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PAGE 26— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 23, 2021 How PDP will dislodge APC in S/West in 2023 — Owokoniran, Zonal Secretary Rahman Akanni Owokoniran is the new South-West Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Secretary. But he has been around— since the Second Republic. Owokoniran was part of the formation of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, and became a member of Lagos State House of Assembly in 1983. He became Chairman of the Congress for National Consensus, CNC. He moved to Action for Democracy, AD, and was appointed Chairman, Lagos State Local Government Council Creation Committee, which created 20 LGAs and 17 LCDAs. He was Director-General of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign organisation for a second term. He was appointed Commissioner for Housing(2003) and then Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Boundary Affairs (2006). He spoke about rebuilding PDP for 2023 elections and the failings of APC in this interview with Agbonkhese Oboh. How popular is the newly-elected South-West PDP exco? We have every reason to be thankful. The congress was successful. There were no winners or losers. Our internal democracy is very much intact. At the same time, the leadership of the party in the South-West has been engaging themselves to bring unity to the party and carry everyone along. We all have the same goal and that is to win elections. We also recognise the huge task ahead of us, which is taking over come 2023, in order to salvage Nigeria. As the new South- West PDP Secretary- General, what new ideas and changes you will like to see? The changes I would love to see are already taking shape: internal democracy, restoration of confidence and legitimacy, and enabling people to have a sense of participation. This is what I would like to see more in all our primaries and elections, so that there will be no doubt when a candidate emerges at the end of the day. This way it is easier to resolve differences than when candidates are imposed. It is good when people participate in the due process. As the people’s party, I also want to see more activities and involvement with the people in the local government and President Goodluck Jonathan achieved a lot for Nigerians. But unfortunately, people did not realise it until after he left office ward levels. This will enhance the confidence and trust the people have in PDP. Even as the opposition party, you have crises. Especially in the South-West. Are there specific plans to restructure the party? Yes. In Lagos, for instance, we are fortunate that we have not done our congresses. This will be a very good way to heal the party. Also, we are talking with all the stakeholders; that we should be more focused on building the party rather than just contesting for the sake of it. And, hopefully, those who are doing their congresses will bear in mind that everybody has a role to play. Having different groups within the party is a thing of the past as everyone has recognised the fact that unity is key to our success— from ward levels to the top. We have a government that is nonfunctional and a country in serious crisis. For these reasons, it is important that PDP put their house in order. The last six years of APC have been frustrating to Nigerians. So if we, PDP, want Nigerians to trust and have confidence in us as a party, we have to earn it. And the way to earn it is to demonstrate the seriousness of purpose and sell our package— what we have to offer them. You’ve seen it all (UPN, SDP, NCP, APP, AD and PDP). A lot of Nigerians believe there is no difference between PDP and APC. As a political scientist, how do you respond to that perception? I don’t know what APC’s ideology is. B u t certainly is not the s a m e w i t h PDP’s. We are •Owokoniran v e r y much leftcentre. W e work for the interest of the common man, so I believe we just have to sell our programmes so that people can see what we have in store for them. For instance, President Goodluck Jonathan achieved a lot for Nigerians. But unfortunately, people did not realise it until he left office. So I believe PDP needs to project the image of the party and not individuals. When we sell the party, people will realise that PDP is a party working for them and distinguish it from other parties. PDP is about the people. But we can’t say same about APC. Nigerians have come to realise this fact. 2023 elections are not too far off. What is PDP’s strategy for the South- West? First, we need to unite, which we are making great progress in achieving. The PDP has been a party with delivery records, but unfortunately the challenge has been the division in the leadership. However, we have learned from others that suffered same fate that if we are divided we stand no chance. Therefore, we are successfully working on uniting everybody. That’s how we can come up with the best programmes to salvage Nigeria. What is the Federal Government doing wrong concerning insecurity? I have said this before, Government is not attracting the best of hands to tackle insecurity. We are not in the 70s. Things are happening differently now. This is a technological