EDO 2016. APC NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ENDORSE 2014 DELEGATES LIST FOR THE PRIMARIES.

BENIN— "Those who are no more in APC either by reason of death or defection cannot be replaced till after the primaries".

APC Aspirants

AHEAD of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primaries slated for March or April 2016, the party has said that it will adhere to the 2014 delegates list, even as it assured party faithful that the conduct of the exercise will be transparent, free and fair. State Publicity Secretary of the party in Edo State, Mr Godwin Erhahon, in a statement in Benin, said that the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had already assured that the list of delegates elected at the 2014 congress remains intact and sacrosanct.

Our press gathered that the leadership of the party in Edo State had been in Abuja in the last one week trying to impress on the national leaders of the party why the 2014 delegates list should be altered. It was, however, learned that the national leadership of the party refused to shift grounds on the issue.

Erhahon’s clarification was sequel to allegations that attempts were being made by some officials of the party in the state to alter the 2014 delegates list to accommodate those not qualified for the delegate conference. A chieftain of the party who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, alleged that a particular party member from Oredo Local Government Area of the state, was busy suspending and removing members of the party and substituting the names of those who have died and were part of the 2014 delegates list with a view of supporting a particular governorship aspirant to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.

However, Erhahon explained that, “All elected delegates who are still members of the party will be the voters at the primaries. Those who are no more in APC either by reason of death or defection cannot be replaced till after the primaries.

“This reassurance has become necessary to douse tension over rumours, boasts or threats from various quarters that attempts are being made by some persons to alter the list of delegates. All governorship aspirants and their promoters are advised to humble themselves to existing party leadership including the delegates rather than sponsor suspension of party officials or replacement of delegates which can only backfire on them in the end. “Edo State leadership of APC will not tolerate any attempt to discredit the national leadership of the party which is the maker and custodian of the list of delegates,” the source added.

Edo Decides 2016: Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan may emerge APC guber candidate.

Arc Emuan

Abuja-Indications emerged Thursday night that the major stakeholders of the party representing Edo South, Central and North senatorial districts met in an undisclosed location at Abuja and may have endorsed Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan (MNIA) as the most preferred gubernatorial candidate of the party for the 2016 guber election in Edo State.

Sources close to the organizers of the secret meeting quoted one of the stakeholders as saying that, “The chances of all the aspirants under the APC from the major’s political camps in the state were reviewed at the meeting but it turned out that Arc. Emuan stands a better chance because he will enjoy tremendous support of the people both in Edo North where he was born (Etsako), his native place, Edo central (Esan land) and Edo south where he has major supporters within the party caucus members.

“Again, looking at all the aspirants and their antecedents,  Arc. Emuan is one candidate that will give the APC an easy ride to victory. So, the decision to back him is a wise one and a good development for the APC”, one of the stakeholders said.

However, efforts to speak with some of the aspirants last night proved abortive as they did not pick their calls but decisions were reached to conceal their plans only to convey the decision to other stakeholders in their senatorial structures within and outside the state.

BREAKING NEWS!!! EDO DECIDES 2016: APC`S GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS ASSURE EACH OTHER-DR. PIUS ODUBU & ARC. ILENRE AUSTIN EMUAN.

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) recently held a meet-and-greet session for major aspirants contesting under the platform of the party. The meeting was observed during the final burial ceremony of Rt. Hon. Thomas Okosun mother`s burial that took place at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Govt. of edo state. The event allows the governorship aspirants of the party from across the three senatorial districts in the state to familiarize with one another once again for the purpose of synergy ahead of the 2016 Governorship election.

The burial ceremony was well attended with almost all the party aspirants including Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan, Dr. Pius Odubu, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and host of others. They not only actively attended the burial ceremony but also participated productively in its various scenes. .

The high point of the event was the exchanging banters in a lively atmosphere and solemn declaration by the two gubernatorial aspirants of the party Dr. Pius Odubu and ARC. Ilenre Austin Emuan at the occasion coupled with their declaration that they shall work in unison with whoever emerges at the end of the day as the governorship candidate of the APC.

 ”We have resolved among ourselves that there will be no rancour over whoever emerges as the candidate of the party, especially for governorship contest so as long as it is exercised under transparency and democratic principles of our great party” .

