South-East Integration: A Bubble or a Flash in the Pan?

Following the conclusion of the general elections and emergence of key functionaries in both the executive and legislative arms of government, NDUBUISI ORJI writes on the need for the South East to use the positions it presently occupies to strategise for future political challenges

Friday, June 17, 2011

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) unveiled its power sharing formular for the  new political dispensation, not a few thought the South East completely lost out in the new power equation in the country.  The PDP had zoned the positions of Senate President , Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative and Deputy Speaker to the North-Central , South-East, South-West and North-East respectively.

It also zoned the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the South-East while the North was programmed to produce the National Chairman of the party  from March 2012. The South-South and North-West had already produced President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo respectively. Some interest groups within the South-East had expressed misgiving over the zoning, because in their view the Senate Presidency or speaker of the House of RepreseDntative.

In line with the party zoning formulae the Presidency appointed former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim as the SGF while the Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected the Deputy Senate President. And by virtue of the rebellion against the PDP's power sharing arrangement, Hon Emeka Ihedioha equally emerged as the deputy speaker of the House.

Analysts believe that rather than continue to rue over the inability of the zone to produce the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the South-East could use the positions it presently occupies to re- launch the zone into political relevance. A source within the Ohaneze Ndigbo,  told Daily Sun that "With its current position in the present administration, the South-East has something to cheer. But there is need to intensify efforts to ensure that more equitable positions due to the zone are secured in the allotment of ministerial portfolios". 

"Today, the South-East has leaders in political offices that were not imposed on them; rather they chose them directly or indirectly. For example, Igbo leader were asked by President Goodluck Jonathan, to submit names of spirited Igbo sons and daughters that would be appointed as the SGF. It was from the list submitted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo following consultations with the governors and key Igbo leaders that Senator Anyim was appointed the SGF. This is a significant and healthy departure from the past when positions zoned to Ndigbo were filled by Igbos sponsored by outsiders and power brokers from other zones", the source who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated.

A Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain in Anambra State, Chief Okey Muo Aroh says  the most important thing is for Igbo sons occupying high position to show competence in the handling of the various offices they are presently occupying. He said that way the country would know that indeed the Igbo nation is the cement that holds the country and consequently accord it its due respect in the politics of the country.

Aroh disagrees with those who say the SGF is an infinitesimal position. He said any one with a thorough understanding of government will know that the office is not trivial. According to him , the SGF as the engine room of government coordinates the  business of the Federal Government. In his views, the SGF  which oversees several key agencies of government has enormous  responsibilities and powers in influencing and coordinating government  policies for the overall benefit of the people of the country. 

" A minister has one permanent secretary , the SGF has seven permanent secretaries under his office.  Anybody saying the position of SGF as infinitesimal is begging the issues and being irresponsible", the PDP chieftain contended. A public affairs analyst, Mr George Diogu said  South-East should see the present positions as building blocks to bring back the Ndigbo into political reckoning ahead of the next general election. "The time has come for the south-east to come to a round table to brainstorm and strategize on how to utilize the positions it occupies presently for the good and wellbeing of the Igbo nation,", he stated.

However, he said it behoves on Ekweremadu, Ihedioha , Anyim , the South-East Governors Forum led by  Mr Peter Obi and the Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Raph Uwechue to collaborate with other political office holders in the South-East in charting a new political; course for the zone ahead of the 2015 general election. 

The leadership of Ohaneze while mobilizing support for President Jonathan in the build up to the 2011 general election had made a case for an Igbo president in 2015. 

The pan Igbo group had stated  "Ohaneze Ndigbo firmly believes in the reality and absolute equality of the six zones and holds the view that the topmost executive office in the land – Prime Minister or President, which has eluded the two geo-political zones of the South-South and South-East since the birth of our nation half a century ago, should now go to them in turn in unbroken succession as a matter of national priority, before any other zone can justly claim the right to a second or even third turn. In line with this position, taken after wide consultation over several months, among Igbo people at home and abroad, Ohanaeze Ndigbo confidently urges the Igbo Nation to support en masse a credible new-generation Presidential candidate that has emerged from the South-South geo-political zone, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan".

Though not a few had argued that it is not possible for the South-East to produce the president after the tenure of President Jonathan, but the recent happening in the House of Representatives  has proved that the zoning policy of the ruling party is not sacrosanct. What is presently needed is for the South-East to galvanize itself into action and vigorously pursue the agenda for more political relevance for the Igbo nation in 2015

In this regard, it is therefore  expected that Igbo leaders will utilize the opportunities in the offices of SGF, Deputy Senate President and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and other ministerial and important offices that Igbo sons and daughters will occupy for the good of Igbos and Nigerians at large.
Source: Sun, 17^th June 2011.

S-East Political Leaders Demand Review of Revenue Sharing Formula

By Tony Edike

ENUGU – SOUTH East Political Leaders rose from a closed door meeting in Enugu Sunday with a call for the review of the revenue sharing formula to enable the states meet their financial obligations including the payment of the new N18,000 minimum wage.

The five state governors however restated their commitment to implement the new minimum wage as prescribed by law but were silent on when to commence the payment to workers in their respective states.

Present at the meeting held at the Lion Building Government House, Enugu were the five governors of the South East zone, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue.

In a nine-point communiqué presented by the Chairman of the South East Governors' Forum and Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi at the end of the meeting, the South East political leaders also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the appointment of Senator Anyim as the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

They congratulated Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha who were elected the Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively and pledged their continued support to President Jonathan and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The political leaders resolved to work together irrespective of their political differences for the interest of the zone in particular and Nigeria in general, adding that regular meetings would be held to review issues affecting the South East region and the nation with a view to taking a common stand.

