Oshiomhole May Have A Candidate But I’m No Pushover – Ogiemwonyi

Oshiomhole May Have A Candidate But I’m No Pushover – Ogiemwonyi

MUYIWA OYINLOLA

— Mar 23, 2016 4:28 am | Leave a comment

Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, a former Minister of Works (State) in this interview speaks about his governorship ambition in the forthcoming election in Edo State. MUYIWA OYINLOLA met him.
The governorship race has since begun and you’re just showing up. Why are you a late starter?
I am never late, by my character I am always on time but in this particular case there was a superior directive asking that all aspirants should give time for the governor to carry out his statutory responsibilities in terms of governance. So after the last general elections, sometime in May, we were all invited to the government house where the governor pleaded with the aspirants not to heat up the polity, to give him an environment to work. In compliance with that I shut down my office and subsequently went back to my love which is engineering consulting.
I waited; I remember when he said probably during his 7th anniversary he would make a statement but those are all history now and since the big boss gave that directive, I have complied and I think this is the appropriate time now to go to the field, that is why yesterday I commenced my real consultation with the people of Owan West, Owan East and Akoko-Edo and today I will be visiting our brothers of the Etsakor.
Do you think that the acceptance you are receiving will actually translate to vote with the delegates you have consulted with so far?
From what happened yesterday, I give thanks to God, it is not my making but it is the way God decreed it. That was my first time of getting to Igarra and the triumphant entry into Igarra is something I will not forget quickly; the way we were received at Sabogida-Ora, Afuze, all these I owe it to my creator that gave me life, that makes me to be humble, that makes me to have this zero tolerance for corruption.
What I saw yesterday, if I am to live my life again I will stick to these my core values of humility, hard work, respect to fellow human being, love and help when you are placed in a good position. What I keep on hearing yesterday when you where in NNPC, when you where in NAPPIMS. I marked a man at Igarra who said even as a minister how I helped. All these I have forgotten but it keeps on reverberating, oh you helped me when you where in either NAPPIMS or NPDC or NGC or even as Minister.
I keep on just praising God, at a point yesterday, I was almost crying. I thanked God that what I sowed now I am reaping it. I left NAPPIMS in 2003 almost 13 years, people are telling me you did this for me, my brother the lessons from these is whichever position you are placed, render service to your people and that is what I advise the younger ones who are now holding public offices, don’t neglect your people because a time like this will come when your people will say yes they will score you and what I saw yesterday is like giving a man eight or nine over ten.
People say Oshiomhole has anointed a candidate and as such so many people are being whipped into line to support the governor’s candidate and others are being suppressed to abandon their ambition. Have you also been called to abandon your ambition?
Nigerians do so much of rumour mongering. I have known the Comrade Governor for a long time. Let me tell you, for example I was with this man three weeks ago, we sat on the same sofa, he didn’t tell me Chris step down for anybody. We talked, we are friends and brothers. I respect him as a governor, I respect people, you know I don’t fear anybody, I respect people, I respect the Comrade Governor, we sat, we discussed. I went to him and say Your Excellency, I hear you have a preference for somebody which is allowed, if you have four, five or six kids, you have a preferred child though you don’t show it to the others.
I asked the Governor, ‘I heard you have a preferred candidate and he said yes Chris, I said why don’t you make me equally your second preferred candidate, he told me he would consider it. This is purely politics. The man has the right to have preferred candidate; yes all I did was just to go to him and plead my cause to him, we have been friends since 2007, equally check me out, try me, don’t just have one, have two preferred candidates.
He said he is considering it and as I am here now campaigning, I am sure he is watching me, he is listening and I will never speak ill of the governor because he has done well and we are brothers.
When I heard that word ‘anointed’, I never believed it and I don’t want to believe it because comrade Oshiomhole popularised the one-man-one vote mantra because before his coming the issue of godfatherism was invoke in Edo State. Since he fought it, he fought against it few years ago, I think it will be too early for him to change his dancing steps. He is dancing well now and I am sure he wants to dance well till November so that his legacy, we will all be praising his legacy when he is out of office.
Don’t forget people will not talk of him now until when he leaves office.
So I pray for Oshiomhole everyday for him to leave a wonderful legacy and one of the legacies he should leave in this state is that his name will be in gold, diamond, if he sustain this one-man-one vote mantra and I pray he should be strengthened to ensure there is a free and fair primaries because that will be what will determine Oshiomhole name, I pray he will not derail, I pray for him every day, I pray he should be like a father to all the aspirants and let the best candidate emerge, if he does that my brother because he has done well as a Governor by building infrastructure, Schools etc and if he crowns his legacy by allowing a free and fair primary, the best candidate to emerge as our governor, my brother, Oshiomhole will be a man we will all respect today and till tomorrow.
If you are nominated and elected as a Governor of Edo State, what are the 3 major key areas you are going to tackle in the first one year in office?
My brother you know my background as a civil servant, I am so proud I went into the public service; I later into government, I am now in politics.
The question is what are my party’s vision, the APC?
I have studied our manifesto and the first priority in the manifesto is job creating. Our party at the centre harps at creating three million jobs in a year. My first assignment, my priority in Edo State where unemployment is at the region of 65% today, I will tackle job creation to take the youths out of the streets. So I will try to industrialise Edo State (industries) and as I am touring now we have carried out a feasibility study of the various natural resources in every of the LGAs and I am calling on my friends who are all investors to come to Edo State.
Priority number one will be job creation vis-a-vis security; priority number two education; I want to educate the people not just to have a degree but to educate their minds for them to be aware of who they are because once you are educated no one can undermine you.
You certainly will know your rights so I will face education in terms of people knowing who they are, in terms of awareness, in terms of having skills, I will look into the curriculum of the Schools today and see how we can integrate entrepreneurship studies, to be an entrepreneur that is when you graduate, you have the capacity to be on your own with government giving you some funding, loan.
Number two will be education; number three I will have to look at is the health sector, my brother, I am pained with the capital flight when people go to India, I know that is more of the federal, but I am going to have a good tile with the centre as a governor, I will speak to the federal, I will encourage my State to look inwards in terms of health care delivery services, my major take is preventive health care. I realise many of the ailments can be tackled at the preventive stages. So my three major priorities will be job creation through industrializing the State, education and health sectors.
You asked me three key areas I would like to focuse on, but don’t forget I have a Nine Point Cardinal Agenda in my manifesto, but the first three is what I just mentioned to you now, because one other area I will like to take as major if you ask me is the rural-urban migration, I want to equally tackle it, the rate of influx into the city and the villages are now been deserted, thereby creating the crisis of boundary dispute. It is a major crisis as we speak.


Leadership

Edo 2016: APC battles imposition threat

FREEPRESS

As All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its primaries ahead the September, 2016 Edo State Governorship Election, some aspirants for the party’s ticket and their supporters have continued to express fears over Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s alleged endorsement of one of the aspirants, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, threatening that anything short of free and fair primaries will endanger the fortunes of the party at the governorship election.

Aside Obaseki, who is the head of the economic team of Oshiomhole’s government, other prominent aspirants for the ticket of APC in the governorship election include the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon (fondly called the Rice man), former governor of the state, Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor, Works Commissioner, Osarodion Ogie, former Minister of State (Works), Dr Chris Ogiemwonyi and Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, amongst others.

