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Tag: President

  • Unconquerable spirit: Madam Zelaya becomes Honduras President, By Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    The Madam Xiomara Castro Zelaya tsunami that on November 28, 2021 swept away the narcotic-centred political structures in Honduras, was a dozen years in the making. The ex-protest leader and former First Lady is not only set to become her country’s first female President, but the Liberty and Refoundation (Libre) Party she leads which emerged out of the protest movement, is set to be the first time in a century a party outside the two dominant parties, the conservative National Party of Honduras and the Liberal Party of Honduras, would win elections.

    The stakes in the elections were quite high as a victory for the new party would not only sweep away the old structures, but the after effects are likely to be far reaching. First, the Honduras military which twelve years ago had abducted Castro’s husband, President Manuel Zelaya and thrown him out, is likely to undergo reforms. Secondly, the outgoing leadership and the old ruling party’s leaders are likely to face drug trafficking and corruption charges after leaving office. So, the hope of outgoing President Juan Orlando Hernández not to be stripped of his immunity and extradited to the United States, laid in his party retaining power. The Southern District of New York, SDNY had indicted Hernández of sponsoring a drug trafficking cartel and his younger brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez is serving a life sentence in a US federal jail for smuggling cocaine. Certainly, a new party that wants a new beginning for the country would not want to shield President Hernández.

    Although Castro and her husband are quite wealthy, but they side with the working people. So, the small group of elites who have benefited immensely since Honduras, centuries ago, was a Spanish colony, would not want a power shift which is what Castro promises. She also wants to introduce Hugo Chavez-like subsidies in the country.

    Although the US has recognised her victory, it is like someone being forced to choose between the Devil and Blue Sea; America would want more resources expended on Hondurans hoping this will stem their tide of mass migration towards it, but it will be uncomfortable with the President elect’s socialist policies. Also, if Castro is to continue the foreign policy of her husband’s administration, Honduras is likely to join the radical coalition of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Already, Madam Castro has indicated a change of foreign policy in which Honduras would abandon diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favour of China.

    Castro was thrown into the cesspool of politics in 2009 when the Supreme Court teamed up with the army and conservative elites to overthrow her husband, President Manual Zelaya who was in the third year of his four-year presidency. The elites, uncomfortable with the radical politics of one of their own, sought ways of ousting him.

    They used the excuse of Zelaya proposing a non-binding plebiscite to change the single one-term to two-term Presidency. While it was known that even if the referendum were to become a constitutional amendment, it would not benefit President Zelaya as it was not retroactive, the conspirators still went for his jugular.

    Although the Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal, Zelaya insisted on the plebiscite fixed Sunday June 28, 2009. The Army Chief of Staff, Romero Vasquez Velasquez refused the President’s directives that in line with tradition, the military assisted the electoral commission distribute electoral materials. The President then fired the Army Chief, but in a show of force, the Supreme Court within 24 hours, ruled General Velasquez’s sack illegal, reinstated him and then asked the Army to unseat President Zelaya. Masked soldiers on plebiscite morning , abducted President Zelaya put him in an aircraft and dumped him in Costa Rica. The masses rose in support of the ousted President and he boarded an aircraft back to Honduras but armed soldiers refused the aircraft to land.

    It was these events that propelled Mrs Castro Zelaya to mobilise mass protests to force the usurpers allow her husband’s return. The protests movement then transformed into the Libre Party. In 2013, she contested and lost in the Presidential elections. She again contested the 2017 elections which she and her supporters believed they won. Mass protests followed, and about two dozen people were killed.

    In the November elections, she squared up against the ruling party candidate, Nasry Asfura, former mayor of the capital, Tegucigalpa. She campaigned to end violent crimes, corruption, drug trafficking, mass migration, and, liberalize abortion, bring back expelled international corruption investigators, provide jobs and introduce universal basic income for the poorest Honduran families.

    In one of her campaigns, she declared: “Honduras has been described as a narco-state because of the mafia that governs us, and we have also been described as the most corrupt country in Latin America… People of Honduras, now is the time to say enough of the misery, poverty and exclusion that our country suffers.”

    As the election results rolled in, she took an early lead which widened as more came in. But even as her lead became seemingly unassailable, the ruling party refused to concede defeat, declaring that it would win the elections by the time the full results were in. This led to tension with her supporters fearing that the polls would once again be rigged as they claimed it was four years ago. But this time, prominent figures opposed to Castro began to acknowledge her victory. The turning point was when her main rival, Asfura announced that he had visited Castro and her family and: “Now I want to say publicly that I congratulate her on her triumph and as President-elect. I wish that God will enlighten and guide her so that her administration will do the best for all of us Hondurans”.

