Dr. Olowo Onaolapo, Lagos Fin. Commissioner @35; Deploying Private Sector Driven Template To The Developement Of Lagos, By Abubakar Yusuf- Momony

By Abubakar Yusuf- Momony

In pace setting towards both public and private initiatives,Lagos State is rated to be at the forefront of all activities,this was in line with the appointement of a meticulous,articulate,reserved,hard working and intelligent private driven personalty, Dr RABIU ONAOLAPO  OLOWO's achievements to the economic development of Nigeria, in the last one decade and across the globe, trascends mere rhetorics,but on ground for public benefits.

Soon after the swearing in of the new administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos State by May 29 2019,the desire to engage people with high level acue, to assist in driving the socio-economic development of the new Lagos State,became germane,hence the assemblage of a well groomed professionals in various fields ,saw the new Finance Commissioner for lagos state,as one of the best hands purely selected on merit,devoid of political undertone,but based on perfomance indices from the private sector, to assist in redirection of the cosmopolitan Lagos economy, likened to a mini Nigeria in the next four years.

DR RABIU ONAOLAPO OLOWO who is 35 years, emerged as the youngest commissioners among other members of the state executive council, along with an intimidating resume exceptionally distinct from the previous order, that got the blessings of the political leaders of Lagos State and by extension Nigeria .

Dr RABIU at his youthful age, had already garnered a robust working experience at the top echelon of Banks, productuon,pharmaceuticals,and other financial institutions at the top level, that led to his establishment of a wholly private training school, Rablo Woods CFLC, sole ACF trainer in Nigeria and Ghana, likened to Lagos Business School,whose scope had gone beyond the areas of human capital developement, trainings and re-trainings of top,middle and high level private and public establishments, geared towards improving their productivity and professional stead in crime and fraud management, both in public and private private sectors, with a potential qualification and proficiency certificate as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), on graduation.

Dr OLOWO's strides in this area saw him as a Finance strategy leader, certified fraud examiner, conference speaker, and venture capitalist whose in-depth training is being deployed to manage a robust Nigeria economies in Finance Management, payments and assist the anti graft agencies, to reduce fraud, control a seamless and transparent accounting system in Nigeria.

A graduate of first class in  Accounting from Kogi state University KSU ,Anyigba, chattered accountant with ICAN in his early days of graduation in 2007, post graduate program(MSC), at the University of Lagos,and bagged his PhD in his early 30's from the same institution.

A public speaker both within and outside the shores of Nigeria which included Ghana,Johannesburg in South Africa and other foreign countries.

His involvement in the current administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has taken the state to another level of developement in Agriculture, Education,Health, Infrastructural developement and Social services,as the state government response to emergencies is unprecedented in the current dispensation.

As Finance Commissioner,Dr Olowo has engaged both private and public sector as well as mobilise  chunk of funds from the stock market, through bond arrangement, to trigger more developement in all facets of Lagos State and it's environs,payable at ease for years,with less pressure on governance and stress free.

At the build up to the current global emergency of COVID-19,the commissioner did not hesitate in mobilising funds on daily basis,to meet the ever growing expectations of the people on the unforseen circumstances, that occassioned the unprovisioned situation on the state budget.

In line with the state Governor's directives,he was deeply involved in both provision of Finance and logistics, to address the novel pandemic that reduced to the barest minimum,the effects of the scourge.

The Finance Commissioner in conjunction with his colleagues were deeply engaged in the day to day media briefing,and also provided for emergency situation,that reduced drastically,the spread of the disease.

As Dr Olowo Rabiu Onaolapo mark an additional year,it is my believe that his decision to pitch tent with the public sector,will be an opportunity to develop another strides towards fiscal and economic discipline, to the cosmopolitan state of Lagos in the next few years,and by extension Nigeria at large.

Accept my Congratulations,and Happy Birthday,wishing you many more years on the surface of the earth,and in the services to your father Land.   

Abubakar Yusuf- Momony Is A Media Consultant,Writes From Abuja.

