2015: Jonathan weighs four strategies ahead of declaration

President Goodluck Jonathan is testing the waters with four strategies ahead of his formal declaration for the 2015 presidential race, it was gathered yesterday.

He has decided to run with Vice-President Namadi Sambo, sources also said and shed light on why the President jettisoned the promise he allegedly made to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo that he would not go for a second term.

A Presidency source said that apart from such a promise being unknown to the 1999 Constitution, it is also untenable under the “principle of equitable estopel.”

The Namadi Sambo Committee set up by the President to work out modalities for his declaration is reported to have recommended three strategies to the President to test the waters before formally delaring his intention to seek re-election.

The President accepted all three and added one.

The strategies are: holding rallies in some states to receive defectors; zonal rallies to mobilise PDP members and gauge their feelings; and visitation to the Presidential Villa by governors/groups/ opinion leaders to persuade Jonathan to go for a second term.

The fourth strategy designed by the President’s kitchen cabinet is intermittent worship in some selected churches of different missions to “win their sympathy subtly ahead of 2015.”

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Going by the proposal of the Declaration Committee, the President may make his second term intention known during the third anniversary of his administration in May or early June.

“The committee has however set machinery in motion for Jonathan to test the waters in three ways ahead of the declaration. The strategies are defection rallies in some; proposed zonal rallies to mobilise PDP members; and visitations to the Presidential Villa.

“After the three strategies have been executed, the President will then come out to declare his intention to seek a second term mandate.

“And judging from the defection rallies, the journey to 2015 has started. Although PDP has not been campaigning, the body language of its leaders at the rally suggested that it has kicked off the race for 2015.”

On the fourth strategy, the source added: “It is a product of the kitchen cabinet of the President.”

Asked why the President will contest in 2015 in spite of a promise to ex-President Obasanjo that he would spend a term in office, the source added: “The 1999 Constitution guarantees the President’s right to contest for a second term in office. And a constitution is superior to any other promise or so-called agreement which no one has produced.

“The President will also be relying on the principle of equitable estopel to seek a second term. A promise is a shield but not a sword. What it means is that a promise is lesser in strength than a right. The President deserves the right to seek a second term; no promise can override it.”

It was learnt that the President is disposed to retaining Vice-President Namadi Sambo as his running mate in 2015, contrary to the initial push by some forces in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Prior to the decision of the President to retain Sambo, there were speculations that either Governor Ibrahim Shema or Governor Isa Yuguda might picked.

A presidency source said: “I think the President has decided to stick with Sambo as his running mate. This was why he appointed Sambo as the chairman of the Declaration Committee.

“In fact, Shema and Yuguda are members of the Declaration Committee, foreclosing the chances of the governors becoming the VP.

“The stable presidency which Jonathan has enjoyed with Sambo was a critical factor in guiding Jonathan to make up his mind.

“Instead of what obtained during Obasanjo’s presidency, Sambo has been trailing the shadows of his boss. He is not rocking the boat in any manner.

“The recent political gains in the North-West by Sambo also encouraged the President to give his deputy a second chance too.”

Military locates 12 Boko Haram hideouts in Cameroon

Biya and Jonathan

The Nigerian armed forces have located about a dozen hideouts of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in neighbouring Cameroon.

Consequently, the Federal Government is mounting pressure on the neighbouring country for collaboration in routing the insurgents.

President Goodluck Jonathan and President Paul Biya are already in talks on how to deal with the security challenge, authoritative sources said yesterday in Abuja.

Nigeria is said to have tabled four conditions before Cameroon for its consideration on the issue.

A military source said that many Boko Haram leaders and field commanders have relocated to Cameroon from where they direct operations in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the latest being Sunday’s massacre of about 50 students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State and Wednesday’s attack in Madagali and Michika Local Government areas of Adamawa State.

The source said: “We have been able to establish that Boko Haram now operates fully from Cameroon where they have more than a dozen of deadly bases. Most of their wanted leaders live in havens in the Francophone country.

“The sad aspect is that they have been operating with impunity in Cameroon. We do not know why they enjoy such latitude.