    The victory of Castro is the triumph of principles, commitment and an unconquerable spirit which in the face of seeming hopelessness, refused to accept defeat. Despite the years of struggle, blood and toil, the electoral victory may be the easiest as an expectant populace looks up to an economically-challenged country. Yes, it is rich in minerals, coffee, tropical fruit, and sugar cane with a large textile industry, but its main trade is with the US which may seek to squeeze just as it has tried to strangulate Venezuela. Besides, the US has 1,200–1,500 troops at the Soto Cano Air Base.

    Castro has promised a government of national unity, which is good, but this is where the likely fault lines in the coalition that snatched victory from the conservatives may begin to manifest. Besides, the old order is unlikely to give way without a fight and a lot may depend on the politics in the congress. Whatever the case, Honduras has a good chance at a new beginning.

  • Lets kill Presidential System before it kills Nigeria – By Mideno Bayagbon

    Lets kill Presidential System before it kills Nigeria – By Mideno Bayagbon

    By Mideno Bayagbon

    Contact: 08055069059 (Whatsapp only)

    Professor Chinua Achebe of blessed memory in his seminal work on the many failures of Nigeria as a nation, put the blame squarely on leadership. The trouble with Nigeria, he noted, is simply “a failure of leadership… The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which is the hallmarks of true leadership”.

    Yet this is a nation which produced the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Pa Enahoro, Balarabe Musa, and the rest.

    Among our many failures as a nation that Professor Achebe identified in the ten chapter book, which he published in 1983, are tribalism, indiscipline, corruption, false image of ourselves, social injustice and the cult of mediocrity.

    And eight years after his death, Nigeria and its leadership cadre, failing to learn the invaluable lessons which the book tried to highlight, have sunk to a level, no one alive in 1983 could have dreamt was possible. Every one of the problems identified by Achebe, so long ago, is still with us; but at a more terrifying and calamitous level.

    A careful study of the perpetuator of the leadership failure identified by Achebe almost 40 years ago, today, is the so called federal system of government which we pretend to practice. And it has become clear that if we don’t tame this monster now, the nation’s current descent into the abyss could accelerate into an implosion of unimaginable proportions.

    What do I mean? Our current leadership recruitment process, under the presidential system is faulty and cannot encourage the breeding of good leaders.

    Most of the leaders who have seized the corridor and room of power in the last 22 years have done so, not to serve their fabled constituents, but to feather their own nest. They are in politics, from all available indices because they see it as the quickest route to unearned wealth. Politics has become an industry to access the commonwealth for self.

    Most of the people who have taken to politics are those without any verifiable pedigree. Ruffians, scammers, the jobless, the criminally intentioned have swarmed our corridors of power and the few true leaders have had to take a back seat. It is so bad today that no one who truly wants to serve, will venture into politics.

    First let us look at the type of leaders the presidential system has thrown up since 1999 when we began this democratic march.

    All agree that the best of us have left the worse of us to seize the reins of power. From the local councillor to the President of the nation, in 22 years, money, sheer devilry and impunity have ruled our politics. For the jobless, the deviously criminal-minded, politics has become the major route to unearned wealth.

    Secondly, the presidential system is wasteful, stupendously expensive and is an incubator of corruption; at least our variant of it.

    My contention is that the presidential system is bad for a poor country like Nigeria which also has the unfortunate distinction for profligacy and corruption.

    Two houses of parliament of about a combined figure of 500 who live as Lords, and their leaders as wanton emperors, expend more on themselves than on the entire citizenry.

    You seize power by any means, and the treasury becomes your fiefdom. The struggle for power becomes the struggle for access to state wealth and the privatisation of such into personal pockets. No questions asked.

    That is why for example, the amount budgeted to oil the less than 5500 members of the National and States Assemblies is more than the total money budgeted for all levels of education in the country; for healthcare, for infrastructure, and so on.

    In our current practice, we begin with Councillors, local government chairmen, house of Assembly members, leadership of the Houses of Assembly, Governors, commissioners, Special Advisers and Assistants; and then we move to the members of the House of Representatives, Senators, and the leadership of both houses and their retinue of aides. Of course the Presidency comes with a plethora of offices and positions.

    In all of these, about 10,000 Nigerians from all the geopolitical space of the country are those in the room of power. To them, over 50 percent of the national wealth are dedicated. It is a sustained bazaar which is rather surreal.