Tinubu and 21yrs of unbroken democracy in Nigeria, By Tunde Rahman

By Tunde Rahman

Twenty years in the life of a nation may be a short period of time. But when such a span of time embodies something meaningful and impactful, it is extremely noteworthy. And so Nigeria at present is celebrating two decades of uninterrupted democracy since the democratic restoration of 1999. Considering where the country is coming from- a long period of coups and counter coups, 30 months civil war, three previous short-lived attempts at democratic rule, military dictatorship of the worst form occasioning all kinds of experiments and fraudulent political engineering including an annulment of a free and fair election and then a brutal dictatorship during which many were either killed or maimed- having another democratic resurgence lasting 21 years, and still counting, is indeed significant.

Operating a democracy, the best form of government mankind has evolved, has never been easy anywhere, talk less in Nigeria. For our democracy to have endured all of 20 years means Nigerians have invested heavily in its success. We all deserve special congratulations for working to entrench democracy in the land. These investments have come at great costs, which, however, have not been borne in equal measure. Some Nigerians sacrificed so much for it, including paying the supreme price like business mogul Bashorun MKO Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12 election, his wife, Kudirat and journalist, Bagauda Kalto, among others. Many were incarcerated. Thousands who suffered immense pain in diverse manners remain nameless and faceless. Some were forced on exile for a long period.

One of those who had to flee into exile to escape the death squads of the Abacha military junta over the agitation for the de-annulment of the June 12 election from where he played a leading role in continuing the struggle is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress National Leader. In exile, Asiwaju became a critical rallying point for the opposition, making things uncomfortable for the Abacha junta back home until that regime collapsed. Following the promise of the succeeding General Abdulsalam Abubakar regime to hand over power, Asiwaju Tinubu returned to the country from exile in 1998. In no time at all, he became one of the leading lights who formed the Alliance for Democracy, one of the three main political parties of the time. Persuaded by his close associates and friends, Asiwaju threw his hat into the ring for the governorship of Lagos. Against the remonstrations of those who wanted to impose a candidate on the AD, he and his associates insisted on open primaries buoyed by support from some temperate leaders of that party. With open primaries, he emerged the governorship candidate of the party, contested for the 1999 governorship election and was elected.

If his contributions to the return of democratic rule again in 1999 after almost 16 years of military rule was remarkable, his role in nurturing and deepening democracy in the land from that period onward is even more worthy of chronicling. Saying Asiwaju is a major pillar of the nation’s democracy that seized every opportunity to deepen the practice of transparent, responsive and accountable governance, federalism and the rule of law in Nigeria both in words and deeds is stating the obvious.

As governor, he put together a team of tested technocrats and experienced managers, unrivalled in Nigeria’s history, to help him actualize his vision for the state. It is not surprising that many of them are still holding top leadership positions at different levels in the country today. Tinubu and his team laid the foundation for a modern Lagos, fashioned out a master plan and engineered most of the innovations that spurred the unprecedented ongoing development and prosperity witnessed in Lagos today. As he brought radical changes to both the economic and political landscapes of Lagos, enhancing the state’s fortunes in the process, he also made significant contributions to fiscal federalism and constitutionalism.

Under his watch, Lagos challenged the Federal Government on many constitutional issues. His government filed as many as 14 cases at the Supreme Court and won all. One of such landmark cases was the one in respect of creation of additional local councils in the state, with the Supreme Court upholding the validity of the new councils but stating that they remained inchoate until the National Assembly had done its part by listing those councils in the constitution. Nevertheless, the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) are alive and well today. They constitute the basis for accelerated rural development in Lagos State thanks to Tinubu’s vision and courage.

At the inception of this democratic dispensation in 1999, for instance, the Federal Government routinely deducted funds as a first line charge from the Federation Account for what it called “Special Funds”. These included funding of the Joint Venture Contracts and NNPC priority projects, servicing of Federal Government’s external debt, funding of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and funding of the judiciary and other federal responsibilities. It was after the deduction of these monies that whatever was remaining was shared among the states and Local Government Councils. The robust legal challenge by Lagos State at the Supreme Court put a stop to this practice to the advantage of the states and local governments.

