Saturday 28 February 2015

Editorial: 2015 Election, The National Conference And The Survival of Nigeria


The 2015 Election which is by the corner  is tending to create unnecessary tension and panic such that the Director General of PDP presidential campaign council Dr. Ahmadu Ali, was quoted in the recent past as saying that if APC wins the presidential election he would leave the country.  The issue of 2015 election has caused most Nigerians  who were deemed not vocal to talk and others who have been talking to talk louder.  The situation appears as if the country has not gone through the experience of transiting power to a new administration before.

Though reasons for such behaviours may not be unconnected with the recent postponement of the February elections, other pundits have tenaciously referred to the June 12, 1993 elections which Chief Moshood K. O. Abiola was said to have won but was not declared, as the basis for their worry. However, while Prof. Attahiru Jega had told the House of Reps members two weeks ago that he could not guarantee the new election date of  March 28 and April 14, 2015, the President and Defence authorities have assured that elections would be held, in defiance to the continuous threat by the leadership of the Boko Haram Islamist sect that they would unleash 30,000 fighters to scuttle elections in the North-Eastern part of the country. The good riddance is that the Nigerian military is recently bombarding Baga, which has been recaptured by our gallant soldiers cum the Multinational forces.
The fact that the peoples of multi-ethnic backgrounds have been brought together, whether willingly or unwillingly, under a defined territory called Nigeria with a federal government makes Nigeria a nation, not short of kegs of an atomistic society, which is perpetually at war with itself.
If as a nation’s politics is believed to be the process to get authorized access to supervise and also engage in sharing of the wealth of the nation for the good of all, then how does violence, killings, disruption of campaigns of the ruling and opposition Parties, theft, hoarding and buying of Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs), alleged distribution of PVCs to some traditional rulers in the north-east by INEC Chairman, insults to the President by every Tom, Dick and Harry, be the only known and sane way of seeking to transit power in Nigeria? Why should a man who sat on the throne of Nigeria turn round, in a jiffy, to desecrate the seat and the occupant of the very seat he sat all in the name of being called the baba of modern Nigeria?
The intrigues of the 2015 elections have tended to threaten the continuity of what is called Nigeria causing even cross-carpeting in the nation’s lower chamber of the National Assembly, nay the executive arm of government.  The ruling Party seems not to have lost sight on the push by the key opposition Party to clinch on the power valve through the ballot during next election. However, while some political pundits argue in favour of change, the ruling Party and its numerous supporters acquit the ruling PDP government of having done well for the north.  The effort of the current administration in building 150 Almajiri Schools in the north, development and expansion of electricity infrastructure across the country via Integrated Power Project,  revivification and construction of new railway lines and provision of trains to ply most of the routes, federal appointments of northerners, up to the Chief Security Adviser of the President, and many more have been canvassed by the ruling Party as a tip of the iceberg of President Jonathan’s effort to keep the country going.  Though it has been alleged that the northerners are angered by how power slipped off their hands, the statement allegedly credited to the Presidential flag bearer of the key opposition Party in the country, is believed to have fuelled the Boko Haram crisis which appears to be an albatross to the smoothness of 2015 elections.

Thursday 12 February 2015

APC, UOU in Political Limbo as Andem Andem Decamps to PDP


-Says opposition in Akwa Ibom is bad market - Ita Enang is ungrateful opportunist – APC lawyer


Mr Umana Okon Umana, APC guber
candidate, Akwa Ibom State
The leadership of the All Progressive Congress APC and it Governorship candidate, Mr Umana Okon Umana suffered another major political setback in their bid to rule Akwa Ibom state last weekend during the PDP governorship rally in Etinan Local Government Area as the controversial APC lawyer, Barr Andem Andem who had been defending the party since in the days of the defunct ACN till the present APC defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

He described the opposition party APC in Akwa Ibom as bad market that cannot profit anybody, and advised that Akwa Ibom people should shun all forms of opposition in the state as such will not profit them, but should always key into the mainstream politics by supporting the ruling PDP because opposition will never win in Akwa Ibom state.

Ekperikpe Ekpo blows hot, Insists on taking Abak-five turn

 Backs Uwem Udoma for Reps

Former Federal House of Representatives member and Accord Party Senatorial candidate, Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo has explained that his encouragement to aspire for the 2015 Senate seat is due to the motivation he received from the entire people of former Abak Division known as “Abak- Five”.

Speaking in an interview recently, Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo lamented that he dropped his 2011 Senate ambition because of Governor Godswill Akpabio’s appeal for me to wait for “my turn in 2015, so that Senator Alloy Etok should go for second term under Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District”, pointing out that he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the failure to keep to promise.
Hon. Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, Senatorial candidate for
Accord Party, AKS

“I am contesting for Senate under the platform of Accord Party, a party which stands for agreement, justice and equity. With my experience as a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, I will be a ranking Senator when I go to the National Assembly this 2015. No matter how top a position you have, if you go to the National Assembly for the first time, you will be regarded as a fresher and not a ranking Senator. When you look at the credibility of the candidates listed by Accord Party, you will see the possibility of the party sweeping at the Polls in Akwa Ibom State. So I am so sure that Accord will win and shake the state. After all, we are the people that made PDP tick,”  he said.