The meeting also revisited the issue of the abandoned Ziks Centre project in Enugu which was part of the projects lined up for the immortalization of the first Nigerian President and Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe initiated several years ago but never took off even though a fund raising activity was held under the chairmanship of Senator Anyim.

According to the communiqué, "the various states of the zone will work together to complete the Zik's Centre in Enugu."

The South East leaders, however, wished ailing Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu,

whom they described as the political father of the zone, quick recovery from his ailment which is currently being treated at a London hospital.
Source: Vanguard, 12^th June 2011.

Between South-East Half Loaf and PDP Zoning Arrangement

By MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja Bureau Chief

There is this law of thermo-dynamics, which has stood the test of time. It is that "nothing stands on nothing". This age-long aphorism played out in the country's political sphere. Since 1999, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always claimed to have rewarded any zone or state that fetches great electoral fortunes to it.

This unwritten procedure gave rise to the plum positions enjoyed by the South-South geo-political zone, culminating in the election of President Goodluck Jonathan as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces. But at the last general election, the South East zone, which superceded other geo-political zones in the harvest of votes in the last general elections, seem to have been relegated; neglected and forgotten by the immediate top leaders of the PDP. When the sharing and allotment of political positions came up for discussion at the PDP caucus meeting, they felt convinced that since there was no personality from the zone at the party's National Working Committee (NWC), there was no need allotting any reasonable political office to the zone.

To the PDP caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT), the zone should be satisfied that Jonathan, an Ijaw man from the South-South zone, is president and has promised to protect the interests of the people of the South East zone. This perhaps informed why the party decided to again deny the zone its right of producing the Senate President. Given the precedents since 1999, the north/south divide which produced the President of the country, has always produced the Senate President and it is on this basis that other top political offices are shared.

After the 1999 elections, General Olusegun Obasanjo, who hails from the South West zone had South East zone produce the Senate President in his eight years tenure as Senate President. The northern divide of the country, which equally produced Vice-President during the tenure, equally produced the Deputy Senate President as well as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Similarly, during the reign of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who is from the northern divide of the country, the same north produced the Senate President, while the South produced the Vice-President (though transmuted to President) Deputy Senate President and Speaker.

By stroke of providence, Jonathan, who was holding office through the doctrine of necessity, arising from Jonathan's death, got elected fully into the seat of the President. With this election, it became incumbent that, as he said while picking his nomination forms in 2010, the zoning arrangement in the party should change, especially as the President and the Vice-President have been elected.

Curiously, the party came up with a zoning arrangement that defied the initial logic espoused by Jonathan himself. Under the circumstances and given the fact that Jonathan himself who spoke at Wadata Plaza is now President, with a full-fledged Vice-President, he allowed the Senate Presidency to remain in the North Central zone, contrary to the original arrangement that it should shift to the southern part of the country. Had this happened, the South East zone would have automatically produced the personality who would occupy the post. This is because, the South West, which should have had the post did not produce any PDP Senator, which is why the slot would automatically move to the next southern zone and since the South-South, which produced the President , would not again produce Senate President, which is why the slot should have been handed over to the South East. But it did not happen.

While the zone was yet to appreciate what happened, the party's leadership came up with a zoning arrangement which clearly disfavoured the South East zone. The zone was to have Deputy Senate President, a spare tyre position and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Though there had been several dissentions by the leaders of Ndigbo, the party did not budge. But, unknown to anybody, providence was working in favour of the zone, which like the proverbial cow, had no tail and so, providence provides the needed tail to ward off unwanted visitors. This was how, the in-coming members-elect of the House decided that it would be better not to adhere to the PDP zoning formula, especially as they did not consider the two candidates projected by the zone, Alhaji Ajibola Muraina and Alhaja Mulikat Adeola-Akande, competent enough, given their own parametres, to lead them.

On the floor of the House, and in full glare of Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman of the party's BoT, who led the delegation that witnessed the election, decided to play the game their own way by electing immediate-past Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Waziri Tambuwal and his former boss, the Chief Whip, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively. As soon as this happened, the party's hierarchy felt bad. They did not hide their ill-feeling.

National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, while reacting to the inauguration of the duo in these capacities, stated categorically that the emergence of the duo violated the set guidelines of the party. According to him, it deprived some geo-political zones the opportunity to enjoy perks of office at that level of government. Though Baraje did not categorically say the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was plotting the impeachment of the officers, he said the emergence of the two principal officers went against the directives of the party's leadership, which would not be condoned. President Goodluck Jonathan had while addressing a retreat organised for all elected PDP officials at the International Conference Centre, Abuja last week, advised the House members against electing people other than legislators from the South West geo-political zone for the post of Speaker and another legislator from the North West as his Deputy. Acting National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, has also at different fora, reiterated that the legislative members of the party must be bound by the party decisions.

But, the House members, both ranking and newly-elected, said they were not bound by such directive, insisting that the duo of Tambuwal and Ihedioha remained their choice. Other members of the party who also spoke on the matter, including former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, said it was wrong for former President Obasanjo and former Chairman of the party's BoT, Chief Anenih, to be allowed to always impose their wishes on the party.

At the voting of the two principal officers last Monday, they expressed their desires in practical terms: Tambuwal polled 252 votes against Adeola-Akande's 90 votes, while Ihedioha's candidacy stood unopposed. Shortly after Tambuwal was sworn-in, Adeola-Akande embraced Tambuwal, expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the election and offered to pose in a photograph with Tambuwal as a sign of acceptance of the House verdict.

Kawu had while condemning the legislators, stated: "The NWC (National Working Committee) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes with great concern the unfolding developments in the House of Representatives especially the outcome of the election of principal officers on Monday, 6th June, 2011. While the Party believes in, and indeed encourages the exercise of freedom of choice for all Nigerians including members of the National Assembly, it is important to reiterate that the principle of zoning is still an integral part of the PDP constitution. The idea of zoning is a well thought-out philosophy for National stability and integration. It is the only guarantee that every segment of Nigeria enjoys a sense of belonging by being represented in all the decision making organs of the government of Nigeria.