Again, it was the crusading legal action by Lagos State under Tinubu’s leadership that led the Supreme Court to declare that planning within the territorial jurisdiction of any state was a residual matter over which the states and not the Federal Government could exercise control. In the words of Tinubu’s Attorney General at the time, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), “The Supreme Court by a majority of four out of seven justices in a full constitutional court held that urban and regional planning as well as physical development were residual matters within the exclusive legislative and executive competence of states and that grant of approvals, permits and licences for building and physical development in Lagos State including under bridges, loops and highways set-back are the residual responsibility of the state government”.

When former President Obasanjo withheld revenue allocations to Lagos on account of the creation of those additional councils, Asiwaju was forced to look inward, devising ingenious means of funding the new councils and running the state. Such resourcefulness birthed the innovations that moved the state IGR from about N600 million monthly in 1999 to around N25billion and over N30billion monthly today. So significant was what Asiwaju and his team did in eight years that many continue to acknowledge his ingenuity.

In a tribute to the APC leader during his 67th birthday in March this year, President Muhammadu Buhari described Tinubu as one of the strong pillars of Nigeria’s democracy while also praising him for his selflessness in serving the country and contributing his quota towards making life better for our teeming people. “Asiwaju’s uncompromising posture in the face of injustice and refusal to follow the path of least resistance for personal gains stand him out today as a rare breed and one of the cornerstones of Nigeria’s democracy, especially with his track record of persistence, consistency and effective leadership,” the President said. “As the father of modern Lagos State,” Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina quoted the President as commending “the visionary and inclusive leadership style that the Asiwaju provided for the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria for eight years, laying the foundation for a modern and technologically-driven city, and ensuring that every successive leader in the state sticks with the master plan of a greater Lagos.”

From the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Asiwaju and his associates moved to form first, the Action Congress (AC) and then the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) when the AD became polarised in the aftermath of the choice of that party’s presidential candidate for the 1999 poll among other contentious issues. In the 2003 election, Asiwaju became the only AD governor who survived the virulent onslaught of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which contrived to win the election at all cost in the South-west and credit Obasanjo with home-base support. It was to Asiwaju’s credit that he led the struggle in winning back, one by one, those South-west states illegally captured by the PDP through the courts, which upheld the cause of justice.

With the ACN now in firm control of the South-west, Asiwaju’s ACN began alliance talks towards the 2011 election with the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) led by then General Muhammadu Buhari, but that alliance fell through. It is instructive that that merger of the South-west and North-West progressives and other like minds, once predicted by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and which fell through in 2011, was eventually successfully and consummated in the build-up to the 2015 election, thus giving birth to the APC. For the first time in Nigeria’s political history, that rainbow coalition that is APC, unseated an incumbent president and formed government at the centre.

Since then, in a bid to get the party to wax stronger, Asiwaju and his cohorts have had to battle some undemocratic forces within the party and their underhand tactics. For instance, after the initial bright successes of the APC during which elective convention was the order of the day, some members wanted to foist dictatorship and automatic extension of tenure on the party. Asiwaju and other democrats successfully wrestled this move to the ground. Tinubu spearheaded the struggle for the adoption by APC of direct primaries as a method of picking the party’s candidates for elections, involving the generality of the party members as opposed to some small coterie of delegates. That agitation culminated in the election last year of a consummate labour activist and former governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as APC chairman. Oshiomhole has been changing the narrative in APC to the admiration of many and discomfiture of others.

Asiwaju did much more. Which of those other onerous contributions should one highlight? Is it the crucial role he played in persuading the Federal Government to give June 12 the honour it deserved, thus bringing the matter of the annulled election to a proper close or the leadership he provided, as Co-chair of the APC presidential campaigns, in galvanising the party’s rank and file to work assiduously for the president’s re-election in March this year, knowing full well that President Buhari is a honest and patriotic leader who, in his first term, had taken concrete steps towards laying a firm foundation for a greater Nigeria?

Tinubu’s role as a leading advocate of the legitimation of June 12 has borne ample fruit with President Buhari conferring on the hero of June 12, late MKO Abiola, a post-humous Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) award while MKO’s  running mate, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, received the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger award. The icing on the cake was the pronouncing of June 12 as Democracy Day by President Buhari. Now, the National Assembly has passed the bill making June 12 a public holiday and Nigeria’s Democracy Day. In the 2019 election, President Buhari posted a resounding victory, roundly defeating the PDP, and its candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to win a second term which he began a few days ago.  