The tension over Oshiomhole’s alleged preference for one of the aspirants, which has been building up since late last year, when it was first rumoured but was stoutly denied, gathered steam in January this year, when the governor was reported as openly supporting Obaseki and for making government facilities and aides available to him to promote his ambition at the expense of the other aspirants.

 Insiders told our correspondent that this allegation, which is the major subject of contention within the party in the South-South state today, is giving the leadership of APC concern as some of the aggrieved aspirants have allegedly reached out to top leaders of the party outside the state, warning that they would resist any form of imposition.

A top campaign official of one of the high-profile aspirants, who revealed the current moves by the concerned aspirants, told our correspondent this week that “Oshiomhole’s open support of Obaseki has split the party along ethnic and ideological lines. From what we are seeing, it seems clear that the governor is trying to change the goalpost in the middle of the game. This is not acceptable to us. Everybody knows that the calibre of aspirants in the race for APC ticket today was made possible because the governor initially and openly promised to allow a level playing field, to ensure that only the best and most popular candidate would emerge APC flag bearer. If what we are seeing is real, someone is poised to breach that sustaining trust.”

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leadership of APC to wade into the matter urgently to save the party in the state, the source, who is a campaign director of one of the aspirants asked rhetorically, “Will President Buhari, APC chieftains and national leaders of the party allow Governor Adams Oshiomole to go ahead and impose a candidate in Edo APC? Is it not common knowledge that he is sponsoring delegates to favour his candidate? So, why are the leaders folding their hands and watching this dangerous development, knowing the obvious consequence of destroying the party’s chances at the real governorship election?”

The source added, “We all know that the governor came in with a populist ideology as a labour leader, fighting for the welfare of the people and so they embraced him and the party but it seems he has turned out to be a capitalist. In his actions, especially on this issue of how his successor would emerge, he is not walking the talk as he now sees himself as alpha and omega. He should allow people’s will to prevail and shouldn’t be allowed to truncate Buhari’s change mantra.

“When he called Anenih, Ogbemudia and Igbinedion godfathers, Edo people believed him. Is he now the godfather? We are worried, not just because of our personal aspirations but because of the likely effect of this action on the fortunes of APC in the state and on the overall politics of the state. It is not enough to suspend and intimidate party chairmen and APC chieftains in the state. What we and the party national leaders should be concerned of is how this development will impact on the party in the state. If you ask me, it will impact negatively. It will be better for all of us, including the party and the governor, if free and fair primary election is allowed in Edo and if the governor retains his father image for all the aspirants. This way, APC will remain united and strong.”

Already, some recent reports confirm sharp disagreement between some APC chieftains in the state and governor’s close associates and aides on the alleged plot to foist Obaseki.  For example, it was recently reported that while Anselm Ojezua, Edo APC Chairman, denied that the governor would impose a candidate, the state Attorney– General and Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon, confirmed the governor’s support for the aspirant. Ojezua was quoted in an earlier interview as saying, “the governor would never consider handpicking a candidate when he should be playing the role of an impartial arbiter in a most sensitive issue as a candidate to succeed him. All the over 20 candidates in the race are all Oshiomhole’s favourities,” he said. But in a later report, Idahagbon was quoted as saying that the governor had thrown his weight behind Godwin Obaseki.

What may influence the parties’ choices?

Preliminary investigations into the current sentiment of both the political leaderships in Edo State and amongst the common people show that the issue of who will succeed Oshiomhole would be determined not only by the calibre of the aspirant but also by the unity of either the ruling APC or the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the election. The fact is that the two political parties now have strong roots in Edo State. So, none of the two leading parties would afford serious disunity amongst its leaders during the election. As a result of this reality, which some insiders said may be decisive, the two leading political parties in the state may be forced to weigh all options and likely effects before electing their candidates. This explains why some national leaders of APC are expressing concern over the alleged plans to impose a candidate; a development they feared may negatively affect the unity of the ruling party during the governorship election.

The opposition PDP will not wait to celebrate such disunity in the camp of the ruling APC.  Confirming this, Tony Edosoma, a grassroots PDP leader in Edo Central, said, “We understand there are threats in APC that if some of their governorship aspirants confirm the governor imposed one of them on the party, then the rest will work against the party. For us in PDP, we have always known the celebration and the noise in APC in Edo State will not be forever.  Whether or not they fight amongst themselves, PDP will regain Edo State’s Government House this year. If they fight themselves over imposition, it will only make the task of dislodging them easier for us,” he boasted.

Also, considering the widespread belief that APC-led government of Adams Oshiomhole performed very well, bookmakers are of the opinion today that an APC candidate, if generally accepted, will be on a better footing than other candidates during the September governorship election.

But our findings show that aside performance of the outgoing governor and the current popularity of his party, APC, people’s sentiment on the need for what they described as “fair zoning,” will play a major part. This is a major challenge that all the parties must take into consideration in the election of their candidate if they hope to win the governorship election. In this case, Edo Central Senatorial District is being favoured by many leaders for the sake of equity and fairness. Dr. Eugene Iyare, a political commentator in Benin, told our correspondent on Thursday that the quest for Edo Central to produce the next governor of the state in 2016 “is non-negotiable.” He explained that the agitation is “for the purpose of justice, equity and fair play.”

According to him, “Edo Central had only occupied the governor’s office for only 18 months. The people of Edo Central are therefore demanding to be allowed to produce the next governor to take over from Oshiomhole in 2016. Honestly, I think the people of Edo South, which had occupied the position for over nine years when Lucky Igbinedion held sway and Edo North presently completing its eight years in that office in the person of Oshiomhole, should not argue about it. It is the turn of Edo Central.”

Given these contentions, insiders said the parties must take the people’s sentiment into consideration before determining who will fly their gubernatorial flags.

Summarizing the situation in APC, Chief Eric Obaseki, a retired civil servant in Benin, told our correspondent that “although other parties may field candidates, the battle would most likely be between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, the major task before these two parties is the task of picking the right candidate from the right zone. From what I have seen so far, apart from ensuring that the candidate has what it takes to step into the big shoes of the Comrade Governor, zoning may be the major consideration here,” he said. He added, “From the calibre of aspirants so far, there is no doubt that we have qualified people vying to succeed the comrade governor. But fair is fair, any of the parties that fails to consider where its candidate comes from may pay dearly for it.”

So as Edo prepares for the governorship primaries amidst intense pressure on who emerges the parties’ flag bearers and how they emerged, our investigation shows that the leading aspirants for Oshiomhole’s job from APC today include:

Godwin Obaseki

As the head of Governor Oshiomhole’s economic team, Godwin Obaseki is considered a very close aide of the out-going governor. He is the aspirant the governor is accused of throwing his weight on at the detriment of the others. This has made him one of the leading aspirants for the ticket today.

 But our enquiries reveal that the governor’s efforts to sell his candidacy may have suffered serious opposition from powerful stakeholders.

Besides criticism arising from an attempt to impose him on others and on the state, Obaseki’s critics said he has no background and experience in politics. They said he has no supporters and is not known like the other leading aspirants.

