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In the ongoing and
necessary discussions about the state of our nation and the quality of
our polity, the phrase ‘dividends of democracy’ keeps coming up, often
as a strident complaint that we have not received the dividends of
democracy even after 10 years of democratic government.

It seems like only
yesterday that the news filtered out in hushed tones and hurried
conversations that Abacha was dead. No one DARED speculate openly about
the veracity of the rumour. I received the first phone call informing
me in code that the head honcho had passed on, at 11am.

At 2pm, a friend
who was close to a Permanent Secretary in a federal ministry and whose
in-law is a military attaché in one of our diplomatic missions abroad,
called me to say the news was unconfirmed even to the military brass
and the civil service elite who were conducting themselves
circumspectly as if nothing had happened. He said I should not repeat
the rumour to anyone for the sake of my personal security. Not to
anyone! And I did not. I kept my mouth shut.

It was not until
6pm while I was playing netball with a group of ladies at the Lagos
YMCA on Awolowo Road, that we heard a roar from the street; the kind of
jubilation that occurs when Nigeria scores a goal in an international
football match. The news was officially out. It was only then that
people, big people and small people, powerful people and helpless
people could talk about it.

How many of us remember those days and identify freedom of speech as a dividend of democracy?

How many of us
acknowledge that only 15 years ago, the public assault on Uzoma Okere
by naval ratings would have led to loss of physical freedom for the
victim, instead of an official inquiry and embarrassment for the
previously untouchable men in uniform and their superiors?

While acknowledging
that we have so many systemic problems and challenges to overcome, we
also need to recognize that we are revelling in one of the dividends of
democracy – national debate.

National debate is
something we held very close to our hearts. Any time two or more
Nigerians gathered by chance or design, a national debate would take
place. These conversations would usually take place in a home, in a
restaurant, at a bar, during a work break. It was informal and it was
private. In public fora, we did not engage in national debates, other
than in side comments to the person adjacent to us about how correct or
how naïve the speaker taking on the establishment was.

Today, national
debate has come out of the closet. For the past years since the
successful handover from Obasanjo to Yar’ Adua, and all of this year,
following the successful, if rocky, handover of leadership to Goodluck
Jonathan, the level of public discourse, open opposition and support of
politicians and candidates has reached a level that my generation is
witnessing for the first time.

Let us take the
furore over Mr Babangida’s renewed political ambition. Today’s young
adults are not aware of what he did; it was before their time, and the
June 12, 1993, annulment of the presidential election results that
declared MKO Abiola the winner is clearly not a focus of their modern
history classes.

Yet derisory
posters, satirical cartoons, articles in newspapers and magazines,
blogs, television programming is analysing it all – OPENLY – and taking
positions while they do so.

Opening the public space

National debate is
a leading indicator of a progressive state of affairs, even though it
makes the leadership seat too hot for the incumbent to settle too
comfortably in. With the proliferation of private media – radio,
television, print, and online – commentary from the man on the street
about these issues is immediate and feedback through call-ins and
television appearances have become commonplace.

There are many
examples of debates going at the grassroot, state, and national levels,
to mention just a few: the outcry about the okada (motorcycle taxi) ban
in some cities; the organized opposition to the perceived abdication of
government of its responsibility to maintain major roads e.g.
concessioning of Lekki Expressway in Lagos; the conflicting expert
opinions on the governorship succession in Kwara State and the
canvassing of public opinion on the place of family dynasties in our
politics.

Others include: the
critique of the strategy and value of zoning in party politics and the
salary and allowances of members of the legislature.

We have largely
lost our fear of oppression. Even if we are wrongfully arrested, with
good representation either private or public, and with civilian
protests, the likelihood of being released is high.

The recourse to
assault and illegal means of settling disputes is being channelled into
the courts and alternative dispute resolution system. It is rarer to
hear of landlords removing the roofs from their houses to evict tenants.

As politicians
start their campaigns to solicit for our votes, we want to know how the
incumbent has fulfilled his or her responsibilities, and what s/he has
done to improve our lives. Are the roads repaired, the streets clean,
refuse being collected, schools improved, hospitals equipped, police
paid and supported, citizens’ rights protected?

