GOV OKOWA SWEARS IN DESOPADEC CHAIRMAN, MD,EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND COMMISSIONERS

Mr Godwin Ebosa, Chairman.
Chief William Makinde, Managing Director, 
Chief Bashorun Askia Ogie, Executive Director
Mr Phillip Gbasin. Executive Director
Hon Ocho Chris Ocho, Executive Directors

Representatives of Oil Producing Areas in the state (Commissioner's)

Chief Amos Itiwhe
Chief Pius Ovbije
Jonathan Amitaye
Hon Ovie Oghoore
Chief Thomas
Ereyitomi, Nnamdi Ezechi
Hon Fedelis Oputa
Chief Favour Izoukumor.

CONGRATULATIONS

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Why Bayelsa PDP Chieftains’ Defected To APC – Seriake Dickson

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on Monday gave reasons for the defection of some politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nditimi Alaibe; suspended chairman of Bayelsa PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba, and former Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, were among prominent politicians in Bayelsa that defected to the APC at the weekend.

They were received by the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Speaking with journalists on the sideline of the 2015 National Security Summit organized by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with The Sun Publishing Limited in Abuja, the governor said the politicians’ defection was motivated by greed and selfishness.

According to Dickson, they are all aiming for the governorship ticket of the APC in order to contest the December 5 Bayelsa governorship poll.

Stressing that it was within their right to defect to a political party of their choice, the governor said for the records, it was important that the public know the true reason behind their defection to the APC.

He said: “They decamped because each one of them wants to be governor and the PDP platform is not available.
“So, they are going to the next alternative and which in the case of the APC, is the party that has control of the center and by so doing, positioning themselves for federal appointments, which the PDP and I are not in a position to give to them.

“And they are hoping somehow that federal might, by way of security and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) manipulation will see their eventual flagbearer get into the government house, which is not going to be the case”.

Claiming that he is firmly on ground in the state, the governor, who looks set to clinch the PDP ticket to contest for a second term in office, said his people are of the view that his administration has done well and will troop out en mass on election day to vote for him and the PDP.

“We know the antecedents of each and everyone of them and we are confident that the people are not with them”, he added.

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Fashola And Tinubu At War

The political rivalry between the National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and immediate past Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola is worsening as the days go by.

The political tension was compounded last week following a statement by Fashola that he would not allow himself to be dragged into the mud by those who want to fight like pigs.

Vanguard learnt that a force within the ruling APC has, therefore, pushed the leadership of the party to convene an emergency state caucus meeting tomorrow where the issue between the camps of the two former governors is expected to be discussed.

Ahead of today’s launch of three books chronicling the stewardship of Mr. Babatunde Fashola as governor of Lagos State between 2007 and 2015, it was gathered learnt that activists in the two camps were working to use the occasion to score political points. While some were working to frustrate the book launch as a way of projecting what they claim as Fashola’s political incapacity in the state, the former governor’s loyalists were working to counter the move.

“They are planning but they will not succeed,” Vanguard quoted an associate of the immediate past governor to have said.

Associates of Tinubu, however, alleged that the immediate past governor had not shown enough respect to his erstwhile political benefactor.

“A man that has not seen it as wise to visit or thank his master since he stepped down from office, why should we be there,” a close associate of Tinubu told Vanguard.

This was countered by an associate of Fashola, who said: “Tinubu is not picking his calls, so those people saying that Fashola has not visited Tinubu simply do not know what they are talking about, they just don’t know”.

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WELL DESERVED APPOINTMENT OF COMRADE DANTES ODOGWU AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT ON SPECIAL DUTIES TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR (DR) ARTHUR IFEANYI OKOWA, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE

By Vincent Oshiagwu.

Where expectations and desires get converted to manifestation and accomplishment, doubts become eroded and far from sight.

The recent appointment of Comrade Dantes Odogwu, founder of Deltans Diaspora, DD as Special Assistant on Special Duties to His Excellency, Senator (Dr) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State executive governor can only be described as the reward for ability, boldness, commitment, perseverance and zest for integrity. Comrade Dantes Odogwu's former and present support for the emergence of the present political leadership of Dr. Arthur Okowa remain impeccable.

Before now, even when Dr. Okowa was a senator, the vision and revelation of being a governor had been sighted by Dantes Odogwu from abroad, machineries were set in motion, extended to Nigeria, planted and propagated in Delta State and the result is the Delta State governor, incumbent Senator (Dr) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.

I wish Comrade Dantes Odogwu health, wisdom, knowledge and divine understanding in office. Prosperity for all Deltans is guarranteed in a team with Dantes Odogwu as member.

I have no doubt on my mind that he will not be found wanting in his new assignment as well his ability to use office to positively impart the lives of Deltans.

While appreciating the governor for finding him worthy of the appointment, I congratulate Comrade Dantes Odogwu. It is of course an appointment well deserved.

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SENATE RULE FORGERY IS FIGMENT OF THE IMAGINATION OF APC LEADERS – SENATOR Peter Nwaoboshi

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, a lawyer, was the political adviser to former Delta State Governor James Ibori and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state. He currently represents Delta North in the Senate.

In this interview, he speaks on how Senator Bukola Saraki emerged as Senate President and the alleged forged 2015 Ruling of the parliament, among other issues.

How are you settling down as a senator especially as you are coming from the other side of the divide?

I have a mission. When I was asking my people to vote for me, I believed I was sufficiently equipped to represent them at the Senate having served at various levels in the executive arm of government and party hierarchy. I was a member of Unity Party of Nigeria, Awolowo group, where I was the state youth leader. I formed the UPN youth wing in Bendel State. I was the political secretary to Prof Ambrose Ali, the then governor of Bendel State. I was the first secretary of the PDP in Delta State.

Later I became the political adviser to Governor Ibori and then his commissioner for agriculture, and, as time went on, his commissioner for special duties in charge of Abuja. So I have been both in the executive and in the party hierarchy , but I have never been in the legislature. So, basically, this is my first time.

