NPDP Crisis: Why Jonathan Saved Tukur

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  Africcon Report: NPDP Crisis: Why Jonathan Saved Tukur
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  From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
  
  Covered By Africcon Media - PDP Crisis: Why Jonathan Saved Tukur
  
  By the whiskers, embattled national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Bamanga Tukur survived his planned removal at the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party yesterday.
  
  But Tukur’s saving grace was President Goodluck Jonathan who pleaded with some leaders of the party to give the former governor of the old Gongola state another chance.
  
  Before the Thursday meeting of the highest decision-making body of the PDP, Jonathan reportedly held not less than four pre-NEC sessions to avert Tukur’s removal which had been hatched to take the form of a vote of no confidence.
  
  Jonathan, according to an impeccable source, held series of meetings with the Board of Trustees, PDP governors loyal to him, ‘identified elders’ of the PDP as well as the PDP Caucus in the National Assembly.
  
  Tukur was on the verge of being shown the exit door following the insistence of some aggrieved PDP governors that the only antidote for peace in the party was the removal of the national chairman with whom they have been having running battles.
  
  A Presidency source told Africcon News Media in confidence that President Jonathan had no choice than to come to the aid of Tukur.
  
  “The president had no choice, my brother; dumping Tukur at this critical  time would spell doom for everybody. As politicians, those fighting Tukur, those he is fighting and governors fighting amongst themselves are doing that as a result of one thing-the 2015 election. Do not forget that those calling for Tukur’s head are doing so as means to an end. Under such a situation, saving him is the best. Best of course, as human beings, Tukur may have seen the need to bring all together because leaders were frank with him”, he said.
  
  But as Tukur survived being booted out, the NEC ratified the resignation of 16 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) following the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which nullified the mode of their election.
  
  In the interim, a 22-member acting NWC members has emerged in the now composite leadership organ of the ruling party.
  
  Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudum Nwuche is now the party’s acting National Deputy Chairman, while Dr. Remi Akintoye  is the acting National Secretary of the party.
  
  Erstwhile information minister, Prof Jerry Gana, is to head the Special Convention Planning Committee for the mini convention scheduled to hold July 15.
  
  Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is to serve as secretary of the committee which has representatives from each state of the federation.
  
  A few states are however, yet to send in their representatives.
  
  The national convention would be preceded by the South West zonal congress on July 11.
  
  As if pre-planned, as soon as Bamanga Tukur declared the meeting open with his address, he handed over the microphone to the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who hailed the leadership of the PDP.
  
  Briefing newsmen at the end of the NEC meeting, Prof. Jerry Gana announced the replacement of officers of the party who had resigned, saying amongst decisions reached was the approval of guidelines for the convention, approval of the convention planning committee.
  
  Prof Gana gave the lists of the acting national officers to include Senator Emma Agboti (deputy national secretary), Yusufu Hamisu Abubakar (national organizing secretary), Tony Ceaser Okeke (national publicity secretary), Simon D. Jok Esq (national legal adviser), Barr. Tanko Beji (national youth leader) and  Barr. Oyibo Nwaneri (national woman leader).
  
  Others include Barr. Yau Kwadon  (deputy national legal adviser), Hon. Peter Adefunmilayo (deputy national youth leader ), Nasiru Ibrahim Bichi (deputy national auditor ), Mrs. Torkwase Ajoh (deputy national women leader), Mohammed Dandari (National Treasurer), Onyemaechi Ikechukwu Jideofor  (deputy national organizing secretary) as well as Hon. Auwalu Gwalabe (deputy national financial secretary).
  
  Those who also made the PDP’s protem NWC included Chief Augustine Lugbenwei (deputy national treasurer) and Calib Yahaya (deputy national publicity secretary). Chief Akin Taiwo, Tope Ademiluyi, Chief Mike Akinfenwa and Hon. Gbenga Oduwaiye are all to act as ex-officio members.
  
  Meanwhile, Tukur yesterday identified dwindled internal communication as a major reason why there seems to be glaring aparthy by members towards discipline and party funding by members.
  
  Speaking at the event yesterday, Tukur lamented that open confrontation with political administration has exposed the political weakness of the party, just as fighting the party from within has exposed the party to danger.
  
  He warned party stalwarts to stop disrespect of the office of the President, as undermining him for unjust reasons can nowhere bring us good results.
  
  “This observation is necessary to remind PDP members that we owe ourselves a duty to protect, project and support our President to leave behind a lasting legacy for the Nigerian,” Tukur said.
  
  Party interest would supercede members’ interest – Jonathan
  
  Speaking at the NEC meeting, President Goodluck Jonathan said no matter whose ox was gored, party interest would continue to over-ride members’ personal interest, saying this was pertinent if the PDP would continue to be a formidable party.
  