Those are the questions that I will be asking. What will you be focusing on?

Members of the Ondo State Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owner and Riders Association of Nigeria, yesterday, expressed dismay over the alleged unethical practices and violation of standard practice by its leaders, due to what they said was the absence of a democratically constituted union.

The group, in a statement issued by the Chairman of its board of trustees, Akinmade Rotimi, and the Coordinators of its central, northern, and southern zones, Olumorin Akinlolu, Okunola Ademola, and Alade Abdul, appealed to the state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, to wade into the crisis so that it can also witness rapid development.

The Ondo State chapter of the union has been enmeshed in leadership crisis since March 2009. Members of the union noted that the continuation of the crisis was inimical to the orderliness and smooth operation of commercial motorcyclists in the state.They also lamented that the lingering leadership vacuum, if not urgently addressed, might affect the peaceful coexistence of the people in the state.

The group appealed to the state government to approve the composition of an electoral body to conduct a free and fair election to fill leadership positions in the union. “We, the key stakeholders in ACOMORAN in Ondo State, wish to draw the attention of the State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, to the lingering leadership vacuum existing in the body since March 2009.

We are constrained to point out that the union has been administered by proxy via an undemocratic process, which is in conflict with the spirit and mood of a civilised system and government,” the group said, in a communiqué issued yesterday.

Civil society
groups have suggested that issues bothering on extractives resources
should be put in the front burner of the 2011 elections, since
extractives account for more than 90 percent the country’s national
income.

Making the
suggestion yesterday in Benin City at a town hall meeting on Nigerian
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and 2011
elections, a leader of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre
(CILAC), Innocent Adjenuhure, called for strategies that would help
ensure that politicians, political parties and the electorate regard
Transparency Initiative as critical election issue that must be
addressed by them as a necessity.

Mr. Adjenuhure also
advocated that political parties and candidates for elective positions
be invited to address the electorate at town hall meetings on their
understanding of what NEITI is, and their plans towards ensuring that
government ensure full implementation of the initiative.

Besides, he tasked
civil society organisations on education of the citizens on what NEITI
entails, and the need to demand from contestants in all elections their
plans for NEITI if elected into office.

Failed on initiative

Earlier in her
welcome address, National Co-coordinator of “Publish What You Pay,”
Nwandichi Faith announced that Nigeria was yet to comply with the
implementation of NEITI, whereas five African countries have been
validated so far, and are now compliant.

“Nigeria is still
undergoing validation and has been given a six months extension which
will expire by April 2011. So Nigeria is tagged “close to compliant”
country in the NEITI process,” she said.

Ms. Nwandichi listed the benefits of NEITI to include the
strengthening of accountability and good governance, promotion of
greater economic and political stability and improved investment
climate by providing a clear signal to investors and international
financial institutions that the government is committed to greater
transparency.

In an unusual
twist, the ruling People’s Democratic Party, which used to be the
favourite destination of politicians jumping ships at the Senate,
yesterday lost three of its members to the rank of the opposition.

Two of the
defecting senators, Adego Eferakeya from Delta State and Joel Danlami
from Taraba State moved to the growing Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN), while the third, Umar Argungu from Kebbi State joined the
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) whose membership is expanding,
especially in the northern part of the country. Wednesday’s exodus
brings the number of senators who have left the PDP to four in the last
one month, a record high in the history of the Senate.

In a letter to the
Senate President, David Mark, the three lawmakers blamed their decision
to resign their membership of the PDP on the divisions within the party
in their various states, and the likelihood of their political
ambitions being truncated if they remained in such a party.

This movement
brings the number of ACN senators in the senate to seven and raised the
population of senators in the opposition to 14, although this is hardly
enough to alter the direction of any bill even if they all voted in a
plenary.

The senators had
concluded the ceremonies for their defections in their home states, yet
the formal change of seats by the senators at the floor of the Senate
was filled with emotions and revealed the turmoil within the ruling
party.