    The Presidency and all its appendages spend on itself thrice the humongous amounts the States and National Assemblies waste on themselves.

    Take the instance of entourages of the high and mighty politicians in the country. A local government chairman wastes scarce resources of its local government area in buying frivolous but expensive SUVs for himself, buys back up security cars at an average of at least N1.5bn (One Billion Five Hundred Million Naira only). Of course, the wife of the chairman must also have her share of official entourage which may sink another N500 million.

    You only need to see the entourage of the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives as an example of our uncensored profligacy. Their entourage and convoy almost rivals that of the US President and is far more than most of the Presidents and Prime Ministers in the world.

    In their show of opulence and power, they parade at least 20 exotic vehicles in each convoy. This does not include the Police outriders. In their convoys, you will find at least two state of the art, bullet proof 500 SEL Mercedes Benz emblazoned with the National Crest, four powerful top of the range SUVs, at least a further four medium range SUVs, and a coterie of other vehicles. The cost of the vehicles on their convoys is nothing less than N2 billion each.

    Lets not even talk about governors and their Alice in Wonderland convoys. Compare any of their convoys with that of say, the British Prime Minister whose official convoy consist of a Jaguar XJ Sentinel, a back up car and two security vehicles and two or four outriders and you cannot but wonder what truly is the problem with our leaders and their politics.

    Compare their ostentatious lifestyles to the hunger walking naked in the nation where the minimum monthly wage is a miserly $55 (N30,000).

    How do we defend such callousness, such insensitivity? Such wickedness? The answer, they say, is blowing in the wind.

  • Do The Igbos Seriously want to be President of Nigeria?, By Mideno Bayagbon

    Do The Igbos Seriously want to be President of Nigeria?, By Mideno Bayagbon

    By Mideno Bayagbon

    Email: mideno@thenewsguru.ng

    WhatsApp only: 08055069059

     

    My friend, His Excellency, Anyim Pius Anyim, late last week braved the odds and, came out to declare his interest in vying for the presidency of Nigeria, presumably under the People Democratic Party, PDP. As we say in Warri, he was very categorical when he declared that weda or wedant, that is, whether the PDP zones the Presidential slot to the South East or not, he is going to contest for the position.

    His declaration came at a time most people were beginning to question the genuineness of the campaign by the South East geo-political zone that it is about time the rest of the country allows the Igbos produce a President of Igbo origin. It also came a few days after the Economic and Financial Crime Commission detained him for alleged involvement in a corruption case.

    Nevertheless, Anyim’s entrance has opened, what we expect to be, a floodgate of people who will come out to signify their interest in the office. As most people would have noticed in the media, Nigerians were beginning to ask where the aspirants, of South East origin, who want to be President, are. Social media post after Social media posts, and articles, and gossip corners, in the newspapers were beginning to be swarmed with comments taunting the genuineness of the quest. Therefore, Senator Anyim, a former Senate President and Secretary to Government of the Federation, coming out, at the time he did, surely will assuage anxieties in these quarters, a little.

    True, there have been posturings here and there, by people we suspect are interested in vying for the office. True too, Kingsley Moghalu, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has left no one in doubt that he is still interested in the office he vied for two and half years ago, but made no significant impact.

    Peter Obi, of course, by body language, posturing and the many engaging media interactions he has been having, has left the impression that he has his eyes firmly fixed on contesting for the position. That is, until the Pandora Box global group of investigative media organisations exposed a soft under belly of the former Governor of Anambra state. He is said to have created a shell company in one of the tax havens where he lodged millions of dollars. Though he has not been directly accused of lodging slush funds in the account, he has been hard put in defending why he needed such an account and why he did not declare it in his assets declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

    Then there is Orji Uzor Kalu, the former Governor of Abia state, currently a senator. Convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of humongous corruption charges, he was sprung out of Kuje Prisons, Abuja, where he was serving his term, on technicalities. He is now strutting about in the braggadocio of a well connected Nigerian politician, wanting to be considered for the office of the President of the Federal Republic. Before you think his quest is a joke, that he should be nursing his alleged guilt in silence, and seeking penance before God, remember that he is a man well beloved in Aso Rock, a man with seemingly wide tentacles in the north of Nigeria and is well connected politically and economically. The same Nigerian courts which convicted him, are today the same ones he is using to do the usual dribbling dance of politicians who know how to work the courts to stay out of prison. Remember, impunity has no consequences in Nigeria. Until another court of competent jurisdiction declares him guiltless, his dream of ruling the country is seemingly in jeopardy.

