FEATURE ARTICLE

Temple Chima UbochiMonday, January 19, 2015
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Bonn, Germany

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2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS:
FACTUAL ANALYSES AND MY ENDORSEMENT (1) (PICTORIAL)


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Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct (Thomas Jefferson)

Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times (Winston Churchill)

Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people (Dennis Prager)

If our nation is to rebuild opportunity for future generations, it will require our elected leaders to realize that their responsibility lies not with their political party, but rather with the people that they have been chosen to represent (Ami Bera)

his is an interesting political time in Nigeria; the 2015 general elections would be different from the ones before. This year's presidential election will be too close to call that no one can predict accurately, at this time, who be elected the president. As it stands today, any of the two major presidential candidates can win the election, as the power of incumbency has dissipated and might not guarantee President Jonathan's re-election. Many Nigerians, including fellow writers here at nigeriaworld, have endorsed one presidential candidate or the other. Some endorsed General Buhari, because, they think that President Jonathan has failed as president, while others endorsed President Jonathan, because, as the incumbent, he deserves a second term. Although everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, but, most of these endorsements were made based on emotions rather than on painstaking unbiased factual analyses. Nobody will be penalized for his or her opinion as Paul Kurtz ( 1925-2012) noted that "Free inquiry requires that we tolerate diversity of opinion and that we respect the right of individuals to express their beliefs, however unpopular they may be, without social or legal prohibition or fear of success", but, Manuel Puig (1932-1990) wrote that "It's essential not to have an ideology, not to be a member of a political party. While the writer can have certain political views, he has to be careful not to have his hands tied".

Predicting the outcome of an important presidential election is not as easy as people might think; those who take things at face value here might be disappointed later, as there are underpinning factors which would affect the outcome of the election. When the chips are down, a lot of things would happen! So, we need to be very discerning when looking at the facts which would influence the result of the election. Before examining what the two major presidential candidates are up to, let me endorse few governorship candidates quickly.

Just as Will Rogers (1879-1935) wrote, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat", I don't belong to any political party, I only want the best for Nigeria, and will endorse few gubernatorial candidates based on character, performance and records as opposed to political leaning or affiliation. I do not know most of these candidates, but will make my endorsements based on which candidate has the best programmes, policies, and ideas which will benefit the masses. More to that, my endorsement would also be informed by previous record of service (at any level whatsoever) of the candidates!

ABIA STATE

As I wrote before; charity, they say, begins at home. I will take on my state first: Abia State is the first in everything bad and the last in everything good: Alphabetically, Abia State is the first.

In Abia State, corruption is no stranger; it is a famous resident. This was part of what I wrote in my article of Friday, June 11, 2010, captioned " ABA: ONCE A SAVING CITY, IS NOW SAFE HAVEN FOR KIDNAPPERS (3)":

"Plato might have had Aba Town in mind when he wrote: "we see many instances of cities going down like sinking ships to their destruction. There have been such wrecks in the past and there surely will be others in the future, caused by the wickedness of captains and crews alike. For these are guilty men, whose sin is supreme ignorance of what matters most." And Francis Bacon, a sixteenth century philosopher and British Lord Chancellor, must have had the immediate past and present Abia State administrations in mind when he wrote: "...for that nothing doth more hurt in a state, than that cunning men pass for wise." Orji Uzo Kalu has been displaying his cunning tendencies since childhood; infact, he's at his best when it comes to cunning practices. He doesn't know a lot, but, he's the lord of the cunning empire".

This column once wrote: "On crime issues, count Abia State the number one. When it is about kidnapping/arm robbery, no other state sees Abia State's "break light". What about lack of infrastructure (bad roads, poor schools, lack of basic amenities)? Abia State is competing with no one. Aba Ngwa is now reputed to be the dirtiest city in Africa (Brandt, 2008). About diabolism/fetishism, Abia State is a trail blazer here; it has the devil's palace from where Satan rules his followers."

Abia is the unluckiest state in Nigeria, From 1999, when Orji Uzo Kalu and his mother turned it into their private property, the state has moved from one looting hand to another. I hope that jinx would be broken this year.

