[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta State government has responded promptly to allegations of marginalization levelled against the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, stating clearly that it was untrue for anyone to suggest or claim any form of discrimination against the Ijaws or any other ethnic group in the state, as the administration would never promote ethnicity because the people of Delta are one.

This clarification was made on Saturday, July 20, by the incumbent Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okowa and Commissioner-designate for the Delta State Executive Council, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who was reacting to an allegation of marginalization made by former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe.

Mr. Aniagwu said: “Let me make it very clear that the PDP in Delta State is one strong family under the leadership of the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and of course, the party leadership. And the party remains committed to the development and empowerment of not only the members, but the entire electorate of Delta state.”

Speaking further, Aniagwu noted that; “Our brother, our leader, a very good friend to the governor, Elder Godsday Orubebe, is also a key member of that PDP family, he has contributed to the development of the party in the state and is always given his due respect and we will continue to give him his due respect.

“We do not emphasize ethnic groups in Delta because we have grown together as one Delta; we try as much as possible not to emphasize those fault lines of ethnicity because it does not and will not take us anywhere.

“So I do not want to believe that what is ascribed to him that a particular ethnic group is marginalized is true because all the ethnic groups in the state are seen as key stakeholders and are respected as Deltans, more so, the governor has same regards for anybody, irrespective of tribe.

Assuring those nursing misgivings of marginalization of Governor Okowa’s detribalized approach to governance, Aniagwu said: “And I can assure you, he will continue to regard everybody, he will continue to take their wise counsel and take steps to ensure that everybody feels safe under the umbrella,” he said.

“Elder Orubebe needed to be enlightened because the state government led by Gov Ifeanyi Okowa has successfully constructed standard projects in Ijaw communities.

“They include Oporoza internal road, Okerenkoko internal roads, Burutu township road, phase one and two, Youbebe – Biniebi-ama road, Obotobo – Sokebolou – Yokiri road, Obotobo I community internal road, Sokebolou internal road, Burutu Modern Market, funding of Ayakoromo Bridge project, Ogbobagbene – Ojobo road and construction/renovation of schools.

“Despite the difficulties in embarking on projects in the riverine communities, Governor Okowa within four years as governor has been able to reach out to Ijaw communities in Delta state by embarking on lasting projects, appointing sons and daughters from the riverine communities into his administration and empowering of youths.

“What about Nigeria Vice president Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s visit to the riverine communities where he commissioned road projects constructed by Governor Okowa,” Aniagwu said, emphatically stressing Gov. Okowa’s developmental strides in the Riverine areas.

It will be recalled that the former Delta PDP Governorship aspirant and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, had been widely reported recently, with caustic comments taking a swipe at both his party PDP and the Delta state administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Slamming his party, Orubebe described the PDP as a party dominated by ungrateful and sadistic people that kills the spirit of loyalty, love and commitment, even as he threatened that a time was coming when names of these ungrateful and sadistic people will be revealed

He said: “The Peoples Democratic Party is a party of so many ungrateful and sadistic people, and sometimes it sounds funny when I see and hear some of them talk on the television, radio and in the newspaper. “One day we shall come out to call names with facts and history. It is a party that kills the spirit of loyalty, love and commitment.”

Speaking on the alleged marginalization of the Ijaw in Delta state by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration, Orubebe said: “In Delta state, Governor Okowa has been deliberately sidelining the Ijaw people who stood by him in all his two elections and it is painful and sad. The Ijaw people fought for him all through. In good and bad times, they were there for him.

“The deputy governor is Ijaw but I can tell you that he is just a name there, even though he is not talking or complaining.

“I saw basically a helpless and a hopeless situation when I visited him twice since 2014. The second visit was just a month or two ago. What explanation can he give the Ijaw people who gave him all their support,? he queried.

“I want to advise him to discuss with the leaders of the Ijaws and explain the issues he is having with Ijaw people”, Orubebe urged.

Accusing Governor Okowa further, Orubebe alleged that the Delta Governor has deliberately sidelined and abandoned the Ijaw in the state, shortly after becoming governor, despite the massive support they gave him to become governor, which clearly contradicted his campaign promise to remain a father for all tribes in the state.

According to Orubebe: “In Delta state, Governor Okowa has been deliberately sidelining the Ijaw people who stood by him in all his two elections and it is painful and sad. The Ijaw people fought for him all through. They were there for him.

“There is always a day of reckoning and some of us are coming out to talk now because we thought Governor Okowa was going to change but he has decided not to change

“We shall continue to express our minds on all issues bordering on the nation, at the state and national levels,” he warned.

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]rophet Jones Ode Erue ,Chairman of  All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State, has expressed delight after Olorogun Ortega Emerhor withdrew his court case against the leadership of the party and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Erue, however congratulated Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on his “resounding victory over reactionary forces who were bent on snatching away the victory freely given to him by the good people of Delta Central Senatorial district and the subsequent mandate entrusted to him by the entire 107 senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Nick Ovuakporie, Director of Communications APC Delta in a statement, said that “he (Prophet Erue) is particularly proud of the sterling leadership qualities of distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who he referred to as a” political tactician” for bringing hopes to the minds of the average Party man and woman.

The party Chairman also thanked Party faithfuls for their steadfastness and believing in his purposeful leadership as State Chairman of the APC.

Erue promised to be Chairman for all genuine members of the APC family who believes in the next level vision of President Muhammadu Buhari.

[dropcap] P[/dropcap]resident  Muhammadu Buhari, failed to control former ministers in his first term in office as they worked at collision course leading to the non-realisation of his electioneering Campaign promises.

The President , who could not hide his feelings at a dinner  organised for the National Assembly leadership  led by Ahmed Lawan,  the Senate President, on Thursday, July 12, 2019,  admitted that  he did not know  ”most of the ministerial nominees as they were ”names and recommendations  from the party  and other individuals which he failed to disclose.

Recall, Aisha Bushari, the First Lady, had cried out , that most of those  appointed as ministers , Heads of  Agencies and  Departments , were not personally known to her Husband but imposed on him  the party and other people. The Katsina born Nigerian President  may have learnt his lesson as he has vowed to appoint persons  that are known to him  personally” unlike in 2015”.

Political watchers believe that he may have worked with them  for the last three and half years, to avoid , dislocating his government. He may have had opportunity of studying the characters of those  ministers  , who were not known to him personally by  meeting  with them  regularly. He had confirmed at the State state House dinner  for the National  Assembly Leadership, that  he was meeting with them  twice or  or two weeks in a month to  know them better.

He may have clearly informed Senator Lawan and his Colleagues that truly, he was not in charge of the state of affairs in the country as he could not control the ministers but this time around he has promised to be in charge as he will people he personally know to enable him his Constitutional responsibilities. It was not surprising why the clique constituted themselves into a powerful Cabal in the Presidency dictating to him what to do at every point in time including the initiation of the unpopular Ruga Settlement programme which was meant to be implemented in the 36 states of the Federation.

Presidency sources told Grassroots Publishers that most of those who were invited for the dinner were those who would likely make the ministerial list. It was not surprising why he said that he is under tremendous pressure as many at  the dinner meeting  want to see the list of the proposed Cabinet so that they can  go on leave peacefully.

Note that the President had been traveling to London in the recent time for medical checkup ostensibly to keep away from lobbyists. There have been rumours making the rounds that the President has selected the first tranche of ministerial nominees containing sixteen names made up of both technocrats, businessmen and politicians.

Grassroots Publishers  published a story of the alleged first tranche of the ministerial nominees titled  Buhari  Workers. The names that were said to have appeared on the list  were Kayode Adesola, Ogun who was said to have been, penciled down to oversee the ministry  of Labour and Productivity,, Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers state and later minister of Transportation, who was said to have been reassigned to his former ministry , Chris Ngige, another former minister and a one- time governor of Anambra state, who may Head the ministry of Communication and Hadi Sirika, a former minister of state, Aviation, from kastina, the President Home state, who was said to have been reassigned to his old potfolio.

Other names on the new Cabinet  list that were said to have been allegedly released  by the President  include Akinwunmi Ambode, a former governor of Lagos state, who was denied a  second term by Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the state and National leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC, over his disloyalty to him and the leadership of the state Chapter of the party , Fatima Gambo, Taraba state, Women Affairs, Ogbonaya Onu, a Chemical Engineer, from Eboyi state , who incidentally was Buhari’s former minister of Science and Technology, Abubakar Malami,an indigene of Kebbi state and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was said o have retained his position of minister of  Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Ahmed Mohammed, Kwara, Industry, Trade and Investment, Barnabas Bala Bantas,who may have taken up the ministerial slot of Kaduna state was said to have been assigned as a minister of state, Education, Senator George Akume, a former governor of Benue state, whose name appeared on the list cited by the Magazine as the new minister of state, Petroleum Resources and  Abdulrahman Ambazau, a retitred Army Lt. General and former Chief of Army Staff, CAS, who had ventured into  the murky waters of Nigerian politics , and was appointed minister of Interior in Buhari’s first term who may have retained his ministry.

Note that  Dambazau, as for CAS, had raised alarm that he was under tremendous pressure from certain quarters to overthrow former President Goodluck Goodluck Jonathan, but vowed that he would never allow himself to be used to truncate the country’s nascent Democracy.

This is in addition to Mohammed Bindow Jibrilla, a former governor of Adamawa state, who lost his re-election to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP,  governorship Candidate in the state, to oversee  the FCT, Halima Bbayo, Yobe state, Foreign Affairs, Adebayo Adelabu, Oyo, Finance, Goswill Akbabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom state and later , PDP, Senate minority leader, who decamped to APC, under pressure to escape being allegedly  probed by the  Ibrahim Magu, a Commissioner of Police, CP, led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Femi Adesina, a former President of Nigerian Guild of Editors,  who was said to have retained his portfolio as  Special Assistant  to the President on Media and Publicity.

As at press  time time, it was speculated that   these other  former ministers,  Adamu Adamu, a  failed minister of Education    Zainab Ahmed,  Finance,Aisha Abubakar, Women Affairs,  Lai Mohammed, Information and Culture, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, a former governor of Lagos state, Adamu Kazure, Water Resources,  Mohammed Musa, FCT also  made the Cabinet list.

There are indications that the President may have retained  15 of his former ministers which were based on their outstanding performance in their first term. The President has the Constitutional power to appoint 36 or 42 ministers to work with him the Executive arm of the government

Political watchers believe that Lawan, the Senate President and other National Assembly officials may have seen the list during the dinner organised for them by the President  to prepare their  mind of what to expect to expedite action in passing the ministerial list without delay.  The Senate  President  had reechoed what the President  had repeatedly said:   to appoint people  who would help him to implement  the next level programmes”, an indication that the ministerial list is as god as having been passed.

Perhaps, based on the discussion with the President on the sidelines,  he had said, ”I will receive the ministerial list on Wednesday from the Presidency”. A Presidency source alluded to it when he said ” all things being equal. the Senate will receive the list on Thursday morning”, that mat may end the two months of waiting for the submission of the ministerial list to the Senate for Consideration.

A Principal officer in the National Assembly, however,   confirmed that the Cabinet list  is already  with the Senate President, but had kept it close to his chest to avoid being put under pressure by those  may want to  confirm  whether their name s are truly on the list has been rumored or based on the list being circulated.   The source confirmed that the Cabinet list would be made public next Thursday for a public hearing.

By : Emeji Noble

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igerians traveling  between the  Lagos and Benin Express Way are no longer finding it funny.  This is because  of the activities of the Fulani herdsmen between Omotosho and  Igbotako  axis of the road who graze  their cows  onthe road , allegedly  strike at their victims and run back into the bush where they were residing.  Residents confirmed that  an undisclosed number of people have met their untimely death in the hands of the herdsmen on the road. The latest victim of the herdsmen  along the Kajola-Ore road  being Mrs. Fuke Olakunrin, the dughter of  Pa Reuben Fasoranti,  an Afenifere, the Yoruba-socio-cultural organisation leader  described as a costly mistake by Emmanuel Abejide, a Clergy man. The killing of the Afenifere leader’s daughter may have  forced him to raise alarm over the state of the nation  that” the country is at war”.

Investigation by  Grassroots Publishers shows that   the herdsmen had been  operating within the area for years  without  any challenge  from the indigenes or  the security agencies.  They were said to have always   had their way in  striking their victims along the  Benin -Ore axis of the  Lagos  -Benin road because they have an established militia Camp in the Ondo state   government reserve area located  in the  Odigbo local government area of the state.

Note that Kajola, one of the most notorious spots, used by the killer herdsmen, along the road  falls between  Odigbo and Okitipupa local government areas .  That much was said by  Boluwaji  Kunlere, a one- time Senator ,representing  the Ondo south Senatorial district. The Senator collaborated the claims of the people  that  theherdsmen  have been operating in the area for  years without any resistance from the people or the security agencies.

He reportedly said that when he notice the security challenge in the area , he was in the Senate , he gave  13  Hilux vans to the police  divisions   in his Senatorial district  and motorcycles   to the Department of State Security, DSS,  in the state to enhance their Surveillance operations in the state .

Kunlere, who could not hide his feelings maintain  that the Benin – Ore road  is where the major  security problem is  but regretted that the police  do not have  the manpower to ensure  adequate protection of the area.  Indeed, the killing  of Pa  Faasoranti’s daughter on the road  may have exposed the  obnoxious  activities of the  killer herdsmen in the area.

But Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and National leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC,  would not agree with Yoruba  leaders  that the Fulani herdsmen killed  the woman. The former governonor  had spoken his mind  when he paid a Condolence  visit to the Afenifere’s leader’s home on Sunday, July 14, 2019. He had asked: where were the cows when the alleged herdsmen killed the  woman?. He had warned that the ”herdsmen issue  should not be allowed to divide the country”.

Appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari, to use the opportunity provided  by the  death  of  Pa Fasoranti’s daughter  as a cure   to the country’s numerous  security problems by  providing additional  police patrols    on the Benin-Ore road  and other flashpoint areas in the country, he insists that . He claimed to have discussed the matter with  the relevant government security agencies and Authorities,   and that Rotimi  Akeredolu, the Ondo state governor appreciates his solo efforts  to solve the security challenge in the state.

Even  the Ondo  state governor  have revealed   his Convoy at one time  had been attacked  along  the  Akure -Ibadan, express way  by unknown gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.  That much was  He disclosed  that  the killer gang ran back  into the bush  when one of his security  personnel  shot into the air to scare them away.

Worried by the  alleged killings in state which had been  linked to herdsmen,  an aggrieved Akeredolu,  may have gladdened the mind of the Yoruba peole when  he said  the south west  were working towards  ending  the herdsmen siege  of the region.

Yemi Osibanjo, the  country’s Vice President  may have spoken the mind of the Katsina state born Nigerian President  when he paid a Condolence visit to the Afenifere’s leader’s home . He  had said  that the government  would  ”explore all options  , including deploying  soldiers  on the highways, towards addressing  the growing  cases of security  challenges in the country”.

Angered  by the  killing and kidnapping activities on the nation’s highways,  paritcular, the recent killing of  Funke, Pa Fasoranti’s  daughter, along the  Benin-Ore road,  Mohammed   Adamu,  the Inspector General of Police, IGP, who many describe, as a man of his words, has  vowed to crack down the killers . The police IGP, was said to have ordered the deployment  of Special Forces  to key highways in  the south   west  geo-political region   to replicate  the special operation puff adder currently going on along the  Kaduna – Abuja expressway.

Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, and  Police Spokesperson,  reportedly said that  the police boss has also  directed  the Ondo state  police Command would be  backed in the operation  by the Special Forces and seasoned Investigators  from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID,  the Intelligence Response Team , IRT   and the Technical Intelligence Unit, TIU,  from  the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to intensify the massive  search for the Afenifere  leader’s   daughter’s killers.

The IGP ‘s support  to the Ondo state police Command may have emboldened the officers  to  intensify the manhunt for Mrs. Olakunrin’s killers  with a view  to tracking, arresting  and bringing the suspects to book.

The efforts may have yielded results as Femi Joseph,  Spokesperson of the state Police Command  on Monday, July 15, 2019, reportedly  confirmed  the arrest of three suspects linked to the killing of late Mrs. Olakunrin  when a team of  security Operatives stormed the forests in the Kajola area near Ore, stating that” investigations are still on going” . The arrested suspects, as revealed by the Nation Newspapers  were:  Mohammed Adamu,  Saliu Ismail and  Adamu Saliu. Already, the Ondo state Police  Spokesperson has assured that the suspects would be paraded as soon as possible” as a deterrence to  others who may want to resort to killing. The arrests of the suspects may have gladdened the heart of the people of the state who are ready to volunteer more information  to the police to do the police  to their work to stop the killings in the state by herdsmen.

The arrest of the suspects many not be unconnected to the appeal by the  IGP, to the people to provide relevant information to assist the police investigators in tracking the criminals in their hideout in the forests, particular , the residents of the  Kajola Community, an indication that the police could  do their job when  they want to do it as trained  investigators  to fish out Criminals.

In spite of the fact that Adamu, the IGP, has devised necessary  measures to  stop the killings in the south west, particular, Ondo state, and other parts of the country,  Adeyeye Adewusi, the revered Oni of Ife, had  enjoined the Yorubas  ‘it was high time to get  united  and ”  defend  itself against  bandits killing its people”.  Many believe that  the monarch who is  beating the drum  of war and already has the support of Gani Adams,the Are Onaka Kakanfo, of Youruba land.

The Yoruba Paramount Ruler,  who could not hide his feelings  said the killings in the south west geo-political region   by suspected herdsmen was  enough and would no longer tolerated from any quarter  . He maintains  that  the Yoruba people could no longer fold their  hands and watch their people slaughtered by herdsmen, appealing to them  to” unite to protect their territory”.  The Oni may have sent a signal  to the fulani herdsmen  grazing  their cows in the region that it is no longer going to be business s usual.

Tunde Bakare, a former  Vice Presidential Candidate of President Buhari, in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the 2011, Presidential election, and the General Overseer of the Later Day Rain Assembly,  in his sermon , last Sunday, said  the gruesome of of Funke, Pa Fsoranti’s daughter was an indication that ”Nigeria’s cup is full”.

Wole Soyinka, a Nobel   Laureate, may have sensed  dangers ahead as he had made it clear to those that cares to listen   that  the current problems of the nation  are beyond the solution that can be offered  by the  Buhari ”, blaming it on the  ruling APC, thinking as  a partisan government.

He lamented ,”look at what is happening  in the country today with Cattle all over the place, describing it  as a security issue  which should  not have reached  this damning  level of becoming a threat to the people noting that, ”It has wiped away  a lot of the positive  achievements  of  the government as people have been  killed and  farms taken over by Cattles, he had said.

Recall that these had been the views of Fasranti, the Afenifere leader over the years but the government appear  not  to have paid attention to it, He had sounded a note of warning  when  he saw the danger coming  in the south west that  Fulani herdsmen  were scaring farmers in the region. ”We cannot go to our farms again, he had said. He had expected the government to take action  to nip the crisis on board to avoid it from spreading but that was how far he could go.

It is not surprising why  Soyinka has called  for a national Summit to address the problems of the economy,  security , health and  even the beating of the drums of secession every day in different parts of the country.  It is not certain that the president would not heed  to the call as he had thrown to the dust bin the earlier  report of the  national  Submit conducted by the former President Government Jonathan Administration on how to solve these perennial Constitutional problems that could  have led  to the restructuring of the country.

Even, former President Olusegun Obasanjo,  had  canvassed the need for the government  to open up discussion, debate and dialogue  as part of the consultation  at different levels to solve the country’s security problem. The former President  had suggested  that the” outcome  of such deliberations  should be collated  to form  ”inputs into a National  Conference  that would come up  with the solution  that would  effectively deal  with the security issues and produce a roadmap  that will not  change the whims and caprices of any government”.

He insists that what the country needed now is ”maximum force”  to be able deal successfully  with the menace  of criminality  seperately and together, warning that  this is not the time for” blame game”.  But whether  the Katsina  state born Nigerian President would accept the suggestions  remain to seen. The President may have given a signal  to the Nobel Laureate that he will not take such advices as he  had warned  Political leaders and Religious   to be mindful of their utterances stop politicising the  herdsmen alleged killing of the Afenifer’s lead’ s daughter  because of the potential Consequences. There  are indications that the government may put such people under security watch.  A recent Statement by Itse Sagay,  a Professor and Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption , PACAC, describing Obasanjo’s open letter to Buhari over his performance in office in the last four years  as” inappropriate and insulting” speaks volume.

By : Emeji Noble