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Nigeria And World News >> Nigerian News ~ 30/01/2018

The emergence of Prince Uche Secondus as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic celebration (PDP) on Sunday at the end of the party’s national convention in Abuja is the outcome of serious political game plan, approach, intrigues and horse-trading amongst prominent and relevant party stakeholders.

From the beginning, the open field was accommodating and pretty eye-catching to all who nursed many political aspirations. Having said that, as the battle began a few weeks ago with its scheming, it became a matter of survival of not only the fittest but that of these who get the acceptance of the actual owners of the political field in the party.

The struggle to secure votes from 2,800 delegates majority of who are statutory delegates by aspirants went beyond mere campaigns and lobbying. Those who really personal the delegates ought to also be reached.

So, the scramble for the position of national chairman became the most appealing and most keenly contested, a scenario, which produced these involved in the contest to deploy and apply unique techniques.

Very first, the situation of zoning and micro zoning took center stage as most aspirants especially from the South West consistently asked that the zone be provided the chance to create the national chairman. They had been strongly supported by some northern crucial stakeholders as well.

Having said that, critics of the clamour to reserve the chairmanship seat for the South West drew attention to the selection of the August 12, 2017 national convention, which reserved the seat for all three zones in the South.

The Makarfi-led caretaker committee had normally pointed out that only a consensus by all PDP stakeholders in the Southern aspect of the country could choose on which unique zone the seat should really go to. He mentioned the celebration having currently taken its choice at the August 12 convention could not reverse itself.

That was how the zones and aspirants have been left with no decision but to settle their political variations at the convention.

Having said that, on the eve of the convention, one of chairmanship aspirants, Olabode George, addressed the media announcing his withdrawal from the race.

George, a former deputy national chairman of the celebration, expressed displeasure over what he described as failure of the celebration and its leaders to uphold the arrangement, which micro zoned the chairmanship to the Southwest. He also accused Governor Wike of insulting the South West by saying the zone had not contributed substantially to the PDP to warrant their insistence on occupying the national chairmanship position.

Following the withdrawal of George from the race, other 5 aspirants from the zone followed suit by pulling out of the race as effectively. While not stated, lots of believed that these aspirants might have been aggrieved by what they perceived as unfair remedy of the zone and decided to pull out and also to boost the probabilities of former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran who is also from the zone.

A total of nine persons engaged one an additional in battle. Most of them went round the country begging for votes. The election was a particular one and so also were campaign procedures adopted.

Despite the fact that delegates are spread about the country, they are not evenly distributed among states. These who obtain acceptance by delegates in PDP controlled states stood much better chances due to the fact these states have greater quantity of delegates.

Particulars of the delegates’ distribution in all the states show that Abia has 90 Adamawa 56 Akwa Ibom 140 Anambra 20 Bauchi 53 Benue 69 Borno 63 Cross River 86 Delta 105 and Ebonyi 80.

Other individuals are Edo 61 Ekiti 92 Enugu 101 Gombe 64 Imo 79 Jigawa 65 Kaduna 70 Kano 100 Katsina 76 Kebbi 48 Kogi 63 Kwara 22 Lagos 55 Nasarawa 42 Niger 63 Ogun 61 and Ondo 56.

The rest are Osun 11 Oyo 71 Plateau 56 Rivers 93 Sokoto 51 Taraba 77 Yobe 44 Zamfara 34 and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja 24.

The battle, which later became a straight fight involving Secondus and Professor Tunde Adeniran showed that though Adeniran relied on delegates from the North, Secondus had the complete of the South and was able to snatch a larger number of northern delegates from Adeniran. How did this occur?

Secondus received strong backing of the 11 governors elected on the platform of the celebration, as they stood in solidarity with him throughout the exercise.

Governors of Rivers and Ekiti states, Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose, actively mobilised support openly for the new party chair.

The unflinching assistance by the governors was stated to have boosted Secondus’ chance in the North exactly where Adeniran had initial assistance.