  Jonathan said the formation of the PDP Governors Forum was a step in the right direction as it has really helped to stabilize the polity. He said the changes in the leadership of the PDP were pertinent as INEC’s directive had to be respected, no matter how distasteful.
  
  “Governor Akpabio said it all that at the beginning, there was no need for PDPGF but now that we have reduced in number to 23, definitely, this should be the least. We cannot shrink below this level. We must build up.
  
  “So, looking at the number of PDP governors vis a vis the total number of governors, it becomes very clear that the PDP needs to have their own thing because we have realized that in some of the other political parties, the governors used to meet before coming for general meetings.
  
  “But PDP being the elephant amongst them did not really bother much. But over the period, we have realized that there is the need for us to also meet because politics is politics. Politics is a game of interest.
  
  “I believe even in local politics, the interest matters so much. There is no permanent friend; no permanent enemy but permanent interest and as long as people have different interests, there must be disagreement.
  
  “But as a member of a political party, we must know that no matter what, the party’s interest must supersede any other interest. At the end of the day, all our interests will converge to one interest, that is the interest of PDP,” the President said.
  
  He said it would be to the advantage of the PDP if the party was faced with just one political party as it will checkmate the exodus of members who take opportunity of openness in other party’s to jump boat at will.
  
  President backs 2-party system
  
  Speaking on the need for two-party system, Jonathan said: “We will encourage them to come together more. We want a situation where it is PDP versus one. In that case, the polity will be more stable. Even our members will be more loyal to the party because you will have nowhere to go.
  
  “All this time, immediately we disagree in PDP, somebody is picking form in one PPP, DDD party and contesting House of Assembly or House of Reps or Senate. When we have only two, before you get there, they have already occupied that place. So, even if we disagree, we will agree at the end of the day and it will even help to build a stronger party.
  
  “So, Nigerians should commend PDP. If PDP were weak, people wouldn’t have gathered together. There wouldn’t have been any reason for parties to come together to fight PDP. But when you have so many parties on their own they know they cannot face us until they come together then you know that we are formidable,” President Jonathan said.
  
  Jonathan said it was disheartening that the Boko Haram menace was being used as cover for heinous crimes being committed by ethnic and religious zealots.
  
  “One key thing sometimes that get people confused about Boko Haram is this communal conflicts, ethnic cleansing. It was not so prominent before. Animosity between tribes and society has been a part of human society. It has been a part of the history of the human race. People living together must have disagreements. But this idea of minor provocation, youth will carry weapons to attack and kill massively like what happened in Zamfara State recently that has nothing to do with Boko Haram, must be condemned.
  
  “It is one area the governors will also be discussing in their meetings. This ethnic rivalry is becoming embarrassing. Government cannot continue to sit down and allow ethnic rivalry between communities, between different ethnic groups leading to deaths.
  
  “Definitely, if we send soldiers to such places, soldiers carry guns, they don’t carry canes, the result may not be too palatable. So on our own, the leaders of this country, governors and all of us, we should try and continue to talk to our brothers and sisters that killing is not the best way to resolve conflicts. As long as we liver, there must be conflicts but we should use dialogue to resolve our conflicts,” Jonathan admonished.
  
  No shaking in PDP – Akpabio
  
  Governor Godswill Akpabio yesterday, stated that the PDP was intact and that against reports of crisis rocking the party, the party remained fortified and united ahead 2015. He said all members of the party would continue to abide by the dictates of the party’s leadership as well as the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
  
  He commended the decision of the PDP to create its own Governors Forum, saying it was a direct way of entrenching support for the party as well as maintaining the party’s interest.
  
  “It is interesting to note that when we started in 1999, there was no need for the PDP Governors Forum because as at time the PDP governors were over 33 and controlled the then Nigeria Governors Forum, but over time because various disagreement and intrigues and scheming which are part and parcel of politics, the rank and file of PDP governors kept depleting.
  
  “When I became a governor in 2007, we were about 29 in number and through various court decisions; all of a sudden we reduced to a level where we are now, only 23. The party in its wisdom realized that we need to reduce the momentum of slide and begin a climb.
  
  “The PDP Governors’ Forum is therefore a new baby; a new organ and we are now reporting ourselves to NEC that we are now born and we are ready to serve.
  
  “We have been serving, on behalf of my colleagues I want to say we have come to NEC not just as governors individually but we are now coming under the PDP Governors’ Forum. We are ready to stand solidly behind the leader of the PDP in the nation, “ Akpabio said.
  
  He said it was unfortunate that during late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s time, there was never a time that the Governor failed in supporting him and therefore, it was pertinent for all members to give President Jonathan same support.
  
