Saturday, January 22, 2011

If I Were PDP on the Chairmanship Question

This is a friendly advice to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The issue of chairman from Chief Ogbulafor to Dr Nwodo has been one big dent to the party’s image. Both suffered from the manner of their ascendancy - appointment rather than proper election.

The post is so crucial that party members must be allowed to VOTE in a special convention for all willing well-canvassed and well-scrutinized candidates. Let the best and most acceptable to the rank and file win.

If I were the PDP, I will give all interested aspirants ONE month to campaign and bring back the same delegates of the presidential primary election to come vote for a new chairman.

This should be over and done with by February ending. He/she will be sworn in at the venue, and preside over a NEC meeting the next day - to take full charge.

As the ruling party, for now, I will do no less.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

If I Were ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR on the PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

We may not really know what he knows, but the astute politician has lost the ruling party’s presidential ticket for the 2011 General Elections. It was largely expected following the acrimonious manner the zoning issue was made the be all and end all of his campaign, and the unlikely harmony his camp sought from losers in the Northern Consensus Candidate brouhaha.

As an experienced gladiator and statesman, it is surprising that he is yet to congratulate President Jonathan on the landslide victory in the primary. General Babangida beat him to it!

If I were Alhaji Atiku, I will do so immediately; and genuinely mean it.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

If I Were Performing GOVERNORS on WORKERS' Welfare

Nigerians don’t care about non-performing governors: they are on their way out!

If I were a Performing Governor, I will not throw myself out by unjustly  victimizing my state’s workers, combatively confronting them, unduly delaying action or arrogantly dismissive of their genuine agitations for better welfare - especially in an election year. I will fully negotiate, period.

This note of caution has become imperative because we do not want to lose good governors. But, hey, it’s up to them! Yet we will advise.

States are in dire need of resources. No question. But most of them are not working to earn more - they simply keep quoting federation account allocations as if that precludes internally generated revenue (IGR). If a governor sits in office for four years and does not know what to do with his state’s natural and comparative endowments, he has no business in government, period! Same for the local government chairmen. Very sad.

Generally, instead in investing in infrastructure, people and power they overload the payroll with political IOUs, hordes of parasitic aides, ghost workers, etc. They set projects aside and concentrate on overheads
costs which drain the treasury. And they travel forever! Ask EFCC, ask the workers, ask their citizens.

Then the cheekiest part: The politicians earn the FULL remuneration set by Abuja, and turn round to deny workers their own pay “because has no right to impose figures on us”! All governors and commissioners, SAs and PAs, perm-secs and DGs, LG chairmen and councillors earn the same no matter how poor their state! After service, they claim and collect their full payoffs, even as they flaunt and quote Abuja Circulars. But when it comes to workers, no dice! Apartheid.

If I were Performing Governors, I will fully negotiate. When I return, if I return, we will TOTALLY restructure government and governance. I will not DARE or DAMN Nigerian WORKERS in an election year. Not within weeks of The VOTE!