The two major candidates here, for the gubernatorial election, are Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of PDP and Dr. Alex Otti of APGA


Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia Chronicle)

A seasoned academic and Administrator, Dr. Ikpeazu came from the academia where he was a Senior Lecturer at Cross Rivers State University of Technology and Enugu State University of Science and Technology. He joined the government around 2004, and has held several positions in the Abia State government including Chairman of the Abia State Integrated Passenger Manifest Scheme, Chairman of the Abia State College of Health Technology and recently, Zonal Co-ordinator of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency charged with the onerous task of keeping Aba clean. His tenure here was shortlived due to his political ambition, otherwise, as an achiever, he would have cleaned-up Aba (that he will surely do as the governor). A thoroughbred professional from Obingwa Local Government Area, Dr. Ikpeazu is a man of the people as he is well loved by the youths in Abia State who see him as one of them who is accessible. He has momentum on his side. I learned that Ikpeazu is a man of grace and candor that has distinguished himself in all spheres of human endeavours.

Dr. Ikpeazu is a wonderful consensus builder and a unifier: During the primaries, the umbrella body of professionals from Abia South constituency, under the aegis of Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals, appealed to the delegates for the state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to put the interests of Abia State above other considerations, when they elect the governorship candidate on December 8. In a statement signed by the Leader, Theo Nkire, the group affirmed that "We are interested in the election of a candidate who reflects, appreciates and would put the unity of the State first; a candidate who understands that Abia is for all Abians and those who have chosen to live in Abia or do business with Abians. It is in this light that we have been supporting the aspiration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, a professional, whose experience as a lecturer and public servant would be useful to Abia State.A vote for Dr. Ikpeazu would create the equilibrium of power moving from Abia North, to Central, and to South in 2015. It is a vote for the equity on which Abia State was created in 1991. Our unanimity in choosing Dr. Ikpeazu was evident in the one million man rally of 21 November in Umuahia, where traditional rulers, elders, political leaders, youth, women, and the business elite presented Dr. Ikpeazu as their candidate for governor in 2015. Finally, we ask delegates to vote for Dr. Ikpeazu for the good of Abia, for the good of all".

Dr. Ikpeazu is such a powerful candidate that some of his opponents are frustrated, only for them to send their thugs to throw water satchets at him in Aba and Umuahia late last year, just to weaken his resolve to win the election by landslide. But, the amiable Ikpeazu is not distracted by the antics of his lorn opponents, as he keeps his eyes on the political ball, crisscrossing the state, campaigning very vigorously.


Dr. Alex Otti (Abia Chronicle)

Otti is from Arochukwu Local Government Area, although there have been strident efforts in recent times to trace his origin to Ngwaland, as he claims that he is now from Aro-Ngwa. The former MD/CEO of Diamond Bank Plc is well connected, has a millennial war chest and personal long-standing friendships with several governors and power brokers in Nigeria. Otti is an asset anyday, but he needs to excercise patience, as Nigeria will need his services in the years to come. The problem with Otti is that he's so desperate to be a governor. He is a wealthy man who now craves power; that was why he defected to APGA, to realize his ambition, when he noticed that he had no chance in PDP. I hope he is not dreaming that a miracle can happen for him to win under APGA, and then while in office, he can switch back to PDP. It will not work that way for him. Let's not forget that Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) wrote" Do not be fooled into believing that because a man is rich he is necessarily smart. There is ample proof to the contrary".

Otti, in his desperation to be the governor of Abia State, has committed a blunder by going to Orju Uzo Kalu and his mother for help. The Kalus kept Abia State the way it is today, and here, Alex Otti went to seek their help, meaning that if he wins, the state would be mortgaged once again. In November 2014, The Governor of Abia State, T. A. Orji, said that the state would not be under any family domination and idol worship again. In his words, referring to the Kalus (who Alex Otti ran to for help): "There was a time in the history of Abia State that nobody could become an ordinary councilor without worshiping an idol. After worshiping an idol, you then worship an individual and his family. Abia people may not have known what I did for them; my major achievement is the liberation of Abia State from idol worship and family domination". If Alex Otti becomes the governor, he will pull Abia State back into the mess it is trying hard to extricate itsef from. Also in that November 2014, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, Most Rev. Sunday Agwu, said the state must not return to what he described as the years of locust. At a thanksgiving service organised for the Secretary to the Government (SSG), Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, at the Wesley Methodist Church, Umuahia, the cleric turned to the governor and said: "We have heard that your party has a zoning system. So, you intend to hand over to Ukwa/Ngwa indigenes. Your Excellency, our plea is that you should be careful about the person you are handing over to. We will not want to have a governor who is selfish, inaccessible, an idol worshipper, not compassionate, parochial, clannish and inhumane, or a governor who does not like to support the work of God."