  “Mr. President we have never failed in supporting any president in power. We always respect and support any president in power. When our late President Yar’Adua was in power, there was no single PDP governor that challenged him, either on the pages of newspaper or at any meeting. We even went to the extent of organizing prayers for him and we supported all his policies, yours cannot be different.
  
  “Leadership comes from God and he gives it to whom he pleases. My assurance to you is that the 23 PDP governors are solidly behind you. We thank you for your mid-term report. We have keyed into your transformation agenda and we are saying no shaking”, Akpabio told a bewildered President Jonathan.
  
  All governors of the PDP attended with the exception of Governor Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Chief Martins Elechi (Ebonyi) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa). The deputy governors of Benue and Jigawa States.
  
  NEC passes vote of confidence on Jonathan
  
  The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday passed a vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan, saying, the country had made remarkable progress in various sectors under his leadership.
  
  The confidence motion was moved by Senator Ibrahim Mantu and unanimously supported through a voice vote at the NEC meeting.
  
  Mantu commended Jonathan for the “resolute and decisive tackling of Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly terrorism and insurgency in the North-East geo-political zone’ even as the PDP applauded the on-going reforms and development in critical sectors.
  
  “It is therefore in view of the above that members of the National Executive Committee of our great party do hereby pass a vote of confidence in the President, Commander-In-Chief, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR”, Mantu submitted.
  
  Mini convention under threat
  
  Nonetheless, yesterday’s reprieve that came the way of the PDP appears temporary as strong indications emerged that the party’s plan for the July 15 mini convention to replace the 16 members of its National Working Committee (NWC) who resigned on Wednesday may be stalled by litigations.
  
  The party has confirmed, it was mulling a mini convention to replace the officials whose resignations were subtly ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) at its meeting yesterday, the second since the assumption of office of the party’s embattled chairman, Tukur.
  
  Curiously, while the PDP NEC meeting was going on yesterday, some stakeholders sympathetic to the anti-Jonathan governors were also meeting at the official Lodge of an anti- Jonathan governor in Asokoro.
  
  AFRICCON MEDIA visit to the Asokoro enclave of the Governors’ Lodges as at the time of the NEC meeting on Thursday confirmed a concentration of many cars at the official residence of one of the anti-Jonathan governors.
  
  Most of the officials who resigned were nominated by their governors some of whom are now embroiled in conflict with the national leadership of the party over control of the party structure ahead of the 2015 election.
  
  A chieftain of the PDP from Rivers state confided in AFRICCON MEDIA that the ‘forced resignation’ was targeted at some persons in the NWC.
  
  “We shall see how new ones would be appointed or nominated to replace them”, he said.
  
  The crisis in the PDP had reached its highpoint culminating in the forced resignation of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh and 15 others from office as members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
  
  The resignation was said to have been as a result of the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which nullified the election of the affected officers as officials of the PDP.
  
  All the same, the source, a member of the Chief Godspower Ake-led former state executive of the Rivers PDP alleged that the INEC report being used to oust the NWC members was a decoy to get at the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Sam Sam Jaja.
  
  He spoke barely 24 hours after a group, Movement for Change and Empowerment in the Peoples Democratic Party (MCE – PDP), said any attempt to use the INEC report amounted to subjudice.
  
  “We have been in Abuja for some time trying to see for ourselves what is going on at the level of the party; but unfortunately all our findings point to one fact that certain persons have been penciled down for sanction no matter how innocent they might.
  
  “When we confronted a national leader of the party to sound him out on what was going on about the INEC report, he said the party was only trying to avoid litigation and that why the NWC members were asked to resign.
  
  “But this is the same person who told us that the court will handle the situation concerning the INEC report that since the party was already in court, only the judiciary can handle the matter.
  
  “Now, the question we are asking is this: has the PDP vacated its application because I know they are a party to the suit? We shall see how new ones would be appointed or nominated to replace them because the whole thing is a sham ha is targeted at Dr Sam Sam Jaja, who they believe is close to Governor Amaechi.
  
  Although he declined to disclose what specific steps he was planning to take, he gave indications that he and others would head for the court.
  
  “We can’t do otherwise than seeking redress at the appropriate quarters; already, people have started to raise highbrows about this and we will key in to that because it does appear some persons are already seeing the current impasse in the PDP as an opportunity to install their cronies using the INEC Report as a decoy”, he said.
  
  MEC-PDP, had in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Kola Dakova-Vaughan, cited a suit pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja in which Justice Adamu Bello ordered parties to maintain status quo.
  
  “The sack of the NWC is counter-productive and contemptuous of the judiciary in view of the subsisting order of Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/217/2013.”