“We have done reconnaissance which confirmed that the sect has been coming in and out of Cameroon to wreak havoc on innocent villages and communities in Nigeria.”

The Federal Government, the source said, has been liaising with the Cameroonian government although it is yet to get a decisive response.

Nigeria’s demands are:

• Allowing Nigerian troops to enter Cameroon for limited engagement against fleeing Boko Haram members

• Permitting troops to take the battle to the sect in their bases in Cameroon, especially in border areas

• Temporary closure and freezing of movement at Nigeria/ Cameroon borders

• Stoppage of harbouring or hosting of Boko Haram leaders under whatever guise.

The source added: “The Federal Government has been mounting pressure on Cameroon to collaborate with Nigeria to curtail the insurgents.

“In the 80s, when there was a similar insurgency by the Maitatsine sect, Nigerian troops trailed them to their based in Chad.

“The understanding is necessary because it is obvious that the sect is not ready for any constructive dialogue again and their recalcitrance is threatening our sovereignty.

“I think we have had enough from these insurgents who are taking us for granted. The battle line is certainly drawn.”

President Biya is said to be receptive to the idea of co-operating with Nigeria but the source declined to go into details.

He only said: ”Where Cameroon decides to accommodate the insurgents against our security interest, we know what to do as a nation.”

President Francois Hollande of France said on Thursday in Abuja that his country stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram.

He pledged his support in the fight against Islamist militancy as it had done in Mali. Hollande, guest of honour for celebrations to mark 100 years since Nigeria’s unification, expressed his condolences, calling the Yobe attack “brutal” and “unjustified”.

“Nigeria is today confronted with the terrorism of Boko Haram,” he told delegates at a security conference attended by dozens of African heads of state and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.

“I assure you that your struggle is also our struggle. We will always stand ready not only to provide our political support but our help every time you need it, because the struggle against terrorism is also the struggle for democracy.”

Hollande was on a two-day visit to Nigeria and had been expected to hold talks on trade and investment with President Goodluck Jonathan

Obama warns Russia over Ukraine

United States President, Barack Obama, has warned Russia there will be “costs” for any military intervention in Ukraine.
He said he was deeply concerned by reports of Russian military movements inside the country.
The BBC reports that Ukraine’s acting president has accused Russia of deploying troops to Crimea and trying to provoke Kiev into “armed conflict.”
Russia’s United Nations ambassador said any troop movements in Crimea were within an existing arrangement with Ukraine.
Speaking from the White House, President Obama commended Ukraine’s interim government for its “restraint.”
“Any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilising, which is not in the interests of Ukraine, Russia or Europe,” he said.
“It would represent a profound interference in matters that must be determined by the Ukrainian people. It would be a clear violation of Russia’s commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty and borders of Ukraine – and of international laws.”
He added: “Just days after the world came to Russia for the Olympic games, it would invite the condemnation of nations around the world. And, indeed, the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.”

‘Why sexual abuse is rampant’

Dr. Princess Olufemi-Kayode the founder and Executive Director of Media Concern Initiative, explains to Blessing Olisa why sexual abuse is becoming rampant and the need for early sex education.

How did you come up with the initiative, MediaConcern?
In 2000 I was still writing for The Punch, handling the “Princess Column”. Actually, my name was the column name so I had to use my second name (Modupe Olufemi-Kayode) as the writer of the column.
In the course of writing, I decided to do something else on women and children and I got a huge response from the adult population across the nation both on email and hard copy. A lot of adults, male and female were talking about how they were molested as children. I’m talking about people who were my age and maybe older or a little younger.
They talked about their experiences and how they were violated multiple times by people that they knew. I always shared the responses with the public and it made me realize that we have a problem that nobody was talking about. I began to get invitations and most of the places I got invitations to thought I had a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). I didn’t even understand what NGO meant as at that time. But eventually i got a name for what I was doing through the leading of God. At the end of the meeting, the name just popped in my head, MediaConcern for women and children. I left The Punch almost immediately after that and joined Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS).
After two years of work with them, I felt that it was time to move on and go do what I had to do. The office was open officially in 2003 but before the name was even formed, we had been meeting and having talks with children and young people in my house. So when the name was birthed, it became more serious and consistent. Even while working with JAAIDS, I was meeting and talking with young people on sexuality issues, reproductive health and how boys needed to be as nice as they can to the female gender. I was actually working more with boys then.