Dr. Alex Otti is my contemporary and the only gubernatorial candidate I know in person (I know a little bit about him). He was born and brought up in Aba. His father was a Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) pastor ( Pastor Lazarus Otti), and that gave Alex an edge in life. Those days, pastors were respected, held in high esteem and did receive favors even when not requested. I and Alex Otti entered Ngwa High School, Aba, the same year (1976/77 School Year), although my stay at the School didn't last, because, in 1976, the government of the newly created Imo State decided to open up more secondary schools, because, the ones already in existence were over-populated. That is to say that the civil war took three academic calendars off from the Igbo school system; every Igbo child of school age, before the war started, lost three academic years. Those who were supposed to have completed their secondary school education by then, lost three years and were still in school. For all these, the schools, by 1976, had more than they were supposed to accommodate and the demand for new placements became more than the available spaces. In order to solve this problem, the new Imo State Government opened new schools. Secondary schools were opened in almost every community that had none hitherto. That year, Ngwa High School, Aba, had more intake than it was supposed to, and the government asked the school authorities to split the class one students into five. While retaining one part, the other four parts were sent to different new secondary schools as pioneer students. I fell into the group sent to Akwete Secondary/Technical School, Akwete, although I completed my secondary school at Umuagbaghi Secondary School. Alex Otti was among those retained at Ngwa High School when others were sent to different new schools. That was how we parted ways without even knowing each other. I only know that my cousin, Goodluck Chinedu Ubochi, who was a year ahead of us at Ngwa High School, handed over to Alex Otti as the Water Prefect in Class 5. We completed our secondary school education in 1982; Alex was a brilliant student. Two years later, he proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt for his university education, where he graduated with a First Class honors degree in Economics in 1988. Otti began his banking career in 1989 with the Nigerian International Bank, after his NYSC, and from there he went to First Bank, and then ended up as Diamond Bank PLC MD. The last time I saw Alex Otti was few years ago, here in Germany, when a mutual friend of ours had his wedding ceremony, and Alex came from Nigeria to grace the occasion. I have no relationship or contact with Otti, but, I know a little about him.

The point here is that although Alex Otti was born and brought up in Aba, he left the city and the state in 1984 and have not stayed there for more than a week at a stretch. He schooled in Port Harcourt, lives and worked in Lagos, so he doesn't know the problems the people of Abia State are facing, as he is just an outsider or a stranger in the state. Also, he doesn't know the politics of the state and will be a failure as a governor. Many of us who know him a bit, think he made a mistake by resign his lucrative and prestigious position as the MD of Diamond Bank PLC. He should have stayed at Diamond Bank while aspiring to be the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria in future, since he knows President Jonathan and his wife well right from his days at UNIPORT. He might have missed a great opportunity here!

On the contrary, Dr. Ikpeazu has the support of Abia people; he has been with them all along, he knows their problems and will be better placed to tackle them. Prior to this election period, Dr. Ikpeazu was easily accessible and down to earth while Dr. Otti is a human being who hardly reaches out to help people (may be, selfish, inaccessible). He started courting people now because of his political ambition and will withdraw back into his cocoon immediately after the election. Dr. Otti will take Abia State back to destructive family politics, and for that reason, we reject him.

For Abia State, I hereby endorse Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu

Read more about Abia State and the candidates:

https://247ureports.com/abia-guber-alex-otti-runs-to-orji-uzor-kalus-mother-for-help/

https://odili.net/news/source/2015/jan/18/608.html

https://www.elombah.com/index.php/articles-mainmenu/27408-dr-okezie-ikpeazu-guber-choice-of-ukwa-ngwa

https://247ureports.com/absurdities-of-fallacious-propaganda-in-a-civilized-polity-by-don-ubani/

https://tribune.com.ng/quicklinkss/politics/item/21976-abia-and-the-cross-of-family-politics/21976-abia-and-the-cross-of-family-politics

KADUNA STATE

The two major candidates for Kaduna State are Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of APC and the incumbent governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, of PDP.