NGF Election: Myself, 8 Other PDP Govs Voted For Amaechi - Lamido

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  Africcon Report: NGF Election: Myself, 8 Other PDP Govs Voted For Amaechi - Lamido
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  Covered By Africcon Media - NGF Election: Myself, 8 Other PDP Govs Voted For Amaechi - Lamido
  
  Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has said that himself and eight other Peoples Democratic Party Governors voted for Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi in the controversial Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
  
  “I voted for Amaechi. Look, in the PDP, myself, the governor of Kano, the governor of Niger, the governor of Kebbi, the governor of Sokoto, the governor of Kwara, the governor of Rivers, the governor of Adamawa, nine of us PDP governors voted for him. This election was for the NGF, not a candidate for the PDP; there is nothing to it,”
  
  Governor Lamido was speaking in Washington, DC yesterday during an interview with TV2, monitored by our correspondent.
  
  Reacting to the crisis in the party he said that the party was founded by reasonable people, and stressed that,“Any reasonable politician who has foresight, knows that doing anything that will cause trouble for party members or bring confusion should be avoided.
  
  “The truth is BamangaTukur was defeated in Bauchi or was he not defeated during the zonal elections in Bauchi? I, Wamakko, the governor of Kano and others came together and said that what the North East did was wrong, so we will not agree; let us go for an election.
  
  “The North East said its consensus candidate was Babayo. Bamanga Tukur was brought to us at the convention and we elected him”
  
  He added that the top hierarchy of the PDP took the will of the Governors under its aegis for granted by attempting to ram a candidate down their throats.
  
  Lamido faults Obama over Nigeria’s exclusion from Africa visit
  
  Lamido also in the interview faulted United States President Barrack Obama for the non-inclusion of Nigeria in his visit to the African continent.
  
  The White House had recently released the travel plan of the US president to three African nations, which excludes Nigeria as against the original plan that the Department of State early this year sent to the federal government of Nigeria and argued that Obama had no rights to tell Nigeria what it should do or not do.
  
  He said, “President Obama’s trip has no meaning to me. It is a condescending visit, and in Nigeria we don’t need anyone to tell us what to do, or come to stamp his authority on us.”
  
  While declaring that Nigeria was experiencing a manifestation of System Collapse, the governor said that Boko Haram and corruption were manifestations of institutional failures, and stress that there was no longer transparency, accountability, due process and the rule of law in the country.

PDP must win at least 23 states – Jonathan

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  Africcon Report: PDP must win at least 23 states – Jonathan
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  Covered By Africcon Media - PDP must win at least 23 states – Jonathan
  
  
  The political chess game in the Peoples Democratic Party ended on Thursday in Abuja with President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, proving that they were, indeed in  control of power.
  
  Jonathan and Tukur, deploying the awesome  influence  of  their  offices, silenced some governors of the party, who  had vowed  to ensure that the National chairman was booted out of office during the 61st National National Executive Committee meeting.
  
  While Jonathan boasted that the PDP must win at least 23 states during the 2o15 general elections, a more confident Tukur  had a message for all the PDP members, especially governors: You must respect the President.
  
  Prior to  the NEC  meeting at the Wadata Plaza national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja, some governors in the Rotimi Amaechi-led faction of the Nigeria Governors’Forum had  vowed that Tukur must not retain his job as national chairman.
  
  They had accused  him of being responsible for the crises rocking the party. The crises which made Jonathan to set up a presidential committee formed the major plank of Thursday’s NEC meeting.
  
  Jonathan on 2015
  
  During the  meeting,  the President recalled that there was a time  the PDP  was in control of more than 23 states, but regretted that the party had  lost some of them.
  
  Challenging members to ensure that the number of states in control of the party  did  not go below the present 23 ,   he said he  was happy  about  the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
  
  He  said the forum was put in place to put a stop to the decline in the party’s fortune and   to galvanise the interests of the party before its members went  for any meeting, like that of  the NGF.
  
  “One  thing I have to appreciate the party and especially the PDP governors is the formation of the PDPGF.  It has really helped to stabilise the polity,” Jonathan noted.
  
  He added, “Governor Godswill Akpabio, (who) spoke   first  said it all;  that at the beginning, there was no need for PDPGF but now that we have reduced in number to 23, definitely, this should be the least.
  
  “We cannot shrink below this level. We must build up. So, looking at the number of PDP governors, it becomes very clear that they  need  to have their own thing because we have realised that governors of other political parties used to meet before coming for NGF  meetings.
  
  “But PDP being the elephant among them did not really bother much. But over the period, we have realised that there is the need for them to also meet because politics is politics. Politics is a game of interest.”
  
  The President also  advised  against defying the   Independent National Electoral Commission’s  ban on  any form  of politicking for now.
  
  Two-party system
  
  Urging Nigerians  to commend the PDP for the  stability in the polity, Jonathan   hinged the deluge of criticism facing the party on its size.
  
