The Commissioner for information and orientation in Ondo state, Donald Ojogo, has resigned.
His resignation followed directive by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu earlier on Tuesday directing those among political appointees nursing ambition in 2023 to quit within 48 hours.
The secretary to the state government, Mrs Oladunni Odu stated this in a memo dated 11th April ,2022 and addressed to all Political Appointees in the state.
In his resignation letter, Ojogo said he was resigning because he wanted to contest the House of Representatives seat for Ilaje/ Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections under the ruling party in the state, All Progressive Party (APC).
Ojogo said he was resigning in line with the provisions of Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“My resignation is sequel to the 2022 Electoral Act Section 84 (12) as amended and the circular received from the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
“I wish to write and tender my resignation as Honourable Commissioner in the Government of Ondo State to enable me to pursue my aspiration to run for the office of the House of Representatives in the National Assembly come 2023.”
Ojogo, an Ijaw from the riverine area, Arogbo, was appointed a commissioner during the first term of Governor Akeredoku and reappointed last year.
He was formerly deputy Chief of Staff attached to the office of the former deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.
Wife of Ekiti state Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi has revealed that the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, otherwise known as Moremi Clinic, built by the present administration in Ado Ekiti now attracts people from neighbouring states of Kwara, Ondo and Osun.
According to her, the centre was constructed and equipped with professionals and facilities to attend to victims of rape and other sexual violence free of charge.
Speaking on a radio programme on Tuesday, the Ekiti state first lady pointed out that rape victims from neighbouring states like Kwara, Ondo and Osun have been coming to the Centre to access treatment, counselling and legal services without paying any kobo and to give them a new lease of life.
Erelu Fayemi added that a 208-bed Shelter and Vocational Centre for women and children in distress has also been put in place to provide a temporary abode and skills acquisition platform for victims chased away from their homes.
She said that the state government also established a Gender Based Violence Survivors Fund to assist victims to resettle and live a normal life.
She advocated a stoppage to violence against women and children in the state.
Erelu Fayemi called on parents and religious leaders to join the campaign against domestic violence and abuse of women, expressing regrets on the killing of a popular gospel musician, Osinachi Nwachukwu by her husband.
“It is better to leave an abusive marriage than to lose one’s life. When you are being abused, leave that home temporarily at least to save your life.
“Let our religious leaders talk to our men to stop violence against their wives. When you are in a church where they are telling you to stay in an abusive marriage, leave that church and go to another church. Your life is important to you.”
The Governor’s wife also appealed to the people of the state to vote massively for the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) during June election to allow some programmes of the present administration to be sustained.
Erelu Fayemi said the Dr. Kayode Fayemi Administration has bettered the lives of women, children and the aged in Ekiti with various policies, programmes and empowerments noting that a vote for the APC candidate, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji would ensure their continuity beyond October 16, 2022.
She stated that the gains recorded in the first tenure of her husband between 2010 and 2014 could not be sustained by the succeeding government as the Gender Based Management Committee became moribund after Dr. Fayemi left office in 2014.
Erelu Fayemi added that a vote for Oyebanji is a vote for continuity of good welfare package for the less privileged, women, children and the aged who had enjoyed support and care in the last three and half years.
“How can we sustain our good works? I believe Ekiti people love what Governor Fayemi is doing and they also love what this Government is doing. We want you to vote for our party (APC), we want you to vote for BAO (Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji).
“Dr. Yemi Oyebanji is a good woman, she will sustain our good legacies. I have been taking her around to see what we have been doing and I believe that she will do well for our people as well.”
Erelu Fayemi explained that she has influenced the passage of six bills into law at the State House of Assembly which have enhanced the status of women and children and also protected them against victimisation and dehumanisation.
The laws, according to her, include Gender Based Violence Law, Equal Opportunities Law, HIV Anti-Stigma Law, Treatment, Care and Protection Law for Sexually Abused Minors and Gender Composition Law which affirm 35 per cent representation for women in political positions.
The First Lady noted that the Cooperative Scheme set up in all the local government areas of the state has provided 3,544 poor women with access to credit facilities to boost their businesses while also serving as a platform for a virile political participation for women.