In their book-“Statesmanship and Political Leadership: Analyses of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic-A Festschrift in Honour of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, the authors of the book, edited by Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN) and Adewale Aderemi, Ph D, who interrogated Asiwaju’s role in Nigeria’s democracy, said of the APC leader: “At critical junctures since his emergence as a public figure in the early 1990s, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been a pivotal figure in the equation, by a dint of political doggedness as the last line of resistance to the ruling party, which historically never ruled the South-west, not only weathered incredible political turmoil but also nurtured the dominant political platform of the region from the brink of disintegration to becoming the nucleus of the new ruling party, ousting the sixteen-year incumbency of the PDP in the process.”

Any need to add more. All that Asiwaju has accomplished hasn’t come easy. As common in the trajectories of great men like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe and many other leaders, Asiwaju has had his own fair share of treachery, deceit and campaigns of calumny, even by some of those he trusted. He has, however, weathered the storms. He is carrying on and waxing stronger. One of the tasks he has taken upon himself at present is safeguarding and strengthening party supremacy within the governing party and ensuring adherence to the party’s position in respect of emergence of the National Assembly’s presiding officers. Asiwaju has a lot more to offer. Surely, in the fullness of time and with the gift of life and continued good health, the fullness of his robust intellect, competence, and capability will be released in the service of our country.

Rahman, former Editor Thisday on Saturday and Sunday Newspapers, is Media Adviser to Asiwaju have Tinubu.

Kuye sets new precedence with sterling stewardship in just one year as fed. legislator

By Dansu Peter 

When the 9th Assembly was inaugurated on June 11, 2019, a drastic overhaul was expected. Nigerians anticipated a paradigm shift from the status quo, where lawmakers abandoned their constituencies, instead opting for the exquisite lifestyle in the Federal Capital Territory without any tangible proof of representation. 

In Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, for instance, there was little or no dividends of federal presence. Hence, the coming of Hon. Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye was beseeched to change the ills. Kuye, though, embodied the new dimension of representation; where all residents would be carried along with happenings at the green chambers. 

And quite astutely, Hon. Kuye has lived up to the billing one year into his term at the National Assembly. The soft-spoken yet charismatic legislator has infact performed way beyond expectations, shocking the naysayers.

There was a bizarre notion that first-term lawmakers are usually redundant for four years. They are believed to be idle while learning the ropes bereft of the nitty-gritty of astute legislation. Hon. Kuye, however, has already changed the narrative by hitting the ground running. 

Dogged, resilient and highly vast, Hon. Kuye, within few weeks after resumption, was able to present bills and various motions at House of Representatives. Analysts are of the view that he has made more impact than the so-called veterans.

Prior to his resumption, Hon. Kuye paid a courtesy visit to the National Orthopaedic Hospital to examine the staff's welfare and how he could use his esteemed office to bring progress to the hospital. This led to the drafting of a motion for the Federal Government to as a matter urgency, attend to the various needs of the hospital, ranging from infrastructural development, provision of medical tools, gadgets etc. 

Due to his stunning contributions and willingness to wholeheartedly serve the nation, he was immediately appointed the Deputy Chairman of Rules and Business Committee. It was a first of its kind but that wasn’t all. He was subsequently named a a member of Committees on Air Force, Police Affairs, Justice, Climate Change, Basic Education, Aids, Loans & Debt Management, Financial Crimes, Petroleum Downstream, Public Accounts and FCT. 

Buzzing with confidence, Hon. Kuye made his first official speech on the floor of the House of Reps on July 11, 2019, contributing a bill presented by a colleague to establish a Commission. He attracted massive adulation. This marked the beginning of almost a daily timeline of events. 

On July 23, during a visit by Mr. Sunday Dare, then a Ministerial Nominee, the lawmaker, instead of the usual politicking tendered the challenges of his people. Barely 24 hours later, he presented his first motion on the ‘Need to Re-equip our National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos’. 

Hon. Kuye then rose to amend a motion on the floor seeking the inclusion of Somolu Printing Industry in the installation of Industrial Power project by the FG on July 24. This was another pointer that he wasn’t carried away, already thinking about his people. 

