The man on the cusp of history

By Ruona Agbroko
December 13, 2009 12:39AMT

The widely-reported clamour for the resignation of Nigeria's Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan [pictured] is one in a series of challenges that have marked all 10 years of his stint as a politician. But, apparently, Mr. Jonathan's "talisman" is his first name.
Mr. Jonathan was born November 20, 1957 in Otuoke in Ogbia Local Council of the then Rivers State, now Bayelsa State. His father, Lawrence Ebele Jonathan, was a canoe carver but his childhood friend, Johnny Turner, now a traditional ruler in the state, disclosed in 2007 that the elder Mr. Jonathan's hard work ensured young Goodluck and his siblings enjoyed formal education.

The man who would later be Nigeria's Vice President began his education in what is today Bayelsa State, beginning with primary school in Otuoke and Oloibiri. He bagged a West African School Certificate in 1975 after studies at Mater Dei High School, Imiringi.
Mr. Jonathan thereafter worked for two years as an officer in the Department of Customs and Excise, leaving in 1977 to undertake a degree in Zoology at the University of Port Harcourt.

After receiving a B.Sc in 1981, he began his career as an academic at the Department of Biology at the Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt. He left in 1993 to take up appointment as an Assistant Director in the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC).

Two years later in 1995, he was awarded a Ph.D in Zoology by the University of Port Harcourt; a follow-up to a 1985 M.Sc. degree in Hydro-Biology and Fisheries Biology, also from the same institution.

The road to Politics

Nicknamed ‘Azikiwe' after Nigeria's first president by his grandmother, Mr. Jonathan was House Prefect in years four and five during his high school days, as well as Secretary to the School Food Committee, and Chairman of the Committee of Prefects. He was also elected Representative of the Congress in the Senior Staff Appointments and Promotions Committee at the Rivers State College of Education until 1993. However, about five years later, Mr. Jonathan would shed his academic robes and move into mainstream politics.

What's in a name?

On October 1, 1996, Bayelsa State was created out of the old Rivers State and Mr. Jonathan's Ogbia Council happened to fall into Bayelsa State. Not only was a new state created, a new political arena now emerged, compared to the politically-advanced Rivers State. By 1999, Mr. Jonathan had joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was picked as running-mate to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the party's gubernatorial candidate. Both won a second term in 2003, but the coincidence of Mr. Jonathan's first name made news headlines when, as Deputy Governor, he replaced Mr. Alamieyeseigha. The governor had been impeached by the state Assembly after being charged with money laundering in the United Kingdom. Mr. Jonathan served as Governor of Bayelsa State from December 9, 2005 to May 28, 2007.

In September 2006, $13.5 million dollars was seized from Mr. Jonathan's wife, Patience, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mrs. Jonathan, who has two children, was charged with money laundering and related offences.

Despite this, Mr. Jonathan celebrated a career-rise in December 2006, just three months later. While working on his own relection as governor of his home state, to his own surprise, he was selected as running mate to Umaru Yar'Adua as the PDP's candidates in the presidential election in April 2007.

Again, luck was Mr. Jonathan's companion as he escaped an alleged assassination attempt on April 20, 2007 in Bayelsa State as election day drew near. Then on May 16, 2007, Mr. Jonathan lived up to his name when militants blew up his country home at a time he was away. Two policemen died in the incident.
Since he was sworn in as Vice-President of Nigeria on May 29, 2007, Mr. Jonathan has managed to remain under the political radar.

He is only now in the centre of the storm on account of Mr. Yar Adua's absence from the seat of power due to ill health. The easy mien of the politician still stands him in good stead amidst the turbulence of the politics of the Nigerian presidency. But as past events show, the quiet canoe carver's son may yet manage to stay afloat as he continues his decade-long journey through Nigeria's troubled political waters.
*Photograph by NEXT

Ribadu's lawyers react to warrant of arrest

By Ruona Agbroko November 21, 2009

Lawyers to Nuhu Ribadu [pictured] have voiced their disapproval of a decision by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Friday, requesting the Inspector General of Police to issue a warrant of arrest to compel the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to appear before it.

“This situation shows that the tribunal members have failed to appreciate the facts of the case before them,” Shola Egbeyinka, one of Mr. Ribadu’s lawyers told NEXT in a telephone interview on Friday evening.

The chairman of the tribunal is Justice Constance Momoh, while Murtala Sanni Adebayor and P.A.O. Oluyede are members.

In February 2009, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa filed case number CCT/ABJ/01/2009, accusing Mr. Ribadu of not declaring his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau while in office from March, 2003 to December, 2008.

But Mr. Egbeyinka said not only had his client submitted these forms as at when due, but a formal request for the certified copies of the asset declaration forms had been made to the Code of Conduct Bureau twice through its counsel, with no results.

“We wrote two letters on September 23rd which was signed by Mr. Femi Falana and a reminder on the 5th of October requesting for the certified true copies,” he said.

Mr. Egbeyinka said that the prosecution confirmed this at Friday’s hearing before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“Prosecution counsel Kyari Ahmed admitted that he received the letters but he was so busy that he could not attend to that.”

He added that the documents played a key role in proving Mr. Ribadu’s case, especially as the matter was assuming new dimensions.

“As it is now, it is an unfortunate situation because you cannot enforce the warrant of arrest outside the country. This will now involve other nations, and extradition processes as well,” Mr. Egbeyinka said.

