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For the second time in less than one year, attempts by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi State to choose a governorship candidate has ended on a controversial note

Despite controversy that had trailed the emergence of Idris Wada as the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the just concluded primaries in Kogi State, the party has gone ahead to submit his name as its flagbearer to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Wada’s name was submitted along with that of Abayomi Awoniyi, son of the late Sunday Awoniyi, as his running mate for the December 3, governorship election in the state. The choice of Awoniyi followed a reconciliatory meeting held at Wadata Plaza, the PDP national headquarters in Abuja, between Wada and Isah Abdulrasaq Kutepa, leader of the faction that produced the Wada’s running mate.

Kutepa, who came a distant second in the September 22 primaries, had agreed with Wada at the meeting that he should be given the opportunity to nominate the position of running mate for the election. Awoniyi was Kutepa’s campaign co-ordinator in Okun land of Kogi West senatorial zone.  However, despite the decision of the PDP hierarchy in Abuja, many people have insisted that the emergence of Wada as candidate of the party did not follow due process as Ibrahim Idris, governor of Kogi State, manipulated the process of the primary election to the advantage of Wada. In the ward congresses that took place before the primaries, many delegates complained of their names being replaced with names of people that did not take part in the election. In addition, members of the party also complained that Wada was not properly registered as member of the party. 

Danmodu Attah, PDP secretary in Dekina local government area, was an elected delegate for the primary election but, was surprised to note at the accreditation venue before the election that his name was removed from the list. He also complained that the entire names on the list were different from the one the local government area submitted for the primaries.  The allegation that the original delegates’ list was tampered with in order to pave the way for the emergence of Wada was rampant in almost all the local government areas of the state.  Further- more, Wada’s claim of being a registered member of the party from the ward was alleged to be untrue.

  In the petition written to the national secretariat of PDP, Utonu Nuhu Ijeje and Akeji Jacob Akeji, the Odu Ward 1 chairman and secretary respectively, denied Wada’s claim to be a member of the party from the ward. Both members of the ward executive claimed that the membership card number 7455310 allegedly issued to Wada did not come from the ward. “It is instructive to point out that Alhaji  Idris  I Wada, who was alleged to have been nominated as PDP governorship candidate for Kogi State, is not known to us in the ward even though we know that his father is an indigene of Odu-Okpakili village in Odu 1 ward”. They urged the national headquarters of the party to set up a committee to investigate thoroughly how the name of Wada was allegely smuggled into the register of the party in the ward.

 Mohammed Idris, president general, Kogi Patriots, also petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, requesting him to intervene in the crisis that has engulfed the PDP in Kogi over the just conducted primary elections. Idris accused the governor of Kogi State of being behind the crisis.

In the open letter addressed to President Jonathan, the president general stated that the decision of the governor to support Wada instead of maintaining neutrality, made him to tamper with the list of the delegates. He appealed to the president to intervene quickly. Newswatch learnt that one of the reasons why Idris decided to shift his support from Jibrin Isah a.k.a Echocho to Wada was the rumour that Isah’s daughter was preparing to get married to one of the sons of Abubakar Audu, former governor of the state, who is also the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Isa, whose emergence in the cancelled January 9, 2011 primaries is still generating a lot of dust is one of those still protesting the emergence of Wada as PDP governorship candidate. Isah, who is still fighting for his mandate to be restored, has himself become the target of attacks by those opposed to his aspiration. On September 28, a letter sacking him from Afribank, his former employers, was published in an advertorial to prove that he was not even qualified to hold public office. The letter was signed by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

The group behind the publication sought to prove Isah was not qualified to contest the election because he was sacked from Afribank as an executive director because he and other directors allegedly  mismanaged the affairs of the bank which led to the crisis in the bank before the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, intervention in 2009. While explaining the reasons for his removal, Sanusi stated that under the directorship of Isah and other directors, Afribank Nigeria PLC carried on business in a manner detrimental to the interests of its depositors and creditors in particular. The removal of Isah as an executive director was endorsed by Lamido in a letter he addressed to Isah   on August 12, 2009. 

“By order 1. Lamido Sanusi Lamido, governor of CBN of Nigeria, hereby; remove you as an officer cum executive of Afribank Nigeria PLC effective immediately from the date of this order, and remove you as director of Afribank Nigeria PLC, effective immediately from the date of this order”, the letter read.     

Ambrose Makinde Laid to Rest

Pita Ochai

The quiet town of Igbara-Odo Ekiti, Ekiti State, was brought to life on Friday, September 30, as the indigenes received the remains of one of their illustrous sons. For two days, the town was agog with cultural activities as the final burial rites and ceremony were performed for Ambrose Oluwadare Makinde, elder brother to Bankole Mankinde, general manager, Operations, Newswatch. From all walks of life, dignitaries thronged Igbara-Odo Ekiti to pay their last respect as the remains of Makinde were laid to rest.

The burial rites started on Thursday, September 29, with a service of songs for the late Makinde at 2, Oguntoyinbo Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos, his residence. Afterwards, his remains were conveyed to Ekiti State, where a grand reception was held. A Christian wake keep was held for him at his Igbara-Odo Ekiti residence.

On October 1, a funeral mass was held for the late Makinde at St. Peter and Paul Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Igbara-Odo Ekiti.  His remains were eventually laid to rest after the funeral mass. His final rites of passage ended with a thanksgiving service at the same church, Sunday, October 2.

Eulogies poured in endlessly. Bankole Makinde, described his late brother, as a friend, mentor and a father. Oluwaferanmi Makinde, first son of the deceased, said his father was a very understanding man, industrious and humble to the core. He said his father had left a legacy of hardwork and truthfulness.

A team of Newswatch management led by Ime Utong, chief restructuring officer, was in Igbara-Odo Ekiti for the burial. Utong urged the family to take the death of Makinde as a moment of reflection. The late Makinde was born on February 21, 1947.