Opinion I On Ayade's #1.3tn, Ambode's #1.046tn 2018 Budgets

ON AYADE’s #1.3tn, AMBODE’s #1.046tn BUDGETS

        

The optimum pleasure a kid derives from being beaten or scolded is wailing, which often follows suit, just exactly as an analyst or a critic feels while criticizing a certain ill-advised policy from any politician in a position of authority.

        

On Thursday, 30^th November 2017, the Executive Governor of Cross-River State, Prof. Ben Ayade categorically presented his administration’s 2018 appropriation bill to the state’s legislators. To the people’s utmost surprise, the execution of the proposed budget tagged ‘Kinetic crystallizations’ was estimated to cost 1.3 trillion naira. The budget had over 200% increment as against that of 2017 of 301 billion naira. 70% of the budget was estimated to be utilized on capital expenditure whilst 30% would go for recurrent expenditure.  

      

While I was trying to fathom how Cross-River got to this point, subsequently on Monday December 11, 2017, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode presented another budget proposal worth up to a trillion naira. The budget, which was branded ‘Budget of progress and development’, was estimated to be serviced with 1.046 trillion naira with about 28.67% increase compared to that of 2017 of 812 billion naira.

       

The ratio of the capital to recurrent of the Lagos historic budget was given as 67/33% amounting approximately to #699bn and #347bn, respectively. The governor revealed that the estimate for total revenue of the year 2018 was #897.423bn, whereby #720.123bn was to be generated internally and #148.699bn to be sourced through deficit financing within the state’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Meanwhile, we were not notified how the remaining #28.601bn would be realized.  

       

Gov. Ambode equally disclosed that as at November 2017, the state’s revenue performed at #448.396bn at 76% compared to the full year’s performances in 2016 of #449.609bn at 83% as well as #399.382bn at 82% for 2015. These statistics indicate that the total revenue for 2017 may not be up to 83 per cent as against that of the previous year (2016) let alone outshining the worth of the said fiscal year. This implies that there’s a foreseen drop of revenue in the state, thus 2018 might not be exceptional.

      

To acknowledge that some states in Nigeria now compete with the country in terms of budgetary is arguably a thing of worry for any concerned sane mindset. The ongoing astronomical increase of the annual budgets of most states across the federation has become a scenario that requires an unbiased analysis and review by every relevant stakeholder.

        

For states like Lagos, whose major Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is usually derived from tax, to come up with a budget proposal of #1.046tn amidst a recessionary era is really ill-advised. As weeks unfold, the rate of redundancy all over Nigeria gets to a different alarming level, signalling possible liquidation of most existing firms in the nearest future; yet, a proposed annual budget that mainly depends on tax would be estimated to cost over a trillion naira.

        

The above assertion shows that in the long run, over fifty per cent of the budget might be financed by funds sourced via borrowing. Aside borrowing owing to contingencies, the budget is already a deficit budget because the estimated total revenue is less than the total fund budgeted. Such a measure, which has inadvertently become a norm in Nigeria, does not augur well for any entity or individual involved that truly wishes to emerge financially buoyant.

      

That of Cross-River – a state that is majorly dependent on oil and gas – is as well another mind-boggling compilation. It’s not anymore news that by the day, everyone lives in scepticism as regards what the fate of the oil industry entails in the contemporary global society, thus Nigeria isn’t an exception over the lingering fear of the unknown.   

        

I would say unequivocally that some of the clauses captioned in the Prof. Ayade’s 2018 budget proposal were mere frivolities. For instance, #2bn is budgeted for school feeding programme. The question here is; is the state really in need of such approach? Rather than discuss how to better the lives of the citizenry in their entirety so that they can take care of their homes, we are discussing how to feed their wards. Teach them how to fish, and not to feed them with fish.

      

Same is applicable to the #52bn mapped out for social welfare, to cater for the aged. If the children of the targeted beneficiaries are comfortable, they don’t need to be fed by the government. Similarly, the #7bn to be expended on the state’s job centre toward training unemployed youths with ‘marketable job skills’ is needless. The government is expected to rather concentrate on how to create an enabling environment that would enable the youth to explore or commercialize their respective patents. Among all, how long can these projects be sustained?