We have also resolved within ourselves that we shall work actively with the eventual candidate to ensure the glory of the APC in the 2016 Governorship Election in our state.”  Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan said.

EDO DECIDES 2016: Agents of Our dark Past on it Again?

 

By Ernest Omoarelojie.

 “…I will not chase black goats in the dark, …If you won’t chase black goats in the dark, what will you do when it is day time…?”

As soon as he was declared successor to Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion as governor of Edo state, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor was in Lagos for a meeting with the cream of the country’s media. He seemed sure he could use their wide reach to win the people’s confidence by assuring them that his administration would distance itself from the acclaimed profligacy of its predecessor. His speech was eloquent winner and the atmosphere was heavy with expectations. At the end however of it however, there was a snag. Virtually everyone present wanted to know how quickly he would go after those who almost ran the state aground with a view to retrieving monies stolen from the people. His assurances in this direction were vague. “I will not chase black goats in the dark”, he said.

Like a lot of other newsmen around, I was not persuaded by the law teacher’s answer. I decided to prod him further. “If you won’t chase black goats in the dark, what will you do when it is day time?”
The over-crowded venue erupted into a loud guffaw that drowned his response, conveniently.

Today, the governorship election in the state is here again and politicians are already up in arms trying to outdo themselves in wooing the electorates into supporting their bids to succeed incumbent governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, who has set an unprecedented development standard. But the biggest challenge is that while those who mean well are doing so with direct fact-based contacts, the black goats, agents of the state’s dark past, are at it again, creating false tales and twisting facts in a bid to undermine, particularly the incumbent administration. Bent on hitting the bull’s eye in their nefarious desire, they are finding some unwary allies in a section of the country media. This is evident in the publications written by one Solomon Ibharuneafe, which appeared on THISDAY newspaper of Monday, December 14, 2015 and Monday, February 8, 2016, titled respectively, Ugly Denouement for the Comrade Governor and How Oshiomhole Mortgaged Edo’s Future.

While the first piece is a brazen and reckless misrepresentation of the true state of affairs under the Oshiomhole administration, the second is a travesty and an abuse on the people’s intelligence. Against available evidences, the writer concocted an imaginary scenario, similar to that operated by his sponsors when they held sway in the forlorn hope that they could walk the streets without people sneering at them. He had to create such scenarios particularly now that the mood of the people towards the governor is upbeat which is very evident in the manner they relate with him whenever he goes out on inspection of on-going projects which he vowed to complete before his exit in November despite dwindling resources. Indeed, no lie can be greater than the claim by Ibharuneafe that the governor achieved nothing after his first tenure. In both the state capital and everywhere else across the state, evidences abound of people-oriented projects currently being undertaken by the administration.

In Benin City alone, projects currently being undertaken by the Oshiomhole administration are in legion. Though it will not be possible to name all of them for obvious reasons, it is imperative to mention a few. Notably, there is the2nd East Circular road, which tees off from Akpakpava and ends in Sapele road. It is not only being reconstructed, it is also being dualized to ease the perennial traffic bedlam on Akpakpava road, There is also the Siluko road and the reclaimed Queen Ede gully erosion site which, before its reclamation, had swallowed everything on its path, including buildings. Not least is the new Central Hospital, an eye catching edifice that leaves heads turning for its sheer beauty and grandeur? All of them are high profile projects for which the governor is receiving plaudits from everyone except of course, the writer and others like him who are angry that completing them successfully exposed the ugly sides of the discredited Igbinedion-led PDP administration. So, if the writer cannot see any of these on-going projects, his state of mind is better imagined than being put under the radar here.

Ibharuneafe gave the impression that the people of the state are suffering untold hardship. His assumption, deliberately reached, is that the alleged hardship is as a result of the administration indebtedness, which he puts at over N200b. It would have been easier to dismiss the claim as false given where he is coming from. However, the writer must be reminded that though he represents a group that lacks credibility, there is always the need to tell the truth because even robbers still crave honour. At least, he should be kind enough to himself by restating the fact that if anyone is going through hard times in Edo state, it cannot be unconnected to the national economic malaise arising from the fall in international crude oil price. It certainly cannot be as a result of his ill-conceived allegation of financial recklessness.