She disclosed that more women were elected into political positions in the last Local Government elections in the State as three (3) of them were elected as chairpersons, fourteen (14) as vice chairpersons and forty three(43) as councillors.
Erelu Fayemi said Ekiti now has a woman, Mrs. Peju Babafemi as the Head of Service, for the first time in history while the House of Assembly also has four female lawmakers who were elected at the last general elections.
The Governor’s wife revealed that over 1,000 aged persons benefit from a food support programme known as “Ounje Arugbo” in all the local government areas of the state to give them succour.
Information is trickling down from the meeting held between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal government Monday evening over the almost two months strike action embarked by the former.
The meeting was said to have been attended only by the ASUU Renegotiation Committee.
The Federal Government’s position was for renegotiation of the disputed welfare package for university workers “in line with current realities” and ASUU insisted that the renegotiated package must be implemented. The committee, according to Ngige, the Labor Minister, has a six week mandate as stipulated by the Memorandum of Action, MoA, of the Unions.
Indications were that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, held unto this position during the meeting with FG and ASUU renegotiation committee Monday.
According to Ngige, Government frowns at the approach by ASUU in pursuing its demands.
This Magazine reported that the Federal Government invited ASUU to a meeting Monday over the lingering strike action by the former over welfare. But the meeting was attended by the 2009 Renegotiation Committee.
During the meeting, Ngige advised the leadership of ASUU to find a better way of putting pressures on the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission, NUC, to pursue implementation of agreements reached with the government instead of “rushing to strike” every time there was a disagreement.
“I am not Minister of Education. I cannot go to the Education Minister and dictate to him how to run his place. But I told ASUU that you should be bombarding them at the Federal Ministry of Education for this to be moved forward.
“There are many ways to do so. If you go to the labour act, there is something called picketing. You can picket. The strike is an ultimate thing. Picketing means that you can stay in the corridor, clapping or singing. Workers are permitted to do so.
“But I am tired of every time there is a disagreement, it is a strike. And the bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education don’t feel the strike. It is the children and some of us parents that have our children in public schools” he said.
“Why won’t I support if ASUU and their Unions now want a renegotiation of their conditions of service, which is the main thing in the proposal by the previous Committee.”
Chairman of the 2009 FG and university-based union renegotiation Committee, Prof. Nimi Briggs said his Committee is consulting all the stakeholders with a view to finding an amicable solution to the ASUU dispute.
Meanwhile, the ASUU zonal coordinator, Dr Salawu Lawal, says there will be no end to the strike untill their demands sre met.
According to him, public Universities will not resume until the renegotiated 2009 agreement is signed and implemented.
Also the University Transparency and Accountability Solution must be deployed before they csn call off the strike.
Lawal said this during a press conference at the University of Abuja in Gwagwalada.
“You would recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities declared a four-week rolling strike at the University of Lagos National Executive Council meeting held on Feb. 14″, he said.
“Owing to the failure of the Federal Government to act within that period, the national action was rolled over for another eight weeks following the resolution taken at an emergency NEC meeting at the Festus Iyayi National Secretariat on March 14.
“The action as you are probably aware is to among other things, compel the Federal Government to sign and implement the draft renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement submitted to it by the Prof. Munzali Committee since May 2021.
“As usual, the Federal Government has ignored ASUU’s call for full implementation of that famous agreement and other memoranda signed with the union.
“No meeting has been held between the two parties since the commencement of the ongoing strike. The only exception is our union’s re-submission of UTAS for a retest.
“The summary is that unless and until the renegotiated 2009 agreement is signed and implemented and UTAS deployed, there will be no work in public universities,” Lawal said.
Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has given political office holders interested in contesting for positions during 2023 elections till Thursday, 14th April 2022 to resign from their offices.
Secretary to the Ondo state government, (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu stated this in a memo dated 11th April ,2022 and addressed to all Political Appointees in the state.
The Memo said: “As you are aware, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency ,Gen Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) has signed the amended Electoral bill Into Law and the independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has released guidelines on the conduct of the impending general elections thereby signaling the commencement of intense political activities both at the Federal and State levels:
“Consequently, and In line with the provision of section 84 (12) of the electoral act, 2022.