But his defenders insist he fits the bill because Oshiomhole is looking for the best man, especially a technocrat or someone with private sector background, with a firm grasp of the relevant issues today to succeed him.

Kenneth Imasuagbon

A lawyer, philanthropist and former aspirant to the Edo State Government House in the April, 2012 election, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon has emerged the major aspirant in the race for APC governorship ticket. This is because apart from his distinguished private sector background, as a foremost educationist in Nigeria, Imasuagbon has made a unique mark as a genuine philanthropist. One of his philanthropic gestures has earned him the name, the Rice Man. This has, according to insiders in Edo State, made him the man of the common people. He is also said to be very popular, amongst the youths in the three senatorial districts of the state, most of who have benefitted from his continuous I-pad gifts and scholarships.

A respondent said even when there is no election at sight the Rice man still gives out during festivities, like Christmas, New Year, Sallah, etc. During these festivities, he distributes thousands of bags of rice to the less privileged in the three senatorial districts in the state; a gesture he explained was to put smiles on the faces of the poor during the festive periods.

Asked to explain why he gives out rice to the people, Imasuagbon said, “This is my own commitment to fighting poverty in my state. I came from a home where there was no rice to eat but now that I can afford rice, my commitment is that to the extent God permits, I will always give food, every time, to the poor in Edo State and if I had enough money, I will send it to other parts of the country to put smile on the faces of the people.”

Another factor that may go for the Rice man is his wide experience and strong political structure in Edo State. He is one of the few aspirants for APC ticket that can combine grassroots popularity with the right political connection and experience. Besides these, his private sector background fits into what insiders said Oshiomhole wants for a successor. He is also from Edo Central; the zone many say should produce the next governor of Edo if fairness and equity are to be given their pride of place.

Besides these two aspirants, other visible aspirants for the ticket include, the deputy governor, Hon. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, from Urhomehe in Urhonigbe North Ward, Orhionmwon Local Governrnent Area of Edo State, the former governor of the state, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, from Edo Central, Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi and Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retired), the PDP candidate at the 2012 Edo State Governorship Election.

Pius Egberanmwen Odubu

Considered by many as one of the frontline aspirants on the platform of the ruling APC is. Odubu, a lawyer who served two terms at the House of Representatives, is currently the Deputy Governor of Edo State.

Oserheimen Osunbor

Another top APC aspirant is Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor. He was elected Senator for the Edo Central constituency at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In April 2007, he was elected Governor of Edo State also on PDP platform but only spent 18 months on the seat before he lost at the tribunal and the Appeal Court to Oshiomhole.

Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi

An engineer with over 30 years of work experience in the oil and gas industry, who retired as Executive Director (Exploration and Production), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), before his appointment as Minister of State for Works, Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi has consistently harped on his desire to render service to the people. But his critics have said that he cannot boast of the kind of solid political structure that would enable him win the APC governorship primaries.

His response to this is however instructive. He had said, “I hear that and I laugh when I hear it; structure, what is structure, these are human beings. What is going to play out now and tomorrow in Nigeria is not how deep you are in politics, but people are going to respect the character of the person

Charles Airhiavbere

Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retired) was Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts at the Army Headquarters. An accountant, he was the PDP candidate at the 2012 Edo State Governorship Election. Now in APC, he is seen as one of the aspirants whose supporters are already deeply involved in consultations.

With such array of highly qualified aspirants, and their consistent call for a free playing ground observers say the threat over alleged plot to impose an aspirant over the other APC governorship aspirants should not be overlooked by Oshiomhole and APC national leaders. It remains to be seen how the current tension will be resolved before the primaries.

Edo APC Guber Aspirant, Obaseki, Unveils Agenda On Power, Others

As the race to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State gathers momentum, an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged to consolidate on the foundation laid by the outgoing governor, especially in the power sector, if elected governor of the state come September 10. Mr. Obaseki, who is Chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategic Team, is believed to be Governor Oshiomhole’s preferred choice as successor. The aspirant, who disclosed his plans on electricity at a seminar organised by Edo Accord Initiative, tagged: “Edo United: Edo State in the eye of the present economic downturn/the future”, said with the Azura Power Plant attracted by the Oshiomhole administration and other power projects, the issue of power outage will be a thing of the past in the nearest future in the state. While urging delegates of the APC to queue behind his governorship aspiration, Obaseki stressed that the only way to achieve the dream of stable power supply in Edo is to support a candidate with the vision and aspiration of Oshiomhole which, according to him, he ably represents. “If you have taken note of what is happening in Edo, before Governor Oshiomhole, there was nothing on ground. The PDP said Edo was a poor and civil service state. They couldn’t build roads, schools or factories. But in the last seven years, we have tried. At least, you can drive from Airport Road down to Ugbowo without traffic and bad roads. So if you want to go to farm in Anagbette in Edo North, there is road to take you to the farm; before, there was no road to that place. One thing that this government has started that the people will not see until two years’ time is electricity. Government has encouraged people to come and generate electricity for Edo. As we speak, our investors have started building big electricity plants across the state that will generate about 450 megawatts each. The total electricity we consume in Edo is about 100 but these people are building a plant that will generate 450 each. So by the end of 2017, we will have enough electricity for Edo”, the aspirant stated. “Now, Oshiomhole has built roads, we have refurbished schools, we have brought investors, and the next stage will be to build industries. We have asked investors to come and build industries because we have roads, good schools, electricity, water and other social amenities that they need to run the industries. And many have started coming, we must encourage them. The youths shouldn’t drag government land with them because they want money. If there is no security, they wouldn’t stay. So my message for the youths today, especially community development associations, is that when investors want land to set up industries, welcome them and not exploit them because they are bringing jobs. “The other area that government is working is on and the area I believe we will grow when I become governor is agriculture, but because there is foreign exchange, we always want to import. We spend almost $500 million to import chicken annually to this country; we spend almost $2billion dollars to import rice and even milk we spend $500 million to import. Can’t we grow rice in Edo; can’t we rear chicken and fish in Edo? But now those things we used to import are no longer possible because of foreign exchange. It is an opportunity for us to begin to create industries and, when I take over government, the first thing I will do is to help people invest”. “When I become governor, I need not to worry because I have the capacity to bring work and investment to Edo. I know two years is a long time, but how are we going to survive before then? If we say things are bad in the state, we should go to some other states, some states have not paid salaries for over three months. We should make sure we provide micro finance for small businesses. So, for people who want to set up businesses, government has facilities through micro finance bank where people can take loan at low interest rate to start and 60 per cent of this money is for women sponsored businesses. The way it will work is to join cooperatives and, if you save a little, you take to the micro finance bank and they will give the cooperative much more on top. Up to N500, 000 for individuals and up to N5, 000, 000 for cooperatives and these cooperatives they make sure they know how you buy, sell and how you are going to pay back”, the aspirant added. On his part, Chairman of the initiative, Mr Idahosa Dennis, said, “We have seen the vision of Godwin Obaseki as a very brilliant one for the people of Edo and, having been a member of the state exco, I know his contribution to the achievements of Adams Oshiomhole and I know if he is elected as the governor of Edo, the state will be greater that people will make reference to”. Place your ad here Loading... Get Our Top Stories Everyday, Enter Your Email Address:

As the race to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State gathers momentum, an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged to consolidate on the foundation laid by the outgoing governor, especially in the power sector, if elected governor of the state come September 10.