  He added that it would be better to have two parties  in the country   in order to stabilise the polity more.
  
  His words:  “One good thing that Nigerians should commend the PDP  for now is  that the evolution of political parties  has made the polity to be more   stable.
  
  “Before, when elections were coming, you would be  hearing about new parties being formed and at a time, the ballot paper was becoming too long; INEC was finding a way of deregistering parties.
  
  “Because PDP has come on very strong, they (opposition parties) have realised that what they need to do is not forming new parties but   coming together. So, we are helping to stabilise the polity.
  
  “We will encourage them to come together more. We want a situation where it is PDP versus another party. In that case, the polity will be more stable. Even our members will be more loyal to the party because  they will have nowhere to go.”
  
  Insecurity
  
  The President said he was not happy with communal conflicts and ethnic cleansing in  Nigeria, adding that there was a difference between the activities of   Boko Haram  and those involved in communal killings.
  
  He said, “People leaving together must have disagreements. But this idea of youths   carrying  weapons   and killing  massively like what happened in Zamfara State recently  has  nothing to do with Boko Haram.
  
  “But because Boko Haram is an issue, whenever somebody is killed, everybody says it is Boko Haram. What happened in Zamfara State has nothing to do with Boko Haram.
  
  “This ethnic rivalry is becoming embarrassing. Government cannot continue to sit down and allow ethnic rivalry between communities or  between different ethnic groups  to continue.”
  
  Treat Jonathan with respect
  
  During the meeting, Tukur  appealed to members of the party to treat  Jonathan with respect and dignity because he  is  the symbol of the county.
  
  He said everywhere across the globe, Presidents are treated with dignity and respect and wondered why Jonathan   was not being treated like that in Nigeria.
  
  He said, “Ample evidence within the territory of democracy have shown that democratically-elected Presidents are symbol of every nation.
  
  “Here in Nigeria, President  Jonathan  is our symbols. He must therefore be respected and treated with dignity.
  
  “Undermining the leader for no just reasons can nowhere bring us good results. This observation is necessary to remind PDP members that we owe ourselves a duty to protect, project and support our President to leave a lasting legacy for Nigerians.”
  
  Tukur survives, 20 officials resign
  
  Tukur  was able to survive the gale of resignation that happened among the members of the NWC  of the party in Abuja on Thursday. During the meeting there was no call by any member of the NWC  for either his resignation or removal.
  
  Eight members of the 12-member NWC resigned their appointments.
  
  At Wadata Plaza, the national chairman, who wore  a white Babariga (flowing gown) and  a  cap to match,     asked  journalists   to be happy.
  
  “When you see your father, you are happy. Aren’t you happy seeing me in your midst?” he asked as he moved round the compound greeting people.
  
  Vote of confidence in Jonathan
  
  Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement, said the NEC    passed a vote of confidence   in his boss.
  
  Abati said in passing the vote, NEC members said it was evident that Nigeria had made significant progress in many sectors under Jonathan’s leadership.
  
  Interim committee members
  
  Briefing journalists after the meeting, a former Minister of Information, who is also the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Special Convention, Prof. Jerry Gana, said an interim committee had been set up to work with the remaining members of the NWC.
  
  Those he listed included Chibudum Nwuche (Acting Deputy National Chairman); Dr. Remi Akintoye (Acting National Secretary); Sen. Emma Agboti (Acting Deputy National Secretary), Yusuf Abubakar (Acting National Organising Secretary); Tony Okeke (Acting National Publicity Secretary); Simon Jok (Acting National Legal Adviser); Mohammed Sa’ad (Acting National Youth Leader); and Oyibo Nwaneri (Acting Woman Leader).
  
  Convention holds July 20
  
  Gana also said that the  officers would remain in office until the conduct of the  July 20  special convention, where  elections would be properly conducted to fill  vacant offices in the NWC.
  
  But he said delegates who were part of the 2012 national convention would be the ones to elect the new officers.
  
  He also revealed that zonal congress would be held in the South-West on July 11.
  
  On the number of those in the Special Convention Planning Committee, Gana said he would be assisted by Governor   Akpabio, who would serve as his deputy while Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, would serve as the secretary.
  
  Apart from two representatives from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, five governors are also in the committee.
  
  The governors are Theodore  Orji (Abia); Shehu Shema (Katsina), Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); and Isa Yuguda(Bauchi).
  
  Also in the committee is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Pius Anyim and the Political Adviser to the President, Mr. Ahmed Gulak.
  
  Twenty seven other people were also listed as members of the committee.
  
  Amaechi absent
  
  The Governor of Rivers State, who is also the Chairman of the NGF , Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was not at the meeting due to the suspension slammed on him by the party.