What is the focus of MediaConcern?
MediaConcern focuses strictly on sexual violence response. This means responding to the issue of sexual violence both at the prevention level and in terms of providing crisis response. In case it happens, we provide support.

How often do you receive cases of sexual abuse, either of children or adults?
Very often. Today we can testify to receive such cases very often because we have sexual abuse everywhere. When we started, it wasn’t everywhere. You don’t open the papers and see rape as an issue. But then, working together with media partners in early stages, today we are glad that is in their face because we wanted it to come to their face because we wanted it to come to their face that there is a problem. When we were crying “it’s a wolf”, it was like “where is the wolf?” Now the wolf is saying, “I’m here”. And knowing that, you can talk to your child about sexual education at the home front. The basic part of the body should be known. There is nothing wrong with using the word penis or vagina because that is what it is called. So when the child knows that these are special areas in their bodies, I always prefer to say that all parts of their bodies are special. So you should not touch me in suggestive ways. Children should not be forced to hug or jump on people. Thank God that Yoruba culture allows you to kneel down and greet. You don’t have to hug or sit on anybody’s laps. There are a lot of things, so people begin to be very conscious. We are not saying people should be paranoid because education on sexual abuse can actually make people paranoid. There are people to trust. Not everybody is a molester, but it is not written on the molester’s face. There are people that we know and that even makes it difficult to go to court because they are people closer to us (relatives). It not only about males, but it just that we have more males on record than female. There are more reports on males molesting females than females molesting males. So it is a whole huge cycle.

Most times, victims of sexual abuse lose their faces and become shadow of themselves. How do you help them deal with it?
What we offer at crisis response level is a rape crisis centre model we had to develop. We call Crises Response Centre. A rape crises centre is where you run to if it happens to you. It has 24 hour help lines. Even those it has happened to prior to this time can call for counselling. They can have one-on-one counselling, talk on phone, text or do whatever is okay for them. These people don’t really want to come out because if they do, what exactly do you want to offer them? They need society to know that is it not their fault. Remember that the first set of questions to a girl or woman who was sexually molested is “What were you wearing?” “Why did you go there?” “You had a beer. Why did you drink it?” The victim is blamed. Nobody says “why did you rape her?” “Can’t you control yourself?” No one considers that. It is always the victim who gets the barrage of disrespect and disregard. We are not disregarding the people who are perpetrating this crime. It is the victim that becomes the accused. So we do trauma management counselling and long term counselling because people heal differently and some don’t heal at all. We also have victim advocates. They are people who go all the way for people who are affected and their families. We have worked more with children i.e, people below 18 years and young adults.

Does that imply that there are more children victims?
It implies that more families are stepping out to look for help because it is not the child that comes out for help. It is mostly the family that comes to look for help. The adults are mostly concerned with their immediate state of health, medically. There are not many adult rape cases in court that we have worked on. We have more of children cases.

Since prevention is always better than cure, how can sexual abuse be prevented?
Sexual abuse can be prevented by creating a great deal of awareness which is one of the things we have been doing. We have a two-fold strategy which is basically prevention and crisis response aside advocacy. Advocacy features in both. We have this two edged sword and we are educating to prevent, working with stakeholders who can be responsible to create policies and structure for prevention within the educational sector and the individual sector. We are working with the government that is supposed to be the ‘Uncle Ben’, watching over everybody. We work directly with children at the different levels and stages from kindergarten to senior secondary schools. We have not really moved to the tertiary institutions but we are hoping that those we have started working from Junior to Senior Secondary schools can move on and be advocates who will create changes as get to higher institutions because once you have been educated to know that rape shouldn’t happen and once it happens, there is something you can do, it is good education because people don’t even know what to do. People don’t know that there are things you do at home that can pre-expose your child to sexual abuse without even touching them. People think sexual abuse happens when you start touching somebody but sexual abuse can happen even without touching them but people can be molested at home without being physically touched. It’s like saying someone masturbated in front of a child or played movies that are not children friendly. That is a form of child abuse. If you then gain the knowledge that some things should not be done, you are creating an environment for prevention.

