National Issues
Opinion: Akeredolu and the burden of moral leadership in Ondo State.
“Tell the Senator he is not a member of the APC. Everyone involved in anti-party activities can’t come back through the back door, they would have to go back to their various wards to reapply for APC membership cards. They should also do the needful”.
The statement above is credited to Akeredolu during a dinner after his inauguration as Governor of Ondo State. (See Punch, February 27, 2017 p. 12, titled Akeredolu accuses Ondo Senator of disloyalty). Coming from a supposed political leader, the statement is both misguided and unfortunate. It is also an arrogant display of immaturity by a self styled SAN. Anyone familiar with the flawed processes that saw his emergence both as a candidate and later as a Governor would have advised Akeredolu to be more mature and careful especially on issues he is less morally qualified to talk about.
Benefiting from being imposed with impunity on more qualified candidates in the 2012 election and being the principal actor, beneficiary and a product of a controversial, flawed and heavily monetised primaries with deep moral scars on APC, Akeredolu should have been advised to face the challenge of reconciling aggrieved members of the APC who showed their moral conviction and anger against the criminal manipulation of the election processes in his favour.
Hence, rather than face the reality of the deep division within the Ondo State APC which he caused, he is casting aspersion on a Senator who almost single handedly resuscitated the party (ACN) in 2012 after Akeredolu’s woeful and disgraceful public exhibition of gross incompetence and inability to articulate his campaign programmes convincingly in a televised debate which illuminated his intellectual bankruptcy and legal emptiness.
The platform, the APC, of which Akeredolu now benefited as Governor through a fraudulent process was built and sustained by the Senator he arrogantly accused of working against the party.
The Senator he is accusing or threatening with anti-party activities has contributed much more than Akeredolu in building the APC in the state. Until very recently, Akeredolu is seen as a “stranger” in APC. In a comment in The Nation (July 3, 2016 p.45) an analyst described Akeredolu as “a tragic manifestation of a man’s self-centeredness and egomania. Here was a “stranger” who was imposed with impunity on more qualified candidates (in 2012)”.
Akeredolu should be reminded even at the risk of possible metacognitive aberrations and dysfunctions, that the senator in question represents and symbolises, more than him (Akeredolu), the hard core values of honour, humility, honesty, integrity and the rule of law which since inception had defined the operational ideology of APC in Ondo State until the basterdization and premature obituary of these values in the electoral processes which saw the emergence of Akeredolu as Governor.
Akeredolu’s “success” at the gubernatorial primaries and his “victory” in the governorship election have left a deep moral scar on APC in addition to making Ondo State a shameful reference point for the most monetised gubernatorial election in Nigeria history.
In just one stroke and all alone, Akeredolu’s misguided political misadventure in Ondo State has caused disaffection among leaders of the party both at state and national levels. It has also left a legacy of mega mess as regards the electoral process which he and his sponsors must contend with in the party. Akeredolu has in addition left the party deeply divided on ideological and moral grounds.
Given his narrow political base in the Ondo State chapter of APC, evidenced by his controversial victory in the primaries election and the fact that he pulled only 244,000 votes out of 1.6m votes in the gubernatorial election, Akeredolu should have been humbled by the results. Because of this factor and in addition to the disaffection he has caused among the national leadership of the party, rational Nigerians expect Akeredolu to seek peace and reconciliation. He needs to widen the political base of the APC and reposition it to face forth coming elections in a process which must involve all the leaders of the party. I hope the illusion and euphoria of transient power and arrogance will not becloud his assessment of the magnitude of the challenges that stare at him as Governor of a State which traditionally has been a reference point for progressive, honest and credible politics.
Hence, the health of the party must first be restored by an ideological mechanism that must include an unreserved apology to all members of the party at all levels by Akeredolu and his foreign sponsors. They have polluted both the party and the State. The aggrieved members who showed their moral uprightness and commitment to core values of honour, honesty and integrity should be persuaded back to the party unconditionally.
Akeredolu has neither the moral authority nor the political legitimacy to dictate terms and conditions to APC members who are manifestations of the core values of APC. We hope the Governor knows the difference between victory and success in electoral political processes even as Albert Einstein reminds us that in times like this, individuals with great ideas and spirits have always encountered mischievous and morally bankrupt oppositions from docile and mediocre minds. Our state still yearns for a moral political leadership which embodies and exemplifies APC’s core values of honour, decency, honesty integrity, the rule of law and ideological uprightness all of which are captured by the Yoruba concept of Omoluabi.
Dr. Musa Kosemani.
Dr. Musa Kosemani is the Coordinator of Progressives Unite Against Imposition (PUAI), Ondo State chapter of APC.
In response to the escalating security challenges plaguing Nigeria, no fewer than 16 state governors have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police forces.
This development was disclosed by the National Economic Council (NEC) during its 140th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, which took place virtually on Thursday.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, revealed that out of the 36 states, 20 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yet to submit their positions on the matter, though he did not specify which states were among them.