Mr. Obaseki, who is Chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategic Team, is believed to be Governor Oshiomhole’s preferred choice as successor.

The aspirant, who disclosed his plans on electricity at a seminar organised by Edo Accord Initiative, tagged: “Edo United: Edo State in the eye of the present economic downturn/the future”, said with the Azura Power Plant attracted by the Oshiomhole administration and other power projects, the issue of power outage will be a thing of the past in the nearest future in the state.

While urging delegates of the APC to queue behind his governorship aspiration, Obaseki stressed that the only way to achieve the dream of stable power supply in Edo is to support a candidate with the vision and aspiration of Oshiomhole which, according to him, he ably represents.

“If you have taken note of what is happening in Edo, before Governor Oshiomhole, there was nothing on ground. The PDP said Edo was a poor and civil service state. They couldn’t build roads, schools or factories. But in the last seven years, we have tried. At least, you can drive from Airport Road down to Ugbowo without traffic and bad roads. So if you want to go to farm in Anagbette in Edo North, there is road to take you to the farm; before, there was no road to that place. One thing that this government has started that the people will not see until two years’ time is electricity. Government has encouraged people to come and generate electricity for Edo. As we speak, our investors have started building big electricity plants across the state that will generate about 450 megawatts each. The total electricity we consume in Edo is about 100 but these people are building a plant that will generate 450 each. So by the end of 2017, we will have enough electricity for Edo”, the aspirant stated.

“Now, Oshiomhole has built roads, we have refurbished schools, we have brought investors, and the next stage will be to build industries. We have asked investors to come and build industries because we have roads, good schools, electricity, water and other social amenities that they need to run the industries. And many have started coming, we must encourage them. The youths shouldn’t drag government land with them because they want money. If there is no security, they wouldn’t stay. So my message for the youths today, especially community development associations, is that when investors want land to set up industries, welcome them and not exploit them because they are bringing jobs. “The other area that government is working is on and the area I believe we will grow when I become governor is agriculture, but because there is foreign exchange, we always want to import. We spend almost $500 million to import chicken annually to this country; we spend almost $2billion dollars to import rice and even milk we spend $500 million to import. Can’t we grow rice in Edo; can’t we rear chicken and fish in Edo? But now those things we used to import are no longer possible because of foreign exchange. It is an opportunity for us to begin to create industries and, when I take over government, the first thing I will do is to help people invest”.

“When I become governor, I need not to worry because I have the capacity to bring work and investment to Edo. I know two years is a long time, but how are we going to survive before then? If we say things are bad in the state, we should go to some other states, some states have not paid salaries for over three months. We should make sure we provide micro finance for small businesses. So, for people who want to set up businesses, government has facilities through micro finance bank where people can take loan at low interest rate to start and 60 per cent of this money is for women sponsored businesses. The way it will work is to join cooperatives and, if you save a little, you take to the micro finance bank and they will give the cooperative much more on top. Up to N500, 000 for individuals and up to N5, 000, 000 for cooperatives and these cooperatives they make sure they know how you buy, sell and how you are going to pay back”, the aspirant added.

Massive fraud: EFCC arrests PPMC former boss

Vincent Ehiabhi 

 

The EFCC has arrested Mrs Esther Ogbue-Nnamdi for alleged fuel scarcity scam with oil cabals – Mrs Ogbue-Nnamdi was the former managing director of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC – The former PPMC boss allegedly built and furnished a house in less than two with the sum of N1.2 billion in Maitama The Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has swooped on the former managing director of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, News Rescue reports.Mrs Esther Ogbue-Nnamdi. The former managing director of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Mrs Esther Ogbue-Nnamdi. The commission on March 30 arrested Mrs Esther Ogbue-Nnamdi for alleged involvement in the ongoing fuel scarcity scam. Ogbue-Nnamdi was alleged to have enriched herself and accumulated breathtaking wealth from sales of IPOs to desperate oil cabal, collection of kick backs through proxies and other underhand dealings attributing to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country. A source within the agency who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the former PPMC boss has been sprawling over the acquisition of choice properties in Abuja, especially a building at Maitama valued at N1.2 billion built and furnished within two months after she resumed office. The source further hinted that the chairman of the commission was said to have collapsed when he saw the massive edifice located at no 4, Amazon street Maitama, saying the former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Maduake must be a student in this professor’s school. It was gathered that Ogbue-Nnamdi and her cohorts who are top oil cabal are fighting assiduously to halt the new reform at the NNPC particularly the ones that would unravel enormous fraud without further delay. The former PPMC boss could not be reached for a reaction as the detectives in charge of her case have already switched off her mobile phone. Another source has, however, disclosed that her cohorts and top members of the cabal are making frantic effort to ensue she returns home tomorrow after bail.The Punch reports that Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum was on March 29 summoned by the Senate committee on petroleum resources (downstream) to explain the cause of the recent fuel scarcity across the country and the efforts being made by his ministry to halt the embarrassing situation. The minister during the briefing lamented the development and apologised to Nigerians, who he admitted were facing difficult situation. He promised that the scarcity would end on or before April 7.

Naij.com

Meet Chanel Chin, daughter of Jamaican raggae star who is now the Queen of Iwo Kingdom, Osun State

Chanel Chin, the daughter of Jamaican raggae star, Ludlow Chin also known as Bobo Zaro is the queen of the Iwo Kingdom following her marriage to King Adbul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi earlier this year.

King Abdul Rasheed, now known as the Imperial Oluwo of the Iwo Kingdom in Osun State, after his ascendancy on November 10, 2015, had met the 32-year-old woman in Canada, where he resided before his ascension.

 

Bobo Zaro is known for songs such as the hit single Pain, a collaboration with Contractor and Capleton, the video of which has been seen by millions of viewers in Africa via Channel O in South Africa and the Sporah TV show via SkyTV.

In an interview with The Jamaica Gleaner, Queen Chin reveals that she is very honoured to represent Jamaica in such a big way.

"My ancestors were taken away as slaves, but I have returned to Africa as a queen. One's destiny cannot be altered. As a young child, I always wanted to come to Africa, but didn't know how. I feel this is a great opportunity for black people worldwide to return to their home."

In a Facebook post, Emmanuel Mathias, in support of the queen, declared:

"Destiny is powerful, her ancestor was taken away as slave, but she return back home as queen. Let us embrace her and tell her you are welcome back home. This is one giant step towards bringing back home our descendants that great fathers and mothers were casted away."

The queen added: "Our forefathers and ancestral mothers were cast away as slaves to never return, but I want Jamaicans everywhere to know that Africa is so nice. The culture and traditions are so rich and lovely. It's truly something every black person should come and experience."

Chanel explained that as queen of Iwo land, her responsibility is to always set a proper example for young girls and women in the community. Giving an insight into traditions and customs, she said her dressing and outfits are to always be conservative and respectful.

