between 1993 and 1994, then Colonel Bassey Asuquo, appointed him Chairman of Delta Development and Property Authority, DDPA. He was the Chairman, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, where he nobly tried to sanitize the country’s legal system during Obasanjo’s civilian presidency. He was later appointed Minister of State for Education between 2007–2010 during the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He also disregarded the Zoning Formula of the PDP by contesting against the incumbent Gov. Okowa and lost woefully by scoring just 2 votes against the winning vote of 409. In social circles, he is perceived as one who is arrogant, boastful and bullish. In 2020, he was declared wanted by the Police for assaulting and dehumanising 4 members of his staff after several refusal to honour police invitation. He later showed up at the State Police Headquarters, where he denied all the charges and attributed his travails to the antics of his political rivals who he alleged were on a sinister mission to cast his reputation in bad light. He would later secure an interim order restraining the Police from arresting him.

*Rt. Hon. Chief Sheriff Oborevwori*

As the incumbent Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, he wields a lot of influence and has access to enormous financial resources to pursue his gubernatorial ambition with remarkable impact. He is in relation to the other aspirants, an emerging political personality who possesses minimal experience in governance. He only broke into limelight in 2015 after he was elected the Member Representing Okpe Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly under PDP and was elected 2 years after Speaker on 11th May 2017, following the impeachment of the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya. He was re-elected in 2019 as Speaker for a second term, following his victory at the polls to represent his Okpe Constituency. Prior to this political elevation, he was President of Osubi Community in an inglorious era, characterised by incessant extortion of oil companies and property developers in the guise of collection of Community Develooment Levy popularly called ‘deve’ that led to the unfortunate mass exodus of oil industry investors from the Warri/Effurun axis and in turn, irreversibly crippled the economy of that region till date. He does not possess the celebral composure to grapple with the dictates of modern governance requirements, as he has been found not capable of engaging in intellectual discourse, though he parades an array of awards including Speaker of the Year from the Independent Newspaper, which he received in 2021.

*CONCLUSION*

From the foregoing evaluation of the Top 5 aspirants of the PDP, the DC-23 Screening Committee must rise up against sentiments in its current task to further prune down the number to 3 as touted in some quarters, in order to create room for improved focus for PDP delegates that would decide the choice of the Party’s flagbearer later this year at its primaries. The Zoning Formula accords each senatorial district a rare privilege of foremost leadership that comes once in 24 years if the status quo is sustained, so major stakeholders of the benefitting senatorial district must come together to ensure that only the best of the alternatives is presented to electorate to make the final choice.

*_Charles Enuma is a Lagos-based Political Analyst and Social Commentator_*

DELTA 2023: THE REALITY OF ‘WHO THE CAP FITS’

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THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW

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THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW.

By: A G Abubakar

The Biu Forum was a child of circumstances. It was born in response to the fall out from the August 1991 state creation exercise by the Babangida military regime which initially located Biu in Yobe but removed same after a couple of days. To push for a redress or for an answer, the Forum was initiated. Its drivers came from the entire spectrum of the present day Biu Emirate and Shani Chiefdom, who were then resident in Lagos, the former federal capital.The first meeting was held in October 1991 at Block 4, Flat 3, the Bar Beach Towers, Victoria Island.

The inaugural and subsequent meetings of the forum were attended by such personalities as Shettima Saleh, Saidu Pindar, Tahir A.Musa, PC Abdullahi Mohammed, Musa Yamta, Hassan Bdliya, John Balami, Audu Shettima, Sanda Usman, Adamu Abdullahi, Musa Shani, Major (now Gen) Usman, Muhammad Dili, Ahmed Kuru, Jibrin A.Jibrin, A.G.Abubakar (Convener along with Musa Yamta), Mamman Audu, Paul Mari, Ishaku Abdullahi, Sale Mari Maina, Major. Ibrahim Bantam, Samaila Mamman, Sule Usman, C.D.Gali, and many more. These foundation members nurtured the Forum for years in Lagos before the seat of government was formally moved to Abuja.

Some of them are of blessed memory (may the Almighty grant them His mercy, Ameen), though a lot more are still living. The major objective of the forum at inception was to build a unity of purpose to tackle the challenges facing Biu Emirate, particularly its excision from the then newly created Yobe State. Plus, the need to call for attention to the brazen discriminations visited upon Biu people in the state’s civil service, while also pursuing the creation of a Savannah State. Same, with extending moral and material supports to victims of natural disasters and others like the then Waka-Biu crisis.

It would be recalled that after the Babangida military government decided to split old the Borno State, late General Abacha, then the Chief of Army Staff and the defacto number “two” man, who happened to be of Borno extraction, was assigned to consult with the Shehu as well as other opinion leaders on the government’s proposal to curve out a new state out of Borno. Late Bunu Sherrif, a son of the soil (Goniri), who was then serving as Minister of Labour among others, was to serve as a facilitator. The rough edges were therefore smoothened.

Eventually, Yobe was created. The configuration of which comprised three emirates, namely Biu, Fika, and Bade. Borno and Bama emirates were to remain as the New Borno State. The number of local governments was equally balanced at 22 each. Now, it is lopsidedly 17 and 27 LGAs for Yobe and Borno, respectively.

