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By Emmanuel Ugwu

National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, has  said even though none of the presidential candidates in the 2011 race is from the South-east geopolitical zone there was no cause for alarm among Ndigbo, as their interest would be adequately protected with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president.

He gave the assurance in Aba, Saturday while addressing supporters at the campaign flag-off of the APGA gubernatorial candidate in the state, Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba.

Umeh noted that no other presidential candidate had outlined a concrete agenda for the South-east like Jonathan.

The APGA national chairman, who was justifying the party's adoption of Jonathan as its presidential candidate, pointed out that Mr. President had already demonstrated "enough love for Ndigbo" by upgrading Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, to an international airport and promising to actualise the construction of the long envisaged second Niger Bridge.

Umeh led members of APGA's National Working Committee, including the national secretary, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, and national publicity secretary, Mr. Bernard Akoma, to the Aba rally.

The national chairman said Jonathan, aside from being close to Ndigbo by marriage, had, unlike past Nigerian leaders, shown much respect for the revered national leader of APGA, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, whom the president visited in Enugu to seek his support.

He said the present disposition of Nigerians toward a free and fair election had provided a good opportunity for Ndigbo to effect the needed changes in the polity by voting for all APGA candidates in the April elections, except in the presidential poll, where they should vote for Jonathan.
Source: This Days, 20^th March 2011.

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FROM LAWRENCE NJOKU, ENUGU

THE apex socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had actually set an agenda for parties and their presidential candidates. The leaders of the organisation had noted that it would only support candidates whose programmes address the array of socio economic problems facing the South East geo-political zone. At the heart of the agenda is the need to improve infrastructure that would boost the zone's economy and improve the people's living condition.

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagged off its presidential campaign in the South East zone, it promised to attend to the problems confronting the region. Incidentally, other presidential candidates have not been so categorical. The development is perhaps in recognition of the endorsement by the zone of PDP's presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan. The President has toured other states in the zone to canvass for votes and support since he flagged of his campaign in Enugu.

Other issues in the zone include ecological problems, recurring cases of kidnapping, construction of the second Niger Bridge, upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam International airport and the reconstruction of aging federal infrastructure.

President Jonathan has awarded the contract for the internationalisation of Akanu Ibiam airport, and for work on some erosion sites as well as pledging to build the second Niger Bridge. His aides have said that the promise won't be different from those made in the past by former presidential candidates of the PDP.

The political parties have not been as loud as the PDP in the zone, giving the belief that the zone was determined to return Jonathan.  The PDP had always commanded a strong position in previous elections, a development that was exacerbated by the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the five South East governors that only Jonathan should be supported.

But despite its support for Jonathan, investigations show that the South East might not be a hunting ground by the presidential candidates. Numbers count no doubt, but the zone trails behind others with the least number of states, councils and a winner of the presidential election might emerge without the contribution of the South East, and so, presidential candidates have decided to spend their resources and energy canvassing for votes in other zones with larger voters' base.

The South East trails behind other zones of the country in the number of registered voters. In the figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the North West has over 18 million registered voters, followed by the South West, North East, South-South, North-Central and South East.  The South West has 14 million voters; North-East 10 million; South-South from has about 9 million voters; South-East about 7 million. The South East has the least, with its five states.

Presidential candidates who have ventured into the zone to campaign include Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Presidential candidate, have rather decided to bring the states of the zone into one state in what they termed zonal rally to address the people and lay emphasis campaigning in other zones and states.

Recently, Shekarau, after much haggle with the Ebonyi State Government held his campaign rally in Abakaliki, where all the party's candidates assembled to receive party flags.

Shekarau promised to extend the peace now reigning in Kano to the South East zone and ensure that amenities were spread like in other parts of the country.

He blamed the (PDP) for the crises bedeviling the country pointing out that within the past 12 years, the party has denied the citizens justice, which is the real dividend of democracy. He promised that he would ensure the establishment of justice, which must be anchored on democracy.

Apparently referring to the effort by the Ebonyi State government to stop his rally, the governor regretted that the ruling party in Ebonyi was doing everything possible to thwart free and fair elections. He noted that the ANPP was committed to free, fair and credible elections that would usher in real constitutional democracy in the country.