"Consequently, prior to the election of Principal Officers that took place in the Senate and the House of Representatives on the 6th of June 2011, the NWC in collaboration with other decision making bodies of our Party made spirited efforts to build a consensus around the zoning formula. The NWC is currently consulting other organs of the Party to re-assess the entire scenario and will come up with an appropriate policy in due course".

But moments later, Babangida applauded the National Assembly over the election of Senate President David Mark and Speaker Tambuwal, stressing that "the month-long scheming and manipulation" have failed. In a statement entitled: "THE TRIUMPH OF REASON", the former president stated that by jettisoning the order handed over to them by the leadership of the PDP, he was satisfied that the National Assembly members exhibited great independence and courage. In particular, Babangida commended the House of Representative members for placing the constitution above partisan interests, noting that the polity should be allowed to be people-driven and to grow.

According to him: "From my retirement abode, I feel excited about the bold and courageous step taken by the National Assembly (Upper and Lower Houses) through a show of independence for electing their leaderships: Senator David Mark as Senate President for continuity of robust Senate policies and Hon. Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal as Honourable Speaker. The Lower House must be commended for putting the Federal Constitution above partisan interest in the election of the Honourable Speaker, putting to an end, month-long scheming and manipulation. The bold moves of the Federal House of Representatives will further strengthen our democratic structures and entrench a culture of separation of powers with its manifest checks and balances for a people-driven democracy.

"It is a wakeup call and the earlier the polity allowed this culture of separation of powers to flourish, the better it would be for participatory democracy. I therefore, congratulate both leadership of the National Assembly for being true representatives of the people. Well done. I salute your courage. Let me assure the leadership of the National Assembly of my unflinching support. I will be ready at all times to offer my advice in whatever little way for the sustenance of democracy, rule of law and stability of the system. The example that the Federal House has shown would go a long way to eliminate culture of impunity and executive interference into the internal operations and workings of the Legislature. It will promote sound debate and robust interaction amongst the Lawmakers for the overall interest of the country.

"I have no doubt in mind about the capability of Honourable Speaker Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal, to discharging his legislative duties with his irrepressible Deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. This combination will no doubt give Nigerians true and positive representation in the act of law making and stability of democracy. The leadership of the National Assembly is answerable to Nigerians irrespective of political Party affiliations hence it is incumbent upon them to put the interest of the Country at heart far and above pecuniary or party interest".

But realising that they need to mend fence with their party, Tambuwal and Ihedioha, begged the party for forgiveness, saying their emergence was an act of God. Tambuwal arrived the PDP National Secretariat with Ihedioha and conferred with the leadership of the party after which they offered apology for not queuing behind the party's arrangement. They stated that their emergence was "designed by God; it was not designed by us".

This was as the Acting National Chairman of PDP, Bello, said the election of Tambuwal and Ihedioha as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives would not kill the zoning arrangement in the party. Though he said the party was not happy with the turn of events in the House, he said it was an act of providence which could have been averted had the party interacted better with its members-elect.

Tambuwal stated: "As your dear children and as loyal members, we are here this afternoon to give you your due respect and to say here and now that all that we did was not intended in any way to either undermine our party or out of disrespect to our party. Mr. Chairman, we are not unaware of the fact that in the course and the process of the emergence of the leadership in the House of Representatives so many things were informed. It came to a point our dear fathers, our leaders in the party were looking for their children and God gave them our meeting. Even though were not exactly wanted, because we know that we are beloved and loved by our party, we knew that we actually gave you sleepless nights.

It was a share coincidence of the history of this country and destiny and providence had it that from the inauguration of the 7th National Assembly, House of Representatives in particular, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from North West, and Emeka Ihedioha from South East, contrary to the hope and aspiration of our party, emerged as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. It was designed by God; it was not designed by us.

"We are pleading with our party, to forgive whatever it was that went wrong in the process and continue to accept us because I know that we have not been rejected as your children and continue to guide us in doing only those things that that will promote the unity, harmony prosperity and peace of this country. Mr. chairman, I and my deputy are here to assure you and indeed the party, through you, Mr. President, the head of our government, that we shall give our government maximum cooperation, towards ensuring that all the laudable programmes of our party are implemented through good legislation that will come out of the House of Representatives in collaboration with the Senate. We assure you that we shall give cooperation and every support to Mr. President and the government so that our party can deliver on its promises to the electorates. As I said earlier on Mr. Chairman, we seek for your understanding. We seek for your forgiveness, we hereby apologise".

Earlier, Mohammed noted that since their election had become a fait acompli, the party would have no option than to forgive them, when the appropriate organs and leaders of the party meet on the issue. He however warned Tambuwal to ensure that other geo-political zones were represented in the remaining offices in the House, pointing out that it would be wrong for any geo-political zone to be schemed out. He said the party would find ways of resolving whatever misgivings that arose in the course of the election, stressing that the party would have no choice than to continue to play its fatherly role and unbiased moderator to the political system.

Said Mohammed: "We are quite aware that you and your colleagues in the House did not quite work in line with the policy of our party. But you have not left the party; what has happened has happened, it is a surprise to us. We are not quite comfortable, but we have not rejected you. And PDP, being large party, and a collection of different mindsets, we are used to crisis in the affairs of our party. We believe in different views and like we said in our statement yesterday, we believe in free choice, for all Nigerians including members of the National Assembly. What has happened may be a breakdown in communication between members of the party and this will be the first time. Fortunately, PDP is a versatile party, and we have got the organisation and the strength to weather all our problems and to work our solutions to whatever misunderstanding that arise within the family.