A member of the celebration from the North stated that: "the northern caucus apart from Prof. Jerry Gana and Senator Ibrahim Mantu, decided to help Secondus since he was the toast of the governors and the majority members of the party."

These who contested against him but lost were Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Prof. Adeniran and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

Other contestants, apart from Chief George, announced their withdrawal from the race shortly prior to the commencement of the exercise.

George mentioned on Friday at a press briefing that he was withdrawing due to the refusal of the party to micro-zone the office of the national chairman to the Southwest.

The party had zoned the workplace to the entire South, although it also ceded the presidential ticket to the northern area.

Having said that, when there were seven aspirants from the South-West Zone, only two showed interest from the South-South.

Other individuals from the Southwest included Senator Rashidi Ladoja, former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and Mr. Aderemi Olusegun.

The result as announced at the end of the convention at about four am on Sunday showed that Secondus, who acted as National Chairman of the party shortly just after PDP was ousted from power in 2015, polled 2000 votes to beat his closest rival former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, who got 230 votes.

Chief Dokpesi scored 66 votes even though Prof. Adedoja got no vote.

Also Senator Umar Tsauri was elected the National Secretary of the celebration with 1,549 votes. He defeated Abubakar Mustapha who got 371 votes. Former Minister of State for Finance, Nanadi Usman, came third with 287 votes.

In other results, Senator Garba scored 1,316 to emerge the Deputy National Chairman (North). He defeated the wife of former Minister of Finance, Inna Ciroma who got 350 votes. The second runner up was Abdulmalik Mahmood who scored 325 votes whilst Senator Umar Kumo came a distant fourth with 89 votes.

David Mark’s former Specific Adviser on Media, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, emerged the National Publicity Secretary of the party.

The convention was the party’s first elective convention considering the fact that PDP suffered a devastating defeat in the 2015 common election and it had hoped to use the exercising to reposition itself ahead of the 2019 basic election.

Dokpesi’s drama Dokpesi, who remained in the race till the end was involved in a mild drama just when the game was up. When rumour was rife that he was set to step down from the race, he called a press conference in his Asokoro residence in Abuja insisting that he was nevertheless quite a great deal in. That occurred about 8 pm on Friday.

He followed it up with a further press briefing around 9am proper at the convention ground on Saturday with the same message that his chairmanship ambition was still alive. That second press conference left reporters wondering why he had to be repeating himself that considerably.

But Dokpesi was not carried out however when voting was in progress later in the evening of Saturday, the Daar Communication chairman abandoned his Edo State stand and walked to Rivers State stand to sit with Secondus, as the outcomes of the election have been being awaited.

PDP Electoral Committee Chairman, Gabriel Suswan

Shortly following that, he left Secondus and known as yet another press conference to protest against what he named the imposition of ‘Unity List’ on delegates at the convention.

He also faulted the elections, describing it as a charade that may possibly destroy the celebration.

He told newsmen at the convention ground that the procedure of voting has been rigged, following the distribution of what he called a ‘Unity list’ containing names of candidates, which delegates were to vote for.

He explained that the 21 names of candidates contained in the list appeared on the ballot papers as quantity one particular and in the voting boots as quantity 1.

And shockingly, Dokpesi became the 1st to congratulate Secondus when the outcomes had been finally announced on Sunday.

Dokpesi’s letter, which was addressed to all delegates and party stakeholders read: "I create to thank you most wholeheartedly for voting at the just concluded Elective National Convention in Abuja. The delegates have spoken. I congratulate the newly elected Prince Uche Secondus-led National Functioning Committee (NWC). You will recall that I said that the PDP must be the ultimate winner at the finish of the contest. God bless the Peoples Democratic Celebration. Congratulations PDP as I want all our members the most effective of luck."

Aggrieved Adeniran’s protest Meanwhile, Adeniran, who walked out of the venue of the convention in anger along with his supporters to protest the outcome of the convention, referred to as on the national leadership to hand more than the PDP affairs to the Board of Trustees (BoT).

