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HERE AND THERE:
I’ll be loafer to your mule

Shoes have come a long way from rudimentary protective strips of
bark and skin from which they originated to objects of embellished
craftsmanship, art even. Along the way they have been imbued with all the sorcery
and mystique of covering while uncovering, embellishing and delineating the
status of the wearer.

And not just women, vanity is universal. ‘Im shoe de nak!’ was a
statement uttered in admiration of the wearer in the days when cobblers would
hammer tiny nails into the sole of a man’s shoe so that the sound of his
approach preceded him and lingered as he departed. His tread had a brand, to
use contemporary parlance. Of course the opposite was the tripping click click
sound of high heels.

It is true you can recognise a person you know by the sound and
rhythm of their footstep. Every gait is individual and inherited. You can see
the father in the daughter, the mother in the son. The angle of the sway and
the rhythm of the swing might be different but the root is discernible.

Shoes tell the story of the wearer, just as your feet tell the
history of your life. Do you lean more heavily to the left or the right, what
side of your sole wears down faster? If the road you have traveled has been
hard and stony, or your passages well cuffed and smooth your feet will tell. Do
you drive or are you driven, or are your feet constantly in touch with the
earth, grounded as it were, in your roots? Do you till the soil and toil with
your livestock; are you dependent on waiting for others to provide your
conveyance? Your feet and shoes will tell.

Like many other crafts that were passed on by hand, the art of
the shoemaker has disappeared. Most shoes are mass produced in factories.
Custom made shoes are now a luxury but the language of shoemaking is replete
with terms that show it began as hand worked craft, fitting and shaping to
individual dimensions. A selection of shoe making terms written by Desiree
Stimpert (About.com) reveal a craft that at every stage was made to conform to
the quirks of the wearer, to fit like a second skin.

A shoe has a footbed, also known as an inner sole. The goring is
an elasticized piece of material that makes the opening of the shoes without
laces more flexible so you can ease your foot in, comfortably. There is a heel
breast, the side of the heel that faces forward when the shoe is on the foot. A
shoe has a throat that is what you put your foot into.

The shank of a shoe supports the foot and gives the shoe its
structure. It runs between the heel and outsole (distinct from the inner sole)
and sits under the arch of the foot. The vamp is the part of a shoe that covers
the front. Vamps, as in a particular type of seductress, and shoes with high
arches have a close literary association. A shoe has a waist, a reference to
the arc and instep of the foot.

A relationship that has bloomed and mellowed and conformed to the
mould of the lovers is very much like an old hand made shoe that you can slip
your feet into effortlessly, and simply be. There is no stiff shiny newness
that has to be broken in, no pinching and squeezing to be endured while you
make inyanga with pain just to look fine. Pretty, yes at first, but unyielding
until you try it out hoping that it will still maintain the shape that first caught
your eye as you pray that beauty and form will marry in comfort, soon.

And so we come to types of shoes: Pumps; pump what? Loafers that
are easy to slip on and take off and loafers a reference that stereotypes men,
who just want to get along without too much effort just as long as you are
prepared to keep working. There are also mules, even easier to slip on because
they are backless. Mules are usually the favorite foot accompaniment for agbada
and babanriga adding an easy elegance to the wearer. For a woman, a mule with a
heel that lifts the back of the foot off the ground has a different kind of
suggestiveness. Stilettos, named for the thin narrow bladed knife with the
furtive lethal action bring us back to the current fashion for stratospheric
heels and sky-high platforms.

My question to a random selection of men and women was: What do
you think about the current female fashion for sky high heels and stacked
platforms, that make every woman who wears them instantly tall and imposing?
Does that make the woman more attractive, intimidating or inaccessible?

Women on pedestals, more of that next week…

Opinion

Mr. Obama’s options

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Mr. Obama’s options

In
politics, it is said, there are no permanent friends, or enemies, only
permanent interests. Barack Obama’s America, as appraised by last week’s
mid-term elections, is clear proof that no politician should count on enduring
allegiance from the electorate. A country which wholeheartedly rejected the
Republicans two years ago, now seems to have swung their anger in the opposite
direction. Many Americans – enough to make an electoral difference – seem
convinced that the revolution is now in need of a revolution.