As Mr Mark read out
their letters of resignation from the party, one after the other, their
former PDP colleagues struggled to either keep them back or, failing
that, make them forfeit their seats.

Some of the
lawmakers lamented the inability of the PDP to resolve its internal
disputes and called on the senate president to intervene.

“I wish to draw the
attention of the (PDP) national headquarters to do something because
the rate at which the crossing away from the party is becoming
alarming,” Jubril Aminu, a ranking senator and party stalwart from
Adamawa State said.

All the PDP
senators who had left for the opposition blamed the inability of the
party to resolve internal crisis as their reason for leaving. Still,
the opposition had, over the last one year, lost eight senators to the
PDP. They include Uche Chukwumerije of Abia State, whom the Senate
President described as a “big catch.”

Trouble in the party

Mr Danlami who was
the first to cross the aisle on Wednesday, is considered a big fish in
his home state of Taraba. He intends to contest the governorship
election in his state in 2011 against the incumbent, and he described
his former party as a party in tatters in his state. The Taraba PDP has
long being engulfed in crises, leading to series of protests to the
party headquarters in Abuja and court cases in the state.

Mr Eferakeya, a
professor of pharmacology, is teaming up with Ovie Omo- Agege, a former
PDP gubernatorial candidate in Delta State who led about 10,000 members
of the party into the ACN a fortnight ago. He also blamed the crises
rocking the party in Delta State for his decision to dump the PDP.
Although he is not considered a political heavy weight in his state,
Mr. Eferakeya is believed to control a large bloc of followers.

Like Ehigie
Uzamere, (Edo State) who was the first PDP senator to decamp to ACN,
Mr.Argungu is also jumping over to the CPC perhaps because of the
growing popularity of the party in his state.

“I don’t understand
how you will leave the known to the unknown,” Mr Mark said, while
accepting his letter of defection. Mr. Argungu explained that PDP was
dead in his state.

Within the coming
weeks, more senators in the ranks of PDP are expected to join the
opposition as their chances of getting tickets for the 2011 elections
grow slim. Despite the worries expressed by the PDP senators, party
officials claim the defections will not affect the national strength of
the party.

Unconstitutional move

The 1999
constitution prohibits the carpet crossing of serving legislators in
section 68 sub-section 1 (g) where it stated that unless there is a
merger of political parties or division or even factions in a political
party, no serving legislator may cross over to another party.

The constitution,
in the same section, also provides that if any legislator contravenes
the provisions, he or she will be required to give up his seat in the
chamber. Perhaps in order to circumvent this, all the senators
defecting claimed there was trouble within the party in their states.

Mr Mark, in
accepting the defections, said he trusted the integrity of the
defecting senators. This was the same line he had used when there was
mass movement of opposition senators into the PDP side in the Senate.

In the past, each
time this crossing of the carpet took place in the Senate chamber,
Olorunnimbe Mamora (AC Lagos State), who is the deputy minority leader
of the Senate always objected, saying the PDP was benefitting from
illegality. But Mr. Mamora’s voice was always too weak to stop the
process, though yesterday he did not raise any objections to the
defections.

During the first
amendment to the 1999 constitution, the lawmakers attempted to amend
this section but their efforts were thwarted by legislators at the
state houses of assemblies who refused to vote for the deletion of the
section.

The Federal
Government is set to ensure that an effective gas policy is evolved in
Nigeria, considering that the country is fortunate to have one of the
largest gas deposits in the world which has been neglected over time,
especially for local use, the Vice President Namadi Sambo has said.

Mr Sambo made this
disclosure yesterday during a courtesy visit paid to him by a
delegation from the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), led by its
Chairman, Charles Osezua, which was in the State House to brief him on
the just concluded Conference on Gas Development in Nigeria.

The Vice President
pledged government’s resolve to give all the necessary support towards
realizing this objective. He listed some steps taken by the government
to include construction of ten new thermal/gas power plants in the
country and the encouragement of private sector participation; the
drawing up of a gas master plan by government and the mandate given to
NNPC to commence a detailed study and designs of gas transfer.

