My mother-in-law crashed my first marriage – Mercy Aigbe

By OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI Mercy Aigbe needs no formal introduction as one of the most-sought- after actresses in Nollywood. She’s one of the top rated actresses who has paid her dues in the industry. In this interview with Showtime Celebrity,  Mercy opens up on many issues, including her marriage to her ex-husband, her recent marriage, career, challenges and others. Excerpt:
What’s been happening?
I have been busy working and some of my movies have been released in the market.  I just completed my most recent movie titled, Suru Lere(Patience Has Gain). I  also traveled to shoot the concluding part of my movie, Osas, and by December, we’re going to round everything up.
You started as an actress and now, you’re a producer, how has it been?
It hasn’t been easy because it involves more responsibilities.  As an established actress and now a producer, you want to give what people will see and respect. Producing movies that are not up to standard will affect the way people look at me. So, it’s double work because I also play lead roles in my movies.
How  much do you spend producing a movie?
Like I said, as a producer, I love to give out my best on a project. But with the kind of environment  we have here, one of my challenges is piracy. Sometimes, when you have a project and you’re to spend like N10m, you’ll always want to cut cost because you’re not sure pirates will allow you recoup your money. But at the same time, because of my status and the kind of person I am, I always want to do what I want to do.
You being a Benin woman, why did you choose to act in Yoruba movies?
I’ll say it’s providence because it’s not by choice. I didn’t know I would be more prominent in the Yoruba movie genre. But  I’m a professional- I studied Theater Arts at the University of Lagos. So maybe this is where God wants me to be for now.
Actually, I started off acting in soaps. I did a couple of soaps before going into Yoruba movies. And it was after I featured in few Yoruba movies that I started getting more scripts from Yoruba movie producers. It’s not as if I don’t get called up by non-Yoruba movie producers and it’s not as if I don’t want to diversify to feature in English movies or even produce mine, but for now, I’m okay with where I am .

*Mercy

You’re so fluent in Yoruba. Did you grow up in the West?
Yes, I grew up in Lagos but I would say I learnt the language on the job because before I started acting in Yoruba movies, I wasn’t fluent in the language. My father was the type who didn’t want us to lose our root so, most of the times, we speak Benin and English at home. It was because we lived in Lagos that I started picking up a bit of Yoruba. When I started, my scripts were written in Yoruba and I would pronounce words just anyhow. But because I love my job, I had to learn and as I continued acting, I got better with it.
So you knew you were going to be an actress?
Yes. That was why I went to study Theater Arts. I first went to Polytechnic, Ibadan where I had my OND in Financial Studies and Instead of  continuing with my HND,  I went to the University of Lagos for my degree in Theater Arts.
So what happened after the degree?
It wasn’t easy because I had to battle my dad  who never supported my decision to go into acting.  He didn’t believe I could earn a living with it. So it was hell until he consoled himself, in Nigeria, you don’t necessarily have to work with the certificate you have.
How much were you paid when you just started?
We were not paid at all. When I started, it wasn’t easy finding people who believed in me and take the risk to feature me in their movies especially to play lead because most producers wouldn’t be sure if one is capable of playing a character for a long time even after auditioning. So when I get opportunities to express myself as an upcoming, I was grateful even when I didn’t get paid. I wasn’t paid in most of the movies, and if I got paid at all, it was peanut.
Like How much?
I had been on the set of a movie for three weeks and at the end, I was paid N2000. And I remember on my way back home, I was crying because before I came into the industry, I already had a car and I was okay. So it was like leaving a lucrative job  for an unknown place where I wasn’t even sure I would be accepted. I think my passion for the job kept me on  until things became better.
What determines the kind of script you accept?
The number one thing is the script- it has to be well dialogued and has to make sense. I love to play a character that someone can learn from. Then comes the director, the casts and crew which matters a lot because it’s one thing to have a good script and another to bring it to life.
You said you don’t belong to any caucus. But actresses like Funke Akindele, Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Thomas and others belong to one. Are you a loner?
I’m not a loner o. I didn’t just have to join any caucus because after the movie, Ara, everybody just started giving me scripts. So, there was no need for it. But maybe I should say that I belong to all caucus because I have a good working relationship with everybody, whether it’s the Odunfas, Akos and others. Yinka Quadri, Oga Bello are my fathers and I work with them a lot.
And you didn’t get harassed by producers?
I wouldn’t call it harassment. Yes, men make passes at me because I’m very beautiful. It happens everywhere. I’m an adult and if I wanted to date someone, I would have but I didn’t date anyone.
Why?
Because I just believe that relationships in such industry doesn’t work.
You don’t trust anybody?
Exactly. I just have that thing at the back of my mind that such relationship won’t last long.
Was that what determined you choice of a husband?
Probably, but the thing is that I knew I wasn’t going to date anybody in the industry. So, I wasn’t attracted to anyone and didn’t allow any feeling to develop inside me for anyone. When I’m on set, I just do my job. But I can’t say it influenced my choice of husband. Fine, my husband isn’t in the industry. I didn’t know I would get married to a hotelier and a car dealer. I didn’t have a particular picture in mind. I just met him, fell in love with him because he was very kind, matured and understanding.
One hopes he doesn’t get jealous whenever you go to location for weeks?
It’s a lot of  hard work being a mother, wife and a professional and still be on top of my game. Sometimes, the whole thing just gets to me and I feel exhausted. But I have an understanding husband who loves my job and supports me. He knows I love my job, he knows I’m an independent woman and I love to work for my money. I love his money too o but there’s this pride that comes with me spending my money. So he supports me because he knows my job makes me happy and he doesn’t want to have an unhappy and unproductive wife at home.