The governors advocating for state police also pushed for a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Constitution to accommodate this crucial reform. Their move underscores the urgency and gravity of the security situation across the nation.
Similarly, the NEC received an abridged report from the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control. This committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, highlighted the areas of oil leakages within the industry and identified instances of infractions.
Governor Uzodinma’s committee stressed the imperative of political will to drive the necessary changes and reforms needed to combat crude oil theft effectively.
Renowned academician, Professor Augustine Okereke, from the Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, has emphasised the detrimental impact of a lack of strong social institutions on Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Presenting a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference hosted by the University of Ibadan, Professor Okereke urged President Bola Tinubu to foster robust institutions capable of combatting corruption and addressing social ills.
“All our institutions are on the decline,” warned Professor Okereke, underscoring the urgent need for effective structures to facilitate sustainable development. He highlighted the challenges faced by African countries, emphasising the risk of continued poverty, underemployment, and injustice without these foundational structures.
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, asserted the university’s commitment to providing intellectual, context-specific solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
He called on state and federal governments to patronise researchers in the country, emphasising the faculty’s reputation for producing intellectual leaders.
Professor Nwokocha stated, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages.” He emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme in aiding Nigeria’s navigation through its complex existential reality marked by despair, rising inflation, insecurity, corruption, and unemployment.
During the conference’s opening, Vice Chancellor Professor Kayode Adebowale noted the relevance of the theme, “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues, and the Actualization of Sustainable Development,” urging participants to generate transformative ideas for Nigeria.
Acknowledging the nation’s progress over 63 years, he expressed concern over setbacks in the economy and social indices, hoping the conference would proffer solutions.
In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed the rapid worldwide social change in the digital age, citing both benefits and unanticipated consequences for human survival. He cautioned against embracing same-sex relationships, citing dangerous implications for humanity.
The First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference convened a diverse array of participants to explore solutions and intellectual leadership in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
As the country grapples with economic challenges, the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in the inflation rate to 28.92%, according to the December 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on a Monday afternoon.
The CPI, tracking the fluctuation in prices of goods and services, illustrates a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20%, underscoring the pressing concerns surrounding the nation’s economic stability.
In a recent report, the Statistics Office revealed a notable uptick in the headline inflation rate for December 2023, marking a 0.72 percentage point increase from the previous month’s figure in November 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted a significant surge, with the December 2023 rate standing at 7.58 percentage points higher compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
December 2022 witnessed an inflation rate of 21.34 percent, underscoring the economic dynamics at play.
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2023 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2022),” NBS said.
In a further revelation, the bureau disclosed that the month-on-month headline inflation rate for December 2023 experienced a 2.29 percent surge, surpassing November 2023 by 0.20 percent. This indicates a swifter rise in the average price level compared to the preceding month.
The report highlighted a concerning acceleration in food inflation, reaching 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis for December 2023. This marked a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from December 2022’s rate of 23.75 percent. The data underscores the persistent upward trend in food prices, a trend exacerbated by various government policies, including the removal of subsidies on petrol.
Notably, in July 2023, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food insecurity to address the escalating food prices. Taking decisive action, the President mandated that issues related to food and water availability and affordability fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council, recognising these as essential livelihood items in need of urgent attention.
In Monday’s inflation report, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) detailed the key contributors to the year-on-year increase in the headline index. The leading factors include food & non-alcoholic beverages at 14.98 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuel at 4.84 percent, clothing & footwear at 2.21 percent, and transport at 1.88 percent.
Additional contributors encompass furnishings & household equipment & maintenance (1.45 percent), education (1.14 percent), health (0.87 percent), miscellaneous goods & services (0.48 percent), restaurant & hotels (0.35 percent), alcoholic beverages, tobacco & kola (0.31 percent), recreation & culture (0.20 percent), and communication (0.20 percent).
The report highlighted a substantial 24.66 percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month period. This represents a significant 5.81 percent increase compared to the 18.85 percent recorded in December 2022, indicating ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.
Food Inflation
In a concerning trend, the food inflation rate for December 2023 surged to 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis, marking a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from the same period in 2022, when the rate stood at 23.75 percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this rise in food inflation to notable increases in the prices of various essential items. Key contributors include bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, milk, cheese, and eggs.
These price hikes collectively contributed to the intensified strain on consumers, highlighting the complex dynamics driving the upward trajectory of food prices.
“On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in December 2023 was 2.72 percent, this was 0.30 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in November 2023 (2.42 percent),” it said.
Clarifying the dynamics behind the recent uptick, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explained that the month-on-month increase in food inflation for December 2023 was spurred by a heightened rate of escalation in the average prices of oil and fat, meat, bread, and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, as well as fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, and eggs.
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month average was 27.96 percent, which was a 7.02 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in December 2022 (20.94 percent),” the report added.
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