Along the line, some forces opposed to the inclusion of Biu emerged. The first one was the supposed friction between the Emirs of Biu and Fika regarding the order of protocol. A smokescreen, however, because the real reason was that Fika Emirate was promised the State capital (precisely Potiskum), but that was if Biu wasn’t part of the equation. The other reason was that Biu and Borno Emirates had a historical tie that made the duo almost conjoined. This was also untenable in that Ngazargamo that served as the capital of the old Kanem-Borno was severed into Yobe State. In the end, Biu remains part of Borno.

This development polarised the citizens of Biu Emirate into two. The Elders were not so favourably disposed towards leaving Borno, while the larger youth groups were at home with Yobe.

The advantages they averred included the possibility of playing more dominant political and economic roles in the new state, given the fact that Biu used to hold and still holds the Deputy Governor portfolio in Borno. The emirates (Fika and Biu) equally serve as the manpower base of the region . State politics could turn out to be like Adamawa, where all ethnic groups and/or stripes of faith can become the number one citizen of the state. The Emir of Biu would naturally be the most senior, in addition.

Based on the foregoing, Biu made a case for inclusion or, better still, a re-inclusion into Yobe. A move that was resisted vehemently by certain quarters under the umbrella of BEDA. Others who lent their voices included the Birma, Galadima Stanley Balami, PC Ali Biu, and Alhaji Ibrahim Damchida, all of blessed memory.

The Biu citizens who were pushing for the readjustment initially got the support of His Royal Highness, the Revered Mai Umar, who gracefully endorsed the demand document titled, “A Call For the Adjustment of Biu Emirate into Yobe State.” Or rather agreed for the document to be endorsed on his behalf, which was done. However, under pressure from all corners, His Royal Highness had to reconsider his support, as the Emirate found itself in a difficult situation. It was this development and regardless of the push back that the Biu Forum was formed as an alternative platform to still pursue the inclusion of Biu and Shani into Yobe State.

A petition to the government, was subsequently produced and forwarded. And to get a wider publicity and forestall suppression the Forum’s document was sent to the press . The rested influencial national newspaper, the Sunday Concord of 6th October 1991 carried the entire document. Yours faithfully picked the bill.

One of the the committed and highly articulate members of the Forum at the time, Alh. Muhammed Shehu Birma had his relationship with his principal, the Hon. Minister, Bunu Sheriff strained because of his role and support. Alh. Birma was one of the Special Assistants to the Minister who worked tirelessly to obtain the concurrence of major stakeholders to buy into the Forum’s activities.

When the misunderstanding so created on account of the state creation seemed unabating, formal meetings were called by the late elder statesman Alh. Damcida at his Probyn road, Ikoyi, home to sort things out. The “family” gathering enjoyed the presence of late Dr.Saidu Muhammad, PC Ali Biu, A.G.Abubakar, Muhammad S.Birma, Amb. Saidu Pindar, Alhaji Madu Biu, Shettima Saleh, with apologies from Dr.Bukar Usman.

One of the resolutions that came out of the series of dialogues was an undertaking by Mallam to seek an audience with General Abacha for possible reconsideration of the petition. The outcome was the creation of Hawul and Kwaya Kusar LGAs, while Biu as a whole stayed in Borno State.

As time went on, moves got started to merge the activities of the Forum to those of the senior Biu Development Association, BDA. The BDA is now BEDA (Biu Emirate Development Association). The move never materialised and the activities of both slowed down. It took the efforts of patriots like Engineer Ibrahim Usman, Dan Masani Muhammad Ibrahim, Adamu Abdullahi, Amb. Saidu, Ibrahim M.Kwajaffah, Muhammad Buba, Mai Musti, Bukar Umar and a host of others to revive the Forum and keep it going.

So for all intents and purposes the Biu Forum was not a Biu Local Government outfit. It was initiated to protect and promote the interest of Biu and Shani Emirates. And indeed every Aburwa on the planet. How it became a Forum exclusively for Biu Local Government Area was maybe a later development to give the Forum a sharper focus. And maybe to ensure a seamless coexistence with the senior BEDA.This has been a short story of the now, 33-year old (1991 to –) initiative.

A.G.Abubakar agbarewa@gmail.com

THE BIU FORUM: FEW THINGS TO KNOW

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Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest. 

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Say "NO" to Protest

Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest. 

By: Dr. James Bwala

History should teach us lessons. And we have so many examples that are part of the history of some countries around us. Protests as being engineered and called for are never in the interest of the young Nigerian; rather, they are a way to further suppress and darken the future of young ones, and therefore, I see this as another evil rising on Nigeria, which I hope the youths will see as reasons not to be tempted to join those who do not mean well for them and for Nigeria. Those who want to cash in on the protest to their advantage are pushing their own evil interests to deny the young Nigerian his or her own hope for the future. 