Mercy Aigbe

Whenever I’m away on location, I make his food and keep in the freezer. I also have domestic staff who help me out . My mother also help me with the kids whenever I’m away.
Doesn’t he suspect you having an affair whenever you are away on set?
The reason he doesn’t doubt is because when we were dating, I didn’t give him any cause to doubt me. According to him, he has tested me and he trusts me.
So how do you cope being the second wife. Don’t you and the first wife have clashes?
Laughs. This question is very funny and I’m going to deal with this now. What happened is that when I met him, he was already separated from his first wife. Although, they were still married,  but  no longer together. She lives abroad with the children. So, they were already separated when we started dating.
They weren’t divorced?
They weren’t divorced as at the time when I met him but now, they’ve finalized their divorce and I’m the only wife. They were separated for like five years before I came into the picture and their divorce case was in court. They were divorced before we got married. A lot of people don’t know the real gist- now I’m not the second wife but the only wife.
So now you’re happy?
Yes because even when I started dating him, I just allowed people to say whatever they wanted to say. They were still in court then, I didn’t want to say anything and just kept quiet and the town went agog. They finalized their divorce before our wedding and even before I had my son.
You’re a very beautiful woman, how do you cope with male advances?
I get a lot of that because people tell me I don’t look my age. I get a lot of male advances and it makes me feel good because I get reassured of my beauty even after two kids. So I tease my husband about it. A times I even let him know whenever someone makes passes at me so he can know I’m still hot. But jokes apart, I’m a married woman and I don’t want anything that will stain my name. I love my home and I pray to remain married for the rest of my life.  I always know how to draw the line.
So how does he handle it whenever you get advances from men?
He just squeezes his face and asks me if I don’t know that I’m old and I just tease him back that it’s only to him that I’m old, the other guys don’t know that and we just laugh it off. But I think he likes the fact that men make passes at me- I think you should ask him that. But to me, we just joke about it.
Aren’t you due for another baby because your boy is two years old now(laughs)
Yes, I want to have another one by the special grace of God.
So what are you waiting for?
It’s God that gives and I know he’ll do it very soon.
Does your ex husband still bother you?
No, he doesn’t
Did he let you be just like that?
Of course.
Has he moved on like you?
I don’t know anything about him.
Both of you don’t care?
Why would I care? I’m married now and I care only about my husband and my kids.
Are you not bothered about the negative gist in town concerning it?
I don’t have any business with him again. That’s my past. My husband and my children are my present and future.
Divorce cases are many now. How do you hope to remain married again?
It’s not me and I don’t have the power to keep my home. All I’m  determined to do is my best in the relationship. What I’ve done as a woman is to take my marriage to God because the divorce cases are scary. It’s everywhere. Ladies of nowadays are independent and don’t care about marriage.
In the past, single mothers used to lie about their status but today, ladies flaunt it, the world is changing. I’m going to sound a bit spiritual here- the devil is against marriage because it was instituted by God. And anything that has been done by God, he wants to make sure he pulls it down.
Marriage is meant to be sacred but it is no longer like that anymore. A lot of things have changed, even men don’t care what broken home can do to their kids. I feel our spiritual leaders should address it and make people start thinking of the vision God had about marriage.
I’ve been a victim of divorce once and I know what my daughter went through because I had an issue from that marriage. I don’t want to see any of my children go through that again, and that’s why I’ve taken my marriage to God.
So what were those mistakes you made in the last one that you wouldn’t want to repeat in this one?
It’s not like I’m  trying to sound holy but, I didn’t make any mistake. I just feel it was meant to be like that. I had a mother-in-law who didn’t like where I come from. She didn’t like the fact that her son didn’t marry a lady from their village. She made me go through hell. At a point when I couldn’t take it any more, I left the marriage.
So you wouldn’t blame those ladies who wish their mother-in-laws were dead before they got married?
I swear I wouldn’t blame them. If I think back to what I went through, I wouldn’t pray for anyone to go through such because I went through hell in the hands of that woman. And for me to have woken up one day and decided to leave, it wasn’t easy because I was young and tried my best to please her. But she wasn’t pleased. I went out of my way to learn their language, learn how to cook different dishes just to please her but she didn’t bulge.
So what did your ex-husband do about it?
At first, he actually fought it but some women have a strong hold on their sons. In the end, he obeyed her. He didn’t like it that I was leaving but he couldn’t hold me back at the same time because he wanted to please his mum. We had fought the battle for a long time and it wasn’t as if it would come to an end, I had to leave.
Have you ever been broke in your entire adult life so far?
Of course, I had when I left my job for acting. But it wasn’t as if it was that bad because before I left my job, I already made a provision. I had a cosmetic and fashion accessories shop. I knew I would face financial challenges as an upcoming actress. It wasn’t that bad, I ‘ve just been blessed.
Vanguard