         

It’s equally noteworthy that some of the clauses mentioned in any of the aforementioned budgets might end up implementing white elephant projects that have remained a monster in our present days’ democracy, hence one of the prime needs for the two concerned legislative chambers to holistically examine the appropriation bills critically before passing them.   

        

However, since price of goods and services remain the main determinant of the cost of servicing any budget, as prices of commodities continue to skyrocket unabated in the Nigeria’s markets on a daily basis, the total estimated funds for these budgets have the tendency of emerging far higher during the concerned fiscal year. Think about it!    

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com
Follow me: @mediambassador

 

Opinion I Xmas Commemoration: The Best Of Its Kind

XMAS COMMEMORATION: THE BEST OF ITS KIND

       

Many of us have taken to wearing visors and other similar devices to protect our eyes and visages from the possible effects of harmattan. Taking Nigeria as a case study, many would testify that the ongoing climatic phase causes virulent feelings, and may as well lead to various virulent diseases. While some would definitely testify that it is a welcome scene, therefore ought to continue for eternity. Honestly, these and more similar phenomena observe amongst mankind is not man-made but wholly natural.

         

Let’s put it this way; if brandy is good in bringing the real man or woman in you as a person at any given time. And, that fellow that appears to be intimate to you believes in the work of whisky in respect of similar purpose. Then conclusively, it signifies that you both are of different nature, or possess distinct idiosyncrasies. Thus significantly, no matter the level of intimacy in any relationship or affair, be it symbiotic or parasitic, the exact nature of the two or more parties involved can never be compromised or interchanged.

           
 

In geography, we were taught that about seventy percent (70%) of the earth crust is covered with water, while about thirty percent (30%) is covered with land. There’s a big problem or error attached to this geographic estimation coupled with approximation. The astronomers who carried out the research and rounded off with such conclusion were so myopic to understand the fact that, even the part of the earth crust covered with water is as well covered with land. It’s not a paradox. It’s a fact, and it is natural.

         

 

Of course the bedrock of any sea, ocean, river, pond, lake, et cetera, is land. In agriculture, we call it the soil. Suffice to say; every part of the earth crust is covered with the soil (land).  But this is not my optimum interest in this piece. My concern is; despite the level of intimacy between the land and the natural water, they still don’t mix together. This simply signifies that each of the compounds or substances in question is made up of a certain distinct nature. This is a fact.  

       

Each of the paragraphs above has proven to us that nature is indeed very powerful. Nature could be regarded as all the animals, plants and other things in the world that are not made by man; and all the events, features and processes that are not caused by mankind. In a nut shell, nature is anything that is not man-made.

        

In other words, it’s older than the world. Yes, nature has been in existence before the world was created. This is the reason most times anything caused by it seems to be mysterious. That is, beyond man’s imagination, creativity or creative ingenuity. Therefore, nature controls; it rules; inter alia, it finalizes.

         

Let’s I digress; this piece is solely focused on Christmas otherwise known as X-mas. We’re discussing its annual commemoration. First and foremost, what is X-mas celebration or commemoration? X-mas celebration is a religious festival or ritual being observed on every 25^th December by the Christendom to mark the birth of Christ.

        

Next question; who is Christ? Christ is one of the names of Jesus whom Christians believe to be the only begotten son of God and whose teachings are the basis of Christianity. According to the Christian writ, Christ was sent by God to sanctify the sinful world and He obliged. He came, saw, taught, healed and delivered the world. Most importantly, He died for our sins to be forgiven. Needless to assert that He eventually conquered.

        

As a devoted Christian, Catholic to be precise, I understand that Christ was not really born on the 25^th of December; but such date was selected by the ancient Christendom in order to mark the day such generous being came into the world since the actual date of His birth was not painstakingly recorded by the scribes or historians of His time. They considered it consequential for such date to be monumental or be remembered by mankind because the day in question marked the beginning of mankind’s sanctification, deliverance as well as total emancipation, which remains the most vital Christian tool in existence.