I have a mission for my people and I am able to cope because of my legal background. As a lawyer of over 25years standing and also a student of history, I have been in active politics for over 35years. So the Senate is a very familiar terrain for me.

Did you envisage the turbulence in the Senate prior to your coming here?

Any politician who says he did not expect what happened on the 9th of June is not worth his onion. In a situation where the two parties are almost equal and you see more than one contestant coming from a political party, you would expect certain things to happen.

First, you call us opposition party, and I keep on saying the APC mismanaged the issue. You are telling an opposition party, ‘this is where I am going’, you want the opposition party to join you? It is a simple logic. You saw two people contesting and you say, ‘okay I am supporting this,’ and you call the other person the opposition, what do you expect the opposition to do? You call us opposition party; so, ordinarily, what you should expect is that the opposition party would go to the other side and vote. But for some of us who believe in integrity and also in order to keep our names, the PDP would have taken the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President on that day and nothing would have happened.

How?

We had 49 Senators at the inauguration, they had about 20; the quorum is one third, the Constitution is very clear on that. What is the quorum? Go and read the Constitution. Forget about Senate Rule, which is not the ground norm. The Constitution is the ground norm; we had formed the quorum and by the quorum which we had formed which is one third, and the Constitution says any law, that is inconsistent with any provision of the Constitution, shall, to the extent of its inconsistency, be declared null and void, we could have taken the Senate President.

There was already a quorum, there was already a proclamation by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as provided for by the Constitution and the proclamation did not just proclaim the National Assembly, it said by 10am, it was timed. The President did not withdraw the proclamation. And so, if we had decided to vote that day, we would have got the Senate President, we would have also got the Deputy Senate President and there is nothing you can do because, to remove them, you need two third.

And all we needed to do was sit down, share everything in the Senate among the 49 of us and then come to the Senate thereafter and wait for you to do whatever you want to do; and the truth is that you cannot do anything. By now, APC would not be talking, they would not be making all the noise they are making. I know many of my friends who are now regretting that we could have done it. We had the opportunity, but we said ‘just take’ and instead of them thanking us, somebody is saying ‘they forged the Senate Rule’. What is forgery? Where is the original document? You must have an original document to forge another.

I just read some lawyers talking. I don’t know where they read their law. Where is the original document of the Senate Rule 2015 that was forged? If you started a bill today in the 7th Senate and you cannot complete it before the expiration of the Assembly, you will start denovo. Everything in the 7th Senate is gone, we start denovo; which means we can now regulate our proceedings by the virtue of Section 60 to start that bill the way we want to pass it. You are talking about forgery. Where is the original document that was forged? You are talking about two thousand and something rule, of what Assembly? I have asked people about the original that was forged. Where is the 2015 Rule that was forged? You must have an original document. If you say my certificate was forged, it means I have a certificate, but you now forged it. I was asking my friend, Senator Marafa, he said there is no rule, but you are in court to squash a rule. If there is no rule, why did you go to court? What is your prayer in court?

There was an issue raised by one of the senators, that there was an error in the 2015 Senate Rule, but that when they discovered it, they went and produced another one correcting that error.

When the PDP was in the majority in the National Assembly, we heard about party supremacy which was observed in breach and sometimes followed to the letter. Now APC is insisting on the the supremacy of the party and PDP is somehow thwarting that.

What is the supremacy of the party? Let me know, which of them? For instance, before the election, there was a straw election through which some people emerged. The party showed through its body language and even through voting that this is where they were going. Was it not normal in the red chamber for everybody at least to toe that line to show that actually the party in the majority should have its way? Have you ever seen throughout the 16 years of PDP where PDP presented two candidates for an election? It boils down to carelessness and lack of administrative acumen on the part of the APC.

Let me give you an example; when Tambuwal was elected against what the PDP wanted, did you hear us make noise? We kept quiet, we planned around him. He was romancing with the opposition elements, but we had around him people who were checking him, and so he was cautious. He knew we were in the majority, he never defected until days to the election.

When Evans Enwerem emerged as the Senate President as against the popular wish of the senators for Chuba Okadigbo, we didn’t just start shouting for Nigerians to know that we were shouting, senators worked around and removed Enwerem. In Ibori’s administration, the late Senator Pius Ewherido, in 199I, was the state PDP secretary. We wanted one Megbiro to be the Speaker and we got to the floor of the House. The opposition, led by Ewherido, manouvred and got their man elected. After the first one, the second one, they impeached our own Speaker. He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.

As political adviser, I knew what to do. I organized our people and, within one month, we overthrew their Speaker in a democratic form. Even Ewherido, by 2 in the morning, I showed him the signatures and I asked, ‘ Are you joining us’? He had to sign. After we got two thirds, we then sent for the Deputy Speaker to come and meet us in the VIP Guest House and he came and I showed him. The governor was sitting and I said ‘these are the signatories, are you ready to join us or we impeach you tomorrow as the Deputy Speaker?’ He joined us.

By making noise, APC is only toughening us and supporters of Senate President Saraki and also making people to think that there must be something behind their wanting to have the Senate presidency at all costs; there is something really that eyes are not seeing. You want us to be put in your pocket? Nobody will allow it at this age. Where I am going is nearer than where I am coming from; 58 plus and you want somebody to dictate from his parlour to me?

Is the cash crunch the nation is experiencing not affecting the National Assembly?

The National Assembly is on the firstline charge. There is nobody that can strangulate the National Assembly; rather it is the National Assembly that can strangulate people. If you follow democracy, the strongest arm of any democratic setting is the parliament. Nobody, no arm of government can intimidate the legislature.

If you look at the Senate President, it appears he is not settled, he is not comfortable. Is he not in charge yet?