Lagos big boys’ restaurants where food sells for N10,000 per plate •Plate of pepper soup goes for N4,000

Chukwuma Okparaocha

The Holy Book  says “Money answereth all things.” The affluent (also known in some quarters as ‘Big Boys’) in Lagos surely have a way of making their money ‘answer’ many things for them — including the kind of food they eat out, and where. Lagos streets are swarming with different grades of restaurants and food joints, which Nigerians have dubbed bukateria. These are, most times, cafeterias run exclusively for the common man; places where food is served based on the financial capability of patrons.
In many of such places, customers are made to sit on wooden benches while food is served, often in aluminium plates on wooden tables. Those bukataria operators who are a bit refined in taste go for plastic chairs and tables.
Such bukaterias are available almost in all heavily populated but low-income areas of Lagos. However, there is usually a higher concentration of them on the Mainland, especially in places such as Oshodi, Mushin, Isolo, Ilasamaja, Ajegunle, Ojuelegba, among others; and in Lagos Island (also known as Eko), especially Obalende,  CMS, Ebute-Meta and Ebute-Ero.
One thing common to all such places is that with as little as N200, you are assured of a full meal, which could be eba, amala, fufu (all local meals made from cassava), pounded yam, rice, bread, yam, among others.
But the ‘big boys’ in Lagos seem to have a different idea of what eating should be, as evident in the kind of places they visit and the type of food they eat. While the common man’s bukaterias at best sound as local as they look (‘Iya Adunni Food Canteen,’ etc) or go without names at all, names of ‘big boys’ restaurants themselves suggest opulence and class.
It is not uncommon to hear Tush (a common Nigerian coinage for ‘Westernised’ and ‘refined’) names such as Shelaton, Saipan, Ikoyi Hotel Suya, Santa Fe, Ocean View, La Dolce Vita, Jevinic, Lobster Pot, Big Fish, among others.
Although elitist areas such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island play host to many of such high class restaurants, quite a few of them can be found in Apapa and some relatively expensive locations in Ikeja, such as Allen Avenue and Ikeja GRA.
Continental dishes usually cost more than local ones, but none comes particularly cheap.
In some of such places visited by Saturday Tribune, for one to be served a plate of food, he must be ready to spend between N6,000 and N10,000, while in other places a plate of food could go for as low as N2000, depending on the kind of food one desires.
Even popular fast food eateries in Ikoyi also cash in on the opulent ambience they provide to charge exhorbitant fees, as most food and drinks there cost almost twice what is charged for the same products by the same eateries on the Mainland.
Saturday Tribune’s correspondent had to pay N200 for 75cl bottle of table water at a popular eatery in Ikoyi, whereas the same bottle costs N100 or even less in other outlets of the same eatery elsewhere on the Mainland.
Continental dishes, which are in most cases vailable only in five-Star hotels, are also available in the ‘big boys’ restaurants — which are often owned and run by foreigners who use the opportunity to treat customers to their native diets.
For instance, there are some of these restaurants that are owned by Indians, Ghanaians, Chinese, Thais and Japanese.
Wines and tea served in those places at the request of the ‘big boys’ come from virtually all the continents of the world. There are wines from France, Chile, Australia, South Africa and China.
Even the ‘point and kill’ restaurants (term used to describe outlets where live fish are ordered and processed on the spot) for the ‘big boys’ also come with a taste and class totally different from the conventional ones. For example, at a popular ‘point and kill’ joint in Apapa, a plate of freshly killed and broiled cat fish pepper soup goes for as much as N4000. Of course, it is usually served in expensive plates, and in a room overlooking the extension of the Lagoon.
Business in such restaurants, according to information gathered, gradually picks up as the day winds up, but it reaches its peak at weekends, when rich men and women could be spotted driving to the premises of the restaurants in their expensive cars. Some come with their families, while some show up with their lovers.
A frequent customer of a popular and expensive ‘point and kill’ restaurant in Apapa, Segun Ojo, enthused: “I still don’t know any other place around Apapa where pepper soup is done better (than here). The point-and-kill thing works for me all the time. I love their fish. This is indeed a decent place to have a tasty meal after the day’s job. During my breaks, I also visit the place to have a bite of Shawama, which is fresh and mouth-watering. With as little as N3000, you are bound to have a jolly good time. This is the best around Apapa.”
At another restaurant in Ikoyi, obviously owned by a Thai, a foreign attendant revealed that everything at the restaurant is done to portray the tradition of Bangkok, where each dish is always well spiced.
“The cooks and waitresses are all Thai. We offer people a broad menu of fragrantly spiced dishes. Portions are very generous, and if you can’t finish your meal, you could take it home in a well packaged doggie bag,” she revealed.
SaturdayTribune