"No matter what I wear, my shoulders and full legs must be covered at all times. All of my clothes are custom made to match these requirements. Also, as queen, the king and I like to regularly visit the local schools in the community to remind the children of the importance of education and excelling in all areas of their school work and examinations."

The queen said her husband is the first king to actually take the time to visit the children.

"We believe they are the future," she remarked.

In her esteemed position as a Nigerian queen, she said she faces only minor challenges one of which is her being not fluent in the native language which is Yoruba.

"I know some words. Everyday, I am still learning. Another challenge is that the food is quite different from our mouth- watering Jamaican dishes."

Source: The Jamaican Gleaner

Linda Ikeji

In Sign of Major Crack within Ruling Party, Tinubu Takes on Buhari’s Minister

Battle may be over appointment of Onikepo Animashaun, NPDC GM Legal

Anayo Okolie

Amid widespread criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari government’s handling of the nationwide fuel shortages, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday lashed out at the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in a statement that exposed continuing rifts within the ruling party and the endless scramble among its leaders for sphere of influence in the government.

For more than one month, the public has been faced with the frustrations of not being able to get enough premium motor spirit – the most consumed petroleum product in the country – to buy. This has resulted in long queues of vehicles and crowds of buyers at the few filling stations selling the product. But Kachikwu told State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday that despite the government’s efforts, the fuel situation might not improve until the next two months. He said he was not a magician and did not have a magic wand to eliminate the fuel queues, a comment that drew angry responses from various segments of society, but which APC remained silent about.

However, Tinubu added his voice to the criticisms of Kachikwu’s comments, in a strongly worded statement titled, “Kachikwu needs to know that respect and good performance will do what magic cannot.”

It was however gathered that Tinubu’s denunciation of Kachikwu may not be unconnected with the appointment of Onikepo Animashaun as GM, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The former Lagos State governor in the statement which he personally signed said: “Much public ire has been drawn to the statement made by Minister of State Ibe Kachikwu that he was not trained as a magician and that basically Nigerians should count themselves fortunate that the NNPC under his stewardship has been able to bring in the amount of petrol fuel it is currently doing.

“Perhaps, the statement by Kachikwu was made in a moment of unguarded frustration or was an awkward attempt at a joke. Whatever the motive, it was untimely and off-putting. The remark did not sit well with the Nigerian people; they were as right to feel insulted as the minister was wrong to have said such a thing. The fuel shortage is severely biting for the average person. They are forced to remain in lines far too long, for too much time, to pay too much money for too little fuel. This is no joking matter. Livelihoods and people’s welfare are at stake. With so much on the line, Kachikwu’s flippancy was out-of-line. He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer and that they should just be quiet and endure the shortage for several weeks more.”

Tinubu criticised Kachikwu’s intervention as “unhelpful,” saying it has caused panic and despair among the public with regard to the duration of the crisis. “It insulted the people by its tonality. He spoke with the imperious nature of a member of the elitist government the people voted out last year and not the progressive one they voted in,” Tinubu said.

He added, “Kachikwu must be reminded that he was not coerced to take this job. He accepted the job and its responsibilities knowingly. He also must remember that he does not own NNPC. This also is not a private company that owes nothing to the public except the duty of fair dealing. He is a public servant. The seat he sits upon is owned by Nigerians not by him. The company he runs is owned by Nigerians not by him. They are his boss. He is not theirs. Power is vested in the people. He is a mere custodian or agent of their will. In talking to us in such a manner, he committed an act of insubordination. If he had talked so cavalierly to his boss in the private sector, he would have been reprimanded or worse. If wise, the man should refrain from such interjections in the future.

“As his ultimate bosses, the people have a right to demand the requisite performance and respect from him. He should apologise for treating them so lightly in this instance. His portfolio being a strategically important one, he needs to re-establish the correct relationship with the public. They no longer feel he is working for their optimal benefit as their servant. Instead, he seems to be standing above them, telling them to take it or leave it.

“For his policies and stint in office to be successful and a help to this government, he must have the support and belief of the people at this tough time. He must talk to them in a way that they believe he seeks their best interest and understands the hardship weighing upon them. He must ask them to work with him and, perhaps, to endure a bit longer but with the knowledge that he is working to resolve this matter as fast as he can and as permanently as possible. That he is dedicated to the position that once these current lines are gone that never again shall they reappear as long as he has any influence in the matter.”

Tinubu said to maintain the confidence of the people and keep their hope alive despite the hard times required neither magic nor training in any strange craft. “It requires empathy, compassion and the willpower to forge a better Nigeria. These must be the common trademarks of those serving in a progressive government, for these attributes are integral parts of the spirit and ideals upon which the APC was founded. Upon such notions was this administration voted into office by the Nigerian people in the operation of their sovereign will to seek a national leadership that would pursue their interests to the utmost and give them every fair chance to live in a better Nigeria,” the APC leader stated.

Tinubu, however, expressed confidence in the commitment and ability of the president to lead the country out of the current economic crisis. “From establishing full security and safety to staking a claim to true economic prosperity and fairness, this government shall salvage our national pride and purpose. Let all of us, in and out of government, never forget this. If we adhere to this remembrance, we shall see that magic will not be needed to bring the progress we seek,” he stated

Tinubu acknowledged the hash economic climate occasioned by the sharp drop in crude oil prices. He said the situation required creative reforms, stressing, “Therein lies the essence of progressive democratic governance.” He said the Buhari administration represented Nigeria’s best hope for the installation of such governance and alleged that the country would have being in a more terrible condition if the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party federal government had continued in power.

Though, he has of late been critical of some of the policies of the Buhari government, Tinubu, in the statement, appreciated the efforts of the administration to right the wrongs of the past. But he stated, “In this effort, there may be no economic matter more difficult to unravel and more sensitive to the pulse of the average person than the current fuel scarcity. Even here I am confident of progress because I know the commitment of the president to resolving this matter. I make no attempt to hide it. I am an avid and partisan supporter of this government and of the progressive policies of the party, the APC, upon which this government is based.

“With that I do reserve the right and the duty as a Nigerian to voice my opinion when I believe a member of this government has strayed from the progressive calling required of this administration. I do this because my greater devotion and love are for this nation and its people. Party and politics fall secondary.”

However, Tinubu, it was gathered, took umbrage at Kachikwu when he appointed Animashaun as GM, Legal, at NPDC. Presidency officials said they noted the unusual public criticism of Kachikwu, who Tinubu ought to know is the minister of state in the Office of the Petroleum Minister, occupied by President Muhammadu Buhari, and that they would have thought that if he had anything against Kachikwu as Buhari’s minister of state, he had all the access to the presidency to lodge his complaints, and therefore found his public reproval of Kachikwu surprising.

A presidency official who said because he was not briefed to comment on the issue, he may not be quoted, noted that Tinubu’s anger with Kachikwu may not be unconnected with Kachikwu’s appointment of Animashaun as GM at NPDC without the approval of Tinubu, given that Animashaun was a permanent secretary in the Lagos State government and a Lagos indigene.