What supports or aids do you have for people who have been sexually abused?
We counsel them and support them to have medical assistance. We have advocated that if you are raped (especially as an adult and teenager) it is easier to have post exposure prophylaxis, a combination of anti retroviral drugs that prevent HIV infection but it can only be accessed within 72hours of the incident. We also offer emergency contraceptive (within 72 hours of the incident) to counter pregnancy. Sexual abuse is usually a long time process while rape is a onetime thing. We partner with stakeholders to bring the culprits to book. And because it is a crime, the case is not between the victim and the accused; instead, it is between the accused and the state. The victim is anonymous for most of the process until his or her testimony is needed in the court. So we guide victims and go through the processes with them. We give psychosocial support and help with their healing process, including counselling and therapy. Now we are introducing mental health equivalent which is supposed to look at the way sexual violence impacts the mental state of its victims and their families. Sexual violence affects people spiritually and emotionally and that in turn affects their mental health especially emotions. This in turn leads to depression and post traumatic stress disorder which are mental issues. It can also go on for a long time without being detected. They say “it happened to a child at four or six years, so he or she will forget.” That child does not forget and possibly remains a victim in the course of life because some other people continue to touch them. Some of them end up becoming raped or getting married to men that will batter them and that become a problem. A lot of things affect them mentally and psychology and eventually damages them. Some of them have reproductive issues, others cannot trust men, and they become ice queens or end up having issues with their sexuality and become gay.

Do you think that the government is sincere in its struggle to end child sexual abuse?
Few states are trying, but at federal level we still have a big issue in the response. The states that are working need to sit up and go back to the drawing board because they are creating more chaos when they think they are helping.

There is a rising face of baby factories in Nigeria and most times teenagers are the victims what do you think is the cause of it?
There are quite a number of suggestive factors. Research is a problem we have in our country. There is supposed to be a proper empirical research looking at the cause of this thing. However, we can say one of them is poverty. Some of these children leave home and fall for this just for a very meagre amount of money. Some of them are street children who ran away from home for some reasons. They are justifiable. You know someone can sit outside and judge someone but until you really listen to the person, you cannot understand what they are going through. Why do we have more of those homes? We are becoming a society that is accepting adoption and the structure put in place is not helpful. They need to be reviewed because the process is cumbersome and we are looking for shortcuts.  We are in a country where security is a big issue. When you have a baby there is birth certificate to show were the baby was delivered. There are data to show that you actually delivered but someone will just say I have a baby after travelling and coming back and nobody can prove it. So they just go somewhere, pay and collect the babies because it is cheaper. What they are not looking at is where the babies are from and how they are made. The issue is just like sex work. It is just an issue of demand and supply. There is a huge demand for babies and the babies need to be supplied at whatever cost. It is not always for ritual. If the process of adoption can be reviewed, I think it is possible for the practice to be stopped.

