DRIVE TO ARRIVE ALIVE- FRSC

Drive to Arrive Alive

FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps , Anambra state Sector command has once again called on road users to exercise caution on the road and Drive to Arrive Alive at their destinations at all times.

The call was made by the Sector Commander Anambra state command of the FRSC Commander Adeoye Irelewuyi at a program "Political Heat" on Alpha Radio 106.5 FM, anchored by Emmanuel Asiegbunam (Mr E on the Mic).

The sector Commander who called in during the program, urged Anambrains and all road users to be extra careful on the road as busy seasons like the Yuletide are fraught with increased vehicular activities and thus increased incidents and risks along the roads. He assured that his men comprising of the regular Corp marshals, volunteers and other sister agencies are always available to ensure that there are free flows of traffic along the roads in the state. 

The Sector Commander reminded road users that the work of the Corps is mainly preventive  in nature and hence road users especially drivers of vehicles should cooperate with the Road Marshals when they encounter them. He however assured the public that they will only pull vehicles over for inspection of documents and other things when there are obvious or suspected voilation by the driver. He urged all drivers to ensure that their documents are always available, valid and complete. He listed out these documents to include vehicle papers, insurance cover, Road worthiness (for commercial vehicles) and of course the drivers licence. He also asked drivers on the roads to ensure that the use valid and approved tyres and that other necessary items like fire extinguisher and caution are in place in their vehicles at all times. He warned that his men will not hesitate to book and impound any vehicle that violates road laws. 

The Sector Commander further promised that the Corps will readily provide personnel to monitor and control traffic during social and political events most especially campaigns if invited.

*BETWEEN THE ROCK AND A HARD PLACE-THE DILEMMA OF THE PDP 'S G-5*

Between the Rock and a Hard Place- 

- The dilemma of the G-5 "Integrity Group". 

It's no secret today that the PDP G-5 governors that are at loggerheads with their party over the presidential candidature of Atiku Abubakar and Chairmanship of Sen Iyorchia Ayu, have met and are still meeting to agree on the way forward for the group, vis-a-vis which of the presidential candidates to support for the 2023 election. Word out there is that the Five Governors are considering to either support Tinubu of the APC or Peter Obi of the Labour Party. Also, they have allegedly met several times with Tinubu but are yet to reach a concrete agreement. 

The support of the governors is crucial to the victory of any party in a presidential election. Recall that in 2014, then Govs Bukola Saraki and Chibuike Amaechi led some other governors to walk out on the PDP and join the fledgling APC. This defection no doubt ensured that the new coalition called APC , was able to defeat the old warhorse called PDP and formed the new government under Gen Muhammad Buhari (rtd). 

Similar thing is about to happen to the PDP again with its unarguably most powerful and most vocal governor (Gov Wike of Rivers state) clearly at crossroads with the party and appear set to repeat the Saraki feat of 2014. 

But can they?

Let's look at them one by one and the choices before them as well as the obvious challenges in arriving at that choice. 

1. Gov Wike - he is the leader and whatever he says goes. But he has been condemning both the APC and the PDP. So where will he go? If he goes to APC, Rivers state is a PDP state and the best he could do for TINUBU is to get him 25% (like Umahi did for Buhari in 2019in Ebonyi state). Rivers state is almost fully Obidient so whether he supports PDP or APC, it is immaterial. Labour Party will win the presidency convincingly in his state. 

2. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi- Enugu state is almost 100% Obidient for the presidency and not even the stand of the gov or anyone can change that. Even if he decides to endorse Tinubu, he cannot even guarantee him 25% of votes cast in the state. Enugu is 90% Peter Obi and 9% PDP. The crumb of 1% is for APC and other parties to scramble for as far as the presidential election is concerned. And what becomes of the Gov s acolytes in PDP who are vying for one post or the other or of he himself (he is vying for Enugu North senate). Will his people s ambition be sacrificed because he joined his leader Wike in having a  disagreement with the presidential candidate of his party?  PDP will sweep most of  the other positions but the presidency? Enugu is for Peter Obi 90%. Nothing can change that. 

3. Gov Victor Ikpeazu - like Enugu state, Abia state is almost 100% Obedient in terms of the presidential election. The margin may be a little less (85% compared to Enugu s 90%< due to Sen OUK) but no other party can get up to 25% votes in the state. Labour will sweep the state no matter who the Governor endorses. 