*Photograph by NEXT

This year, no prize for African leaders

By Ruona Agbroko
October 19, 2009 10:51PMT

Following the sharply divided opinions after this year's Nobel Peace Prize, it seems to be a season of award controversies as, just three editions on, the organisers of the renowned Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership seem to have found no leaders worthy of the $5 million prize money.
Aimed at celebrating good governance in Africa, the winner of the Achievement in African Leadership prize gets $5 million over 10 years and $200,000 annually for life.

What Nigerians think
Some Nigerians have reacted to the development, with Pat Utomi, a presidential candidate in Nigeria's 2007 elections describing it as ‘a sad drift of leadership on the continent'.
Speaking to NEXT by telephone, Mr. Utomi said "I think it's a good thing that they keep the bar high, and not just give the prizes because another year has come around. First generation African leaders like [Julius] Nyerere, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo were people who made a great deal of personal sacrifices for the good of their communities. You see less of that on the horizon in Africa in recent years."
Professor Remi Anifowoshe, former Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Lagos, told NEXT he was not caught unawares by the announcement, which was broadcast worldwide yesterday afternoon.

"Some African leaders had no regard for constitutionalism; their attitude to the opposition was unbecoming and the level of poverty under them increased. Based on this award, it means that from east to west, north, south, none of them deserve it," he said.

A "narrow pool"
The prize is awarded to a democratically elected former African heads of state who have left office in the past three years.
Mr. Utomi said this condition significantly narrowed eligibility.
"The fact that the prize limits itself to people in power makes it very challenging because not too many people are in power for the right reasons and act in a way that will make them get that prize. You have a very small pool. The most important leadership contributions in my view, in Africa have been from people who are not in politics, not in government; who are in civil society, or the academia."

Dean of the Department of Political Science at the University of Lagos, Professor Kayode Soremekun, told NEXT that the "sit-tight" habit of African leaders might have inadvertently disqualified them.
"Probably, what it means is that the entire continent is one landscape of bad governance. The fact that it is awarded to former presidents might be the reason there was no winner, he said.
"If they were clowning, they would have given it to Babangida," Mr. Soremekun deadpanned.

Lessons in leadership
Moshood Erubami of the Transition Monitoring Group, a coalition of 63 human rights and civil society organisations, says there are lessons to be learned from the situation.
"The message is that when these leaders are in power, they should make sure they create discernible positive change in the life of their people. So when next they are considered, those positive indicators will speak for them."
Professor Soremekun however believes that the prize comes with mixed blessings.
"What it means is that there is a barometer measuring the pressure of good leadership. At least, there is an incentive now. But this incentive in itself is like a backhand compliment because nobody gives any prize for good leadership in Europe, or Asia. It could be assumed that Africa is a laggard in this regard."
For Mr. Utomi there may yet be a silver lining. "There is the dearth of shame among the elite here, so if this will inspire some people about a generational sense of shame, maybe it will serve us well that we didn't get a prize winner this year," he said.

*Photo by www.moibrahimfoundation.com

‘We are not interested in popularity ratings'

(Blogger's note: Abdul Oroh, Edo state commissioner for information and orientation speaks to NEXT about the goals, achievements and challenges facing the Adams Oshiomole, governor of Edo State in the Niger-Delta. The Edo governor is of the Action Congress (AC) political party in a state house of assembly of president Yar'Adua's Peoples Democratic Party [PDP])
By Ruona Agbroko
August 3, 2009 10:59AMT

Focus of the Oshiomohole administration?
We came in nine months (ago) but our budget was not approved until April (2009). Just when the budget was approved, the rainy season set in. We needed to take some measures to deal with the immediate challenges. Our priority is education. Number two is rebuilding our infrastructure because Edo has gone through hard times. Shortly after the governor came in, since January, our state allocation from the federation account fell by about 50 percent. So we felt there was need to create new sources of revenue; raise money without having to depend on Abuja and all of that.

Why will the government want to inflict pain on its people with the new taxation?
We have not introduced any new tax system. Because the oil money was flowing, they refused to collect taxes. People were not paying their taxes. We have to collect the tax. The taxpayer should sustain government and pay for the activities of their government. In our own opinion, we are making progress. Those who are resisting it are the elite; the medical association, the academic staff union, private school owners. The okada riders, the market women are all paying. Those who have taken us to court are basically the elite and lately, oil palm companies like Okomu and others. Also, major construction companies that are doing quarry works all over Edo State and they don't want to pay anything.
Dealing with the PDP-controlled House of Assembly
We understand the principle of separation of powers. But we also know that these powers are complementary. We are not running parallel governments. We feel that all those elected into the House were elected to serve the interest of the people. Most of the key projects that were in the budget were removed initially, but we were able to find a common ground and the budget was approved. We experienced some hiccups initially, because the House is not controlled by the ruling party (Action Congress). Like, we cannot do much in respect of UBE (Universal Basic Education) because they have not approved the board.
And the reason why they said they cannot approve it is because there is a case in court. The point we are pushing is if you think the issue is still in court, go ahead and confirm these people, and if the court says we did the wrong thing, then we will respect the court. The future of our children is of urgent national importance.
On the people's perception of the government
The people are buying into our campaigns...Now people are removing illegal structures by themselves. Even those who are complaining that their structures have been pulled down know that what they were doing was wrong. Every street in Benin is a market. People are selling from containers on the road. And we said go into the markets. We have markets and most of them are empty. So we expected resistance. We have a mandate and we know what we promised the people of Edo State and we think we can do it.

*Photo: foei.org