Nigeria and the dividents of democracy - A. Mati

BEYOND PARTY TRIVAILS AND 2019

The popular phrase “dividend of democracy” has being used since time immemorial, which is widely believed to be delivering on campaign promises that should leave people better than they were met in all gamut of life. However since the country’s sudden somersault to democracy in 1999 after years of military junta which many still share in memories. Through those years, power remained largely in the northern part of Nigeria. However, this part of the country is bedeviled with so many negative indices that kept drawing drawn the Region and the Nation at large, indices show that the Region has the highest number of out of school children especially girls which invariably result to higher level of illiteracy and hence poverty. 

Looking at the build up to 2019 elections, a lot of rhetoric’s are gathering momentum, some of which are far from reality, while some only confirm the already existing facts which is at public domain, whatever way it may take, what seems obvious is that either some of these government's policies are not properly implemented or they were never design to help avert some of these painful indices. However, I am opportune to work with a Non-Governmental Organization that focus on Girl child' education, seeing the strategies employed to bring interventions in some remote communities in Northern Nigeria. It is quite absorbed when I saw how girls in villages making some progress and changing their life for better. 

The journey of my experience began in a community that resides 2 to 3 kilometers outskirt Zaria inKaduna State, having in mind that I am to supervise the professionals hired to train the-out-of school girls on some basic entrepreneurship skills; phone repairs, bag making, soap making among many other skills. I saw how girls of ages between 15-20, mostly married were making some nice bags, while others were repairing phones, and all others. After having been to the community for some days spending much of my time interacting with the locals on issues relating to politics and how they perceived the intervention programs, quite amazing what I learned regarding how community involvement and community ownership can make a huge difference in terms of acceptability was interesting. 

The phrase “dividend of democracy” banged in my head and that made my heart ponder on what I read regarding the Present government “NEXT LEVEL” APC manifesto which has the photo of the President and his Vice with a phrase “Good for the Common Man” and the PDP Presidential candidate policy document titled “LET’S GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN”. Have we really enjoyed the dividend of democracy? 

The writer can be reached @ahmadmati1 on Twitter.

Peter Obi, North and the 2019 election’s dilemma

Obi, the North and the 2019

  

The 2019 elections is almost here with campaign about to kick-off officially on Sunday. In my honest opinion, either of APC or the PDP will produce the next President. I am not sure what other Candidates contesting against Buhari or PDP’s Atiku really want in 2019. The APC will retain its ticket of Buhari/Osinbajo after much speculations earlier this year. Atiku has chosen Peter Obi as his running mate, against the wishes of some prominent Igbo men, top politicians and even the PDP’s BOT organ has accused its candidate of lack of consultation. Whatever the case, Peter is PDP’s Vice candidate in 2019.

PDP will have to work hard to sell an Atiku candidature in the North, especially in a Buhari contest. The party will even have to do more to sell Atiku’s running mate who deported many Northerners during his controversial tenure as Anambra State Governor. This debate was recently stirred by no other person than Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor who this year made attempts to incite his Senators against the people of Kaduna over their refusal to grant Kaduna State a World Bank loan. It reached another high when the Governor decided to strangely pick a woman but fellow Muslim as his running mate, his actions made those who accuse him of religious bigotry concluded that he is really one, something I don’t agree with, despite all I have against the Governor. 

It’s on the record that Peter Obi deported some Northerners when he was a Governor in Anambra, he forced them to move with Identity cards in their own Country, some traders were detained until one Governor from the North came to their rescue, this same action of the Northern Governor was enough reason to paint him bad in some other sides of the Country. In an article in 2013, Gimba Kakanda brilliantly captured how also Northerners who were studying at Imo College of Advanced Professional were deported from Imo State. Almost at the same time, Lagos Governor Raji Fashola deported Igbos back to their homes in Anambra, at the end of the day, Fashola had to apologise for his actions (ironically, after people like Peter Obi demanded), some groups of Igbos asked for a Billion Naira damages in court. 

It’s clear that Atiku and PDP are surrounded well by people such as Femi Fani-Kayode, Reno Omokri, Osita Chidoka and the likes, people who many in the North consider as their fierce Enemies over the years. In the other parts of the Country, Muhammad Buhari is feared and still portrayed as another Bigot, Religious extremist, Boko Haram sympathizer and Northern Supremacist. All this doesn’t end up meaning well for the Country as one. This Rwandan style of politics isn’t getting us anywhere. After all what happened in 2013, It’s on the record that OPC members murdered close to a hundred of Hausa men in Lagos while Bola Tinubu was a Governor in the late 2000. People like Lai Mohammed where in Government when all this happened. OPC had a young Kayode Ogudamisi as its Secretary then, Ogudamisi is one of Buhari’s loudest supporter right now. 

Zamfara State is one of the most security backward State currently in Nigeria, the Defense Minister Mansur Dan – Ali is from the State, and the former Minister of Defense of Nigeria (Aliyu Gusau) hailed from Zamfara too. Someone rhetorically asked, is Peter Obi the man organizing or refusing to stop the killings in Zurmi in Zamfara. The same Governor who deported Katsina men studying in his State is now Buhari’s APC Chairman of Governors. Those men whose members killed our brothers in Lagos under Tinubu are now telling us Buhari is their brother too. The Governor who asked us to chase our Senators because they have no origin in Kaduna State is throwing “Bigotry” blames on Obi. Osinbajo was a Lawyer and Commissioner of Justice when Hausa men were killed for no reason in Lagos, is he not the same Pastor set to run with Buhari again?