The truth about the loan obtained by the Oshiomhole administration is that alongside other states, including those governed by the PDP, it applied for a $21m World Bank loan, divided into three tranches of $75m. The request received the bank’s approval on account of the transparent manner it handled all its transactions while no PDP state was deemed worthy even when the party held sway at the national level. Remarkably, its interest is one per cent compared to the double digit interest others are paying for same. At the moment, the state has received only the first $75m due to the politics of the then PDP federal government to approve the release of the second tranche. For obvious reasons, Ibharuneafe also failed to indicate that the global bank does not grant frivolous loans, a reason for which it grants only a few requests based on known records of transparent transactions. For the record, the state is sixth in the continent and second, Lagos being first in the country, to be so favoured.

Ibharuneafe also mentioned that the state raised N30b bond from the stock exchange for the on-going storm water project and another N10b from the capital market. The writer needs to explain where he got his figures because the state applied only for N25b and received same from the stock exchange. More importantly, it has been servicing the repaying agreement without default. It has already paid over 80 per cent of the bond and will have it liquidated before the end of the year. But it is not servicing loans with the whooping N1b monthly suggested by the writer as common sense should tell anyone that it is impossible for a financially constrained state to pay service loans with that much and keeps paying its workers without fail while still carrying out huge on-going projects.
It is clear that Ibharuneafe is playing the devil’s advocate for agents of our dark past.

Breaking news! FG sacks DGs of NTA, FRCN, VON and others

Lai Mohammed

– FG directed the disengaged chief executives to hand over to the most senior officials in their various establishments

– The affected director-generals of NTA, Sola Omole; FRCN, Ladan Salihu; VON, Sam Worlu; NOA, Mike Omeri; NBC, Emeka Mba; and the Managing Director of NAN, Ima Niboro

Nigeria’s federal government has announced the sack of the heads of the six information-related parastatals under the ministry of information and culture.

The minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the disengagement during a meeting he held with the chief executives of the Nigerian Television Authority, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria, News Agency of Nigeria, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the National Orientation Agency on Monday, February 15.

The affected chief executives are the director-generals of NTA, Sola Omole; FRCN, Ladan Salihu; VON, Sam Worlu; NOA, Mike Omeri; NBC, Emeka Mba; and the Managing Director of NAN, Ima Niboro.

In a statement made available to this effect by Segun Adeyemi, SA to the minister, he directed the disengaged Chief Executives to hand over to the most senior officials in their various establishments.

Mohammed thanked them for their service to the nation and wished them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

Twelve of them are federal ones, and Vincent Tenebe, the vice chancellor of the National Open University, has also been relieved of his position. All these institutions were established by the former president, Goodluck Jonathan.

DRUG TRAFFICKING: Waman vomits, excrets chunks of cocaine at Abuja airport

Saidat Hassan

– Saidat Hassan was introduced to drug-trafficking  by a business partner, she ingested 80 wraps of cocaine but ran out of luck at the airport where she was apprehended by the NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 48 year-old woman for possession of an illegal substance.

It reports that the women named Saidat Hassan, allegedly vomited 15 wraps of white, powdery substances that tested positive for cocaine.

The mother of three,‎ was arrested at the central screening section of the departure hall during the screening of passengers on an Egypt Airline flight to Jedda, Saudi Arabia, en-route Cairo.

Saidat caused a mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after she was immediately apprehended by officers of the NDLEA who discovered that she had ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grammes.

The agency made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, February 12.

Hamisu Lawan, the NDLEA Abuja airport commander said efforts were made to protect Saidat from any harm resulting from drug ingestion.

“As soon as we discovered that the suspected wraps she vomited tested positive for cocaine, we took measures to ensure her safety by preventing any harm that may result from drug ingestion,” said Lawan.

He said: “While under observation, she excreted sixty-five similar wraps. In all, she ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grammes; her case is under investigation.”

Mrs Hassan, who is a native of Idiroko in Ogun state and resident in Lagos Island claimed to be a business woman dealing in clothing materials.

“I am a business woman and I sell women clothes at Balogun market,” she said in her statement to the NDLEA.

“I used to buy my goods from Ghana. I was introduced into the drug business by a friend and business partner. The drug was brought from Abidjan, Ivory Coast and we were to share the proceeds equally.

“Until my arrest, I never knew that the cocaine I ingested would have led to my death in Saudi Arabia. I thank God for keeping me alive.”