July 25 marked his appointment as the Deputy Chairman, Rules and Business Committee. After a long recess, on October 10, Hon. Kuye presented a Bill for an act to reform certain provisions of the 2014 Pension Reform Act, which would among others grant quick access to more money from the retirement savings account after retirement. 

"We are ready to provide succor to Nigerians in general and our retirees in particular with effective legislation and this bill will ensure that pension administration in the country improves,” he said in a statement.

Due to his willingness to serve his people and his proactive nature, he emerged the Secretary General of the formidable Lagos Caucus of members of House of Representatives on October 11. At the same meeting, Hon. Dolapo Badru, became the Caucus leader.

On October 30, Hon. Kuye and other members of the Air Force Committee paid a condolence visit to Sokoto State Government regarding the unfortunate incidence that occurred between Air Force personnel and some civilian where lives were lost.

The next month, he presented a motion to amend the Pension Reform Act 2004, criminalizing diversion of pension fund by state governments and prescribes a jail term of 15 years for officials found culpable. 

Still in November 6, Hon. Kuye presented a ground breaking and lives touching motion on the need to stop Higher Institutions from organising and charging students/parents for Post JAMB/UTME exams. This caught the attention of many Nigerians as virtually every family would be financially relieved if successful.

He then represented President, Muhammadu Buhari to decorate Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai at the adornment of newly promoted Naval Officers of the Nigerian Navy at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja towards the end of November. Before the yuletide,  Hon. Kuye presented a motion on the need to immediately investigate the incessant non-combat crashes of the Nigerian Air Force planes.

The new year came with even more focus for the Somolu lawmaker. On February 22, he was named Chairman Sub-Committee on Police Reform to reposition the Nigerian Police for an enhanced service delivery. Almost one month later, Hon. Kuye presented a bill calling for the compulsory registration of birth and death by amending Section 17 of the Principal Act placing responsibility of the mandatory registration in the hands of local government or area councils.

He said compulsory registration will “lead to accurate statistics for planning, making informed economic decisions, provision of required facilities and empowerment where necessary.

“Mandatory registration of birth will ensure that government monitors every child birth from the cradle through school and employment to the grave.”

According to him, if the amendment being sought is passed to law, every local government will have a data bank and information from the local government will go to the state data bank while federal government data bank will contain information from across the states.

Kuye subsequently chaired Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate the FG’s Abandoned Properties and Assets. Delivering his speech at the inauguration, Hon Kuye informed the general public that the committee won't succumb to any form of intimidation, noting that the committee will perform and surpass the expectations of the house.

In addition to the bills and motions already presented at the National Assembly, Hon. Kuye also raised of Points of Order aplenty. Not only has he provided immense representation for the Somolu people, he has already broken that age-long notion that comes with debutants.

 

BREAKING: University of Ibadan opens up on Obaseki's alleged fake certificate

The University of Ibadan (UI) has confirmed Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki graduated from the institution.

The university, in a statement by its Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi, said Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, studied Classics.

According to the statement, the Governor gained admission to the university in 1976 and graduated in 1979 with a Second Class Honours (Lower Division)

“Records of his admission and graduation are intact in the archives of the university.” the statement said.

Some opposition leaders in the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been accusing Obaseki of presenting a fake certificate, saying he did not graduate from the premier university. The UI statement will draw the curtain on the supposed certificate scandal crisis.

Obaseki has been in a running battle with his predecessor Adams Oshiomhole over the second term ticket. The latter, who is the National Chairman of the APC, has vowed to ensure the governor does not get a second term in office.

We don't secretly treat Covid-19 patients, Cedarcrest Hospitals debunks fake news report

By Dansu Peter 

Contrary to misconceptions on social media, the management of Abuja-based international-standard hospital, Cedarcrest has denied routinely admitting COVID-19 patients, saying it has no such plans at the moment. 

In a letter dated May 31 and signed by its Director, Clinical Services, Dr Umelo Ferdinand, the hospital assured that its staff are alert and vigilant about any suspected symptoms from potential clients. 

A modern specialist medical care centre in the Federal Capital Territory, Cedarcrest is famously credited by First Lady, Aisha Buhari for saving her son, Yusuf after a ghastly motorbike accident in 2018. 