I once admitted my fears of Obi even before he was picked as PDP’s running mate, the same way I have fears of Babatunde Fashola and even Rochas Okorocha for what they did all before 2015 in their respective States – Just like Obi. Fashola is now a Super-Minister in Buhari’s Government, Imo Governor has been trying to position himself for the Nigeria’s top job too. Obi is now in the 2019 game. If things should work well for APC, the same Tinubu would like to be in the Aso Villa in 2023, or may be Fashola, Okorochas or El-Rufai. As far as I am concerned there are many Peter Obis and none of them really care about you and me, if you can open your eyes and look at all the writings.

"Najeriya kasa daya amma kowa ya san gidan Uban sa..." – Mallam Aminu Kano

Muhammad Malumfashi can be reached @m_malumfashi on Twitter.

How Ambode’s ‘I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’ let him down

 

Ambo-politics proved a sitting Governor costly in Lagos 

Muhammad Malumfashi

 

-          Brother, what is happening in Lagos APC ne? Ambode is getting 5 votes out of over 13, 000 o in this primaries!

-          My friend, Ambode is gone. Better start practicing this Sanwo-Olu name! 

-          But they said Ambode is the best Governor since 2015, why did they want him out now suddenly?

-          As if you are a learner, it is all politics. Tinubu said he is doing well as a Governor, only that he is not a party man. 

-          Imagine! The poor man didn’t see that coming. He didn’t have anyone in the party?

-          Yes, you know Jagaban strikes last! No one gave Ambo the warning signs, he was enjoying his office. They said some cabals are against Tinubu in his cabinet. You know Tinubu is warming up as Baba prepares for second and last half of the game. He can’t lose Lagos.

-          That is serious fa!

-          Wallai! His Deputy has left him too, the woman is now with Tinubu people. Ambode is only left with his wife. He can’t win even in that Epe.

-          Kai!! Why didn’t he defect toh? He can move to PDP, SDP, or ADC now. 

-          It won’t take 12 hours to serve him an impeachment notice from the house if he’s left the APC. 36 out of 40 Assembly members are on Tinubu’s side. That Speaker is an Asiwaju boy o! And you think he can win an election on other platforms? Who will work for him this time? Isn't all about money!

-          But I heard the ward Councilors are with Ambode, isn’t it so?

-          Which ward men when 57 LGA and LCDA Chairs are backing Sonwo-Olu! Almost sll the APC structures is 100% with the new man.

-          Wai, look, what is really his offence Muhammadu?

-          Well, they said he neglected party men and politicians, and hes developed some unusual ego.

-          Didn’t they accuse many people of that? Why didn’t the party deny them tickets? My Governor is fighting civil servants, elites, Emirs, everybody, but yet he is still standing! Even that former APC Chairman Oyegun complained about that. They said Buhari only meets with his CPC guys when he wakes up in the morning. And they still went to give him his ticket despite not giving enough appointments. Is it not the same Ambode that appointed Sanwo-Olu in his Gov’t?

-          But that is Baba now, now he even use to travel with Tinubu and Akande. Didn’t you hear him telling Asiwaju he prefers to see him closer to him now and again, Tinubu said Ambo is deviating, he is not following the master-plan!

-          Okay, Muhammadu tell me, which APC plan is Buhari following? Didn’t he abandon all the manifestos and went on with his kwarafshin! He said everyone should go to farm!

-          This is all politics, as you have said. You know Tinubu had similar issue with Fashola. Just that Tunde is a SAN and very intelligent. 

-           Yes, i know about the cold war going on with even most West leaders. Look they said Ambode was even working against Asiwaju in Osun, you know Aregbesola is now handing over to Tinubu’s cousin again there? Tinubu picked Rauf too in 2010 and he is still one of his main boys today.

-          Really!? But didn’t the same Tinubu boys worked against the APC and Akeredolu in Ondo recently? They supported Olusola Oke’s party pa! I’m just surprised Ambode didn’t see all this coming. 

-          May be he wanted Abuja to help, like what just happened to Senator Shehu Sani in Kaduna. But even Buhari couldn’t stop Tinubu. They keep saying Ambo is against Asiwaju and you know this is almost 2023, Tinubu is laying everything ready in the APC, he can’t lose the West, didn’t you see what happened in Osun ne?

-          That Osun, I believe courts will nullify some parts of the election. 

-          You think so, hmm! This isn’t 2008, it is 2018. I know that Tinubu has to get the South West all under him now. Let’s see what happens in Ogun, and Oyo now. 

-          Toh Malam Muhammadu!

-          Many don’t see beyond what is going on in the APC and 2023, they are still in Sai Baba mode. I understand why some bigwigs left the APC for PDP Malam. I just hope things keep going well for him. 

-          Mu dai Sai Baba wallahi, ka ji!

-          Let’s see who PDP picks, Otedola may contest now that Ambode is almost out! But let’s wait ‘Danuwa, 2019 will be very interesting.

-          The most interesting in a while. Thank you my Friend!

-          Bye, I need to talk to Mimi.

-          Wait, who is Mimi?

-          Haha… bye! She is calling me!

 

-          …

Muhammad Malumfashi wrote this from Zaria. You can follow him on Twitter @m_malumfashi