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The
paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of
Delta State, Charles Ayemi-Botu, yesterday faulted Isa Lawal Kaita over
his statement that the north would do all within its power to stop
President Goodluck Jonathan from occupying the presidential seat beyond
2011.

The Royal Father,
who is also the former National Executive Chairman of traditional
rulers of oil producing communities, said the statement was inciting
and unguarded.

“The ensuing
questions are: Does any part of the federating states or geo political
zones has the exclusive right to rule this contraption called Nigeria
in perpetuity? Is there apathy in Nigeria or some ethnic extractions
are destined to play a second fiddle in the running of the affairs of
our country forever? Has the likes of Lawal Kaita forgotten that the
north has ruled this country, either through the barrel of the gun or
politicking, for 38 years out of 50 years of her independence? Is
Nigeria actually practicing a true federal system of government whereby
all the federating states have the inalienable right to rule this
country?” He asked.

The king said Mr.
Jonathan must be allowed to continue the Yar’Adua/Jonathan Presidency’s
joint ticket until 2011, and thereafter contest as the PDP’s
presidential candidate due to the fact that the Ijaw, being the fourth
largest ethnic group and the greatest provider of the resources and the
economic live wire to Nigeria, have never held the presidency before.

“It is a truism
that there is no North and South agreement in the military
indoctrinated 1999 Constitution. PDP is just one out of the numerous
political parties in Nigeria and hence, cannot be bigger than Nigeria,”
he said.

Practise fiscal federalism

He said Mr.
Jonathan should ensure that Nigeria operates a federal system and,
hence, political, economic and cultural power must be decentralised and
devolved from the centre to the states, local government councils, and
communities. He also advises him to enshrine true fiscal federalism to
eliminate the endemic fraud at the centre.

“Any attempt to
scuttle the above guiding rules and principles of governance is a
direct invitation to the call by Libyan strongman, Muammar Ghaddafi, to
break up the country through religious, geopolitical, or ethnic divides
such as Arewa Republic, Biafra Republic, Middle Belt Republic, Niger
Delta Republic, and Oduduwa Republic, so that those who want to rule
Nigeria forever can do so in their own domain or republic, and not in
Niger Delta Republic,” he said.

“Suffice to say
that enough is enough and it is now the turn of the Ijaw, like the
Hausa, Yoruba, and Ibo, to be bold and courageous, to take the bull by
the horn, because Nigeria cannot and will not continue to practice a
dictatorial unitary government at our expense and in the guise of a
federal system, while appropriating all our resources and destroying
our environments, killing our youths, and livelihood. For over half a
century of feeding and keeping Nigeria one, we cannot even enjoy our
own God-given resources in our own land and sea.”

Mr. Ayemi-Botu said
for Nigeria to remain a truly united country, the principles of
justice, equity, fairness, and true fiscal federalism must be practised.

Eleven
aggrieved legislators in the Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday
insisted that they would not return to the plenary until the recent
impeachment of the former speaker was reversed.

The leadership of
the Assembly was changed last month through an impeachment which swept
away the former speaker, Taofik Olawale Abdulsalam, and his deputy,
Mayowa Akinfolarin.

Since the
impeachment exercise was carried out, the eleven lawmakers, who are
members of the minority Peoples’ Democratic Party, have refused to join
their colleagues in legislative activities.

Speaking on behalf
of the eleven aggrieved lawmakers, Henry Akinsuroju, said his group
would not resume parliamentary sittings with their colleagues until due
process was followed in the removal of the erstwhile leadership of the
House.

According to him, the only way forward is for the lawmakers to adopt an acceptable and legal means of changing their leadership.

“The way out of the
crisis in the State House of Assembly is very simple,” he said.
“Everybody knows that the so-called impeachment at the House was not
properly carried out. The suspension of some members will also not
solve the problem. The House of Assembly could decide to change as many
as four speakers within one month. It is normal, but such exercise must
follow a due process.

“If there should be
a good working relationship among the lawmakers, the current leadership
of the House should be able to reach to their colleagues. The new
Speaker should not embark on any vendetta. He should ensure that what
is due to every member is released to him or her so that the crisis
will not further degenerate into a serious one.”

Absent for a cause

Another of the
aggrieved lawmakers said it was not possible for the current leadership
of the House to sanction the 11 lawmakers for shunning parliamentary
activities.

“I am not sure that
they (House leadership) could penalise us because, constitutionally, we
have the number of days that we have to sit in a session. A new session
has just started, and if I have not been with them for quite sometime,
I will be careful to ensure that I carried out my obligation to the
best of my ability,” said the lawmaker who did not want to be named.