Kwankwaso, Okorocha, others to storm Lagos, As Tinubu receives Wrestlers’ Award

Rabi’u Kwankwaso

Governors of All Progressive Congress (APC), have been invited to grace the gala nite of Nigerian Pro Wrestling Federation where the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, his wife, Oluremi, will be given awards on March 9.
Tinubu is expected to receive Governor Emeritus/Leadership Award, his wife, Oluremi will be honoured with the Best Senator/Good Governance Award, while Chairman of Lagos APC, Chief Ajomale will receive Peace Maker Award.
Some local government chairmen in Lagos State will also be given Inter-Continental Good Governance and Peace Awards at the event scheduled for the Gymnasium of National Institute of Sports (NIS), inside the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
President of the professional wrestlers, Prince Hammed Olanrewaju Mohammed, said that 11 governors of the APC and two deputy governors of the party have been invited to join party faithful who will troop out in their numbers to honour Tinubu at the event which is being organised in conjunction with Current World Wrestling Federation.
“Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State is the chairman of the occasion. He will be joined by his colleagues who are the special guests of honour of the day. We are expecting Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso from Kano, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from Rivers, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed from Kwara, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Kayode Fayemi from Ekiti and Ibikunle Amosun from Ogun State.
“We are also expecting our dear Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and that of Rivers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru, to grace the event,” said Prince Mohammed.
On the guest of honour’s list are Commissioner for Sports in Lagos, Mr. Enitan Wahid Oshodi, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Lagos, Mr. Ademorin Kuye, Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa and the Chairman, Conference 57 Lagos State, Sulaimon Akeem, while no fewer than 16 Royal Fathers from Lagos will be coming for the award nite.
Local government chairmen that will be honoured by the wrestlers are Taofeek Adaranijo Abiodun, (Orile Agege LCDA), Abdulraheem Olajide Jimoh (Yaba), Abdulrasheed Mafe (Mosan/Okunola), Yinka Durosinmi (Ojo), Joseph Ayodeji Adebayo (Apapa) and Shuaib Orominbo Ajidagba (Ifelodun).

Others are Olanrewaju Anafi Elegusi (Eti-Osa), Apostle Oluruntoba Oke (Ifako Ijaiye), Akeem Bamigbola (Itire Ikate), Daramola Muideen Arobadade (Iru/Victoria Island), Princess Ramota Oseni Adeyeri (Iba), Adekanye Oladele Rufus (Lagos Mainland), Shamsdeen Abiodun Olaleye (Isolo) and Amida Abudu (Olorunda).

Opposition parties, PDP disagree over REC

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

Opposition parties under the aegis of Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties in Osun State have said that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state is calling for the removal of Ambassador Rufus Akeju as the Resident Electoral Commissioner because of his refusal to be manipulated in their favour.

 The ACPP in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Friday  said the persistent call for the REC’s removal on allegation of bias was a smokescreen.

The statement was signed by chairpersons of the parties which make up the ACPP. The parties are: National Conscience Party, United Progressive Party, Progressive Peoples Alliance, African Democratic Congress, United Democratic Party, Africa Peoples’ Alliance, Citizens Popular Party,  Mega Progressive People Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and Peoples for Democratic Change.

The group stated that Akeju was in charge as the REC during the 2011 legislative elections, saying none of those who lost went to the tribunal because they knew that the elections were transparent.

 He described the call for removal of Akeju by the PDP as an attempt to scandalise the electoral body.

It will be recalled that the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state had also earlier accused the PDP of seeking Akeju’s removal because of its shady agenda ahead of governorship election in the state, slated for August 9, 2014.

In an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, on Thursday, Osun APC’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said his party was not bothered by whoever was put in charge of the elections. He said his party was confident of victory.

He said, “The PDP is scared of the qualities of the man (Akeju), who perhaps they believe will not accede to their desperate rigging plans.”

The Chairman of the PDP and a governorship aspirant of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, have been clamouring for the removal of Akeju as Osun REC. Some polititical parties also walked out on INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, during a stakeholders meeting in Osogbo on the issue of the REC.

 A group, Osun Liberation Movement on Tuesday staged a protest at the INEC office, Osogbo calling for Akeju’s removal.

 But the ACPP said that the PDP was making efforts to ensure removal of the REC because he (Akeju) had refused to be manipulated by them.

 They said that the PDP knew it could not win and had now resorted into blackmail and spurious allegations against the umpire saying they were preparing an excuse for their imminent failure at the August 9 governorship poll.

The statement read, “We wish to categorically state that these hirelings of the PDP do not represent the oppositions in the state and thus it is not correct as was reported that Osun Opposition rejects the REC.

Osun LG bosses deny rumour of dumping APC

THE Forum of Executive Secretaries in Osun State has denied the rumour that its members are planning to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for an opposition party ahead of the August 9, 2014, governorship election. Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital, the Chairman of the forum, Prince Olusoji Ajayi, said it was unreasonable and unthinkable that they would abandon a performing party, whose governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has achieved so much for the state in the last three years. The chairman said the APC was ready for the election and has no reason to be afraid of contesting the poll because its popularity rating remains high as a result of the outstanding performance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his team. Ajayi condemned the opposition for instigating the ‘tiny population’ in the state to attack the education reform of the Aregbesola administration, saying “we are close to the grassroots because we among the people and we have ears and eyes among them. We know their feelings and reaction to any government policy.”

