Opposition Parties’ Merger And the Danger Of Acute Cynicism

The average Nigerian has the right to be cynical! This is what becomes of a people who have been made to endure years of unfulfilled expectations in governance. We are a people with a brutalised psyche. We have hoped for better days but got disappointment in return so we would rather not hope again. That sounds just all right until we realise that it is the nature of the human spirit to live in hope. To modify the popular title from the literary icon, Wole Soyinka, the man dies in him/her who loses hope! It is hope that makes us get up from the bed in the morning, that makes us try again, that makes us push on with life in spite of the odds. When we stop to live in hope, our mind is automatically reconditioned to a “failure” or “defeat” mode. Then, even though we live, the life we live become like mere shadow.
A mind in defeat mode is a cynical mind. Never believing, ever doubting. A mild cynical mind dismisses any suggested solutions with a wave of the hand. But I like to address the variant I call “acute cynicism”. The acutely cynical mind goes to length in analysing a problem only to show you why the proffered solutions cannot work. Unfortunately, one thing that escapes his radar of intellectual prognostication is finding the solutions that can work. He is therefore, a specialist in pointing out the impossible or implausible but totally helpless in pointing out or attempting to do the necessary. Simply put, the acute cynic lives in the paralysis of analysis.  He has lost hope and his mind has been conditioned to see nothing but obstacles.
I have seen a wind of cynicism both of the mild and the acute types greeting the recent announcement of the major opposition political parties in Nigeria of their merger and formation of the all Progressives Congress, APC. Even those who have been involved in the search for political change in the country seem to have been caught up in this web of cynicism. Many questions have been raised, with accompanying analysis all aimed at just creating a doubt as to the viability of this move as an alternative to the PDP’s legacy of rudderless governance. In as much as I concede that the merger of the parties is not in itself a solution to our political quagmire, I believe that it holds the possibility of throwing up the space for more intense engagement by citizens who have good intentions for the greatness of our nation. I’ll return to this point in my conclusion. Let me try to take some of the issues I have heard people raise.
Some say the new Party is a marriage of strange bed-fellows. People who peddle this view seem to forget that there are good people and bad people everywhere, including the religious orders and houses. The Parties in this merger are coming with all manner of personalities but we seem to forget that the product of the merger is a new Party that will have its constitution, manifesto and methods of doing things. Before the new Party takes a definite shape, there is a window of opportunity for the cynics to jump in and create power blocs through which they can influence the shape of the Party. That is how to play politics, rather than just sitting there and criticising.
Another issue that many critics have raised borders on the Ideology of the new Party. “They don’t have an ideology”, says the critic, “they just want to grab power”.  Unfortunately, people who bandy this “ideology talk” leave one wondering if they understand the meaning of political ideology. I have seen folks use the lack of ideology to write off any political movement without defining what they mean by “ideology”. They usually confine the meaning of political ideology to the American model of democrats and conservatives. What the cynic fails to realise is that an ideology is a value system that develops or coalesces over time. It is not merely a statement or declaration! It is an orientation to solving a perceived social, economic or political problem; hence, you have those whose political ideology is all about protecting the environment, emphasising traditional values (like monarchy), promoting racial, class or ethnic superiority, etc. If you define “ideology” in terms of liberal or conservative, socialist or capitalist, left wing or right wing, etc, with due respect, you have read a lot of books, and I’d counsel that you book the next flight to utopia.  Real life situations are ever dynamic and cannot be fitted into ideological straightjackets. At this level of Nigeria’s development, I’d rather align with the candidate or party who has clear cut solutions to the pressing socio-economic problems of the country, than the one who preaches socialism or capitalism, liberalism or conservativism – all of which could just be high sounding clichés devoid of content. So when I see a person or party set to fight corruption headlong, I’m more inclined to get closer to him than to the one who regales me with empty clichés in the name of ideology. The traditional ideological mould which pitches socialism against capitalism has proven so inadequate in articulating and solving the developmental problems facing mankind hence the western world is becoming more socialist while China has become capitalist! So much for “ideology”
Therefore, when a group of persons, even though some have questionable antecedents, come together to say they are unhappy about the way the country has been run over the years and hold themselves out as capable of providing alternative leadership within the political process, the least anyone can do is to see how their thoughts and intentions develop into a concrete plan of action. Even at that, you are not obliged to agree with them but that must be based on intelligent reasoning. We shouldn’t go looking for “ideology” as if it is one esoteric cure-all portion. Let us rally round the ideology of fighting corruption, enthroning merit in our national life, providing the much needed infrastructure for socio-economic development, etc. Better still, anyone who thinks she/he knows how things ought to be done more properly should develop his/her own political base as a counter balance to perceived lack of “ideology”. The only true alternative to what you are criticising is what you are doing.      
Similarly, I find it difficult to comprehend this talk about the merger being all about grabbing political power. Please, what else do people look for in politics if not to influence the way a society if governed? A political party is either in “power” or aspiring to take control of “power”. This is pretty elementary! Ok, should the merger be about cheering the present leadership? Should it be about settling domestic disputes? Organising owambe? Or sharing subsidy fund? It must necessarily be about “grabbing political power” – whatever that means, because that is the only way to show us what they have to offer in terms of alternative governance. It is either we have fundamentally misunderstood the nature of politics or we have sunk too deep into cynicism.
We are all agreed that there are fundamental problems hindering the progress of our nation, corruption, violence, incompetence in leadership, mediocrity, etc. Except our mind is already working in the defeat mode, otherwise we should be proffering solutions and working towards solutions rather than writing off what another person is doing. Even our friends who are trying to “reform” the PDP are by far more honourable than the person who is paralysed in and by his/her analysis. For the acute cynic who is criticising and doing nothing, please, channel that same energy to productive engagement today. Pick up your broken pieces of hope and become a carrier of the message of a new Nigeria. Tell people around you about the possibility of a new nation and the role they must play in their private lives and little corners. For the persons who are involved in the search for change but who think they derive further legitimacy by writing off what others are doing even before they see the shape of it, I encourage you to conserve that energy and channel it into what you are building. It is the efforts of women and men of goodwill spread over time and space that can bring change in any given social situation.
Finally, a cynical mind is a defeated mind. It is only a helpless man who whines over a problem that demands solution. Perpetual analysis only results in paralysis. Once again, the only true alternative to what you criticise is what you are doing.
Leonard Ugbajah
Lawyer, public policy analyst.
Saharareporters