“If the House is
not properly constituted, I cannot go there and sit because that will
be against my conscience. The Speaker has not reached out to the
aggrieved members. Rather, he embarked on a vendetta mission. My people
would not be happy if they see me among traitors. The people of
Ile-Oluji, who I am representing are no traitors. So I cannot afford to
be one.”

Filling the vacuum

Meanwhile, to
facilitate the smooth running of legislative business, the Assembly has
appointed Kele Bolodeoku, (PDP, Ese-Odo) and Oyebode Aladetan (PDP,
Ilaje I), as minority leader and minority whip respectively.

Speaker of the
Assembly, Samuel Adesina, who announced the appointment of the two
legislators at House plenary yesterday, said the decision to appoint
the new officers was to balance the positions as stipulated by the
rules of the House and the constitution.

Mr. Adesina said
the appointments would facilitate adequate representation of both the
majority and the minority in decision taking by principal officers.
Majority leader, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, said the appointment of the two
minority officers of the House was done in accordance with the
constitution of Nigeria.

Mr. Bolodeoku, on
behalf of his colleague who was absent, accepted the appointment and
promised to work for the progress of the legislature in the interest of
the people of the state.

He said they would take the necessary steps to restore good relationship between the House majority and the minority.

We’ve
all seen them before – chunky, encyclopedia-like, statistical
publications that annually tell you how the world’s poor are faring. In
what would appear to be a celebration of poverty, these rather
dispiriting and scary books are ironically launched in ceremonies by
the international development agencies in Nigeria and in all other
developing countries. Disputes over authenticity of figures between
government and development agency are not uncommon.

If you come from
Nigeria, don’t expect to enjoy reading a book that reveals the
comparative scales of infant and maternal mortality, the scarcity of
drinking water, the infestation of men, women and children with
malaria, polio and HIV/AIDS, and many more evils on earth. Officials of
government very often do not know what to make of these statistics.
More importantly their realities are never adequately interpreted.

As we prepare to
celebrate 50 years of independence, the quality of life in our country
should be honestly evaluated in order to determine how Nigerians will
face the challenges of the 21st Century.

On that humid
October night at the Lagos Racecourse, not many Nigerians imagined that
they could be living without water and light, two of the basic
components often classified as “necessities” of life in the year 2010.

Great nation?

During the reign of
Shehu Shagari as president of the republic, he often punctuated his
speeches with the phrase, “this great country.” Later, someone said he
had been a poet, which had to be believed. The only misgiving could
have been that he obviously had no idea what the word “great” meant at
the time. Nigeria’s leaders are often sober and much wiser in
retirement, a factor that tempts them to plan a return to Aso Rock.

Later there was a
hilarious debate in the Obasanjo era over who would die for Nigeria.
Not many recall what led to the arguments, but only the rich declared
they were ready for the sacrifice, which is understandable. The poor
would of course be too weak to take up arms and die for a country that
has refused to recognize their existence.

Surprisingly many
Nigerians will easily tell you they come from a royal family, that they
are princes and princesses. It is not necessary to dispute these claims.

However, by the
percentage of the population claiming this status the country must be
dotted all over with shining palaces. Instead, over 40 percent of
Nigerians live without running water and regular electricity in their
homes, despite over a hundred research institutes and universities in
the country . If all black people were Nigerians we could be forgiven
for believing the racist thesis of the inferiority of the black man.

Waiting on Nigeria

The Israelis are
growing bananas in the desert; Arabs are desalinating sea water for
drinking. We read in history about efforts by the ancient Greeks and
Romans to build aqueducts for water supply. Many industrialized and
developing countries have explored and installed innovative and
auxiliary means of poverty alleviation – rain and floodwater
harvesting, solar, small hydro and wind energy. Everyone seems to be
waiting for Nigeria to arrive.

The
race for the ticket of the Ondo South Senatorial district in the 2011
general elections is creating sharp division’s among the members of the
Labour Party in the state, with two aides of Governor Olusegun Mimiko
interested in the senatorial ticket.

The battle line
appears drawn between Yele Omogunwa, works commissioner, Boluwaji
Kunlere, the special adviser to the governor on political matters.
Subsequently, the supporters of both men have been pitched against one
another.

Mr. Omogunawa’s
supporters believe it is their turn to produce the next senator because
Irele community, where he hails from, has never produced a candidate
for the senatorial slot.

But the other camp argued that Irele people rejected the slot when it was willingly given to them by the Labour Party in 2007.

They further argued
that since Irele people turned down the offer in 2007, they should not
except that the ticket would be given to them on a platter of gold.