The Ebonyi State governor, Martin Elechi, in a statewide broadcast, cancelled the zonal rally of the ANPP in the state, claiming that it was aimed at causing unrest and violence. He said that the facilities available in the state were not good to host a national rally like the one planned by the party.

According to Elechi, "the ANPP is a party we respect like every other party. I am friendly with the three ANPP governors of Borno, Kano and Yobe states and will most willingly accord them maximum respect and protocol in Ebonyi, a treat I cannot, under the circumstances, extend to their National Chairman who will be leading them to Ebonyi.

"No Governor, Government or people have a right to obstruct the free movement of other political parties or citizens in any state. But the protection of lives and properties of citizens and the prevalence of Law and Order constitute the primary assignment of every governor and become the purpose of every government. These are, for us, a higher premium against the need to allow a free political interaction. Let the ANPP chieftains hold their rally elsewhere. May history judge us objectively."

It was learnt that such position as canvassed by Elechi was merely to "secure his job being the Coordinator of Jonathan campaign in the zone," and cannot impact on the outcome of the presidential election.

A compromise was finally reached and Shekarau told a cheering crowd at the rally that his administration would introduce a new lease of life, justice and security that could gear up development of the country.

He said: "Nigeria requires change; Nigeria requires a new lease of life. If we want justice in Nigeria, I want you to vote for Shekarau. But there is work ahead of us, as we have to spend sleepless nights, go places to get votes. Shekarau is here to get the votes. Make this visit a historic one by making sure your votes count."

Buhari also chose a quiet and unremarkable location in Owerri last week to flag off his South East rally, where he promised to tackle insecurity and corruption sweeping across the country.

In an event said to have lasted about 45 minutes, Buhari expressed regret that bomb blasts, kidnapping and armed robbery were thriving in Nigeria, giving the nation a bad image that he would correct if voted into power.

One time senator, Dr Hyde Onuaguluchi, said that the South East was not anywhere near the politics of the country. He explained that before now the zone was ranked third in the country with several juicy appointments in the federal cabinet. He stressed that selfish desires and imposition from outside the zone robbed it of those positions.

Citing the recent forced exit of the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as an instance, Onuaguluchi said that the recently released figures of the voters' registration has put the zone at a disadvantage, stressing that, while some could be bargaining with the figures available to them, nobody would dare enter into negotiation with the people of the South East.

He however added that, "but we have supported President Jonathan and nobody else because of his person, because of our belief that the Niger Delta deserves a shot at the presidency as an integral part of this country. We cannot deny him our support and prayer to enable him win the election. We have resolved to use the votes available in the zone to shore up his chances in the election believing that what he garners in other zones will help him emerge victorious."

Onuaguluchi, a PDP chieftain, believes it was time for Ndigbo to allow the will of the people triumph in elections as he stressed that the near apathy in politics was as a result of incessant "railroading of people into power" against the wishes of the people.

"If we do not change the quality of leadership we are sending to Abuja, we will have to wait indefinitely if people in Abuja arrogate to themselves the right to come to Igboland and choose our leaders. If people either in the party headquarters in Abuja and decide who must be returned as senatorial candidate or House of Representatives candidate in Igboland, the people who cannot win even their state for PDP can because they were appointed members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP stay in Abuja and choose who must represent us, then we are in trouble. And again, they will have to wait indefinitely for our voice to be heard."

A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Michael Okwuoma said that the South East has become less attractive for politicians following the contentions that have always marred aspirations of people from the zone appointed in higher offices in the land. He said that the low patronage of the zone in the April election was as a result of the position the zone had taken over the presidential project and not because of the low voters' registration. He stressed that the South East as an integral part of the country was important in the 2011 lections of the country.

From any direction that it is viewed, the South East has a serious problem and lacks the power to bargain in the coming elections. Therefore, even if Jonathan or any other presidential candidate fails to identify with it, elections and indeed the country must forge ahead.