"The election of Speaker has happened; I am glad it was free and fair because we observed it even though it didn't go according to the dictates of the party. We are faced with it as a fait accompli. What remains now is for the party to use our usual dispute resolution mechanism, to work out the way forward. All we want is peace and stability in this country. That is why PDP arrived at zoning. In the process of zoning we don't look at individuals, we looked at the institutions because it only PDP among all the parties in this country, that has the zoning policy that assures all parts of this country of fair share of participation in the decision making in the ruling of this country.

"PDP wants to assure that all zones, all tribes; all religions, big or small, have got a share and have got a say, in the formation and the process of governance of this country. That is why we have had zoning and rotation and put it in our constitution. I am sure Mr. Speaker, your election will not mean, the end of zoning, because even if we don't take zoning as a policy, PDP is a party of equity and fair play. And equity and fair play demands that of the major positions, at the party and the government, each section of this country should have at least one position or the other so that we can achieve peace and stability. Know Mr. Speaker, you wouldn't go out of your way to spite your party. And that is why I said earlier what happened came to us as a surprise. But the circumstances that warranted what has happened in the House of Representatives will be carefully studied by the party.

"And we will reach amicable settlement of issues that are outstanding. But I can assure you the party will work with you; the government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan will work with you. And we will make sure that the government works with you so that the mutual cooperation that we have developed in the last twelve years will continue. The PDP has a majority both in the Senate and in the House, therefore the people of Nigeria will not forgive us if we do not use this majority to work for the development and transformation of Nigeria within the time available to us. Therefore the party will like you, like you have said in your address and we welcome that statement, to work closely with the government so that PDP programmes will be delivered to the people of this country.

"And we do have programme, this time around we have gone round and campaigned and we have seen and heard the frustrations of the people of this country, their needs and their desires. We also heard and feel their expectations and we have got our programmes to transform and reform the nation in all aspect. We intend to reform the political system; we intend to do reforms in the economy, social system. We intend to bring reform to the electoral system which has already started. Now that what has happened has happened, the remaining positions in the house, you should allow the party to look at how we can balance it, so that the other zones are taken care of before we come back to you to give you the chance to lead your people in electing the balance in the leadership of the house. Thank you very much for this visit, we accept your apology".

Given the scenario, the nation would be forced to apply another strategy, more so, as the initial plan by the party to sideline the South East zone turned awry, it behoves on the party to do the correct thing by going back to the earlier zonal arrangement. But should the party decide to jettison what had been in practice since 1999, then, all stakeholders in the party must come together and sort out the contending issues so that no part of the country feels cheated or alienated or sidelined. It would amount to great injustice if the South East is not represented on the party's NWC and also fails to hold any ranking office in the executive, legislative and judicial organs of government. That would be the final word.

But, if personalities from the zone do not even take drivers' seat, but operate even as appendages or spare tyres, it could be said to be better than being forgotten completely. After all, there was this age-long adage that "half a loaf of bread is better than none at all".
Source: Daily Champion, 12^th June 2011.

Group Decries Decay of Infrastructure in S/East

TONY ITA ETIM, Enugu

South East Economic Summit Group has decried the decaying facilities, infrastructure and declining political economy of the zone.

Chairman of the South East Economic Summit Group Planning Committee, Chief Chris Obiefuna made the lamentation during an interactive session with newsmen in Enugu to announce the summit scheduled for July 20 to July 21, 2011 at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.

Obiefuna lamented the collapsed of public and private industries, dilapidated infrastructure, abandoned and poorly executed infrastructural projects like roads, electricity, water supply, health, education among others.

He bemoaned the collapsed of the educational system in the zone, poor health delivery system, absence of strategic federal industries in oil and petrochemicals, agro and solid minerals as well as high rate of unemployment.

Obiefuna pointed out that widespread poverty and high crime rate are approaching crisis proportions while political obscurity, subjugation and marginalisation have become the identity of the zone.

The chairman wondered how the South East that was reputed to be the fastest growing economy in the world in the sixties would go into eclipse and questioned what factors are responsible and what happened to the solidarity spirit of Ndigbo.

Obiefuna also queried what accounts for the clannish tendencies and intra-ethnic squabbles of the post civil was South East and observed that it has permeated their politics, business and economy to their utmost peril.

To stop this drifting, Obiefuna explained that the group came up with the idea of the summit which has the theme "Creating A 21st Century Economy for South East Nigeria: The Challenge of our Time."

According to Obiefuna, the summit would look at the future of the economy and politics of the South East Nigeria vis-a-vis its deplorable state today; what can be done and should be done to arrest the deterioration and put the zone on the part of recovery and resurgence.

Obiefuna continued that the summit is a diligent and heroic initiative of the organised private sector in the zone led by the South East Chambers of Commerce Forum to tackle this generation challenge.

The summit, Obiefuna elaborated, is conceived as a platform on which the government and people of the South East Nigeria can stand to pool ideas, actions and resources together and produce a blueprint for a planned development of the zone.

Obiefuna disclosed that to achieve this about 50 resource persons have been specially selected to serve as lead papers presenters, panel discussants and rapporteurs.

To get the best out of the resource persons and ensure a productive summit, a uniform format for presentation has been conceptualised; and the format would be "The 21st Century ideal situation the South East should target; The situation analysis of where the South East is at present; and The strategy and road map to take the South East to the 21st Century ideal."
Source: Daily Champion, 10^th June 2011.

Nwankwo: Calling South-East Political Leaders to Order

BY UCHENNA NWANKWO

I HAVE not hitherto bothered to comment publicly on the apparent anguish in the Southeast or among Southeasterners over the recent sharing of principal political offices or positions in the country. In the last few weeks, I have heard some of my fellow Southeasterners utter all manner of vain, self-serving and even unprintable retorts on the subject-matter. One notable fellow has even appallingly described the allocation of the office of Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, to the Southeast as a sin. I was rather bemused at the outpouring of negative emotions on the subject.