A deal gone sour

Mr. Kunlere, who
was the secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party before he pitched his
tent with the Labour Party, contested the senatorial seat in 2007 and
lost to the incumbent senator, Hosea Ehinlawo, of the Peoples
Democratic Party.

Mr. Kunlere, it was
gathered, was asked to withdraw his case at the tribunal to pave way
for Mr. Ehinlawo, who is perceived to be close to Mr Mimiko.

“It will be unfair
for anybody to stand against my ambition now because they know what I
passed through in 2007,” he said. “LP went to the tribunal and its
leader, Olusegun Mimiko, persuaded me to step down for Chief Hosea
Ehinlanwo whom he said was less harmless than those boasting that they
will emerge victorious in the election.

It was through the
order of Mr. Mimiko that I withdraw my case at the appeal tribunal,
promising me that I will be part of his government.”

Though Mr. Mimiko
has not given his words on the issue, he was quoted to have said that
due process would be allowed to take his course.

Despite the
governor’s promise to allow free and fair primaries, however,
supporters of the two politicians are trying to outsmart one another
through a campaign of calumny.

The
House of Representatives yesterday named a seven-man team to inquire
into the N257 billion Abuja airport road (renamed Yar’Adua Road)
contract, less than a week after a resolution was reached to
investigate the project.

The lawmakers voted
last Thursday to constitute an arbitrary committee with members drawn
outside the House Committee on Works, to probe the terms and funding of
the project which they argue have contravened its original agreement.

They also said the
construction of the expressways leading to the city airport, recently
named after the late president, was awarded at an exorbitant cost.

House Speaker
Dimeji Bankole named an ad hoc committee for the probe yesterday, to be
headed by Suleiman Kawu, a member of the All Nigeria People’s Party,
from Kano State.

Other members of
the committee include Olaka Nworgu (Rivers), Umaru Kurfi (PDP Katsina),
Jerry Manwe(PDP Taraba), Yusuf Tuga(ANPP, Bauchi), Agboola Ajayi (PDP
Ondo), Onyeama Chukwuma(PDP Anambra state).

The committee will
find out how the former Federal Capital Territory administration under
Adamu Aliero, arrived at the whopping N257 billion for the expansion of
the twin northern outer expressways- a contract awarded to Julius
Berger Plc.

Revaluate the project

Also, they will
determine why the administration discarded earlier agreement that the
project be funded through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the
private sector paying 60 per cent, while the government pays the
remaining.

The inquiry will
also re-evaluate the project, re-measure the road distance, compare
charges for similar construction in other parts of the northern zone,
and recommend prosecution for those found guilty of wrong doing.

No date has been fixed for the submission of the outcome of the investigation.

The
Bankers’ Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday
resolved to effect some amendment to the prudential guidelines issued
early this month, detailing criteria by banks for classification of
non-performing loans.

Though the full
amended guidelines is expected to be released in the next two weeks,
Sterling Bank’s managing director, Yemi Adeola, told journalists at the
end of the committee’s meeting in Abuja that members decided to expunge
the provision that makes it mandatory for banks to set aside two
percent of their loans portfolio for general loans provision.

“We believe with
the level of cleanup that has been done in the industry so far, there
is really no need for such general loan loss provision,” he said,
pointing out that removing such provision would make it easier for
banks to grant credits to the real sector of the economy as well as
facilitate continuous extension of credits to the general public.

The committee,
which also reviewed the performance of the economy in the last quarter,
the financial market operations and regulatory issues, also resolved to
evaluate current impact of the automated teller machine (ATM) on the
banking penetration in the economy.

Managing director
of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Bisi Onasanya, said a sub-committee was
constituted to re-evaluate the capacities and competencies of the three
licensed outsourcing companies selected to manage the machines to
ensure uninterrupted services prior to the proposed shared
infrastructure and services phase in the industry.

Due to the
multiplicity of ATMs in some off site locations across the country, Mr.
Onasanya said a decision was taken that banks should limit their
deployment of the facility to their branches, while allowing
professional outsourcing companies to handle the deployment of ATMs in
off site locations.

Deliver better value

However, following
concerns by most banks about the need to verify the capacities of the
out sourced agencies to maintain the facilities, he said the
re-evaluation became necessary not only to ensure discipline and
effective coordination, but to also guarantee adequate maintenance and
management of the facilities to ensure that the final model that would
be rolled out would be able to deliver better value to the banking
public.

