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| * Ike |
All things being equal, and in as atmosphere of a free and fair election, Mr Ken Ike Enugu State chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, predicts it will be victory all the way for his party in November 4, 2017 LGA polls in Enugu State.
In this interview, he rationalizes his prediction why APGA will equally coast home to victory in the November 18, Anambra State election where the incumbent is seeking re-election on APGA’s ticket. He equally commented on other topical issues. Excerpts
What chances does APGA have in the forthcoming local government areas elections in Enugu State?
APGA has a big chance. With the desire of most Nigerians to liberalize the political space, we are confident that our party will cut its own market share in the elections. From our projections, we expect to clinch a minimum of seven local government areas and over 100 councillorship seats in the state. In fact, we have the chances in all the LGAs. We are mobilizing the electorate very well because APGA is the only party to salvage Nigeria politically and economically. The standard has already been set in Anambra state, and it is our challenge to replicate same in all the states of the Federation.
Again with the attitude of the Enugu State House of Assembly, which recently gave a nod to the local government autonomy, and the corresponding move by the National Assembly to make the national electoral umpire conduct elections in local government areas subsequently, the future is bright. Generally, we are confident that if council polls were conducted under the best practices in Enugu state, we shall come out very victorious.
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| * Ugwuanyi |
The confidence cannot be total to the extent that the chairman and other members of the electoral body are members of the ruling party. Even if that was not considered, the commissioners in the ENSIEC, having been appointed by the governor of the state may look at the governor to take one or two hints or to watch his body movement in order to take decisions. It is not a total confidence, but we are sure that, guided by the law, we all have a task to make the elections free and fair.
What message do you have for APGA supporters in respect of the forthcoming elections?
At the end of our recent primary elections, we charged our members to go to their various constituencies to mobilize people using content-based messages to give the people hope for a better political and economic atmosphere. I can assure you that the LGAs and the wards that APGA will win during this election will be exemplary in their conduct and attitudes to the public trust.
Do you see the power of incumbency playing out against APGA?
We approach the election with the spirit of sportsmanship. It does not matter whether a champion is in the tournament; other contenders will still come in and do their best. It is a task for a champion to defend his championship. All we are pleading is a level playing field for other parties. Nigeria is a multi-party democracy, and the fact that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state is led by Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi does not mean that it is closing up the space for other parties to participate, I have not seen that in the governor. Even before his administration, APGA had won a ward councillorship position in Isi-Uzo LGA. When the members of the PDP tried to be unruly, the governor told them that if people voted for APGA, how would anyone truncate it? We are confident that the people of Nigeria are getting wiser, and APGA is the only viable alternative. I do not see the power of incumbency playing out in the forthcoming council polls in the state. Also the law guides everybody in this exercise. Where the law is disobeyed, we will seek necessary remedies.
What is top on the APGA manifesto at the polls?
Our first point is from the screening. APGA ensured that our candidates emerged through free and fair elections. Also they are people of integrity and ready to serve the masses above self. We also, by our manifesto, ensure that our candidates are going to abide by the law. The duties of chairmen are clearly specified in the section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended: the link roads, markets, toilet facilities, garages and other things that make the neighbourhood conducive for human existence. When these are assured, it will provide job opportunities for the teeming youths, which in turn increases the standard of living of our people, and also curbs rural-urban migration. These are among the tasks we have given to our candidates in the forthcoming elections. It is a great departure from the attitude we presently experience in Enugu state. It is the position of the party that our candidates are law-abiding. They will take their tasks seriously. Gone are the days when the local government offices will be for bazaars, and the resources of the people dissipated unnecessarily. We shall ensure that the government becomes people-oriented.
How much effort did APGA make in mobilizing the masses to acquire voters’ cards?
Hitherto, the chairmen of the seventeen LGAs of APGA were mandated to go round the nooks and crannies of their areas and educate the grass-roots people on the need to acquire voters’ cards. It is their statutory power to elect credible leaders. There are communities that are far off the council headquarters. We made efforts to convey eligible people in those areas to where they would get registered. We have also gone on air to mobilize the people to be conscious of their civic duties.
