Alleged Budget Padding and Fate of Nigeria's Legislature

ALLEGED BUDGET PADDING AND FATE OF NIGERIA’S LEGISLATURE

      The last time I checked, the heat was really on in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS), unwholesome to the polity though. The ongoing melodrama isn’t unconnected to what recently transpired in the said chamber. It would be called that penultimate month, precisely on Wednesday 20^th July 2016, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation in the person of Mr. Abdulmunin Jibrin was outrightly removed by the Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara following a misunderstanding that emanated between the duo who are both members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

     The aforementioned misunderstanding that led to an altercation was occasioned by a claim made by the ousted officer, Mr. Jibrin that the Speaker – Mr. Dogara and three other principal lawmakers allocated projects worth about #40 billion in the just approved 2016 budget, to themselves, out of the #100 billion earmarked for the constituency projects of all lawmakers. It’s worth noting that soonest after his removal, on Friday 22^nd July 2016 to be precise, the other nine legislators that constitute the appropriation committee headed for the press to refute the accusation towards attesting their unalloyed support for the accused speaker.

     The rebuttal read thus, ‘…The Honourable Speaker is a decent man, a man of high intellect, integrity and character, who cannot descend to the gutter where Hon Abdulmunin Jibrin holds sway.’ The press briefing went further to state that the Speaker, Mr. Dogara didn’t need to do so considering that all the honourable members were adults who could hold their own positions and could as well defend themselves without any fear or favour.

     Reacting to the press statement, the Kano legislator Mr. Jibrin, particularly representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the NASS, said vocally that the nine lawmakers who addressed the press conference to throw their unflinching support behind the speaker in the alleged budget padding scandal were induced with about $20 thousand each. According to him, the lawmakers in question agreed to participate in such a ‘dishonourable’ press outing having ‘shamelessly’ collected the money that was allegedly distributed among them two days earlier. Similarly, on Wednesday 3^rd August 2016, Mr. Jibrin further allegedly disclosed that the embattled speaker bribed some Honourable members with $25 thousand each to sign Vote of Confidence on him.

      The Speaker of the House, Mr. Dogara had in a statement gave the purported whistle-blower a seven-day ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to him and retract all allegations made against him or face legal action. The latter, however, described the ‘legal action’ threat as ‘quite predicable’, thereby insisted that he would not and would never apologize to the speaker as demanded, stating that his allegation held waters. The unperturbed Mr. Jibrin who has called for the immediate resignation of the speaker, also disclosed that his lawyers had already approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

       In his petition against Speaker Dogara among three others including the Deputy Speaker – Mr. Yusuf Lasun, the Chief Whip – Mr. Alhassan Doguwa, and the Minority Leader – Mr. Leo Ogor coupled with the documents to backup the allegations tendered to the EFCC upon request, Mr. Jibrin who expressed readiness to help fight corruption in the NASS, called for security of the appropriation office as well as his office at the NASS where more indicting documents could be found. In view of this, the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) stormed the NASS on Saturday 30^th July 2016 to seal the secretariat of the Appropriation Committee and therein took possession of all workstations inside it. The outing equally led to the closure of Mr. Jibrin’s office.

      At the moment, any concerned Nigerian or well-meaning individual ought to be concerned about the way forward. The way forward remains ensuring that the ongoing investigation by the EFCC and other petitioned authorities is concluded as soon as possible toward enabling the agencies to head for a court of competent jurisdiction. Such manner of accusation, which involves a criminal case, cannot be possibly swept under the carpet; hence, the accused persons/officers deserve to be duly prosecuted in earnest in order to free the Nigerian polity from this uncalled state of quagmire.

      If we must tell ourselves the gospel truth, we would boldly attest to the fact that the lingering allegations cum counter-allegations accompanied by rebuttals, which have generated unwonted and bilious tantrums, aren’t in any way healthy to the Nigerian state as well as the awaited governance. The lingering uproar, which isn’t unusual to the Nigeria’s overall legislature, has made teeming Nigerians in various quarters to insinuate that the country’s legislative arm is under a spell. Of course, for quite some time now, there’s no day that comes into limelight that we wouldn’t hear of or witness a pandemonium coming from a certain state/federal legislative chamber; if it isn’t impeachment saga, it would be alleged sexual abuse or whatever.