El-Rufai (Punch)

Of all the gubernatorial candidates, El-Rufai is the only person I have had contact with, starting from the time of President Yar'Adua. Although we haven't met yet, but, we have communicated with each other through mails and twitter.


Yero (Punch)

Yero is the incumbent governor Of Kaduna State, a prot�g�e of the Vice President, and the governor of his state, so there will be efforts to retain the state for PDP.

I hereby condemn, in strongest terms, statements credited to Governor Yero, where he was inciting and encouraging PDP supporters to physically challenge and confront supporters of rival parties. For the governor to have said that "anyone born of a woman who dares us we will use all the powers and force at our disposal to crush him", was disgusting. Worse still were the governor's allegations and threats against his major rival, Malam El-Rufai. Yero was quoted as having said (in Hausa): "I can assure you if today I decide you must not come to Kaduna, you will not, if I decide to destroy your house I can, if I decide to put you under house arrest I will. But if you have any doubts try us and you will regret it. If you dare us we will use powers vested in us to decisively deal with you."

Such provocative utterances from a governor are unacceptable, more especially, coming few days after the presidential candidates signed the 'Abuja Accord', promising to run issue-based campaigns and to refrain themselves or those acting on their name from making any public statement capable of inciting any form of violence before, during and after the elections. The governor should be reprimanded! The governor should be held responsible, if anything happens to El-Rufai or any of the governor's other political opponents and their supporters. Rather than making careless and irresponsible statements, the governor should concentrate on the issues in his campaign. His utterances show that the state is slipping away from his control, so he thinks he can halt his imminent defeat, during the election, through the use of threats.

Here; I endorse Mallam El-Rufai for Kaduna State, because he excelled in his previous assignments and would make a better governor for his state.

ADAMAWA STATE

The major candidates here are Nuhu Ribadu of PDP and Umar Jibrilla Bindow of APC. There's no comparison here. So, I quickly endorse the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. This was what I wrote few years ago: "No other column stood by Ribadu during his trying times than this column. No other column has written on Ribadu than this (column). This column stood by Ribadu throughout the period the late Yar'Adua and his AGF, Aondoakaa, humiliated and persecuted him. Infact this column took Ribadu as a friend because of what he did as the EFCC boss. For this column, he (Ribadu) has an undiminishing passion for Nigeria. This column, just like Ribadu, believes that Nigeria has only one problem and that's CORRUPTION. All other problems or ills of Nigeria emanated from corruption. There will be no peace and progress in Nigeria until corruption becomes a thing of the past! Minimize or stop corruption and every good thing will fall into place. No other Nigerian has tackle corruption head on and made great impact in such a very short time like Ribadu who said "After one civil war, seven military regimes, and three botched attempts at building real democracy, the one connecting factor in the failure of all attempts at making Nigeria a global contender is corruption". I think Adamawa State is blessed to have a candidate like this.


Ribadu

RIVERS STATE

The major candidates here are Nyesom Wike of PDP and Dakuku Peterside of APC.


Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is a lawyer, politician from Rumuepirikom in Obio Akpor, Rivers State, Nigeria, and former Minister of Education. Nyesom Wike was born on 24 August 1967.

From 1999 to 2007, Wike was the Executive Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government in Rivers State, an office he used to redefine and exhibit his special brand of governance.

From 2003 to 2006, Wike was the National President of All Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), the umbrella forum through which all the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Nigeria interface and interact on issues affecting the Politics and policies of Nigeria.

From 2007 to 2011, he was appointed the Chief of Staff of Governor Amaechi. And in 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as the Minister of Education State of Federal Republic of Nigeria. (Naij)

Dakuku Peterside of APC was in Nigeria's House of Representatives where he earned a reputation as a charismatic and disciplined leader, creative and hardworking legislator who is broad minded with strategic insight. He brings integrity, compassion, pro-poor perspective and intellectual dimension to bear in tackling tough national issues. His loyalty to friendship and bridge building skills are remarkable.

Hon Peterside is widely respected as an achiever and a strong voice for the House on national issues. He is a regular commentator in Nigeria's leading media outfits.

In his home state, Rivers, he is respected as one of the most result oriented, meticulous, consistent, trustworthy and God fearing political leaders. In all public offices he has held he has brought innovation to bear and made remarkable impact that has endeared him to his fellow compatriots. He is a role model and mentor to several young persons, who look upto him for inspiration.