Governors condemn Yobe, Adamawa, Borno killings

Amaechi

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday condemned the killings of innocent students of a Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

According to a statement issued by Amaechi, the Forum appealed to all aggrieved individuals and groups in the country to appreciate that violence can never be a solution to any problem.

The statement reads: “We in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) hereby condemn the recent spate of killings in some parts of our country – Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states – by the Boko Haram sect. We are alarmed by the slaughter of 29 pupils at the Federal Government College in Yobe and the unprovoked attacks against defenceless people in those states.

“We commiserate with the people and government of those states, the families of the victims, and pray God to give them and indeed every Nigerian the fortitude to bear the loss.

“This is a very difficult period for our country and its people and we must collectively pray and rally round families, friends and fellow citizens affected by these tragedies. We must provide whatever support and save the lives of those still alive.

“While security agencies should continue to do their jobs as professionally as possible, we appeal to all aggrieved individuals and groups in Nigeria to appreciate the fact that violence can never be a solution to any problem. We have no other country to call home and it is important that we understand the danger and futility of destroying our land in the pursuit of a selfish agenda.”

While commending the efforts of the federal and state governments to get to the root of the killings and stop the violence, the Forum saluted security agencies for their selfless sacrifice in restoring calm to all parts of the country.

“However, we also believe the time has come for the Federal Government to comprehensively review the strategies with which it is fighting this insurgency. The current approach is definitely not working, and it is important that all of us are humble and sincere enough to accept this reality and then work out a stronger and more workable strategy.

“Of course, the Federal and state governments should not be left alone to fight the terrorists. Citizens need to help our security agencies with accurate and timely information. But government itself needs to engage new allies wherever they may be in the world.

“We urge the Federal Government to continue to support affected states in the bid to check violence. The Federal Government should remain focused and continue to provide leadership until every part of Nigeria is rid of violence and insurgency.”

Don’t scandalise Osun electoral body, parties tell PDP

Opposition parties under the aegis of Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties (ACPP) in Osun State have described the call for removal of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Rufus Akeju by Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as an attempt to scandalise the electoral body in the state.
The parties in a statement, signed by their chairmen,  said that the call for the removal of Akeju by a group within PDP, Osun Liberation Movement (OLM) does not enjoy the support of majority of the registered political parties in the state saying that the claim cannot be substantiated.
It would be recalled that the group staged a protest, calling for Akeju’s removal during the stakeholders meeting held in Osogbo attended by the Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega. At that meeting, Jega challenged the protesting party to provide evidence of their claims and allegation.
The ACPP including National Conscience Party (NCP), All Progressives Congress (APC), United Progressive Party (UPP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), United Democratic Party (UDP), Africa Peoples’ Alliance (APA), Citizens Popular Party (CPP), Mega Progressive People Party (MPPP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC) condemned the protest against Akeju by PDP saying “the un-towards attitude of PDP is an attempt to scandalise the electoral body in the state.
While describing the agitation and allegation as baseless, the parties said the PDP is just an attention seeker, looking for an excuse for its impending failure in the governorship election coming in August 9, 2014.
According to the parties, “we wish to categorically state that these hirelings of the PDP do not represent the oppositions in the state and thus it is not correct as was reported that Osun Opposition rejects the REC.”
“The grouse of PDP against Akeju was his refusal to be manipulated in favour of any party, thereby ensuring that people’s vote count. For the sake of emphasis, elections were conducted in this state in 2011 to the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and office of the President, the then CAN won all the 26 seats in the House of Assembly; all the three Senate seats and the nine House of Representatives with the CAN presidential winning in our dear state. The election then was peaceful free and fair without any itch.
“While other political parties are busy mobilising their supporters in the forthcoming election, the PDP is bent on creating a situation where it will be able to explain away its impending doom in the coming election as it is clear that the entire Osun people had rejected the party.