      It’s deeply baffling and mind-boggling that barely few weeks after the leadership of the NASS’ Red Chamber was accused of forgery over the Senate Standing Rules, its counterpart in the Green Chamber refused to convince the electorate that the highly respected legislators are in the NASS to protect our national interest. This, no doubt, portrays a great danger to the intensely anticipated change. The scenario is just obviously not unlike a situation where someone who is ostensibly fighting the devil with you turns out to be the devil.

      Indeed, as it stands, nobody knows what the fate of the Nigeria’s legislature in its entirety entails. This significantly implies that, if adequate measure isn’t taken, the country’s well-being is liable to be doomed, considering that the legislature of any existing nation remains her backbone. To this end, the various relevant law enforcement agencies must act drastically with a sole view to salvaging us from this tainted omen.

      Right now, several rights groups and what have you, are calling for Mr. Speaker’s resignation. Since it’s apparent that the embattled speaker can only resign over his dead body, though he can be mandated to step down while the ongoing investigations last, there’s no gain reiterating that the judiciary is seen as the country’s messiah at this critical point. But, come to think of it; can we wholeheartedly entrust this task to the said arm, especially as we are already earnestly and desirously awaiting several verdicts, which seem not forthcoming, from its various juries? Think about it!  

 Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

 Twitter: @mediambassador            

      

          

Reducing Imo Workers' Working Days to Three

REDUCING IMO WORKERS’ WORKING DAYS TO THREE

      The last time I checked, the five existing working days of civil cum public servants in Imo State had been graciously reduced to three days, precisely from Monday to Wednesday, by the state governor Chief Rochas Okorocha. The state chief executive officer who made the disclosure two weeks ago, on Friday 29^th July 2016 to be precise, during his meeting with the delegation of Imo Royal fathers in Agriculture led by Eze Chidume Okoro, stated that the two days of grace including Thursday and Friday would be utilized strictly for farming.

     According to the governor, the declaration was informed by the urgent need to engage the teeming workers in the state’s new agricultural programme ‘Back to land for agriculture’ that was to commence on 1^st August 2016, which is expected to last for one calendar year. The governor who categorically made it clear that workers on essential duties to include those in the information, health, security, teaching and IGR drive sectors as well as political appointees are exempted from the free working days, went further to disclose that the bill for the initiative would be sent to the state’s House of Assembly for legal backing.

      It would be recalled that prior to the said declaration, the governor had during an interactive session with journalists in Owerri revealed that the state Executive Council was considering slashing the working days of Imo civil servants from the normal five days to three, to avail them the opportunity of engaging in other businesses or economic activities towards earning extra income to augment their respective salaries.

      As a constitution and rights activist, it’s pertinent to let the amiable governor comprehend fully that he had derailed by even thinking of such idea let alone making it public. Announcing suchlike policy is simply unconstitutional and lawless. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) constitutionally prescribed, at least, forty (40) hours per week to be spent by any public servant anywhere in the world; and the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended, abides by the directive. This implies that the issue of workers’ working days isn’t even an affair to be deliberated by a group of state legislators let alone an individual in a position of authority.

     Our leaders must stop playing politics with constitutional matters, especially highly sensitive ones like this. They must learn to treat the constitution as a sacred document, or see its contents as sacrosanct. Putting up suchlike controversial policy or initiative unannounced is not unlike creating room for anarchy. The basic and rudimentary role of any executive leader is to fiercely safeguard the constitution guiding the society led by him/her, and not the other way round.

      It’s more troubling and mind-boggling that the idea came up when we are deeply concerned about the ongoing indolence on the part of the public servants. I’ve always been of the view that five days a week aren’t even enough for the workers to put up effective and efficient services; now we are discussing just three days. In other words, the well celebrated governor is encouraging the workers to be marred by laxity or apathy, which doesn’t augur well for the state. Even if the prime motive of the measure is to enable the workers create other sources of income, the free hours they already enjoy every week is sufficient for such intent if truly the worker is determined to diversify his/her income source.