Ms. Onagoruwa: The Bell Tolls for Arunma Oteh

Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa

Political Observatory

Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa was last Tuesday added to the list of ex-bosses of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. Though no official explanation has been given, at least till now, for her sack as D-G, the immediate cause would be the shoddy handling of the $23.6 million Transmission Company of Nigeria contract to Canadian firm Manitoba Hydro International, which was cancelled and restored again by the Presidency. Reinstating the Manitoba contract after it was initially cancelled would have been a tough one for President Jonathan as it may create fears in investors’ minds in respect of the handling of the power privatization projects.  But truth is Onagoruwa’s reign at BPE had been turbulent, The National Council on Privatisation headed by Vice-President Namadi Sambo had not been comfortable with the handling of BPE affairs by Onagoruwa. There were some disagreements over bids for some power firms. The most virulent attack on Onagoruwa, however, came from the Senate. 

The Senate had last year adopted the report of its ad hoc committee on privatisation and commercialisation, which called for Onagoruwa’s sack for alleged gross incompetence in the management of the privatisation process. And the Senate had been strident in this demand. Once Onagoruwa came to defend her corporation’s budget before the Senate committee and was sent back. So, if you ask me, the remote cause of Onagoruwa’s sack would be the Senate’s demand, which it would appear the President heeded at last. But is Onagoruwa’s sack a foretaste of what may befall Ms. Arunma Oteh, the Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission who has had an open disagreement with the Capital Market Committee of the House of Representatives and by extension, the House?  I think so.

The House had also demanded Oteh’s sack. Oteh may have had her problems at the SEC, particularly her perceived highhandedness, lack of prudence and all of that, however, she has succeeded in exposing the chicanery of the House committee under Hon. Herman Hembe. Yet the House insisted she must go. And methinks President Jonathan may also in the fullness of time cave in on the demand as a way of straightening the rough edges in his relationship with the House. Therefore, I think with the sacking of Onagoruwa, the bell tolls for Oteh.
ThisDay