Tinubu was said to be particularly piqued that Animashaun was recommended by Pastor Tunde Bakare, and backed by former Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola, without reference to him before being appointed. He was said to have pointedly asked Kachikwu to reverse the appointment but the minister told him that it was a bit too late in the day to do that as Lagos State government did not raise any objection or make any adverse comment to her appointment as GM and that if they do, then the NNPC management would reconsider her appointment.

When this was brought to the attention of President Buhari, according to the officials, the President maintained that anybody once appointed after following due process could only be removed by due process and not because of opposition from individuals. Following the President’s position on the issue, Lagos State government then wrote a letter to NNPC saying it did not support Animashaun’s appointment.

It was gathered that Animashaun quickly countered that by presenting a letter of commendation from Lagos State government for her exceptional and meritorious services to the state which earned her an award as one of the best performing permanent secretaries, a development that made it impossible for Kachikwu to act on the petition.

Tinubu was said to have insisted that Animashaun must be removed if Kachikwu was to know peace. Presidency officials, therefore, believed that yesterday’s statement authored by Tinubu was one of the first salvos in that direction. They believe so because they wondered why a small comment by Kachikwu on fuel scarcity would attract a strongly-worded statement by Tinubu, a national leader of APC, when he has unfettered access to Buhari to lodge his complaints on any issue.

ThisDay

Why PTAD Boss, Nellie Mayshak, was Suspended

James Emejo in Abuja
The indefinite suspension handed down to erstwhile Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), Nellie Mayshak, by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, shocked members of the public following developments in the recent past which had marred the reputation of pension managers in the country.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Mr. Festus Akanbi, penultimate week had confirmed Mayshak’s suspension by Adeosun while a director from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) was also appointed as acting executive secretary of the directorate.Apart from Mayshak, three other senior officials in the directorate were also suspended.

The statement added that the suspension was a normal civil service procedure, to pave way for an unimpeded investigation into the activities of the directorate under Mayshak’s watch.

However, apart from the announcement that the PTAD boss had been relieved of her duties, no attempt was made to give the details surrounding the development which had already put most public pensioners on the edge.

It was rumoured that Mayshak’s allegedly pocketed up to N60 million as monthly salary, a claim which her close associates had told THISDAY it was untrue and impossible. It however gathered that she arbitrarily fixed for herself salaries and allowances, far above what she ought to earn in her position, (though not anything close to the N60million being speculated) without recourse to Wages and Salaries Commission that fixes the salaries and allowances of Public Servants in her cadre. THISDAY checks further revealed the underbelly issues which led to her being suspended indefinitely.

Trouble started when Mayshak had during the tenure of the former Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, demanded that the sum of N3 billion, which was earmarked for the verification of pensioners nationwide be released to enable her carry out the exercise. Otunla, however, reportedly declined her request and insisted that the verification exercise ought to be carried out by the OAGF and not PTAD.
The suspended PTAD boss further insisted that the money must be released to her, else she would not sign as a party for the withdrawal of the fund.

The disagreement lingered all through Otunla’s tenure, THISDAY further gathered, making it impossible for PTAD to draw the N3 billion during the former AGF’s tenure.
The issue was said to have been reintroduced to the new Accountant General, Mr. Ahmed Idris, who also insisted that the verification be carried out jointly by PTAD and OAGF.

But Mayshak, once again stuck to her guns and rejected the suggestion.
It was learnt that she later met with directors of the OAGF and maintained she wanted to carry out the exercise without any external support, a request which was further turned down.

THISDAY gathered that after much pressure, the AGF later yielded to her demand and released the money to her, even though the directors were unhappy with the release of the funds, prompting series of anonymous petitions accusing her of misappropriation of funds, nepotism, inflating contracts and using companies allegedly linked to her to corner juicy contracts at PTAD.

Adeosun was said to have called Mayshak penultimate Tuesday to prepare her documents in response to the allegations. The minister had confronted Mayshak with the allegations bordering on abuse of office.
Specifically, Mayshak was alleged to have employed her relatives to important positions as secretary, and in the ICT department of the agency. Sources gave their names as Patricia Iyohe, Mrs. Ruth Imonikhe (who is her secretary), and one Yohab. They were also alleged to be influential in PTAD and key players in some of the allegations leveled against the suspended pension boss.

After Adeosun confronted the suspended DG with the accusations and facts that Tuesday, Mayshak was said to have failed to put up a convincing defence and was ordered right before Idris not to return to PTAD as she had been suspended indefinitely.

Three other senior officials in the agency were also suspended in relation to alleged scam and abuse of office following an audit report.

Besides, counted as part of abuse of office and insubordination, inside sources also told THISDAY that Mayshak allegedly arrogated to herself the position of a director general instead of simply an executive secretary in violation of the Act that established the directorate. Section 42 (3) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 designated her office as Executive Secretary. Her refusal to use that executive secretary designation was seen as a clear breach of the enabling Act. In the industry, only the office of the head of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), the regulatory authority of the pension industry in Nigeria, is designated as Director General.

Although, Mayshak was ordered not to return to her office, sources alleged that she went back to the office on that Tuesday night and may have left with vital information.
Following the incident, THISDAY sighted a detachment of DSS officials positioned at the premises of PTAD in two black pickup vehicles.

The DSS was said to have mounted a round-the-clock vigilance at the premises of the agency, to perhaps monitor nocturnal activities at the agency.
A staff of PTAD told THISDAY that the security operatives had also issued orders to private security operatives in the agency to be vigilant and ensure that nobody moved out of the premises with excess luggage.
“The DSS have ordered that those who come in with one bag shouldn’t leave the office with more than one bag,” the source said.

THISDAY further learnt from company sources that there had been grievances against the former DG which bothered on favoritism and discrimination in job offers in the agency.

PTAD was created in August 2013 under the Pension Reform Act of 2004 to oversee the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme for pensioners who were not accommodated in the new defined contributory scheme.
Essentially, the implementation of the contributory pension scheme (CPS) was envisaged as solution to the old pension arrangement whereby funds had been misapplied by various government regime, creating huge backlogs of arrears of unpaid pension among other challenges.

The lastest unsavory development came as Nigerians were still trying to cope with the recent pension fraud involving the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, with over N2 billion he allegedly stole through fraudulent biometric contracts.

However, Nigerians were particularly pleased at the new arrangement in pension management where monies are not concentrated in the hands of a unit, often giving room for abuse.
Under the CPS, pension fund administrators don’t necessarily have access to contributed funds, a situation which reduces the incidence of corruption.

Following past experiences in pension assets mismanagement, however, issues relating to funds management had always been of interest to stakeholders who want to be assured that their money is safe at all times.

Nevertheless, sensing the magnitude of the disaffection which Mayshak’s removal may generate in the public, including the condition of pension assets, the management of the agency had been quick to assure pensioners, particularly those being currently managed by PTAD that the development would not affect pension payments and services.

Experts believe negative incidences of fraud as regarding pension funds management will continue to generate tension particularly among pensioners, some of who depend on it for sustenance.

Although the situation appeared to have been put under some measure of control, the managers of public pension assets would need to be put under spotlight to reduce the incidence or possibility of corruption which is capable of destroying the reputation of the system and eroding stakeholders’ confidence in the administration of their funds.

