Politics
’Emi lo kan’ is a politics of entitlement, bad – Tunde Bakare opens up
The Presiding Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly), Pastor Tunde Bakare has revealed his mind about the forthcoming presidential election in Nigeria.
The fiery cleric in his state-of-the-nation address, on Sunday, described ’emi lokan’ as a politics of entitlement, adding that it is bad for the country.
Though he didn’t mention any specific name in his address, the ’emi lokan’ slang is popularly associated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Speaking ahead of the February 25, 2023, presidential election in Nigeria, Pastor Bakare explained that the politics of ’emi lokan’ does not focus on serving the people but rather is about gratifying a personal ambition.
He however cautioned that it would be wrong to sacrifice the destiny of an entire country for the ambition of a single politician.
READ ALSO:
- Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Era of coups gone for good – CDS Irabor
- Five Nigerians arrested in Greece for allegedly defrauding a woman of over N73 million
- Barber electrocuted in Nsukka over alleged vandalism of EEDC transformer
The clergy added that such a mentality makes those in power tend toward dictatorship and makes them less accountable to the people who elected them.
He said: “This ’emi lo kan’ politics that insists on one’s turn, even if circumstances do not align, is bad. Politics of entitlement also manifests as perennial candidacy, not with the intent to serve, but to gratify long personal ambitions. It could also manifest as insistence on a given political office as a reward for what one considers a lifetime of sacrifice to the nation. Politicians with a sense of entitlement evade political debates and do not consider it imperative to communicate with the electorate.”
“Entitlement politics will breed an imperial presidency that is distant from the people and has no sense of responsibility or accountability to the people. Such imperial governance will slide towards dictatorship and will be intolerant of dissent.
“Entitlement politicians set low performance benchmarks for themselves when they secure power and are content with projecting molehills as mountains of achievement. Good Politics, Good Governance, Fellow Nigerians, having completed our analysis of bad politics and the bad governance it outputs, let us now take a look at good politics and its output of good governance. Good politics is pragmatic politics in the interest of the people.”
Good Leaders Attend Debates, Answer Questions
Also speaking during his address, Pastor Bakare said it is wrong of politicians to delegate others to answer questions they are asked directly.
He added that anyone that is interested in occupying a political office must be willing to communicate directly and engage with the voters.
Politicians who practice good politics talk to the people they intend to govern; by communicating, they allay fears, restore hope, and assure the citizens. It is engaging and interactive. The practitioners of good politics are open to interrogation and they do not avoid debates or evade difficult questions. It is inclusive: good politics gives a sense of belonging to historically excluded or vulnerable groups, including women, young people, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities,” he said.
The submission might be a veiled reaction to the action of the APC candidate, Tinubu who stirred reactions by delegating some questions asked him during his interactive session at Chatham House, London, in 2022.
Naija News recalls Tinubu delegated some of those on his entourage including Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, the Director of Strategic Communication of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Aleke, and a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Wale Edun to answer questions he was asked on how he intends to handle insecurity, oil theft, education, and economy if he emerges as the President of Nigeria in 2023.
Politics
2027: Why PDP shouldn’t field northern presidential candidate – Ex-Atiku campaigner
2027: Why PDP shouldn’t field northern presidential candidate – Ex-Atiku campaigner
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former member of Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Committee, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, has called on the party to nominate a southern presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
In an interview in Lagos, Pearse, who headed the Directorate of Documentation/Reporting for Atiku’s campaign in Lagos, argued that fielding a northern candidate could harm the party’s prospects.
“The national opinion now, the tendency, the feeling generally, is that the PDP should field a southerner for president in 2027,” Pearse said. “We need somebody from the South to complete these four years, to complete the eight years of southern presidency, so that we can rescue Nigeria.”
Pearse emphasized that it would be unstrategic for the party to support a northern candidate, given the current sentiment across the nation.
No Need for Alliances
The PDP stalwart also dismissed the idea of a political merger or alliance with other opposition parties, such as the Labour Party (LP) or New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), stating that such collaborations have historically been unsuccessful.
READ ALSO:
- Paris-bound businessman excretes 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine at Abuja airport
- Israeli forces order new evacuation at besieged northern Gaza
- Police rescue 13 kidnap victims, arrest five suspected robbers
“An alliance in our politics, even abroad, is very difficult because it is hard for competing groups and leaders to give way for one or the other,” he explained. “It is not possible for PDP to go into any alliance in 2027. I personally think it is very unlikely.”
Pearse downplayed the potential contributions of LP and NNPP, noting that both parties only secured one governorship seat each in the last general elections.
He said the PDP has sufficient resources to win the next election with a southern candidate, citing the party’s 12 governors and a significant presence in the National Assembly.
Reuniting the Party
Pearse stressed the importance of reconciling with former members who had defected, particularly to the Labour Party.
“We just need to strengthen our party. We need to reach out to our members that have left the party. If 60 percent of them return, we will win the next election,” he stated.