He has at various times turned down at least fourteen chieftancy titles, several honourary doctorate degrees and awards rather believing in the people as a reason for service.

Dakuku Peterside, Amaopusenibo of Opobo kingdom was elected to represent Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro area in the House of Representatives in 2011.

A native of Biriye, Opobo Kingdom. Dakuku attended Okrika Grammer School (OGS), University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, University of Port Harcourt, Georgia State University Atlanta and is also an alumnus of Harvard-Kennedy school, University of Harvard.

He earned degrees in Medical Laboratory Sciences (Haematology), Business administration (Management) and certificates in leadership and Project management respectively. He has attended several oil and gas courses globally.

The Honourable is a member of Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), fellow of Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria (IMCN) and member, Institute of Medical Laboratory Sciences of Nigeria. (His Biography).

Predicting the outcome of the election here is hard, because of a number of factors. Governor Amaechi, who is the Director of Buhari Campaign Organization, is the incumbent governor, and would fight tooth and nail to make sure his party retains the state. Amaechi knows that his reputation is at stake here, and will see it as a humiliation, if his state goes to PDP. For Amaechi, that state's gubernatorial election will be his greatest challenge in life so far, because, a lot is at stake here. On the other hand, the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, is an indigene of this state and wants to have her candidate, Wike, as the next governor. The First Lady in endorsing Wike recently, expressed sureness in the capability of the Rivers PDP governorship aspirant to rule the state.

After all said and done, the result of the gubernatorial election in Rivers State will be too close to call, will be disputed, so I refuse to endorse any candidate here.

LAGOS STATE

The two major candidates are Akin Ambode of APC and Jimi Agbaje of PDP.


Akin Ambode (Punch)

Akin Ambode, was the former Accountant General/Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance in Lagos, until his voluntary retirement in 2012, after 27 years in service. He was probably the first civil servant to resign from such a plum position when he still had many years to go in the service.

The impression was that Asiwaju Tinubu told him to do so because he was preparing him for greater responsibility.

When he left the service, he went to Harvard Kennedy School, of Government, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, where we learnt he studied one or two things about governance in his preparation for the greater responsibility.

Luckily for him, while abroad studying, his wife of 18 years gave birth to a set of twins, a boy and a girl for the first time in their marriage.

With the clamour for a Christian governor in the state, he has been parading himself as Tinubu's choice as the next governor in waiting. Ambode is from Epe in Lagos. He designed the strategy to shore up the revenue of the state when Obasanjo seized Lagos LG funds as accountant general of the state.

  • Born June 14, 1963 at Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos State.

  • Had his primary school at St. Jude's Primary School, Ebute Meta, Lagos. Passed the National Common Entrance in Primary 5 and gained admission into Federal Government College, Warri.

  • Recorded the second best result in the entire West Africa in the Higher School Certificate Examinations in 1981.

  • Graduated with honours in Accounting from the University of Lagos at 21.

  • Started his public service career at Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (now LAWMA) as Accountant Grade II in November 1985.

  • At 24, qualified as a Chartered Accountant and completed his Masters degree programme in Accounting from University of Lagos, specializing in Financial Management.

  • Appointed acting Auditor-General for Local Government in 2000 and became the youngest ever Auditor-General for Local Government in Lagos State.

  • Was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in January 2005 and in February, 2006, was given the additional responsibility of Accountant-General of Lagos State.

  • Was the youngest Permanent Secretary in service and only the second person to hold both positions of Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General at the same time.

  • Under his watch, the state treasury office revolutionized the way Lagos State finances were raised, budgeted, managed and planned resulting in the state's budget performing at an average of 85 percent annually.

  • He ensured payment of civil service staff salaries before the end of the month, payment of running cost by 1st week of each month and introduced end of the year package and special/specific welfare for staff.

  • He launched the e-payment platform for the monthly staff salaries

  • He renovated the state treasury office, created a conducive working environment, introduced a corporate dress code and provided laptops for all directors.

  • Introduced prompt payment of gratuity and pension arrears of the State Universal Basic Education Board and local government pensioners.

  • He co-organised the first ever National Tax Retreat in association with the Joint Tax Board/Federal Inland Revenue Service in 2005.

  • Chaired the Technical Committee that produced the Lagos State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS) document.