He is a very strong hearted man. The man knows he has the support of the people, he demonstrated it. Senator Marafa was shouting in the newspapers, ‘when we resume, heavens will fall, we will remove him’; you heard it. Then we came that day, instead of moving the removal motion, 81 Senators signed the vote expressing confidence in the leadership of Saraki. That is a demonstration of ‘I am in charge’. The only people who can remove him is us. The President cannot remove him, APC cannot remove him, it is only the day that 73 senators sign that he will go. You are not likely to get it in this 8th Assembly. So, how are you going to get it unless you are going to kill him? If you arrest him today, Ekweremadu will continue as Senate President. So where are you running to? Even if you remove him via arrest and put him in prison, he is still our Senate President until we impeach him.

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DELTA GOVERNOR: WHY I ENCOURAGED MY SON TO JOIN POLITICS — PA OKOWA

 

 Chief Arthur Okorie Okowa, the father of the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, is a retired principal. Pa Okowa, who leads Delta North Justices of Peace, JP, in this exclusive interview spoke on how his son started his political career and emerged as governor. He also spoke on the dwindling standard of education in Nigeria and the way out. Excerpts:

How do you feel having your son as the governor of a complex state like Delta?

I sympathize with him but I know that God who called him at this time will see him through otherwise the state has been bastardized so much so with heavy debts. Anybody there as the leader has an uphill task; unfortunately the All Progressives Congress (APC) is now at the top, so who do we cry to? But God knows best, God will continue to see him through as I continue to pray and I pray that the price of oil should go higher so that allocation can go higher.

You trained the governor as a medical doctor and your expectation was for him to practice medicine. At what point did you encourage him to veer into politics and why?

He was working with the government before he left to start his own clinic. One day, our secondary school here was doing inter-house sports and I had to come with him.

He had a silver cup which he was to present to them. What surprised me was that as we were just arriving at the gate we were asked to park and they came; the entire students rose up and crowded him; they wanted to carry him up but I refused. So we marched to the place. After that inter-house sports I saw that he has an aura that was attracting the whole people, both students and the community to him.

I was in politics then and I told him you are going to go into politics. He laughed over it, but behind him they started a group here and brought him in. By the time he entered, the first thing was to attempt to go for the chairman of the council. Then they had not created Delta State, Ika South and Ika North-East were one local government.

I was following Chief John Oyegun on campaign for his governorship election. Then, someone, I don’t need to mention names, tried to push my son down. However, Oyegun asked him not to worry, he stepped down for the other man at Agbor who later became the chairman. We were lucky, at that time, they had to appoint an executive secretary and my son was appointed. That was how he started and I encouraged him until Oyegun told me they were going to create Delta State and that somebody else was running in our state, Chief Felix Ibru.

So I went and came with Ibru to our camp. By that time Delta State and Ika North-East had been created, Ifeanyi became the first chairman of the council. From there he went on. In the time of Grass-root Democratic Movement, GDM, in our local government, the party won the election and that was how he went on and there was no question of whether he should leave his medical practice it was almost natural and voluntary.

Have you had any cause to regret having your son as a politician since he started his political career?

No. Even though there were some challenges they were challenges that an intelligent man can cope with.

Do you have regrets not having access to him like you used to when he was a commissioner, SSG and senator?

When you become more important and you become the child of the state or even the nation I have no regret. I can call him on phone and I can meet him at times in his house, I can meet him at certain occasions. I am all right with that provided he takes care of me. I am no longer working and my pension is so meagre. If I tell you my pension you will laugh. My pension today from Delta State is N5, 700 (laugh).

What do you think is the magic wand behind his wide acceptability to Deltans?

Humility. He is so humble. He humbles himself before everybody. All the time he was commissioner he stretched his hands here and there to all the people and whatever you gave him to do, he did without fear or favour to anybody. A lot of people will come to say your son is so good and tell me of what he had done for them and so on and so forth. He was good to the people when he was commissioner; as SSG and even as a senator, he was so good. His constituency projects are scattered all over Delta State.

So many people today believed that Chief James Ibori who was governor between 1999 and 2007 gave him all the support because there was an alliance between the two of them. How true is this?

•Pa Okowa:We need to improve teacher education
Ibori is still our friend, we still love him. Ibori gave doctor a very good push politically even though some people say if he loved him so much, what happened in 2007? Blood sometimes can be thicker than water, so he put his brother there and nobody could blame him. When you are working, you may be afraid of one shadow or the other, so putting his brother there after him is something that is natural; anybody can do that.

So Ibori was instrumental in pivoting him up politically.

When he was growing up, did you find any trait of leadership in him?

Oh yes, even in the primary school, he was organizing his juniors, he would bring them together and begin to do one thing or the other. In the secondary school, he would come back home and organize lectures for all the secondary school students in the lower classes.

By the time he went to the university, he had organized lectures for all classes of secondary school students. He was fond of organizing. I know that people follow him and once he starts, everybody will rush to him, so he had all the leadership traits from youth.

So, was he organizing the lectures for financial gains or for humanity?

No kobo was paid to him. He just wanted his people to come up academically.

What informed your decision to name him after you?

That is just funny. I decided to give him my name by calling him Junior, Arthur Junior. I was just interested in calling him Arthur Junior but throughout his young age Ifeanyi is all that we have ever called him because that is the name that he was given after eight days of his birth before his baptism. I was fond of him, I was always calling him the big boy because he was very outstanding academically and in his behaviour. So he started to being humble right from the beginning.

As a former educationalist what is your assessment of the country’s educational standard?

I have seen that education is falling and the standard is going down to the drain. I am not happy about it. The government may have good plans but in the implementation,they fail and that is because they are faster than even those who brought education to us.

If you go to Britain which brought education to us you still find that teacher education is in the forefront, but here they scrapped teacher education at grade two level and that is now affecting the standard of people in the NCE.

Because a child comes straight from secondary school into NCE; he does not have any rudiment about the principles and practice of education.

He does not know anything about it and so, they are not even able to write reasonable lesson notes.
Secondly, HSC is still going on in Britain which brought education to us but here in Nigeria, we have cancelled it. So students are not able to broaden their knowledge because they don’t have reading culture. They just depend on the handouts. Even the teachers are not making things to work out well because they make them to depend on their handouts.

