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10—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 12, 2022 TINUBU IS IT, Muslim-Muslim ticket game changer •Not respecting zoning will count against Atiku •How INEC will be Peter Obi’s problem •Kwakwanso still a regional champion Kindly share your candid expectation on the forthcoming 2023 General Elections? Expectations? No, I don’t want to talk about expectations. Tomorrow belongs to Allah. Homo sapiens can only speculate. That’s why the Arabs say ‘An-naasu fii tafkiir wa Allahu fii tadbiir’. Roughly translated, it means ‘Men engage in speculations but Allah decides what actually happens.’ That’s one of the reasons Islamic scholars don’t make predictions. I personally hate prognostications. Unfortunately also, I am not a political analyst. At least, I don’t see myself as one. I can only advise Nigerians to be true to their convictions, to ensure that they collect their PVCs and to use the latter wisely and boldly. In spite of all the hullabaloo, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is going to be the game changer. The names of Tinubu and Shettima are on everyone’s lip in the North. The South West has caught the Jagaban fever. The last time I checked, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was counting his losses to Peter Obi in the South East. Yet the latter is feverishly searching for a foothold in the Arewa kingdom. He is yet to find one. Ceteris paribus, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a fait accompli. But I will appeal to Tinubu’s supporters not to be too complacent. There is still a lot of work to be done. Exempli gratia, there are fences to be mended. The divine factor is also very important. We need to pray. We need to put everything in the hands of Allah. We must not forget what happened to the June 12 1993 election. It was criminally annulled by enemies of democracy. Nigerians voted massively for Chief M. K. O. Abiola. We wanted him to be the president. But Allah decided otherwise. This time around we must make Allah the numero uno among our consultants. I call on Asiwaju’s supporters to pray, pray and pray. Ora et labora, i.e. work and pray. What is your take on the direction By Ishola Balogun In his usual style of remonstrating against opposing idea, the Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and Professor of Islamic Studies, Department of Religions and Peace Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), Ishaq Lakin Akintola has said history will not be kind to the Afenifere leader, Pa Adebanjo for his hard position on the All Progressive Congress, APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu unless he retraces his footsteps. How can a man who claims to be a Yoruba leader leave a widely accepted Presidential candidate to embrace someone else from another region”, he says. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, the Muslim rights activist urges the Afenifere leadership to put its house in order. He also speaks on Kola Abiola, son of the undeclared winner of June 12 1993, MKO Abiola. Excerpts: In the past, the culture of the people was tied around their expertise in war. They grew so much as mighty warriors such that they had delight in fighting. At a point, they transformed into something like mercenaries taken so far by the major presidential flagbearers such as Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi (LP), Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankanso (NNPP) and Prince Adewole Adebayo (SDP)? Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is someone for whom I have a lot of respect. But he stayed away in Dubai for too long. His second miscalculation is his refusal to respect his party’s zoning formula. Whereas twelve Northern governors willingly surrendered the APC mandate to a Southerner, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar dared the South by insisting on contesting. The result is the higgledypiggledy which has characterized the political fortune of the PDP to date. Peter Obi has already won the presidential election in social media. His problem is INEC because I am not sure that INEC will accept social media popularity as a standard yardstick. PO scored the highest mark in reeling out the other version of truth to Nigerians. His statistical inexactitude is also legendary. I know that intelligent people are not going to forget that. Kwankwaso is still reveling in the euphoria of kwankwasiyah. A regional phenomenon has been mistaken for a national movement. NNPP may not even scratch the surface. Without being dismissive or immodest, the average Nigerian may need to be educated about the identity of Prince Adewole Adebayo of the SDP. Only the APC presidential candidate appears to have done a lot of homework. He has been to virtually all parts of Nigeria. His party has members and agents spread over all the nooks and crannies of this country. In terms of consultations, he has consulted widely: political circle, traditional rulers, the business sector, students, name it. He is the only candidate who can confidently tell Nigerians, ‘Vini, vidi, vici’, i.e. I came, I saw, I conquered, even at this stage. Why do you think Asiwaju towers above other frontliners? Is it not self-evident? Even the blind — Prof Akintola, MURIC