         

Truly Christ came or was born, saw and conquered. Above all, He accomplished His mission because mankind was freed from bondage by His death. After the death of Christ, He resurrected. Before His death, He resurrected many souls. And this remains the most mysterious act performed by Him. Thus, resurrection is nature. If truly we believe that such vital tool is nature, in other words, Christ is nature. He’s beyond man’s imagination. Starting from His birth down to His death, everything about Him was mysterious.

        

So, as we commemorate this season of love, let’s endeavour to recall the spiritual essence of its existence towards doing the needful as long as it lasts. Hence, I enjoin us to use the period to have a rethink in our respective endeavours with a view to making our immediate societies, and Nigeria at large, a better place for me and you.

 

It's indeed a season of love; a season of peace; a season of reconciliation; a season of sharing; a season of jubilation; a season of fellowship; a season of oneness; a season reexamination of our lives; a season for sober reflection; among all, a season of thanksgiving.

        

There is really a tremendous reason for this season. Such a moment set aside to mark the day Christ was born should not in any way be compromised because it is the birthday of our Messiah. Therefore, remains a worthwhile Christian virtue, which is arguably ‘the best of its kind’. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com
Follow me: @mediambassador

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opinion I Still On Int'l Human Solidarity Day

CLARION CALL FOR UNDILUTED UNITY AS WE MARK THE 2017 INT’L HUMAN SOLIDARITY DAY 

         

Yesterday, December 20, the world over celebrated the 2017 International Human Solidarity Day. The annual International Human Solidarity Day was established on 22^nd December 2005, by the United Nations (UN). Having acknowledged the fact that solidarity is one of the basic and universal values that ought to underlie relations between peoples in the Twenty-First Century, on the aforementioned date, the UN General Assembly decided to proclaim December 20 each year as International Human Solidarity Day.

        

Prior to the adoption of the Day by the UN, by resolution on 20^th December 2002, the General Assembly established the World Solidarity Fund which was duly set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its motive is to eradicate poverty as well as promote social and human development in developing countries, particularly amongst the poorest segments of their populations.

         

Solidarity, in a precise term, can be defined as a complete unity and support among people of a certain group. It can also be addressed as an absolute togetherness showcased by members or occupants of a given society or locality, as the case might be.

         

Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the twenty-first (21^st) century, wherein those who either suffer or benefit least deserve help or support from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, the uplift of international solidarity remains unavoidable.

       

Surely, the concept of solidarity has defined the work of the UN since the birth of the organization. The establishment of the UN drew the peoples and nations of the world together to promote peace, human rights, social and economic developments. The body was founded on a basic premise of unity and harmony among its Member States. It is indeed in the spirit of solidarity that the union relies on cooperation in resolving international plights or misunderstanding of socio-economic, cultural and/or humanitarian origin in order to maintain universal peace and security.

       

Frankly, solidarity is a very vital tool required to solve problems in our interconnected world. We can only reach our shared goals if people are able to participate in the formulation and implementation of plans, policies, programmes, or what have you, to shape our common future, since it is already noted that commitments without empowerment are merely words without meaning.

         

Having noticed that absolute unity is synonymous with solidarity, there is no need reiterating the fact that thorough brotherhood or unity can only be actualized through participation in solidarity-related activities or causes. Thus, adoption of human solidarity by any entity is no doubt a pathway towards actualizing absolute unity, which is no doubt an epitome of exemplary peace and harmony.

        

Since it is apparent that solidarity which guarantees absolute unity is as well a giant step toward alleviating the poverty level of any society, hence there is an urgent need for a right thinking citizen of any poverty-stricken nation such as Nigeria alongside other developing countries across the globe to support the ongoing human solidarity crusade as much as they can.

         

In addition, it is imperative for a country like Nigeria that is currently ravaged by insurgency and other forms of treason to do everything humanly possible to ensure that solidarity among the citizenry becomes the order of the day without much ado.

         

Nigeria can promote thorough brotherhood among her populace by closing the existing gaps including ethnicity, corruption, nepotism, favouritism, religious cum social discrimination, chauvinism, and personal aggrandizement that are invariably found on the country’s socio-political and economic platform.