So, all the graduates turned out appear to be half baked which is making the standard to go low and I believe that the standard of education in a nation depends on the standard of the teachers and education is the only thing that makes a nation. If you go into the scheme of work given to the schools, they might appear to be very good but there is a problem in the implementation of those schemes of work. Are the teachers able to cope? Like I said earlier, government may be planning very well, but the implementation is very bad.

When they brought in the 6-3-3-4 system, it was good but the implementation failed. It was intended that after the first three years in secondary school, students should be classified according to their subject areas; some will go for commercial, some will go for technical. They just build secondary schools all along; no technical colleges where these children could branch out to.

Technical colleges are very few and they are not doing anything in that line. It appears, everybody, when you finish from JS3 you go straight to SSS and then you continue. But that was not the intention. The intention was that after JS3, you classify them, science students will go into science schools, arts will go into arts schools and those who are out for technical things will go to such schools where they will develop but these are not in place so government failed on that part.

What do you think is the solution to the fast dwindling standard of education in Nigeria?

Government should equip the schools with the necessary facilities; a child in the school should be able to sit comfortably and when they are teaching he will be able to listen. So we appeal to government to first equip the schools with desks and chairs; then they should review the scheme of work with a view to finding out the defects.

There should be standard books that should be recommended. The child coming into the class must have that as a reader; as a text book for mathematics; as a text book for any subject and then have a good library and government should stock the schools with textbooks which can be given to the students.

There should be training and retraining of teachers; a lot of the teachers who went through secondary schools and went to Colleges of Education are half baked.

-VANGUARD

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Sorry, Youths: General Buhari Inaugurates 19-Man Transition Committee With 85-Year-Old As Chair (SEE LIST)

Nigeria’s President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 inaugurated a 19-man transition committee, laden with the responsibility of making for a smooth handover from the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Heading the committee is 85-year old Ahmed Joda, who is to be deputized by a senior associate of the Lagos Business School (LBS), Doyin Salami.

Other notable members of the committee include Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Audu Ogbe; John Odigie-Oyegun and Lai Mohammed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively and David Tam-West.

See the full committee members below:

1. Mal. Ahmed Joda – Chairman
2. Dr Doyin Salami – Vice-Chairman
3. Mr Boss Mustapha
4. Mal. Muhammad Hayatuddin
5. Alh. Abubakar Malami SAN
6. Brig. Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa
7. Sen. Hadi Sirika
8. Sen. Audu Ogbeh
9. Barrister Dalong
10. Mrs Bola Adesola
11. Mr Wale Edun
12. Mrs Nike Aboderin
13. Dr Ogbonnaya Onu
14. Mr Festus Odimegwu
15. Chief John Oyegun
16. Gov. Rotimi Amaechi
17. Dr. Tam David West
18. Alh. Lai Mohammed
19 Mal. Adamu Adamu – Secretary
Addressing the committee members on the task ahead, General Buhari said: “This assignment is onerous though it is well within your ability to accomplish, you are enquired to assess the information provided to you and advise me on its quality and accuracy.“It is a simple matter but you must have the right information if you are to shape appropriate policy decisions. Needless to repeat; that your committee and our government are not on a witch-hunt or engage in fault-finding.
“We want the facts and nothing but the facts, what has been done cannot be undone, our job is to learn from the mistakes of the past in an attempt to avoid similar errors.

“The two weeks given to you to complete your assignment, are short but because of the postponement of the election from February 14 to March 28, the transition period has been truncated, we are obliged therefore to fast-track steps to May 29.”

General Buhari went on to detail the terms of reference of the committee.

The terms are:

    develop a clear framework for liaison with the outgoing administration for purposes of a smooth handover/takeover and to receive handover documents from MDAs and itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the incoming government;
    review government’s outstanding contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations and the status of implementation of capital projects;
    undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the outgoing government;
    take a look at the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area;
    review the status of the amnesty programme, the readiness of the police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order;
    provide a brief overview of the Central Bank of Nigeria , the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Nigerian Communications Commission , the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
    suggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that change will be seen after 30 days, after 100 days, after six months of the administration taking office; and
    make any other observations which will be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new administration.

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Okowa inaugurates 98-man transition committees in Delta

Delta State governor-elect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has inaugurated three committees comprising 98 persons for a smooth transition process.

Speaking during the inauguration at Government House, Asaba, Senator Okowa informed Deltans that he would ensure equity and fairness in running the affairs of the state, adding that membership of the committee was not an automatic ticket for membership of the state executive council.

According to him, the committees, which include Technical Committee on Programme Development/Governance, Committee on Handover and the Committee of Night of Praise, will ensure a seamless transition in the state.

The governor-elect said that the terms of reference for the Committee on Programmes Development/ Governance include making preparation for the smooth take-off and implementation of the policies and programmes of the incoming administration after inauguration; advice on governance structure, size, relationship and best practices that will enable greater efficiency and outcome; examine the 2015 budget and advice in line with work plan.

Earlier, the chairman of the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Edwin Uzor, urged members of the committees to work assiduously, with due diligence and in consultation with other members to move the state forward and ensure lasting peace in the state.

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Gov Fayose Dancing After Delivering All Elections In EkitI To PDP

In this posted online by his Special Assistant On Public Communications & New Media, Mr Lere olayinka, the Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Peter Fayose was dancing in jubilation after his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the remaining state house of assembly seat making it 26 wins out of 26.

You may also recall that the PDP won the 3 senatorial slots, all 6 House of Representatives seats and now all 26 state house of assembly positions.

In a popular video game called Mortal Kombat, this can be described as a FLAWLESS VICTORY. Congratulations to Fayose.

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Constitution Amendment: Senate, President Jonathan To Meet In Court

Majority of the members of Senate said they are ready to meet Presidency in court over annulation of all the proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution.