In fact, I never took the matter serious, as something worthy of a reaction from my person until this morning when a bosom friend, a fellow Southeasterner of uncommon sensibility, cerebral disposition and analytical genius phoned in and made slightly similar remarks about the zoning of the SGF position to the Southeast, showing disgust at the way things have developed. That is when I realized the depth of the matter and how terribly the average Southeasterner might be feeling about the development. It dawned on me then that this is not a joking matter or one that should be ignored and taken as something trite and inconsequential. In fact, it became clear to me that Southeasterners needed to be told some home-truths that should help moderate their expectations and position on the over-flogged issue of what zone should hold what office in the current dispensation as well as their general approach to national politics.

Lest we forget, the zoning formula adopted by the PDP ruling elite since 1999 is founded on the tenet that the following six most important political offices must at any given time be distributed and rotated among the six geopolitical zones in the country. These are the offices of President, Vice-President, Senate President, House Speaker, Party Chairman and lastly, though not the least, Secretary to Government of the Federation. It is expected that at the expiration of the life of six consecutive governments to be produced in the country from May 1999, each geopolitical zone in the country will have tasted of or held each of these positions once.

There is also the understanding that when the president is from the South, that is from any zone in the South, the Chairmanship of the party would go to the North, to a northern zone that has not previously held the Chairmanship, and vice versa; ditto for the vice-presidency. The formula has nothing to do with voting patterns or what number of senators or House members the party garners from whatever zone. As long as there is even a single House member or senator from a zone that can so represent the zone or fill the quota within the National Assembly the formula is deemed applicable, especially with respect to the Legislature.

The question that arose after the 2011 general elections is: given the above stipulations, which of the six pre-eminent political positions ought to go to the Southeast in view of what has transpired in the contemporary past? This is the crux of the matter! A sane analysis of the matter shows that now that the president is from the South-south, the positions of vice-president and chairman of the party have to reside with zones in the North; the Southeast cannot have any of them. That leaves out the positions of Senate President, House Speaker and Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF. The Southeast has already taken its shot at the Senate Presidency during the Obasanjo presidency and should therefore not have it again until after it has rotated to the five other zones. In the last four years, the North Central has held the office of Senate president. It makes sense therefore that the position remains with the North Central so that it can thereby complete its eight-year tenure as indeed the Southeast did during the eight-year rule of former President Obasanjo. So what is the basis for a Southeast demand for the position of Senate President at this point in time when the office has not gone round?

A similar argument can be raised about the zone that should occupy the office of House Speaker in this dispensation. Oh yes, the Southeast has not as yet held the office of House Speaker. But the Southwest is just completing its first term of Speakership and should be allowed another four years to complete its requisite eight-year tenure before the position can reasonably be taken to another zone. Going by this simple political arithmetic, I think it is clear that the Southeast cannot but settle for the position of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF). It is very clear that this is only appropriate.

I find it rather worrisome that most Southeast political leaders should in the face of this reality choose to raise the political temperature of the country by making unsustainable claims, crying wolf where there is none. The dust raised and the insult heaped on the presidency over this matter is regrettable, unpatriotic and to say the least uncalled for. Such reckless utterances can never lead the Southeast, nay Nigeria, to political Eldorado! The overall negative attitude of most Southeast politicians over this matter is the kind of politics that takes a people to the desert or to engage itself in a needless female fight, as Achebe would say.

I think that our Southeast political leaders must be more discerning, more analytical and in fact more responsible. Their lackadaisical attitude and crude approach are a dire embarrassment to most of us Southeasterners. What has gone on is indeed cheap politics that misleads rather than enlightens. It can never augur well for our teeming masses that deserve better direction from the leadership. We must admit that there is absolutely no case of Southeast marginalization or Igbo baiting in this matter! It is indeed shameful that at a time we should be consolidating and in fact cultivating friendships across ethnic boundaries a self-seeking and noisy minority of Southeasterners bent on turning things upside down is having a field day eroding the little political progress the Southeast has managed to garner in recent times.

Those of them that have been shouting from the roof-tops that the position of House Speaker for the Southeast is non-negotiable and must not go elsewhere must learn and resolve today to mind their language. In the first place, that is not the language of democrats. They must also understand that the Southeast cannot on it own effect even the most inchoate signs of a new order in the system. To bring change in the system, we need the support of the broad majority of the other geopolitical zones in the country. Therefore, we must at all time speak the language of conciliation, of alliance building, of accommodation, egalitarianism and equity. A word is enough for the wise.

• Nwankwo, an architect, lives in Lagos

Ndigbo: Between Power And Protocol

CHUKWUMA ANYADIKE

The anger in the South-East zone over the arrangement adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for sharing of top political positions in the in-coming federal administration is understandable.

The formula, which allocates the post of Secretary to the Federal Government as the zone's topmost position, is adjudged unfair to the Igbo. They surely deserve better, either as compensation for their whole-hearted support of the party's presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan in the April election, or for the fact that Igbo is one of the 'Big Three' ethnic groupings that form the tripod on which Nigeria stands.

Everyone appears let down since the formula was ratified by the party. From Igbo PDP leaders to their  kinsmen in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) , and the motley crowd that formed President Jonathan's foot soldiers in the South East prior to the presidential elections, the shock is evident. Leaders of the Pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohaneze, and the like of Dr. Alex Ekwueme who risked their reputation to make a case for Jonathan, are still to fully come to terms with the decision. Prominent Igbo leaders like Professor Uche Chukwumerije said the people of the region desired the position of Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives as compensation for the support Jonathan got during the April 16 Presidential poll, adding that anything to the contrary would be against natural justice, considering the electoral performance of the zones. By the result, the South East accounted for five million votes for Mr. President out of the 22 million votes he got.