4. Gov Samuel Ortom - Benue state is also an Obidient state, though with a lesser margin (around 60-65%). With the way the Gov had criticized and condemned his former party the APC following the Fed Govt s alleged complicity in the killings and taking over of Benue lands by Fulani herdsmen, it will be an impossible task selling the APC presidential candidate to the average Benue indigene or resident, that is should the Gov decide to join his fellow Govs in the G-5 to endorse Tinubu as is being rumored. He will not only shoot himself in the foot, but will incur the wrath and hatred of his people should he ever support APC in any way. Moreover, he has declared semi- support for Peter Obi on several occasions. So turning round to ask will people to vote APC will be political suicide. He might even be stoned for ever thinking that!

5. Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo state. This is the only Gov that may not face the quagmire and stigma the others will face should he endorse Tinubu. Already he has flown some kites earlier  when his deputy joined the entourage of APC stalwarts that visited the former AFENIFERE leader Pa Fasoranti and endorsed Tinubu. This was taken to mean that Gov Makinde has endorsed Tinubu because he did not come out to condemn his deputy for doing so. Hence, endorsing Tinubu will be relatively easy for him. And moreover, the APC has a strong structure in the state (he miraculously defeated the party s candidate in 2019 more by sheer luck than any other factor). But he will have to contend with the existing APC structure which is formidable. The APC s gubernatorial candidate Folarin is a very popular and powerful politician in the state and some pundits are even saying he will easily defeat Makinde in a free and fair contest. So how will Makinde who is going for reelection , now endanger  his own structure and ambition in the name of supporting another Party s candidate due to some ideological differences he has with his own party ? It is also suicidal.

So it's obvious that heads or tails, the G-5 governors are losing. 

They cannot go to APC. The grapevine info is that the conditions they gave to Tinubu in their meeting with him (that he should fully support their own PDP candidates to win at the states levels) is one that neither  Tinubu  nor his handlers can agree to, for obvious reasons. 

The truth is that Tinubu does not need them at all. Though being powerful governors, they have limited control over the trend and trajectory of electoral decisions in their states. All except Gov Wike  cannot guarantee Tinubu 25% of votes cast in their states. Even Gov Wike s powers to convince Rivers state to do so is still debatable. 

So what will Tinubu need them for?

The only options available to them to either swallow their prides and endorse Peter Obi of Labour party or go back to their party and their candidate and extract a firm (written) commitment that their grouses (removal of Ayu as party chairman and being given prominent posts in Atiku s government) will be addressed if and when the PDP wins the presidential election. Sen Iyorchia Ayu himself has repeatedly said that he will resign if the party wins to pave way for a party chairman from the south as contained in the party s constitution. But should he resign now as The G-5 demands, what happens if the party does not win? That is the fear of the party in this issue as their is no 100% guarantee of electoral victory, no matter how formidable one s structure is. 

So it's either support the Labour party for the presidential election (the Labour Party does not have the widespread structure of the APC so it can afford to sacrifice some levels so as to clinch the big prize of the presidency) .

Or go back to support Atiku and your party

Any other option is suicidal and almost impossible. 

Hon Emma Asie 

(Mr E)

Writes from Awka.

POLICE CAN CHECK VEHICLE PAPERS AND DRIVERS LICENSE BUT NOT PHONES - PPRO

POLICE AT CHECK POINTS CAN ONLY CHECK YOUR VEHICLE PAPERS AND DRIVERS LICENSE BUT NOT PHONES 

-- Police PRO

The Nigerian Police Anambra state command has once again reiterated that the police officers at checkpoints have the legal right to check for vehicle papers and drivers license but cannot check individual phones and laptops except if there is a direct investigation involving the individual. 

The Force Public Relations Officer DSP Tochukwu Ikenga made the clarification while responding to  callers' questions in a program on Alpha Radio Nnobi tagged Political Heat, anchored by Emmanuel Asiegbunam (Mr E on the Mic)

The P-PRO condemned situations where the police on checkpoints subject road users to undue inconvenience but urged members of the public to always cooperate with the police at such checkpoints as the brief inconvenience experienced is for a greater good and a more secure society. He called on members of the public to make use of the  Police Rescue Me App or contact nos to reach out to the Force to report infractions by police men on duty and other incidents. He gave out the Police Hotlines to call when necessary and promised that the lines are always available and that calls and complaints will be responded to immediately. The numbers are 07039194332 or his own number 08039334002. 

DSP Ikenga assured Nigerians especially residents of Anambra state that the Force is poised to ensure a safe and secure Yuletide season for all as well as free fair and peaceful Elections in 2023. He urged Nigerians not to give in to despair and to ignore fake news and other information regarding insecurity especially during this Christmas season and the forthcoming election.

His words " If you see something, say something, and together we shall make Nigeria more secure and peaceful now and always".

Watch the interview on this link

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088686260445&mibextid=ZbWKwL