Mohammad Abdallah, the‎ NDLEA chairman, who expressed satisfaction with her arrest said her action negates every principle of good parenting.

“This is gross ineptitude on the part of a mother saddled with the responsibility of nurturing her children into future leaders,” said Mr Abdallah.

“I am glad that she did not die from drug ingestion and she is alive to face trial. Besides 

escaping the risk of swallowing cocaine, this arrest also saved her because drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is punishable by death.

“She will soon be charged to court because the law must run its full course. I expect the general public to learn lessons from this case that drug trafficking leads to pain, ignominy and untimely death,” the NDLEA boss stressed.

Abdallah noted that his approach to drug control is both pragmatic and scientific. He said: “Every action taken must be based on best global principles while lessons learnt will influence our implementation strategies in our day to day operations.”

“The Agency will continue to sensitize members of the public by presenting facts and figures of drug trafficking as well as the larger picture of its ruin and devastation,” he concluded.

Politics: Leadership crisis: Is PDP heading to its doom?

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presently enmeshed in leadership crisis. SAM­UEL OGIDAN takes a critical look at the scenario.

The search for a replacement for for­mer PDP Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, who resigned in May 2015, after the party lost woefully to the All Progressives Congress during the general elections has put the party at crossroads.

The controversy trailing Mu’azu’s replace­ment, who hails from the North-east, may either make or mar the party, if the narra­tives are not put in the right perspective.

PDP Constitution is explicit on how to replace an elective official of the party, who resigned, but selfish interest and impunity have overridden the general good of the par­ty members, a development that has set par­ty members against one another.

Impunity, which has been the bane of the party still subsists at this period the party is trying to find its bearing and put things in the right perspective against the challeng­es ahead.

Section 47(5) of the party’s Constitution provides that: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall ap­point another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy.”

When Mu’azu resigned, the party lead­ership made Secondus, who was the Dep­uty Chairman to act for a period of three months, but seven months down the line, Secondus is still the Acting Chairman with­out plan to relinquish the position.

This development made the former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak to challenge Secondus’ continued stay in office as the Acting Chairman in court. The court had directed that Secondus should vacate the office within 14 days for Gulak or any other person so chosen from the North-east zone to complete the tenure of the re­gion.

Secondus had appealed the case and also filed for stay of execution, which it was gath­ered was not granted, but the case like a ping pong game has continued, while the party is making frantic effort to douse the tension generated by the litigation.

The party is currently at a crossroad, as stakeholders of the party, who do not want Gulak, suspected to be a mole, have been searching for a replacement from among its members from the North-east.

The North-east caucus of the party had recently held a meeting in Gombe to select a replacement, but unfortunately, the meet­ing deadlocked, for the simple reason that PDP governors from the zone did not ar­rive at a compromise.

Those among the list vying for the posi­tion to replace Mu’azu, it was gathered, are Abdullahi Jalo, Sen. Saidu Kumo and Prof. Rufai Alkali from Gombe. Adamawa candi­dates are, Ahmed Gulak and Sen. Paul Wap­ana. Yobe candidate is Amb. Umaru Dam­agun while Bauchi candidate is Sen. Bala Mohammed.

Confusion in the party:

Would the party hold its National Exec­utive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tues­day to elect a Chairman from the North-east to complete Mu’azu’s tenure? This and some other questions have been on the lips of political watchers as the National Working Committee (NWC) members, it was gath­ered, are scheming to hang on to power, with the shifting of its National Executive Com­mittee (NEC) meeting.

Even with the shifting, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party had, however, held its meeting on Wednesday against the directive of the party, which says that the BoT meeting would be held on Tuesday next week. The BoT held its meeting on Wednes­day, sacked its acting Chairman, Haliru Bel­lo Mohammed and replaced him with the Secretary, Walid Jubrin as Acting Chairman, pending when the board would elect a sub­stantive Chairman.

Personal interests, it was alleged, were the reasons why the NWC keep shifting the meeting. It was also gathered that even though the presidency is zoned to the North in 2019, the region is still plotting to retain the party chairmanship position. The South-south on the other hand wants to keep the position against the provision of the Consti­tution, which directed that when an elective officer resigns, he should be replaced with somebody from the same zone. The South-west on the other hand is not relenting, but lamented that since the establishment of the party, the zone has never been Nation­al Chairman.

