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BIG STORY

Reviewing Otunba Gbenga Daniel Political Sagacity So Far By Victor Ojelabi

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The media once went into frenzy with the news of the defection of one of the former Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s chieftains, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD), to the ruling side All Progressives Congress (APC) in what has openly kick-started the political permutation ahead of 2023.

The media further reported that OGD took part in the ruling party’s registration and revalidation exercise which officially validated his defection and membership of the party.

In a reaction to the development, the PDP in the South-West came out to say that Otunba Daniel had long defected to APC, adding that it was obvious that the APC has become so embarrassed with the refusal of well-meaning Nigerians to openly associate with the party in its membership registration and was then making up defections for public perception. In fact, the opposition party claimed that by the action of Otunba Gbenga Daniel few hours after the results of the 2019 presidential election was declared, it was obvious that he was among the double-agents who sold the PDP out during the election.

Parts of the media report on OGD at best can be termed misleading as Ogidi Omo, as he was fondly referred, did not technically defect from the PDP to the APC as he stepped aside from politics months ago. OGD had been retired from partisan politics before his recent re-emergence to the call of duty. The assertion by the PDP therefore holds little or nothing to this effect.

Recall that in March 2019, he had sent a letter to the PDP leadership which read, “This is to inform you of my intention to resign from active and partisan politics with effect from today, the 14th day of March 2019.”

He had explained that his move from politics was personal and that the move will allow him to devote more time to charity and resuscitate his non-partisan political leadership academy, which he established a few years ago.

He had gone ahead to explain some reasons for his actions which were termed anti-party by the party:

“Whereas the national leadership of our party, recognised one candidate for the 2019 election, by court pronouncements another candidate, and in compliance with those court orders, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised was on the INEC list.

“The candidate recognised by INEC was not acceptable to the national leadership of the party. Our situation was then compounded because the candidate which the court and INEC recognised and accepted as valid has also been expelled by the party.”

That situation made him respond to “the yearnings of our people and joined others in emplacing an administration that we believe will better serve the interests of our people than what currently exists.”

This support berthed the Dapo Abiodun administration.

Perhaps before joining issues with any entity, some things need to be put in retrospect.

OGD had joined the PDP in Ogun State in September, 2001 at an event which was described as one of the most ceremonial political rallies in recent political history in the South Western part of Nigeria. He had gone ahead to create a highly robust and effective political campaign machinery which resulted in an electoral victory for the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State in 2003; a victory whose dominoes’ effect reverberated through the politics of the South-West region positively with a victory in five states for the then ruling party.

Having served as governor of Ogun state for eight years, his administration till today remains a point of reference in terms of physical, social, economic, educational and human capital development since the state was created in 1976. Notwithstanding these widely acclaimed achievements however, PDP in Ogun State ran into trouble waters towards the end of his administration (about the year 2009) which led to the sad loss in the election of 2011, and regrettably ten (10) years after the party has been unable to resolve those internal disputes and challenges.

Unlike OGD, no politician in Nigeria today will willingly resign from a political party for more than a year before pitching tent with the next available option. Out of respect and the vestige of loyalty he had for the PDP-a party he joined over two decades ago, and of course, the love for his teeming apostles, OGD waited for the best moment to press play on his paused political career.

The most extraordinary characteristic of Daniel is his ability to endure and renew. No politician has faced down greater existential challenges or perfected the technique of quiet adjustment to shifting realities with greater skill than OGD. Perhaps. When he left office in 2011, he made efforts to remain relevant in the scheme of things in the state. In line with his desire, he tried to keep the structure of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state intact. But this only lasted a short while, as he had to fight many battles in the process.

Remarkably, OGD operates what can best be termed the politics of the people. Not only is he loved and cherished by the people of Ogun state, he ensures that his political moves are in tandem with the desires of his people. That was why he had to leave the PDP to join the Labour Party. His reason for joining Labour Party was to build a platform that will serve as a proper check mate for irregularities in governance of the state. Though people in the PDP frowned at this but the masses joined him to follow the party. Labour Party became the most dominant opposition party in the state taking over from the PDP. While skeptic analysis said it was an act of desperation for him to have left PDP for Labour Party but majority of the people of Ogun State didn’t care, they started declaring their support for him. He became the voice of the masses speaking against unhealthy antics of the state government.