Jonathan Consoles Buhari Over Daughter’s Death

 GEORGE AGBA

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday commiserated with former Head of State, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) on the death of his eldest daughter, Zulaihatu, saying he feels the pains the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) founder  was going through on the tragic loss of a beloved child.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement said Jonathan in a condolence letter to Gen.Buhari prayed God to comfort and grant him and members of his family succour from the pain of losing a beloved child who has been nurtured and raised to adulthood.
Abati quoted the president as saying: “I write to extend very sincere commiserations to you and your family on the death of your eldest daughter, Zulaihatu yesterday, November 29, 2012.
“I can well imagine the profound pain, sadness and sorrow brought upon you by the tragic loss of a beloved child whom you have nurtured and raised to adulthood.
“My heart goes out to you as you mourn Zulaihatu. I pray that God Almighty comforts you and grants you and your family succour at this very traumatic time for all who knew and loved her.”
Leadership

The president we need in 2015

By Muyiwa Adetiba
Last week, my friend and neighbour Dr Kingsley Kola Akinroye (KK), was formerly presented to a diverse but select crowd of expatriates and Nigerians as the Honorary Consul of Finland. It was the peaking of a romance that started about 15 years ago, and which hopefully, will still have many peaks.
As a young doctor who had chosen cardiology as his area of study, he had gone to Finland to find out how a country which at a point, had one of the highest heart diseases in the world, turned itself around to becoming a country with one of the lowest heart diseases. He had been intrigued by what he found in this tiny, rugged country and that fascination kept him going there again and again. Hence the beginning of what, hopefully, will be a mutually beneficial relationship.
Two months ago, in exchange for a book on Collin Powel which I cherish, my friend had given me a book on Finland. I didn’t think at that time that it was a good deal. After all, I had come across such PR books during my years of travel. But this book was different. For one, it was written by an outsider who had been fascinated and assimilated by Finland. An intellectual, he was able to explain the feat that forefathers of Finland who transformed the country, had performed, in management terms.
Finland is a tiny country that has been made cold and unfriendly by nature. It is also a country with very few natural resources. But what it lacked from nature, was more than compensated for in men and women who are fiercely patriotic and courageous.

Twice, it fought wars that many people thought it could not win. One of them was with Russia, a sprawling, powerful neighbour that wanted to swallow Finland up. To end the war, Russia demanded a hefty sum as compensation. Finnish leaders preferred to ‘pay the price of freedom’ even if it meant working their collective fingers to the bone. Finland eventually paid Russia off by producing superior goods that could be marketed in Russia and never looked back after that.
Today, Finland is one of the most prosperous European countries and as usually follows, one of the least corrupt in the world. Its strength has been in education and research and has some of the most advanced research institutes in the world. An average Fin, according to the book, has a logical, analytical mind.
So why am I bringing this up? What has Nigeria to learn from the Finnish example? Its education, education and education. The lesson here is that the future of the world does not lie in oil, gold or such natural resources any more. It is in education. President Obama of the US recognised this four years ago when he made re-educating Americans a campaign promise. He reiterated it again during the last campaign. For America, he said, to compete and take jobs back from China and the Asian countries, America must have higher training and higher skills which in the final analysis, mean higher education.
At home, our ‘leaders’ are still busy fighting over revenue allocation. Neighbours – Anambra, Kogi, Rivers and Bayelsa – are fighting themselves over newly discovered oil. Instead of fighting over what is under the ground, why don’t we develop what is over the ground – the human resource? Instead of fretting over depleting assets, why don’t we worry over renewable assets – the human brain?
As it is, many countries in Africa have discovered oil. Worse still, our two main markets, America and China are looking inwards. On top of it all, the rest of the world is moving away from oil to cleaner, more renewable forms of energy.
If certain leaders don’t want to move ahead, then we should leave them behind. This is the time to forget tribal, religious and political affiliations and come 2015, choose a competent, visionary leader from any corner of Nigeria who will put education on the front burner.
Would it be possible, for example, for our new President, to pick the best five universities now and make them centres of excellence with a mandate to be among the world’s top 50 in five year’s time? Let the country’s brightest and best, irrespective of state of origin, be enrolled in these universities.
Let them be run by highly acclaimed Nigerians picked from anywhere in the world, who are driven by excellence and the need to leave a legacy (it should still be possible to find a few I hope) Let the academic and administrative staff be the best we can muster. Then let these universities be the yardstick for the others.
In the mean time, let the clamour for a new man in Aso Rock begin; A man who will have the vision to prepare our young ones for the challenges of the knowledge driven 21st century.
Let the social media, the Save Nigeria Group, and other Civil Societies begin to look for a man (or woman) that most of us can back, not because of his religious, tribal, or political leaning but because of his intellect, passion and vision.
 Vanguard

PDP: Cult or political party?