Director •Prof Akintola •Tinubu can see it. We are talking about pedigree here. Asiwaju’s political curriculum vitae is not only impressive, it is intimidating. It is primus inter pareil. He was already a senator when some of those contesting against him today had not even given politics a single thought. He has mentored countless numbers of men and women. Asiwaju can point at Lagos today and beat his chest. Where are the achievements of those who are challenging him? His roadmap is still being used in Lagos. Fashola used it and Nigerians poured encomiums on him. Sanwo-Olu is using it to the admiration of all. Lagos leads while other states follow. But it is because of the solid foundation laid down by Tinubu. LASTMA was introduced by him. He introduced free education at secondary school level in Lagos State. You can call that a followup to Chief Awolowo’s free education policy at •Kola Abiola primary school level. ‘Jigi Bola’, a free eyeglasses project liberated thousands of elderly people from partial blindness as medicated eyeglasses were distributed pro bono in Tinubu’s Lagos. His ‘firsts’ are just too many to mention here. What, in reality, does this anticipated Tinubu/ Shettima presidency signal to you and Nigeria as a whole? It portends purposeful leadership. Tinubu is a pragmatic political leader. He is always thinking and working on solutions to problems facing his society. Nigerians are fortunate that this human computer did not remain permanently in the United States but decided to return to Nigeria in order to benefit his country. Those who fail to appreciate him are those calling him names and those who are afraid of his being a Muslim. But as a student of Islam and someone who has studied some Muslim politicians, Tinubu is not the man to scare non- Muslims. He doesn’t even agree with some of the positions of people like me. He is proud to be a Muslim. But if you know what I mean, Akintola is a fanatic as far as Asiwaju is concerned. Nonetheless, when it comes to picking the right man to lead Nigeria out of the woods, Tinubu is my man. Let me quickly reveal a secret about Tinubu which I have been keeping for quite some time. When the going was rough, when men of the SSS were hounding pro-democracy activists, I went to No. 19, Imaria Street (that was Dr, Beko Ransome Kuti’s house) for one of the regular meetings of the Campaign for Democracy. I met this executive activist, Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the exit but I didn’t recognize him. He was heavily disguised and he was on his way out. It was Beko who said, ‘Do you know who just walked past you?’ I said, ‘No sir, I don’t’. He replied, ‘That was Bola Tinubu. He came to support us as usual’. That was in 1994 when I was still undergoing human rights mentoring under Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti. I think that is quite instructive. A leader who will not abandon his followers in the trench, a leader who will stick his neck out for their sake, that is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. How many of those contesting against him today will take such a risk? How many of them made such a huge contribution to the struggle for the restoration of democracy? Of all the presidential candidates today, only Tinubu and Kola Abiola truly deserve the position. The former because of his personal sacrifices, the latter because of what Nigerians owe his father, Chief M. K. O. Abiola, who paid the supreme sacrifice for the survival of democracy. In other climes, children of heroes are given the honour to replicate what their parents did or could not do. Perhaps Kola Abiola is warming up. In the South West region, there are still discordant tunes among the Yoruba Afenifere leaders, what is your take on their positions and how would you advise against disunity at this critical time? I belong to the South West region. I am a Yoruba and I am happy to be one. But those who want to lead our race tend to be dividing us. Otherwise how can Pa Adebanjo who claims to be the leader of the Yoruba leave a widely accepted Yoruba presidential candidate to embrace someone else from another region? I don’t support ethnic politics but how would Pa Adebanjo feel if a Nigerian and a Sierra Leonean contest for a West African post and Nigerians at the event vote for the Sierra Leonean? Adebanjo should lead by example. Afenifere should also put its house in order. They are embarrassing us. Pa Adebanjo should remember that chroniclers are not asleep. History will not be kind to him unless he retraces his footsteps. Afterall we have a saying in Yorubaland that ‘Omo eni ko sedi bebere ka fileke sidi omo elomiran. Teni ni teni’, i.e. No matter how flabby your daughter’s buttocks are, you should not place beads in the buttocks of another man’s daughter. Why do you think INEC is well prepared to conduct free and credible elections in 2023? I don’t think INEC understands the issues involved in electioneering. Some of INEC’s decisions have been extreme lately. Methinks INEC should operate with a human face. A situation whereby INEC declares that the candidates of a political party will not participate in an election is too harsh for me. Technicalities should not be allowed to give weak political parties the upper hand. It runs parallel to the law of natural justice. What is your expectation and message to Nigerians as 2023 polls draw nearer? My message to Nigerians is to avoid thuggery and hooliganism. It is one major raison d’etre for women staying out of politics. I appeal to the youth not to allow themselves to be used for any dirty game. I invite politicians to avoid ‘do or die’ politics. Let us eschew politics with bitterness. Both winner and loser should keep looking at the bigger picture - Nigeria.