The Director of Media and Publicity of the Adeniran Campaign Organisation, Taiwo Akeju, who spoke on behalf of the former minister, rejected the complete electoral course of action.

He urged the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) to hand more than the celebration to the BoT for a fresh and credible election.

Akeju mentioned, "We reject the entire electoral course of action of December 9, 2017. The election was grossly compromised to attain a predetermined end in line with the illegal ‘Unity List’ prepared by Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose and foisted on the entire delegates.

"Consequently, we submit that this election is a sham and its result is unacceptable. We reject it in its entirety.

"We take into consideration this so-named election as a travesty of democracy and due process, which additional entrenches the culture of impunity that has accomplished a excellent damage to the celebration in the previous."

Fayose’s preaches peace But Fayose, has asked those who contested the election but lost to Secondus, to accept defeat in very good faith. The Ekiti State governor also mentioned he did not regret, canvassing help for aspirants on the list.

He insisted that some individuals kicked against the list since they did not win the election.

He warned that any individual who will contest the result of the election at the court of law is an enemy of the celebration "It is not superior to be a undesirable loser. If you did not win, just take it in superior faith and help the winner."

How Kashamu, Adeyanju became victims of the battle The intrigues that trailed the PDP convention left a sour taste in the mouth of Senator Buruji Kashamu, who represents Ogun East Senatorial district on the platform of the party. The Ogun federal lawmaker, who has been in severe political warfare with the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, was suspended 24 hours to the convention.

The suspension on Friday put him in precarious condition due to the fact apart from the fact that he could no longer vote, entering the venue of the convention to lobby for his preferred candidate, Adeniran, became uphill activity

Having said that, just to the surprise of many, he showed up in the afternoon of Saturday when the convention had gathered momentum.

But the Ogun lawmaker did not get a handshake from the Ogun pavilion, where he had gone to safe seat. He was rather booed "go away." To respect himself, he left with his supporters.

He went to the next stand, which was Ondo, but the delegates there also drove him away. He ultimately got accommodated by the Osun State delegates, exactly where he sat in involving the former National Secretary of PDP, Professor Wale Oladipo and Senator Felix Ogunwale.

Earlier in the day, there was a similar situation at the Ekiti Stand, when delegates shouted at another delegate who was currently seated to stand up and leave the stand.

The Ekiti delegates, who are apparently loyal to Fayose went to a serving member, Ekiti State Home of Assembly, Oni Olamide, Ijero/ Ekin / Efon Constituency who was currently seated, attempted to drag him out, but he resisted.

Similarly, a former National Auditor of the celebration, Fatai Adeyanju was disqualified from running for the workplace of the national treasurer.

Adeyanju was also prevented from accessing the venue of the convention. He was disqualified from the race simply because of his alleged inability to present his tax clearance.

Adeyanju, who was a close ally of a former factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, remained outside the venue, hours into the exercise.

He later told journalists that the committee set up by the celebration for the convention deliberately screened him out.

He alleged that Fayose was accountable for the remedy meted out to him.

He stated, "The party’s screening committee rejected my tax clearance certificate even though the document remained valid till December 2017.

"The celebration also mentioned that I didn’t have a voter card, but I tendered my valid voter card prior to the committee.

"You can see the original copy of my valid tax certificate and my voter card. All efforts to make the screening committee see cause proved abortive."

Apart from becoming close to Sheriff, former National Auditor and Oladipo, had been also alleged to be allies of Senator Kashamu.

Each Sheriff and Kashamu are viewed as as enemies of the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.

"When there are divisions in the leadership, individuals comply with diverse groups or individuals. But when the crisis gets resolved, we really should all be permitted to join the winning group without having victimisation," Adeyanju said.

Apart from the election, the party also effected significant amendments to its constitution at the convention.

Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Sireka Dickson, moved the motion for the amendments, which was seconded by Senator Mohammed Hassan from Yobe State.