Amidst this leadership crisis, there are indications that members of the NWC are lobbying the party leaders for extension of their tenure.

The meeting of the key statutory organs of the party that would have ratified the timetable for the congresses and National Convention of the party where new officers will be elected to replace the present NWC was unceremoniously shifted to next week by the NWC.

In the new schedule, the meeting of the National Caucus of the party has been shift­ed to Monday, February 15, while the meet­ing of the Board of Trustees (BoT) will now hold on Tuesday morning (February 16). The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will hold at 2pm on the same Tues­day.

Findings at the PDP National Secretari­at revealed that the NWC is proposing a six-month extension which will expire in Sep­tember.

According to sources at the party secre­tariat, the postponement of the meetings of the statutory organs till next week is to give the NWC members adequate time to lobby leaders of the party for tenure elongation.

Already, the NWC has secured the sup­port of elected PDP deputies for the tenure elongation plot and has paid almost all their outstanding allowances to “buy them over.”

With this narrative, is PDP not heading to destruction? Would 2019 meet the par­ty still standing? Nigerians are watching to see the outcome of the crisis currently brew­ing in the party.

Arrest Warrant: We will get Tompolo - IGP Arase

Tompolo

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, on Friday de­clared that the wanted Niger Delta militant leader, Mr Gov­ernment Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, would be arrested.

A Lagos Federal High Court had issued bench warrant against Tompolo over his re­fusal to make himself available in court on allegation of diver­sion of public funds slammed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

 

The ex-militant who is fac­ing a 40-count charge, is being tried alongside the ex-Director General of Nigeria Maritime Safety Agency, Mr Patrick Ak­pobolokemi, in connection with the alleged diversion of a sum of N45.9 billion in the ex­ecution of contracts.

Fielding questions from reporters during a tour of the Ekiti Command on Friday, the IGP said, “we are looking for Tompolo and my men are on his trail. We will arrest him anywhere we sight him,” he said.

On the issue of the warrant of arrest issued against the embattled secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Dr Tope Aluko, the IGP said that the police have not been served with any arrest warrant.

He said that the Force does not want to get involved in politics adding that if and when such warrant comes, the police would get necessary le­gal advice.

Arase warned against extra-judicial killings, saying these have made the police to incur more litigation and consequently starved them of funds.

On the welfare of his men, the IGP added that his administration will provide housing units in all the 36 commands and Abuja , for every rank and file to take ownership of a two-bedroom flat before retirement, while scholarship will be offered to officers to get degree certificates.

“I‘m complaining that I have no money to send you for training, why must we now incur more litigation? Because, when I am sued, the Police’s accounts will be garnisheed.

“Nigerians are more intelligent now. If you infringed on their right, they will go to court and unfortunately the IG will be the person to be sued even while he is not there.

“We must learn how to respect the fundamental rights of the citizens. The reason why we normally punish you during extra-judicial offence has been that as trained officers, who carry arms, you owe the responsibility to protect lives and property and that was why you were trained”, he said.

Edo Decides 2016 Revelation: Anxiety; Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan aide reveals Stronger Financial Support from an APC Leader and a Billionaire in the South West.

Arc Emuan

As the Edo state governorship election draws nearer, there have been apprehensions among APC members over who will finally emerge as the candidate.

Is Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan, a dreamer or what gives him the confidence? That has been the question on the lips of many observers and APC members in the state.

But for discerning minds, Arc. Emuan is a serious politician, a grassroots mobiliser and a game-changer that knows the arithmetic and calculus of Edo state politics. Those that have close ties with him know him better both in his private and public life. He is a businessman-turned politician. 

It has been a battle of wit among the aspirants, as they up their last minutes consultation, lobby and campaign. Almost all of them had in the last two to three weeks temporarily relocated to the corridors of APC headquarters, Abuja,  state house and party leaders homes  to intensify their lobby and convince the principals on the 'best' approach to elect or select the candidate for the election  which analysts say will determine the future of the APC, not only in Edo state, but also in the South South region.

Also, the leading discussion among the analysts is how the candidate will emerge. While some of the aspirants canvass for a direct primary election, some pitched their tents with Governor Adams Oshiomhole to bring out the APC candidate.