DELTA 2023: Oborevwori unravels, squares off Omo-Agege •DSP unshaken, intensifies onslaught •I’ll fight from within- Olorogun Edevbie By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South THE gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Rt. Hon Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, seem embroiled in a crushing power game over the 2023 governorship. Oborevwori, the longest-serving Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Omo- Agege, Deputy Senate President, DSP, of Nigeria’s Senate are both of the Urhobo stock in the Delta Central senatorial district. From his antecedents in his current party, Omo-Agege, a former chieftain of PDP, not only knows how to categorize political opponents; he is proficient in overwhelming competitors DSP bent on thinning out the flock Having appraised Oborevwori as his key 2023 opponent; pinpointed his friend, governor, and vicepresidential candidate of PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, as Oborevwori’s backbone that he must break down, DSP came up with a long-term plan to thump the shepherd, disperse the sheep, and isolate the leader from the flock. Since he deployed this strategy, firing salvos at Okowa, Oborevwori and anything PDP, Omo- Agege has left no one in doubt about his preparedness. One APC leader that is also very adept in this strategy is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. He and Omo-Agege understand the art of unleashing verbal missiles on political opponents. PDP has felt the impact of his targeted onslaughts on Okowa and Oborevwori, designed to break up the sheep, in the last few weeks. Cases in point: ”We must take back our dear state from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who with his cohorts, have held our state hostage. After over seven years of Okowa, one thing we all agree is that there is a huge gap between the fund Delta state received, generated, and borrowed even recklessly...” “And now, he wants to hand over to his stooge, Speaker, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori whose House, which he heads, approved every kobo that was wasted and stolen to protect himself from accountability. “For the years of Sheriff’s speakership, the Delta State House of Assembly has been a rubber stamp, giving everything Okowa asks for without effective oversight, undermining the entire idea of the Separation of Powers enshrined in our Constitution, as well as weakening our democracy. “Are we ready for another four years of that nonsense, another four years of plundering and stealing, another four years of drift? None of us • Oborevwori here, today want to see more of the past very terrible years of Okowa-Oborevwori tyranny, we want our state back. The gross misuse and total waste of scarce resources have cost Delta state so much and this must stop.” Oborevwori strikes back However, Oborevwori has been circumspect in responding to the vitriolic attacks on his person by Omo-Agege for some time because he has an aversion to the politics of attacking people, instead of issues. He speaks less than necessary, the reason people think he does not speak, but for the first time, Oborevwori came out of his shell at the launching of the Delta State PDP Campaign Council, penultimate Thursday. He thundered: “The other day, I listened to the brash and unguarded utterances of the APC governorship candidate in Delta State. I wish to remind Deltans that all well-meaning Nigerians agree that the current Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of which Omo-Agege is the Deputy President, is the worst in the history of Nigeria.” ”Courtesy of this toothless, docile, and rubber stamp Senate, Nigeria’s external debt portfolio currently stands at $40 billion as of the second quarter of this year. With hyperinflation, naira free fall, escalating food prices, widespread poverty, the dilapidated state of federal roads, labour discontent, and general insecurity, let Omo-Agege tell Deltans what they used these monies for. “Lest we forget, Omo-Agege’s tenure as Secretary to the Delta State Government was characterized by parochialism, greed, abuse of power, and undemocratic tendencies. The records • Omo-Agege are there for anybody who cares to check. “Let me stop here for now, but Deltans do not need a despot like Omo-Agege, but a liberal, broadminded, and selfless leader like me who stands for equity and fairness. On his performance, he said: “Permit me to comment on my stewardship as the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. I am very proud of the job the sixth and seventh Assemblies have done in working with the executive to implement its policies and programmes. There are some misguided people, who think that the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive must be adversarial - How mistaking”. “The idea of checks