On their turn, members of the House of Representatives repeated that the legislators met the constitutional requirements on the process.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal to stop moves by members of the National Assembly to go ahead with the constitution amendment process.

The senators who responded to the case filed by the president to annul the amendments carried out on the constitution vowed to apply for a faster hearing when the National Assembly is served with court processes so that the matter would be bestowed before the end of the 7th senate.

In addition, the senators said as they were waiting to be served the court processes, the Presidency should return the initial copy of the bill sent to it.

Ita Enang, chairman of Senate Committee on Rules and Business, said the choice of the Presidency to challenge the constitution amendment in court was a good development.

He added that the action of President Jonathan was a sign that he was a patriotic Nigerian interested in the good of the country.

Meanwhile, he faulted the time it took the Presidency to raise objection to certain aspects of the amendment, underlying that it would be the duty of the court to control whether the National Assembly followed the required legal procedure in the amendment process.

Enang said: “I do not at all quarrel when anybody goes to court, I quarrel when you start calling press conferences and abusing the other party. Was the Presidency not party or aware when these matters were available for public hearing? Did they come for the public hearing to make any of the points they are making in court.

”I will refuse to see the action of the presidency as a slight because this is what we passed, the Supreme Court Additional Jurisdiction Act, it is only that it is coming too late in the day, but we should apply for accelerated hearing; it is not a slight, I don’t see it that way even though some of my colleagues may see it that way.

“At every stage during the hearing of the matter, the Attorney General, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Special Adviser to Mr President on National Assembly Affairs, all of them were there at the various hearing.

“But at the same time, if the President feels that the provisions in the constitution amendment is going to whittle down the powers of the executive and that he is not going to leave a weak or embattled executive and he is challenging it, I think it is a show of faith in the country that he does not want to leave a burden on the incoming government.”

President Jonathan vetoed the amendment on Monday, April 13.

Some senators said that they have two options either the institution approves the position of Jonathan or goes ahead to override it.

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WHY SENATOR OKOWA NEEDS A SOCIAL MEDIA DEPARTMENT-MR FRANK IRORO

PDP and PGEJ were rooted out of Aso Rock by a makeshift APC party because of the manner with which the party's hired agents were able to rebrand GMB and flaunt him on the social media.

while APC was everywhere in social media bamboozing Nigerians with heaven-on-earth propaganda messages and rubbishing PGEJ's landmark achievements, PGEJ'S media aids were sleeping and sluggishly coming out so lately and so clumsily with senseless attacks on GMB that did more harm to their campaign than good.

At a point in time during the final laps of the APC media onslaught on PGEJ. I became so pissed off that I had to google information about PGEJ achievements which I often posted online, and in most cases, I was shocked that many respondents, through their comments debunked my research work as lies. Can you image such absurdity? Do I need to google information about the activities of a President of my country with all his itineraries of media aids and information minister?

The PGEJ media team was a complete mess. They relied so much on AIT multimillion Naira useless campaign of calumny than having a relatively cheaper social media bloggers to assist in showcasing the numerous record breaking feats performed by PGEJ.

In contrast to the lacklustre performances of PGEJ media team, Senator Okowa, the governor elect media team was extra-ordinarily awesome.

The social media team anchored by Deltans Diaspora and backed by the daring, fearless Fejiro Oliver and Okunbor Ehi Alex were ferocious and aggressive in their projection of Senator Okowa's governorship aspiration that his opponents became restless with sleepless nights.

Sincerely, the social media fire works by Senator Okowa team was a nightmare to other PDP aspirants during the run up to the party's guber primary, their aggressiveness in some way led to the triumph of Senator Okowa at primary.

The enthusiasm and the joy of Senator Okowa's victory at the primary, spur them higher and they became domineering in all the social media platforms in the state.

The quality of their graphics and posts often send shock waves down the spines of opposition candidates and their supporters. This also was one of the reasons for the landslide victory recorded by Senator Okowa in the general election.
This give rise to this poster by Udeme Obichie, one of the DD members, he posted,

''1. How many percentage of our youths in the social media would be given appointment in senator Okowa's administration??'
2. Senator Okowa should create a social media board that can at least give employment to 20 youths for quality information dissemination as we dont want what happened to Jonathan to occur in his regime.The general public should be aware of all his development strides as a governor no matter how small it is.''

I wholeheartedly concur with Udeme Obichie's suggestion. In line with what he suggested, I am of the opinion that this fantastic social media team be re-enforced and sustained by Senator Okowa's govt, to enable them keep Deltans abreast with his govt's activities.

TV and Radio are no longer in vogue, information are now at the finger tips of many people. I cannot remember when I last sat in my sitting room to listen to news on Radio or TV because I am always the first to get most of the news they often air.
Department of Social Media. Govt House is needed to keep Deltans abreast with the daily operations of the government. This will make the government very closer to the people via daily flow of information from both side.

The media team must be maintained because it won'r be long before 2019 election come knocking at our doors.
Above all, most or rather some of the youth who had put in their very best in time and sleepless nights need to be accommodated by the govt.
An adage says that those who contribute to the cooking of puddings must also part-take in the eating.
So honestly, I support the creation of Social media department in Govt House where they could be assigned to cover the activities of govt ministries, parastatals and departments on daily basis.

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Okowa: The making of a jinx-breaker

By Rotimi Akinwunmi – Snr. Correspondent, Abuja

It was a dream come true for the people of Delta North Senatorial District when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for the Delta State Governorship election, Prof Bio Nyananyo, reeled out the result of the last Saturday election in the state and pronounced Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the election.

In declaring the result of the election, Prof Nyananyo announced in Asaba that Okowa polled 724,680 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party, who got 130,028 votes. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Chief O’tega Emerhor came a distant 3rd with 67,825 votes.

According to the results, it was a sweeping victory for Okowa who won in 21 local government areas of the 25 in the state, while Ogboru clinched the remaining four LGAs.