He informed the
group that on November, 23, the President of the African Development
Bank will be visiting Nigeria to ascertain the areas where the bank can
support Nigeria.

He also pointed out
that on the 6th of December, the Islamic Development Bank will also be
in Nigeria for the IDB day and use the opportunity to examine
infrastructural projects in the country for the purpose of making
available cheap funds with long term repayment periods at low interests
rates.

Funds for growth

He further stated
that the China Exim Bank, Japanese Yen Credit, European Union and the
Common Wealth Business Council are other bodies interested in
supporting government’s planned development of the gas sector both
technically and financially.

Mr. Sambo
reiterated the administration’s resolve to support the development of
gas and its export sector in Nigeria in order to realize the roadmap to
improve power in Nigeria. “This is a viable project, the sum of N300
billion having been made available to be accessed via the CBN,” he said.

Mr Osezua commended
government’s intervention through the CBN funding to enable potential
power and gas investors access capital which hitherto had been a major
challenge.

He also observed
that it was crucial that infrastructural challenges, such as the North
to South gas pipelines network be worked.

Mr. Osezua urged government to review the licensing tenure and enthused that gas needs power and power needs power.

A group fronting
for Bukola Saraki, the Governor of Kwara State, has written the
Northern Leaders Political Forum (NLPF) asking it to narrow its search
for a northern consensus presidential candidate to Mr Saraki, who is
“young, yet fairly old.”

The Saraki National
Vanguard, which is spearheading Mr Saraki’s shot at the presidency next
year, upped its canvassing in a letter addressed to the leader of the
NLPF, Adamu Ciroma, arguing that such a choice will “marry the old
order and the new order.” “The dichotomy that has existed between the
retiring political blocks and the emerging blocks, Abubakar Bukola
Saraki could graciously and creditably serve to mend the bridge,” the
letter stated.

Mr Ciroma’s forum
has yet to reach a common agreement on the much talked-about consensus
candidate amongst the lot of Mr Saraki, a second term governor; former
military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida; former Vice President, Atiku
Abubakar; former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau; and the only
female contestant, Sarah Jibril. Despite several weeks of meetings and
consultations, analysts are saying reticence on the part of the
candidates is leaving greater doubt about its workability.

The right mix

The Saraki National
Vanguard, in the letter signed by its national coordinator, Bodunrin
Oriade, said its candidate provides the needed qualities and he should
be chosen ahead of other contenders. “It will be recalled that as
chairman of NGF, Abubakar Bukola Saraki displayed an uncanny wisdom and
courage to weather the storm and tension that was generated during the
unfortunate illness of our late president, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,”
it said, adding that the governor is “fresh and young, yet fairly old
and experienced.”

Mr Saraki faces opposition on his home front, with other groups in
Kwara State asking that he be dropped for non-performance while in
office as the governor. His supporters, however appealed to Mr Ciroma
and his committee to consider merit above other factors and select Mr
Saraki as a leader that will be “acceptable to Nigerians from all walks
of life.” “As the northern leaders convene to select a consensus
candidate for the number one job, we appeal to our elders, traditional
rulers, political stakeholders to be objective, broad minded and
courageous in nominating an individual that can truly be acceptable to
Nigerians across board. We believe Saraki is that person,” Mr Oriade.

The federal
government has approved the establishment of six new federal
universities, which will be spread across the six geo political zones
of the country in states where there are no federal universities.

Council also
approved the sum of N41 billion for the construction and rehabilitation
of eight different road projects across the six geo-politcal zones of
the country.

The minister of
information and communications, Dora Akunyili, who briefed journalists
after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, which lasted from
10am to about 4:30pm yesterday, with 22 memos discussed, said the
council also approved $231.11 million for the procurement of direct
data capturing machines for the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) for voters registration.

She briefed
alongside Godday Orubebe, minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Sanusi
Daggash, minister of works; Andrew Obadiah, minister of water
resources; Labaran Maku, minister of state, information, and
communications; Kenneth Gbagi, minister of state education; and Nuhu
Wya, minister of state power.

The approval of the
six universities, Mrs. Akunyili said, is part of a move designed by the
federal government to bridge the admission gap for Nigerian students.