and balances was not for the legislature to become a clog in the wheel of progress but to ensure mutual respect and cooperation in handling governance issues. That you sometimes disagree does not mean you have to be disagreeable. Through dialogue, you can iron out your differences in a mature and civilized manner in order to move the ship of state forward. “This is what the House has done under my stewardship and the evidence of the positive impacts of the government’s policies and programmes abound everywhere in the state. Regarding Okowa’s performance, he uttered “Those of us who live in Asaba know what it used to be like living here pre-2015. Thanks to the Asaba Storm Water Drainage, we can now sleep with both eyes closed when it rains. The Prof. Chike Edozien Central Secretariat Complex stands tall above the noise and cynicism of naysayers, mischief makers, and armchair critics.” “Roads and bridges of strategic importance have been, and continue to be constructed across the length and breadth of Delta State. Testimonies SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 12, 2022—11 abound of our youths who are now successful business owners and employers of labour, following their empowerment through the administration’s multiple entrepreneurship development programmes. I can go on and on but we have what it takes to convince our people that PDP remains their best option,” he stated. Bid to isolate leaders Omo-Agege could not distance Okowa from the PDP flock as designed, but he has caused a stir, plucking some PDP leaders, including a former governorship aspirant, Hon Efe Ofobruku and Chief Andy Asowota, in recent weeks, to the APC, with his crusade. However, the movement is not one-sided, as top APC members, including a former state chairman, Cyril Ogodo and publicity secretary, Sylvester Imonina also switched over to the PDP in the state. Many construed the absence of two former governors of the state, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and other leaders at the launching of PDP’s 2023 Campaign Council at Asaba as a sign that they were still at war with Okowa over his support for Oborevwori. Senator James Manager and others have stayed away from major party activities since the last governorship primaries, not necessarily, because Omo-Agege’s tactics paid off, but because he is angry with his friend, Okowa. Omo-Agege would have loved to see Ibori, Uduaghan, Olorogun David Edevbie, Manager and others dump Okowa to work for his victory. Still, Edevbie, who returned to the state since he lost at the Supreme Court to Oborevwori, last Friday, told his supporters that he would remain in PDP and fight within. Edevbie’s stand of remaining in PDP and fighting within explains the predicament of Ibori and Uduaghan, who many know all along, will not exit the party, despite the resentment that has made it hard for them to come to terms with Okowa What goes for Sheriff What has kept Oborewori going in the power game, which started before his emergence as the party’s candidate, is his adroitness in masking his intention, which distracted people until Okowa located him. Difficult to comprehend, but Okowa did not, initially, set out with Oborevwori as his successor; but somehow, when the time came, he could not resist the pull. The seemingly stylish manner he materialized as the standard-bearer amazed many, who know Oborevwori as the underdog in the PDP governorship scramble, but the Speaker is keeping away his real success secrets from Omo-Agege in the power game. Across the state, people are working for his election as governor, but how he does it, stands out even with bad publicity, and refused to outdo his master, Okowa, are all part of his strategies. Possible reevaluation Perhaps, Omo-Agege, the most potent individual political force in the Delta Central senatorial district, now, besides Ibori, may have another look at his strategy to isolate Okowa to disperse an unrepentant PDP flock with his offensives, as Oborevwori has risen to the challenge. It looks improbable, as sparing the governor and the PDP candidate of the rough edge of his tongue is not in DSP’s contemplation just now. A few days ago, he boasted he would cut short the vice presidential ambition of Okowa, who he accused of plotting a third-term agenda through Oborevwori. Since he broke proceedings on Omo- Agege, penultimate Thursday, Deltans are waiting for Oborevwori’s next line of action. DELTA CENTRAL: DAFINONE IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB By Francis Ewherido The Urhobo Nation, sent a man to represent us in Abuja (let us leave out the detail of whether it was the Senate or House of Representatives). When it got to the next election he came back to his party to inform them that he wanted to return to Abuja for a second term. The party leaders and faithful asked him to give an account of his stewardship so far. He had nothing to show for the almost four years he had been in Abuja. But he had a trailer load of excuses. When he was done making excuses, he was told to step aside so that someone else who could overcome barriers the listed and provide effective representation would replace him. That was how he lost his bid to return to Abuja. The Urhobo Nation has always produced vibrant and strong characters to represent Delta