Making the
rounds in America, on bumper stickers, T-shirts and banners, are chilling
slogans like these: ‘I’ll Keep My Guns, Freedom, & Money… You Can Keep
The “Change!’; ‘Don’t blame me, I voted for Palin’; ‘One Big Ass Mistake,
America’ (which form the acronym: OBAMA).

The
question on the minds of many is the one that The Economist asked in a recent
article: “How did it come to this?” Indeed, where did it all go wrong? Where,
to borrow the words of that Igbo proverb made famous by Chinua Achebe, did the
rain begin to beat Mr. Obama’s dreams and promises? The jury’s still out on
that, and understandably so.

For one,
politics tends to resist attempts to clinically isolate causes and allocate
blame. Second, one must keep in mind the dreadful state of the American economy
at the time that he took over. It can very easily be argued that the rain
started well before the emergence of Mr. Obama.

There is
no doubt that last week’s elections have dealt a massive blow to Mr. Obama and
all that he stands for. Yet, we strongly believe that that does not spell the
end of the road for the Obama administration. Far from it. He now has the
chance to go into the second half of his 4-year term a wiser and less tentative
leader.

The first
half of his tenure has shown that two years is an eternity in contemporary
politics. So we expect him to realise that just as a lot of goodwill and hope
have been squandered since 2008, there is also the strong possibility that by
the all-important November 2012, when he will expectedly seek a second and
final term in office, he will have fulfilled most – if not all – of the initial
‘Yes We Can’ promise.

He will,
of course, recall that only a decade and half ago, fellow democrat, Bill
Clinton, faced a similar situation. In 1994, two years into the Clinton
presidency, the Democrats lost 54 House of Representatives seats and 8 Senate
seats to the Republicans, automatically forfeiting the leadership of both
chambers.

In spite
of this, and of the fact that Mr. Clinton would end up serving six of his eight
years with a Senate and Congress controlled by Republicans, he went on to win a
second term in 1996, and left office with an approval rating that was higher
than that of any US President since the second World War, and almost twice that
with which George W. Bush would leave office eight years later.

Mr. Obama
can at least be grateful that his party still maintains control of the Senate.
We commend the equanimity with which he has taken the verdict of the electorate:
he has promised to work with the new leadership of the House, even though that
leadership sounds far less keen to be cooperative.

He should
remember former New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s words: “You campaign in poetry;
you govern in prose.” By now we believe he has learnt that well-crafted words
and speeches, while able to rouse people and make them giddy with excitement,
will not lift a finger to help in the challenging task of governance.

Mr. Obama
ought to consult the average Nigerian to get an idea of how helpless promises
are in breaking the chains of poverty and joblessness. Indeed, if promises were
all that countries needed for transformation, America would today be looking up
to Nigeria.

He should
remember these words from his victory speech two years ago: “The road ahead will be long. Our
climb will be steep. We may not get
there in one year or even in one term… There will be setbacks and false
starts… And we know the government can’t solve every problem. But I will
always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you,
especially when we disagree.”

When the
going gets tough(er), in the months ahead – as it surely will, considering the
disgraceful scare-mongering that the Republican party sometimes resorts to; and
the needless recalcitrance that has too often marked its relationship with Mr.
Obama – Mr. Obama should remember the ordinary people of America, and make a
decision to listen to them more often, and with greater seriousness.

Weren’t
they the ones he offered the promise of “change” in the first place?

Opinion

DEEPENING DEMOCRACY: Elections in Cote d’Ivoire

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DEEPENING DEMOCRACY: Elections in Cote d’Ivoire

The
presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire last Sunday and the second round presidential
elections in Guinea today are major turning points in the march towards the
consolidation of democracy in West Africa.

Guinea has
not known free and fair elections since 1958 and is today facing the difficult
choice of deciding who will exercise power, the rich and powerful Fulani elite
under the leadership of Cellou Dalen, who had been excluded from power since
1958, or the minority ethnic groups supporting the historic opposition figure
and Malinke power broker, Alpha Conde.

Ethno-regional
tensions have delayed the second round since the June 27th first round but
finally, the time of reckoning has arrived.

The
elections in Cote d’Ivoire are part of the long and pain staking attempts to
save the country from the ravages of civil war. It is a country that was, not
too long ago, one of the shining stars of stability and prosperity in the West
African region. It was in that that war broke out between the
government-controlled Southern army and the Forces Nouvelles (New Forces)
controlled by the Northerners. The human carnage and heavy collateral damage
associated with the conflict was unprecedented.