era. Government should pay for the right services. There’s no reason for Ghana and Togo to be safe while Nigeria is not safe. It is either there is internal sabotage or the government is sabotaging itself. There is something fundamentally wrong. Abacha said any government that cannot arrest insurgency within 24 hours is responsible for that insurgency. Would you say the present Lagos State government is doing well? I rate them three out of 10. Governance is about the people. But I have not seen propeople governance in Lagos. Everybody is a local government of their own: you generate your own electricity and provide your own water. Where does the government come in? Even the roads they said they are constructing have become deathtraps. In Lagos today, you can’t go to three places. People go to work and come back home. Anything else, you will sleep on the road. The Lagos State government is insensitive to the need of the people. They say they are spending money on roads, but the traffic situation is getting worse, then what kind city is that? No good health services. The rate of inflation and unemployment is unbelievable. So in my opinion, the state government is doing very badly. If Nigerian politicians want to serve, they should act it. If the money is available, pay the people well. If it is not, reduce your own salaries. That’s why we are losing talents and professionals. They are acting like CEOs. They should stay at home and allow people who want to serve to take over. People who want to make money in government should be discouraged. Nigerians are fed up with politicians failing to deliver on promises. How does PDP intend to win back their confidence? The people have tried APC and the difference is now very obvious. PDP had a government that listened and took decisions based on what the people desired. The people want a government they are sure they can be part of. That’s one major reason I believe PDP should be given a second chance. We will improve and fix the shortcomings of the past. We are all in this together. I do trust that the people are yearning for PDP to come back in 2023. The fact remains that as it stands PDP is the only party that is peopleoriented and will take Nigeria out of our present economic disaster. BOOK REVIEW: Akinyemi harps on man’s mental strength in Everybody Don Kolomental By Tunde Oso FOR Tolu Akinyemi, speaking on his freshest work: Everybody Don Kolomental, everyone deals with mental health struggles and could be “a god in a human body”, as he explores themes of spirituality, divinity and the enormous power that we possess while we traverse this earthly passage, in the collection of poems. Akinyemi weaves his exuberant latest collection of poems around the themes of depression and mental health problems. With candour and verve, he captures the pain of living with mental illness in “Mental,” as he writes: “How do I find healing in tranquillity? / Without being judged through a blurry lens.” “Mood Swings” explores the protagonist’s struggle with maniac and depressive phases that relentlessly wreak havocs in their life. “Therapy” examines the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health problems. These poems are unforgiving in their portrayal of mental health sufferings (“Checkmate,” “Burning”), envy and bitterness (“Best Friends,” “Bitterness”), and violence (“A Single Story”); yet there is hope and selfawareness, a wish to get out of depression and do better, even if it feels like the odds are stacked against you (“No Pity,” Self-Doubt,” “My Girls,” and “Don’t Snap It yet”). In “People of the World,” the protagonist contemplates the futility of passing friendships and fleeting attachments. “Gone with the Wind” exudes melancholy as the protagonist remembers a long-dead friend. Crafted on similar lines, “Conversation with the Dead” is replete with longing. “Therapist in Need of Therapy” studies mental health professionals’ struggles with mental illnesses. The book’s title poem, “Everyday Don Kolomental” conveys resolve while maintaining a sort of crude optimism. The final poem, “The Tenth Chapter” is a congratulatory nod to self. Most poems suggest despair, sadness, and loneliness, that accompany depression, but moments of hope permeate others, making sure the overall mood never stays dark for long. This is an impressive addition to Akinyemi’s compelling body of work. Tolu’ A. Akinyemi (also known as Tolutoludo & Lion of Newcastle) is an award-winning Nigerian author in the genre of poetry, short story, and essays, which include: Dead Lions Don’t Roar (Poetry, 2017), Unravel Your Hidden Gems (Essays, 2018), Dead Dogs Don’t Bark (Poetry, 2018), Dead Cats Don’t Meow (Poetry, 2019), Never Play Games With The Devil (Poetry, 2019), Inferno of Silence (Short Stories, 2020), A Booktiful Love (Poetry, 2020), Black ‘“ Inferior (Poetry, 2021), Never Marry a Writer (poetry, 2021), Everybody Don Kolomental (Poetry, 2021) and a god in a human body (Forthcoming - Poetry, January 2022). Tolu’ has been endorsed by the Arts Council England as a writer with “exceptional talent”. A former headline act at Great Northern Slam, Crossing The Tyne Festival, Feltonbury Arts and Music Festival. He also inspires large audiences through spoken