“We talk about
quality, considering the fact that as at today, only about 10 percent
of qualified candidates have access to universities, and we want as
many Nigerians as possible to have access. Council approved this
because government of President Goodluck Jonathan does not only want to
improve quality, but also to improve access, which is as important as
quality,” she said.

Widening roads

When asked why the
government is making such a decision at a time when existing
universities are poorly funded, the minister said, “Establishing new
universities will not be lowering on standard in any way, we just want
to ensure that those places where they are a lot of Nigerians, council
approved today to establish one federal university in the six geo
political zones of the country in the states which do not have federal
university. In future, we are even going to have more.

“The Minister of
Education actually presented 44 universities; we deliberated that it
will be approved in phases, starting with the six universities,” she
explained.

Mr. Daggash put the
total amount of money approved for the eight different road projects
across the six geo-political zones at a cost of N41 billion.

The road approved
for construction and rehabilitation are the Apapa-Oshodi expressway;
Oshogbo-Ilesa road; Ijebu Ode-Ibadan road; Abeokuta-Ibadan expressway;
Ibadan-Lagere-Iremo-Enuwa-Ilesa By-pass; Ahoada-Omok u-road phase 1;
Ozalla-Akpugo-Amagunze-Ihuokpara-Nkomoro-Isu-Onicha road; Umuahia-Ikot
Epene road; Suleja-Minna road; and Otukpa-Oweto road.

For the second time
since assuming office, President Goodluck Jonathan has sent a request
to the national assembly for the approval of his outstanding borrowing
plan for 2010.

In a letter to the
Senate president dated November 4th , the President asked the lawmakers
to approve the loans, saying the money will be applied to critical
projects that will improve the living standards of Nigerians immensely.
The presentation of the president’s letter is coming just a day after
the lawmakers cried out that the nation’s loans are getting high.

The National
Assembly had in April partially approved the 2010 borrowing plan which
was forwarded to them alongside the 2010 budget proposal. It will be
recalled that out of the $5.22 billion loan amount proposed under the
2010 borrowing plan, $915 million – loan amount of the World Bank
negotiated projects – was approved by the lawmakers leaving out $4.31
billion from other donors.

“Consequent upon
netting out the loan amount of $915 million already approved and
removal of two pipeline projects, the proposed loans/credits
outstanding for National Assembly approval now amounts to $3.702
billion.” the president said in his letter.

The loans and
credits would be secured on concessionary terms with repayment periods
of 25 to 40 years and a moratorium of 7 to 10 years.

According to the
President in his previous letter in August, the borrowing plan is
segmented into three broad categories that includes projects that had
been negotiated, those that were being evaluated as well as the
pipeline projects.

“The loans would be
lent to the participating states on the same terms and conditions they
are obtained from the donor agencies under a subsidiary loan agreement
that would be executed between the states and the federal ministry of
finance,” the president explained in his letter.

2011 – 2013 expenditure framework

Meanwhile,the President also forwarded the 2011 to 2013 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the lawmakers.

The 2007 Fiscal Responsibility Act stipulates that the budget be
based on the MTEF which is to be approved by both the Federal executive
Council and the National Assembly before becoming effective. “The MTEF
was duly approved by the Federal Executive Council on September 8th ,
2010,” the president said in the letter accompanying the document.

The National
Assembly, yesterday appealed a Lagos high court ruling that the
constitution recently amended by the lawmakers is incomplete without
the assent of the president.

A Federal High
Court sitting in Lagos, presided over by Okechukwu Okeke, ruled on
Monday that the purported amendment to the Constitution remains illegal
until it is presented to the president for his assent and approval. The
court also declared the 2010 Constitution Amendment Act as null and
void, saying it would remain void until it is sent to the president.

However, counsel to
the National Assembly, Yusuf Ustaz Usman, in response to a suit filed
by Bamidale Aturu at a federal high court in Abuja, urged the court to
nullify the ruling delivered by Mr Okeke, saying the judge ruled in
error.