    Rochas Okorocha, the statues loving former Governor of Imo state, who his people hailed at a time with the unkind sobriquet of Okoro-Hausa; Ken Nnamani, a former senate president who recently launched a deodorising book, eulogising his allege role in the President Obasanjo third term imbroglio; Governor Umahi of Ebonyi, who not too long ago dumped the PDP, under which he became a two term governor in the hope that the presidential race will be handed to him on a platter by the APC; and a host of others, I suspect, will soon come out to indicate their interest in the office. Indeed, very soon, the same Nigerians who were asking “where are the Igbo aspirants” will be the same ones who will be wondering why every Emeka, every Chinedu and every Ngozi, who know they stand no chance in hell of making it to Aso Rock, now wants people to believe they are the long awaited president, of Igbo origin.

    In that all comers quest, the fear is, some of these so called aspirants will turn their aspiration into a bazaar, a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder and will be willing tools to pull even the credible aspirants down. We have seen it before. That is what has played out and is still playing out in Anambra state, where the governorship election is scheduled to hold this Saturday. Positioning as running for the office of President of Nigeria, will be seen, by these group of aspirants, as a meal ticket. To most of these hustlers politicians, their transactional politics has everything to do with agitation to have an Igbo man or woman become the President of Nigeria. It is a business and political opportunity to be exploited fully, in the interest of self.

    Unfortunately that informs my fear that even if the position is zoned, by the APC and PDP, to the South East, it will still elude the zone. This, from what we all know, is because most Igbo politicians are not given to enthroning group or zonal interests above personal ones. (The average Igbo politician is a replica of the average South South politician: It is either them or no one at all). If care is not taken, these hustlers will, with their own hands, frustrate the serious aspirants, hand the presidency over to the north in the hope that they, the betraying politician, will be the chosen vice president thereafter.

    I know i am fishing in troubled waters but the truth is, unlike in the north where consensus is easily built, where the group decides and the politicians tow the line, there is no such amity among the South Easterners. There is no group or leadership cadre among them, who will compel only a decent number of truly credible, viable and sellable candidates to be in the race. They are not like the South West politicians who are also very astute in the political game, where their northern colleagues are unrivalled masters. For example, the East cannot boast of their own Bola Tinubu who has singlehandedly superintended over the political affairs of the South West in the last, at least ten years, as the main, if not sole authority in deciding who got what and where. Unlike Afenifere whose voice carries a lot of weight among the political class, Ohaneze Ndigbo, currently headed by George Obiozor, is a tolerated toothless bull dog. The Baba sope and the Rankadede philosophy that governor the north and West politics, is evidently absent in the South East and South South, to their eternal disadvantage. For the Igbos, it is even more so: it is everyone to himself! The mismanagement of IPOB/ESN, as a major bargaining tool, is a mighty testament in this regard.

    Above apart, as a people, there is nothing in the political space to indicate that the Igbos truly want the office badly. Emotional ventilation, yes. Strategic thrust, no. There is nothing to indicate that they have so embedded themselves, positioned themselves, and built enough formidable alliances in any of the two parties to show that they can pull their request through. True, in the newly reconfigured PDP, an Igbo man, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, is the National Secretary, a position ceded to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who wants to be President or Vice President to Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto state. As all pundits know, power is never willingly given, it is fought for, negotiated and sometimes forcefully taken.

    There is nothing on ground to show that the Igbos are in pole position for consideration: no credible, formidable alliances, no strategic thrusts, no unity of purpose. How do the Igbos want to achieve their dream? Apart from Rotimi Amaechi, Anyim, Obi, and a few others, my mind tells me, those in the race now and the one we suspect will soon throw in their hat into the ring, only truly want to be vice president to any northern candidate the PDP or APC will throw up. How i wish they will prove me wrong.

  • Former South Korean president, Roh Tae Woo dies at 88

    Former South Korean president, Roh Tae Woo dies at 88

    Former South Korean president, Roh Tae Woo has died at the aged of 88, according to his aides.

    The aides said that Roh, who served as president from 1988 to 1993, was recently admitted to hospital after his health deteriorated.

    Roh, a former general, succeeded former president Chun Doo Hwan after helping him seize power through a 1979 military coup.

    The coup filled a power vacuum created by the death of former authoritarian President Park Chung Hee.

    As pro-democracy rallies spread massively across the nation in 1987, Roh accepted calls for a direct presidential system and was elected president later that year through a direct vote.

    In an apparent bid to shed his military image, Roh began his administration under the slogan of opening an era of ordinary people.