Robbers storm Zenith Bank in Lagos, eight arrested

A gang of eight armed robbers on Friday afternoon stormed the Abule Egba, Lagos State branch of Zenith Bank, causing a heavy commotion in the area as people scampered for safety.
DailyPost Metro had gathered that the robbers, apparently acting on a tipoff, stormed the Zenith Bank branch located on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, at Abule Egba, with several sophisticated weapons and some local charms charms at about 2:30pm.
Luck, however ran against them as a police team made up of officers of the Lagos state Special Anti-Robbery Squad and those of Area G Police Command led by the Area G Commandant, Assistant Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Ishola, reacted promptly to the distress call from the area.
However, they foiled the robbery operation and arrested all the members of the eight-man gang.

On sighting the police team, the robbers opened fire on the police team, which lasted for over an hour, causing panic in the area.
They were eventually overpowered by the police team and arrested. Among the weapons recovered from the armed robbers were five AK-47 riffles.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident. Braide told DailyPost that two vehicles used by the robbers were recovered.
DailyPost

Borno elders blast Jonathan, insist he should treat Boko Haram insurgents like Niger Delta militants

“There is nationwide call for amnesty or better still, pardon to be granted to the militants in such a way the militants in the Niger Delta were granted. If I may recall Mr. President, your call for the militants to come into the open as a condition for amnesty to be offered to them is inappropriate as the situation of this sectarian conflict is different from what obtains in the Niger Delta where as you stated, the militants actually came out to be received.

“In the Niger Delta, the situation was different because many of them were already operating openly and well known to the security forces and the government. The nature of the two conflicts are different. Here you are dealing with people who believe they are fighting on the basis of some ideology, not necessarily religious or political but fundamentally social and the desire to bring about certain changes in the ways of life of the society.

“Even then, if one may recollect, in the case of Niger Delta, late President Umaru Musa Yaradua granted them pardon before they talked about ceasefire. They were heavily compensated, rehabilitated, and given all kinds of job to do. Some of the responsibilities given to them are such as policing the oil bunkering and piracy going on in our high seas—as a situation of getting the thief to catch a thief.”