“Political and public office holders desirous of participating in the political process either as a contestant for elective positions or as delegate should resign their appointments on or before Thursday. 14th April 2022.
“This is for your Information and strict compliance, pIease.”
The Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo is among those that have been working underground at their Constituencies to convince electorate on their next political adventure.
Ojogo, from Ese Odo local government is said to be eyeing the Ilaje/Ese Odo seat at the House of Representatives
I can wager that at first mention, his name is not known within political circles. It sounds esoteric and so, would not elicit much interest, beyond the ‘Rich’ appellation attached to it.
But if anyone has heard about the name Belemaoil, chances are that given Nigeria’s oil propelled economy, the company, though hardly a household name, sure rings a bell.
Yet, the name, Tein Jack-Rich and Belemaoil share an affinity. They are consanguineous. One and the same; the former is the promoter of the latter. The big name behind the oil giant. By way of recapitulation, Jack-Rich is the President/Founder of Belemaoil Producing Limited, arguably the first indigenous oil exploration and production company in Nigeria to emerge from an oil producing community located deep in the heart of the Niger Delta: Kula in Akuku-Toru LGA of Rivers state.
Born on January 28, 1975, the Jack-Rich personae however does not revolve only around Belemaoil as the Operator of the NNPC/Belemaoil OML-55 Joint Venture. At 47, he is rather focussed on reengineering Nigeria and has therefore indicated interest in the 2023 presidential contest. His vehicle: The All Progressives Congress, APC.
Of the about half-a-dozen aspirants jostling for the APC presidential ticket, only Jack-Rich comes seemingly ready and well made, through what the famed novelist, the late Professor Chinua Achebe termed, “solid personal achievements.”
I wonder how many Nigerians have heard Jack-Rich speak. Perhaps, with the possible exception of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, one can vouchsafe that no other aspirant, across party divide, can match Jack-Rich’s oratorical prowess.
Unarguably, he can hold his audience spellbound and mesmerize them with the sheer mellifluity of his own expressions, dissecting and deconstructing otherwise complex issues in very sensible and practical ways.
As a matter of fact, he possesses the added advantage of enunciating and canvassing policies and programmes that resonate with the mass of the society.
While one is compelled to say that the other aspirants either had their palm kernels cracked for them by benevolence or benefited over time from public funds as former/current public office holders, it’s not so for Jack-Rich.
From the relatively tender age of 10, the challenges of adulthood was inexplicably foisted on Jack-Rich. Having lost both parents at that tender age, he had to meander through a labyrinth of the most chronic level of penury, and deprivation.
Toiling night and day, through thick and thin, fishing in the cold, rumbling seas of the Niger Delta was, for the most part of Jack-Rich’s adolescent life, the only means of eking out a living for himself and his siblings.
Through unwavering perseverance and an abiding faith in God, a window of opportunity opened for Jack-Rich at the age of 21, in 1996, when a Louisiana, United States of America, USA-based oilfield firm, Dickson International, offered him employment.
Twelve years afterwards, through a combination of hard work and honesty, Jack-Rich founded J+G Global Gas & Oilfield Limited. Several other subsidiaries quickly followed, each providing specialised services in “oil and gas related fields such as pipeline works, oil field personnel supply, oil producing facilities upgrade, gas processing facilities installation and production operations profiling for oil flow optimization, both offshore, swamp and onshore for USA, UK, Norway, Singapore and Nigeria based international operators and service providers.”
Goaded by his philanthropic disposition, and a desire to give back to society, he established the Belema and the Jack-Rich Foundation, through which he awarded scholarships to thousands of students, many of whom have graduated from schools in Canada, Ghana, Ukraine, the USA, UK, Malaysia, Nigeria, North Cyprus, and the Philippines.
Notedly, he has extended same selfless support across Nigeria, with footprints of industrial type potable water for struggling communities in three locations in each of the about 12 states chosen by his Foundation across the six geo political zones.
The completed and ongoing projects are located in Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kano, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Katsina, Sokoto, Enugu, Osun, Ondo and Rivers.
A multidimensional strategic thinker, motivator and firm believer in a Greater Nigeria, Jack-Rich holds the view that Nigeria is the economic trigger required to set the African continent on the path of sustainable growth and development.