Driver’s Licence, Old Number Plates To Expire Sept 31 – FRSC

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  Africcon Report: Driver’s Licence, Old Number Plates To Expire Sept 31 – FRSC
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  Cover by Africcon Media – Driver’s Licence, Old Number Plates To Expire Sept 31 – FRSC
  
  NAN – The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said on Wednesday that the old number plates and the old driver’s licence would expire by Sept. 31
  The Sector Commander of the commission in Plateau, Mr Sunday Maku, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.
  Maku said that officers and men of the commission would commence enforcement by Oct. 1.
  He called on motorists without driver’s licence to obtain one so as to stream into the changes taking place in the society.
  He said that the new number plate would reduce criminal activities nationwide, adding that the new system had “a tremendous advantage over the old ones’’.
  “Before, it was possible for you to sell your car with your number plate; but nowadays, number plates are registered in the name of the owner.
  “If you want to sell the car, you cannot sell the car with number plate, you have to remove the number plate, the new buyer will have to get his own number in his own name. So, with this system, it becomes very easy to trace criminals that are using number plates for criminal activities.“

Apc Merger: C’ttee Winds Up Assignment

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  Cover by Africcon Media – Apc Merger: C’ttee Winds Up Assignment
  
  The 89-member merger committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  yesterday announced its dissolution and declared that the individual merging parties would henceforth complete the registration request of the proposed party with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
  
  The committee, in a press briefing to signal the completion of their assignment, said they had provided all the modalities needed for the establishment of an acceptable interim leadership of the merging party.
  
  Speaking on behalf of the committee, Joint chairman of the merger committee, Tom Ikimi said the 89 members in the past five months have made notable progress in the drive towards actualising the dream of merging the well established opposition party into one formidable party that will provide Nigerians an alternative platform for change in the nation.
  
  “It is now one month since after our conventions we have the utmost respect for the various party leadership that constituted us. And many of us here are part of those leadership and it is time to move on to the next stage.
  
  “In the view of this committee we believe that we have completed the assignment that brought us here, to work out the modalities for merger. And these modalities has permitted us to hold conventions to approve the merger.”
  
  What remains to be done is registration with INEC, submitting our forms in accordance with the regulations extant of INEC regulations and constitution. We believe that this aspect of the work should be carried out by the leadership of the various parties.
  
  Ikimi said, “I therefore have the gratitude of all of us here to all our various party for giving us the opportunity to carry out this assignment. I therefore announce today that the work of this committee has come to an end. And that the committee stands by to be reconvened as may be necessary in the future to carry out assignments for any other exercise.
  
  Responding to a question on the interim leadership of the party Ikimi said “all the modalities for setting up an acceptable interim leadership has been worked out by this committee and sent to our various party leadership we believe that they would consider the report we have sent to them and do what is right.”
  
  He refuted any claim of rancour in selection of the interim leadership saying “I have narrated to you what we have done and our assignment which we have successfully completed.

Borno, Yobe Attacks: Military Says No Cause For Alarm

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  The Nigerian military high command has told Nigerians not to panic over the recent terror attacks and killings in Borno and Yobe states, saying they are not indicative of a relapse in the counter-insurgency operation aimed at curbing terrorists’ activities in the country.
  
  Rather, the military authorities said the trend of sneaking in to carry out isolated attacks on soft targets is a way of seeking attention and a typical end-game strategy often employed by terrorists all over the world.
  
  This explanation was contained in a press release by the Defence Headquarters and signed by the director of defence information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade yesterday.
  
  He said the recent attacks, which were undertaken by relocating terrorists, is unfortunate and condemnable.
  
  “In this instance, the recent activities are signs of desperation of a decimated insurgent group attempting to hang on to public consciousness. With the destruction of their operational bases and camps by the Special Forces, the group’s centre of gravity has been effectively dislocated making it impossible for them to have freedom of action to operate as they did previously,” Olukolade said.
  
  He  revealed that eight of the perpetrators of the weekend attacks had  been arrested at the outskirts of Maiduguri, adding that despite the incident, the Special Forces had stepped up the mop-up, cordon and search operations to ensure that the vestiges of terrorism are effectively further decimated in those states

JTF Bans Use Of Satellite Phones In Borno

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  The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State has banned the use of satellite telecommunication accessories by some businessmen and women as well as top government officials.
  
  This was contained in a press statement signed by the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa and made available to Journalists in Maiduguri, yesterday.
  
  He said, “The attention of the Task Force has been drawn to the use of Thuraya phones by Boko Haram  to coordinate their recent assassination of civilians especially school children and some religious scholars in the state”.
  
  To stop this, he said that from June 19, 2013, a ban stood imposed on the use and sale of Thuraya phones and accessories including Thuraya recharge cards in Borno state.
  