After much deliberations and reconciliation meetings orchestrated by the National Leadership of PDP, Gbenga Daniel returned to PDP in October 2014. He returned back to PDP with massive supporters from the Labour Party which became a big boost for the PDP. But as the years rolled by, the internal wrangling and power tussles within the party took on greater dimensions, en route the last general elections. Things looked as if they couldn’t get worse, but they did, as the PDP lost the elections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Politically, the PDP had lost its teeth within the political schemes in Ogun state. No longer was it the formidable party of yester years; this is notwithstanding OGD’s large followership in the state. Political pundits and analysts have for years posited that a move for the political gladiator away from the PDP and its many problems will be the best move for OGD’s political life as well as a win for the people that have come to love and trust him.

It, therefore, came as cheery news when he announced his return to politics on a formidable platform like the APC. OGD’s return to politics and the pitching of his tent with the APC marks something of a comeback for the Ijebu political titan, whose political exploits appeared irretrievably tainted by the internal wrangling and power tussle that afflicted the People’s Democratic Party.

Onboard APC, OGD relevance, political clout, prowess, etc, go beyond Ogun State to the national level for the greater good of the Nigerian people. This can be envisaged from his programme on Public Private Partnership which attracted several businesses into the state during his tenure. And why not? From education to health, sports, economy, agriculture, urban renewal and rural development, power, infrastructure, human development, housing, industrialisation, tourism and employment generation, OGD’s imprints in the state were phenomenal!

As at the last count, about 70 companies berthed in Ogun State from 2003 to 2011 with over 250,000 jobs provided through various employment generation schemes of the State government. In his eight years, the OGD Administration did more roads than all the administrations before it and most of these were done through direct labour with the Ministry of Works and the Ogun State Road Management Agency OGROMA. By utilising this method, costs were significantly saved while the confidence of indigenous engineers was reinstated in the people. The Olumo Rock resort was refurbished meeting international tourism standard, the MKO International Stadium Abeokuta was renovated and three other stadiums in other geo-political zones of the state were constructed to FIFA specifications.

The NYSC orientation camp in Sagamu is reputed to be the best in the country while the Tai Solarin College of Education was upgraded to University status making it the first in Nigeria and second in Africa. It was adjudged the best University of Education In Africa in 2011. The construction of a modern secretariat for civil servants in the state at a cost which beat the imagination of late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua who commissioned it remains a landmark.

The construction of the six-lane Lalubu Road – the commercial nerve centre of Abeokuta – without a single demolition of existing building was to become a standard in road constructions in Ogun State today.

For OGD, the governorship was a 24-hour job. The last project he commissioned, the OPIC PLAZA remains, till date, is the tallest structure in Ogun State.

Perhaps it is not immodest to say that the incredible performance of Otunba Gbenga Daniel is now a benchmark to measure the performance of future leaders of the gateway state. In the words of the Nobel Laureate himself, Professor Wole Soyinka, “The various projects embarked upon by Governor Daniel are laudable and practical”.

If his decisions have gained him so much love and respect from his teeming apostles and the good people of Ogun State in the past, then who dares question why a lion decided to roar again?

Ogidi Omo has once again thrown his hat into the ring. He is the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun East and given his antecedents, there is no gainsaying that the good people of his senatorial district are in for the best available representation at the national assembly.

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Nigerian Lawmakers Propose Creation Of 31 Additional States [SEE FULL LIST]

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Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday proposed the creation of 31 new states in the country.

If the proposal is approved, Nigeria will have 67 sub-national governments, as the current number of states stands at 36, including the Federal Capital Territory.

The proposal for new states was presented in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session in the absence of the Speaker, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas.

The letter read in part, “The committee proposes the creation of 31 new states. As amended, this section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation, which include the following:

“1. New state and boundaries

“An act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if it requires support by at least the third majority of members.

“The House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area are received by the National Assembly.

“Local government advocates for the creation of additional local government areas are only reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, applies to this process.

“Specifically, in accordance with Section 8 (3) of the Constitution, the outcome of the votes of the State Houses of Assembly in the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for fulfillment of state,” the proposal partly reads.

According to the proposal, the new states include Okun, Okura, and Confluence States from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa States from Benue; FCT State; Amana State from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi and Savannah States from Borno and Muri State from Taraba.

Others include New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano; Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East; Adada from Enugu; and Orlu and Aba from the South East.

Also included are Ogoja from Cross River State, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers, Torumbe from Ondo, Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun State, and Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States.

