Politics : The Nigerian Way

In politics, lessons are repeatedly  taught and learnt. It is now left for those involved to modify their gains and loses to suit the situation they eventually find themselves.

Regrettably, the laws of Niccolo Machiavelli have all along been wrongly applied in this clime.

After the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) convention in 2003, Chief Barnabas Gemade made spirited attempts to be adopted as the Presidential candidate of the United Nigeria Peoples Party(UNPP), but failed. This was Chief Gemade's fall back option, when his future in the PDP became uncertain.

Indeed, Chief Gemade was the backbone of the UNPP, in his home state, Benue, even though he was a card carrying member of the PDP. Not surprisingly, meetings were held in his home, with Chief Gemade in attendance. Of note, is that his followers held him in high esteem.

Curiously, it was discovered that the former PDP National Chairman, contested the Presidential primaries, alongside, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, with the intention to use same as a bargaining chip to persuade the then President to compensate him with a 'mouth watering' political appointment. This did not sail through.

 Indeed, double standards, as a means to an end   in politics has become a unique brand in  Nigerian politics.

Chief Gemade began losing his followers, after he abandoned Senator Daniel Saror, who he successfully convinced to  let go of his senatorial ambition to contest for the Benue  governorship seat on the platform of the UNPP.

To be extra sure that Senator Saror abandoned his ambition, Chief Gemade boosted his morale financially and that was how Senator Saror was able to purchase the UNPP  nomination form for a whooping N2 million.

Interestingly, at the Swange  cinema hall, Makurdi venue of the governorship primaries, Chief Gemade, with the financial backing of a political money bag, Usman Abubakar(a.k.a Young Alhaji) influenced the leadership of the UNPP in the state to adopt Mike Mku, instead of Senator Saror as the party's Gubernatorial candidate.

Already, candidates for elective positions in future elections are aligning and re aligning, while hinging their intentions on optimism.

Indeed, a sizable number of these candidates rely solely  on optimism and money(for the money bags), as a strategy to hoodwink their competent opponents to the bargaining table, with hope that rewarding agreements would be made.

With this in mind, the average Nigerian, contending with insecurity and economic hardships, brought about by  bad governance, is of the hope that the same quality of political office holders, presently on display, would not reemerge to torment and torture all and sundry in a new dispensation.

A Govt that is yet to meet the expectations of Nigerians will not receive their blessings-Grand Imam Shafauedeen-in-Islam

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised not to complain about Nigeria's problems any more, but to address same in due course. President Buhari who  made this promise in far away, Poland , however did not give convincing reasons why he took this decision, coming just two months to the general elections.
Nigerians insist that the present administration is yet to meet their expectations, one of their expectations is for President Buhari to assent  to the 2018 electoral act amendment bill, but surprisingly the President has  with held his assent.
Expectedly, Nigerians have have expressed doubts over the possibilities of resolving the several challenges confronting the country is six months.

In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says the Federal Government is yet to meet the expectationsof the electorate. Excerpts :

Nigerians are still complaining of several shortcomings  of governance, what do you thing is the solution ?

Nothing is impossible to do and achieve in the face of conducive environment for development, ranging, from the political will of government and his party functionaries.
This is behind the successes and feat achieved  by developed countries including Japan, China, Singapore and Malaysia.
However,, using SWOT analysis, the areas of weaknesses and threats have overwhelmed Mr. President to the extent  that the environment to succeed in addressing the myriad  of problems confronting Nigeria, being the very short term  remaining,creates a mind boggling scenario of doubts in the minds of all Nigerians.
This is because the land is more viscose to threats more ever before.
If Nigerians the are talking about the  All Progressives Congress(APC) carelessness  through internal wranglings and immature politics of selective approach  towards fighting corruption, and the'dead 'Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) with the the  support of the other political parties the
opposition are already up  in'arms' against  the frail ruling party in wrestling power from the incumbent.
It is unfortunate that the gullibility of Nigerians,due to the dysfunctional system of education, religion and socio-political and economic management as evident in the the way the PDP  is now being celebrated without any preferred alternative even by the youth, whose future have continually been toyed with in the 16 years of the PDP ruler ship without conscience.