Political
relations broke down, following the death of the country’s founding president,
Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1993, coupled with the military coup that overthrew
the government of Henri Konan Bedie, who succeeded him in 1999. This threw up
deep internal divisions, resulting in the mutiny that escalated into a
full-scale rebellion in September 2002.

As a
colony, the country occupied a major place in French colonial agriculture,
attracting immigrant workers from throughout the French Empire who worked in
cocoa, coffee, and banana plantations, as well as pineapple and oil palm
plantations that became added at independence. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny
promoted the process with liberal land ownership laws founded on the
revolutionary slogan that “the land belongs to those that cultivate it”.
President Houphouet-Boigny’s government decision to grant foreign migrants the
franchise in national elections added an important political lever to the
latter’s productive economic workforce.

Consequently,
the influx of people into the countries continued. It was estimated that about
40% of the population were descendents of immigrants. For President Boigny, it
was good for the country.

He paid
good prices to these farmers for their products, thereby stimulating production
that catapulted Cote d’Ivoire into the world’s leading producer of cocoa in
1979, the third largest exporter of coffee, after Brazil and Colombia, and
Africa’s leading exporter of pineapples and palm oil. These conditions that
catapulted Cote d’Ivoire into a model of ‘African miracle’ were soon to become
the same reasons for its slip into descent and chaos after the death of
Houphouet-Boigny in 1993.

Conflicts
were inevitable, following the arrival of multiparty politics in 1990, in
response to massive protests by students and opposition leaders such as Laurent
Gbagbo and his Front Populaire Ivoirien – FPI. In the first ever Ivorian
multi-party elections in May 1990, Houphouet-Boigny did not only win the
elections in which Laurent Gbagbo was the only other candidate, he also sought
political accommodation with the north through the appointment of Alassane
Quattara – a Malinke from the Northern Mande ethnic group – to serve as the
country’s Prime Minister, with the aim of tapping on his international
reputation and economic management skills as former director in the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to redeem Cote d’Ivoire economically.

The
appointment did not only add to an emerging northern consciousness after
decades of agonising and complaints about marginalisation and lagging behind
the south in socio-economic conditions, it also shifted the battle of the
simmering conflicts between Ivorian south and north from economic sphere into
the political sphere, with the latter making strong demands through a Charter
of the North for:

Fuller
recognition of the Muslin religion…, more effortsto reduce regional
inequalities, greater political recognition of the north political loyalty
during the upheavals of the 1980s and …an end to Baoule nepotism in
recruitment to public jobs.

Multi-party
elections also provided Gbagbo’s FPI an opportunity to introduce
ethno-nationalism and xenophobia into the political arena.

The coup,
which brought General Robert Guei to power in December 1999, erupted just
before the general elections slated for 2000. General Guei, who had promised to
stay in power only to “sweep the house clean”, took all by surprise when he
indicated his interest to run in the elections. He disqualified Quattara from
standing in the October 2000 elections, via a politically manipulated Supreme
Court judgement, on the grounds that the latter’s mother was from Burkina Faso.
The exclusion prompted Quattara’s RDR to call for a boycott of the elections.
General Guei’s attempt to stop the elections, in which early results indicated
Gbagbo was winning, led to widespread protests and violent demonstrations by
Gbagbo’s FPI against him. Guei was assassinated, and Gbagbo emerged as
president who maintained the exclusion policy. The result was civil war.

I was an
observer in the elections last Sunday as part of the ECOWAS delegation.

It had
been postponed five times since 2005. It was a victory that it took place
because now the process of nation building can begin because it was relatively
free, fair, and peaceful. Quattara, who had been earlier dismissed as a
foreigner, has emerged as the person to contest against Gbagbo in the second
round election that will determine the future president of the country.

Opinion

Inale premieres in Abuja

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Inale premieres in Abuja

The Abuja premiere
of Inale, Nigeria’s industry’s first musical, on Thursday, October 28,
marked a turning point for an industry slowly rising from the ashes of
mediocrity. It was a star-studded affair, as many Nollywood players
turned up to welcome the latest addition to their pantheon.

For the night of
the premiere, the Silverbird Galleria in Abuja played host to some of
the nation’s most powerful, including Senate president David Mark, who
stopped by with a retinue of ministers and directors that took up
several rows in the overhead gallery. Red carpets and ushers dressed in
traditional red and black cloth, added to the spectacle. Inside the
theatre, an excellent live band played smooth Afrobeat and Highlife
tunes.