        

To this end, as the present administration ably led by President Mohammadu Buhari is ostensibly willing and determined to sweep out corruption, which remains the fundamental bane to unity and societal development, we are cordially expected to rally round the administration with the spirit of solidarity rather than the reverse, with a view to making Nigeria become a country to reckon with in the nearest future.

       

We can contribute our respective quotas by regularly and relentlessly preaching unity in every field of human endeavour we find ourselves, most especially in the schools, markets, worship centres, motor parks, and our immediate communities. More so, parents and guardians ought to sensitize their wards, right from their childhood, on the fact that no one can thrive successfully if he/she chose to stand alone since it is obvious that ‘a tree can never make a forest’.   

       

So, as Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate the annual International Human Solidarity Day, I call on everyone who thinks good of the country to borrow a leaf from the country’s fallen nationalists and heroes to include Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Tafawa Belewa, just to mention but a few, who believed in the inevitable role of human solidarity in nation building. This is arguably the only way we can actualize undiluted unity among ourselves, which remains the gateway to the long awaited change. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

___________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador

      

 

 

Opinion I Aftermath Of The PDP Elective Convention

AFTERMATH OF THE PDP ELECTIVE CONVENTION

       

Years back, I was painstakingly taught by my mentor that politics – though interesting – was a game of warriors. In a bid to throw more light on the vague political theory, he said “Fred, politics is only meant for those who can compete vehemently with all their muscles just as in the case of a warfront or battlefield”. In order to round off the exegesis, he succinctly stated “above all, politics requires skills and intelligence”.

        

Since I received that out-of-class lecture, I’ve been rigorously making frantic effort to marry the aforementioned clauses. One; politics is like a warfront. Two; it requires intelligence and skills. I kept pondering over the connection between the three key factors – warriors, skills and intelligence – not until lately when I eventually fathomed the candid analysis to the fullness.

        

Lest I digress; it’s noteworthy that this critique is mainly dedicated to the Nigeria’s current main opposition platform in the country’s political terrain, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). It’s not anymore news that the party had its national elective convention on Saturday, 9^th December 2017 at Eagle Square, Abuja after its protracted impasse was judiciously settled by the Supreme Court.

        

Prior to the eventual end of the internal crisis that ravaged the party’s progress, several concerned Nigerians both home and in the Diaspora – mainly political analysts – opined that the acclaimed Africa’s largest political group was liable to go into extinction. It suffices to assert that the apex court’s judgement was not unlike a messiah.

        

Before the convention, a series of allegations cum mixed feelings was trending among the members, particularly most of the chairmanship aspirants. According to the aggrieved persons, there was an underground mechanism by some of the party stalwarts, such as Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, to impose a particular candidate – precisely Uche Secondus, the former acting National Chairman of the party – on the party delegates.

       

Barely a few hours to the election, many of the chairmanship aspirants, including Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Rashed Ladoja, Bode George and Jimi Agbaje, unceremoniously pulled out of the race, citing the alleged circulation of ‘unity list’ as their reason for the action. Hence, the contest was left with only four aspirants namely Prof. Tahoed Adedoja, Raymond Dokpesi, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and Uche Secondus.

       

After the voting by the delegates, Mr. Secondus polled 2,000 votes out of the overall 2,296 votes, to emerge the winner of the race. It’s worth noting that the controversial emergence of Mr. Secondus as the new substantive National Chairman of the PDP outrightly divided the party members, although most of the aggrieved individuals including the defeated aspirants had reportedly congratulated the said victor.

       

It’s really intriguing despite all the promises made to Nigerians by the convention’s Organizing Committee led by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as well as the Electoral Committee headed by Gabriel Suswan that the party would have a convention devoid of pranks, the election was still characterized by anomalies as was alleged by some of the members. How then do we reconcile these?

        

If suchlike allegations hold water, it implies that the assertion by the officials of the PDP about restoration of internal democracy ahead of the awaited 2019 general elections could be interpreted to be misleading. It’s indeed hard to believe that the party, having gone through those odd times, could still lapsed into its old method of forging a consensus candidate in the enthronement of its leadership. Little wonder my mentor unequivocally opined that ‘politics is a game of warriors’.

