Weekly political notes

2019 Polls: I Declared Because Nigerians Were Talking Too Much-Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, explained why he declared his intentions to run for second term during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, on Monday.The president said he declared his intention because Nigerians were talking too much about whether he would seek second term or not.His spokesman Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement quoted him as saying this while receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London.

The president said: “I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not. So, I felt I should break the ice.“We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others. We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction. The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting.”

Nigerians, can you see wetin una loquaciousness caused? Parrots!!!! Maybe if Nigerians have kept their mouths shut, collect their permanent voter card quietly and wait patiently for election time to take decision, Buhari wouldn’t have declared to run at all. Buhari would have been in perpetual guess of what was in the minds of Nigerians about his government and second term bid.

Now that Buhari has declared, there is nothing wrong with it, because it is his constitutional right. Anybody who does not like it, should get his PVC or join a political party and ensure that he votes or contest during election. That is the best bet democratically and constitutionally. Nigerians should stop talking too much on social media, but do more, considering that talk is too cheap.

But if one may ask: Why was Buhari so much interested, and quick in clearing doubts about his second term bid, but has remained reluctant and adamant about other things Nigerians are saying about his government? Was it a case of misplaced priorities or usual attitude of Nigerian politicians, whose major preoccupation is to remain in office at all times? It is expected that Nigerians will talk less now that Buhari has cleared doubts about his second term by either declaring to contest with him or use their votes against him.

Ayade Weeps As He Signs N1.3trn Budget Into Law
Cross River state governor, Ben Ayade, could not hold back tears when he signed the 2018 budget of N1.3 trillion into law on, Tuesday.In tears, the governor asked a clergy in the audience to hold the signed copy of the budget in his hand and lead everyone present in prayers for divine intervention to make the budget realisable.He kept shaking his head while controlling his tears, but managed to stand up for the prayers and the national anthem rendered at the close of the ceremony, before he left.

Earlier, he said the budget he christened “Budget of Kinetic Crystallisation” is epochal in the history of the state and the nation. Cross River is the first to pass the N1trillion mark among states in the nation.“This budget is indeed kinetically crystallising all our vision, but we must put all our hands on the table,” he said.

Governor Ayade, by his action has shown that he might do better in the Nollywood industry than in Government House. He could be best described as a comedian and not governor. Even the media that celebrated this as major news lacked creativity and good sense of judgment. Was it not known to them that this was publicity stunt for Ayade ahead of 2019?

If not, can Ayade and his appointees tell Nigerians in clear terms the immediate impact, value, gain or importance such a bogus budget would have, when funding and implementation may not be realiseable possible? Can they also disclose the performance ratio of budgets in the state since he came into office? What was the budget drama for?

Hmmm, Ayade, Ayade, why do you present and sign this kind of budget close to election time? It is hoped you are not trying to use it to raise slush fund for election, through dubious and inflated contracts? You should have known that when it comes to budget, what matters to Nigerians is not the figures and statistics being bandied, but the funding and proper implementation. Any other thing is a matter of semantics and politics to deceive Nigerians.

We Won’t Allow Cash For Votes In Ekiti-INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, assured stakeholders in the July 14, governorship election in Ekiti State that it will not allow the exercise to be monetised as witnessed in Edo, Ondo and Anambra states. INEC said it was working in synergy with security agencies to avoid a situation where people were being offered N5,000 each to cast votes. 

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, represented by the National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo states, Mr. Solomon Soyebi gave the assurance in Ado Ekiti, during a stakeholders’ meeting on the continuous registration exercise.Hmmm, under which law does INEC think it can achieve this? This looks like an impossible mission for INEC, considering that election in Nigeria is synonymous with money sharing. Besides, there is no law that forbids vote buying. But there is need for such law ahead of 2019 polls.

Meanwhile, INEC should concentrate on conducting free and fair election by ensuring that its personnel are not compromised. So, instead of chasing shadows in the name of stopping vote buying, INEC should concentrate on internal cleansing of its house to avoid a repeat of 2015, where it’s personnel were allegedly compromised with bribe money to rig elections.Stopping vote buying should be made a constitutional issue and security agencies should be empowered to enforce it. INEC should be mindful that Ekiti and Osun governorship elections will be a test case of it’s readiness for the 2019 polls.

Ekiti Guber: Secondus Alleges Plot To Rig Poll
Ahead of the July 14 Ekiti State governorship election, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has alleged that there are plans to rig the poll.Secondus accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the governorship election.

The PDP chairman stated this when the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Bernhard Schlagheck, visited him at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, on Tuesday.Secondus said the least Nigerians expect from the APC-led federal government is free and fair elections in 2019, beginning from the Ekiti governorship election. However, the PDP chairman said the opposition party is afraid that the elections will not be credible.

Secondus’ fear is expected and noted, but whether such state of helplessness can help the PDP in Ekiti election is unknown. Allegation of plan to rig election is old as election in Nigeria and it behoves Secondus and PDP to show evidence of plans by INEC and APC to rig the Ekiti governorship election. It is not enough to allege without proof of evidence. It is like raising a false alarm.

Secondus and PDP should be much bothered about the mass defection of key PDP members to APC in Ekiti, as recently indicated by PDP senator representing Ekiti South, Biodun Olujimi. This development may be one factor that may work against PDP in the election, if not properly and quickly addressed by the party leadership. Governor Fayose, his anointed candidate and deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola must stoop to conquer in the election. They should be made to understand that they cannot do it alone, because election is about the people in their numbers. The earlier, PDP put its house in order in Ekiti, the better for them.

Hidden Assets: Ekweremadu Questions Constitutionality Of Investigation Panel
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu, has asked an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to stop the government from temporarily seizing assets traced to him.Ekweremadu’s lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, made the application in court on Tuesday, at the hearing of an ex-parte motion filed in March by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.

The panel accused Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District, of failing to declare the said assets; comprising mostly of land and buildings located in Nigeria, Dubai, London and the United States, amounting to billions of Naira.Well, now that Ekweremadu and the Investigative Panel have engaged each other in a legal tussle, Nigerians will keenly wait the for the outcome. The outcome will surely prove if Ekweremadu is being witch-hunted or whether he has a question to answer.

It is hoped that the legal tussle will not linger as usual, thereby making Nigerians to lose track of it.Ekweremadu has survived some battles since the APC-led government assumed power, but whether he will survive this present one will be known in the days ahead.

Senate Suspends Omo-Agege Over Electoral Act Amendment
The Senate on Tuesday suspended a senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election plans in 2019.Omo-Agege, had in February accused his colleagues of working against Buhari by the amendment to section 25 of Electoral Act to effect a change in the sequence of elections.

Hmmm, the current leadership of the Senate is gradually turning the upper chamber into Animal Farm, where all animals are not equal. Why single out Omo-Agege for suspension, when other senators that participated in the open denouncement of the planned amendments are there?

What happens to Senator Adamu Abdullahi and other opposing senators? Are they sacred cows? Why the suspension at a time the Senate has not succeeded in passing the bill into law? Why hasn’t the Senate leadership suspend Senator Shehu Sani for revealing the mind-boggling salary and allowances senators have been collecting? These are begging questions Nigerians will like the Senate leadership to address urgently if it is altruistic in its action

Ohh poor!!! Omo-Agege, see how you have been used as a scapegoat; is it because you have no influential godfather or the capacity to fight back? Not even the President Buhari you defended passionately deemed it fit to fight for you, even by proxy.This is not fair at all. The Senate leadership is becoming dictatorial and vindictive. Why does the Senate leadership still suspends its members, even when a court has ruled that it is an illegality in the case of Senator Ndume?