    In 1996, Roh and Chun were convicted of corruption and mutiny for their role in the 1979 military coup and in the brutal crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the south-western city of Gwangju.

    Roh was sentenced to 17 years in prison and faced around 260 billion won (223 million dollars) in fines.

    He was pardoned in 1997.

  • Wike blasts NBA leadership for ‘not living up responsibility’ since Buhari became president

    Wike blasts NBA leadership for ‘not living up responsibility’ since Buhari became president

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has slammed the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for failing to fight the cause of the ordinary man especially since the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration came on board since 2015.

    The Governor spoke at the opening of the 61st NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
    Its theme is: “Taking the lead.”

    Wike believes the NBA has not done enough to promote good governance lately.

    He said: “A little moment of introspection would reveal that the NBA is not what it used to be before the estimation of Nigerians in terms of the quality and commitments of its disposition to the struggle for the rule of law, social justice and national development.

    “Since the birth of this nation, Nigerians have relied on the law and our legal system to settle disputes, prevent crime, promote democracy, protect human rights and regulate virtually all aspects of both private and public life.

    “But the central question is whether the NBA has been living up to its credo and responsibility?

    “While I would leave us to be the judge, my own personal conclusion is that, for years now, the NBA has focused less on promoting and fighting for the values of good governance, democracy, judicial independence, human rights and the rule of law.

    “These are some of the concerning facts: Never in our political history has Nigeria been so badly governed and denied of good governance with the Federal Government woefully failing in its basic duties to provide for the wellbeing and security of its own citizens as we have experienced in the last six years.”

    Wike accused the Federal Government of continuing to undermine the welfare of judicial officers with poor remunerations.

    “The struggle for a better deal for our judicial officers is one the NBA must champion with utmost priority and commitment before it’s too late in the day to rescue it from total collapse,” he said.

    Wike began his speech by throwing jabs at Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, describing them as factional leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in their States.

    Omo-Agege, in his speech, fired back, asking Wike to extend his best wishes to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus, who has been at loggerheads with the Governor.

  • A Citizens Guide On How To Become President Of Nigeria, By Magnus Onyibe

    A Citizens Guide On How To Become President Of Nigeria, By Magnus Onyibe

    By Magnus Onyibe

    To become the president of Nigeria, you have to be a citizen of the country by birth. You don’t have to have Royal blood. Being a blue blood could have been a pre-condition if our country was a monarchy. But Nigeria operates a democratic system of government . And the nation is governed by rule of law in a democratic setting that is guided by the underlying principle of general elections driven by one man, one vote , and majority carries the vote as the grand norm.

    The criteria for becoming the president of Nigeria is well laid out in the 1999 constitution as amended in 2018.

    The conditions are that you must be : a citizen of Nigeria by birth; have attained the age of 35 years; be a member of a political party and sponsored by that political party; have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. There are other granular and technical details such as winning 2/3 majority of votes spread across all the geographical zones in the country to be declared a winner in a presidential election in Nigeria .

    Since independence from British rule in 1960, our country has been democratically led by a prime minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1960-66) and five presidents- Shehu Shagari, (1979 -1983) Olusegun Obasanjo, (1999-2007) and Umaru Yar’adua, (2007-2010) as well as Goodluck Jonathan, (2010-15) plus the incumbent Mohammadu Buhari,(2015-till date).

    Apart from the first republic when the leaders were more or less aristocrats especially in the northern region where feudalism was the prevalent system of governance , subsequent leaders have been ordinary folks like you-the reader and l, who strove to become president of Nigeria through dogged determination or were thrown up by political circumstances.

    After the civil war (1967-70) , and the military interregnum, Nigeria returned to multiparty democracy in 1979 with Shehu Shagari , a retired school teacher from Sokoto, former member of federal House of Representatives and one time cabinet minister in charge of economic development in 1971 ( he replaced Obafemi Awolowo in the cabinet) under the watch of Army General , Yakubu Gowon, as military head of state.

    This suggests that even a school teacher can be the president of Nigeria if he/she works diligently to attain the lofty height . The next democratically elected president of Nigeria is ex military head of state , Army General , Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He had ruled Nigeria as a junta from 1976-79 after another military head of state , General Muritala Mohamed was assassinated in a bloody coup detat.

    Obasanjo later returned as a democratically elected president in 1999.

    It is note worthy that Obasanjo who was succeeded by Umar Yar’adua in 2007 was (as men and women in uniform along with their civilian counterparts joke amongst themselves , a ‘bloody’ soldier with a humble beginning.