      Funnily enough, the leader in question never bothered to discuss the opinion with other leaders or stakeholders before announcing it. Is he leading alone? Without mincing words, one person cannot lead a society, regardless of its size, talk more of a society like Imo State. A leader ought to learn to carry others along; the opinion of his/her subjects should equally be considered as paramount whenever such critical matter is being proposed.

      Besides, who told Gov Okorocha that the best way to encourage agriculture is by reducing the workers’ working days? The moment the news got to my desk, the first thing that occurred in my mind was that the governor lacked an adviser on agriculture. Even at that, he would have adequately consulted the cognoscenti before making his idea known to the general public, particularly Imolites. He may have a laudable and genuine mission as regards agriculture to execute, but the bitter truth is that he started wrongly.

       However, His Excellency never told us how he intends to monitor the workers toward ensuring that the free days in question are judiciously utilized as expected. For crying out loud; farming practices can be encouraged in so many ways without thwarting the healthiness of the civil/public service. The workers can be encouraged to massively embark on farming without asking them to work for only three days per week, contrary to the existing five working days. Someone who goes to work by 8am and comes back by 3pm on a daily basis, and only during the weekdays, has all the time in the world to participate actively in agriculture.

      Aside the workers, there are other groups that can be encouraged to embrace farming. For instance; the pensioners, if properly mobilized, can do wonders regarding the anticipated agricultural development. What they need is just the required funds coupled with farming incentives. What about the teeming jobless youths roaming the various streets/roads of the state on an hourly basis? Can’t they be mobilized as well as equipped to go into agriculture? So many jobless Imolites are earnestly yearning for an opportunity to venture into farming, but pathetically, the longed opportunity isn’t seemingly forthcoming.

      Agriculture which has been reckoned to be a very lucrative occupation cum business has abruptly become a thing of mockery not just in Imo State but Nigeria at large. We really need to go back to the drawing board. When everything is apparently going wrongly in any field of human endeavour, the most apt thing to do is to retrace our steps back to the genesis. In view of this, I enjoin Gov Rochas Okorocha, whom I owe an explicit respect for, to please for the interest of the state in general, reverse this policy in earnest and revisit the drawing board.

      Frankly, adjusting the working timeframe of the workers to between 7am and 4pm daily, unlike the usual 8am to 3pm, cannot in any way heal the wound this newly implemented measure/policy would cause the state in the long run, thus let’s make hay while the Sun shines. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador  

  

Last Imo Rerun Polls in Review

LAST IMO RERUN POLLS IN REVIEW

     The last time I checked, the long awaited rerun polls in Imo State, which were targeted to produce respected individuals to represent Oru-East, Owerri-West and Isiala-Mbano State constituencies in the Imo House of Assembly as well as Imo-North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, successfully held on Saturday 23^rd July 2016 as scheduled by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     Though the conduct of the overall polls was free, fair and credible in spite of failure of some of the Smart Card Readers used during the exercise, likewise Oru-East State Constituency, the results for that of Imo-North Senatorial District alongside Isiala-Mbano State Constituency were declared inconclusive by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Arinze Agbogu considering that the votes cast in (15) polling units in the entire area were cancelled; and statistics show that the affected booths have a total of about thirteen thousand (13,000) registered voters to its credit.

      Aside Oru-East State Constituency, for the two major contending political parties in Imo-North Senatorial District – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the results for the said inconclusive polls as regards the six existing LGAs in the district read thus, “Okogwe: APC - 9,355, PDP – 4,343; Onimo: APC – 3,630, PDP – 3,850; Ihitte Uboma: APC – 10,171, PDP – 5,184; Obowo: APC – 13,401, PDP – 6,641; Ehime Mbano: APC – 5,795, PDP – 13,048; Isiala Mbano: APC – 6,569, PDP – 7,076; totaling: APC – 48,921, PDP – 40,142”, thereby made the APC’s candidate, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu to lead his PDP’s counterpart or his immediate rival – Chief Athan Achonu with 8,779 votes margin.