  Sagir warned that anyone seen with these banned items would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
  
  It would be recalled that some suspected terrorists in the last four days, using Thuraya and other satellite phones have killed over 50 people including students and candidates writing the ongoing NECO exams in Borno and Yobe states.
  
  The JTF, however, called for continued cooperation and understanding of the general public on this ban in order to enhance security of lives and property in the state.

2012 flood killed 363, destroyed N2.6tn property – NEMA

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  North-Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Abdulsalam Muhammad, has said 363 persons lost their lives while properties worth N2.6tr were destroyed during last year’s floods that ravaged some parts of the country.
  
  Abdulsalam, who  said this on Wednesday in Jos, Plateau State, at a two-day workshop organised by NEMA on Disaster Risk Reduction in Schools and Strengthening Response Mechanism among stakeholders, said over seven million Nigerians were affected by the disaster.
  
  He added that 2.3 million people were totally displaced across the country as the flood destroyed 600,000 houses as recorded by NEMA.
  
  The NEMA boss said children were most affected by the floods as many schools were destroyed forcing the children out of schools for months.
  
  He said, “It is a known fact that children are among the most vulnerable population as during a disaster, school buildings may be destroyed, taking away the precious lives of children and teachers and stalling access to education in the aftermath of disaster.
  
  “The agency recognised the importance of involvement of young people in disaster management and established Disaster Risk Reduction clubs in schools to sustain the existence and activities of these clubs.”
  
  The NEMA boss said there was an ongoing process of making DRR an integral part of the educational curriculum of schools in the country.
  
  “Disaster management is the duty of everybody; therefore, we must rise up to face it squarely, NEMA’s vision is to build a culture of preparedness, response and community resilience of all stakeholders on response/preparedness to disaster predicted or not,” he said.
  
  Earlier in her remark, one of the resource persons, Mrs. Mercy Ajuzie, said a vigorous renewal of focus on DRR education in primary and secondary schools as well as raising awareness would reduce the level of damage during disaster.
  
  “There is increasing evidence that students of all ages can actively study and participate in schools’ safety measures and also work with teachers or other adults in the community toward minimising risk before, during and after disastrous events,” Ajuzie said.

Amaechi shuns Patience Jonathan’s Port Harcourt event

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  Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and his wife, Judith, on Wednesday shunned the inauguration of the South-South Zonal Secretariat of the Women for Change and Development Initiative by the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.
  
  Apart from the governor and his wife, other top officials of the Rivers State government also boycotted the occasion which was held in Port Harcourt, the capital city.
  
  A source close to the President’s wife, who spoke with The PUNCH at the event, said that the governor and his wife were invited for the opening  of the zonal secretariat of the W4CDI and the empowerment of over 1,000 women in the state.
  
  The source said a letter of invitation for the occasion was specifically sent to the governor’s wife about seven days to the event, regretting that the state government deliberately shunned the event.
  
  “We sent a letter of invitation for the governor and his wife across to the Government House in Port Harcourt one week to the event, but as you can see, no single government official was present at the occasion.
  
  “The truth is that (the state) government deliberately refused to attend the event. Enough publicity was done for the occasion and besides, invitation was extended to the state government,” the source said.
  
  But Amaechi’s wife said she was never invited.
  
  The governor’s wife, who spoke through her Press Secretary, Dike Bekwele, denied knowledge of the event.
  
  She argued that the governor would have sent a representative if  he was not in the state during the occasion, recalling that she attended the launching of the scheme in Rivers.
  
  Bekwele said, “It is not correct for anybody to say that the governor’s wife was invited. The truth is that the organisers of the event did not invite the state government.
  
  “In the past, the governor’s wife used to attend the occasion in Abuja or any part of the country. I think there is more to why they refused to invite the state government to the occasion.”
  
  The scenario playing out in Port Harcourt, analysts would argue, was a mere extension to the well-known cold relationship between the President and the governor.
  
  The Presidency was believed to be angry with Amaechi for his handling of the affairs of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum which both the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party considered inimical to the 2015 ambition of Jonathan.
  
  Presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, had sometime ago accused the Rivers State governor of running the NGF as a “trade union.”
  
  Also, the PDP had reportedly barred Amaechi from contesting  second term as the chair of the NGF but the governor apparently ignored the directive and contested against Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, seen as the Presidency’s candidate.
  
  The NGF has since been factionalised with both Amaechi and Jang heading different camps.
  
  But while the Presidency has recognised the Jang faction of the NGF, the PDP has since slammed a suspension on Amaechi for alleged anti-party activities.
  
  Meanwhile, Mrs. Jonathan, at the WCDI programme, charged Nigerian women to train their children and make them useful to the society.
  