The National Executive Committee (NEC), of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is finalizing arrangement to set up a Reconciliation Committee that would tour the whole country to soothe strained nerves among the party members and bring back members that left its fold. RAZAQ BAMIDELE, in this report examines the obstacles the committee is likely to encounter going by the reports that some PDP governors are bent on frustrating the reconciliation efforts.
Background
When Alhaji Bamanga Tukur assumed office as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he promised to reconcile all the aggrieved members of the party to ensure peace and harmony within the party. In addition to that, he also promised to bring back to its fold, aggrieved members that left the party in annoyance with the aim of building a very big and stronger party. He hoped to achieve success where his predecessors failed as the committee the party currently under his leadership is planning to set up is not the first of its kind that had been set up in the past which had yielded no fruitful result.
Barrier to successful reconciliation
Daily Sun gathered authoritatively that past efforts at reconciling the aggrieved members and bringing in those who left the party in annoyance were in vain due to what observers belief is PDP Governors’ resolve to hold the party by the jugular with a view to having it in their pockets.” By doing so, they intend to frustrate any member considered to be so powerful and popular that can challenge and whittle down their power.
Even as the National Working Committee (NWC), under Bamanga Tukur also plans to embark on a nationwide reconciliation efforts, some state governors and party chieftains are said to be prepared to resist the move with a view to frustrating the committee and preventing it from achieving its goal.
A member of the NWC, who spoke with Daily Sun on condition of anonymity complained that “it is unfortunate that some of our governors are constituting obstacles towards reconciliation that can open up political space in their states by blocking all efforts to bring back members that had left the party.”
A source close to the NWC complained that “the case of Abia State is worrisome,” explaining that “even the State Governor, Theodore Orji, who himself decamped from the Progressive People Alliance (PPA), on which platform he was made governor even while in custody, protested the planned re-admittance of his  former boss, Orji Uzor Kalu into the PDP!”
It would be recalled that last week, Theodore Orji led a delegation to Abuja to protest the planned re-admittance of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu back to the PDP.
Daily Sun gathered that some of the antics of the governors to block notable personalities into the party is that they so pocket the party in their various states that nobody gets registered without their consent. The party, at state level is therefore being run like a cult contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution that guarantee freedom of association.
Freedom of association
While commenting on the development, a chieftain of the PDP and former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Lekan Balogun frowned at attempts by some governors to narrow the political space describing such as “anti-democracy and against constitutional provision.”
Senator Balogun, who spoke with Daily Sun on phone said “it doesn’t make sense to deny anybody right of association,” stating that “the choice to associate should be personal and nobody is qualify to define it for me.”
While asserting that the cultist antics of the governors would not augur well for the PDP, Chief Balogun cited the case of Orji Uzor Kalu as an example saying “as a popular politician who has followership, his people can bring luck to the party and make it stronger and more formidable.”
In party affairs, Balogun continues, “you don’t need to be my friend to be in the same party with me,” adding that “it is not a criterion to like somebody’s face before you allow him into your party as political party is supposed to be an all inclusive one.”
The Ibadan Oyo State based politician then frowned at what he termed “arbitrary use of power by the governors,” warning that “if not curbed can constitute great danger to the party in 2015.”
Former Governor of Ekiti State and National Vice Chairman of the PDP for South-West, Mr. Olusegun Oni, however denied that some governors are frustrating reconciliation and blocking re-admittance of former members, saying it is the media that has been speculating what is not nearer to the reality on ground.
According to him, all members of the PDP, the governors inclusive “are working towards expansion of the party with a view to making it stronger, much more acceptable  and more formidable.”
He however admitted that “in every human organization, there is always conflict and conflict resolution,” just as he admitted that “the party may not admit aspirants who might want to pocket the party so that the results of the primaries would be known even before the exercise is conducted.”
Oni further advised that “former members, who want to come back should do so in a manner that would not offend those they are coming to meet in the party,” saying “what we desire in the party is peace across all the levels of the party.”
The South-West PDP leader also asserted that “Bamanga Tukur is fully in charge of the party,” insinuating that “only those who would not want to work with us towards the direction of peace and thereby cause unnecessary tension may have problem being with us.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metu also comes in defense of the governors saying “they are strongly in support of the reconciliation efforts of the PDP.”
In a telephone conversation with Daily Sun, the party spokesman said generalization of the blockade allegation is unfair saying such a blanket accusation is unacceptable.
However, he agreed that there was a design to prevent some former members from coming back to the party. When asked to explain, Metu said any unrepentant member, who has penchant for causing confusion and confrontation.
Though he agrees that there are constitutional provisions for freedom of association, he quickly added that his party also has its own constitution that contains some rules that guide its affairs and operations.
While expressing confidence that the PDP will continue to wax stronger and win election in Nigeria, the party’s image maker informed that “we are not afraid of any opposition,” saying “we even like a virile opposition with which we can engage in intellectual discourse.”
He sees nothing strange or frightening in having a virile opposition which he said “will come out to tell the people its own programme with a view to seeking votes for mandate.”
According to him, with the reformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan administration, PDP will continue to win elections in Nigeria.
Virile opposition
With the suspected cracks in the PDP occasioned by the governors over bearing attitude, political analysts are of the belief that, were it to be in a clime where there is virile opposition, they would have cashed in to send the PDP packing in 2015.
Though the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N), Alhaji Lai Muhammed, declined to “meddle in the PDP internal affairs,” he volunteered that “no political party would close its door against new members.”
He however clarified that “inspite of that, we have to be weary of who to admit,” predicting however, that “PDP days are numbered.”
TheSun