The ACPP therefore called on INEC not to be distracted by the allegation and claim of the PDP and rather concentrate on its sacred duty of ensuring free, fair and credible election where people’s vote will count as was witnessed in 2011.

APC and ‘change’: The Aregbesola example

Not only is it trending on some social media platforms, the question of how the All Progressives Congress (APC) is going to achieve the ‘change’ the party is promising is a topical issue. The subject is relevant because many Nigerians simply cannot reconcile some of the leading lights of the APC with the idea of change since they have been part of Nigeria’s political landscape for too long to be chanting ‘change’ today.
Moreover, the Monday, February 10, 2014 “Hogwash” advertorial published in some newspapers by the Atiku Media Office inadvertently confirmed what many suspected, which is, that ‘change’ is just a slogan that has little to do with the reality in the APC. Although, the advertorial set out to dispel what the media office described as a “malicious report,” it unwittingly revealed that a deal may have been sealed with the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, to cede the party’s presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Whether this ultimately proves to be without basis is not the point. What is noteworthy is that this is the same sort of arrangement that once existed in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a now defunct party which forms the bedrock of the APC.
Setting aside the likely repetition of the old ACN scenario, there is a rather problematic image issue that dogs the APC.  Even objective analysts cannot deny that the APC has somehow managed to put on the toga of a particular religion. This, naturally, cannot be in the party’s favour considering the multi-religious composition of the Nigerian nation. And while one is unwilling to accept that accentuating a preference for one religion over others might be a deliberate party policy, the truth is that a leading light of the APC, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, of the Osun State, is doing everything within his considerable powers as a state chief executive to confirm that perception.
As a recent editorial in the Vanguard newspaper stated: “No governor has promoted religion more than Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State. He is proud of his religion for which he gets a lot of bashing. In response, he has accorded recognition to the three religions that he considers the major ones— Christianity, Islam and traditional ways.” It is worrisome if the governor’s recognition of these three religions does not in some way contravene Chapter I, Part II, Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution which states: “The government of the federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion.”
Moreover, the Vanguard editorial also related that, “it is not unusual for prayers to be offered in the three religions at public events.”  Regardless of whatever Aregbesola’s intentions may have been, his overzealous engagement in matters with a religious tinge, including converting missionary schools to mixed schools, has left Osun reeling with sporadic outbreak of violence and seething with palpable tension.  Indeed, in November 2013, a school principal was beaten to pulp on a matter related to religion.
As matters stand, even Tinubu recently journeyed to Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to preside over a peace meeting between Aregbesola’s government and the South West arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). And yet, there are still no guarantees that the intermittent violence that has broken out in Osun over matters of religion is now a thing of the past.  Indeed, media reports have it that there is still tension in some parts of the state.
It is in the light of this disturbing scenario that one begins to wonder if this is the sort of ‘change” the APC is planning to impose on Nigeria if it is voted into power at the centre. Though one is unwilling to accept that a party that has garnered so much goodwill among Nigerians within a short time can be planning something so sinister, what are Nigerians to make of APC’s chant of ‘change’ in the face of Aregbesola’s example?
Governor Aregbesola himself is well aware that all is not well in his domain. He is reported to have said: “Yoruba people have a tradition of accommodation and inclusion; that is why our families are interwoven around all religions. Some people, goaded from hell, however, are working to break our bond of unity by beating the drum of religious war. They will fail and only they and their families will dance to that evil beat.”
Even if his choice of rather unstatemanlike words can be excused, Aregbesola is being somewhat disingenuous by attempting to foist the cause of the clashes in his state on “some people.” Who are these nebulous “some people?” Is the governor claiming not to be aware that it is his stoking of religious tensions that has led to the violence in Osun State?  As the Vanguard editorial concluded, “religion is being abused in Osun State – people now see religion in everything.”  And no matter what sophistry Aregbesola may wield, he his squarely to blame.  One can only pray that his APC will never have the opportunity to foist such manner of ‘change’ on the Nigerian nation.

Ojo wrote from Ketu, Lagos, via Kayodeojo64@yahoo.com