Stakeholders in the zone complain that none of the presidential candidates has so far made a commitment that could ultimately lead to the development of the South East, which has always cried out against marginalisation for the simple fact that win or lose, the votes of the zone wont significantly make any difference.
Source: The Guardian, 17^th March 2011.

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Anya: Igbos Hold Aces on Next President

By Chuks Okocha

Former Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and eminent scientist, Prof. Anya O. Anya, has said the Igbos will determine who becomes the next president because of their predominance in all parts of the country.

Speaking at a one-day political colloquium for the 2011 general election organised by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter ofthe Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in Abuja Wednesday, Anya said the Igbos constitute over 43 per cent of the voting population in Lagos.

He said in the North-west with its 19 million voters, the Igbos represent six million of the voting population. He explained that there was no corner of the Nigerian federation that an Igbo man or woman could not be found, adding that as the second largest ethnic group in the country, the Igbos hold the ace and would determine who becomes the next president.

"The Igbos have said they are supporting Jonathan and in the North-west, they have about six million voters and in Lagos, Igbos constitute 43 per cent of the voting population," he said. Anya, who had served as the President of Nigeria Academy of Science, also lampooned the former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, and co-leader of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF),  Tanko Yakassai, over their insistence on zoning of the presidency to the North. He accused them of not only living in the past and clinging to a vision that had not only been dumped by those who originated them, but out of tune with the present realities in the country. Also speaking at the occasion, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, reaffirmed the support of the people of the South-east geo-political zone for President Goodluck Jonathan in next month's presidential election.

Former governor of old Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said the Igbos were elated that for the first time in 50 years, somebody from the old Eastern region was leading in the presidential, adding that the South-east people were unshaken in their resolve to back Jonathan on April 9.

"For the first time in the past 50 years, someone is coming from the former Eastern region for the presidency and on April 9, we are asking our people to vote for Nigerian unity by voting for Jonathan," he stated.
Source: This Day, 17^th March 2011.

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'Governors Can No Longer Take Loans Beyond Their Tenure'

FROM LAOLU AKANDE, NEW YORK

AS Part of the Federal Government's fiscal reform programme, state governors are no longer permitted to enter into debt obligations that will continue after their terms in office.

Minister of Finance, Dr Olusegun Aganga, while speaking to a select group of Nigerian diplomats and reporters in New York ahead of a Gala night held in his honor by Techno-Serve, an international not-for-profit organisation that seeks to cut poverty in the world, said governors would only be allowed to take loans that they could repay during their terms in office.

Emphasising that President Goodluck Jonathan's administration has saved about N12b from payrolls and salaries with the adoption of data capturing of personnel information, Aganga decried high level of wasteful spending in past governments.

The former Goldman Sachs executive said: "If state governments want to borrow externally, they should ask me... if I agree, we will take it to the National Assembly for approval; but if they can't sustain the repayment, I will I say no." Aganga explained that state houses of assembly must also write to authorise the loan proposals before the Federal Ministry of Finance would consider them.

Asked what would happen to states where the previous governors had already committed the government, the Finance Minister stated that "they will come to us to restructure the loans to make it affordable," adding that the FG knows most, if not all, the loans owed by states and "there are adequate controls."

According to him, whether it is external borrowing from the global community, or domestic borrowing by way of local bonds, or even commercial loans, the states can hardly enter into any loans without the knowledge of the Federal Government.

While calling on Nigerians abroad and at home with ideas to reach out to the government, he said the four main pillars upon which the government's strategy for economic growth stands were creating access to capital in the economy, ensuring inclusive growth, restoring barriers to growth, especially in the power sector, IT and infrastructure, and creating the right business environment in the country.

He disclosed that 333 expressions of interests, from local and international investors, had already been received for the planned sale of power generation and distribution companies, saying the "power sector will be next to the telecom industry."

According to him, the number of investors who have shown interests in BPE's privatisation plans in the power sector "far exceeded what we expected."

Explaining that state governors were initially opposed to the creation of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) he said the Federal Government was close to getting the National Assembly to pass the bill so that the SWF could effectively replace the Excess Crude Account (ECA).
Source: The Guardian, 20^th March 2011.

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