Recently, though, the hospital was accused of secretly attending to a high-profile Nigerian who had tested positive for the coronavirus. 

However, Dr Ferdinand, on behalf of the facility said “ we do not admit any suspected cases into our main hospital and our staff are very alert and vigilant about any possible symptoms”. 

According to the Director Clinical Services, separate facilities and resources were created for any suspected cases.

The medical practitioner further revealed that on no occasion has the hospital asked patients or visitors to self-isolate.  

He further assured the general public that Cedarcrest remains very safe for all patients.

Read full statement below:

Our attention has been drawn to some mis of information in some social media posts relating to the treatment of a Covid-19 patient in our hospital. 

While we are unable to discuss the management of any particular patient in the public space, we, however, feel we owe the public a duty to clear a few things in general. 

The Covid-19 pandemic remains a risk in every hospital and Cedarcrest has gone to extreme lengths to ensure that our staff and patients are adequately protected at all times.

We do not routinely receive COVID-19 cases for treatment and presently have no intention to do so. In line with the best infection prevention and control practices, we have ensured that our staff have access to and utilise a robust supply of PPEs. 

In addition, there are separate facilities and resources created for any suspected cases and have duly had these certified. We do not admit any suspected cases into our main hospital and our staff are very alert and vigilant about any possible symptoms. 

We feel proud to say that we have created a very safe environment for staff to work and for routine patients to be treated. We will continue to do all we can in line with recommendations from the relevant authorities and international best practices to keep our patients safe. 

Contrary to the false claims alluded to above, no patients or visitors to our facility have any reason to self-isolate. Patients should avoid casual visits to hospitals, just like applies to other public places. It is however very unsafe not to come to hospital for routine or emergent care where required. 

We assure the public that Cedarcrest Hospitals remains very safe for all our patients.

The press statement:

Ruthless gang of monkeys attack Covid-19 lab assist., escape with samples

A ruthless gang of monkeys attacked a laboratory assistant and escaped with a batch of coronavirus test samples, it has been reported.

The bizarre incident saw the troop of primates launch their assault near Meerut Medical College in Delhi, India.

According to local media, the animals then snatched COVID-19 test samples from three patients and fled.

One of the monkeys was later spotted in a tree chewing one of the sample collection kits, the Times of India reported – adding that test samples from the patients had to be taken again.

It is the latest example of the highly intelligent, red-faced rhesus macaques taking advantage of India’s nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus.

While they have proved an increasing problem in urban areas of the country in recent years, lockdown measures in the last two months have emboldened the monkeys.

Reports have shown them congregating in parts of Delhi normally crowded with humans.

Edo 2020: If I were Obaseki, By Gideon Obhakhan

Edo poll: can Obaseki win APC primary?

Former Edo State Education Commissioner Gideon Obhakhan examines the factors that will shape the All Progressive Congress (APC) primary in the Southsouth state

By Gideon Obhakhan 

If I were Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State today, I will simply walk away and not participate in the race to return as governor of Edo State for a second tenure. The reason is simple. All odds are against him, he has lost the four Aces and there is no Joker in the pack.

He has neither the capacity nor the temperament to remedy the situation. As a gallant fighter, I’d rather not be disgraced out of office. I’d take solace in the popular saying that he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.

The open battle to oust the current governor of Edo State began over a year ago with few individuals coming together to demand that the governor retraces his steps and pulls the party together, rather than pick and choose who he talks to or works with within the political class.

The governor simply waived the idea off and continued to call politicians unprintable names, and their expressed frustrations were seen like the rantings of an ant. Little did Obaseki know that what started like a little tea party will eventually become one of his greatest nightmares as governor of Edo State.

Somehow, I am tempted to excuse Mr. Governor’s posture because as an unknown political quantity in 2016, he couldn’t have known how difficult it was for the political class to make him governor of Edo State.

To him, it was a simple command from the then governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. It is almost obvious now that he didn’t know that the seemingly easy project was as a result of long years of selfless service to the people, respect for the political class and conscious, tireless effort towards working with every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

In trying to resolve the issues that became glaring when the battle took shape, Obaseki has ended up with too mistakes and has offended too many people who cannot genuinely forgive him between now and June 22, a day fixed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, for their party primaries.

