Political notes
Ribadu’s and his friends

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
On April 9, 2014 in the thick of the All Progressives Congress, APC membership registration exercise, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a chieftain of the party had blasted purveyors of the rumour that he was about to defect from the party.

“I felt personally insulted by rumours making the rounds in this space over my alleged intention to dump my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). There is no iota of truth in that malicious falsehood being peddled by persons who do not wish me and my great party any good.”

After successfully dismissing that supposedly malicious and insulting speculation, Ribadu reiterated his devotion to the APC just before the Osun election on July 23 when on his facebook page he praised the unusual efforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

“My Friend and Brother, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, is leading the Broom Revolution in Osun State and delivering Government Unusual. I am glad the people are totally behind him and will massively vote for him come August 9th.”

Ribadu

Just four weeks later, the language and leaning of the former anti-graft czar changed. In his first public confirmation of his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ribadu on his facebook page last Tuesday, the one time presidential candidate of the defunct ACN said:

“I wish to assure you that my defection is in pursuit of a good cause, and never out of any selfish interests as portrayed by a section.”

When Ajimobi begged Jonathan for second term

It was a forum organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to promote Small and Medium Scale enterprises in the country at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja. But given the abundance of governors at the function last Tuesday, it inevitably turned into a political talk shop as a couple of the governors present used the opportunity to mobilise support for the second term aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan who was the special guest of honour that day.

Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State kick-started the second term call with his assertion that given the encomiums poured on the federal administration’s successes in SMEs that the pilot of the project should be inspired for a second term. His comment was echoed by Governor Godswill Akpabio. The only All Progressives Congress, APC governor at the forum, Senator Abiola Ajimobi after rendering his stewardship on SMEs, however, pleaded that the PDP should allow APC governors doing well to continue.

Ebola points for Jonathan

What an irony it is for the aficionados of President Goodluck Jonathan. Dr. Jonathan who has been described as Nigeria’s most criticised president arguably had a sort of relief with the administration’s response to the Ebola scare.

In a way apparently never seen before by most Nigerians, the administration acting through the Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu was able to marshal a fitting response that has helped to check what could have been an unmitigated disaster had the epidemic spread beyond the 12 confirmed cases.

The response of the federal administration was helped by the equally well coordinated response of the Lagos State government whose officials led by Governor Babatunde Fashola brought some zest in their response to the pandemic.

The wish of many Nigerians indeed is that governments at all levels respond to governance issues in the same way.