Ever since the retreat in Obudu, where President Jonathan started assembling his team, it was obvious that zoning was the first item on the agenda. What the party's national caucus did at the Presidential villa penultimate Tuesday, was simply to adopt the formula which swapped the position of President and Vice President between the North West and South-South respectively, and the Party Chairmanship and SGF between the South East and North East respectively. The top positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives were retained by the North Central and South West respectively.

The Igbos have, with enough justification, voiced their dissatisfaction with the SGF position. Not just because the Ikemba Nnewi once described the government Scribe as one who prepares tea for the President. No. One of their reasons is that the position is least among those of the five other zones in the national order of protocol. Also, the preference for the Speaker position is not because the occupant of the nation's Number 5 position flies jets from the presidential fleet. No. It all has to do with pride, for an ethnic group striving against odds to reverse its dwindling political fortunes in recent years. What rationale informs the relegation of the entire Igbo nation below the first five on the national order of protocol? The question becomes even more pertinent as the positioning for the 2015 presidency –which the Igbo have vowed to seek – has commenced in earnest.

Fifty years down the road of independence, the Igbo is the only one - among Nigeria's big three nationalities - yet to taste executive power in real terms, at the country's topmost hierarchy. Indeed, it has been discussed elsewhere that 2015 would have been the turn of Igbos, if the Yar'Adua presidency had run its full course. The Jonathan election has definitely pushed that prospect forward by at least four years, which is another sacrifice the Igbo made for him. Secretary of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and Enugu State governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mr Osita Okechukwu said he regards the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to reward five million votes from the South-East fairly as not only unjust but outright contemptuous

But wait a minute: shouldn't the Igbo be asking for both power and protocol, and not one at the expense of the other? Which brings us to the question: between the House Speaker and the SGF, which is more powerful? Many people have argued that the SGF comes with more power, such that can impact government policy, the public service and top official appointments far stronger than the House Speaker could. In contrast, questions are asked about what impact the five Igbo Senate Presidents made in the zone from 1999-2007. Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Pius Anyim, Adolfus Wabara and Ken Nnamani were both Senate Presidents and chairmen of the National Assembly, yet few of the profound problems of the zone were put on the national table. If there were any that received attention, it is arguable whether it was because an Igbo was presiding in that position.

The fact that the Igbo have been unable to coherently address this issue indicates the fact that the nationality has sliden so fast in the nation's political reckoning. Feelers from the PDP hierarchy indicate that the party was forced into swapping the party Chairmanship from the South East to the North East in exchange for the SGF position because no Igbo governor was prepared to accept that his state would produce the party chairman. Apparently, the Nwodo-Chime debacle of early this year remains in their memory, but the decision –if indeed it is true – smacks of myopia. Why would they reject such a powerful position, akin to throwing away the baby with the bath water, just because of one unsavoury incident? Granted that unlike the Yorubas are rallying round Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Igbo have no central political figure, does it also pass as excuse for the apparent lack of perception among those of them that presently hold political offices? Why were they that quiet following the 'forced' resignation of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as PDP national chairman and when Interior Minister, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, was shown the exit door?

From many points of view, it is obvious that the potentials of the SGF position appear more beneficial to the South East than the position of House Speaker. It may be a hard sell for the Igbos for reasons already mentioned, but it is true. Two issues, however, ought to be the new focus for Ndigbo now: the choice of who occupies the SGF position and the all-important 2015 presidential project, especially as the posts being clamoured for are not of strategic importance to the 2015 project.
Anyadike, a public affairs analyst wrote in from Abuja
Source: Leadership, 5^th June 2011.

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Witchcraft: Govt. should sign the Child Rights Act

By Florence Amagiya -

In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Law. It is to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although this law was passed at the Federal level, it is only effective if the State Assembly enacts it. Till date, only 16 of the country's 36 States have passed the Act. Intense advocacy continues for the remaining states. This explains that the landmark in achievement of the legislative arm of Government has not yet translated into improved legal protection throughout the Federation.

Nigeria has not been able to deal with the issues hindering the protection rights of children such as children living on the streets, children affected by communal conflict, drug abuse, human trafficking, child labour and the weaknesses of the juvenile justice system amongst others.

Children conflict with the law for various reasons. These reasons are social inequality, failed educational system, family problems, poverty and peer pressure, social and religious conflicts in which children are even used as foot soldiers. Unfortunately, these child offenders are often treated like adults and mixed with adults in prisons. Many are convicted, jailed and even killed without making contact with social workers or even heard.

A recent report by the African Union on the rights and welfare of the Nigerian child showed that about 6,000 children are in prison and detention centres across the country.

Girls make up less than 10 per cent and they mainly come into contact with the law as a result of criminal acts committed against them such as rape, sexual exploitation and trafficking. And in Akwa Ibom state in 2008, it was declared by a pastor, Bishop Sunday Williams that the entire state is a coven for witches.

Bishop Sunday Williams said that there are roughly 2.3 million witches and wizards in the state and most of them are children. He also added a dimension to the allegation: he told the international media that he had killed 110 of such child witches. He even claimed he charged some fee, sometime as much as N40, 000, to help willing parents kill their child witches.

Those children who were not killed constitute the people living in moribund buildings and on the streets. Some of these children are the ones from step-mums home.

My questions are: What is stalling the remaining 20 states from passing the Child Rights Law? Why would anybody say that in a state whose population is less than 4 million that there are 2.3 million witches and wizard mostly children? Why would any parent kill a child he or she has brought to this world? Are there no better ways of deliverance these days?

We all know that children are the leaders of tomorrow and the way and manner we handle them today determine how our tomorrow will be. So if we don't think they are worth anything, then our future is worth nothing. I think if a little child is possessed by an evil spirit it means the parents are also possessed.
Source: Vanguard, 4^th June 2011.