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BIG STORY

El-Rufai Lacks Capacity To Unsettle Tinubu, He Can’t Even Win Senatorial Seat — Daniel Bwala

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Daniel Bwala, special adviser to the president on policy communication, asserts that Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, lacks the capacity to “unsettle” President Bola Tinubu.

Bwala made this statement on Thursday during an interview with TVC News. He emphasized that Tinubu is not losing sleep over el-Rufai’s continuous criticisms of his administration.

Background

El-Rufai has been targeting some members of the Tinubu administration.

The former minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) recently criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for “straying away from its core values,” mentioning that he no longer recognizes his political party.

Bwala had questioned el-Rufai if his stance on the APC would have been different had he been a member of Tinubu’s cabinet.

In response to Bwala’s comments, el-Rufai stated that he would not hesitate to criticize the party, even if he were given a position in the Tinubu administration.

‘On His Own, El-Rufai Is Unelectable’

When asked if the presidency was anxious about el-Rufai’s remarks and the regrouping of opposition politicians, the spokesperson confirmed that Tinubu is not concerned with the opposition’s movements.

Bwala emphasized that the president’s approach has always been one of reconciliation.

“Who is jittery? The political opponents have no direction. There is no organized political party in Nigeria other than APC. Almost all opposition parties are trying to find their way,” Bwala stated.

“I don’t attack because I see that the position of Mr. President is that of reconciliation. In his 18 months in office, he has never reacted to anybody. He has never been seen being combative or aggressive against anybody.”

The presidential spokesperson acknowledged el-Rufai’s dilemma, adding that the former governor cannot accomplish his goals by joining the opposition.

According to Bwala, el-Rufai only becomes a significant political figure when he aligns with a “solid revolutionary” leader.

“El-Rufai, as he said, is still in APC. You treat him like a brother. I know his grandstanding. I know he is facing challenges finding a path,” he stated.

“If you leave a governing party, which you have influence over, and think that you can undertake a mission, you need to have a working platform to do that.”

“He does not have the capacity to make the president unsettled. No opposition party, even if combined, can make the president unsettled.”

“Let me tell you something about my elder brother, el-Rufai, and whether we should be worried.”

“There is a dynamic around el-Rufai. El-Rufai needed a solid revolutionary person to thrive. On his own, el-Rufai may not win the senate.”

“He won governorship because of the Buhari factor and got re-elected because of the Buhari factor. If you leave him now to go and run for senate in Kaduna, he would not win.”

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BIG STORY

Importers To Pay More As Customs Introduces 4% FOB Levy

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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it will enforce a 4 percent charge on the “free-on-board” (FOB) value of imports.

“FOB” refers to the arrangement where the seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the port of departure, clearing them for export, and loading the goods onto the vessel. Once the goods are on the vessel, the risk transfers from the seller to the buyer, who then assumes responsibility for all subsequent costs.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Abdullahi Maiwada, NCS national public relations officer, confirmed that the directive is in line with the provisions of the “Nigeria Customs Service Act” (NCSA) 2023.

“In line with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of NCSA 2023, the NCS is implementing a 4 percent charge on the “Free On-Board” (FOB) value of imports,” Maiwada stated.

“The FOB charge, which is calculated based on the value of imported goods, including the cost of goods and transportation expenses incurred up to the port of loading, is essential for driving the effective operation of the service.”

“Furthermore, the NCS acknowledges concerns raised by stakeholders over the continued collection of the 1 percent “Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme” (CISS) fee.”

“It is a regulatory charge imposed for funding Nigeria’s Destination Inspection Scheme alongside the 4 percent FOB charge.”

“As a responsive government agency, the service wishes to assure the general public that extensive consultation is ongoing with the federal ministry of finance to address all agitations raised by our esteemed stakeholders.”

Maiwada urged all stakeholders to comply with the directive, which was conceived after thorough consultation with relevant stakeholders and organizations.

“All stakeholders are urged to support this legally binding initiative,” he emphasized.

“As the measures introduced in alignment with the NCSA 2023 reflect a balanced approach born out of extensive consultations with industry players, importers, and regulatory bodies.”

He also acknowledged the valuable contribution of stakeholders in shaping and actualizing the NCSA 2023.

“Their insights, expertise, and unwavering commitment have been instrumental in ensuring a robust legal framework that enhances efficiency, promotes innovation, and strengthens transparency in customs operations,” he added.

The customs official reiterated that under the leadership of Adewale Adeniyi, the comptroller-general, the service remains dedicated to transparency, fair trade practices, and efficient revenue management.

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