         

It’s imperative to acknowledge that I’m not here to analyze or narrate the story of how the PDP apparently disappointed the expectations of the teeming Nigerians as regards the just concluded elective convention. My concern is solely informed by the need to let the members whom are still aggrieved to comprehend that ‘two wrongs do not make a right’. So, for the sake of way forward, they must sheath their swords and concentrate on how to take the party to the next level.

        

Similarly, the victorious members need to close ranks and extend an olive branch to the ‘defeated’ ones with a view to making the party become a formidable opposition, which every sane and rational citizen of the country yearns for. Nigeria and Nigerians need a party that could serve as a reliable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); a party that can compete favourably; most importantly, a party that would place the country’s interest ahead of any other one.

       

The members must note that whatever affects the PDP does not only destabilize the party’s wellbeing but that of the country as well. Needless to assert that, an injury to any major opposition in any nation across the globe stands the chance of negatively affecting the nation’s polity in general. In view of this, the PDP must henceforth wake up as a people and reconsider how to do only the needful for the good of all.

        

The newly inaugurated National Chairman, Mr. Secondus has in his acceptance speech pledged to move the party forward, hence the need for him alongside the entire leadership of the party to endeavour to consult the cognoscenti and strategists towards making amends where need be.

       

Summarily, the new leadership must take into cognizance that the party can’t afford to be in court again. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Follow me: @mediambassador

         

ShortStory II Black Thursday

BLACK THURSDAY

       The ancient narrow pathway had become so bad that they could not find their way to their destination as the three moved in a grey Honda Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) being piloted by Dayo who was very mindful of the steering. It was on a Thursday.

       The 35-year-old Misters Dayo, Emeka and Okon were old time friends who got reunited just a few days ago at Nsukka in Enugu State having lost contacts about eight years back or thereabouts after their graduation from one of the reputable higher citadels of learning in Nigeria situated in the Eastern part of the country, precisely University of Nigeria Nsukka popularly known by its acronym ‘U.N.N’. What occasioned the long awaited reunion was the convention of their alma-mater’s alumni body themed ‘The homecoming of UNN Alumni’, which usually held once in a blue moon.

       Though they never studied in the same department, they were conspicuously best of friends during their school days that people within began to wonder if they were of the same parental background or clan of origin. In spite of the fact that they hailed from different ethnic regions, the friendship remained solid and undiluted till their graduation time, not until when they departed for their respective national assignments in various states of the federation as programmed by the Federal Government (FG) under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which was established in 1973 after the Nigerian civil war.

        Mr. Dayo who resided in the city of Enugu – the capital territory of the said state – drove to the designated venue of the epochal event in his personal car whilst the other two – Emeka and Okon – whom were resident of Uyo and Abuja, respectively, embarked on the trip via flight owing to distance. Hence, Dayo served as their executive driver throughout their 3-day stay at Nsukka.

        The three who were deeply filled with nostalgia, took time to drive around the aforementioned town and its environs during the limited period. On the third day of their stay being Thursday, which marked the last day of the convention, the three who lodged in the same hotel had agreed to visit Iche – a locality in the vicinity that harboured one small but renowned river called Ndegu – towards catching fun in the endowment in question.

        Ndegu, which was about ten kilometers away from the university, was a river they could not afford to steer clear of during their school days despite all the warnings by the university management in strong terms that students should stay away from it, obviously as a result of its infamous antecedents; records held that Ndegu kept drowning students of the institution each time they swam in it. Perhaps because none of the three – Emeka, Okon and Dayo – was a victim of circumstance, they remained in doubt of the sign of warning; to them, the university officials were just trying to deceive  them (the students), or keep them away from anything that could serve as a distraction to their academic pursuits.          This time, the narrow pathway that led to the ancient river was in dilapidated and pathetic state, to assert the least that the SUV Jeep ceased to transcend to the point beyond.