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Policing Warri With CCTV Cameras * Latest Naija News : 30/01/2018

Inside the Warri ‘B’ Division of the Nigeria Police, officers and males, working in concert with the civil populace under the jurisdiction, are redefining policing. At a point police subventions do not boost the piteous perform situations of officers and guys, specifically in the location of infrastructure stakeholders are amazed that the Warri ‘B’ Division, possibly the youngest in Warri metropolis, has been turned into a construction site given that the coming of CSP Aniete Eyo as Divisional Police Officer, DPO.

The Warri ‘B’ Division was developed in November 2005 from the exigency of arresting elevated ethnic violence in the volatile oil city.

Involving 2005 and May well 2015, over nine DPOs passed via the Warri Division operating in the bungalow donated by the host Okere Urhobo as office for the guys and officers alongside a modest palliative provided by the Police Neighborhood Relations Committee, PCRC, substantially later. Christopher Otumu, Chairman, Warri ‘B’ Division PCRC, recalled, "It was terrible in those previous years.

Officers and males were cramped in the handful of workplace rooms, sharing the limited space with cell inmates. Much more pathetically for newly posted rank and file, the morale to discharge their policing duty was just not there as most of them slept in the open, bitten by mosquitoes for weeks before they were able to secure private accommodation".

When Sunday Vanguard visited the Division, recently, having said that, the take-off constructing and every single ramshackle attachment had been demolished. A wall now separates the when open police station from its quick civil populace.

A storey quarter-guard (sentry-box) adorns the gates.

Two huge structures, an Officers Mess and an expansive staff office, nearing completion and already partly in use, have sprouted firmly from the ruins of the demolished old structures. Inside the new ‘B’ Division cell, currently housing inmates in the yet to be completed workplace building, inmates have the pleasure of own toilet and shower, a comfort missing in most Nigerian prisons exactly where inmates answer the contact of nature in a bowl with the threat of contracting illnesses. Funding for the infrastructures under DPO Eyo, who assumed workplace in May 2015, is coming from donations from the civil populace in the jurisdiction.

Otumu added, "The magic wand really has been Eyo’s selfless service. He tells prospective donors, ‘we don’t need money give us cement, sand, fitting or any other essentials we require to have a befitting office’. This selfless disposition has eased the PCRC operate in assisting the drive for material help in developing therefore far. The outcome has been a uncommon show of support from corporate bodies and individuals."

Only final week, Lee Engineering, a crucial oil and gas player, although presenting a 30KVA energy generator to the ultra-contemporary Warri ‘B’ Division Station, noted that the organization normally felt moved to help the divisional office mainly because of the uncommon qualities of the DPO. Olusina David, Group Human Sources Manager of the firm, said, "We have selected the ‘B’ Division, initial and foremost, since of CSP Eyo. Our very first point of interaction with him showed he pretty substantially deserved to be supported. He embraces virtues that Lee Engineering identifies with integrity, capability to make the distinction for good adjust in the environment.

"Our Executive Chairman, Dr Leemon Ikpea, personally made donations to the Officers’ Mess you see there. When we came here less than two years ago, all the things we saw right here were really derelict buildings, all the things in tatters.

"The first bold step we saw the DPO take then, really uncommon in the Niger Delta, was to set up CCTV cameras for neighborhood policing. That caught our consideration that he was ready to embrace technology and do the unusual positively. Our CEO responsively supported him and he’s delivered. For the protagonist of the infrastructures revolution in hitherto decrepit Warri ‘B’ Divisional Police Office, the true credit goes to the individuals and his bosses. The true credit goes to the Commissioner of Police to whom I will constantly convey the donations and help and inform him accordingly".

DPO Eyo, responding, said, "I plead with the individuals to sustain the support. The promise I can give is that we have the zeal, determination, focus and will to reciprocate the gesture by placing in our finest to chase criminals away from the ‘B Division’ to give reasonable sense of security to the people".