    Umaru Yar’adua that was Nigeria’s number one citizen from 2007 to 2010 before he passed away while still in his first term in office, was also simply a teacher. Aided by the virtue of his family pedigree, Yar’adua became the governor of katsina state and after a successful two term tenure, he got elected president of Nigeria in 2007.

    The Vice President of Nigeria under Yar’adua , Goodluck Jonathan, another academic/researcher became the president of Nigeria (2010-2015).

    Thereafter, Mohammadu Buhari , also an ex military head of state , took over the reigns of power as president of Nigeria and he will be holding sway until May, 2023.

    What is remarkable in the brief presidential chronicle above is that our compatriots who became president were mainly teachers and members of the armed forces who were particularly ordinary folks before they became number one citizens of our great country at various points in time.

    So it is essential to point out that , without exception, every Nigerian , irrespective of tribe or creed can become the president of our country .

    In the case of Umaru Yar’adua, he became president largely by virtue of his family pedigree as his elder brother Shehu Yar’adua had been no 2 citizen under Obasanjo’s military regime, even as his father Umaru Yar’adua snr, had been a cabinet minister in charge of Lagos affairs during Nigeria’s first republic(1960-66)

    As for Goodluck Jonathan , providence played a significant role in his emergence as president of Nigeria.

    It is a position that he legally assumed following the introduction of the famous ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ by the National Assembly, NASS.

    The new law cured the leadership lacuna created by the unexpected demise of a seating president without the transmission of presidential power to the Vice President which at that time was not automatic.

    The point being made here is that , of the five personalities that have been president of Nigeria since independence, three were school teachers and two have been soldiers.

    What that amazing statistics suggest is that it is not rocket science for anybody to be the president of Nigeria as long as he/she meets the minimum criteria set out in the 1999 constitution earlier highlighted.

    However, to become the president of Nigeria one has to be popular. In other words , the person has to have national name recognition. That is simply because , (believe it or not) running for the presidency of Nigeria is a popularity contest of a sort. For instance , Yar’adua was aided by family pedigree as both his father and elder brother had occupied public offices nationally .

    Similarly, it was easier for both Obasanjo and Buhari to become presidents because they had at some point in time been thrust into national consciousness as military heads of state. The very popular, Moshood Kashimawo Okikiola Abiola nearly became president of Nigeria because of his popularity that is anchored on his philanthropy, active involvement in the sponsorship of sporting activities, including owning a football club- Abiola Babes and a national newspaper,The Concord.

    In my personal assessment, being all that the iconic M.K.O Abiola was, is one genuine and practical pathway to becoming the president of Nigeria.

    As a testament to the popularity and political savviness of Abiola, he defeated his opponent, Dawakin Tofa in Kano -a conservative traditional Hausa/Fulani political stronghold.

    That is perhaps why the 1993 presidential elections, which was annulled before the result could be announced, is adjudged as the most authentic election in Nigeria till date.

    A further validation of the fact that the competition for political office is a sort of popularity contest can be found in the emergence of president Donald Trump a billionaire, real estate mogul and television game show host as president in the United States of America , USA (2017-21)

    Before Trump, there was Ronald Reagan (1981-9) an ex American movie star who served as the 40th president of the USA.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger, an Austrian born American body builder who later became an action movie star also emerged the governor of California-the biggest and richest state in the USA(2003-11). He could have vied for the presidency, but for the fact that he was not born in the USA (but in Austria) which is a prerequisite for becoming the president of that country.

    A former wrestler and movie star, Jesse Ventura also won the governorship of the state of Minnesota, USA (1999-2003) on the basis of popularism.

    In Ukraine , a comedian who played president on television , Volodymyr Zelensky became the president of his country in 2019 based on his popularity.

    Back in Africa , George Oppong Weah, ex football star is currently the president of the west African country, Liberia.
    A role he has played since 2017.

    Were it not for the viciousness of the current president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni who reportedly applied repressive and anti democracy measures to intimidate his main rival in the last presidential race, a popular musician, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu – better known by his stage name Bobi Wine , was on track to becoming the president of Uganda in January, 2021.

    All these developments buttress the fact that popularity plays a significant role in winning the presidency anywhere in the world.

    Another curious discovery about becoming the president of Nigeria would be that the southerners who have so far become presidents- Obasanjo and Jonathan got there, somehow by default: Obasanjo became head of state in 1976 because Murtala Mohamed got assassinated and he stepped into his boss’s shoes, just as Jonathan was president only because president Yar’adua , his boss, suddenly passed away in office too. So he got elevated to the status via the instrumentality of the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’.

    Would a southern presidential candidate without the backing of northern politicians be able to win the presidency of Nigeria ?

    This rhetorical question speaks to the claim made by Hakeem Baba-Ahmed , the spokesman of Northern Elders Forum, NEF , in a media interview to the effect that the northern region holds the ace in determining who becomes the president of Nigeria:

    “We will lead Nigeria the way we have led Nigeria before, whether we are President or Vice President, we will lead Nigeria. We have the majority of the votes and the democracy says vote whom you want.” Although he has practically walked back that confrontational stance which was countered by southern nationalists who interpreted the caustic comment as suggesting that the north is claiming the entitlement to perpetually rule Nigeria, it is an absurd position of which most leading lights in the north have already distanced themselves and acknowledged as being at best, whimsical.

    If it is impossible for a southerner, lgbo or Yoruba to become president of Nigeria without a push by northerners , who is the north propping up for the role of president of Nigeria in 2023?

    That is a billion dollar question which would be responded to on October 31, when the main opposition political party , the PDP holds her national convention and in December when the ruling party , APC would equally hold their convention.

    Although presidential power play is largely about popularity, it also significantly utilizes conspiracies and alliances as the oxygen and blood for positioning popular candidates for victory in presidential polls .

    The aforementioned political life giving elements are infused into the political system by gadflies,kingmakers or godfathers who provide the political structures nationwide and the financial muscle for their candidates (which can go as high as one hundred billion naira) to become president of Nigeria.

    While the role of godfathers in Nigerian political space can be said to be visceral , it appears to have become entrenched as most Nigerian politicians seem to have acquiesced with it.

    In the final analysis, it should be borne in mind that this piece is part of my soon to be released book “How To Become President Of Nigeria:A Citizen’s Guide” and it is only a practical guide.
    Further technical guidance on how to become president of Nigeria can be gleaned from the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2018 and the electoral act 2010 amended in 2021 and awaiting presidential assent.

     

    ONYIBE, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, development strategist, alumnus of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts university, Massachusetts, USA and a former commissioner in Delta state government, sent this piece from Lagos.
    The conversation continues on: www.magnum.ng

  • I’ll run for Barca president again – Bartomeu

    I’ll run for Barca president again – Bartomeu

    Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu regrets not being more aggressive in the transfer market in 2019.

    The ex-president admits to wishing he had started to change things as soon as the Blaugrana fell to their humiliating Champions League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

    “Not assessing things after the Liverpool loss was a mistake,” Bartomeu confessed to Esport3 “We had to have a generational change.

    “I listened to the players and I was wrong. We were at our limit financially and then the pandemic caught us all by surprise.”

    Bartomeu oversaw a number of transfers in his last few years at the club that didn’t exactly go to plan, as well as a failed attempt to sign Kylian Mbappe.

    “His [Mbappe’s] signing was on the table,” Bartomeu said, before passing the blame, “but the coaches preferred [Ousmane] Dembele because they wanted a player who could open up the pitch.

    “Some of those we signed haven’t met expectations. There were players who cost a lot of money, but these things happen in football. When these two players [Dembele and Philippe Coutinho] were signed, they were applauded by everyone.

    “Coutinho came because [Andres] Iniesta was leaving. He was the Premier League’s best player. Dembele came because of Neymar’s exit.

    “As for [Antoine] Griezmann, the coaches asked for him and insisted on his signing for a year, they thought he was essential to bring in because Luis Suarez was injured a lot that season. He was a different forward, a global star, and a team player.”

    Bartomeu has also announced he intends to again run for the presidency.

    “I will present myself for elections again,” Bartomeu said. “I have spent 12 seasons with the club, with [Joan] Laporta, [Sandro] Rosell and then as president myself.”

  • 2023: We Want North Central to Produce President, not Party Chairman – Ex-PDP Chair, Baraje

    2023: We Want North Central to Produce President, not Party Chairman – Ex-PDP Chair, Baraje

    Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has stated that notwithstanding the zone that eventually gets the nod of the party leaders to produce the next national chairman, qualified sons, and daughters of the North Central zone will vie for the 2023 Presidential ticket.

    Baraje in a statement in Abuja noted that the North Central zone will follow to the letter the earlier declaration of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that zoning of Party offices will not affect who flies the party flags for various elective offices.

    He noted that the people of the zone aspire to produce the next President of Nigeria and that it has produced five national chairmen already for the party while there is a zone in the North that is yet to produce a substantive national chairman.