Mr Aturu however
told the court, presided over by Ibrahim Auta, that since a similar
matter has just being decided upon by a Federal High Court in Lagos, he
should invoke sections 295 (2) and refer the matter to the Court of
Appeal for interpretation, because of its urgent nature and to avoid
conflicting decisions on the same matter.

Mr Usman said he has no objection in sending the case to the court of Appeal for interpretation.

Justice Auta in his
ruling said, “I invoke section 295 of the constitution and refer the
matter to the Court of Appeal for interpretation” and subsequently
transferred the matter to Court of Appeal.

In a four page Notice of Appeal Suit No: FHC/L/941/10, Mr Usman urged the Appeal court to nullify the Lagos ruling.

“The honourable
learned judge erred in law in holding that the plaintiff has the locus
standi to institute the action,” Mr Usman argued.

He added that the
trial judge also “erred in law in holding that the Presidential Assent
is necessary in order to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria when Section 9 of the said Constitution is a special
provision which stipulates the conditions and procedures for the
amendment of the Constitution.” He urged the Appeal court to nullify
the ruling on the ground that the “trial judge violated the Appellant’s
natural and Constitutional rights of fair hearing when he failed to
consider the additional authorities submitted by the Appellant’s
Counsel which authorities were also served on the Respondent’s Counsel
far before the ruling/judgement was delivered.”

Work in progress

The lawmakers also
went ahead with the second amendment to the 1999 constitution with the
handing over of the clean copy of the document to the speakers of the
state Houses of Assemblies in the National Assembly.

Ayogu Eze, the
Senate spokesman argued that the Lagos High Court ruling has nothing to
do with the second alteration of the constitution.

“They (the courts) cannot arrest the process, they can only arrest the product,” he said.

Mr. Eze, who dispelled fears of the process heating up the polity,
noted that the process is “good for this test to go on because after we
have tested it and come to a crystallized decision; nobody is going to
revisit it in the future. We are setting line marks and these landmarks
are things that will benchmark our democracy and make our democracy
what it should be. It is a healthy development so far.”

Two of the
suspended members of the House of Representative; Ehiogie Idahosa (Edo
State) and Olugbenga Onigbogi (Osun State), were, on Tuesday, recalled
after more than three months of suspension. The duo, and nine other
members, were suspended for asking the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, to quit
on allegation of fraud.

The members had
asked for Mr Bankole’s removal, accusing him of misusing funds budgeted
for the House’s capital expenditure in 2009, which amounted to N9
billion. On June 22, an agitation for the Speaker’s removal led to
violence which left two members injured. The leader of the group, Dino
Melaye, and five are challenging the suspension in court.

The House announced
on Monday that it will review the orders on individual basis on
conditions that the affected members quit litigations, and tender
apology. Messrs Idahosa and Onigbogi, who were both absent during the
violent session, turned themselves in for internal probe by the House
Ethics and Privileges Committee.

Their excuses

Mr Onigbogi said he
was away in India on June 22, 2010 and was not part of the events,
while Mr Idahosa said he “now understood every house has rules.” Mr
Idahosa, who is serving his third session in the house, told the
committee that since 1999 he has been a member, saying “the house has
trained me, I have enjoyed it and it has supported and exposed me by
giving me capacity.” Both members apologized before the committee,
according to the report, and have withdrawn their court actions,
standing down their allegations that Mr Bankole misused the money. As
the reports came up for consideration yesterday, they were promptly
cleared, and asked to resume sitting today where they are expected to
tender a public apology.

Mr Melaye, Solomon Awhinawhi, Bitrus Kaze, Doris Uboh, Annas Adamu,
and Independence Ogunewe have retained their challenge in court, and
have denied allegations of leading for pardon form the house
leadership. They expect a ruling November 15, 2010. The committee said
three other members of the group, Gbenga Oduwaye and Kayode Amusan, and
Austin Nwachukwu, have waived their rights to court action and last
week offered to be investigated. Weeks after the suspension, the House
Ethics Committee, which also investigates corruption allegations
against its members, promised it will probe the N9bn charge against the
speaker. No reports have been made on that.