The Returning Officer announced that 18 political parties participated in the governorship election while there were 2, 044,372 registered voters and 1,017,796 accredited voters.

He said the exercise recorded 931,808 valid votes while 24,913 ballots were rejected.

“Okowa, having won the highest votes in the elections, which was contested and having satisfied the provisions of the law is hereby returned as winner and governorship-elect for Delta”, he declared to the admiration of the Delta State indigenes most of whom had began to celebrate even before the result was officially declared.

What culminated in the joy of the Ika people today was a journey of many years, nursed with enthusiasm but with trepidation of possible failure.

The second civilian Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori who hails from Delta Central Senatorial zone actually set the ball rolling when at the twilight of his administration, he expressed hopes that the people of the state will come to realize the need to allow power rotate among the zones in the state.

The first civilian governor of the state, Sir Felix Ibru is also from Delta Central. His successor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, (Delta South) also bought into the idea and pursued it with vigour which culminated in the emergence of Senator Okowa, now as the Governor-elect of Delta state.

The events leading to the emergence of Okowa as the PDP candidate was intriguing, as well as interesting. While it was agreed that power should shift to Delta North, the power that be within the state settled for candidature of Sir Tony Chuks Obuh who had all hopes that he would be the next governor of the state on the platform of the PDP.

Obuh who had about three years to stay in the civil service, with the possibility of becoming the Head of Service of the state, threw in the towel August last year because of the encouragement he had from stakeholders in the Senatorial zone about his possibility of becoming the next governor of the state. However, fate had a different thing in stock for him as political permutations changed against him at the last minute.

With discord brewing within the ranks of Delta North stakeholders who at the time saw as many as 15 of their kits and kins showing serious interest in the PDP governorship ticket, while the Delta Central seem to have settled for a particular candidate, in person of Olorogun David Edevbie, the need to unite against a “common foe” became paramount.

In solving the logjam, the Anioma Congress, the umbrella socio-cultural cum political group of the Delta North people, took the initiative to wade into the brewing crisis, and decided to speak with one voice on whom the zone will present as its choice candidate.

Okowa had the best of chances, placed side by side with other aspirants from the zone and his people refused to commit political murder as he was picked as the favoured candidate at the end of the screening exercise conducted by the Anioma Congress. Hon. Victor Ochei and Hon. Ndudi Elumelu came second and third respectively.

The preference for Okowa candidature by the Anioma Congress was not surprising as he was really experienced in the game having contested in 2007 for the PDP governorship ticket in 2007 but narrowly losing to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

However, some other aspirants from the North Senatorial zone did not easily accept their fate, preferring to go to the poll to slug it out for the PDP governorship ticket.

The need for compromise and re-alignment was obvious, and with the open declaration of support of support for his candidature by one of the big guns in the Delta South Senatorial zone, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, who is popularly known as Tompolo, the game changed totally in his favour.

Rather than be a Delta North project, Okowa agenda genuinely, became a Pan Delta project with prominent stakeholders from the Delta Central joining the trail.

With an agreement reached with the people of Delta South on the choice of Barrister Kingsley Otuaro, an Ijaw from Warri South West, as the running mate to Okowa, preparation for PDP party primary was concluded with assurances of victory.

It is instructive to note also that while most of his colleagues one way or the other, gave to themselves Senatorial tickets as retirement benefits, Governor Uduaghan who was set to pick the Delta South Senatorial ticket, forgo it in an arrangement at ensuring fairness and show unwavering commitment to the Okowa project, while pleasing those who demanded personal sacrifice from him too.

The atmosphere at the Event centre, Asaba, the venue of the governorship primaries held on December 8, 2014, was that of apprehension among the camps of all the 26 aspirants, their supporters and the accredited delegates.

Eventually, Okowa won the expected Pan Delta Votes with as expected when he had majority votes of Bomadi, Patani, and Burutu Local Governments. Okowa also won solidly in Isoko North and South. The votes from Warri South and Warri South West also went to him.

He received about 45% votes from the Delta Central, which was big enough to minimize the impact of the 185 votes that Hon. Ochei received and the 50 and 49 votes that went to Hon. Elumelu and Elder Godsday Orubebe, respectively.

With the first line of battle won, the real project planning commenced, as all stakeholders across the state within the PDP family, put aside their differences, worked together and ensured victory for him at the main governorship poll last Saturday.

Winning more than two-third of the entire votes cast across the state, irrespective of the presence of other candidates from “majority ethnic” groups within the state is a clear indication that the jinx of unnecessary ethnic sentiment in leadership selection has gone for good in Delta state.

The jinx has eventually been broken.

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We’ll be accountable to Delta people- Okowa

Delta State Governor-elect, Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured the people of Delta State in South South Nigeria that his government is prepared to deliver developments that will directly impact on the lives of the people.

Okowa, who gave the assurance when he received a delegation from the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien, who came to felicitate with him on his victory at the just concluded Delta State governorship election, also said that he would run a government that would be accountable to the people of the state.

He said his major assignment as governor of Delta State is to bring development, peace and unity across the state, saying he would do his best to ensure that every section of the state was carried along and given its due recognition and attention.

“We will be accountable to the good people of Delta State by partnering with the them in all areas to ensure all round performance. My promise to be governor of Delta State, and not just a section of the state will never be compromised. We will remain committed to the well being and prosperity of our people,” he reiterated.

While praising the Asagba for his sterling leadership qualities, which he had consistently displayed in projecting the interest of the Anioma people, Okowa reassured that he will always be guided by equity, fairness, transparency and the fear of God.

He said his administration will not shy away from doing what is right and promised to give the state capital, Asaba, a befitting facelift, even as he assured of accelerated development across the state.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, the Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Onyeobi, assured Okowa, whom he described as the son of the palace, of the support of the Asagba and the people of Asaba, even as he thanked Deltans for voting Okowa in the April 11th governorship election.

Daily independent.