word performances, he has appeared as a keynote speaker in major forums and events and facilitates creative writing master classes to many audiences. His poems have appeared in the 57th issue (Volume 15, no 1) of the Wilderness House Literary Review, The Writers Cafe Magazine- Issue 18, GN Books, Lion and Lilac and elsewhere. His books are based on a deep reality and often reflect relationships, life and features people he has met in his journey as a writer. His books have instilled many people to improve their performance and/or their circumstances. Tolu’ has taken his poetry to the stage, performing his written word at many events. Through his writing and these performances, he supports business leaders, other aspiring authors and people of all ages interested in reading and writing. Sales of the books have allowed Tolu’ donate to charity, allowing him to make a difference where he feels important, showing that he lives by the words he puts to page. He is a co-founder of Lion and Lilac, a UK-based arts organisation and sits on the board of many organisations. On his personae, Tolu Akinyemi said, “As a writer, my goal remains unchanged, to inspire as many people as possible through my writings to always strive for the best. I infused my poetry collections with humour, wit and doses of inspiration to a great extent in the collection of poetic wisdom for the Discerning series, which includes Dead Lions Don’t Roar, Dead Dogs Don’t Bark and Dead Cats Don’t Meow. As a Poet and Creative, my works thrive on originality and its ability to wake up the lethargic in spirit. In Unravel your Hidden Gems, I provided practical steps to help people fast-track their growth in all areas of life and in my poetry collection ‘Never Play Games with the Devil’ I address societal ills without fear and varied themes on love and Personal Growth makes the collection a classic. Proud of his origin, Akinyemi explained: “My works find their roots in Nigerian culture and heritage. I view writing as therapeutic and the only way I can escape from the chaos that clouds my sanity.
Herdsmen kill monarch, 7 others in Benue By Peter Duru, Zaki Uzua, the para mount ruler of Tse Ancha, near Makurdi, and seven others have been killed allegedly by herdsmen, who invaded the Benue community. Youths however, mobilised to repel the invaders. Sunday Vanguard gathered from eyewitnesses that among those killed was a woman, while five others sustained severe injuries. The sources disclosed that the marauders invaded the community, which is less than one kilometer Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (left) with Hon. Justice Centus Chima Nweze of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, at a public function, in Enugu, yesterday. Igboho storms Akure palace, says S/West monarchs back Yoruba nation struggle … as self-determination rally spreads to Ondo By Dayo Johnson Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, says the agitation for self-determination by some Yoruba of the South-West have the blessing of their traditional rulers. Meanwhile, Akure stood still as the self-determination agitation spread to the Ondo State capital. Oyo, Ogun, and Osun States had previously played host to the pro-Yoruba nation activists. The agitators, under the auspices of Ilana Omo Oodua, converged on lsinkan Roundabout, Akure before marching to other parts of the state capital, causing gridlock. Masquerades, market women, youths, Okada riders joined in march in the state capital. Security agencies deployed their personnel to guard against the hijacking of the march by miscreants. Igboho, who was in Akure for the event, insisted that no amount of threat and intimidation will thwart the actualisation of the Yoruba nation. He spoke at the palace of first class traditional ruler in the state, Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi. “We don’t want one Nigeria again, but Yoruba nation. There is no essence for one Nigeria. We are being marginalised. We say enough is enough,” the activist said. “Enough is enough, no going back… we are not scared of anybody, these killer herders are taking over our land and they are killing us, raping our wives, female children in our presence and would also take over our land. “We are not safe in our own country, we can’t sleep in peace, we can’t travel in peace, we can’t go to our farm in peace, what have we done? Is it a sin or are we slaves in our fatherland? “Please what have we done wrong?. We have chosen the wrong leaders and we are now tired and saying enough is enough”. Igboho, who apologised to those he may have offended during the struggle, said: “ we have now realised that all our traditional rulers are with us in this struggle. “The traditional rulers in the South-West and all our governors in the region are united with us in the agitation. Speaking on the role of traditional rulers, lgboho lamented that they have been relegated by the political class and turned to errand boys and in some cases threatened for not dancing to their music. “This is demeaning and we are saying enough is a enough. Traditional rulers should be accorded their rightful places in decisionmaking”, the activist added. Disruption in two LGAs as Oyo holds council poll By Ola Ajayi Election into the 33 lo cal government areas of Oyo State held yesterday amid pockets of disruptions in two councils of the state. The election which also experienced low turnout of voters was earlier disrupted by downpour which prevented eligible voters from performing their civic duty. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the election did not commence as fixed as handful of people who were at their polling units had to wait for over two to three hours for the arrival of voting materials. At Ido Local Government area of the state, one of the political parties, Zenith Labour Party, was omitted by the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, on the ballot papers. This generated some ripples when the election began. The omission compelled the State Chairman of OYSIEC, Aare Isiaka Olagunju, to suspend the voting exercise in the local government. Olagunju, who admitted to the error, promised to print new ballot papers that would include the omitted party. The election in that local government was shifted to today. This also would prevent announcement of results of the election as earlier promised. The OYSIEC chairman said the results of the election would be announced after election had taken place in all the councils. Also, in Ibarapa East, there was a little disruption as youths allegedly prevented security agents from entering the town. The same scenario played out at Oke Ola in Eruwa where youths allegedly blocked the State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, from entering the town after violence broke out when some bandits tried to snatch ballot boxes. In Ogbomosho, as a result of violence, the state chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) announced that it would pull out of the election. In Ibadan metropolis, Oyo capital city, the election was peaceful. Voting was peaceful at Ring Road, Adeoyo, Oluyole, Dugbe, Challenge, Mokola, Ojo areas of the city. Sunday Vanguard also gathered that the restriction order imposed by the governor was partially complied with. At Beere, Oje, Labiran, Oja’ba,Ojoo, Ajibode, youths were seen playing football in the middle of the road from the Abagena Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camp, where a similar attack few days back left seven of the IDPs dead, at about midnight. They disclosed that a bank ATM card of one Abdullahi Sabo, suspected to be one of the invaders, was recovered from the scene of the attack. Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Mr. Anthony Dyegeh, who confirmed the incident, lamented that the marauders were gradually making their way into the heart of the state capital. According to Dyegeh, “the armed men invaded Tse Ancha community around 11:55 pm and started shooting indiscriminately and also hacking anyone they caught up with. “Eight persons were killed including the Chief of the area, Zaki Uzua, while five others sustained injuries. The injured and bodies of the dead have all been recovered by a combined team of the police and troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, and deposited at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi. “Because of the way they were battered, three of the deceased will be buried now, four others will be buried tomorrow morning but the Chief would be kept till traditional rulers sit and decide when he will be buried. “I am pained because the Chief who was killed was among the people that accompanied me that same day (Friday) to the burial of the seven people that were killed at Abagena IDP camp. We parted ways around 9.00 pm only for him to be killed at about midnight, alongside others. “It would have been worse but for the intervention of the youths of the community, who mobilized and repelled the attackers, who were obviously out to wipe out the community because they came in their large numbers and were marching through the community into neighbouring villages. Luckily at the time of the attack, there was a wake keep at a nearby primary school for a member of the Benue Livestock Guards, who was killed within that same community at Tse Iyagwa village. And because they are displaced from the village the wake keep was held at a primary school. “When the information reached the youths at the ceremony, they quickly mobilised, responded and repelled the attackers who fled into the forests. “The victims told us that the armed men came in large numbers through the bush in Mbalagh Council Ward, which is deserted because they have already displaced the people. They are on a mission to push the people away from their ancestral homes. “They operated in a commando fashion and after about 10 minutes disappear. They are pushing into Makurdi main town. In recent times, communities in the outskirts of Makurdi have come under severe attacks and it is unfortunate,” the chairman lamented. SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 23, 2021, PAGE 27 Anambra 2021: Valentine Ozigbo rated high on clinching PDP ticket By Chris Onuoha The gubernatorial candi dacy of Valentine Ozigbo, a Nigerian business mogul and philanthropist, received a fresh boost over the weekend when he emerged top on the list of his Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) sixteen