"This town is full of orphans, fathers and mothers without their children, lost men and women, some in detention, some in hiding and some incapacitated—a tale of horror, grief and agony. In this crossfire more innocent people have died. The nature of the operation is frightening. When the militants kill one soldier, a whole ward or street is put on fire and dead bodies often litter the street. We lack information or statistics of innocent peoples who have died or kept in detention and how many of the militants were actually, killed, arrested and detained. Markets are closed, shops destroyed, road blocks in all major and minor roads.

“Mr. President Sir, we urge you to personally investigate this situation of horror and terror because the extent of damage done is enormous. H.E., the Governor of Borno State Alh. Kashim Shettima continues to appeal for calm and tolerance because as he says “hard times never last forever..."~Mr. Alkali said

URGENT LETTER TO MY BROTHER, KENYA.

Morning Bro, My name is RWANDA..Your small bro...This letter is a bit long...nway, How are You? Hope you are good...Just like Me...Bro, Its long since we talked but this letter is urgent! You have to do what I say!

Bro, in April 1994,the worst happened to Me. After the death of My President, Juvenal Habyarimana, who was a TUTSI, My people went totally crazy!

You see, The TUTSI and HUTU were the major tribes that I had...Now, the HUTU were smaller than the TUTSI and the TUTSI had held on to power for so long! And in April, madness began!

After a fierce campaign propaganda by the angry HUTUs, who wanted power too, I watched as the HUTU bought 581,000 machetes(pangas ) from China.

I sadly watched as the HUTU also bought rocket launchers, mortar bombs, grenades and ammunition worth £18M from Egypt.

My heart was beating. My soul was scared. I watched, with sadness and fear, the media spreading false propaganda, lies and innuendo to the public!

I even watched the CHURCH preaching hatred, ethnicity and war.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. The stage was set for War. My children were getting prepared for the worst! Hate Leaflets were being spread. The HUTU were getting armed. The TUTSI were getting scared.

Bro,one sad morning, IT HAPPENED!

I heard children screaming! I saw women crying! I heard men wailing! MY HEART ALMOST STOPPED!

Bro, within 100 days, My children turned into animals! They butchered each other! Slaughtered each other! Ambushed each other!

I watched as 1,000 TUTSI children were burnt alive in a Polish Catholic Church!

I watched as 2,500 TUTSI men were bombed to death while hiding in a tiny, crowded Church!

I watched sadly as around 250,000 girls were mercilessly raped and beaten to death!

I watched as 400,000 TUTSI men lost their manhood after it was cut in public by the HUTU!

I watched as 2,000 women were thrown into a pit of fire like dead houseflies!

I watched endless rivers of blood flow in my streets!

I watched children crying, children mourning their parents, children being slaughtered with machetes!

I watched as USA President, Bill Clinton and the U.N peace keepers ignored Me! Letting Me destroy myself!

I knew that’s was the END OF ME.

It was sad! Painful! Unbelievable!

For 100 days, My children did the worst! It was blood, tears, sorrow, pain, death and agony!

And Finally, I LOST A MILLION PEOPLE! Yes, A MILLION Tutsi and Hutu died in just 100 days!

When the madness stopped, I knelt and thanked God!

They were fighting for a politician! Fighting for a tribe! Fighting for power!

BUT what did they gain? NOTHING! Absolutely NOTHING!

Until today, I HAVE NEVER recovered from the madness! I have so many scars,so much pain!

Bro,

I see Your people are holding elections in 40days. I see You guys are getting ready! I see two major Kenyan tribes, LUO and KIKUYU, have the major Presidential Candidates.

Bro, take My Word;

.Whatever happens ,

.Whoever wins

.Whoever loses

.Whether they rig or not

.Whether the loser accepts the results or not

.Whatever they tell You

.Whether they incite You or Not

.Whatever grudge you may have towards the winning tribe or Candidate

Bro,

I ASK YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD,

Please, DO NOT DO WHAT WE DID!

.Do NOT burn that church

.Do NOT rape that woman

.Do NOT slaughter those children

.Do NOT mutilate those hands or legs

.Do NOT use that panga

.Do NOT massacre those poor kids!

Bro, I LOVE YOU! Am always praying for You, I want the BEST for you!

Take it from Me Bro,

IF YOU DARE DO WHAT WE DID, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! And You will NEVER be the same again!!!

Bro, am crying as I write this....my eyes are wet...My heart is heavy....