Arc. Emuan has been working and looking ahead of the party's primary election but had argued that it is only a lazy and unpopular aspirant that will be canvassing for consensus or zoning. He believes the party can only get the best candidate from the aspirants through a primary election and promised to work with any aspirant that defeats him in a free and transparent primary.

Arc. Emuan boasts of not just being able to win the ticket, but also the election.

Arc. Emuan also believed to be getting a stronger financial support from an APC billionaire and high profile APC leader in the Southwest, as some of his supporters wear campaign vests with the inscription of the company name of the politician.

Edo central has been at the vanguard of the campaign for the zoning option and has predicated arguments on the fact that the zone has not be given the fair slot to govern like other senatorial districts in the state. To them, it will be in the spirit of fairness, justice and equity that the Edo central produce the next governor.

Perhaps the agitation by politicians from Edo central encouraged a large number of APC members from there to indicate interests to vie for the ticket.

But a school of thought within the party has argued that zoning is desirable but APC should shop for its best material from any part of the state if they are to win the governorship election.

APC Governorship Aspirant, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi Interview.

Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi

Exclusive interview with Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, ex-minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is now an aspirant for the Edo Governorship Race 2016. The Ex-minister said, “My Glorious Stewardship As Federal Minister Gives Me A Head Start To Govern Edo State”

Below is detail of the interview:

Q: People have being asking questions that you want to be Governor of Edo State and little was known about your stewardship as the minister of state for works and that has been a big issue right now in town. Because of you have distinguished yourself in your earlier career people want to know what actually was your contribution to your home state and Nigeria as federal minister?

A: Thank you. My one year stay as federal minister was very eventful. I spent most of my time on the roads, the 36 States of Nigeria. It’s on records that I toured 34 of the 36 States and during that one year period in office, we had a total budget of N400b and by the time we left, federal government only released the cash backed of N100b only. In other words, we spent N100b on the Nigerian roads in the one year we were in office. Now if you divide N100b by 36 States what gets to every states is on the average of about N2 point something less than N3million per state so that people must get the full story. Now coming home what did i achieved for Edo State; I promise the leadership of Edo State that I will ensure a complete reconstruction of the Benin-Ofosu highway. We spent a total of about N9billion during that one year to the contractor, RCC and you would remember that period that i ensure we engage three different guards, three different teams working one from the Dawnson Junction beginning, one at Iguobazuwa, one working from Ofosu. Today people forget easily on the sweet drive they have today was as a result of my effort during that one year in office. I remember I promise that I will do some palliative jobs between Ofosu and Ore. I think my successor that came after my government Mike Onolemhemhe commerce a good work and he did from Ofosu to Ore, so the records are there. Equally that one year we equally did the re-asphalting of the Auchi-Igara road which we gave to again a local contractor Ceasar Engineering and I supported the award of contract of the Benin-Abraka road. I work for the Ministry of Niger Delta in terms of getting approval at the Federal Executive Council, FEC and ensuring there was enough budget for the first one year that is exactly what RCC did on the Benin-Abraka road. So people tend to judge by what you did in your state but don’t forget as a federal minister my constituency was the whole of Nigeria.

Q: Well, that is fair enough but what specifically was your job as a minister apart from having to inspect roads constructions across the federation?

A: When they have two ministers, the minister of state is not given a straight job description, you become a complementary minister and I recalled when we were leaving by May 2011, I had audience with Mr. President and I told him that he should think toward creating job description for every minister. I think after my tenure that is what they are doing but I found the role of a minister of state like a deputy governor; you know like anything deputy in Nigeria it is like a spare tyre, most times the full minister is in full control and you then have one as  baby the other domineering; God forbid, he might just be jobless.

Q: Were you sacked as a minister or you resigned or the desolation of the Exco at the beginning of another?

A: I wasn’t sacked. It’s on record that I was one of the best engineers and from were I am coming from in NNPC am still rated as one of the best engineers in this country. I was never sacked our tenure ended with the tenure of that government so council was just out and Mr. President uses his prerogative to pick new fresh ministers after that January election.

Q: What is your agenda for the state, how do you plan to replicate all your achievements in Edo State as governor?

