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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2013
Politics
Adedibu’s widow commends Ajimobi From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan
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idow of the late Strongman of Ibadan Politics, Chief (Mrs.) Bose Adedibu, has commended the Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, for his performance in the areas of security, urban tenewal and environmentaal sanitation. Mrs. Adedibu, like her late husband, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, is a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that ruled the state between 2003 and 2011. While featuring on a Yoruba weekly television programme on the State-owned Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) recently, she acknowledged the fact that the Ajimobi administration had been able to restore the peace which had eluded the state for some years back. ``I am not a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria but a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party and I am not leaving the party. But I cannot say because I am a PDP member, I will not acknowledge good performance. ``In all honesty and without being unnecessarily biased, Governor Abiola Ajimobi is doing well. There is peace and security now compared with the violence and brigandage that used to be perpetrated by street urchins,” she said. According to her, a couple of years back, the state was besieged by violence which made it uncomfortable for virtually everyone living in it. ``I remember vividly that at that time, the people of Oyo State used to live in perpetual fear of insecurity. But now, everywhere is peaceful and people are going about their business without fear of molestation,’’ she said. Mrs. Adedibu also acknowledged that Ibadan, and indeed, the entire state, is now wearing a new look owing to the massive urban renewal programme of the state government. She dismissed insinuations by the opposition that shops were being demolished and that traders were being subjected to unnecessary pains, saying that it was only those plying their trades on the streets that were being relocated by government. ``The traders that had been relocated were those trading on the streets and what the government has been doing is to ensure their safety and prevent avoidable accidents and loss of lives,” Mrs. Adedibu said. The widow maintained that, in spite of that, the government had been building shops for traders on the streets who were removed from roadsides.
L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Senator Simeon Ajibola, Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mrs Valerie Ebe, and Chairman, House Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Hon. Abubakar Momoh, during the Youth Empowerment Workshop, on Monday in Uyo. Photo: NAN
APGA crisis: Obi seeks reconciliation with Umeh, says Aide
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ov. Peter Obi has urged Chief Victor Umeh, the factional National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to reconcile with the Chief Maxi Okwuled faction of the party. The Special Adviser to Governor on Political Matters, Mr Fidel Okafor, said this in Onitsha, Anambra, yesterday. Okafor said the party was not chasing anybody out but had resolved to bring everybody back into the fold. ``Chief Umeh should soft-pedal on his stance against the current leadership of APGA and accept the truth in the interest of Ndi Igbo and the political legacy of Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu,’’ he said. He said that the current leadership was ready to welcome Umeh and other members back as well as accord them their due respect and regard. He said, ``I want to use this medium to advice Umeh to soft pedal.
``If all of us believe that this party is good enough for the Igbo people, one cannot continue going ahead creating impressions that there are problems. There are problems here and there. ``There is no problem again, the party is willing and ready to reintegrate him, but it does not make any sense if he continuous to fight to be national chairman. ``One, between you and I, there is no political party in this country that has retained one national chairman for 10 years. ``Victor Umeh started acting as national chairman in 2004, next year it will be 10 years and he is not tired. ``Look at, just go and study all the political parties in this country, there is no party that has retained one national chairman for more than four years. ``That is how parties grow, this party thing is not a personal business; you do your beat, you shift and another
person will come in. ``It continuous to change, but in APGA it is as if it has become somebody’s empire or dynasty, where you must be there, probably handover to his son. ``So, that is what we want to stop; it is a national party that gives the Igbo people identity, so we have to do things democratically to reflect how parties are run everywhere. ``Our party’s constitution makes it clear that no one person can occupy one position for above, I mean more than eight years; from 2004 till now. ``My prayer is that he sees reason and accepts peace; if he wants to remain in APGA we can give him a pride of place as a former national chairman, maybe whatever thing he wants. ``But he must let the leadership of the party be, must let the party be because the implication of what he is
Harmonious legislature, executive relationship key to good governance-Osunbor
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former Senator, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, said a healthy and harmonious legislative and executive relationship was key to good governance. Osunbor said this in a paper he presented at a two-day International Conference on Emerging Democracies in Africa with the theme, ``Challenges and Opportunities”. The paper is entitled: ``Legislature, Executive Relationship, Toward Building a Pact for Good Governance and Accountability’’. He said the disagreements between the two arms of government were often exaggerated and over dramatised. He said that in some instances,
such disagreements might help to reinforce mutual respect between the two arms of government and promote accountability Osunbor said that the failure by the executive to implement budgets in full had remained one of the reasons for conflicts between the legislature and the executive. He said that while the executive had the responsibility to manage the economy, the legislature was saddled with the responsibility to know how the resources were being managed. ``As representatives of the people, members of the legislature will always resist any attempt to shut them out of the decision as to who gets what, when
and how,” he said. The former senator enjoined the two arms of government to establish a platform or mechanism to bridge differences that would provide a link between them. He attributed the stability being witnessed by the legislature in the country to the ability of members to elect their officials without external influence. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, among others, is expected to evaluate the roles and weaknesses of institutions and actors in the democratic process of emerging democracies. (NAN)
doing is - if it is not me, let it die.’’ Okafor noted that the convention that produced Okwu and others from the ward level to the national level was free and fair and had been upheld by a court of competent jurisdiction. Responding, Umeh, factional Chairman of APGA, said that he would not join issues with aides and subordinates. Umeh noted that Okafor should be making his appeal of reconciliation to people at his level. (NAN)
South West Assemblies seek financial autonomy
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he Conference of Speakers, South West Zone, yesterday canvassed financial autonomy for the legislature in states. The body made the call in Osogbo during its sensitisation visit to Osun Assembly in continuation of its tour of states in the South West Zone. The Speaker of Osun Assembly, Mr Najeem Salam, said separation of powers could only be exercised if there was financial autonomy for the legislature. In their separate contributions, members of Osun Assembly unanimously supported the call for financial autonomy. Earlier, the Speaker of Ekiti Assembly and Vice Chairman of the body, Mr Adewale Omirin, explained that the visit was to ensure the issue of financial autonomy was integrated in the constitution review process. Omirin said that the state legislature must be financially independent to enable it discharge its constitutional role efficiently. (NAN)