Central in the Senate right from time. Except for one or so senators who came and left like a ship in the night(unnoticed), Delta Central has always had vibrant representation. With the incumbent, HE OvieOmo-Agege, rising to the position of Deputy President of the Senateand doing exceptionally well, the stakes are even higher and the shoes, bigger. It is not as if Delta Central expects to produce the next Deputy President of the Senate, but any senator who knows his onions can provide his people and Nigeria at large effective representation. With all sense of modesty, my late brother, Sen. Akpor Pius Ewherido, was the lone Democratic People’s Party(DPP) senator in the senate during his time. He spent only two years before death came calling, but he distinguished himself; he came, he saw and he conquered. The record of the bills he sponsored or co-sponsored and the projects he attracted to Delta Central are there. The senatorial election is barely three months away. We have a plethora of qualified Urhobo sons jostling for the seat. As I have said and have not retracted, my choice is Okakuro Ede Dafinone. His father is also one of the best senators Delta Central has produced. He did not just represent us well in the senate, he was a national figure. But my belief in Ede Dafinone has nothing to do with his father, the late Senator David Dafinone,but the antecedents of Delta Central in producing very vibrant senators. It should not be different this time around. Ede is well educated, very intelligent and well spoken. He is an accomplished accountant. He has sat and still seats on the board of companies across all spectrum of the economy: finance, information technology, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. He sits on the board of one of the most stable and best run insurance companies in Nigeria. They are leaders in motor insurance business. I know because as a chartered insurance broker, I do business with them and have not had issues with them. Genuine claims are promptly paid. They are highly respected in the insurance subsector and financial sector. These are the types of organisations he is associated with. His network • Okakuro Ede Dafinone both in government and the business community is extensive and will come handy as our senator. He is at home in Urhoboland, and very comfortable at the national and international levels. He is ready-made as the next senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District. He is a trustee of OkpeCommunity Leaders of Thought and Chairman, SapeleOkpe Land Trust Association. Through the Dafinone Foundation, he has been providing scholarships for our people back home for postgraduate studies. The foundation has a skills acquisition centre and hundreds of our people have acquired various skills that have made them self-sustaining. The foundation offers micro-credit loans to women within Sapele. These are concrete contributions to Urhobo land by a true Urhobo son. One aspect of his quest to go the senate I like is his concentration on himself as a senatorial candidate and what he is bringing to the table. I have not seen him allude to the fact that his father,a distinguished senator, provided effective representation to his people and so the people of Delta Central should vote for him as a son of Senator David Dafinone. Ede is accomplished and campaigning based on his accomplishments, which are very obvious, and what he is bringing to the table. Every mallam has his kettle and Ede is using his own kettle not the kettle of Senator David Dafinone. Personally I have problems with people who go about with a sense of entitlement. In this critical time, anyone who wants to represent the Urhobo nation, whether in the Delta State House of Assembly, House of Representatives or the Senate, should have a good grasp of what our current challenges are.You cannot solve a problem you do not understand. Whether you go ahead to help solve the problems when you get elected or abandon your promises is a different matter. The day of reckoning is just ahead (four years maximum). But understanding the issues at the initial stage is very critical and Ede does. The minimum age for going to the senate is 35 years. Anybody who is 35 years and above is eligible age wise to contest. Now in his late 50s, Dafinone still has the element of youthfulness to enable him represent us with the needed vibrancy. He also has decades of experience and multi-sector knowledge to discuss all sectors of our national life beyond his finance sector background in the senate. Many people might not know, but before climate change and its devastating effects hit the front burner, Dafinone was already a member of the Lekki Conservation Foundation and he is the current chairman of the foundation(What conservation foundation stands for is selfexplanatory). What does that tell you? Vision:Okakuro Ede Dafinone is a man of vision, an essential ingredient for great leaders. At this point, the senate seat of Delta Central fits him like a tailor-made-to-fit suit. Okakuro Ede Dafinone of the All Progressive Congress is the best choice for Delta Central Senatorial District in 2023 election. Mr. Francis Ewherido is a chartered insurance practitioner and Saturday Vanguard Columnist
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