AS the countdown to the 2012 gubernatorial election in Edo State draws near the permutations and maneuvering in the Peoples Democratic Party has intensified. This is particularly on the issue of the choice of the governorship candidate of the party.

ON Wednesday, September 28, 2011 in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, a public lecture was held to mark the 2011 Igbo Day celebrations, officially hosted by the Ebonyi State Government.

I FORGOT completely that the returning and repulsive month called November, is around the corner again. The agony of a nation descending into a deeper crisis, and the death of Kingsley Baridilo Kpea, the Ogoni-born petroleum engineer and Comrade who died recently in an Indian hospital, are troubling me, to forget the nauseating month November.

I now come to the challenges of peace-building. Many people, I believe, consider Nigeria as a theatre of absurd conflicts and interminable crises. They may be justified in holding this view; with the Jos crisis festering for years, with post-election violence and suicide – bombings, it is difficult to think otherwise.

You either like him or hate him for his views, but he is not structured in the mindset of those who specialize in begging the issue. Blunt but fair, caustic and bold, the Chief Servant of Niger State has not stopped impressing his audience with his characteristic style of saying it the way it is no matter whose ox is gored.

I LAUGHED my heart out as I read the above titled piece published by Dr. Okey Ndibe. He writes: “Last week, Mr. Obienyem wrote and distributed a piece titled{sic} ‘Anambra: May God Help Okey Ndibe!’” in response to his piece. In his usual offensive language devoid of civility, he was at the crest of his curve pouring vituperations on the Governor.

THE current global economic melt-down may prove a major blessing to Nigeria . As a profligate nation, the compulsory tightening of our belts may in the long run, change our attitudes and redirect our steps to a more realistic path to national growth.

BESIDES the obvious misrepresentation of facts, the Tribune’s editorial of September 29, 2011 appears ill-motivated and therefore in bad taste. Its tone was unnecessarily harsh; the choice of words incredibly impolite and inappropriate. And it was indeed unprofessional for the editorial writers to substitute cold analysis for name-calling and cheap insults.

HE may go the way of the national publicity secretary of CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fasakin, who has been summoned by the court to prove alleged statement he made against the judiciary recently. Aguiyi alleged that Igbeke approached the court with fabricated certified through copy of the primary result to get a favourable judgment.

AS a teacher and research writer, I strongly believe in superior arguments backed with facts, stripped of emotion and sentiment. I am not used to writing frivolities or doing hatchet jobs for people. Before I write on any issue, be it local, national or international, I always get my facts right to avoid libel, defamation of character and being unprofessional.