The premiere went
off without any of the logistical hitches that have been known to
plague such events. Programmes started on time and each segment of the
night flowed smoothly from one to the other – though a good deal of
time was spent introducing the politicians and other VIP guests.

The film itself was
lush and imaginative, showing off the beauty of the Benue rainforest.
Its cinematography was complemented by a captivating soundtrack, which
was composed entirely by Bongos Ikwe – popular singer of the theme song
for the classic television series, “Cockcrow At Dawn” – and his Double
X band. However, the otherwise beautiful production of the film was
marred by stiff dialogue and a scanty storyline that kept peeking
through.

The story is based
on an Idoma folktale about a beautiful princess who is married off to a
man she does not love for the sake of peace between two villages. She
is betrayed by a servant who kills her and takes her place. Will the
princess be rescued from death and allowed to be with her true love in
the end? It is an exciting premise that, unfortunately, is never mined
for any true feeling or depth.

Director Jeta Amata
does a wonderful job of pulling in high-class acting talent of Nigerian
extraction from across the globe, but once in the movie, there is
little for them to do. Both UK-based Caroline Chikezie (Inale) and
US-based Hakeem Kae Kazim (Ode) are excellent actors with wide ranges,
but in this movie they are reduced to longing looks and worried frowns.
Their lines sit too heavily in their mouths. The end result is a
beautiful movie that feels like an overly long music video.

While the movie may
have disappointed somewhat, the premiere did not. The crowd was treated
to an impromptu concert by Bongos Ikwe, who is also the executive
producer of the movie and whose daughter Keke Bongos-Ikwe co-directed;
and Tuface, who was a guest at the event.

Inale represents another addition to the rising ranks of “New
Nollywood,” movies which are abandoning the poor lighting and cheap
theatrics that have come to characterise the industry. It is emblematic
of the return of committed professionals to the scene and; both
insiders who make the films and the outsiders who watch them will only
benefit.

entertainment

Ooni seeks unity among Yoruba politicians

Ooni seeks unity among Yoruba politicians

The
Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade, at the weekend, called on Yoruba leaders
to be united, despite their different political affiliations, for the
purpose of accelerating the development of the region.

The monarch, who
made the call in Igbokoda, Ilaje local government area of Ondo State,
during the coronation of Obateru Akinruntan as the Olugbo of Ugboland,
said the region could not but remain relevant in the scheme of things
in the country.

Accompanied by
other 23 traditional rulers from across Yoruba land, Mr. Sijuwade said
the people of the southwest would maintain their leadership position in
the country if traditional rulers play their roles well to earn the
respect of the subjects.

“It is necessary
for traditional rulers and the people to be united and allow peace to
reign, so that the Yoruba race will continue to witness a robust human
and infrastructural development,” Mr. Sijuwade, who was the chairman of
the occasion, said.

While appealing to
the people of Ugboland to support the new monarch, the Ooni tasked Mr.
Akinrutan to make use of his wisdom and God given wealth to develop the
riverside community under his jurisdiction.

Ondo State
governor, Olusegun Mimiko, said the development of the oil-rich Ilaje
area of the state could only be achieved if all ethnic nationalities in
the area work in harmony.

Develop Ilaje communities

The governor also challenged the new monarch to ensure that all the communities in Ilaje live in peace and harmony.

“I want to urge Oba
Akinruntan to bring the Mahins, Aheris, Etikans, and the Ugbos in Ilaje
together for the collective benefit of the people,” he said.

He pledged that the
state government would continue to provide an enabling environment that
would encourage the people of the state contribute to the development
of their communities.

The head of Ojadele
ruling house, Roberts Nana, said the coronation was a celebration of
victory over some people that wanted to lord themselves over Ugboland.

Mr. Akinruntan said
his emergence as the monarch had been predicted 28 years ago by a
frontline prophet in the area, whom he said told him that he would be
inaugurated as a monarch with anointing oil, and not with the
traditional “Akoko” leaves.

Also in attendance
at the ceremony were the Oyo State deputy governor, Taofeek Arapaja;
his counterpart in Ondo, Ali Olanusi; Speaker of the state House of
Assembly, Samuel Adesina, and Folashade Bent, a senator, who was
conferred with a traditional title.