He has obviously gotten and unfair share of bad advice from his co-travelers. The list is endless but I guess a few deserve some mention here. The first shocker and I must say the most embarrassing to me as an Edo indigene was the nocturnal inauguration of nine out of 24 members-elect, which till date has continued unchanged.

Next was the State sponsored violence against the members-elect that dared to condemn their exclusion from the process that they were legally entitled having won their elections in their respective constituencies.

The battle continued and at a certain stage became violent with bombs being thrown into houses of certain leaders, as well as wanton destruction of property across the stage.

At some point there was an open and direct order (with video evidence) from the governor to deal with any person seen gathering under the platform of the now defunct Edo People’s Movement, EPM.

The order was further extended to the revered national chairman of the party who was asked to take permission from Mr. Governor each time he need to visit Edo State. The deputy governor even admonished the Inspector General of Police to arrest Comrade Oshiomhole within this same period.

When all these efforts didn’t yield the kind of results that Obaseki wanted, he decided to change the strategy a little bit. I believe he was advised that when he is able to remove the national chairman who was being accused of sponsoring the so-called greedy politicians, his problems will be over.

He threw in all he got to achieve the removal of the national chairman of the party. The support at some point transcended the borders of Edo State towards the North and other parts of the country culminating in a court judgement ordering the APC national chairman to stop parading himself as the governor of Edo State.

This became the celebrated highpoint of Obaseki’s battles. However, that order was set aside by the Appeal Court and today Comrade Adams Oshiomhole remains the chairman of the party. 

Very recently, the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC, in the discharge of their lawful duties, released the timetable for its primaries as well as the mode of primaries.

They decided that the mode of primaries shall be the direct, which means all card carrying members of APC are expected to come out to vote their preferred candidate on the 22nd of June 2020.

This decision has surprisingly sparked off some debate across the State with Obaseki and his followers vehemently opposed to it.

Even the suspended APC State chairman, Anselm Ojezua came out to say he has decided that the mode of primaries shall be indirect and the reason he gave was that it is not safe to conduct direct primaries in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The reason he gave has become a source of comic relief for Edo State citizens who are wondering whether or not, INEC will also be advised to conduct indirect elections on September 19, 2020.

The same government who is talking of the risk of COVID-19 is allowing markets to open and transact their businesses in large numbers when compared to the potential number of party members that will come out for a few hours to exercise their franchise on a chosen date.

The final straw that broke the camel’s back was the recent show of statesmanship, courage, and wisdom by the aspirants under the APC platform such as Dr. Pius Odubu, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Chief Solomon Edebiri, Prof. Ebegue Amadasun, Hon. Saturday Uwuilekhue, and Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma – they all decided on a consensus candidate in the person of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and agreed to work with him.

You hardly find this kind of commitment anywhere in the world, where supposed opponents completely drop their personal ambition to support a single person and work together in unity for the achievement of a common purpose.

This to me, deserves some commendation. It also calls to mind, how governor Godwin Obaseki will get these people to his side if with some magic wand he gets the ticket of the party. Will it not be political suicide for the party to hand over its flag to such an unpopular candidate?

These scheming, comments, and more leave one with no option but to ask, “ain’t the game over for Obaseki?” Is the handwriting on the wall not clear enough? Does he need any more dose of the sort of advice he has enjoyed all these while? Will they urge him on to contest in the face of imminent defeat? The answers to these questions are obvious. The game is up. This may be his last chance to quit honourably. I sincerely advise him to do just that.

Breaking: Oshiomhole's men pick Ize-Iyamu as Edo APC candidate

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has emerged the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) faction believed to be loyal to National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Ize-Iyamu, a former Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), emerged on Tuesday night in Abuja through consensus candidate.

He is expected to slug it out with Governor Godwin Obaseki for the direct primary of the party slated for June 22.

He was presented by chairman of the screening committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena, the representative of Edo North Senatorial District.

Other members of the screening committee were a former Edo Deputy Governor Lucky Imasuen; Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe; ex-Edo Speaker Thomas Okosun; former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives Samson Osagie; ex-member of the House of Representatives Patrick Obahiagbon and Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives, Peter Akpatason.

Source : The Nation