The structure on ground is equally not favorable to produce credible leaders because the amended constitution  has not yet allowed for independent candidacy.

Surely, there is no way Nigeria will not be reverted to the game of business as usual because if the PDP happen to win the election, all the suspected looters in custody would be freed and the searchlight of the Economic and Financial Crimes(EFCC)would then  be redirected  towards perceived enemies again.
Is this the way Nigeria will continue to be ruled,For bequeath able legacy of sustainable development  not to continue to be evasive as mere'tantalizing mirages' ?
This is not to say that the APC government has not been able to achieve in the areas of their reconstruction processes. For example, the rail system, the declared war on corruption and the aspect of economic diversification.
However, what makes a government popular is how it has impacted positively on the twin issues of HUNGER  and POVERTY in the land, which  ought to be in the areas of employment and job creation. This could be achieved through job creation/ through vocation which government is yet to aggressively address.
This is an environment in which governments at the state level are  yet to pay workers their dues, the pensioners are yet to sing the praises of government and the prices of commodities are not within the reach of the poor while  qualitative  education continues to be evasive to the children of the poor masses.
There is no way such government could receive the the blessings of the masses.
This weakness is equally a source of strength for the opposition, even if such ''OPPOSITION' is a known ''THIEF''.
Whatever happens to the APC  government, if unpalatable to the government, must have been caused by the its State Governors and the Ministers who failed to realize that the masses still  hold the mandate and the  power to remove or to re-elect even against all odds.
The President and the ''POWERS THAT BE '' in the APC  should address with all maturity the threats of internal wranglings and the insincerity of all their State Governors  and the Ministers under who the masses continue to cry for survival.
The earlier they do  this , the possible it becomes to succeed in the areas of  perceived failures, to disappointment of the opposition.
Power in Democracy still  resides in the people, even though they have  elected and appointed representatives  who are supposed to serve.
Politics of rhetoric and hate speech must immediately be relegated to the background so
 that  the masses will have the opportunity to fulfill their rights of access to their physiological needs.

Stable Electricity and Good Roads : Fashola Can Do Better-Prof. Olagoke

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola(SAN) recently disclosed that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has delivered on its promises it made on electricity and infrastructure, Nigerians insist that Mr. Fashola is being economical with the truth. The Minister's claim is coming just a few months to the general elections, even though recently President Buhari kicked off his re-election campaign rally with a promise to take Nigerians to the next level. But Nigerians lament that their present level is characterized by exploitation and extortion by the Electricity Distribution Companies, while they still contend with bad road networks across the country.  In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says that the Federal Government has not done enough in the areas of stable electricity supply and good road network. Excerpts :

The Minister for Works, Power and Housing has said that the Federal Government has delivered on its promises on stable electricity supply and good road network. Do you agree with his claims ?

The main responsibility of Government has functionally distributed among the three arms, Judiciary, for quick and accurate dispensation of justice. However, there is a shortage in the number of Judges and the courts, with the challenge of the criminal tendencies of Nigerians, with the rising cases of crime and prison congestion, informed by the delay in attending to and the dispensation of trials and judgments.
The Bi-cameral legislature, is a legislature for fortune making, rather  than that of passion for the people. And members happen to be a conglomerate of unskilled personnel in the areas of policy formulation and plans for  effective implementation.
A mono-cameral legislature  would have been better under the necessary prerequisites of experience, wisdom and readiness to work for the nation through committed personal sacrifices, that may not attract jumbo salaries and less work that have been draining the national purse.