“The committee has
been given two weeks to re-evaluate the proposed model to identify
issues that need to be resolved before the deadline for banks to hand
over their ATMs to these outsourcing companies. The sub-committee will
evaluate the capacities and financial strengths of the three licensed
ATM outsourcing switch company – Corporati, Interswitch and Chams –
with a view to ensuring that they possess the necessary muscle to not
only continuously maintain the ATMs, but also to replace them when the
need arises.

“This is part of
efforts to ensure that the handing over of these ATMs to these private
institutions does not fail, considering that it will form the bedrock
of the ongoing effort to establish the process of shared infrastructure
and services in the nation’s banking sector,” he explained.

Tenure for directors

On Code of
Corporate governance validating the tenure of non-executive directors
of the banks, CBN’s director of banking supervision, Sam Oni, said four
years of three terms was prescribed, pointing out that to qualify for
re-appointment as directors, the regulatory authorities will administer
continuous assessment of their performance every two years as a
certification process to help assess and evaluate their performance on
an ongoing basis.

“It is the responsibility of the directors to ensure that their
institutions are well run in a firm and sound manner,” he said. “The
assessment would be guided by the type of contributions by the director
as reflected in the minutes of the books of the company and the report
of the expert auditors of the performance of the director as well as
other criteria to confirm that the director can continue in office.”

Opposition parties in the country under
the aegis of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), in
Abuja yesterday, asked President Goodluck Jonathan not to appoint the
chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if he
intends to contest next year.

They also criticized moves by the National Assembly to legislate a two party system for the country.

Briefing journalists after a meeting in
Abuja, CNPP national chairman, Balarabe Musa, said it will be immoral
for Mr. Jonathan to appoint the INEC chairman if he is contesting the
presidential election, noting that it will amount to somebody who is
participating in a game appointing its referee.

According to Mr. Musa, if the president
makes the appointment, the election will not be credible. He then
advised the present government to implement electoral reforms and adopt
the report of the Uwais Panel, which, among other things, recommends
that the president should not have a hand in appointing the INEC
Chairman.

“If (Mr.) Jonathan is going to run,
then he will likely tamper with the electoral reform to favour his
return, therefore he should not appoint the INEC chairman because he
will end up appointing a PDP member and there won’t be any level
playing ground in 2011,” said Mr. Musa.

Implementing the reforms

The CNPP boss
explained that the electoral reform is critical if the nation is to
break away from the shackles of flawed elections.

“We need this
electoral reform so that votes can count and when the votes count, that
is when you can know the real strength of the political parties,” he
said.

On legislation for
a two-party system for the country, and which the House of
Representatives is scheduled to vote on today, Mr Musa, who is the
national chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said adopting
the system will deny Nigerians their freedom of choice.

“Let leave the multi party system, which is what democracy is all
about,” he said. “Parties that are not popular will fizzle out, but
then government should stop grant to the parties. Let the parties be
independent and find their level, this is a way of reducing the number
not just by pegging the number of parties to two. Government shouldn’t
fund parties again, let us go back to the old days when it was
difficult for parties to use public funds for political activities.”

President Goodluck
Jonathan yesterday announced a change in the top hierarchy of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) management, with the
appointment of Austin Oniwon as the new Group Managing Director (GMD).

Mr. Oniwon replaces Shehu Ladan, who was appointed barely one and a half months ago to succeed Mohammed Barkindo.

Until his appointment, Mr. Oniwon was the Group Executive Director (Refineries & Petrochemicals) of the corporation.

A statement signed
by Ima Niboro, the President’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity,
did not give any reason for Mr. Ladan’s removal. According to Mr.
Niboro, the President has also directed Bayo Aganga, the Finance
Minister, to engage the services of a world-class auditing firm to
carry out a comprehensive audit of NNPC accounts.

Born on April 1, 1951, Oniwon is an indigene of Okene, in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria.

The new GMD
commenced his working career with the NNPC in 1977, and rose to the
position of Head, Planning of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals
Company in 1987. Between 1988 and 1991, he was the Technical Assistant
to the GED (Downstream) and later Head, Engineering and Technical
Services Department (ETSD) of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals
Company, from 1991 to 1992. That same year, Mr. Oniwon was made Head,
New Business Development, Corporate Planning and Development Division,
a post he held until his appointment as Head, ETSD, at the Port
Harcourt Refinery (1993-1999).

A fellow of the
Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, between 1999 and 2000, Mr.
Oniwon was General Manager, Information System, Engineering and
Technology Directorate, before moving on to function as Senior
Technical Assistant to the GMD and General Manager, Information Systems
Department at the GMD’s office.

He was also
Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company
(PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, before moving on to the Eleme
Petrochemicals Company Limited as Managing Director in 2003, where he
served till 2009 when he was appointed Group Executive Director.