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Our Kids, Our Language, Our Shame

By Jon Chikadibie Okafo, June 01, 2011

Our language is what gives us a sense of identity and remains a veritable tool that aids our quest towards the attainment of self-realization. All over the world, people of different tribes invest huge resources in promoting their language, culture and tradition. Alas, it is with a heavy heart that I proclaim that we seem to be speedily murdering our language, culture and every other aspect that makes us who we are.

Though it is not my wish to malign our ability to display our mastery of languages other than our own, I find it extremely depressing that we are doing so at the expense of our mother tongue; adults and kids alike appear to be basking in an inferior euphoric delusion that suggests that their inability to speak their mother tongue presents them as being posh. I do not really know about other tribes in Nigeria but I strongly suspect that this trend is most prevalent amongst we Igbos. I find it quite weird that we seem to be ignoring the warning by experts that the Igbo language will become extinct in a few years time-though I do not know how this submission came about; I agree that the possibility stares us in the face.

Is this trend suggestive of a people saddled with a feeling of inferiority complex or a situation whereby we allow our love for travel and adventure to consume our identity as a people? I am particularly concerned about our children's inability to neither speak nor understand our language; it is now a popular trend for us parents to take pride in raising children that are more versed in foreign languages, particularly the English language. A few years ago, I went to visit a cousin that lives in Anambra State and was so miffed when he and his missus informed me with so much glee that their daughter "does not understand the Igbo language". When I sought to find out why, I was jolted by their insistence that they prefer her "ajebo" status of speaking only English. To them, the English language is a language that keeps you balanced smartly at the apex of some grand social ladder.

Now, my cousin and his missus are not the only parents guilty of raising tokumbo children in Nigeria. In my home, I find it too perplexing when my daughter stares at me in wonderment when I try to have a meaningful conversation with her in Igbo language; at most, she mimics what I say and fills the void with laughter which I find very annoying. We are raising children who are almost like foreigners in their country of origin and this to me is shameful. I grew up reading Igbo novels, story books, watching captivating Igbo dramas on TV and listening to same over the radio; I still cherish the fond memories of that lovely period of my life. What do we have today? Our children are being encouraged by us to cherish foreign cartoons, story books and movies. We think it shows our posh nature when our children can recite nursery rhymes written by foreign authors for their school children while knowing nothing about Nigerian authors and their works.

With every sense of modesty, I see myself as a bloke who has travelled round our beautiful country but nowhere is as marooned with a tendency to take pride in their mother tongue than in the South East of Nigeria. A visit to any tertiary institution in that region will buttress this fact; our undergraduates regale

in reminding you that they do not speak the Igbo language but "I dey understand small-small". These students ridicule those that speak the language as being "bush people" and any male that attempts to seek for a girl's hand in friendship in Igbo language is rudely dismissed as being uncouth. Igbo names given to them by their parents are immediately westernized; names like Nneka becomes Nekky, Nkechi becomes Nk, Chukwuma is now Chucky, etc. The erosion of our identity to me is total. However, I am particularly impressed when I see Nigerian kids of Yoruba origin born and bred outside the shores of Nigeria who speak their mother tongue without any trace of an accent, and understand same perfectly. In the UK, it is very rare to see a Yoruba person that answers such names as John, Mathew and other names imposed on our culture by Western influences.

Nevertheless, there are still Igbo parents that make great efforts at preserving the Igbo language and culture in the course of raising their children. There are countless Igbo parents that insist on giving proper Igbo names to their children instead of tokumbo names. I commend this greatly. I really do not frown at people adopting the cultures and values of tribes and races other than theirs, but it is my view that this should not be allowed to relegate ours to the background. I see it as an attack on reason and common sense when we see what is ours as being inferior while celebrating imported cultures and traditions; it would be nice to see a situation whereby we take pride in celebrating our diversity as a people from a multi-ethnic country rather than being in an eternal quest to marvel at values and languages from far places.

Is this not funny that while we blame Western countries for our economic woes, we take so much pride in perpetuating a new form of mental slavery by copying their life-style against ours? Generally, Nigerians now trample on their pride as a people by accepting foreign made goods and cultures as being superior to theirs, we try as much as practicable to imitate foreign accents [especially American] when we speak, we prefer hanging out at eateries that stock foreign junk foods instead piling up on our local dishes, we prefer sitting stupidly in front of our TV sets watching uninspiring shows like Big Brother Africa instead of Things Fall Apart, etc. The onslaught on our values is wicked and this is why we are raising tokumbo children in our country. Hence, I really do not blame kids that grow up with a mentality that ridicules their ancestry while celebrating foreign ways of life. We can still reverse this ugly trend by paying attention to how we raise our children by making sure we instill values that will make them proud ambassadors of their origin.

johnteddyus@yahoo.com
https://jonchikadibie.wordpress.com

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Nigerian Roads as Death Trap

BY PAUL OLOKO, DAVID IBEMERE AND EKENE EZEONYEJIAKU

Anger, pain, tears as Nigerians continue to lose lives and limbs on deplorable roads

YESTERDAY, the potholes and craters on the Mile Two-Apapa stretch of the expressway claimed two legs.

That was in addition to the litany of those who have been killed or maimed and cars and trucks damaged, no thanks to the same deplorable state of roads, arguably one of the busiest in the country.

Tears flowed freely yesterday, even from the men, among the throng of sympathisers looking on in horror at the severed legs of the commercial motorcyclist.

An eyewitness told The Guardian the motorcyclist and his passenger were at the Berger Bus Stop when an approaching  truck with Registration Number XT509JJJ loaded with two containers suddenly plunged into a huge pothole.

The passenger luckily jumped off to safety but the rider was unfortunately trapped, his two legs almost neatly severed in the accident.