A: The issues on the front burner in the state is a little different from the south were I work for 34 years. I must commend the outgoing governor Adams Oshiomhole for having done well in terms of infrastructure, the guy has tried but the problem confronting the State I see frontally is the issue of unemployment and this is where i want to concentrate in terms of industrialising the State, in terms of providing jobs. Now where would these jobs be coming from, they would be available as a result of the feasibility studies I have carried out in terms of the natural resources of the State. Edo North is blessed with so many, Edo Central is blessed and Edo South has the green zone agriculture. So my major task for the first one year in office is to get our unemployed boys and girls busy because they would have been engaged. I want to replicate another Okpella Cement factory; that is something we must replicate, and Mr. Governor has done well rebranding Okpella Cement factory, so I want to see more of gigantic industries, car assembly and if I can bring nice car assembly plant, there would be other smaller industries, tile manufacturing, beath manufacturing, wind shape manufacturing, you will see Edo State will be so busy at the end of my first four years in office.

Q: There is this adage that “a nation cannot be greater than its own teacher”, which means education is the key driver of any development. What are you programmes for education?

A: Today governor has done well on the red roof but one area I equally want to look into is the curriculum today. I see the curriculum is still geared towards the white-collar-jobs, the middle skill is not been addressed. In my younger days when we were growing up we use to have something like makolomi college at Sapele, Benin Technical Schools, I see that is missing and I would like us to re-introduce skill acquisition were our younger folks can create employment by themselves and I equally want to take this to the tertiary institutions even to the universities. Today you see a mechanical engineer graduating, he cannot fix anything in a car, he cannot do even servicing and we want to address their syllabus were students who are graduating from engineering should be able to do the entrepreneurship programme were they can be on their own with the State supporting them in terms of funding, giving them financial support. If you have been to the UK you will see a man in a van he writes on his vehicle with his phone number services is rendered in terms of Air conditioning, Plumbing; you just call this man and he comes to your house, you engage him for few hours you hear that an hour is about £150, if he spent 4 hours that is about £600. So, I want to create a situation where our boys and girls will have skills and I tell you one thing for example all these our tiling today they bring them from Ghana, Benin. These are jobs when we put good minimum wage people will be more creative and we get our boys from the street working.

Q: In terms of health care what do you have there because you have talked about job creation and others.

A: These are key sectors. We have talked about infrastructure, education, job creation and the past. For people to work, to go to schools, they must have a good health institutions, I see a situation where from the very beginning we must agree to fund every local government to have a standard acting general hospital first one year in office, we must. The 18 LG must have standard hospital and then from there we will extend it to the various wards and start thinking of health cottage hospitals and I think one thing we must do, is to attract health personnels to these places. We must be addressing this issue of urban-rural migration, we must get the nurses to go back to work in this various health institutions and I equally promise we must equally support them in terms of provision of amenities in the rural areas. Light is very key, which I have shared with you about rural electrification so once we are able to have light in the village, you see people going to stay in their local hospitals and assuming for example there is no light, they can’t do operation. You see, we will make the rural setting quite conducive for people to enjoy good health facilities; these are already key areas we are addressing this morning in terms of what will be our policy in terms of job creation, industrialization, education, the health sector etc. One area we must put alot of attention is the budget. We have identify the crises in the health sector, there must be a good percentage of our budget dedicated to the development of that sector. This will be applicable to all sides because people just have to be working or going to school in good health.

Remembrance: Murtala Muhammed’s 198 days of action as Head of State.

Murtala Mohammed

Notably, late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, Nigeria’s fourth head of state, is one of the country’s most popular rulers. He came to power on a promising note, showed readiness to deliver and was taken out of power when the ovation was loudest. The 198 days he spent in office were eventful and loaded with activities that strategically shaped and are still shaping the affairs of the nation 40 years after. His low profile and flamboyance-shunning approach to governance; zero tolerance for graft, ineptitude and laxity; and resolution of issues with despatch, which has come to be known as ‘military alacrity,’ endeared to him to most Nigerians but also won for him, strident critics and enemies, who opposed his style.

 Murtala Mohammed mounted the saddle of leadership on July 30, 1975 but was killed less than seven months later in an abortive coup of February 13, 1976. But before his assassination, Murtala Mohammed had left his footprints on the sands of time. Crucial decisions Murtala Muhammed Benefiting from the toppling of General Yakubu Gowon, on account of failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians, reneging on returning power to civilians, ruling the country without consultation, neglecting the armed forces and being insensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians among others, Murtala Mohammed had before him urgent and crucial decisions to take. And that he did with despatch in an unmistakable manner.