Pioneer Chapel Passes Vote of Appreciation on NUJ Boss


As the present leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council enters into its second year in office, its Chairman, Elder Patrick Albert has continued to receive accolades and applauses by members on his sterling performances and leadership acumen.
The latest came from his Chapel, The Pioneer at its January Congress held recently in the Features Room of the Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation, Information Drive, Uyo during which stakeholders and members applauded him for performing creditably well since assumption of office on August 1, 2013.
Albert’s commendations were based on his ability to draw dividends of governance from the Akwa Ibom State government to members of the Union in the State, with The Pioneer Chapel inclusive, ranging from Toyota Hiace buses for Chapels, GOTV Decoders and Laptops for members in the 13 Chapels that make up the Union in the State as well as Forum of Past Chairmen, League of Veterans Journalists and Planet FM.
Speaking at the Congress, the former Secretary of NUJ in Akwa Ibom State Council and a stakeholder in the Chapel, Obong Ime Isuaikoh enumerated some of the achievements of Albert in the last one year and some months of his administration, and commended him for the feats.
Elder Patrick Albert, NUJ Chairman, AKS

Isuaikoh pointed out that there was need for The Pioneer Chapel which Albert belongs, to celebrate his achievements regularly as their own, as he has made the Chapel proud in offering quality leadership at the State Council.
He maintained that though Albert has done a lot for the Union and members, it behooves on him to do more for his own Chapel, The Pioneer, bearing in mind that the members are his backbone.
The former State Secretary appealed to the NUJ Chairman to pay particular attention to his Chapel and to ensure that the members are always carried along in his scheme of things in the Union at the state level.
Isuaikoh, who heads The Pioneer Newspapers’ Crime Desk, opined that the leadership of the Union should liaise with other parastatals that operate at the Information Drive, Uyo and see how they could offer remedial repairs of the road and make it better for use while waiting for the State Government. He said these acts would add credits to him as the Chairman of NUJ.

ExxonMobil’s New Media Helmsman Visits NUJ, Pledges Partnership

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council has called for mutual cooperation with Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil.
 The state chairman of NUJ, Elder Patrick Albert made the call when the new manager, Media and Communications, Lagos of the multinational firm, Mr. Ugochukwu Udeagha paid a courtesy call on him and members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of NUJ at the Press Centre, Information Drive, Off IBB Way, Uyo.
Albert said the Union wants to see a more robust partnership between the oil firm and journalists in the State in areas of training and retraining, provision of facilities and development of its International Press Centre while assuring the company of its continued cooperation and objective reportage of their activities.
According to him, journalists in the State deserve the attention of the oil firm in view of their years of exploration in the State and the cooperation journalists often extend to them in the reportage of their activities, adding that Mobil producing Nigeria Unlimited has over the years been a good corporate citizen in the State.
“If one is to make an objective assessment of the performances of Mobil producing Nigeria Unlimited in community relations and project execution, it would be seen clearly on the scale that it has performed above average in the state and beyond,” he said.
Albert recalled the gesture of MPN to NUJ in 2014 where it donated 75 pieces of laptops to members of the Union, adding that the gesture was followed by the State Government, which also gave 100 Laptops to members.
He urged him to consider additional Laptops and I-Pads to members to improve the ICT know-how of members and to aid them in their reportage.
The NUJ chairman, who expressed happiness over the visit of the new officer and his colleagues barely two weeks after his appointment, said such is a character of a true manager who seeks to survey and evaluate the strength of the formation to know areas of possible support, weakness and strength in order to be guided when he commences work.

Uyo Stands Still as Helen Esuene Officially Declares to Succeed Gov Akpabio


Commercial and economic activities as well as vehicular movements were temporarily grounded to a halt on Thursday in parts of Uyo, the State capital, when the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District, Senator Helen Esuene, visited the State Secretariat of Labour Party in Uyo, to acquaint them of her preparedness to win the 28th February governorship election.
However, at about 10 am, a mammoth crowd of Supporters had besieged Esuene’s convoy from her Campaign office along Udo Udoma Avenue in Uyo, causing traffic gridlock, following the distinguished Senator all the way to the LP State secretariat in Ekpo Obot Street, Uyo.
HE Senator Mrs Helen Esuene, Guber Candidate
Labour Party, AKS

In a well attended official declaration ceremony, Esuene who was accompanied by her running mate, Pastor David Okpon, Director-General, Esuene/Okpon Campaign Organisation, Sir Effiong Archibong, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barrister Bassey Essien, amongst other echelons, made her declaration before Labour party stakeholders and members as well as 17 candidates of the party in this month's general elections.
Addressing the people, Senator Esuene said coming to Labour Party is just not the best way but the only way available to continue the fight to free Akwa Ibom from hands of one family who has grounded the wealth of the State, stressing her readiness to take over the Hiltop Mansion post-Akpabio administration and build Akwa Ibom of our dream.