  • Led the audit teams as the Auditor-General in the office of Auditor-General for Local Government to clear and publish the arrears of statutory audits of 1995 to 2004 within 12months.

  • A scholar, accountant, administrator, an astute leader with strong emotional intelligence, he is an alumnus of Wharton Business School and has attended courses at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, England; the Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland; INSEAD, Singapore and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

  • He retired voluntarily from public service in August, 2012; the first ever recorded voluntary retirement by a Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Public Service.

  • He established Brandsmiths Consulting Limited in 2012 and the company is today consulting for federal, state and local governments on the transition to the new International Public Service Accounting System and other financial advisory services.

A stickler for high performance, he does not make decisions based on race, gender or religion (Ecomium)


Jimi Agbaje (Punch)

He was born on March 2, 1957 in Lagos State, to late Chief Julius Kosebinu Agbaje (Banker) and Mrs. Margaret Olabisi Agbaje (teacher). He is the second born and first male child of five children (two female and two male siblings).

In 1982, Jimi Agbaje founded his own company, JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Limited and was Managing Director until 2005 when he decided to venture into politics. A consummate professional, he was a member of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (1999 - 2006); National Secretary of the Nigerian Association of General Practice Pharmacists (NAGPP) from 1987 - 1990; National Chairman NAGPP (1990 - 1993) and Chairman Pharmaceutical society of Nigeria Lagos State (1994 - 1997). He was a member, Lagos State Task force on Fake and Adulterated Drugs (1989 - 1993), National Drug Formulary and Essential Drugs List (1986 - 1993) and Lagos Hospitals Management Board (1994 - 1997). Jimi Agbaje also sits on the Board of other organizations including Oakwood Park Ltd, Atlantic Hall Secondary School Epe, Jimi Agbaje Outreach (a project dedicated to helping the less fortunate) and has served as business mentor at Fate Foundation.

In a 2013 interview with The Punch Newspaper, Agbaje talked about how he began in politics: "It had to do with the Moshood Abiola/Bashir Tofa presidential election", he said. "I saw the annulment as a personal insult and an assault on the Nigerian people. This led to my first entry into what I would call activism, working with other concerned professionals" such as Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr Ayo Ighodaro, Asue Ighodalo, Billy Lawson, Oby Ezekwesili, Tola Mobolurin and Hassan Odukale. Jimi was in one form of resistance group or the other which ultimately led him to join the socio-political organization, Afenifere where he served as national treasurer.

Based on his affiliation with Afenifere, Jimi Agbaje joined the Action Congress (AC) - his first political party. In 2007, Agbaje who had initially aspired to contest for the Governor of Lagos State on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) left the party to join the Democratic People's Alliance (DPA). He was among the 11 aspirants that turned their back to the Action Congress (AC) when it was alleged that Governor Bola Tinubu had already anointed someone else to succeed him even before the party primaries. Widely believed to have conducted the best campaign in 2007, Agbaje contested in gubernatorial election on the Democratic People's Alliance (DPA) platform, but eventually, alongside other major contenders - Musiliu Obanikoro of PDP, Femi Pedro of Labour Party (Nigeria) - lost to Babatunde Raji Fashola of the Action Congress (AC).

He left DPA in 2011 and went on to join the ruling party, the People's Democratic Party, PDP following the de-registration of DPA by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On October 29, 2014, he officially indicated his interest in giving the Lagos State gubernatorial elections another shot by picking up the PDP nomination form. On 8 December 2014, it was reported that he emerged as the candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP for the 2015 Lagos State gubernatorial election, having defeated Musiliu Obanikoro in the primary. Musiliu Obanikoro is the former Minister of State for Defence who is also a member of the ruling party, People's Democratic Party, PDP (Wikipedia)

From their records, each of them is well qualified to be the governor of Lagos State, the race here would be fiercely and keenly contested, but, Amode has the edge. I hereby endorse Akin Ambode for Lagos State.

IMO STATE


I am endorsing Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho of APGA for Imo State. A nice man, down to earth and is accessible to all at all times. He attended the University of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom where he obtained a Master of Science degree in International Transport, and also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in General Management from the University of Bradford. He joined the navy, retiring with the rank of Captain (Wikipedia).

To be Continued!

TIT BITS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g03kVJqoJ84

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh2I2HabjEM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhoewflkQu0

THE THANX IS ALL YOURS!!!

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