Bumpy roads to CAN presidency

by Sunday Oguntola,
The presidential election of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) billed for May is tearing apart hitherto united groups and stakeholders with unexpected intrigues almost on a daily basis. SUNDAY OGUNTOLA reports on the tension-soaked build-up to the exercise as well as infighting among blocs and churches constituting the organization.

ALL is not well with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) ahead of its presidential election later in May. The struggle for the body’s top position worsened last Monday with the kidnap of President of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria (UCC), Reverend Emmanuel Dziggau.

Dziggau, who is also head of TEKAN/ECWA bloc of the umbrella Christian body, was abducted in a farm some 17km off the Kaduna/Abuja expressway with two other ministers identified as Rev. Iliya Anto and Rev. Yakubu Zarma. The trio was at the farm for clearing of land for the church’s seminary, which was about to take off when six masked gunmen seized them.

They were whisked to an unknown destination immediately. But impeccable sources said the kidnappers contacted the UCC’s leadership few hours later after realising Anto, who had just undergone a surgery, was sick. They reportedly arranged to have him picked up on compassionate grounds at a prescribed location.

The operation was however busted when the kidnappers sighted policemen with the church’s leaders waiting to pick up the sick Anto. It was gathered that the kidnappers called off the pick-up effort and placed an N100million ransom on the three pastors. Our correspondent learnt that members and leaders of UCC are negotiating with the kidnappers for downward review of the ransom while also raising funds to secure release of the ministers.

Few hours after the kidnap, the national secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake, attributed the incident to contention for the body’s forthcoming election in an SMS to church leaders nationwide.

Asake said: “To all CAN leaders all over the country, it is with heavy heart that I send this SMS to you to inform you that the unbelievable has happened in the family of CAN. The TEKAN/ECWA bloc leader, Rev. Dr Emmanuel Dziggau was kidnapped today and it is in connection with the forthcoming CAN election.”

He later summoned all church leaders to an emergency meeting at the National Christian Church, Abuja for last Thursday by 6pm, stating “all hands must be on deck to ensure those who do not wish the church well do not succeed.”

Investigations revealed that the meeting was called off when some church leaders queried Asake for linking the kidnap incident to the forthcoming election. Many of them, it was learnt, challenged him to present evidence of the inference, expressing anger that the body’s leadership was already drawing conclusion before investigations.

It was learnt that the development led to a shouting match among some church leaders in Abuja last week. Sources said some took on Asake for having the effrontery to send out such a loaded message out before security agents were allowed to do their work.

More than a kidnap

The Secretary of National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), Pastor Bosun Emmanuel followed up with an email on the kidnap incident to selected church leaders. He said: “It is believed that the kidnap is not unconnected with subterranean moves being made by some forces in the country to influence the election of the next President of CAN.

“Rev. Dr Dziggau, according to people close to him, has consistently resisted pressures to support undue interference in the election process to produce the next President of CAN, a stand which has drawn the anger of some influential Christians in government. He has been heard to express his neutrality openly.”

Dziggau, according to investigations, is a key figure in the election process. As head of a bloc, he has the authority to recommend anyone from his group for the top post. While he has stated that he is not interested in vying for the position, some forces within the TEKAN/ECWA have been rooting for the national president of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr Jeremiah Gado, to represent the bloc.

It was learnt that Dziggau balked at the idea, telling many that the bloc has no interest in presenting anyone for CAN presidency. His position has been interpreted as an opposition to the ambition of Gado, making some to insinuate that he might have been kidnapped to prevent him from being a spoiler to Gado’s aspiration.

Election politicking: Not even the church is spared

One of those fuelling the theory told our correspondent on strict condition of anonymity that “You know there is an internal crisis within his bloc. They did this to shut the man up. I doubt if he will be released until after the nomination process has been concluded. This is from his bloc and it is very unfortunate.”

But those in the pro-Gado’s camp are countering the insinuation. They said such theory do not hold waters. “If we need him to nominate Rev. Dr Gado, why would we kidnap him? Will that make him do what we want as they insinuated? This does not make sense and I think people should be a bit smarter when saying things.”

Instead they are also pointing accusing fingers at the current leadership of CAN, saying it was behind the abduction of Dziggau. They said the kidnapped leader is known to have sympathies for the CAN’s helmsman, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who they accuse of plotting to install his successor at all costs.

“Oritsejafor and his group are behind all of this. They want to make it look like an internal crisis within TEKAN/ECWA. That is why they are quick to jump into conclusion and impute motives to the incident,” the source added.

Executive Director of Voice of Northern Christian Movement, Pastor Kallamu Dikwa, said the abducted Dziggau must have connived with forces loyal to Oritsejafor to plan the incident. This, he alleged, “is to cover their corrupt activities during the Jonathan’s years and get sympathies from people, while also destabilising the next CAN election so that they can remain in CAN.”

But spokesman of Northern States CAN, Rev. Joseph Hayab, denounced insinuations that the kidnap had anything to do with the forthcoming elections. He said the incident was carried out by criminals out to make cheap money.

According to him, “It is mischievous and childish to say the kidnap is about CAN election. It is sad that some people are politicising a criminal issue that affects a religious leader. In the last one month, at least four people have been kidnapped around the same place that these men of God were seized. Were those cases also related to the elections?”

Contending interests

Investigations revealed that Oritsejafor has more than a passing interest in who succeeds him. This, it was learnt, is why the election, which has always been outside of public purview, has attracted so much attention and drawn church leaders against themselves.

President of National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), Solomon Asemota, in a document titledNext President of CAN, said the forum, which was created by Oritsejafor, “should give advice by way of guidance to help in the selection of a qualified, suitable and respectable President of CAN.”

Asemota asked members of the forum in the private document: “In the circumstance, would it be safe for the NCEF to be neutral so that a perceived Islamist or their proxy, sympathiser or agent becomes the President of CAN?” It is believed Oritsejafor is out for a successor that will protect his legacies and prevent possible backlashes from unintended mistakes.

The wars within blocs

At the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of CAN in Abuja, it was decided that the five blocs namely the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN); the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN); the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)/Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN); Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and TEKAN/ECWA should submit names of their respective candidates latest by March 31.

The directive has thrown up serious contentions within the TEKAN/ECWA and OAIC blocs, which are yet to produce the body’s president. Many forces and vested interests have been scheming and coming up with permutations to support their respective candidates.

The OAIC clearly has the advantage in producing the next President of CAN. This is because of the general consensus that the slot should be ceded to the bloc. Churches within the bloc are however known to be disunited and always at each other’s throats, almost foreclosing the possibility of a consensus candidate.

The General Evangelist of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Elder Joseph Otubu, is a strong contender from the bloc. The retired gynaecologist is a leading light of Aladura Movement, which is a major component of the bloc. Some consider him the best prospect from the bloc in terms of pedigree and professional exposure.

There is a wide sentiment among the Aladura Movement in OAIC that Otubu represents their best chance to have a shot at the presidency of CAN. Many of them who spoke with our correspondent said should Otubu be stopped by forces within the bloc, the Aladura Churches might never lead the Christian community in the foreseeable future.