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| * Obiano |
Without sounding political, the three and a half years Willie Obiano has held sway in Anambra state are a great departure from his predecessors. His outstanding achievements intimidate other political gladiators in other parties. APGA in Anambra state is not just like other political parties; It is the party conceived by the people. It will be difficult for the person to truncate the interest of Anambra people with political promises that cannot be concretised on any basis. We have heard that some people are already mortgaging the economy of the state to some business people. Anambra people won’t allow that, and it is not in the character of APGA. I think the question should rather be our plan for the inauguration of the governor because Obiano is coasting to victory. Under APGA, the economy of the state has become stable, and the state is now exporting her agricultural products. I don’t want to highlight the government’s empowerment programmes, traffic decongestions among others. Again the stakeholders in the state have agreed that since there is a tripartite arrangement in the senatorial zones of the state, the people of Anambra north senatorial district will have their second term as governor. But in a multi-party democracy, elections must be contested. That is why we see posters of other contestants.
What is your take on various threats to truncate the Anambra election?
The struggle for self-determination is an international concept and has established procedures. It does not include taking laws in one’s hands or engaging in rascal behaviours. The process of election is a constitutional requirement, and cannot be done in an atmosphere of violence. People must be allowed to listen to contenders to know who to vote for. I appeal to all to maintain peace in the cause of the forthcoming Anambra election. It is an ill-wind that blows no one any good.
Abians To Gov Ikpeazu: Account For N177.77bn, Else Forget $200m Loan
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| * Ikpeazu * Otti |
Previously, Gov. Ikpeazu's lame excuses used to be that the several court cases after his election were sufficient distraction to stiffle his intellectual and physical capacity to conceptualise any project of note. For that period, he simply received all revenues accruing to the State - Allocations from the Federation Account for the State and 17 Local Government Areas, Internally Generated Revenue, several grants and aids to the State from the Federal Government, FG and other bodies. The most sickening inefficiency of Gov. Ikpeazu's administration include his wicked refusal to pay workers salaries even when the FG specifically awarded grants and other funds to States for that purpose. But for the quasi-federal structure in place and the immunity enjoyed by governors, perhaps nothing would have stopped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC from hauling in Gov Ikpeazu to answer questions what he did with all the funds he had received in the last two years plus.
Thus on Monday, September 11, 2017, at the State HOuse, it appeared as if President Muhammadu Buhari was speaking on behalf of beleagured Abian workers and pensioners. Some of them are being owed not less than five months salary arrears and several years of pension arrears respectively.
President Buhari, while receiving the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria who paid him a courtesy visit had said: “We have to digress this much because I would like to convince you that I’m living with the problems of this country day-by-day, and mostly those of the ordinary people.
“There are Nigerians that haven’t been paid for six months; there are Nigerians that have not been paid their retirement benefits for years. “I’m appealing to the governors, (that was why we voted money, we borrowed money), please make sure anybody under you, pay them because most of them depend on that salary to pay rent, school fees,’’ President Buhari said.
Indeed long suffering Abian workers who had been at the mercy of Gov Ikpeazu may have been largely ignorant of the how much had flowed into the coffers of Abia State Government. Since coming into office, Gov. Ikpeazu had consistently lied to the workers that enough funds had not accrued to his administration to pay salaries and at a point it stretched to seven months arrears. This had been substantially reduced for now, but primary school teachers and Local Government Council workers are still being owed about 3 - 4 months salary arrears,and pensioners several years of arrears.
In the dark days of workers travail, only one voice - that of 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Alex Otti - could be heard consistently, stridently arguing that Gov Ikpeazu had no reason to owe Abia workers.
With the fate of the workers partially taken care of for now, Dr. Otti has opened a new chapter in his one man watch dog role over governnance in Abia.
Otti, former Group managing director of Diamond Bank plc could not hold back his critical stance after the National Assembly approved $200 million loan for the Ikpeazu-led administration. He argued that the state government lacks the capacity to repay the loan.
In a similar vein, Otti insisted that the government should account for the funds it has so far received, which he estimates total over N177.77 billion.