Beginning with his first broadcast, Mohammed announced a series of initiatives, which he pursued with a dizzying speed. The initial decisions include: Retirement of Gowon, then serving military governors and some members of the Armed Forces with immediate effect; reorganizing the structure of the Federal Government into three organs – the Supreme Military Council, National Council of States and Federal Executive Council; promise to review the political programme and to set up panels on the question of new states and the federal capital; and cancellation of the controversial 1973 population census and reversion to the 1963 census among others.

He was to follow up with more concrete steps. He announced plans for an orderly return to civilian rule by October 1, 1979. He appointed a 50-man Constitution Drafting Committee headed by Chief Rotimi Williams, to hammer out a new constitution for the country in readiness for the return to civil rule. Panels were set up to advise on assets investigation of some former public officers, abandoned properties in the three Eastern States, the location of the Federal Capital and creation of more states.

The administration announced a ‘low profile policy for public officers and he chose to stay at his home in Ikoyi rather than move into the more fortified Dodan Barracks residence. He occasionally startled observers by showing up at many places such as the Polo ground without protection. In the weeks leading to his assassination he was warned to be more cautious but he brushed aside all admonitions. A simple leader with populist ideas, Murtala Mohammed had no speeding convoys. He refused heavily-armed security details and preferred to stay in the traffic with his ‘fellow Nigerians’ until it eased.

Creation of seven states:

 He set up a panel headed by Justice Ayo Irikefe on the creation of seven more states (Niger, Bauchi, Gongola, Benue, Ogun, Imo and Bendel) to the 12 existing ones on December 22, 1975. The panel came up with a report which was utilized in the formation of new states in 1976.

Making Abuja new Federal Capital Territory: To give the country a befitting capital as Lagos was becoming over-crowded, Mohammed set in motion plans to build a new Federal Capital Territory. He set up a panel headed by Justice Akinola Aguda, which chose Abuja ahead of other proposed locations. On February 3, 1976, 10 days before he was killed, he made an announcement that the Federal Capital would be moved to a ‘federal territory of about 8,000 square kilometres in the central part of the country.’

Civil service purge:

 He removed top federal and state officials to break links with the Gowon regime and to restore public confidence in the Federal Government. He went on sack more than 10,000 public officials and employees on account of age, health, incompetence, malpractice or corruption. The purge affected the civil service, judiciary, police and armed forces, diplomatic service, public corporations, and universities.

Some officials were tried for graft:

 Demobilisation of 100,000 troops: Although unpopular within the military, Mohammed embarked on the demobilization  of 100,000 troops from the swollen ranks of the armed forces. Implemented diarchy: Mohammed also operated diarchical system of government by incorporating civilians. Twelve of the 25 ministerial posts on the new Federal Executive Council went to civilians even though the cabinet was secondary to the executive Supreme Military Council.

Entrenching unitarism, media control:

The Federal Government took over the operation of the country’s two largest newspapers – Daily Times ans New Nigerian, made broadcasting a federal monopoly, and brought remaining state-run universities under federal control.

Other achievements:

Murtala Mohammed initiated a comprehensive review of the Third National Development Plan. He announced that his government would encourage the rapid expansion of the private sector into areas dominated by public corporations.

He reappraised foreign policy, stressing a “Nigeria first” orientation in line with OPEC price guidelines that was to the disadvantage of other African countries. Nigeria became “neutral” rather than “non-aligned” in international affairs.

The shift in orientation became apparent with respect to Angola. Nigeria had worked with the OAU to bring about a negotiated reconciliation of the warring factions in the former Portuguese colony, but late in 1975 Murtala Muhammed announced Nigeria’s support for the Soviet-backed Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, citing South Africa’s armed intervention on the side of the rival National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

Dreams and projects :

The realignment strained relations with the United States, which argued for the withdrawal of Cuban troops and Soviet advisers from Angola. In October, the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of Soviet-built aircraft that had been ordered under Gowon.

 However, he did not live long enough to realise most of his lofty dreams and projects. Murtala Mohammed was killed, aged 37, along with his Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa in his black Mercedes Benz saloon car on, February 13, 1976 in an abortive coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka, when his car was ambushed while en route his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos.