Opinion

APC Zoning Arrangement :A Knot Too Tough To Untie

Published

3 years ago

April 15, 2021

By Bala Ibrahim.

Yesterday, Wednesday 14/04/21, the social media was awash with a breaking news about a new zoning arrangement for the ruling APC, come 2023. But no sooner than the social media release, the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party, came out with a counter statement, distancing itself from the zoning arrangement list in circulation.

According to the disowned list, the presidential ticket is zoned to the South, Vice President – North, Senate President – South, Deputy Senate President – North, while the Speaker – North and Deputy Speaker – South.

For the National Working Committee zoning, the list showed that the north will produce the National Chairman, National Secretary – South, National Treasurer – South, Financial Secretary – North, Legal Officer – North and Welfare Officer – South.

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Whether true or false, the disowned arrangement is a reflection of the political pulse of the country, and the APC would find it as a knot too tough to untie.

Since the annulment of the June 12 election of 1993, the election that was adjudged to be Nigeria’s freest and fairest, and one that was cancelled by the then President of the day, Gen.Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Nigeria has been struggling with stress, in search of solution out of the precarious and politically entrapped position it found itself.

The predicament had resulted in many political experiments, with the then acceptable, even though not the best, being the idea of power rotation, between the geographical north and the geographical south.

Following the death of General Sani Abacha in 1998, his successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, began the transition process, which led to Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. The ban on political activities was lifted, and political parties were formed in accordance with the constitution, which was styled after the pattern of the second republic of 1979.

Cashing in on the sentiments that followed the June 12 annulment, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, founded in 1998, by members of numerous groups and organizations, including the G-18 and G-34, moved to the north, and in it’s first presidential primary election held in Jos, nominated former military leader Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who had just been released from prison, and who happens to be from the same state with late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12 election, as the presidential candidate in the elections of February 1999.

Obasanjo, in consultation with the party’s strategists, quickly picked Atiku Abubakar (then Governor-elect of Adamawa State) and a former leading member of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, as his running mate. They won the presidential election easily, and were inaugurated on the 29th of May 1999.

Using the same sentiment of power shift, the PDP held sway for 16 years, until the 28th of March 2015, when the party was defeated by the opposition APC, and Muhammadu Buhari became the President.

But still, the political problems continued, mostly rotating around the same pendulum of power shift, with restructuring as a recurring weapon of threat.

The argument of the advocates for the power shift and the clamourers for political zoning is that, for the practice of liberal democracy to be peaceful and successful, the mechanism for power-sharing must not only oscillate between north and south, but be seen to be ethno-regionally balanced.

Short of calling for the introduction of the policy of one country two systems, many political pundits believe the power shift arrangement, which, although seen as an elites’ strategy to negotiate continued participation in the political process and access to the national wealth, is the only panacea for maintaining peaceful political order in Nigeria today.

So for the ruling APC, it is a knot too tough to untie now.

Some adventurists are of the believe that, by virtue of it’s numerical strength, the north can retain power, through a negotiated alliance, but methinks that too is too tough to try.

Many APC stake holders, including Governors like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Aminu Masari of Katsina state and Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, are openly in support of power shift to the south.

According to Governor Aminu Masari, the Southern region of the country should produce the next President, arguing that a non-northerner should succeed President Buhari in 2023, in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice.

Masari’s position trailed the views of other APC chieftains, who have maintained that there is an agreement on zoning, amongst whom is the former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume. Senator Ndume said the retention of the presidency in the North in 2023 would amount to a third term.

As for the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, it would be ungentlemanly for power to remain in the north, so the APC must heed the advice and keep to previous agreements made to shift power to the southern part of the country in the next administration.

Even non politicians, like the respectable former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, have joined the clamour for such power shift. Gen. Gowon is calling for both zoning and rotational presidency among the six geo-political zones. He said, rotating the office is key to peace, tranquillity and development, suggesting that Nigeria should henceforth, have two vice presidents, saying that one of them should come from the zone producing the President and the other elected into power during the presidential election.

Yes, the APC can disown the statement on paper, but in the real sense of things, it is a reflection of the political pulse of the country, and a knot too tough to untie, I think.

Opinion

Exposing the fraud in NASS budget-Jaafar Jaafar

Published

4 days ago

May 2, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By Jaafar Jaafar

In an unprecedented budget fraud, the National Assembly has appropriated N370 billion on running costs, contingency, vague and duplicated projects for the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

I’m not talking about the hundreds of billions of naira padded in other ministries, departments and agency, but what they budgeted for their welfare and running of the National Assembly.

In the N370 billion NASS budget, the lawmakers duplicated projects and created new, unnecessary projects that increased the budget from N170billion in 2023 to N370 billion this year.

In budget (under Statutory Transfers ), the NASS budgeted 36,727,409,155 for the National Assembly Office; N49,144,916,519 for the Senate; N78,624,487169 for the House of Representatives; N12,325,901,366 for the National Assembly Service Commission and; N20,388,339,573 for Legislative Aides.

A senator recently told me that each of them (and members of the House of Reps) is entitled to five aides, while the four presiding officers (Senate President, Speaker and their deputies) have at least 3,000 aides. In total, you are talking about over 5,000 aides!

Despite the foregoing, the NASS budgeted N30,807,475,470 for “General Services” and N15billion as “Service-Wide Vote” – known in administrative parlance as “contingency” or “security vote”. The NASS never had anything like service-wide vote in the past as “service-wide vote” is always exclusive to the Executive arm. Insiders said this is a clear case of budget padding as the purpose for the huge appropriations are vague.

Even the retired clerks and perm secs (despite receiving their pensions) are not left out in this public funds buffet as they got N1.2billion padded for them.

Apart from padding the intangibles, the NASS will spend N4billion to build recreation center; about N6billion to furnish committee rooms for the two chambers and; another N6billion to build car parks for senators and members (don’t ask me whether they lack any parking space).

And despite this, the lawmakers padded N30 billion in the FCDA budget for “Completion of NASS Chambers” and N20billion for “completion of NASS Service Commission”! In the same budget, the lawmakers set aside another N10billion (under NASS budget) for the completion of National Assembly Service Commission building! How did this happen? No be juju be dis?

Still hungry to devour public resources, the avaricious parliamentarians budgeted another N3billion for the “Upgrade of NASS Key Infrastructures”. How come? What about the N30billion budgeted for “Completion of NASS Chambers”?

NASS Library Complex, named after President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, got N12billion as take-off grant and another N3billion for purchase of books.

Like other institutions under NASS, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies got N9billion without clearly stating how or where the resources will apply to. The same institute also got another N4.5billion (is this ‘jara’?) for completion of its headquarters.

Despite the dedicated powerline and powerful generators backing up power supply in the National Assembly, the lawmakers budgeted N4billion to install solar power system. I guess this will give them a reason to pad billions for the purchase of batteries every year.

The committee that superintended this butchery of public resources, the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House of Reps, got N200m each for a job well done.

Opinion

Workers’ Day and The Nigerian Workers In Perspective

Published

5 days ago

May 1, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo

Every 1st of May workers celebrate their day globally .It is always a day of reflection, celebration and emancipation of workers around the world.

In Nigeria,May Day as a holiday was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980.Afterwards it became a national holiday on May 1, 1981

Before venturing to restrict myself to Nigerian workers let me take a broad look at how May Day emerged in the world.Workers’ Day, stemmed in part, from an ancient European Spring festival,but its modern manifestations arise from the organised efforts of socialist and communist groups to establish a time for honouring workers and the working class.To be specific, the holiday was first promoted by the International Workers Association in 1904 to commemorate the slaughter of protesting labourers in Haymarket Square in Chicago ,United States of America in 1886 and it was to be a day to push for the eight-hour work day and other demands.

The date May 1st was chosen because,in the USA, the eighth- hour workday first came into effect on that date in 1886.It was predicated on the demands of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labour Unions.There was a general strike and a riot in Chicago in 1886, and eventually, the eight -hour workday was legally recognised.

Many people tend to attend the National May Day celebration in Abuja and other State capitals.The president or State Governors would be there as the case may be to make a speech, and thousand would fill the Eagle Square or state stadium to listen to the President or Governor.Some people attend number of other events that hold across Nigeria on May Day,organized by schools,labour unions,hospitals,and other various institutions.People use the day for relaxation since it is a public holiday.

In Nigeria,some people participate in nationwide marches and rallies on workers’ Day or Labour Day.More often their major concerns are usually to clamour for an increase in the minimum wage,an end to workers being left unpaid for months,the need for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years ,and the necessity for government action to address the high unemployment rates of recent years, and the need to move Nigeria off of over dependence on petroleum exports.

On a May Day in Nigeria, politicians and labour leaders will give out speeches on the strength and the challenges of Nigerian economy , and on how to improve it for the general good of the country.

It is significant to say that Nigerian workers both in public and private sectors are facing enormous challenges.The disparity in the salary structure and irregular payments of salary as witnessed before the coming of Buhari’s administration in 2015, where a lot of state Governors could not pay their workers for several months.

The Buhari administration ensured that bailouts were given to states to enable them offset their unpaid salaries to workers.That was a plus for the Daura man administration.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s administration has also sustained the legacies of prompt payment of workers salaries in the last one year.It is expected , because even as Lagos State Governor he had no history of owing workers.

In a larger context, welfare of Nigerian workers are not properly taken care of, most especially those in private sectors.There are situations where teachers in private schools are being paid peanuts as salaries,whereas the owners or proprietors charge the parents homongous school fees.This is not a hearsay I was once in that shoe as an English language teacher.

The area where the civil servants in both Federal and States are feeling the heats is the non regular payment of promotion arrears.According to sources some agencies under federal government are being owed promotion arrears since 2018.This is not a healthy practice, though some sources said the federal government has put the payment in batches and it is now being paid bit by bit.In some states the promotions are not even implemented let alone payment of its arrears

As Nigerian workers join others around the world to mark 2024 workers’ Day,it is expected that the ongoing negotiation by the federal government and labour leaders on new minimum wage will yield good results.

It is imperative to say that the Federal Government should fix the economy for the collective good and progress of the country.No minimum wage can ameliorate poverty, if there is consistent economic instability.

The level of inflation ravaging Nigerian economy is worrisome.Any minimum wage that is less than hundred thousand naira today won’t make any appreciable impacts in the lives of average Nigerian workers.

Essentially,Corruption can only be tackled effectively and holistically,if there is a reasonable living wage for the civil servants.You can’t fight corruption in a country where workers welfare and retirement package are relegated to the background.According to the human rights lawyer,Femi Falana ” corruption cannot be meaningfully fought by governments that pay poor wages to workers,owe workers and pensioners arrears.”

To the NLC and TUC leaders, providing sincere leadership is key to the quality ,emancipation and progress of Nigerian workers.Adam Oshiomhole was an example of a good labour leader in the history of Nigeria.He stood for the workers even in the face of oppression.So the current leaders should take a cue from his tireless comradeship for the benefit of Nigerian workers.

Nigeria is a blessed country and a land of prosperity; her workers have no reason for penurious lives.

Happy Workers’ Day

abdurraheemsaaddembo@gmail.com

Opinion

Minimum Wage Increment: Be Proactive My Governor.

Published

6 days ago

April 30, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf

By-Abba Hamisu Sani

1st of May every year is a special day for workers in Nigeria working with the government or with the Private sector.

The main issue ahead of this year’s celebrations is the expectation of the new minimum wage Increment.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce the new salary scale as Vice President Senator Kashim Shatima hinted recently that by the 1st of May, the new minimum wage will be ready for implementation.

Here I want to salute the courage exhibited by the Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki who has increased the minimum wage for workers in the state from 40,000 naira to 70,000 naira ahead of the 2024 Workers Day celebrations.

This prompted my attention to urge my state governor Abba Yusuf to follow the suit of Edo State governor in this direction.

Kano workers suffered a lot in the hands of the immediate past administration, ranging from different kinds of deductions which causes uncertainty on the amount to be collected by a worker and even pensioners every month.

Governor Abba if you do the same as Obasaki, the Kano people will be happy with you as it will boost the state economy and currency circulation.

It is very imperative at this time to be proactive and not wait for the Federal government announcement before taking your step in making Kano workers happy.

Infrastructural development is quite needed but at this time social security is the most critical as it has been said “A hungry man is an angry man”.

Workers’ salaries are too low to cater to their basic needs, such as food, rent, transportation, and school fees for their children while they see politicians cruising in jeeps and other expensive cars.

Finally, Governor Yusuf remember that these workers have sacrificed a lot during the 2023 elections to see that you emerged as Kano governor.

Is very important to consider their plight at this moment of critical economic hardship.

I urged all comrades in different forms of struggle including civil society Forum to join me in pushing the Kano State government to implement a new minimum wage in a dignified manner as the Edo State governor did.

Abba Hamisu Sani is a
Media Consultant /CEO Time Base TvAfrica & Africa Press.
Can be reached via timebasetv@gmail.com