Governorship slot tears Ogun elders forum apart

Governorship slot tears Ogun elders forum apart

The race to decide
who will be the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party{PDP} has led to tension and discord among members of the Ogun
West Elders Forum, hitherto an apolitical group established to ensure
the emergence of a politician from the zone as the next governor of the
state.

The faceoff between
the leaders was brought into public glare at the weekend in Abeokuta,
as different factions, at separate press conferences, tackled each
other over candidates of their choice.

The two aspirants
at the centre of the hullabaloo are a former military governor, Tunji
Olurin, and Gboyega Isiaka, former managing director, Gateway Holdings.
Mr. Olurin is said to be the candidate of former president, Olusegun
Obasanjo, while Mr. Isiaka is said to be the choice of the state
governor, Gbenga Daniel.

Messrs Obasanjo and
Daniel are opposed to each other politically, hence the issue of
succession has became a power play between the duo.

A faction of the
Elders Consultative Forum, headed by Ishola Olateju, held a press
conference to declare their backing for Olurin, whom they claimed has
the credentials to represent the zone at the governorship election.

But reacting to the
position of the Olateju-led group, another factional leader, Olawale
Bankole, declared that the authentic choice of the zone is Mr. Isiaka,
whom he said they have agreed to pitch their tent with.

Mr. Bankole said
the endorsement of Olurin by the other group, “is a calculated attempt
to mislead and deceive the people of Ogun West.”

“We, therefore,
call on the good people of Ogun west and Nigerians at large to
disregard the purported views and activities of this group, as they do
not represent the position of the Ogun West Elders Consultative Forum,”
he said.

Not to be sidelined

The Olateju group,
at the press conference, however, said the other group carried out its
work without informing all members of the Forum.

“They went round and picked two of our members, but did not tell us to nominate them,” he said.

“We don’t know how
they arrived at their decision. Their decision was not totally
acceptable to others who were screened, but they said it was their
internal problem which they would solve,” Mr. Olateju said.

He said it was the forum which approached Mr. Olurin to contest and they are convinced about his quality.

“He is the candidate we have recommended. We believe we have not
made any mistake or error. Olurin is just 63 and still agile.
Experience is the best teacher, and his experience has outshined other
aspirants. We would not fold our arms and see Olurin being sidelined,”
he said.

Governors’ forum presents N62m to late member’s family

Governors’ forum presents N62m to late member’s family

Nigerian governors,
at the weekend, donated a sum of N62 million to the family of late Yobe
State governor, Mamman Ali, who died at a United States hospital in
January 2009 after a prolonged battle with leukaemia.

The governors,under
the umbrella of Nigeria Governors’ Forum ,according to a press
statement signed by its Director General, Assishana Okauru asked its
Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to hand
over the money.

The money was
subsequently presented to the family of the late governor in a brief
ceremony at the Kwara State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

Accompanied by a
member of the State House of Assembly, the brother to the late governor
and Yobe State Deputy Governor, Abubakar Ali, who represented both the
state and his brother’s family at the event, thanked the group and
promised that the money would be used for the upkeep of the family left
behind.

“Mr. Saraki prayed
for the repose of the soul of the late governor, who he described as a
committed member of the NGF and a patriotic Nigerian who served his
state and country well during the 51 (fifty-one) years he lived on
earth,” the NGF statement said.

“Immediately Ali
died, a decision was taken by the NGF to stand by his family and make
moral and financial contributions to them.” He explained that the
donation was made by every member of the NGF (excluding Yobe State) as
a token contribution to the welfare and upkeep of the family members
left behind.

The forums’ secretariat however states that the N62 million
represented the contribution from 31 states received to date, who each
contributed N2 million to the fund. Once the balance is received from
the remaining four states, their contributions would also be sent to
the late Governor’s estate, Mr Okauru said.

Lam Adesina cautions Jonathan on corrupt governors

Lam Adesina cautions Jonathan on corrupt governors

A former governor
of Oyo State, Lam Adesina, has cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan
not to shield governors facing allegations of corruption from
investigation.

Mr. Adesina, who is
also the leader of the Action Party of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, at
the weekend, accused the president of preparing a soft-landing for some
governors allegedly implicated in cases before the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by preventing the commission from
pressing the cases to ensure that they do not return to office next
year.