Bro, AM DOWN ON MY KNEES: I ASK YOU IN THE NAME OF JEHOVAH GOD,DO NOT DO WHAT WE DID!!! Do NOT!

I would NEVER wish that ANY COUNTRY goes through what I did! NEVER!

Kenya, I LOVE YOU BRO!

You are BIGGER than any tribe or any politician!

Have a fun election day.

LOVE,
RWANDA.

Northerners hold 83 per cent of oil blocks – Senator

AMID a raging debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Rules, Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday, said that 83 per cent of oil blocks in the country are owned by Northerners.

“There should be equity and federal character in the allocation of oil blocks in this country. Eighty-three per cent of all present oil blocks are held by northerners,” Enang said on the floor of the Senate, without any of the senior lawmakers contradicting him.
Enang, representing Akwa Ibom North-East (Uyo) Senatorial District, therefore demanded a review of oil block licences in the country even as other senators from the South urged him on.
Enang’s disclosures came a day after the debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill had split the senators along North-South lines. The senators held a rowdy session as those from the north stoutly opposed the provision of 10 per cent Host Community Fund in the bill.
The provision requires operating companies in the Niger Delta, home to Nigeria’s vast oil resource, to pay 10 per cent of their net profits to the fund for the development of the communities.
Strengthening his submission, Senator Enang gave a summary of major oil blocks vis-a-vis their ownership.
Enang said Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of OML 110, awarded to Alhaji Mai Deribe of Borno State (North East), makes an average of about N4bn monthly.
He said, “Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU marginal field has Prince Sanusi Lamido (not CBN Governor) as a major shareholder and Director.
“South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO), was established by Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, who is also the Chairman of ENI Nigeria Limited. SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Lomited to become operators of the OPL 246.
“AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is owned by Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello of Kotangora, Niger State. They are operators of OML 112 and OML 117.
“A former Petroleum minister and former OPEC chairman, Rilwanu Lukman, another northerner, manages AMNI oil blocks and with very key interests in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.
“Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Indimi, runs three oil blocks: OML 15, the Okwok field and the Ebok field.
“Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s Express Petroleum and Gas Limited operates OML 108.
“OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited is owned by Alhaji. W.I. Folawiyo.
“OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor, which was sold by Starcrest to Addax Petroleum. Emeka Offor still has a stake in Addax operations in Nigeria.
“Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration industry in Nigeria with six oil blocks;
“Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo’s North East Petroleum Limited is the holder of the OPL 215 licence. NOREASTER Petroleum was awarded blocks OPL 276 and OPL 283 and closing thereupon a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas.
“INTEL is owned by (Abubakar) Atiku, Yar’Adua and Ado Bayero and has substantial stakes in Nigeria’s oil exploration industry, both in Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe.
“These need to be looked into, revoked and re-awarded. The Federal Character which is a principle applicable in every aspect of our national existence should also be brought to bear in the application of our oil blocks, marginal fields and prospecting licences.”
Enang’s disclosures came amid a consensus among the lawmakers on the need to let the bill sail through second reading, while further legislative work would take care of the contentious issues.
Enang, who spoke in support of the PIB, also argued for the retention of the 10 per cent host community fund, adding that it did not amount to an additional derivation.
Speaking also in favour of the bill, Senator Chris Anyanwu (Imo East) said the bill would address the issue of criminality in the sector.
She said, “The element I like most in the bill is the host community fund because it removes the motive for crime. It gives them a sense of belonging and ownership. Until the PIB is ready and people know that their investment is safe, they will not come to Nigeria.”
Senator Ayogu Eze from Enugu North also urged his colleagues to support the bill so as allow for the fine-tuning of other controversial areas.
Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) argued that Section 191 of the bill gave too much powers to the President, which must be curtailed.
Norther senators whose earlier position was outright rejection of the bill have moved to give the bill a chance.
Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) captured the new mood when he said, “I was one of the people completely opposed to the bill but from the trend of the debate it looked like the Senate is ready to do a thorough job without fear or favour. For this reason, I will join others in asking that this bill be considered while the contentious positions are addressed.
“It is necessary that the powers of the minister be reduced so that whosoever is the minister is not a super minister.”
In spite of this, Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central); Senators Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West); Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna North); and Nurudeen Abatemi (Kogi Central) raised concerns on the provisions for host communities’ fund.
They also expressed hope that the issue would be properly thrashed at the critical stages of the bill.
The debate on the general principles of the bill would be concluded on Thursday (today).
Punch

FCT polls: ACN candidates back CPC in Bwari

by Adam Umar

Ahead of the March 16 Area Council elections in the FCT, seven of the ten Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) wards chairmen in Bwari Area Council have resolved to support the candidature of Musa Dikko of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) at a meeting held at the council.