        “Let’s walk to the river.” suggested Okon whom was the only one seated at the back.

         Before this time, Dayo had already applied the brakes since it was apparent that there was no how the car could find its way to Ndegu, which was about two hundred metres (200m) apart from where they were at the moment.

        “I think you are right.” Emeka, who sat beside the driver, concurred.

       “Are you sure the car would be saved here?” Dayo thought aloud.

       “Why not?” said Okon. “After all, the road is not that lonely.” He observed.

       “I quite agree with Okon.” Emeka supplemented.

       “It’s alright,” Dayo surrendered. “If you said so.” he added, attempting to step out of the vehicle.

         Thereof, they all gladly stepped out and headed for Ndegu not unlike tourists. As they walked, passersby cum dwellers could observe that they were strangers who had come for a research work, though they couldn’t say for sure where exactly their final destination was.

        In about thirty minutes’ interval, they got to the long awaited point; it was 5:20pm prompt.

        In all ramifications, Ndegu had really changed to their delight. First, the arena was no longer bushy as it used to be during their school days. Secondly, more people now visited the place for all sorts of motives such as recreation, research, fishing, and what have you, unlike those days when you would hardly see more than five persons at a time. The only discouraging factor was that the only road leading to the arena had become virtually impassable, contrary to its previous state.

        As soon as they got there, Dayo couldn’t wait to swim, thus he dived into the river having taken off his gorgeous wears remaining only shorts. It seemed the ancient Ndegu had awaited his arrival as its colourless nature became brighter like snow the moment the dude lay on it.

        Okon and Emeka followed suit, equally in their shorts. The two smiled at each other immediately they joined the chorus, and then sighted Dayo who was already about four metres away from them.

        Although a few persons were already catching funs in the river before the three joined, the latter’s unique style of swimming got the spectators fascinated; hence, they became inadvertently attracted to them. They swam like individuals who had undergone special internship on swimming techniques.

         Some minutes on, therein, Dayo began to gasp for air as he was seen by the teeming observers struggling for survival. Could it be that he was being drowned? A crucial question deserved to be answered by all. Surprisingly, a few seconds later, the two others – Okon and Emeka – were also found in a similar mood.

         Having observed that things were not anymore at ease, a good number of divers among the spectators didn’t hesitate to dive into Ndegu toward saving the lives of the seeming strangers. Shockingly, all efforts proved abortive as the three had already taken their last breath before their bodies were held by the rescuers. This time, it was about twenty minutes to six O’clock in the evening.

         That was how Ndegu consumed the lives of the promising gentlemen unannounced. It was really a black Thursday.

       Truly, the car parked at the pathway wasn’t saved as earlier presumed by the owner, Mr. Dayo because its ownership would be now allocated to someone else.

       The rest is history, please.

 

Fred Doc Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

_________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador  

 

Opinion I Imo Legislators And Their Makosa Dance

IMO LEGISLATORS AND THEIR MAKOSA DANCE

        

The last time I checked, the members of the Imo House of Assembly were showcasing a parade I could best describe as Makosa dance. Such an intriguing action, which is ostensibly not unconnected with politics, has been trending in the public domain for some weeks now.

       

It would be recalled that the state’s Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha initially proposed to present the 2018 Appropriation bill of the state to the lawmakers on Tuesday 28^th November 2017 but the outing could not unfortunately hold as scheduled, perhaps owing to contingencies, though the said bill was eventually tendered two weeks after – precisely on Wednesday December 13, 2017.

         

We were rightly notified that why the governor couldn’t present the bill as planned was owing to the gross discrepancies noticed in the speech meant to be read by the number one citizen, although on that fateful day some lawmakers alleged that they were being owed some arrears of salaries cum sitting allowances.

       

Just two days after the failed outing being Thursday 30^th November 2017, the then Majority Leader of the House Lugard Osuji moved a motion for outright suspension of the Assembly’s Clerk, Chris Duru over alleged misconduct which was tagged ‘gross under-performance’. Therein, his motion scaled through, thus the accused official was suspended with immediate effect by the plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Ugonna Ozuruigbo via the support of other 21 out of the 27 lawmakers of the Assembly.