Okonjo-Iweala to explain cash squeeze

 by: Onyedi Ojiabor, and Sanni Onogu

WHY is there little cash to run the budget? Is Nigeria broke?
These were the questions yesterday when Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared before a joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to defend her ministry’s 2013 budget proposal.
Finance Minister Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is to explain why ministries and agencies are not adequately funded.
Six committees of the National Assembly were involved in the budget defence. They include Petroleum Upstream, Downstream and Gas of both the lower and upper chambers.
Though some of the lawmakers, apparently out of frustration, murmured that the session was a “jamboree” and left; others, especially committee chairmen, stayed till the end of the exercise.
The Minister told the lawmakers that of N2.2billion capital appropriation for the ministry’s 2012 budget, only N820million or 41 per cent was released.
She added that of the N820million, the ministry spent N759million, representing 93 per cent performance.
The lawmakers wondered what was going on about release of funds to ministries from the 2012 appropriation.
Senator Danjuma Goje was particularly worried that something was wrong with the manner the Federal Government releases funds to MDAs.
He was worried that if the “goose that lays the golden egg” received less than half of its approved budget as at November 2012, then it meant that something was amiss with the running of the economy.
He said he was aware that most MDAs had been complaining of poor release of funds.
Goje said: “If your ministry that produces the petroleum, which is a major source of income for the country, is being poorly funded, then it is very disappointing and discouraging.
“Is it that you are no longer producing? Is it that what you have produced is not being sold? Or is it that the buyers are refusing to pay for the products?
“I am aware that the crude oil benchmark in the 2012 Appropriation Bill is far lower than the current market price for oil in the international market.
“So if the money is not there to be released to the ministries, like your own for capital projects, where do they get the money they pay into the excess crude account?
“The question is, where is the money? Maybe Nigerians need to ask the Minister of Finance where she kept the country’s money. It is necessary that Nigerians, through the parliament are told where their money is.”
The chairman of the joint committee, Senator Emmanuel Paulker said it was unacceptable for only 41 per cent of the ministry’s budget to have been released close to end of November.
Paulker said: “Production of 150 million barrels of crude oil a day is not a mean figure. We don’t see how you can meet up.
“We only have December left for 2012 and that is why we are worried. The Senate has adjourned for one week today to enable Committee Chairmen prepare the 2013 budget for passage before the end of the year. We are not pleased at all.”
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Nkechi Nwaogu, noted that the problem is that of the Minister of Finance, who she said did not release funds to the MDAs.
She added that the Minister should be asked to explain where the money is, especially now that the year is coming to an end.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke, spoke to reporters on persistent fuel scarcity, She said: “We will try and ensure that now that verifications in terms of subsidy, the Aig-Imhokuede report has been completed, and payments are beginning to go out to the marketers, you can see already that petrol queues are lessening around the country.
“We will again begin to push…you will recall that before these period of strikes and fuel subsidy problems, we had ensured that Nigeria was wet all around the country with petrol.
“So, it was not on our instance. There have been issues that all Nigerians know. We cannot eat our cake and have it. If we have exposed issues in the payment of fuel subsidy and manipulations in that system, then it has to be adequately investigated.
TheNation