No one could blame the truck driver who rolled on the ground calling for help as tears came streaming down his cheeks even as suggestions and even more suggestions came from among the crowd on how best to extricate the motorcycle rider from where he was trapped.

Though he had lost his two legs and much blood, he was still conscious.

Those at the scene of the accident blamed the government for the poor condition of most roads in     the country, which have now become death traps in over the country.

Pointing at another pothole, Mr. Chika Okafor said: "Just-look at this.

" If this all-important road had been repaired, none of this could have happened" while another sympathiser, Kazeem Ashafa told The Guardian that if he had the resources, he would  "have sued the government for neglecting a road it was statutorily expected to repair for the wellbeing of Nigerians so that such accidents that claimed the motorcyclist's legs might not have happened."

He continued: "Look at how this poor motorcyclist   has ended up, due to negligence of our so-called leaders.

"What beats my imagination is that there is supposed to be a Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) that probably maintains roads in the moon.

"If any road in Lagos deserves the Federal Government's attention, that road should be Apapa-Mile Two -Oshodi Expressway, but I doubt if any other road has as many deep potholes and craters than this highway that connects the ports and the International Airport.

"The government and its agencies that have failed to do something about this road are responsible for this young man losing his two legs this afternoon", he said in obvious anger.

The anger Kazeem expressed about the potholes on the Apapa-Mile Two-Oshodi Expressway could as well have been expressed by other Lagosians who are fed up with the death traps many roads in the metropolis have become.

A resident of Ikotun in the Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area, Ike Nwosu, drives to work in the Lagos Island.

He said on average, he changes the shock absorbers of his car every two months.

"There are some potholes, especially between Iyana Ejigbo and Jakande Gate, Oke Afa that you will fall into and it will feel as if your car has broken into pieces.

" Sometimes, you can't avoid these potholes as they are too many and some of these big trucks threatening you from behind," he said.

A commercial driver, Kayode Lawal, who plies Oshodi to Mile Two said potholes had torn the tyres of his vehicles on several occasions.

He lamented that year after year, "government says it will spend so much on roads, yet they remain death-traps on which innocent motorists and their passengers are killed.

In Ajao Estate, in the Isolo Local Council Development Area of Lagos, a resident of Ati Okoye Street, Clementine Ejiro said she could not remember the last time an attempt was made by the council to rehabilitate the roads by filling the innumerable potholes on all streets and roads.

She told The Guardian: "You can stand where you are now because today's rain was not heavy.

"If it had been, the whole of this place would have been impassable as what were mere potholes that could have been filled some two years ago have now

Another resident, Gabriel Nwana, however, blamed the potholes on heavy trucks and tankers that now use the roads that they were not built for.

According to him: "Ajao Estate was primarily residential and the roads built according to the appropriate specifications.

"But there are many factories and industries here now and the trucks and trailers that serve them have contributed to the deterioration of roads in this area.

"Be that as it may, the local council needs to do something about the roads in Ajao Estate."
Source: The Guardian, 31^st May 2011.

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Nneka Egbuna Taking Territories in Music World

By Ben Efe with Agency reports

Nneka Egbuna  may be petite, but her soulful voice makes her stand tall and the world is eagerly waiting to see just how far she can go with her music.

It is no surprise that the Warri-born singer and songwriter lists Bob Marley and Nina Simone among her influences. Just as it was for them, Nneka's music "isn't just about the music" __ it's a call for change.

"It's to show the world that people come together for one reason __ in this case music. We are representing that love," said Nneka who is currently touring the USA.

Her music is a celebration of diversity. "We are all different in color, everybody has their own baggage, their own experience, but we have a way to communicate and this is the essence of this tour."

Nneka's musical profile has steadily risen since her 2005 debut album titled "Victim of Truth," __ which was listed as one of the records of the year by Timesonline.co.uk in 2006. In 2009, she won the Best African Act award at the UK's Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards.

Now on her fourth album, Nneka is garnering rave reviews from the likes of Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines, while Spin magazine described her as one of the artists to watch for 2010.

Earlier this year, she performed on the David Letterman show introducing her to a massive U.S. audience.

At times it is easy to mistake her cool and laid back attitude for shyness but get her talking about issues close to her heart and she emerges as a firecracker with a big heart and many passions.

Born to a Nigerian father and German mother, Nneka grew up in her hometown of Warri, Nigeria, before leaving at the age of 19 to study in Germany.

Those years away from home made her examine what it meant to be Nigerian. And in the process, she found herself.

"The period of time that I spent in Germany educated me a lot about being Nigerian. Before, I never really was that conscious of my surrounding, of our politics. I knew that there was something going on, but I never really felt responsible," said Nneka.

Today she is on a crusade to address issues affecting her people __ her haunting cry for peace and love for her motherland written all over her music.

Fans are familiar with the various themes of injustice and oppression that drive her music and performances.

"If you listen to my music, I do have a lot to do, issues that are very delicate to the Nigerian ear, talking about our politics at present, or the corruption, or the oil exploitation in the Niger Delta," said the singer who is from the troubled region.

Nneka equates her time away from Nigeria as a "personal pilgrimage," one which led her to an accidental musical career, something she admits she "slipped into."

"It used to be something I did as a kind of a therapy especially when I was living in Germany and never had anything to do with this part of my heritage," she said.

Getting to know a society with "a totally different mentality" forced her to discover her passion. "That is how music found me, or the other way round," she told CNN.

With her growing universal appeal, Nneka has now assumed the responsibility of a continent on her tiny shoulders.

"I see myself having a voice that would represent the people who do not have the courage to speak their minds or to allow the world outside to see and recognize what is happening within Nigeria, within Africa," she said.

However, she knows change isn't immediate but it is coming __ if we all play our part. "I see light," she says. "As long as we are part of the change that we want, then things will change."
Source: Vanguard, 24^th July 2010.

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