        

It was rumoured in some quarters that the suspension of the clerk was not unconnected with the belief of the lawmakers that the affected officer was working for the state’s governor and the Assembly’s Speaker Acho Ihim. Meanwhile, some of the lawmakers who spoke after the sitting on strict condition of anonymity opined that the suspended clerk ‘was growing wings’, hence saw himself as a more important official than the legislators.

       

The lawmakers further alleged that the suspended clerk usually opposed their directives and thought he was ‘untouchable’. One of them who described the clerk simply as a ‘liaison officer to the governor, said the embattled officer was of the view he could work against the interest of the lawmakers and get away with it.

       

Intriguingly, in the subsequent sitting of the House just a few days after the melodrama, the Speaker Acho Ihim read a memo from the state’s chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the communiqué, the member representing Owerri Mucipal, Lugard Osuji who then doubled as the Majority Leader was accused by the party of gross-misconduct, thus directed the Assembly to outrightly suspend the said lawmaker.

       

The speaker who read the August memo immediately set up an ad-hoc committee to aptly investigate the allegations leveled against the principal officer by the APC having suspended him for two legislative weeks. More fascinatingly, thereof, the embattled legislator Chief Osuji hurriedly before his colleagues announced his outright resignation as the Majority Leader of the House. As if that wasn’t enough, the resignation of two other principal officers – the Deputy Majority Leader and the Chief Whip – was also announced.

       

In order to fill the gaps created without much ado, as if it was an acted movie, three other legislators – namely Uche Oguwike of Ikeduru, Chinedu Offor of Onuimo and Arthur Egwim of Ideato North – were pronounced at the plenary as the new Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader and Chief Whip of the Assembly, respectively. After the show, some of the legislators I interacted with attributed the entire brouhahas to ‘executive interference’ in the Assembly’s activities.

       

Furthermore, away from suspension, resignation, counter-allegations, or what have you, barely a week on, the legislator representing Oguta State Constituency, Henry Ezediaro publicly threw his weight behind the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Uche Nwosu, stating the said young man was the only suitable person that could succeed Gov. Okorocha come 2019. He didn’t stop there; he equally claimed that the overall 27 lawmakers in the Imo Assembly, including himself, were all behind the chief of staff.

       

Chief Ezediaro further disclosed that the recent disagreement or uproar in the House was as a result of the legislators’ eager quest to see the governor declaring Chief Nwosu as the person he would love to hand over to at the expiration of his tenure. Please, how do we reconcile this? Going by his claim; if the lawmakers were divided, as we witnessed recently, owing to who succeeds the sitting governor, it simply signifies that they are not in support of a particular guber aspirant. Hence, it’s worth noting that the aforementioned lawmaker ended up contradicting the scenario.

       

However, consequently, the Speaker of the House, Chief Ihim debunked the claim, saying the Assembly members as a people or group had never supported any governorship faithful thus asked Imoltes to overlook such an ‘unfounded’ statement.

       

It’s even amusing that someone would publicly throw his weight behind a politician who has never told his people that he would be running for the Imo guber seat come 2019. To the best of my knowledge, Chief Nwosu had never announced to anyone, not even his ward members, that he is eyeing the governorship seat. So, I wonder why his so-called allies are raising all these dusts. Those ‘supporters’ ought to note that they are on the contrary causing problem for the gentleman.

        

Notwithstanding, it’s noteworthy that I’m not here to analyze or narrate the story of what had transpired in the House in the recent times; rather, to enjoin our revered legislators to desist from this makosa dance which is seriously over-heating the polity and not wholesome to the anticipated governance.

       

Our revered lawmakers are expected to be more concerned in passing motions and bills as well as carrying out their oversight functions diligently. And, it’s noteworthy that such obligatory duties are required to be done independently at all times no matter whose ox is gored. We must not wash our dirty lilies in the public. Let’s not overlook the needful for the sake of frivolities.

         

I’ve for the umpteenth time conscientized our politicians to always consult a strategist before taking any action, so that, their initiatives or pronouncements wouldn’t be dead on arrival. Don’t forget that your respective constituents are watching you; needless to state that you need to endeavour to consider your dignity whenever you think or act.