    He also advised that the PDP should sustain its tradition of justice, equity, and fairness by ensuring that the zone which has not produced a substantive national chairman in the North is allowed to present a solid candidate capable of leading the party to victory in the next election.

    He added that the North Central has produced five national chairmen in the 23-year history of the PDP while the North East has produced two. The North West has produced only one interim chairman and a caretaker chairman.

    “From late Chief Solomon Lar, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Dr. Ahmadu Alli, Chief Barnabas Gemade, and myself, all of us from North Central have led the party at different times. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alhaji Adamu Muazu from North East have emerged as national chairman while Dr. Haliru Bello spent only one year as acting chairman with Sen. Ahmed Makarfi serving as caretaker chairman. With this history, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the North West is most suitable to produce the next chairman.

    “We have noted that some leaders outside the North Central zone are scheming and exerting a lot of energy to push the national chairmanship position to the North Central Zone to ensure that the post is not in their zone. If the chairman eventually comes from the North Central Zone, it is just an extra for us. Presidential aspirants from the zones will still vie for the post.

    “Let it be noted that it is our position in the North Central zone that we stand by the earlier announcement by the party leadership that the presidential ticket will be free for all qualified aspirants to seek. We believe the party should respect its publicly declared position.

    “It is not in the interest of the party for leaders to impose their will on the people. Leaders must consult widely and ensure that their decisions reflect the will and aspiration of the people on any issue. The issue of how we source the leadership of our party and who flies the flag of the party in the general election should reflect the wishes and aspirations of the people. Leaders must act in the best interest of the party and the nation. Anything short of that is courting needless crisis”, Baraje stated.

  • We remain committed to promoting athletes, says Karate president

    We remain committed to promoting athletes, says Karate president

    Silas Agara, the President, Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), has assured of his commitment towards ensuring that his athletes are given adequate attention and exposure.

    Agara, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of boards of national sports federations in Abuja, said that the end of the inaugural ceremony signaled a call to duty to take on new challenges and responsibilities.

    “We thank God for the smooth and transparent process from the elections all the way to our inauguration.

    “I must say that the speech of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development was indeed very apt and a challenge to us. It is now time for us to roll up our sleeves and get ready for the work ahead.

    “I want to assure you that the road is not going to be smooth, but we won’t be distracted as my board members and I intend to remain focused on both our short and long term goals and objectives.

    “We have a mandate to supervise the development of athletes practicing our sport and make sure that their welfare is also well taken care of.

    “Top on our priority list therefore is the welfare of our athletes as well as partnership with the private sector, the branding of our sport and scouting for talents,” he said.

    The former Deputy governor of Nasarawa State stressed that he and his board would not rest on their oars and past achievements but continue to make all necessary sacrifices to ensure a brighter future for karate and the career of the young athletes.

    “We have done well and gotten commendations from the ministry too but the fact that we have done well only calls for more responsibilities to our sport and the athletes.

    “We have lined up lots of activities for 2021 and have been able to execute them but we still have a few more to do between now and the end of the year.

    “We will also immediately be looking at our calendar for 2022 to outline our activities ahead of time so as to quickly identify our sources of income and work out our budget,” he said. (

  • JUST IN: Guinea coup leader, Col Doumbouya sworn in as President

    JUST IN: Guinea coup leader, Col Doumbouya sworn in as President

    Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who led last month’s coup in Guinea, was sworn in as interim president on Friday promising to respect the West African state’s international commitments while transitioning to civilian rule.

    Doumbouya, who led the overthrow of president Alpha Conde on September 5, was sworn in by Supreme Court head Mamadou Sylla for a transition period of unspecified length.

    The new interim president spoke of his “commitment” that neither he nor any member of the junta would stand in any future elections that the military have promised to organise after the transition period.

    His administration’s mission is to “refound the state” he said, by drafting a new constitution, fighting corruption, reforming the electoral system and then organising “free, credible and transparent” elections.

    He once again said nothing at the time of his swearing in about how long he will remain the interim leader.

    The new president also promised to “respect all the national and international commitments to which the country has subscribed.”

    Wearing a beige dress uniform, red beret and dark glasses, the new national leader also vowed to “loyally preserve national sovereignty” and to “consolidate democratic achievements, guarantee the independence of the fatherland and the integrity of the national territory”.

    The ceremony was held at the Mohammed-V palace in Conakry on the eve of a public holiday celebrating the 1958 declaration of independence from France.

    Doumbouya will serve as transitional president until the country returns to civilian rule, according to a blueprint unveiled by the junta on Monday that does not mention a timeline.