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Okowa Promises Smooth Working Relationship with Buhari

The Governor-elect of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that although he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would have a good working relationship with the President-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for the purpose of smooth governance.

In an interview with ARISE News, a THISDAY sister television network, he also said his state has the best health sector in the country, adding that he would consolidate on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s legacy.

“The issue of governance in this country is not about PDP or APC. It is all about delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.
“Delta State is a critical state in Nigeria, and it is in the best interest that there is the smooth running of government by working together. So it is all about Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.

He pointed out that the issue of employment has to be taken seriously, saying there would be proactive policies by his government to ensure that youths are gainfully employed.

While harping on the importance of a good health policy, Okowa promised that he would set up a health insurance policy that would adequately cover his people.

“The primary health care system is strong and effective enough. The secondary health care system is going fine and running smoothly. This is quite good for the population that we have right now. And in moving this forward, there would be need for health insurance policy for all,” he said.

In the governorship election in Delta, Okowa polled 724,680 votes to beat his closest rival, Great Ogboru of the Labour Party (LP), who got 130,028 votes. O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) finished third with 67,825 votes.

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OKOWA WINS APRIL 11 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN DELTA STATE

Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the April 11, governorship election in Delta State has been declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Announcing the result of the governorship election in the early hours of Monday, April 13, 2015, at INEC office in Asaba, the State Returning Officer, Prof. Bio Nyanayo said Senator, Okowa of the PDP Polled a total of 724,680 votes. While his closest rival in the election and the candidate of the Labour Party, Chief Great Ogboru scored 130,028 votes. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Olorogun O’tega emerhor polled a total of 67,825 votes to come third in the election.

The news of Okowa’s victory at the poll was received in Ika land with great joy as Ika residents gathered in groups to discuss and celebrate over the outcome of the election. The residence of the Governor-Elect in Asaba was pack full as party supporters, government officials, including Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, the PDP Chairman in the State, Chief Edwin Uzor family members, friends and well wishers gathered to celebrate with Okowa over the historic victory.

Speaking shortly after the result of the governorship election was announced by INEC at Okowa’s Asaba residence, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said it was a total victory for all Deltans, adding that it was a historic day for Okowa. He thanked God that the state witnessed a peaceful electoral process, even as he prayed that the transition would also be hitch-free.

Reacting, Senator Okowa expressed gratitude to the Almighty God for making his dream to govern Delta State become a reality. He thanked Deltans for casting their votes for him, promising that he is going to run an all inclusive government.

In the words of Okowa, “This victory is for all Deltans, it shows that we are united. I, congratulate my co-contestants and I want to plead with them to join hands with me to build a greater Delta. There is no winner nor losers in this election, Delta State is the winner. We will accommodate the views of everybody so as to take the state to greater heights. I therefore, want to call on all Deltans to partner with us in the development of our state as it belongs to all of us.”

The governor-elect also used the medium to thank Governor Uduaghan and other party faithful in the state for their support and contributions to his victory, assuring that he is going to build on the legacies of the PDP led administrations in the state and provide efficient services for Deltans. Senator Okowa won in twenty-one out of the twenty-five Local Government Area in the state. The Labour Party candidate, Chief Great Ogboru won in the remaining four Local Government Areas.

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Delta polls: Opposition party concedes defeat -Jonathan Onwuka

The Governorship candidate of the Advanced Congress of Democrat, ACD, in the just concluded April 11th 2015 governorship election in Delta State, Dr. John Breakforth Onwubuya, has called on the Governorship candidates of Labour Party, LP, Great Ogboru and the All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Otega Emerhor to join hands with other well meaning deltans to congratulate the Governor elect and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on his victory describing it as a victory for " all deltans".

Dr. Onwubuya, who made the assertion when he paid a solidarity visit to Senator Okowa at his residence in Asaba, on Thursday, said the election was very credible and peaceful, adding that Deltans have by their votes spoken in one voice and in support of development.

While formally conceding defeat to Okowa, the ACD governorship candidate noted that it was God that made his emergence possible, even as he expressed his willingness to form an alliance with the governor-elect to move the state forward, saying that as a stakeholder he also shares in the victory, as according to him, "the victory will further unite all Deltans "

Responding, the Delta State Governor-elect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, noted that the visit and show of solidarity of the ACD governorship candidate was a true demonstration of love and unity, stressing that such display was a true reflection of genuine love for Delta State.

Senator Okowa, who expressed his readiness to partner with all Deltans, said his administration will touch the lives of every Deltan, irrespective of ethnic origin or political affiliation, adding that he was ready to tap the best of all resources by relating with all shades of opinions.

He however, express hope that other contestants will emulate the ACD governorship candidate by accepting the outcome of the election and unite with him to bring development to every part of the state

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NINE POLITICAL PARTIES ADOPTS AMORI

Nine registered political parties in the State have directed their supporters to mobilize for the PDP candidate in the runoff Delta Central Senatorial election holding this Saturday, April 18 2015 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The political parties include, MPPP, APA, KOWA, PPN, ACPN, ID, ACD, PDC and NCP.

The State Chairmen of the nine political parties gave the directive today Thursday in Asaba at a press conference on the rescheduled Saturday senate election.

The Chairmen asked their supporters to mobilize and cast their votes for the PDP candidate for the election, Chief Ighoyota Amori.

Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, Hon Christian Moses Abeh, Chairman, APA, said the PDP Candidate for the runoff election, Chief Ighoyota Amori has paid his dues in the politics of Delta State and has remained consistent in the quest for a greater State.

Hon Abeh noted that Chief Amori's commitment to moving the Urhobo nation forward would be greater achieve as the representative of the people in the nation's upper house.

He called on all sons and daughters of Delta Central to turn out en masse on Saturday to vote for the PDP.

The Party Chairmen who said they operate under the umbrella of Association of Registered Political Parties, appealed to all other candidates for the runoff election to step down for Chief Amori.