Whenever the question about his foray into the seemingly murky waters of politics arises, Jack-Rich appears to have a ready made answer: “I’m not the owner of the wealth brought into my care; it is to impact generations positively and to serve humanity for the good of all. Wealth stockpiled without placing it in motion to create more wealth is stagnant wealth capable of causing toxins. It is destructive and can be a curse to me if I fail to create wealth for others.”
Would members of the APC, nay Nigerians, offer Jack-Rich the opportunity to live up to his name: jack up the rich potentials of the country?
The answer is tucked in the womb of time. But for sure, someone with the necessary prerequisites and appropriate credential for the top job can be found in Jack-Rich.
Hon. Ogene, a former member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC
Easter break embarked upon by Judges of the Federal High Court nationwide has led to the adjournment of the case filed by a Yoruba Self Determination Group, Ilana Omo Oodua to stop the Ekiti and Osun States Governorship elections.
Ekiti poll is slated for June, while that of Osun holds in July.
The Group, under Prof Banjo Akintoye, filed two suits at Federal High Courts in Ado-Ekiti and Osogbo, praying for a declaration that the current 1999 Constitution of Nigeria is illegal, invalid and of no effect whatsoever because no referendum was conducted before it was enacted.
The Activists, who are members of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, in the suits filed on their behalf by their Lawyer, Mr. Tolu Babaleye, has the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Defendants.
The Activists, are demanding for a total rejection of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria to pave way for a referendum so that the indigenous people of Yoruba Land can decide on their nationhood.
They are also praying for a categorical order that against the backdrop that the current Nigerian Constitution is illegal and invalid, INEC does not have the law that can be used to conduct elections anywhere in Yoruba Land.
The Activists want the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun Governorship Polls and all future elections to be stopped in Yoruba Land until a referendum is held to decide on the system they want for themselves within Nigeria and whether they even want to remain as Nigerians.
Communications Secretary of the Yoruba Group, Maxwell Adeleye confirmed in a statement to members that the case has been adjourned to no fixed date.
The statement : “This is to inform you that the mention of our case against the validity of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria earlier scheduled for Wednesday April 13th, 2022 at Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun-State has been adjourned till further notice.
“Our Lawyer informed us that Judges in all Federal High Courts nationwide have proceeded on Easter Break thus, the case will not be heard in the fixed date.
“We shall communicate the new date to you as soon as we receive a correspondent from the Lawyer.”
There was pandemonium in Fagba area of Lagos State, as loyalists of the newly appointed Chairman of Lagos Parks and Garages, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo engaged in a free for all fight with members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, over control of Lagos Parks.
Traders scampered for safety as loyalists of the Two Groups fought each other with dangerous weapons leading to series of injuries on both parties.
An eyewitness account disclosed that the fight occurred in a bid by the loyalists of MC Oluomo to officially take over the parks from NURTW, but this was met with resistance by those who were previously in-charge of the areas.
The clash which started mid day on Monday, and continued uninterrupted, degenerated and extended to Ogba in Ifako/Ijaiye and Pen Cinema where a yet to be ascertained number of people were injured.
It was gathered that traders in this areas are presently counting their losses, as the fight became an Avenue for area boys and street urchins to cart away goods.
One of the officials of the NURTW in this area who pleaded anonymity told this news medium that immediately Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Ol appointed MC Oluomo as the New Chairman of the Parks and Garages, they knew he was coming to cause chaos, exact authority and revenge his dismissal from the NURTW fold by the National Body.
According to him, “One of his loyalists from Yaya Abatan area was seen moving from garage to garage forcefully asking people to denounce their membership with NURTW and pitch their tent with ‘MC Oluomo’ but this came to its peak on Monday when some hoodlums arrived major parks simultaneously insisting that people denounce their membership with NURTW.
“This led to an altercation whereby those who refused to denounce their membership with NURTW were injured while others scampered for safety. Affected areas were Ogba, Ifako, Fagba and Pen Cinema where people including passersby were injured.” he said.
It was gathered that the crisis escalated at Pen Cinema, Agege, as hoodlums, wielding dangerous weapons took to the parks as traders and people ran helter-skelter for safety. They were allegedly shouting, ‘say MC, say Oluomo’.’
Several people are said to have sustained different degrees of injuries with many hospitalized as at filing in of this reports in different hospitals within the said axis of the clash.
It took the intervention of the Police for calm and relative normalcy to return to the area as it was gathered that the Lagos State Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), Alhaji Azeez Abiola, popularly known as Istijabah alerted security operatives including the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, of imminent danger in the state.
It would be recalled that the crisis rocking the NURTW that degenerated into a bloody case following the sack of MC Oluomo as the Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the NURTW. It started with a leadership tussle between him and Istijabah which lasted for some months.
The Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, is yet to comment on this development.
24-hours after Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo declared his interest in the Presidential race for the 2023 Election, criticism and counter criticism have trailed it.
Osinbajo had earlier declared that he was no longer a member of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress, APC, fold, since he had moved his membership to Ogun State when he revalidated his APC membership status in Ward One, Ikenne, Ogun State.
Prior to his movement, Osinbajo was a chieftain of the Lagos APC with his polling unit at Code 33, Unit 2 Victoria Garden City, Lagos. His Spokesperson, Laolu Akande, confirmed this development.
However, Lagos State APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, has openly criticised Vice Osinbajo over his decision to throw his hat into the ring for the party’s ticket ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement, Oladejo said the Vice President he should come to the Primary and face Tinubu.
“There is no problem. We knew he was going to declare. They should allow us to go to the primary. Let him come and face Asiwaju (Tinubu),” said Oladejo, who last weekend also declared his interest to contest for the House of Representatives.
He stressed that Osinbajo’s declaration on Monday pits him against his former boss and political benefactor, Bola Tinubu.
It is believed that Tinubu was instrumental in the emergence of Osinbajo, a Law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015.
“I am not worried at all. We acknowledge his constitutional right to contest. We also observed keenly how he struggled to paint his role in the past eight years in gold.
“At a time, l thought I was listening to a dirge until I realized it was a political declaration in a living room. Nigerians will have something to say about the scorecard in the fullness of time. The last time I checked, the Vice President was in charge of the economy.
“The only demand is for us to go to primary. Let us see how much support Osinbajo can garner from the party members. This is someone who could not even win his polling booth.
“I’m not aware of any change in political relevance and popularity since the last elections. I want to congratulate him for finally summoning the courage to throw his hat to the ring.
“We know that Nigerians at this time need a prepared President who has paid his dues in enthroning democracy, mentoring potential leaders and being an intestine helper to numerous people aside from being the reference point for good governance in Nigeria.”
No doubt, the declaration of Osinbajo has angered a lot of Tinubu’s loyalists who felt their principal has betrayed by Osinbajo. Before his declaration on Monday, Osinbajo had traversed the country holding consultations with notable politicians.
It was gathered that few hours after his declaration, social media accounts sympathetic to Tinubu’s cause began trending ‘Judas,’ an apparent reference to the Biblical Judas who betrayed his master, Jesus.
In a tweet by Jagaban Borgu@JideSGroup wrote; “This is the week that Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ in the Christian calendar. That this declaration is coming this same week is not a mere coincidence. May God be with Tinubu in Pilates’ Court when he shall face the Peoples verdict on whether to pardon him or nail him”.
Tinubu had publicly declined to speak on Osinbajo’s aspiration, distancing himself from him when some reporters referred to Osinbajo as Tinubu’s Son. He told them he had no such son old enough to make a Presidential declaration.
Oladejo maintained that Tinubu enjoys a lot of support across Nigeria.
“There are a lot of people who will come out to support him all over the country; even more in the North than South. So, we will be ready,” he said.
“We know Osinbajo is just a pawn on the chessboard of some game-masters.
“The message in the fact that this declaration came during the Holy Week is definitely not lost on all and sundry.”
The immediate past First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, wants to be a Senator in 2023. She wants to represent Anambra North, a seat currently occupied by the beautiful Senator Stella Oduah.
Anambra North is lucky. It is not short of beautiful women to flaunt at the center. Mrs Obiano, too, is beautiful. Still, caution is the word for the type of woman to flaunt at the Senate. Mrs Obiano clearly falls short, character-wise.
When her husband, Willie Obiano, immediate past Governor of the State, told Reporters, a couple of weeks to the end of his tenure, that his wife would run for the seat of the Senatorial Zone in 2023, like many, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought the now former Governor was either misquoted or he was joking.
My reaction was based on some of the reports I had heard/read from the State about the former First Lady. Any doubt that she is serious about going to the Senate has been erased. She is serious.
On Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Mrs Obiano stormed the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Abuja, to pay for, and collect the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms. My reaction: The woman has guts.
I know Mrs Obiano has a big war chest to prosecute her aspiration. I know that while her husband was the Governor of Anambra State, she was, without doubt, the most powerful First Lady the State ever had. While the people confirm that none of the others was in anybody’s face, that much cannot be said of Mrs Obiano. She was everywhere, not a few people insist.
Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano: Not fit to be a Senator.
I know that the number of women in the National Assembly, especially, at the Senate, is scandalous. They are drowned by the men.. Sure we need more women. Sure, we need more female voices to present the often misunderstood issues concerning women. Sure we need more women to vehemently, for example, say no when their male counterparts talk down on women. Sure we need more women to challenge the men when some of them support that the girl-child, aged 12, 13, 14 years, is ripe for marriage. Sure, we need more women to tell them they are baby-snatching. But Mrs Obiano does not fit the bill.
She is not qualified to play that role. She is not the type of woman Nigerian women need at the Senate. She has disqualified herself from the Senate. She neither has the temperament nor the carriage. She cannot represent the Nigerian woman or the girl-child. She is not a good role model. On more than one occasion, Mrs Obiano has failed to live down that role. She talks carelessly. She down on women.
I read word for word, her reasons for wanting to be a Senator this other day when he addressed some Journalists in Awka to confirm her aspiration.
Good presentation. Good points. Well put together.
She repeated the same reasons when she picked the forms. She said she was put under pressure by her people who wanted her to continue with the good works she was doing in Anambra State as the First Lady. She talked about her passion for women, especially, widows.
She talked about her passion for the girl-child.
She talked about her passion for the underprivileged.
I am not impressed. I am not convinced she has the capacity to fight for these vulnerable people.
Let me quickly admit that I did not hear much about her philanthropic side as a First Lady. Not her fault. Perhaps, it was either I did not quite pay much attention, or her media people did not quite let Nigerians know. There were too many stories about her other side that perhaps drowned her good side. Her alleged penchant for power, for domination, was, they said, legendary. She was known, and referred to, in many circles as the de facto Deputy Governor. Some people even referred to her as the Governor. I am surprised she made no efforts to correct such negative impressions. In my opinion, she should have, if they were not true.
However, I am not basing my opposition to her going to the Senate on hearsay. It is based on facts that are public.
Mrs Obiano is beautiful. She is elegant. She has managed to keep her home, to stay married for years, to bring up her children. Good. But she has not always managed to exhibit this good side outside her home.
What shows outside is her foul-mouthedness. And an, almost, wild side unbecoming of her status in the society. No decorum.
Take the scandalous incident of March 17 between Mrs Obiano and Mrs Bianca Ojukwu during the swearing-in ceremony of Professor Charles Soludo as the Governor.
On Monday, April 11, I watched the video of what exactly transpired between the two women, and I was, at once, scandalized by her behavior, and embarrassed that she once occupied the office of the First Lady of Anambra State.
How Mrs Obiano could have looked for trouble the way she did, so publicly, beats my imagination. How she could left her seat for Bianca’s seat, to not only confront and call Bianca derogatory names, but to physically touch her, twice, on such a day, is confounding. How she could have continued to provocatively touch Bianca, even after she (Bianca) had warned her not to touch her again, is difficult to understand. She called Bianca the “B-word”, and referred to her, publicly, as a street woman.
Mrs Obiano was later to shamelessly lie about the sequence of events. She said she saw Bianca, stood up and went to greet her, only for Bianca to slap her. Such brazen lie. And this woman wants to go to the Senate?