       

There’s time for every dance, hence the need to suspend this very one. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub - Owerri

________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador    

Opinion I When Governors Become Emperors

WHEN GOVERNORS BECOME EMPERORS

       

I had almost gone to bed on the eve of 2016 Christmas when a phone call filtered in from Germany, to engage me in an informal chat as usual. The caller, who happened to be my old-time friend, actually called to express his bitterness over what he observed on the television regarding one of the Nigeria’s governors.

       

According to the buddy, Kunle, he had on that very day watched a governor of one of the states in the Southern Nigeria commissioning a Christmas tree worth over half a billion naira whilst the leader in question was reportedly owing workers and pensioners in the state for several months. I laughed in French and therein told him that such show of shame had become common among most serving governors, hence the need for him to get use to the aberration.

        

I wish Mr. Kunle would someday meet with my dad whom I often refer to as a political philosopher. The old man – a well experienced octogenarian – one day informed me unequivocally that some states across the country were suffering from economic epilepsy, thus needed to undergo holistic lobotomy. His seeming candid view was informed by the way and manner in which some sitting governors invariably act as if they are not accountable to anyone.

        

To assert that currently some governors operate not unlike an emperor isn’t in any way an overstatement, and such weird custom is not peculiar to a particular state or region in the country. It suffices to say that virtually all the governors have, in one way or the other, been found guilty of such bilious and nonchalant lifestyle.

        

For clarity’s sake, an emperor is a man who solely rules a certain empire. An empire, on its part, could be described as a society of people that is being controlled by only one person. In summary, an emperor is a person, male individual precisely, who singlehanded controls the day-to-day activity of a particular society and stands not to be questioned by anyone whenever he errs.

      

With the above definitions, it has become clearer that truly most of our so-called leaders are presently operating like emperors in their respective jurisdictions. Take for instance, a situation where a governor would refuse to conduct the Local Government (LG) election in his state and such scenario would linger till he leaves office. In most cases, he would put up a façade in the name of an election towards the expiration of his tenure, perhaps to prove to people that LG polls were eventually conducted under his watch.

        

Why wouldn’t such governor be rated as an emperor when every other official in the affected state such as the legislators cum judicial custodians would remain a rubber stamp as the unfortunate scene prevails? Funnily enough, when a court orders the governor to without much ado conduct the long awaited LG polls, he would rather regard such legal directive as baseless.

        

On a monthly basis, the Federal Government (FG) would release funds accruable to the third tier governments via the various states. In the process, the said allocation would be hijacked by the governors and such funds would never be utilized on the projects for which they are meant. Instead, they would be channeled toward the implementation of non-feasible projects.

       

The judicial system in the states suffering from such unruly behaviour is vulnerable, to assert the least. I have often times witnessed a situation whereby an injunction is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction to stop a governor from taking a certain intended action, yet the latter would overlook the order with the notion that he alone is in charge of the state.

       

The vulnerability of the lawmakers in such states cannot be left out. Rather than act as independent elected officials, the legislators would be reduced to mere aides of the governor thus would be left with no choice than to operate as they were instructed by the latter. It’s indeed a pathetic circumstance. What is left for this set of governors is to fence their states in order to possess it as their personal asset.

       

As the uncalled ill lingers unabated, it’s noteworthy that the FG has a very vital role to play with a view to addressing it. There is a compelling need to, by law, scrap the various states’ electoral commissions. By so doing, the conduct of the LG elections would become the sole duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This signifies that it would no longer be the responsibility of the governors to determine when and how the said polls would be held in their respective states.

        

In the same vein, it’s high time the electorate woke up from slumber. They need to fully acknowledge that they possess the constitutional immunity to recall any lawmaker who is not living up to the expectations. Similarly, they needn’t be reminded that it’s equally their right to say enough is enough whenever the impunity of their governor goes to extreme point.

       

All in all, we must bear in mind at all times that he is an elected governor, not an emperor. Think about it!

 

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

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