The State Chairmen include, Hon Efe Tobor, MPPP, Hon Charles Moses Abeh, APA, Prince Jude Eze, KOWA, Victor Egwunenu, PPN, Chief Paul Isamade, ACPN, Onochie Ucheamaka, ID, Hanna Odibo, ACD, Princess Oluremi Mohammed, PDC and Lordson Ohubare, NCP.

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OKOWA, OTHERS RECEIVE CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC

Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the Delta State PDP Governorship candidate and Delta State Governor-Elect, has collected his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after being declared winner of the April 11, 2015 Governorship election in the State.

At a brief but precise ceremony held at the INEC office, Asaba and presided over by INEC National Commissioner, S/South, Dr Ishmael Igbani and Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, the ceremony also witnessed the presentation of Certificates of return to the Deputy Governor-Elect, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, two Senators-Elect, Senator James Manager and Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, as well as 10 House of Representatives members, including Hon. Leo Ogor, Hon Ossai Ossai, Hon Daniel Reyenieju, Hon. Victor Nwokolo and Hon. Evelyn Obaro.

Others include first time Honorable members elect, Hon. Onyemaechi Mrakpor and Julius Pondi, who were present at the ceremony, amongst others.

In their respective remarks, the Delta REC Elder Ikoiwak and the National Commissioner S/South, Dr. Igbani, commended the political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, development partners and the Nigerian electorate for ensuring a free, fair, credible and clean elections which had not only set the tone for subsequent elections, but has positioned Nigeria’s democracy status favourably on the global stage as the biggest black nation in the world.

They noted that everybody’s vote had counted and this had ensured a successful elections and started a democratic process in the country which would stand the test of time, even as they added that the victory achieved by the elected politicians was also a victory for all Nigerians as this was a clear indication to define their preparedness to provide the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

Responding on behalf of the successfully elected candidates, the Delta State Governor-Elect Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, noted that the success of the 2015 elections, Nigeria was gradually growing into the committee of elected democrats globally.

Senator Okowa affirmed that Delta State was a peaceful state and the dominance of the PDP in the state was once again underscored by the landslide achieved in securing all the 10 House of Representatives seats as well as the Two Senatorial seats so far declared, adding that Deltans were one big happy family and the PDP was poised to win the remaining Delta Central Senatorial seat, so long as the election would be conducted in a free and fair manner.

He then assured Deltans of his commitment and dedication to deliver on his mandate and pledged on behalf of all the elected members that they would do the right thing by providing the dividends of democracy to their respective constituencies and to Nigerians.

Highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificates to the Delta State Governor-Elect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and all the candidates-elect of the National Assembly from Delta State, by Dr. Ishmael Igbani

The event was witnessed by top PDP politicians, statesmen and other opinion leaders of the party including the father of the Governor-Elect Pa Okowa and his wife Mrs. Edith Okowa, the Delta PDP Chairman, Chief Edwin Uzor, Chief Godswill Obielum, Neworld Safugha, Capt. Pius Sinebe, Emmanuel Ogidi, Chisf Askia Ogeh, Solomon Areyinka, Hon. Solomon Ihriakpata and Hon Passal Adigwe amongst others.

HON VICTOR NWOKOLO RECEIVES CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC

INEC ISSUE CERTIFICATE OF RETURN TO BARRISTER PETER NWAOBOSHI

OTUARO RECEIVES CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC

JAMES MANAGER RECEIVES CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC

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SENATOR OKOWA RECEIVES CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC

Wednesday 15,2015

Delta state gov-elect,Senator Okowa has received his Certificates of Return (CoR) from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Presenting the certificate of return to the governor in Asaba the Chairman of INEC Prof. Atahiru Jega, who was represented by the INEC Commissioner said certificate of return was an important instrument in the electoral process.

He expressed satisfaction that his commission has delivered on its promise of organizing a free fair and credible election.

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We used Underage Voters and Almajiris to vote out Jonathan – Kwankwaso Opens Up

The Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has gone on record to suggest that underage voters were used to rig the 2015 general elections.

Kwankwaso, who was speaking in an interview with Channels Television, said, “Some people have said that the North was engaged in the promotion of Almajiris, and now we have used the Almajiri population to kick them out.”

Perhaps responding to a statement the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan allegedly made during a campaign rally with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, women in the South-South, the governor made it clear that the Almajiris (Disciples) played a key role in the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate Muhammadu Buhari as President-Elect.

The statement on its own may seem harmless, but following numerous reports of underage voting in the North, and no apparent response from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, some have wondered aloud if these underage voters were specifically put into play to vote in Buhari and other APC candidates.

President Goodluck Jonathan was the first and only Nigerian President to recognize and cater for the teeming number of Almajiris in the North. He built over 150 Almajiri schools, and sponsored a back to school campaign in the region. No President or even Governor from the region made it a matter of policy to cater for the Almajiri like he did.

Impressed with President Jonathan’s efforts, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar, back then stated, “The way the Almajiri model school project was conceived and executed by the present administration, provides succour and relief to millions who had been left out of the conventional school system.
“In 2013, 125 Almajiri schools were built for removing these stranded kids from streets to classrooms.”
With the Kano Governor’s remarks, it is puzzling to seem to gloat over the use of these same beneficiaries of the Jonathan administration’s focus on educational development in the region as tools to kick out that same administration.

The Kano State Governor touched on other issues including the performance of his administration as well as religious and ethnic polarization in Nigerian politics.
Appraising his administration, Kwankwaso said he believed it was a success, especially his second term as he had learnt from the first time around.

“I was in Kano for four years before, and then I left for 8 years. I took all the time to look back at my weaknesses. When I got back, I made sure areas of weaknesses improved; I started working round the clock. Today, I am more popular in Kano than before,” he said.

Kwankwaso praised Jonathan, admitting that Jonathan’s concession call to Buhari was the reason for peace.

“Jonathan conceding to Buhari has gone a long way to maintain peace in the country,” he said.

“Those who use religion and ethnicity in politics should not be in politics. We protect our Christian brothers and sisters in Kano.”

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