Holder of the
Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Chemistry from the Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, he also holds a Diploma in Business Management from
Harvard University, USA, and Diploma Petroleum Management from Oxford
University, United Kingdom.

In a related
development, the President announced the appointment of Mike
Oghiadomhe, as his new Chief of Staff, while Hassan Tukur was named
Principal Secretary to the President. Mr. Tukur replaces David Edevbie.

Until his
appointment, Oniwon was the Group Executive Director (GED), Refining
and Petro-chemicals, and also the most senior GED.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja called for accountability and good governance in the public sector.

Mr. Jonathan,
represented by the Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho at the
opening of the Regional Conference of Commonwealth Association for
Public Administration and Management (CAPAM), said without good
governance, there could neither be accountability nor trust in
democratic governance.

“In the same
vein, there can be no good government without good public sector
institutions with a critical mass of public servants who are
irrevocably committed to the promotion of the common good.

“Accountability
is also an embedded process of good governance within an agreed
framework for holding someone or institution responsible for the
delivery of anticipated results or outcomes,’’ he said.

The president said
global challenges could be effectively resolved through a regime of
good governance across nations, with enabling institutions in each
country.

“It is therefore
incumbent on us all as leaders in various spheres of our national life,
to take effective steps to improve the quality of public administration
and management in order to ensure substantial improvements in the
quality of livelihood in our respective countries,’ he said.

Speaking at the
event, the Head of Service of the federation, Stephen Oronsaye, said
public service in the 21st century should achieve relevance in
delivering the dividends of democracy to its citizens.

Mr. Oronsaye said
that globally, low ethical standards in the business of governance,
whether in public or private sector, had led to a degree of mistrust of
those saddled with the responsibility of leading.

“In Africa, like
in other parts of the world, efforts are now on to regain the long lost
trust that the citizenry had in their leaders, particularly the
political class.

“The public
service, on its part, must also mobilise required policy intelligence
to ensure that it earns the trust of the citizenry and aid state to
record quick wins in war against poverty and disease.”

Earlier, the
Chairman of the Conference, Amal Pepple, said institutions such as the
public service had to function efficiently and effectively.

“It is in this regard that we are gathered here, over the next
three days, to continue our shared journey on good governance,
accountability and trust as essential pillars of building more capable
states in the Commonwealth,” she said.

Nigeria’s
nationhood for the past 50 years with very little to show for it was
the centre of discussions yesterday in Benin, as the Edo state chapter
of the Nigerian Union of Journalists began its press week activities.

Julius Ihonvbere, a
professor of political science who was guest lecturer at the event,
attributed Nigeria’s slow pace of development to bad leadership over
the years, and blamed Nigeria’s upper and middle class of having ruined
the country’s present and future.

“The truth is that
I often feel sad when politicians, so called leaders and bureaucrats
try to confuse, mislead us with half truths, concoctions and
fabrications about our progress as a people and nation in several
respects,” he said. “Nigeria is more of an undeveloped rather than an
underdeveloped society.”

Bothering God for everything

Mr. Ihonvbere
lamented that Nigerians rather than face the realities on ground to
change the system turn to God for divine intervention.

“We bother God with everything,” he said. “God is our excuse for laziness and failure to organize our people for struggle.”

He said the country
and the states could only make progress through “discipline, focus,
sensitive, compassionate and visionary leadership, planning,
investment, savings, productivity, stability and good governance. We
just have to abandon political rascality, posturing, noise making,
populism and diversionary tactics for focused and strategy-based
planning and leadership to move forward.”

Government by committees

According to him,
the failure of leadership in Nigeria has also been exemplified through
the constitution of various committees who turned in reports that were
never considered.

“We believe in
government by panels or committees but have no regard for the report
from such committees,” he said. “Their reports are dumped as soon as
they are presented. We hear of assets verification but never know what
assets were verified.”

Mr. Ihonvbere, who
served as special adviser on project monitoring to former president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, and intends to run for governor of Edo state, lashed
out at political parties in the country who he said have been
infiltrated with sycophants and individuals who only believe that
political offices could only be got by moneybags and not people with
programmes to change the system.

“Candidates are
sponsored for political positions not necessarily based on competence
but their predispositions to being manipulated and ability to pursue
narrow interests,” he said. “Just have a godfather, sufficient wild
looking thugs, money- the source is not relevant- and strategise on how
to influence the electoral commission, the police and the media, and
pronto you are ‘elected’ into office.

Politics in our country is costly, diabolical, unsteady, uncertain
and announced results hardly ever reflect what took place on election
day.”