He highlighted efforts underway to bring back youth members and others who supported rival parties during the 2023 elections, emphasizing the need for unity within the PDP.
Lessons from 2023
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Pearse attributed the PDP’s loss to internal divisions, particularly regarding zoning issues.
“The party went astray last time because they did not clarify the constitutional tenets that said if the national chairman comes from the North, the presidential candidate cannot also come from the North,” he said.
He criticized the inability of former National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to step down when a northern candidate emerged, calling it a key factor in the party’s defeat. Pearse stressed that lessons had been learned, and the party would avoid such missteps in the future.
“We are not going to allow it to happen now,” he added.
2027: Why PDP shouldn’t field northern presidential candidate – Ex-Atiku campaigner
Politics
Gbajabiamila speaks on his rumoured Lagos governorship ambition
Gbajabiamila speaks on his rumoured Lagos governorship ambition
Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu, has dismissed speculations about his potential bid for the governorship of Lagos State, stressing that his current focus remains on his duties in the presidency.
Speaking at the general assembly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Surulere, Lagos, on Saturday, Gbajabiamila attributed the rumours to detractors attempting to undermine his political progress.
“Some people are saying he came back from America about 20 years ago. After spending three to four years, he became the principal officer to the Minority Whip, from there he became Minority Leader, then Majority Leader, and from Majority Leader, he became Speaker,” Gbajabiamila said.
He noted that some individuals see his rise in politics as a threat and believe he might return to Lagos to contest for governor.
READ ALSO:
- Farotimi appreciates Nigerians, says his release was due to public outcry
- Wike replies Odili: You’ve reduced yourself to ridiculous level
- NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products
“They think with the way I’m progressing, it’s time to quickly drag me down so I won’t have any standing in Lagos,” he stated.
However, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives made it clear that the governorship race is not on his agenda for now.
“Please tell them it’s not yet time for governorship. There are still two and a half years left—it’s still far. God Almighty knows who will become the next governor,” Gbajabiamila noted.
Addressing the challenges of his current position, he added, “My current job as Chief of Staff is so demanding that I can’t even finish it. I don’t have the time to be thinking about governorship.”
The remarks come amid growing speculation surrounding potential contenders for the Lagos governorship seat, with names like Lagos State Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, also being mentioned.
Gbajabiamila speaks on his rumoured Lagos governorship ambition
Politics
Wike: My fallout with Secondus was his opposition to Fubara
Wike: My fallout with Secondus was his opposition to Fubara
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has shed light on his role in the removal of Uche Secondus as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking at a PDP gathering in Rivers State, Wike explained that his decision was fueled by Secondus’ opposition to Siminalayi Fubara’s governorship ambition in 2023.
According to Wike, Secondus had pushed for his cousin, Tele Ikuru, to secure the PDP ticket for the governorship position, a move Wike said he could not support. This, he revealed, was the primary reason he championed Secondus’ ouster from the party’s leadership.
Reflecting on the ongoing tensions between himself and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike accused Secondus and former Rivers Governor Celestine Omehia of hypocrisy. He alleged that the duo only began backing Fubara after benefiting personally from the relationship.
READ ALSO:
- Bashar Assad relatives while trying to fly out of Lebanon
- Arsenal climb to second in EPL with 1-0 win over Ipswich
- We destroyed Lakurawa logistics base in Sokoto during airstrike – Military
Wike, who was once a close ally of Fubara, claimed that Secondus and Omehia were the true enemies of the governor, not him. He criticized their actions, arguing that their newfound loyalty to Fubara was insincere.
“I heard Secondus recently in Bori, saying I awarded the Bori Internal Road as governor. I paid 50% with the hope that we had a governor we all supported to continue the projects,” Wike said.
He continued, “Secondus claimed his enemies are the governor’s enemies. But who are the enemies of the governor? Secondus, who initially opposed him becoming governor and wanted his cousin, Tele Ikuru, to get the position?
“I orchestrated Secondus’ removal as PDP National Chairman when he tried to impose his cousin as governor. Now he calls himself the governor’s friend while labeling me the enemy. To God be the glory,” Wike declared.
Wike: My fallout with Secondus was his opposition to Fubara
-
Auto2 days agoLSM MD extols founder’s qualities after latter posthumous industry award
-
Entertainment2 days agoMultiChoice announces free access to all DSTV channels for 3 days
-
News2 days agoNigeria Customs Service begins 2025 recruitment [How to apply]
-
metro3 days agoJigawa State governor loses son 24 hours after mother’s death
-
metro2 days agoHeavy security in Ilesa as ex-Osun deputy gov emerges new Owa-Obokun
-
metro2 days agoLagos Imam to Tinubu: You haven’t disappointed us
-
metro2 days agoDangote, Tinubu, Lookman named among 100 most influential Africans in 2024 (Full list)
-
Sports2 days agoRonaldo, Vinicius, Yamal win big at 2024 Globe Soccer Awards [Full list of winners]