The opposition
politician said many of the governors, who are members of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), are hiding under Mr Jonathan’s presidential
ambition to escape the law.

“We have it on a
good authority that President Jonathan recently called the chairman of
the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, to the Presidential Villa where he
ordered her to stop forthwith, further prosecution of the serving
corrupt governors while her attention should be focused on former
governors who were not well disposed to his ambition to return to Villa
in 2011,” Mr. Adesina said.

He said the
development could set a bumpy trap for the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), whose chairman, Attahiru Jega, has, at
different forums, reiterated their readiness to give credible elections
to the nation and its people next year.

“Apart from the
fact that such corrupt governors, mostly drawn from the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), came into office through the back door created
by the infamous do-or-die antic of former President Olusegun Obasanjo
in 2007, they have manifested total disaster in governance and allowing
them to repeat the fraud in 2011 would spell doom for the country and
the states they come from in particular,” said the former governor.

Making reference to
the current governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, whom he
described as one of the affected governors, Mr. Adesina said the
governor has shown lack of respect for the public purse.

“The incumbent, who
has numerous substantiated cases of official corruption and looting of
public funds hanging on his neck but could not be made to answer for
these cases at present owing to the immunity he enjoys as a sitting
governor. But the same man is busy creating panic in the state and
beyond in his preparation for another term in office,” he said.

“It is to the
common knowledge of the people that Mr Alao-Akala does not care a hoot
when it comes to siphoning public funds, going by his antecedents; but
he added another dimension recently when he purchased 1,000 brand new
buses and cars from the government funds to pursue his electioneering
campaigns ahead the 2011 elections while daring those who asked
questions about the matter to go to hell”.

Edo health workers down tools for kidnapped colleague

Edo health workers down tools for kidnapped colleague

The
fresh air breathed by residents of Edo State following a month-long
lull in the activities of kidnappers came to a sudden end yesterday
morning as a former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of
Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Eugene Okpere was abducted in Benin
City.

This is certainly
not good news as it could trigger another health crisis as medical
workers have decided to down tools, compounding the near collapse of
healthcare system in Edo State.

Mr. Ukpere, a
professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was allegedly kidnapped on his
way to the early morning Sunday service at about 6.30 am.

According to family
sources, the former CMD was driving out of his house in BDPA Estate,
opposite UNIBEN, Ugbowo, Benin City when he was accosted by four armed
men who dragged him out of his car and took him away.

As at the time of
filing this report yesterday, it was gathered that his abductors have
opened contact with the family but were yet to name their ransom.

Thanks to Enahoro

The state chapter
of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) immediately embarked on an
indefinite strike to press for the unconditional release of their
colleague. State Chairman of the NMA, Philip Ugbodaga told newsmen
yesterday that doctors in all public hospitals would not admit new
patients but would only attend to those already on admission and those
with emergency cases.

“We are calling an
emergency meeting tomorrow (Monday) to discuss the way forward.
Meanwhile I have instructed doctors in the state to embark on an
indefinite strike, but during the strike, we will attend to those that
have already been admitted and emergency cases, we will no not go on
ward round. We are calling on emergency meeting of the exco and we are
demanding unconditional release of Professor Okpere,” he said.

Mr. Ugbodaga told
NEXT that doctors will attend to patients already in admission as a
sign of respect to elder statesman, Anthony Enahoro who is currently
undergoing medical care in the UBTH.

Edo State police
image maker, Peter Ogboi, could not be reached as his mobile line was
switched off. A senior police officer who pleaded anonymonity however
told NEXT yesterday that the state command was yet to be informed about
the abduction of Mr. Okpere.

The incumbent CMD of the hospital, Michael Ibadin was few months ago kidnapped in a similar manner in the same area.

Adamawa PDP gives condition for Jonathan support

Adamawa PDP gives condition for Jonathan support

As
the leadership of the PDP moves to comply with the requirement by the
Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) that it
reconstitutes the party’s executive in several states, members of the
party in Adamawa state are left jostling over the fate of the state
executive.

The state chapter
of the party has been struck off the list of those to conduct fresh
congresses, even as it faces a boisterous faction.

The state chairman
of the party, Mijinyawa Kugama, has always maintained that allegations
about the illegitimacy of his chairmanship is all mudslinging by those
he said were filled with their own “parochial and selfish” interest.