But he is facing serious opposition from elderly components of the church, which some forces said are just envious of his meteoric rise within the movement.

The soft-spoken, rich cleric has however been receiving endorsements from some prominent leaders of the Aladura Movement, including Most Rev. Samuel Abidoye, the Chairman of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Movement Ayo Ni O and Spiritual leader of Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church of Nigeria, His Most Eminence Dr. Solomon A. Alao, who is also leading the Unification arms of the Aladura Churches.    Many other members of the Movement from the South East have also endorsed his candidature from letters written to CAN secretariat that our correspondent obtained.

But there is also the South West Chairman of OAIC, Archbishop (Professor) Magnus Atilade, who is giving Otubu a big chase in the bloc. Atilade, also a medical doctor, has long years of experience in CAN.

He was recently appointed as the First vice national President of OAIC in Abuja to underscore his importance within the bloc. His opponents said that the new position was to shut off from the CAN presidency while his supporters said it was to shore up his candidature.

Atilade is widely connected with active services in several capacities within CAN. But his critics said he is not a bona fide member of OAIC because his church, Gospel Baptist Conference of Nigeria and Overseas broke from the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), which is part of CCN. They said Atilade should be part of CCN and not OAIC, which has more Aladura churches.

Otubu has the support of the large Aladura majority within the bloc while Atilade is the toast of some other indigenous churches within the group. The NEC of OAIC is expected to meet soon in Abuja to present a candidate, which is seen as a tough choice. The REC meeting of OAIC has been put on holds for several weeks, ostensibly to calm frayed nerves and reduce tensions within the bloc.

In ECWA/TEKAN, Gado is the darling of most northern interest groups and bodies. They see him as a rallying point because no northern, aside from Archbishop John Onaiyekan from Kabba in Kogi State, has ever presided over CAN. Onaiyekan got the position via the CSN bloc, which dominated the umbrella body for several years. Most northern Christians, who spoke with our correspondent, said it is the turn of the region to lead the organisation.

They argue that the body took off in the north in 1964 as a response to the series of attacks and persecutions targeted against Christians before it became a national body in 1976. Hayab said there was nothing wrong with having a northerner as CAN president because the region has supported others from the South in the past.

He said: “We never saw anybody as northerner or southerner. We saw everybody as a Christian. I am surprised people are seeing this thing from a tribal point of view. This is not good for Christian unity and oneness. We should allow the best candidate to emerge that will protect Christians nationwide.”

But Gado has serious battles to contend with. The current secretary general, Rev. Musa Asake, is from his bloc. His critics said it wouldn’t be possible to have a President and Secretary from the same bloc. Many believe Asake is indisposed to Gado’s emergence so as to retain his position in the incoming administration.

But our correspondent’s findings revealed that Asake was appointed to complete the tenure of Engr. Salifu, his predecessor from the same bloc, who fell out with Oritsejafor few months after the latter became national president and resigned in anger.

Gado’s biggest hurdle to the CAN presidency however is the perception that he is the anointed government’s candidate. This perception stems from the fact that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, is a pastor in ECWA. Gado’s critics and opponents are insinuating that Lawal is using his influence and contacts in the presidency to push for the ECWA president candidature.

Lawal’s Senior Special Adviser on Political Matters, Gideon Sammani, is also a member of ECWA church. It is believed that Lawal and Sammani are working behind the scene to shore up Gado’s aspiration, an allegation that his supporters have denounced as an attempt to blackmail him out of the race.

The involvement of the presidency in the election is said to have sent jitters down spines in Aso Rock. Our correspondent gathered that there is an express directive that nobody in the presidency should interfere in the process to avoid embarrassment.

Conversation with Gado

The ECWA President told our correspondent on phone last Friday that all the insinuations against his candidacy were orchestrated to smear and frustrate him out of the race. Reacting to the allegation that he had anything to do with Dziggau’s abduction, Gado said: “Those spreading that rumour are threatened by my candidacy so they want to smear me. They see me as standing on their way out of desperation. They are just out to blackmail me.” He believes the abduction was arranged to frustrate the primary of TEKAN/ECWA from holding. “I’m for primary in TEKAN/ECWA. But some forces do not want this to hold. When we met in March 15 for the exercise in Jos, Plateau State they scuttled it.

“It has been postponed to March 29, just two days before the deadline for submission of bloc nomination to the national secretariat. I am suspecting the abduction was to prevent the primary from holding. If there is anybody that wants the primary to hold, it is me.

“If we cannot hold the primary, I won’t be able to be nominated to contest from my bloc. So, I suspect they are holding Rev. Dziggau to frustrate me. I fear he might not be released until after the primary has been foreclosed. Those who rushed to make insinuations about the incident should know something about the abduction,” he concluded.

Gado said the process leading to the primary in TEKAN/ECWA has been anything but orderly. “Due process is not being followed. There is no order. I don’t mind losing because it is not a matter of life and death. But I want to lose in a free and fair primary.”

He dispelled the notion that Lawal and Sammani were working for him in Aso Rock, saying they are just church members. “I solicited for the help and support of all ECWA members. They are our members but they have nothing to do with this aspiration. If they support me, it is only in their private capacities.”

How the new president will emerge

Until six years ago when Oritsejafor mounted the saddles, CAN election was more or less a private affair completely carried out without any hues or cries. But everything changed when Oritsejafor decided to challenge the establishment and mounted a spirited campaign that took him to most parts of the north.

His efforts yielded results when he clinched the presidency. His flamboyant lifestyle and public comments soon attracted attention to the otherwise conservative organisation. Article 18d of the body’s constitution prescribes that the President and Vice President “must be nominated by an electoral college of 15 spiritual leaders.” The Electoral College will be inaugurated by March 31 with each of the five blocs nominating three representatives. It is at the College that the real battle is expected to be fought. This is because whichever of the five candidates presented to the College members will be pruned down to two.

The two candidates with the highest votes will be presented to CAN’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which has 109 members drawn from the five blocs; 37 state representatives; national officers and the women and youth wings of the body. An election at the stage between the two candidates will finally determine the next CAN president with the one with the second highest votes automatically becoming the vice-president.

The General Assembly merely ratifies the result of elections. But it has the option of opposing the candidate with the majority votes, which will force the Electoral College to “reconsider the suitability or otherwise of the candidate based upon the reasons adduced by those who opposed.”

It is expected that the forthcoming election will go the long hull with gladiators determined to ensure that only their candidates succeed. The desperation is already creating ripples and fears of a breakaway in the umbrella Christian body. The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in 2014 suspended its participation at the national level of the body, saying it had derailed from its original mandates.

The group was bitter with the undue attention Oritsejafor was drawing to the body, saying his leadership style leaves much to be desired. It only returned less than a year ago after much persuasion from concerned senior citizens.

The imminent implosion, many fears, may result if the northern axis of the group loses out at the presidency. Some foot soldiers in northern CAN are already threatening to pull out. They say they have more numbers to stand on their own. But their Southern counterparts counter that they provide the resources and impetus to run the organisation.

Whichever way the election goes, CAN will no doubt not remain the same again. The new helmsman will face a serious hurdle on reconciliation and realignment for the apex Christian body to regain its lost glories.