I followed many calls on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listened to many voices calling on the Nigerian youths to join them on the days to demonstrate and show their displeasure to the government over hunger in the land. They claimed it was about a policy, and I did not really understand the truth about such claims. Some pointed to the issue of insecurity that people cannot go to their farms and blamed the present administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, and on this too, they are not speculating on facts that are leading them to want to express anger through protest. 

I could not understand why all the things they are pointing to have been on their doorsteps for over 10 years and they would not protest until now. Does it mean that their eyes are now open to the situation we all found ourselves in? I have lived in northeastern Nigeria, and I have seen situations created by insecurity where children, young men, and adults hold each other’s hands and cry out for help to have a drop of grain and for one cut of a handful of mold grain flour to go through their mouths and down their throats for the day, but they could not have the assurance of such a meal. No one came to the rescue; no one called for a protest, and the people built their resilience until the heavens brought succor. 

READ ALSO:https://newsng.ng/the-plight-of-farida/

The situation in which certain individuals are coming to tell young Nigerians to protest or to demonstrate against the administration requires a deeper look into their motives. It may not be about hunger in the land afterwards, for we have endured many hungers and we did not protest, so why now? Politics is still in the play, and a few individuals—I mean, very few individuals—who are not happy with the Tinubu and Shettima administration are orchestrating the wind horses. Some young Nigerians may think otherwise, but believe me, there are many more evils behind the call for protest than what you are hearing on social media, and these are about destroying a whole lot of what you have hoped for. 

I will suggest that no Nigerian youth should join or listen to calls from those who have sent their children abroad for you to continue to be their foot soldiers, and in the end, they achieve something and you achieve nothing. Take a look at the protests or demonstrations in the past. Not outside Nigeria, but within. Some of you have participated, and you are still on the street after that protest. Your peace and happiness have been taken. Those you fought for—have they come to salvage your situation? Unless you want to remain perpetually a fool on the street with very little to gain and no knowledge of what you are bargaining, then you may choose to go with the evil callers; otherwise, say ‘NO’ to protest as it is not actually in your interest. 

This administration, which you are being instigated to demonstrate against, has won many battles in the last year. The latest in the Hope initiative are the achievements of the court ruling on local government autonomy. This government has achieved free imports for drugs and rice and brought peace through the establishment of the livestock ministry. These are a few achievements from the last six months. We have waited for eight years in hope through the Buhari administration, and no one has seen positive changes, but we waited. Herein, with the Tinubu and Shettima administrations, we are seeing the moves and the results. Can we not hold on to this renewed hope since we are seeing the changes coming? 

Nigerian youths, let no one deceive us into doing their bid. They have places to go; we only have Nigeria, which is all we have. When they moved out, we remained here. They cannot come from Europe and America to ask us to set our houses on fire while they go back to their second homes and leave us in the shackles that we used our own hands to perpetuate their desires against us for their selfish and evil interests. No, we must not come to the level they want us to reach. We must rise with renewed hope and join this administration to build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign, just as we pledged to build in our re-engineering calls for a better tomorrow. 

Dr. James BWALA, PhD, writes from Abuja.

Nigeria: Why the youths must say “NO” to protest. 

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Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration

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Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration

By: Yusuf Adamu

Unfortunately, the lack of electricity and shortage of water in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, have continued to turn some sections of the state against the government. While many are thinking it is the government job to provide electricity and water, a lot of people are not looking at the efforts the government is putting in during the phase of challenges from saboteurs and terrorists as it affects the issues of electricity in the state, particularly.

Borno State has been in darkness for the last two weeks, and the governor spoke with concern from faraway Saudi Arabia, where he went to worship, and he was informed of the electricity issue back home. Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has done tremendously well in ensuring that Borno State overcomes the issue of electricity, to the extent that he went beyond his jurisdiction to ensure that he solved the problem.

He went further to collaborate with the NNPC, which informed the setting of a gas plant in Maiduguri to support the epileptic power supply as a result of the continuous attacks on the electricity supply lines feeding Maiduguri. However, the activities of saboteurs, who would rather, out of their greed, overload the gas plant, have constantly resulted in the disruption of the gas plant’s capacity to provide adequate supply.

Rather than people condemning the government for some of this man-made distraction, I think the people of Borno State should pray for an end to the activities of terrorists and the saboteurs who continuously take advantage of the situation to speak ill of the government. If the opposition is speaking, we would understand, but when citizens say otherwise, we would like to remind them that the governor of Borno State has been doing everything possible to make Borno State great. 

The collaboration with NNPC and the purchase of electric vehicles to ease pain for people are things to see and agree that the governor meant well for his people. This is aside from the numerous projects he was able to achieve in the state. We are also lucky to have the Vice President, who is our own and whose focus is also to see Borno State become great again.

Just yesterday, he was speaking on the issues affecting the state when he arrived in the state for the sallah celebration. He gave hope for a better Borno state and spoke well of the collaboration the federal government is having with Borno state to end the perennial challenges facing the state at the moment. Let us continue to uplift our leaders in prayer and support their dream of making Borno one of the best things that happens to its people in the current administration.

***Yusuf Adamu writes from Maiduguri and is the former political adviser to Kashim Shettima.

Why Borno residents should support the Zulum Administration

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