Mr.Kugama, in his
submission over a petition brought before the Adamawa State High Court
submitted by a gubernatorial aspirant in the PDP, Umar Ardo, seeking
the dissolution of the state executive of the PDP, explained that the
state party executive was constituted through a properly conducted
congress supervised by INEC. The court ruled that the state exco was
properly constituted.

There are
contending forces angling to take control of the party platform, Mr.
Kugama said recently, “mostly because of its power capturing appeal and
you expect them to do hang on to anything that will offer them that
means.” Mr.

Kugama is accused
by aggrieved members of the party, of the state of providing the state
governor, Murtala Hamman Yero Nyako with the hold on the party
structure.

Bamanga Tukur,
former executive governor in the defunct Gongola state and one of the
supporters of President Jonathan’s presidency recently quipped that:
“it is unfortunate that the PDP in Adamawa state has been taken out of
the public place,” suggestive that Mr. Nyako has pocketed the party.

Mr Tukur is not the
only one disenchanted with the governor. Jubril Aminu, once Mr.Nyako’s
supporter, also has a strained relationship with the governor. The
fight between Aminu and Nyako is however not so much about who takes
control of the party than Aminu’s desire to be the one in charge.
Ordinarily,Nyako’s allegiances should be to Aminu for bringing him to
power.

Mr Nyako may have a
plethora of enemies, but the man has continued to wax stronger like the
proverbial cat with nine lives, surviving every war he has fought.

NEXT investigations
reveal that there are still hushed whispers about the possible
dissolutions of the party leadership, a possibility that is terrifying
the governor’s camp.

Mr.Nyako’s fears,
it seems, emerged by a shocking discovery that Mr Aminu had aligned
with Mr Tukur’s camp. The startling discovery occurred at a meeting
called by the PDP national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo to reconcile the
party factions in the state.

The reason, though
is not far-fetched, Mr Aminu is angling to have his political protégé
and a serving minister, Idi Hong replace Nyako as governor. Already
there seems to be a political compromise between Mr. Aminu and former
vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

The rapprochement
set in motion by the national secretariat of the party has come under
knocks, as the reconciliation train has since failed to leave its
station. Incidentally, the trio of Tukur, Silas Zwingina and Hassan
Adamu diametrically, all opposed to Nyako’s continuation in power are
part of President Jonathan’s election team.

A PDP leader says
,the generally accepted wisdom is that despite Mr Nyako’s suspect
commitment to Jonathan’s presidency, a majority of party members in the
state are favourably disposed to a Jonathan presidency and there is no
reason to destabilize the party structure.

Head of the
Jonathan campaign team, Sarki Tafida himself admitted that the people
of the state, have “promised their support for president Jonathan and I
verily believe that to be true.” Mr.Kugama is an avowed supporter of Mr
Jonathan and the party secretary, Phineas P. Elisha also told NEXT he
is a supporter.

“When the time
comes, I know whom to vote for ,” he said. “Let’s not be deceived, we
all know what’s good for the country. When that time comes, we would do
the right thing.” Mr Nyako’s men are also demanding a demonstrable
support of the presidency for the governor, as he launches his bid to
retain his job.

Of the four members
of the Jonathan campaign team from the state, Zwingina, Tukur,Adamu and
Ali Gulak, only the latter two does not arouse concern from the
governor’s men.

Mr.Tukur is widely
perceived to be plotting Nyako’s fall to feather his own nest,his
actions being seen to be tilted towards making inroads for his son,
Awwal Tukur, a former member of the House of Representatives, to become
the next governor of the state.

Mr Zwingina on his
part has already indicated interest in contesting the PDP guber ticket
with the governor seat. This explained the uproar by supporters of Mr
Nyako’s aspiration at the forum when Goodluck Campaign team berthed in
Yola.

Felix Tangwami, Chairman of the association of local government chairmen and a candidate for the senate, said

“At the time we sat and choose to endorse Jonathan/Sambo, nobody
coerced us.We were also encouraged when the president declared
sometimes ago that he had no enemies to fight. Therefore, the president
should not be swayed by rumour mongers who would incite the presidency
into taking actions that would cause the party to implode.” Tafida
himself acknowledged the need to support the aspirations of the party’s
leadership in the state. After all, the former vice president, Atiku
Abubakar,who is also from the state, would be waiting for a slip so
that he could add the state to his column during the primaries.