Said Otti: ''On the issue of funds that have accrued to the state and how they were utilized, information available from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation indicate that you have received the following funds from May 2015 till date
''Period FAAC LGAs
May 2015 to December 2015 N25.59b N15.42b
January 2016 to December 2016 N30.56b N19.61b
January 2017 to July 2017 N18.28b N11.91b
TOTAL N74.42b N46.94b
GRAND TOTAL N120 BILLION
''In addition to the above funds, you had borrowed N10b from an old generation bank and had also received the following funds:
Bail out funds N14.105b
1st tranche of Paris Club Refund N10.6b
2nd tranche of Paris Club Refund N5.7b
''By your own admission, you collect N1billion monthly on internally generated revenue.
''You will agree with me that these are huge sums of money. I do know that it also costs money to run government and part of government expenditure goes to payment of salaries. I do not think it is too much to ask, if a citizen demands to know how these funds were utilized.
''On salaries, I will advise that you come clean and let us know why salaries are not being paid inspite of all the funds received as itemized above. It is no use making claims that are not true like the ones made in your responses to me to the effect that you have paid all outstanding salary arrears. Those who are owed are there in the state and I consider it a great disservice to them and the state when their governor makes untruthful claims about salary payments. Besides, the world is now a global village and there are credible sources including ‘Budgit’ that publish states that are in arrears of salary payments. You may wish to ask for the latest edition of such publications and see if our state is listed amongst those that are not owing''.
Otti was equally irked by the contraditions in the $200m loan approved for Abia by the National Assembly.
At the press conference he addressed on the issues, he stated:
''On the National Assembly approved $200m loan, documents sighted by me show that the National Assembly might have been misled into approving a loan that is different from the one recommended by the president.
''In my last press conference, I had indicated that on May 25, 2017 a Presidential request for $100 million regarding Abia State Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) was sent to the National Assembly, however, on July 18, 2017 the Minister of Finance sent a request for $200 million to the National Assembly in respect of Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (ASIIDP) which curiously, is exactly the same request that Abia State Government submitted dated October 2015. It would be helpful if you could explain the following:
''1. How did Abia State Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) become Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (ASIIDP)?
''2. How did $100 million transform to $200 million?'' He furthers called on the Abia State House of Assembly to set up a panel to investigate the financial activities of the Dr Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration.
So far all that come from Ikpeazu are insults, abuses, use of uncouth and foul language on the person of Otti
Most revealling is the retort from Enyinnaya Appolos, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor saying: “It is also hoped that Mr Otti will publicly encourage the auditors of Diamond Bank Plc to publish detailed audit reports of the bank covering the period that he served as Managing Director and the year after. Even a child in kindergarten knows that banks annually publish their audited accounts in major national newspapers, besides rendering accounts to shareholders at Annual General Meeetings, AGMs
As a matter of fact what so far has emerged is that Abians are saddled with men plainly lacking in the intellectual, moral and mental capacity needed to move Abia to the next level. To mask their deficiency, they resort to chicanery, telling outright lies, half-truths, contradictions and conjectures.
Even the projects claimed to have been flagged off, completed or commissioned by Gov Ikpeazu has turned out to be mere phantom projects, some include the Aba River (Water side), Enyimba Hotel, and Enyimba International Stadium.
A commentator on the social media asked: ''What is the present condition of the roads commissioned by Governor Ikpeazu? How far about the over 100 roads, flagged off and under construction in Abia State? What about the Ifeobara basin project? What is holding our almighty Osisioma flyover? Where are the foreign investors? What happened to the school feeding programme, and the 1013 cooks employed? What prevented clearing of salaries by July 2017?
''Our celebrated commissioned roads(Ukaegbu, Ehere,Ibadan, Agharandu etc) without drainages are now back to reality, this rainy season. Remember that the situation is not the same as those experiencing flood, as a natural disaster in Nigeria.
''The Ifeobara basin project is another pardonable slip of tongue. We can pretend Abia State Government never mentioned that''.
Gov Ikpeazu's projects are only executed on the paages of newspapers and on the airwaves like that announced with glee by one of his aides, Newman Ubani that the governor has proposed N43 million in May 21, 2017, for school feeding programme, and created 1013 direct jobs. Where are the schools still enjoying these free meal? and where can the wonderful cooks be located?
But that is the comedy of Gov Ikpeazu's Abia : teachers are starving, yet someone is talking about serving delicious hot meals to their pupils.
With such dismal attitude to governance and performance in office, it is little wonder that the song on the garbage infested streets of Umuahia and Abia is that Ikpeazu must go come 2019
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