The core  responsibility of the executive is to provide  basic amenities via modern technology for mass production of the basic needs of man-Food, Shelter and Clothing, as well as the establishment of functional infrastructure to ensure sustainable development, where  climate change may not necessarily affect the environment because of the proactive  measures militating against  the causes.
Under this condition of sustainable development, the social scene, is expected to be naturally safe and secure.
In the area of the economy where the Minister of Works, Power and Housing belongs, infrastructural standards become a measuring gauge. The claim of the Minister is in order, when measured through political propaganda and the fact that he is a Lawyer  rather than an Engineer.
Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and Saudi Arabia have been having uninterrupted power supply for several years up till this moment.
In Nigeria, the giant of Africa, the supply of  electricity might have been claimed to have improved, but it remains epileptic.
A visit to the three countries earlier mentioned,  would show that these countries favourably and comparably compete with the network of good roads in the developed countries, the United States of America and the United Kingdom to be precise.
If what the Minster has been able to do till date , is satisfactory to his political  party, innocent citizens believe that it is not enough.
Generally, the environment is not yet safe , feasible and conducive for reasonable investment.
Our economy is not yet viable to promote living wages and Nigerians continue to panic in the face  of insecurity. These must have been the major conditions necessitating the call for restructuring and the extreme call for secession, characterized  by insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and terrorism.
It is unfortunate that the three tiers of government are dislocated through poor economic formula as it is reflected in our revenue allocation ratio, 56% for the Federal Government, 24 % for the State Governments and 20 % for the Local Governments. The largest chunk is received by the Federal Government.

The state Governors  who are representatives of the Federal Government  in their states and the Chief Supervisors of the local governments have been hiding under the shortcoming of the strong centre and weak states, to dance in joy, in their under performances.

A review in this direction to favour  calls for restructuring and resource  control is timely necessary.
Roads in many states extended to the level of good transportation, are negatively affected by pot holes and other damages, which quickly wear off the vehicles, with the consequent high level of risk passengers and pedestrians pass through.
Environmental pollution is equally at its worst, while  prices of commodities, essential and otherwise have gone up astronomically to the embarrassment of the poor masses through whose mandates the politicians found themselves in power, which they misused to favour their selfish desires only.
The Ivory Tower needs to train our leaders, Commissioners, Governors, Ministers and the members of the National Assembly, including the President and Vice President on the essence of astute management, classical administration for good governance. Minister sir, your Ministry can do better.

Osun Guber : The People's Decision Will Prevail

Days to the Governorship election in Osun state, the Federal Government introduced a scheme, ''Trader Money'' to enable petty traders access interest free loans.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was at the Bola Ige International market, new Gbagi Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria to launch the scheme.

 In addition, the Federal Government  released billions of Naira to the Osun state  Government under the under leadership of Mr. Rauf Arof the state.
egbesola and under the cover the Paris Club refunds, to pacify  the poverty and hunger stricken workers.

Eight years is more than necessary to impact positively on the people of a state, if those who call the  the shots have what it takes to deliver the proverbial ''Dividends of Democracy''.

Even though the workers in the state endured the abnormality  of receiving half salaries  for  over three years, the voting pattern in last Saturday's elections in the state confirms that the  people are  no longer ready to embrace propaganda and deceit.

Sadly, despite the  landmark achievements of the state government infrastructure the construction of mega school buildings, Osun state,  occupys the 29th position in the rating of the  West African Examination(WAEC).

Of worry, is the N96.7 billion  debt hanging on the of the neck of Rauf  Aregbesola led government, regardless of the fact  that the national leader of the All Progressives (APC), recently  declared  that  the state  does not have his kind of money.

The first Presidential campaign of the APC  at Osogbo was anchored by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,  while the second Presidential campaign was piloted, President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the ''heavy weights'' of the ruling party.

Surprisingly, President Buhari is out of the country for an official engagment.

The foregiong did not, however, have any impact on the results of the election, even though the tone of the returning officer, who announced the result of the election, was not only suspicous, but exposes the deceit in the election.

Informed sources at the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) insist  the number of irregularities were man made , when it was discovered that ''all was well''.

It is disturbing that some  INEC officials was arrested for tearing result sheets in some Local Governments.

Inspite of this, the people have  decided to havea firm grip of happenings in Osun state, even though those in power are not happy about the people's decision.