No oil producing states for the APC
NaijaRock
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Posted by Felix Okoli on Thursday February 4, 2016 at 9:27:6:
Given the way the Supreme court has been ruling in favour of PDP governors in the oil producing states, it seems that APC may still remain the ruling party with Federal might while the PDP will still control the oil producing states.A look at the 36 states of Nigeria after the general election shows us that the APC was unable to capture any of the oil producing states in Nigeria except for Edo. They are still firmly under the control of the PDP and I guess one reason for that is because the oil producing states have gained a lot from the PDP and would not want to end their loyalty.The oil producing states of Nigeria include Ondo state, Bayelsa state, Rivers state, Delta state, Abia state, Akwa ibom state, Imo state and Edo state. With the exception of Edo state which was won as a result of the collaboration of the labour party and the APC, all the other major oil producing states of Nigeria are within the strong grip of the PDP and there are predictions that Edo state will soon join the group since it has already been a PDP state until 2008. A gubernatorial election is going to be held in Edo state in 2016 and the PDP sees it as a time to reclaim power in the state after APC has failed to achieve their goal of getting more PDP states through tribunals that ruled mostly in favour of them.For many PDP governors in the oil producing states, all thanks goes to God and the Supreme court because in the past, a couple of elected governors had lost their seat through the same court system despite having won the elections organized by INEC.The ruling APC may still have Federal might but the weakness they have is that a majority of states that they control contribute the lowest GDP to Nigeria's economy and are among the poorest states of Nigeria. PDP governed states however are among the richest states in Nigeria as a result of the fact that they are hosts to oil producing companies and receive a cool percentage of oil income thanks to the 13% oil derivation principle.A visit to the oil producing states of Nigeria would show that they have a a lot of solid infrastructure on ground. States like Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers have good road network, bridges, airports and solid housing projects mostly built with oil money.The oil producing states of Nigeria don't normally have a problem with paying the monthly salaries of civil servants as they can afford to pay easily without delaying workers their salaries and they have extra money to finance other state projects more easily than the non oil producing ones.With the exception of Lagos state, Nigeria's former capital and host to the nation's sea port, most other APC states can hardly sustain themselves from their internally generated revenue which makes them rely more on proceeds from the Federation account to which most PDP states contribute to as a result of their oil wealth. Lagos state is able to make a lot of money through taxes as a result of the business friendly environment which also attracts a huge population of people.There are reports in the media that a certain APC governor sees the control of oil producing states by the PDP as a national security risk. The truth is that after the 2015 general election, Nigeria has been divided into two. Theer has never been any time in Nigeria's histroy that the nation has been almost split evenly into 2 as some people still strongly support the PDP and their former President Jonathan Goodluck while some people still support Buhari and the APC. Some see APC government as being pro-Muslim while some saw Jonathan's administration as pro-Christian and so, even along religious lines, Nigeria is gradually been divided. There is also a rich-poor gap as some feel that the Buhari government is more for the pool and less educated people of the north while some see PDP government as being more rich and for the more educated people of the south.
The PDP states would surely want to have more share of the oil revenue their states generate and it could lead the problems at the Federal level which may push them to seek more autonomy for themselves rather than keep contributing most of their wealth to the Federation account.The APC government seems bent on turning the nation a one party state or at least controlling more of the oil states rather than leaving it to the hands of an opposition party which was once a ruling party a year ago.The PDP states may no longer have Federal might but they still contribute most the toe Federal purse and if their oil derivation benefit appears to be under a threat, they may seek for more autonomy and this could further divide the nation.
Given the way the Supreme court has been ruling in favour of PDP governors in the oil producing states, it seems that APC may still remain the ruling party with Federal might while the PDP will still control the oil producing states.A look at the 36 states of Nigeria after the general election shows us that the APC was unable to capture any of the oil producing states in Nigeria except for Edo. They are still firmly under the control of the PDP and I guess one reason for that is because the oil producing states have gained a lot from the PDP and would not want to end their loyalty.The oil producing states of Nigeria include Ondo state, Bayelsa state, Rivers state, Delta state, Abia state, Akwa ibom state, Imo state and Edo state. With the exception of Edo state which was won as a result of the collaboration of the labour party and the APC, all the other major oil producing states of Nigeria are within the strong grip of the PDP and there are predictions that Edo state will soon join the group since it has already been a PDP state until 2008. A gubernatorial election is going to be held in Edo state in 2016 and the PDP sees it as a time to reclaim power in the state after APC has failed to achieve their goal of getting more PDP states through tribunals that ruled mostly in favour of them.For many PDP governors in the oil producing states, all thanks goes to God and the Supreme court because in the past, a couple of elected governors had lost their seat through the same court system despite having won the elections organized by INEC.The ruling APC may still have Federal might but the weakness they have is that a majority of states that they control contribute the lowest GDP to Nigeria's economy and are among the poorest states of Nigeria. PDP governed states however are among the richest states in Nigeria as a result of the fact that they are hosts to oil producing companies and receive a cool percentage of oil income thanks to the 13% oil derivation principle.A visit to the oil producing states of Nigeria would show that they have a a lot of solid infrastructure on ground. States like Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Rivers have good road network, bridges, airports and solid housing projects mostly built with oil money.The oil producing states of Nigeria don't normally have a problem with paying the monthly salaries of civil servants as they can afford to pay easily without delaying workers their salaries and they have extra money to finance other state projects more easily than the non oil producing ones.With the exception of Lagos state, Nigeria's former capital and host to the nation's sea port, most other APC states can hardly sustain themselves from their internally generated revenue which makes them rely more on proceeds from the Federation account to which most PDP states contribute to as a result of their oil wealth. Lagos state is able to make a lot of money through taxes as a result of the business friendly environment which also attracts a huge population of people.There are reports in the media that a certain APC governor sees the control of oil producing states by the PDP as a national security risk. The truth is that after the 2015 general election, Nigeria has been divided into two. Theer has never been any time in Nigeria's histroy that the nation has been almost split evenly into 2 as some people still strongly support the PDP and their former President Jonathan Goodluck while some people still support Buhari and the APC. Some see APC government as being pro-Muslim while some saw Jonathan's administration as pro-Christian and so, even along religious lines, Nigeria is gradually been divided. There is also a rich-poor gap as some feel that the Buhari government is more for the pool and less educated people of the north while some see PDP government as being more rich and for the more educated people of the south.
The PDP states would surely want to have more share of the oil revenue their states generate and it could lead the problems at the Federal level which may push them to seek more autonomy for themselves rather than keep contributing most of their wealth to the Federation account.The APC government seems bent on turning the nation a one party state or at least controlling more of the oil states rather than leaving it to the hands of an opposition party which was once a ruling party a year ago.The PDP states may no longer have Federal might but they still contribute most the toe Federal purse and if their oil derivation benefit appears to be under a threat, they may seek for more autonomy and this could further divide the nation.