      However, it was gathered that only one electoral ward named ‘Osuachara’ in Isiala-Mbano LGA out of the total of sixty-four (64) existing wards in the senatorial district that was actually affected by the “cancellation”. Owing to this outcome, several wailers coupled with aggrieved members and supporters of the then leading party – the APC, lamented that the INEC didn’t get it right by declaring the election “inconclusive”. According to them, “just a ward” ought not to be a tangible reason for declaring an election that successfully took place in the other 63 wards in the district inconclusive.

      People really need to be properly orientated and guided on how this thing is being done constitutionally. In accordance with the Electoral Act, an election is said to be inconclusive when/if the total number of registered voters in the area where election couldn’t take place or was cancelled, as the case may be, supersedes the figure of the margin between the two leading contenders; it has nothing to do with the number of wards, booths or polling units that were affected, as being presumed. In this case, the total number of registered voters in the affected area was 13,000 whilst the figure of the margin between the two leading contenders was 8,779; this apparently signified that the said election truly deserved to be declared inconclusive since the former (13,000) is greater than the latter (8,779).

      It is done that way, because there’s tendency of the second candidate emerging victorious if the remaining or supplementary polls eventually took place as rescheduled by the electoral umpire. The arithmetic is obvious and understandable. As a result of lack of orientation or ignorance, people or the concerned electorate are usually fond of pointing accusing fingers at INEC whenever an election is declared inconclusive. In view of this assertion, there’s a compelling need for holistic awareness cum sensitization among the electorate to be organized by the INEC.

      I have no qualms as regards the reason for the inconclusiveness. My only question is: why was the voting in the polling units in question cancelled? I reliably learnt there was over-voting. If I’m to go by such information, I would ask; what resulted to the so-called over-voting? Even if there was “No voting/election” at the area, what actually prompted it? Does it imply that the security personnel posted to the area didn’t act as expected or were incapacitated? These are pertinent queries that must be attended to for posterity sake.

     To this end, the INEC ought to apply caution subsequently towards ensuring that no area or booth is sidelined while an election is occurring, not just in issues concerning Imo State but Nigeria at large. It’s no doubt disheartening that after all the time spent, the awaited election was still declared inconclusive. If such lapse had to do with logistics issue, the commission shouldn’t leave any stone unturned toward an effective and efficient preparation. In regard to security challenge, the relevant law enforcement agencies ought not to be reminded on how best to handle it.

      Another headache I had with the rerun polls was when I got informed that the INEC returning officer for the Oru-East State Constituency election reportedly claimed that he announced election results under ‘duress’. Probably some guns or weapons were pointed at him, or…? I sincerely couldn’t fathom where such ridiculous claim came from. I personally observed the election in question, and saw how successful everything went. How could an electoral official be placed under duress when there were several law enforcement agents around to protect his life or welfare? Such amusing claim was equally not unlike telling Nigerians that the security personnel posted to the area were lobbied to act otherwise contrary to their statutory functions.

      Notwithstanding, I deeply appreciate the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Nasir Ayilara for ensuring that the supplementary polls took place the following week, precisely on Thursday 28^th July 2016, without further ado. Such step was indeed commendable because the uncertain fate of the affected areas or electorate was seriously telling on them. It’s worth noting that the final total results for the two major contending political parties in the Imo-North Senatorial District – the APC and the PDP, were 56,076 and 43,815 votes respectively, thereby making Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu of the APC to merge victorious with a margin of 12,261 votes. Chief Nkenna Nzeruo of the APC equally emerged as the winner in that of the Oru-East State Constituency alongside his APC counterpart in Isiala-Mbano, Chief Collins Chiji.

      I candidly appreciate all the bodies involved that made the election a success to include the INEC, the police and other security agencies, having done the needful during the polls. I specially commend the electorate for comporting themselves as long as the elections lasted. Unlike before, no iota of violence was recorded across the state and its environs; it’s indeed a way forward and a step in the right direction. We have proven to other states that we are now wise socio-politically, and that it’s no longer business as usual. I encourage us to keep it up and endeavour to maintain the tempo or do more in subsequent times.

      Meanwhile, as much as I plead with the aggrieved parties to trade with caution toward peace sustenance, I equally appeal to the apt quarters to swear in the victors of the concluded polls without hesitation. Undoubtedly, the concerned electorate had already suffered an untold hardship so far, thus further delay might warrant an unspeakable crisis. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador