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The 21, all from the Indian Contingent were released to
Liberia, authorities said late Thursday.

They were part of the 200 mainly Indian peacekeepers held hostage by
rebels of the Revolutionary United Front, RUF at the Eastern District
of Pendembu. Earlier, the 21 were taken to a disused ICRC building from
their detention camp at Quiva.

In May, rebels held hostage some 500 UN peacekeepers in Sierra
Leone, a move that greatly hampered the organisation’s largest
peacekeeping operation in the world.

The Head of the British Military Training Team in Sierra
Leone, Brigadier Gordon Hughes has expressed fears over the
deteriorating security situation in the entire country. Hughes speaking
to a group of journalists at the Benguema military training centre said
the overall security situation in the country is not favorable.

The British military chief noted that the government troops need to
be strengthened in order to confront the rebels. Brig.

Hughes who is currently training some 1000 soldiers for the national
army said the platoon and company commanders who will form the command
structure of the army will be obtained from the 1000 trainees.

For the first time since the establishment of the Mass
Communication Unit at Fourah Bay College in 1994, students have
received a big boost in the form of modern communication equipment.

These include an electronic typewriter, computer and its accessories
to hook on to Internet and several other items, which cost several
hundreds of dollars.

Dr. Sylvia Blyden in America, who upon learning about the lack of
communication equipment at the Mass Communication Unit of FBC
immediately promised to assist the students most of whom had never used
a typewriter, donated the items.

Handing over the communication equipment last Saturday, out-going
Mass Communication Students Association (MACOSA) President, Sulaiman
Momodu lauded Dr. Blyden for her timely assistance in what he described
as “this age of computer and the internet”.

Mr. Momodu noted that what Dr. Sylvia Blyden has done, no government
whether unconscious or half conscious has ever done for the students.

To loud cheers and applauses, Momodu announced that MACOSA now has
an email address and a website by the grace of Dr. Blyden. He also
urged the government, non-governmental organizations and rich
businessmen to emulate the example of Dr. Blyden.

The communication equipment were handed over to the acting Co-
ordinator of the Mass Communication Unit, Mr. Daniel Ikyem at the first
student organized Mass Communication Day celebration in the country.

Certificates of merit were also awarded to people that have directly
or indirectly contributed to the development of Mass Communication
including Dr. Blyden, the Standard Times newspapers and Concord Times
which first introduced the use of computer in journalism in Sierra
Leone and provided the channel (website) through which the student cry
was heard.

Government was yet to receive the full text of the
statement by the US Republican Harold Rogers, who suggested early in
the week that America should support Nigeria to end the conflict in
Sierra Leone rather than continue to pour cash into UNAMSIL’s
operations, said Presidential Spokesman, Prof. Septimus Kaikai
yesterday.

Prof. Kaikai told Concord Times in an exclusive telephone interview
that Republican Rogers might have made his recommendation as a result
of his appreciation of Nigeria’s role in the conflict in Sierra Leone.

“Instead of funding UNAMSIL, the US should provide military help to
Nigeria to end the conflict in Sierra Leone,” Rogers was quoted as
saying while blocking a total of $241million meant to restore funding
of the UN mission in Sierra Leone.

Rogers’ proposal, according to Prof. Kaikai, was predicated on the
realization that “Nigerians know the terrain of Sierra Leone very well,
that they have a good knowledge of the political situation and that
they know the temperament of the RUF”.

While stopping short of stating what really would be or is
government’s official position on moves to get Nigeria’s extra
involvement in the crisis here, the presidential spokesman said, “any
move geared towards bringing the war to end would be welcome especially
when we do not have a fully equipped army in place yet”.

He hastily added that there are about 13,000 UN peacekeeping troops
in the country now and, according to him, these have modern
sophisticated weapons to ensure that they achieve their goal of making
peace hold.

“They (UNAMSIL) are determined not to repeat what happened recently
with them,” he said.

About the rift between the ex-SLAs and the members of the new Army,
Prof.

Kaikai said it was being put “under control”. He disclosed that
there had been a chain of meetings between the “stakeholders of the
pro-government forces to resolve it completely”.

He said one such meetings was scheduled for yesterday. The Deputy
Minister of Defence, Sam Hinga Norman, Johnny Paul in his capacity as
Chairman of CCP and the military high commander were expected to be
part of yesterday’s meeting to further discuss the issue of the wedge
between the pro-government forces that is having a negative effect on
the advance on the rebels.

“This will soon be a thing of the past,” he sounded optimistically.

Try as we may, the RUF rebels led by President Charles Taylor
would always have their say and their way. Check this out: while our fighters
are warding off the rebel advances and making some progress, the Liberian
leader is announcing the release of 21 Indian peacekeepers on condition there
should be a recourse to the peace table and a ceasefire. And you would imagine
why anyone would kick against a ceasefire and peace talks in the first place.

It looks as though some deal was struck in the dark. President Kabbah would
surely again have been cajoled into agreeing to a peace deal with the rebels
once they release the Indian hostages.

I have been fortunate to know, understand and appreciate the workings of the
so-called international community and I now have some pity for President
Kabbah. It is a case of he who pays the piper, a case of the puppet and the
puppeteer and of our leaders accepting dictates from the West because they have
no choice.

Everybody would know why Taylor is fighting for a ceasefire as if his life
depends on it. Diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds. Common, why would the
rebels now say they would only release the Indians if a ceasefire would get
underway afterwards? We all love ceasefires. Even the most belligerent of
fighters would want a lull in fighting to allow some respite for booze. Why is
it the rebels now want peace more than the rest of humanity? Strange things are
happening.

It’s a pity that the allied forces weaved together those days by Johnny Paul
Koroma’s clarion call are now falling asunder. This is a dangerous trend, one
with the potential to make rebel occupation a better option for the war-weary
citizenry. Who would want to imagine full-scale hostilities between Okra Hills
elements and the others? That can precipitate a worse crisis reminiscent of the
January 6 pogrom in which the survivors envied the dead. It is not likely that
any of these government groups would team up with the rebels; what is sure is
that the rebels will use the divisions in the SLA ranks to get through and get
us all napping and gaping.

Unamsil. Did I hear somebody mention that name? Come off it, the UN troops
are not going to get embroiled in any active military operation. They’d be okay
with their dollars intact and rations ready and Paddy’s bar revving.

The likely scenario in the coming weeks could be another forced ceasefire
and the jerking into premature existence of the remnants of Lome. Nobody should
be against a ceasefire or the implementation of the Lome Accord. But it is
suspicious when the RUF rebels, the greatest violators of the Accord, now
become its loudest apostles.

I have heard some ex rebels like Peter Vandy, Mike Lamin, Suzan Lahai and
others have heaped the blame on Sankoh for the upsurge in the crisis. There
could be a figment of truth in this. But nobody is going to be impressed by
these posthumous advocacies partly because of RUF’s record of inconsistency and
partly because they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing a failed
photographer to lead them up to this stage. Nobody has a barometer to measure
the level of commitment to peace of these intra-RUF rebels. But it does make a
sense advocating for a split in the RUF using these ‘angry’ men as the
instrument. Now, the emphasis should be it is in the national interest to get
the rebels willing and ready for peace to give in their weapons and be
accepted. While Vandy and Co. deserve opprobrium, they as well could be the key
to getting the positive-thinking rebels understand the full meaning of peace.

Why the emphasis on this panacea? I spoke to a number of people including
Concord Times’ secret agent who had gone to Kono. The story from kono is that,
majority of the rebels are genuinely tired and are being forced to fight. One
killed himself when told to get ready for Lunsar. Many have fled to Kailahun
with their wives and children. But they also do understand they are all targets
as enemies and so might eventually have no option but to heed the burgle call.

A division in the RUF would be a positive signal. This must be against the
backdrop of Sankoh’s everlasting irrelevance. The day Sankoh is allowed another
role is the day we will have to say goodbye to this land of the lion mountain.

Everybody realizes this and even the United Nations has said that it would
no longer consider Sankoh a credible person to deal with. This means that a new
leader must emerge from among the rebels. Maskita must be ruled out, so too
must be the other warmongers.

Frankly, I believe Taylor is under pressure and is only trying to put up a
brave face. The acidic tongue of Hinga Norman recently sent cold shivers down
the spine of Taylor and he’s been busy mapping strategies on how to confront
the Kamajors. Taylor knows that he does not have the capacity to wage another
war. When there was threat of war between Guinea and Liberia, Taylor deflated
Guinea by shamelessly alluding to Liberia as being already down and Guinea up.
He that is down fears no fall, he said. With Sierra Leone, Taylor would be
stupid to say such because both Liberia and Sierra Leone are down. In fact he
would have more to lose because, as it were, Liberia is supposed to have ended
its war while Sierra Leone was supposed to be in the process of ending its own
war.

Britain has done quite a bit to show Taylor in his true colours. The EU
funds for Liberia’s rehabilitation have been blocked and America is showing
more concern than ever before. I have it on good authority that President
Obasanjo, an ex army General, has bluntly told Taylor to behave.

Diamonds may be priceless spoils of war for Taylor but I am not sure he
would want to risk his presidency for another round of arms insurrection in
Liberia. Alhaji Kromah and Roosevelt Johnson are lurking and Taylor knows that
the government in power is going to be the one under pressure never mind the
loquacity of his Defence Minister.

Somehow, with our fighting forces unable to hold as one at the moment and
the threat of a further breakdown, a reinforced UN force, more pressure on
Taylor, Sankoh out of the way and a fragmented RUF, I feel we have nothing much
to fear with a deal that must encompass a time frame for the implementation of
its provisions which must include unhindered access to all parts of the country
and an immediate stop to diamond digging.

I suspect this makes sense.

The Federal Government’s plans to establish a Federal
Government Secretariat to accommodate Federal Government establishments
and parastatals in the six newly created states, may have been stalled
by the recent face-off between the National Assembly and the executive.

The Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih, who disclosed this Tuesday,
at Abakaliki during an inspection visit of the Abakaliki/Afikpo Federal
road project in Ebonyi State was reaching to Governor Egwu’s request for
a Federal Secretariat in Ebonyi. He said that although, it was contained
in this year’s budget, as submitted to the National Assembly, it ws
removed by the Assembly.

The minister attributed the removal of the provision for six Federal
Secretariats from the budget to the row between the National Assembly
and the Presidency, but noted that the government still had it in mind.

On the Abakaliki - Afikpo Federal road project, the minister praised
the indegenious contractor, HAPEL, handling the project and described
the pace of work as miraculous.

He disclosed that the Federal Government would soon award the
dilapidated 72 km Afikpo-Okigwe Federal Highway, stating that it was
currently under tender for contract award.

On Governor Egwu’s appeal for the Federal Government to set the
machinery in motion to rehabilitate at least 40km of urban roads in
Abakaliki, Anenih said his ministry would check which of the roads is
federal road, and assured the governor, that before the tenure of the
present administration elapsed, Ebonyi State will have cause to smile.

In his speech, Dr. Sam Egwu expressed happiness with the minister’s
visit to evaluate the progress of work on the Abakaliki-Afikpo road
which was flagged-off in March this year by the former minister of
state, Mr. Balat Isaiah.

Egwu recalled that shortly after the flag-off of the road, the state
government set up a monitoring team, that has constantly inspected the
road, adding that the committee appreciated the performance and quality
of the work so far executed by the contractor.

He called the attention of the minister to the Abakaliki ring road, a
180km road, that provides access to eight out of the existing 13 local
government areas of the state, that was awarded in 1988/89 by the then
Anambra State government, but later abandoned, and called on the Federal
Government to take it up for the economic development of the state.

The Works and Housing minister who was accompanied by the minister of
State for Industries, Chief Lawrence Nwuruku, Senator Ifeanyi Aranone,
Controller Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and other top
government functionaries also inspected some federal roads in the state.

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is not new to
Nigerians. What, however, is new is the fact that it does appear that
the crisis may not be about to end.

Will some members of the party be expelled for anti-party activities?
Nobody can say. Even Gemade, the party’s chairman, was not forth-coming
on that other than that “we would have no choice other than to begin to
apply the rules very strictly. And I think when we begin to do that,
people will begin to see that lack of discipline is inherent in the
leadership of the PDP. It is just because when you try to give people a
chance to reconcile differences, if you do not wield the big stick, you
just find that people become grossly undisciplined”.

If, after the 1999 Abuja Convention of the party, people expected the
situation in the party to jump from one discordant end of the continuum
to the other peaceful end, how misplaced that expectation is turning out
to be.

More than that, there have been talks about the inadequacy of the PDP
leadership. Gemade puts a lie to this; he says he is not weak: “There is
nothing more mischievous than that; that is mischievous. And I don’t
think anybody who has ever ran a party would agree that the leadership
of the PDP is a weak one. I have ran a party at a very difficult stage;
and now I am running another party in my capacity as National Chairman.
These things are not easy but people think you can just explain it away
by saying that somebody is weak. There is no such thing as weakness. I
am not weak. Neither is the leadership weak.

But what is his problem with Chief Sunday Awoniyi. He says he doesn’t
have a problem but…

Is he not Obasanjo’s puppet? “It goes without saying that the
president is the leader of the party. This is in the context of the fact
that he is the image of the party. In operating the party, the national
chairman of the party is in charge; but the image of the party which is
seen globally goes beyond the party and it involves the president, all
the state governors, the national assembly all put together as the
government and the president is there as the head of that group.”

No matter. He reveals, even if tangentially, what he has had to
discuss with Chief Awoniyi on phone pursuant to solving the problem on
the ground.

On the sale of the Benue Cement Company, BCC, which partly led to the
ousting of the Minister of Industries, Iyorchia Ayu, Gemade says it is
unfortunate and explains why.

This interview, conducted by the Political Editor, Jide Ajani, and
our Abuja Cameraman, Abayomi Adeshida, the duo of Gbenga Olawepo, the
party’s National Publicity Secretary, and Muyiwa Collins, the Assistant
Director of Publicity, played a role, particularly, the former.

Excerpts: When people outside look at the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, what they see is a party in crisis. What would you want to describe
as your achievements in the last seven to eight months as National
Chairman.

If you don’t blow your trumpet in this country, nobody will blow it
for you. It’s been one crisis after the other, as you saw the one
between the Executive arm of government and the Legislative arm over the
budget 2000 and as it affected certain Bills under consideration. Within
the first two to three weeks, this matter we dealt with one after the
other making it possible for Bills to be passed. There were also intra-
party disagreement at the National Assembly, two factions of the Senate
were involved.

We also came in and we also made a Press Conference with the leaders
of the two factions sitting beside me. These are achievements of party
leadership by way of organizing and handling the affairs of its members.
As you are aware, the PDP of last year is not what we have today. We
have moved from our former office to a more spacious secretariat; and we
are also re-organizing the secretariat for efficiency. We also have a
full programme of activities for the year, which seeks to implement our
promises to party members during my campaign that we will not only re-
organize and re-focus this party but we’ll make sure that we create the
party as a lasting political institution. Along with this, we would also
create some sharp democratic institutions with a view to supporting the
values of democratic system. And this has to do with the creation of the
PDP Democratic Institute - which is in the offing. We also intend having
a Press Academy, which would churn out publications for the party. Apart
from that, party organs that were not operational before I became
Chairman have been fully revitalized and they are working now - the
party caucuses, the working committees, the standing committees. And
these are not only at the national levels but also at all the levels;
and we intend to continue working to ensure this at all levels.

Just after the victory of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the Jos
Convention, his campaign machinery down-played the party secretariats at
the state level, turning it over to the residences and offices of the
PDP governors elect, then. This same problem is largely seen in some
quarters as being responsible for the topsy-turvy in the National
Assembly where your party holds sway, but with little consensus. You
have had course to come in and douse the fire. For how long will this
continue Well, what is happening in the polity today is not just about
consensus building, or a PDP thing. It is a matter of some forces at
play and these forces do not want democracy, which Nigerians desire so
much to succeed; these are people who would benefit if it is truncated
again; and they are working very hard. And to be quite frank with you,
the National Assembly is not working independently of these forces;
these forces are at play every time and people are always coming in to
manipulate even members of the National Assembly with a view to ensuring
that there is really no progress made on serious national issues. So, it
should not be seen as an entirely PDP problem within the National
Assembly. And even when things are done there are people out there who
would say ‘no, don’t allow them, they should pay you more money, they
should do these or do that. Even things which, when the military was
ruling, found difficult to do, people are now pushing some other people
to do them now just to stretch things to the limit. These are the real
issues that are really at the bottom of the matter and not just a PDP-
controlled Assembly not being able to agree.

Now, people insist, and I’m quite sure you have heard this yourself,
that the leadership of the PDP, as symbolized by you, is a very weak one
- and this is a view across the board in the Senate and the House of
Reps as well as the State Legislative Chambers. And some events don’t
really give cause for joy. Are you a weak leader.

There is nothing more mischievous than that.

Before you go any further, that’s just a premise for the next
question Even as a premise, that is mischievous. And I don’t think
anybody who has ever ran a party would agree that the leadership of the
PDP is a weak one. Those who are saying that have never run a party
before. And just by attempting to be the National Chairman of a
political party or to seek a national office in a political party does
not give you the right to knowledge. I have ran a party at a very
difficult stage; and now I am running another party in my capacity as
National Chairman. These things are not easy but people think you can
just explain it away by saying that somebody is weak. There is no such
thing as weakness. I am not weak. Neither is the leadership weak.

For all the mess that Nigerians witnessed in the National Assembly
during the Second Republic, Nigerians are alarmed that your party, which
is touted as the largest political party in Africa, has put people who
seem not to have the interest of not just Nigerians but even their
party. This, people allude to gross indiscipline, which you also talked
about in your speech at the NEC meeting. How does this leadership which
you say is not weak intend dealing with this issue of indiscipline.

We have already stated clearly that we gave a period of ushering in
the new position of the party; and that is a position of strong
disciplinary measures taken against people who err or who derail as far
as the party’s position is concerned. That period was given specifically
because of those who could not conform because of their own
dissatisfaction and have been given enough time to conform.

Any idea of expelling people from the party? At this moment, we feel
very strongly that a situation where we allow people so much time to
conform with the rules and regulations of the party is beginning to give
the impression that we are weak and an undisciplined group of people, we
would have no choice other than to begin to apply the rules very
strictly. And I think when we begin to do that, people will begin to see
that lack of discipline is inherent in the leadership of the PDP. It is
just because when you try to give people a chance to reconcile
differences, if you do not wield the big stick, you just find that
people become grossly undisciplined as we have seen happening in the
party.

What actually is your problem with Chief Sunday Awoniyi, or with the
group to which he belongs? Well, there is really no problem between me
and that group. I think the problem is with the party as a whole, with
Nigeria as a whole.

And let me be very frank with you here. As I said before, with due
respects, we have come to a point where a lot of things have happened in
this country before. This thing they call power shift, people understood
it from a very narrow angle- that is power shift from north to south.
The president is not from the NorthWest as it was traditionally, but now
from the SouthWest; and that is it. But that is not the only thing. Many
aspects of our national life have had a shift. And one of them is the
generational one. We have had a situation where just after independence,
some few young Nigerians who had good education got good jobs in
government and have continued to be there, but who must now give way to
the young ones. This is the main problem.

But the impression people outside have is that the convention of last
year is the main issue and that everything since then has been along the
lines of those who won and those who lost? You see, there must be a
reason for people to do something; there must be a basis. Some people
have continued to say that they didn’t win that election because they
were cheated; but there were many other elections that they had lost
before that one; but they never had been bothering Nigeria. With due
respects, most of these people have, either before coming to PDP, or
since joining the party have lost one election or the other, and we have
had many elections since this dispensation but have kept quiet. But why
must they continue to talk about this election over and over again; an
election which was internal and which, therefore, should be taken
lightly. When you lose an election against a party where your party is
weak, you don’t even bother about it; and then the other election which
is an internal one which somebody else wins, you are talking about it
for a year. It doesn’t make any sense and that is to show you that the
issue is not about election. The real issue is that some people just
still can’t measure up to the idea that it is time to give way to other
people. And when we say people should give way, we are not saying that
they should go and die. There are many respectable ways people can serve
the party. There are still opportunities and many of those people who
are complaining of being marginalised. Yes, you may not be a minister
but you can become the chairman of a board.

Some people believe that the Awoniyi group has a well-founded basis
to feel the way they feel, that after the convention, you did not extend
a true hand of fellowship and that you carried on in a manner indicative
of self-styled arrogance. Does it not bother you that some people in
your party were able to call a well-attended meeting of the party while
your own executive committee is still in office? Let me first answer the
first question concerning the hand of fellowship. I don’t think that is
correct. Because what would have taken me four times to go to Chief
Awoniyi’s house, if I wasn’t practicalising my gesture of goodwill. I
have met him once in a properly organized meeting in his house; and I
have placed as many as 16 phone calls to his house- I have not been
really counting, I’m just giving figures. And on a number of occasions
he actually spoke to me on the phone and that is how it was with some
other members. But later I began to realize that there were problems.

During those discussions didn’t you people come to a sort of
compromise, or terms of agreement? What impression did you come away
with each time there was a discussion? Well, it is not really how I
felt, but it’s more a matter of how the party perceived the thing. This
reconciliatory moves went as far as calling a National Executive Council
meeting.

What exactly did Chief Awoniyi tell you? Chief Awoniyi said,
‘Barnabas- he calls me by my first name, and he is old enough to do so.

I have talked to Dr. Alex Ekwueme, he will talk to you.’ And later on
I spoke with Dr. Ekwueme that ‘Chief Sunday Awoniyi says he had talked
with you that I should discuss with you.’ And he said yes that he said I
should call a meeting of the party leadership and them, so that this
matter can be resolved and that he would like the president and vice
president to be present. And I said, beautiful. That meeting was held
and we all went and we discussed most heartily and everything was done.
Somebody gave the opening prayers the Muslim way and Chief Awoniyi said
the Christian closing prayers. We all agreed that everything would be
put behind us and we’ll move on.

So, why hasn’t everything been put behind? You see, unfortunately,
the following day, Chief Awoniyi addressed a press conference and
brought us back to square one and another member of that group went and
sued us in court. So, I believe that certain times, reading somebody’s
face no longer gives the right answer. If what people tell you today is
going to be different from what they would do tomorrow, then integrity
is no longer there. Integrity should be by the way people do things and
not by the way they say it.

The meeting that was held could end up leaving you without a party.
Now, what was your first reaction when you heard that some people have
taken the bull by the horn because in fairness to them, they said they
were calling the meeting in order to arrest the problems of the party? I
was disappointed. And I think that when you place those qualities which
they have or the qualities which some of them claim to have, against
their action, you have no point other than to feel disappointed. If it
were just some of them, I would not feel worried but you have some
people who are quite distinguished among them and that is what is
worrisome. It is a matter of trying to carry some people along in a
cause whose personalities do not match that cause.

So, what would be your response to the issue of decamping should it
turn out that way with what is going on now, saying ‘if we can’t get
what we want in PDP, we’ll go somewhere else and get it? I would advise
people not to do that, because it is better to stay where they know you
than to go where you are not known especially when you are not so lucky
with electoral victory. It is better to remain in your own party rather
than go somewhere else and lose respect.

Somebody once declared that the PDP did not elect an executive that
should antagonize the government of Chief Obasanjo. But that
relationship appears to have assumed a sub-servient dimension, and that
is what makes people allege that you are not a man of your own and that
you’re only leaning on the President hence the problems on the ground,
between the exco and the legislature? It goes without saying that the
president is the leader of the party. This is in the context of the fact
that he is the image of the party. In operating the party, the national
chairman of the party is in charge; but the image of the party which is
seen globally goes beyond the party and it involves the president, all
the state governors, the national assembly all put together as the
government and the president is there as the head of that group. So, it
is very important for members of the party to be mindful of that image
that is carved around the president. And if anybody thinks that we
should be ignorant of that and that we should also go out and harass the
president like a union or a pressure group that constantly disturbs, and
whoever feels it should be that way and be subsumed in the criticism of
the president, then the person doesn’t understand the workings of a
political party. There was no serious argument between Alhaji Shehu
Shagari and Chief Adisa Akinloye, in the open during the Second
Republic. This is not because there was any special arrangement, it is
just that it is the duty of the party to protect the government and Mr.
President who is a representative and symbol of the party. And that
government is protected at all levels. How many times have we had to
lead a fight against the impeachment of the president; but I have rushed
out to fight against or plead against the impeachment of leaders of the
legislative chambers for which they came here to thank me and
congratulate me for what I did. So, to where am I giving more support.

Ironically, the accusation comes more from members of the National
Assembly that your leadership is leaning more to the president.

No. No. They do not understand. They do not understand. And I have
spoken to members of the National Assembly on several occasions, and
each time we lay our cards on the table for all, they discover that
those making such allegations and accusations are the ones saying ‘give
me the leadership so I can fight Obasanjo. That is not the issue and
that is not the way it is done - to give people what they ask for
always. Nigeria has changed for the better and it is no longer business
as usual. So, if it was easy to handle things in a particular way in the
past and they now see that things are no longer going to be handled that
way again, they should not make it appear as if heaven is going to fall.

Okay, in all these President Obasanjo can not be said to be
faultless. What faults would you want to admit that Obasanjo has and how
would you advise that he handles some issues.

Just as I go to the National Assembly to hold caucus meetings
secretly with the members, I do so with the president, I go there to
talk to him and offer advice. I do not think it is proper for me to
advise the president publicly.

But people would say there he goes again, ‘the PDP chairman has been
said to be subservient to the president.

The minute I begin to advise the president in the media, as my
colleagues were trying to tell the PDP exco how to run the party, then
it is an affront and it means that person does not have any knowledge of
what his job is all about. And I don’t think you are doing me any good
to press me to do that. That’s not the way the job should be done; the
job should be done in such a way that you meet the people at the right
place at the right time.

What should Nigerians expect from your PDP in the years ahead.

Well the people should expect a more dynamic party. Nigerians are not
looking for appointments, they are looking for dividends in concrete
terms and not all these distractions. What they are looking for is for
Nigeria to become better. And this is what we are set to do. Although it
is going to be difficult because things have really gone very bad.
Things have gone really bad. In the past, there used to be a Nigerian
Railway train every six hours; but now may be it is once a week. These
are the things we are working towards rebuilding and not the
distractions from some people. How I wish that some of the people
talking the way they are doing today know and appreciate how bad things
have gone; but more importantly be humble enough to admit that while
things were going bad, they, too, were partly responsible for it because
they were there.

Let’s go home. The Benue Cement Company, BCC, was put up for partial
sale (in respect of the government shares). The whole thing became a bit
messy when the people in whose locale the company is located came out to
say the sale should be handled in a particular manner and you then have
the governor of the state saying publicly that he would resist with his
blood. How does that make you feel as the national chairman of the party
controlling the federal government, with a minister out of government in
the process and in whose state the company is located.

I must assure you that I have a very strong opinion on this issue and
I believe that what has happened is very unfortunate. It is very
unfortunate indeed and I believe that even if what the governor of Benue
State was trying to do had a good cause, I think he exhibited immaturity
in its handling as the head of the government of a state. It is
unfortunate that he has handled things in such a manner that makes me
feel sad. Sad because, things didn’t happen normally. There was a
procedure, and the process of privatization had been going on. In 1989,
I was there as head of that company when the federal government sold
twenty per cent of its shares, and this time it was to sell the
remaining shares. The procedure had been defined in advance by the
privatization laws of this nation and luckily enough, a minister from my
state was involved. It starts at the ministerial level where those who
want to bid are taken round. When that is done, the process shifts to
the Bureau for Public Enterprises, that operates under the National
Council on Privatization; the minister was again a member of that
committee. When they finish, they report back to the National Executive
Committee, of which the minister is a member. And I believe that the
processes would have been watched very carefully, not only that, but
also handled carefully, because they were party to everything that was
going on and if there was any problem, the governor should have
presented what he is presenting to us now earlier. And we are as
sensitive as he is on matters of survival concerning businesses in our
area especially the BCC because it is the major business source in the
place. But to wait until everything was done to now come out and
challenge the federal government, I don’t think that was wise enough.

But more than that, the matter has assumed some propaganda
dimensions, to the extent that it is now being said that if the company
could be sold to outsiders and the chairman of the government party is
from that same area, then it must have been endorsed by him when in
actual fact those who knew about it from the onset did not think the
national chairman of the party was relevant in what they were doing. But
I believe every problem must be solved and I am willing to solve it
provided all parties concerned are willing to talk.

Muhammadu Buhari and his cousins lorded it at PTF for years, gave
frivolous and unsecured loan to some states to build unviable trade fair
complex and dredging River Niger when the refineries, the Niger- Delta,
NEPA generation and distribution networks are decaying from lack of
attention and funding.

Statutory allocations to various Government agencies including NEPA,
NITEL and the refineries are seen as booties for the Chief Executives
and their cronies. Why not? Their successive Heads of State are stealing
and cannot be bothered, more so, as their children and other nominated
cousins and friends are all beneficiaries of unexecuted contracts and
supplies.

Sani Abacha left over US$11 billion in the foreign account but our
“Deliverer” Abdusalam Abubakar declared they met US$7 billion. Nigerians
had no choice but agree with him and took his words in preference for
evidence offered by the discredited Abacha’s aides. Besides, we chose
not to stir the hornet’s nest so that the General and his men may not
change their mind to do us the favour of handing over power to our
elected politicians and commence the Fourth Republic. Five months to his
exit, Abdusalam Abukakar had to play the fuel price hike politics to
complete his tenure and make it memorable. He jerked the price to
N25/litre for petrol and review to N20/liter after the NLC and general
public outcry. He informed Nigerians in a nationwide broadcast that they
have to remove the remaining subsidy on petroleum products so that the
incoming civilian administration may meet sufficient reserve for
development programmes. Our compassionate deliverer was hailed for
playing the same military deceptive antics that has been played back and
front to raise fund for looting since 1987.

General Olusegun Obasanjo in identifying with his primary
constituency lived in the past, re-hatching the old scheme to defraud
the Nigeria people, mistake our goodwill and obedience to God’s
directive that follower should be obedient to their leaders as He knows
when to intercede-since both good and bad kings cannot ascend the throne
without His assent. Obasanjo took the Nigerian people and all their
elected representatives for granted since we all celebrated, danced and
cheered him during the first year anniversary of the Fourth Republic.

For the likes of Philip Asiodu, Rilwan Lukman, Abubakar Haruna, Yusuf
Ali. Jerry Gana and other enemies of the people and the Nigerian nation
who have been propagating petroleum products price hike for years,
devaluation of the Naira, sale of national assets and infrastructure
under guise of privatization as directed by the IMF, IBRD and the IFC,
African continent and especially Nigeria is no more than “Bread and
Butter” for these monetary agencies and indeed the so called Western
allies and Obasanjo “friends of Nigeria”.

Bill Clinton despite the economic reforms of his administration
resisted the move by the legislature to stop the payment of social
security allowances to deserving American citizens. He acts promptly and
decisively in the overall interest of America and Americans. Free
enterprise or not they protect the American industries and jobs
jealously even beyond the American shores. Today, most Japanese
automobile manufacturers have had to establish a plant in America and
comply with American trade directives rather than dumping which will
diminish job opportunities for USA residents as against what is done in
Nigeria by all and sundry in the name of free market.

During his opening speech preceding talks with the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) at the Aso Rock Villa Obasanjo cuts a pitiable look while
he admitted responsibility for throwing this nation into another frenzy
of hardships, avoidable waste and deaths caused by civil strife. He
proved his detractors right. He allowed himself to be misled by
intellectually bankrupt petroleum and economic advisers who had failed
woefully where he (Obasanjo) succeeded. Does Obasanjo imagined that
these people would offer him any tangible advise that will help him
write his name on the sands of time? Have Obasanjo’s enemies and
detractors charmed him? Perhaps it was the spirit of Abacha that was
haunting him in the Villa? Or was it not Obasanjo who in 1988 chided the
devilish Babangida over his administration’s policy for not having a
“Human Face” when SAP and first petroleum product price hike was
introduced? By this action, Obasanjo has frittered away an opportunity
to make himself an all-time unparalleled Nigerian leader that history
would have placed at par with American great names like George
Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and of course, our own Nnamdi
Azikwe. In history, he would have become for Nigeria what Winston
Churchill is to Britain, Charles De’ Gaulle to France, Nelson Mandela to
South Africa and Joseph Stalin to the defunct USSR.

“Men’s honesty does not increase with the riches” so said Thomas
Jefferson. Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, the man who has passed through the
valley and shadow of death now lives in Aso Rock Villa not Jos,
Maiduguri or Abakaliki prison, and so, forgot where he was coming from.
The man who has been jetting all over the globe, burning tax-payers
money and the Niger-Delta people’s oil, single-handed threw the people
to the Asiodu dogs to be devoured, after all, he needed “N100 billion to
subsidize education, health, roads, water NEPA, NITEL and refurbish UCH
and complete Jos hospital which has been abandoned” including one
hospital in each geo-political zone of the country since no provision
has been made for all these in his over N500 billion Budget 2000 which
was based on US$14/barrel of crude while average yield has been
US$26/barrel of crude.

The surplus earnings from crude-oil (over 1.5 million barrels/day)
and gas exports including yields from hiked price of sales of oil blocks
from US$300,000 (N30,000,000) to US$10,000,000/US$25,000,000
(N1billion/N2.5billion) can not be ploughed into provision of these
great services designed in the interest of Nigerians or be utilized to
address the Nigerian debt question. The Nigerian people must die of
malnutrition, joblessness, lack decent accommodation, closed down the
factories and/or produce goods and services which are not price
competitive in the open market before they start enjoying those
fantastic services (in their graves).

Obasanjo should remember that it was the same Nigerian people that
rose as one and stood by him when some mercenaries came up on the floor
of the Senate asking for his head. It is this same people that are now
saying no to his attempt to further impoverish the nation and the
citizenry.

Based on Gaius-Obaseki’s advertised figures in the national dailies,
Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are governing this
nation by deceit and lies. These are the same antics used by all
successive armed bandits in uniform who had ruled this country for
decades, impoverishing the people of Nigerian, enriching themselves,
their nuclear families, selective friends and cronies to ensure that the
Nigerian nation remain in bondage, and is perpetually mortgaged to
international money lenders and their donor countries.

Nigeria produces 2million barrels of crude daily, 330.000 barrels is
allocated to NNPC for local consumption. NNPC refines 40% locally and
sells 60% as export prevailing spot market cost of crude (USN 26.8).
>From its earnings, NNPC imports refined products to complement 40%
locally refined for national products for local consumption, Obasanjo
said it will amount to N202billion, besides, there has been smuggling of
over 20-30% of products meant for Nigeria and Nigerians, hence his
proposed price hike to raise additional N100billion earning and
curtailment of smuggling of petroleum product to neighbouring countries
as if Nigerians did not give him mandate to be Chief Commander of the
Armed Forces, the Police and all other Security Services for the
protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian
nation.

This time around, those lies and fraudulent deceit does not hold
water as they have been fostered of Nigerians over and again. In the
past Nigeians shifted ground because we were dealing with bloodthirsty
armed bandits whose modus operandi were senseless killing and maiming
using state terrorism as their apparatus. Time has since changed, we are
now in a democratic setting (whether warped democracy or not),
therefore, we the people of Nigeria has spoken through our elected
representatives.. the Nigerian Labour Congress.

President Olusegun Obasanjo did not tell Nigerians why he has failed
in the last one year to publish all details of monthly crude oil
production, NNPC’s allocation of crude export to what country and total
export earnings from oil and other commodities, oil block sales,
production taxes, customs imports and excise earnings, foreign aids,
other local receipt earnings including VAT and bring down prices of
petroleum products as he promised Nigeians during his electioneering
campaign. What happened to his vow to run a transparent, prudent and
accountable government verified and ascertained debt should be paid off
from the foreign reserve account and oil in the counter-trade fashion
while the 50% balance is settled in equal installment over five-year
period without any further interest accumulation and immediate Embargo
on Loan by both the federal or state government for whatever purposes
until the existing debts are liquidated.

We cannot continue to period that Nigeria’s problems are
insurmountable or that they are all man-made. The debt negotiation
(recurrent or not) does not have any difference to which will plug all
loop holes of pilfering and national wastes thereby ensuring that all
available resources are employed for the common good of all Nigerians
for a prosperous and greater Nigeria? the entire citizenry agrees that
government should explore all avenues to increase its revenue base but
never again to suicidal taxes and local consumption petroleum products
price hike, government should recover our stolen billions of dollars
from past heads of state, ministers and other corrupt government
officials and their various fronts and cronies, abrogate the decree 32
of 1999 which portends national waste making tax-payers to pay more
money to certified pilferers.

The recovered loot should be withdrawn from the “special account” at
the Central Bank where both Abdusalam and Obasanjo claimed they have the
money before the Abachas, Anis, Dalhatus, Gwarzos and Ogwumas of
Obasanjo’s government helped themselves to it. Neither should the found
utilized in the petroleum rust Fund fashion nor have any party
men/women, retired military officer or government serving employee on
the utilization committee.

For transparency, accountability and unalloyed sincerity, the
government should appoint the revered Nigeria’s number one accountant,
Mr. Akintola Williams as the Chairman of the committee for Recovered
Stolen Money Utilization. Members of the Committee should include Dr.
Pius Okigbo, Professor Ishaya Audu, Chief Christopher Ogunbanjo, Rev.
Fr. Matthew Kukah, Chief David Dafinone, Mr. Ola Vincent, Mr. Erastus
Akingbola, Comrade Adams Oshiomle and Chief Geni Fawehinmi as the
Secretary to the committee. These are men of internationally acclaimed
integrity, impeccable honesty and decisiveness, above all, they are
detribalized and depoliticized Nigerians. They may be very reluctant to
have anything to do with personal debts or what other countries of the
world have been known to owe and negotiated for successful liquidation.

Similarly, President Obasanjo should send a bill to the National
Assembly to outlaw currency trafficking, black-market foreign currency
purchase and sales, money laundering and fix the exchange rate at N4.50
to USN.

No responsible government would leave the currency of its currency at
the whims and caprices of international moneylenders or organization.
The foreign debts and the desire of personalized adventure to gut and
loot the public purse inform their capitulation and admittance of all
sorts of conditionalities for further foreign loans and aids.

Governments should make conscious effort to increase local production
and complementary indices of the national welfare. Reverse the economic
adversity of the nation and attain national growth based on cheap raw
materials which nature has endowed us with, abundant capital taking
advantage of the rise in oil prices, expand and show genuine and strong
commitment to small and medium scale entrepreneurship thereby
gallivation the nation towards full employment, low interest rate easy
access to loans and above all, provide cheap and available energy which
will enhance overall production, capacity utilization, diversification
of the economy, boost export in all sectors and increase inflow of
foreign exchange earnings.

Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State, yesterday in Ibadan
faulted moves by the Pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo to
stop prospective NYSC members from the South East States from serving in
the “Sharia” states.

Governor Duke speaking to journalists at IITA, Ibadan said: “I don’t
think we should do any thing that would split this country.

“We should rise above such issues. I am not an advocate of Sharia or
any state religion but when we start to prevent people from moving
freely it is not good for the corporate structure of this country,” he
stressed.

The Governor who regretted the inability of the Federal Government to
stop the adoption of Sharia in some parts of the country said: “Since
we’ve lost the opportunity to solve the issue by political will, then we
need to sit down and dialogue and I hope that as we try to revisit the
constitution, such are the issues to be really examined.”

Continuing, he said “Cross River is the most peaceful state in the
federation and we took steps to protect all residents even when crisis
spread to Aba. We moved to ensure there was no threat to lives and
property of all non indigenes particularly over brothers and sisters
from the North.

“We don’t need a national conference for anything. The constitution
is being reviewed. Some are saying Sharia, Sharia, how many of us know
what it is Sharia? It has been in the Northern penal code.

“It was part of our curriculum in ABU, what is being added now is the
penalty.

There is stoning, but those are the things that have been taken away
in our legal system. We need to handle it seriously. It is a pity we
lost the chance of the supreme court interpreting it.”

On the Obong of Calabar controversy, Mr. Duke said “there is a system
in operation. We are not interested in who becomes the Obong of Calabar.
We are only interested in maintaining the system, not necessary for now
but for posterity.

“Because if you truncate it, it will affect succession in the future
and what happened in Calabar was an attempt to truncate it and we could
not fold our arms. We are not particular about who occupies the throne
as long as it is accepted by the people the Governor asserted.

Governor Duke said that the state government would pay its workers
minimum wage of N5,500 as announced by the Federal Government saying
“what the NLC is talking about is not what Federal Government announced.

The National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
has ordered the stoppage of moves by the Cross River State chapter of
the party to change the existing local government chapter executives.

The intervention of the National Office in the crisis in Cross River
State, followed a series of petitions and counter petitions by factional
groups over alleged marginalisation and harmonisation of existing lists
of the chapter executives.

National secretary of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, in a February
correspondence to the state chairman of the party had said “the
attention of the national office has been drawn to the arrays of
petitions and counter petitions addressed to you and copied this office
by many local government chapters in your state.

“These include Bekwara Ikom, Obubra, Obudu and Yakwis, among others.
Some of these petitions address the issues of marginalization and
harmonization of existing lists of the executive. Others address the
attempt by the state to undermine some elected chapter chairmen. The
most disturbing of these is the one that alleges that some chapters are
engaging on fresh congresses.

“The National office wonders why there has been no reaction from the
state in all these issues. It is pertinent to forward a reminder that
chapter congresses of this party across the entire country were
conducted on the 2nd day of October 1999. Since then, the party has not
ordered the conduct of fresh congresses. So, why should Cross Rivers
State be an exception?

“If there are any amendments or adjustments to be effected in any
chapter in your state, it can only be after due clearance from the
national office sequently, we advise that you should disregard any
illegal harmonisation of chapter lists as well as illegal congresses
conducted in any chapter in the state.

“We cannot afford to continue to factionalise the party at every
given opportunity. We advise that all attempts to harmonise or alter the
existing chapter executives should be stopped forthwith.”

Vanguard learnt that in spite of the directive by the National
secretariat, moves are still on to alter the chapter executives, a
development which is being blamed on the state governor, Mr. Donald
Duke’s plans to control the party machinery in the state.

There were feelers that a group of concerned party leaders in the
state, backed by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Emmanuel Ibeshi,
have been resisting the plans to alter the chapter executives list
produced at the October 2, 1999 chapter congresses.