The ward chairmen include Michael Osadebe, Bhyazin, Onah Roggers, Kubwa Central, Sani Musa Usuma, Moses Obaje, Bwari Central, Joseph Kuduru, Kuduru, Friday Ughegbe, Ushafa and Sahabi Ibo, Igun.

The meeting also deliberated on issues including setting up a committee that would harmonize the councillorship candidates of the two parties in the election, where some candidates would be asked to step down for the most popular and credible ones in the two parties.

Announcing the committee members, CPC party chairman in Bwari Mallam Uthman Muhammad Odu, said five members were selected from each of the two parties.

In his remark ACN chairman in council, Mr Michael Atobe Obiji, who acknowledged the resistance of the ACN candidate Yahaya Isa to still contest said Isa no longer has the backing of the party, adding that ACN as party is empowered by the Constitution to decide who to stand for the party as candidate, and that it has resolve to support the CPC candidate.

It would be recalled that the Bwari alliance is coming on the heels of similar arrangement at Abuja Municipal Area Council, where the two parties, resolved to support an ACN candidate Ishaku Tanko Yamawo for the election.

DailyTrust

‘APC parties have no problem working together in Sokoto’

 by Rakiya A.Muhammad, Sokoto

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Abdullahi Shehu

Abdullahi Shehu is the secretary of the Sokoto State chapter of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). In this interview, Shehu explains why opposition parties in Sokoto would have no problem working together in future elections. Excerpts:

How do you see the emergence of APC?

The coming together of the parties that formed the APC has given Nigerians more strength and courage and people are becoming more comfortable that we will certainly have a change in Nigeria. ANPP as an opposition political party felt it was necessary for her to go into merger with other strong opposition parties so that they are repositioned to become stronger to make democracy stronger.

But do you think APC has the capacity to bring about the desired change?

Certainly, if you look at the caliber of people there, I think it is enough to say it is going to make it. The composition of APC shows that what we are going to experience politically in future will take a different dimension. If you look at ACN,CPC,ANPP,APGA, the people who are championing the cause have the belief that if they stay on their own as opposition political parties they would not make it, so they’ve agreed that everybody should keep aside his feelings and sentiments and put Nigeria first, forget about our differences and work together to save the country. So APC has a national outlook, it is not a sectional party because we have almost all regions participating and agreeing on the matter. I think with this national outlook everybody would agree that it will bring the desired change.God willing PDP will become a minority party in Nigeria, I don’t have any doubt about that.

How far have you gone with the APC issue in Sokoto?

We have lot of strategies we are trying to adopt. We are doing our homework. We have lots of promises and by God’s grace, when political activities begin, people will see wonders in Sokoto.

At the national, they have different committees, currently, they are working on the Constitution to see how they can register the party. Officially nothing has been done yet in Sokoto but we have close contacts with all the parties that are involved and we are all happy that we have come under one umbrella and we have agreed to work harmoniously.

Some think the opposition parties in the state were not rising up to the challenges expected of them…

It depends on how people are looking at opposition. Some people believe that opposition is all about attacking government, it’s not like that, we have different ways of achieving what we want to achieve. In the past elections, when people felt there was no ANPP in Sokoto, we did our home work very well and on the eve of election people became surprised that we pulled crowd. So it is the same strategy we are adopting now. Opposition is not about attacking people. We don’t feel we should remain in opposition because we want to oppose, we believe things are not going well and we have the belief we can make things go right, better than they are going now.

Politics is not all about war but service delivery. I am calling on the people of Sokoto to make the best use of APC, certainly APC is the way out for us.

Some say APC will encounter problems that may hinder it from achieving its aim…

Whatever assignment you are doing and it is hitch free, check yourself, don’t expect you wouldn’t have problems. But I believe any problem that we may have God will give us the wisdom to be able to tackle it and we don’t expect to have a free driving process, there’s bound to be one or two problems but the ability to solve the problem determines if you are a man. APC has come at the right time coming at the time PDP is in crisis. We have three major camps in the PDP now and they are not willing to compromise, many of the PDP members would fall back to APC.

DailyTrust