Did Mrs Obiano deserve to be slapped by Bianca? Yes. Yet, I wish Bianca had not descended to Mrs Obiano’s level. By doing that, Bianca lost her self esteem. And her dignity. I think she momentarily forgot who she is. Daughter of a former State Governor. A lawyer. A former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. A former Miss Intercontinental. Holder of the high profile Iyom title. The widow of the revered Igbo leader, Dim Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu. A former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain. By slapping Mrs Obiano, no matter the provocation, she diminished her status. She owes Ndigbo, Soludo and her husband’s memory an apology.
But, for the records, that was not the first time Mrs Obiano would call a respectable woman a street woman. She had called the lovely and hard working Senator Uche Ekwunife by same name. And Mrs Obiano wants us to believe she has a passion for women and their rights.
Any woman that calls her fellow woman a street woman at the drop of a hat, is not fit to be a Senator. Any woman that uses the “B-word” publicly, is not fit to represent the interest of women or the girl-child anywhere. In saner countries, Mrs Obiano would never think of aspiring to any political office. The events of March 17 would have put a seal on that.
I read the public letter she wrote to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to apologize for that embarrassment at his swearing-in ceremony. In the letter, she also apologized to the dignitaries present. Good.
But her apology was not comprehensive.
She did not apologize to her husband and her family who she embarrassed by her gutter behavior. She did not apologize to Igbo women. She did not apologize to her fellow titled men and women. Or the Traditional Rulers who bestowed her with chieftancy titles, cheap as these titles have become.
Here’s an appeal to Governor Soludo. I don’t know the pact he has/had with his predecessor, Willie Obiano, which emboldened him to inform the people that his wife would run for the Anambra North Senatorial seat. In Nigeria, sadly, Governors have a way of influencing these things. Whoever they endorse gets the ticket. If there is such a pact, Soludo should throw it into a waste paper basket.
He should not endorse Mrs Obiano for Senate, not with her language and her carriage.
Finally, Mrs Obiano should quietly, on her own, step down from the Senatorial contest. It is too soon. She should be off the public eye until she purges herself of the habit of calling her fellow women free women, of using the “B-word” in public, and of engaging, publicly, in a spat and physical fight .
Until then, she does not fit into the Senate Chambers. For whatever it is worth, it is still a respectable place.
Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), and Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu, on Monday said the All Progressive Congress (APC) does not rule out the possibility of a consensus candidate among its Presidential aspirants.
“We always encourage our party to go for the best. Don’t forget that in the 2015 presidential election primary, President Buhari contested along with several others and it was a beautiful contest.
“There is nothing wrong. Members of the party always want to see consensus if it is possible, but we are a democratic party.
“In our last convention, we had consensus in some of the offices and election in some others. There is always misrepresentation of consensus as if people are being snowballed into positions they would rather not take.
“APC has done well as a party, President Buhari has led the party ably well and we believe strongly that come 2023, Nigerians will see another President of the APC extraction.”
Bagudu spoke after former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, a Presidential aspirant, met with APC Governors behind closed doors at the Kebbi Lodge, Abuja, hours after vice president, Yemi Osinbajo formally declared his interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governors at the meeting with Tinubu included Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) Umaru Ganduje (Kano), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun).
Others were Abudlrazaq Abdulrahman (Kwara), Hope Uzondinma (Imo), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) and Isiaka Oyetola (Osun).
Asides from Tinubu and Osinbajo, Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former Governors Orji Uzor Kalu and Rochas Okorocha and serving governors of Kogi and Ebonyi states, Yahaya Bello and Dave Umahi are also seeking the ruling party’s ticket.
Bagudu explained that the race for the Presidential ticket among the aspirants is a positive one for the party.
“In fact, in the contrary, we appreciate our party because it has become a party that has endeared itself to Nigerians. We have many brilliant people in our party, some serving and some not serving.
“The fact that we have people in our party that express desire to lead the party into the highest office in the electoral contest shows how much this our party has resonated with Nigerians and our party members.
“For us, it is a hallmark of success that people are showing interest, but at the end of the day and because they are leaders of the party, they will always put the party’s interest at heart.
Tinubu had told journalists that his meeting with the governors was to solicit their support for his ambition to be elected Nigeria president in 2023.