aspirants. There is no doubt that the upcoming Anambra State gubernatorial elections will be one of the most keenly contested elections in the history of the southeastern state. A few months to the poll slated for November 2021, there is a long list of aspirants from five political parties vying for the #1 seat in Anambra. As the election date draws near, various news platforms, political analysts, and public affairs commentators have carried out analyses on the aspirants, the chances of the political parties at the polls, popularity with the electorate, and the aspirants’ chances of clinching. Elombah TV, a popular first-generation online news platform in Nigeria, has taken the lead in presenting the Anambra gubernatorial aspirants and the issues surrounding the November governorship polls to their audience. On Saturday, May 15, 2021, the influential news platform turned the spotlight on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party, and its 16 gubernatorial aspirants. The interactive session was broadcast on Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube was anchored by Mr Daniel Elomah, a UK-based Anambra-born journalist and the publisher of Elombah News and Elombah TV. The main discussant was Chima Christian, a famous political analyst, an on-air personality, and media practitioner based in Awka, the capital of Anambra. According to Elombah, the program aims to run an indepth analysis of each of the PDP aspirants, present their profiles, and assess their candidacy and their capacity to win their party primaries, as well as win the general elections. In what has been generally adjudged as the most objective, indepth, and straightforward analysis so far, Valentine Ozigbo, the immediate OIL FIRMS: Oboko tasks FG on Ijaw freedom *Commends Okowa for driving Ibori's roadmap to peace in Warri President of the Feder ated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities, Dr. Bello Oboko, has asked the Federal Government, FG, to prevail on oil companies to show respect for human dignity and freedom. Oboko spoke at a ceremony by indigenes of Gbaramatu Kingdom to mark this year's Gbaramatu Freedom Day, in Warri, calling for payment of the Federal High Court, Asaba, fine of N99billion against the Federal Government over its May 2009 Major-Gen Sarkin Yarki Bello-led military JTF killing of innocent citizens and destruction of several communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, including Okerenkoko, Oporoza, Kunukunuma, Kurutie and Kokodiagbene. past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc, emerged as the most likely to clinch the PDP gubernatorial ticket in June 2021 with the high score of 90%. While speaking on the qualities of Mr Ozigbo that made him the most rated among the PDP aspirants, Mr Chima, the forum discussant, described the accomplished business leader as “an intellectual” and remarked that “excellence is what you see all around him”. According to Mr Christian, Mr Ozigbo has distinguished himself through record-breaking exploits in the Nigerian financial sector and then in Transcorp Plc, one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria with 300,000 shareholders with interests in power, oil and gas, agribusiness, energy, and hospitality. “Val Ozigbo has been an accomplished businessman. He was sitting at the top leadership of Transcorp Plc. He has a nice profile and CV cut out there,” Christian said. “He has three degrees and one is from Lancaster University. I have spoken to him and he seems nice and smooth sailing. For one perceived as a newcomer, Val is doing exceedingly, exceedingly well. “He has competent people around him, and by the way, he is a sound intellectual. And what he is doing with his campaign is exactly what he did with Transcorp. Excellence is what you see all around him,” he enthused. The platform use ten criteria to assess the aspirants – name recognition, church advantage, popularity in Anambra, ability to finance their campaign, key PDP stakeholder support, Anambra elite support, youth support, their chances of winning the party’s ticket, image and discipline in the public view, and chances of winning the general election. All the other aspirants were analysed through the same lens as Mr Ozigbo and only federal federal lawmaker, Engr. Chris Azubogu, clinched a similarly high score. Trailing in second place was Hon. Tony Nwoye with a score of 70%. In 3rd position was Dr Ifedi Okwenna and Dr Winston Udeh who got 50% each. Oboko, however, commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State for driving the Warri roadmap to peace designed by former Governor James Ibori, by "supporting emergence of Chairman of Ijaw extraction for the first time in Warri North local government area in the last council polls". "FNDIC and the good people of Gbaramatu Kingdom declared May 15th every year to mark/celebrate Gbaramatu Freedom Day and to condemn the scourge of slavery across the globe. We request authorities in Nigeria to uphold and promote acts of freedom", Oboko said. Oboko recalled: "Militarization of oil operations which provokes fear and death does not promote human dignity and freedom and remained condemned”.
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