  Mrs Jonathan explained that it would be difficult for any society to enjoy any form of development without well-trained children, stressing that no nation could achieve its potential without peace.
  
  The WCDI is one of the pet projects of Mrs Jonathan targeted at empowering women, widows and the less-privileged in the society.
  
  She said the scheme was aimed at teaching women on how to be productive in order to assist their families and urged the women to make good use of the equipment given to them.
  
  “I thank the women of Rivers State because since my stay here in the state, I have noticed that there is peace. It shows that Rivers women are doing a lot to train their children well.
  
  “We need to train our children so that they will be useful to our communities, our local government areas, our states and Nigeria in general,” she said.
  
  She said the administration of her husband had surpassed its predecessors in appointment of women, citing the headship of sectors like aviation, education and water resources by women as a testimony to her submission.
  
  “This is the first time in the history of Nigeria that a President is carrying the women along. In appointments, 13 women have so far been appointed in the Federal Executive Council,” she said.
  
  The President’s wife, however, enjoined Nigerian women to be united so that they could bring the 35 per cent affirmative action into reality.
  
  She distributed sewing machines; cassava, pepper and tomato grinding machines to women across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Gunmen kill 48 in Zamfara attack

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  Gunmen have killed 48 persons in an attack on Kizara in Zamfara State, a government spokesman, Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, said on Wednesday.
  
  It was learnt that the invaders, who perpetrated the massacre, arrived in the community before dawn on motorbikes.
  
  The gunmen were said to have climbed a hill overlooking the village and opened fire indiscriminately on the residents before carrying out house-to-house attacks.
  
  Birnin-Magaji said, “There was an attack by armed bandits early Tuesday on Kizara where 48 residents were killed in apparent targeted killings by cattle rustlers that have been terrorising the state for some time now.”
  
  Those killed, he added, included the local chief, chief imam and the head of a vigilance group in the village.
  
  Eyewitnesses also reported that the gunmen arrived in Kizara before dawn on motorbikes.
  
  Birnin-Magaji told AFP that the attackers took positions on a hill, before shooting indiscriminately.
  
  He said, “They later moved house to house, telling residents that they were looking for members of local vigilance (groups) whom they said had been disturbing them.”
  
  The attack was attributed to an ongoing feud involving cattle thieves in the state.
  
  The commissioner of police in the state, Akila Usman, confirmed the killings.
  
  He, nonetheless, described the invaders as armed robbers.
  
  A similar attack was said to have been carried out last year in the community.
  
  Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters on Wednesday said the Special Forces had  arrested eight of the terrorists that attacked residents of Borno and Yobe states last Saturday.
  
  A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, described the attack as “a typical end-game strategy often employed by insurgents across the world.”
  
  Olukolade said the attack was not a relapse in insurgency but an isolated incident.
  
  According to him, the Special Forces have stepped up the mop-up, cordon and search operations to ensure that the vestiges of terrorism are effectively ended in the states.
  
  He added, “Rather, this trend of sneaking in to carry out isolated attack on soft targets as a way of seeking attention, is a typical end-game strategy often employed by insurgents all over the world; In this instance, the recent activities are signs of desperation of a decimated insurgent group attempting to hang on to public consciousness.”

Manchester United open up against Swansea as the 2013-14 Premier League fixtures are announced

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  David Moyes' first league match in charge of the champions will be against the Capital One Cup holders while Jose Mourinho begins his second spell at Chelsea against promoted Hull
  
  Premier League champions Manchester United will open the 2013/2014 season at Swansea.
  
  The fixture sees David Moyes take charge of his first league game as United boss against the same side that Sir Alex Ferguson faced in his last home game before retirement.
  
  Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, will begin the start of his second spell in charge of Chelsea against newly promoted Hull City and last season's runners-up Manchester City host Newcastle in what will be Manuel Pellegrini's first league game in charge.
  
  OPENING DAY FIXTURES
  Arsenal        v     Aston Villa
  Chelsea     v     Hull City
  Crystal Palace  v     Tottenham
  Liverpool    v     Stoke City
  Manchester City v    Newcastle
  Norwich City     v     Everton
  Sunderland     v     Fulham
  Swansea City     v     Manchester United
  West Brom     v     Southampton
  West Ham    v     Cardiff City
  
  Elsewhere, Championship play-off winners Crystal Palace will host Tottenham in a London derby, while Arsenal host Aston Villa and Stoke visit Liverpool.
  
  The first heavyweight contest of the season sees Manchester United entertain Chelsea at Old Trafford and a week later Moyes will take his new side to Anfield to face Liverpool on the same day Arsenal host Tottenham in the north London derby.
  
  The first meeting of the Manchester powerhouses is due to take place on September 21 at the Etihad Stadium, while the return fixture is scheduled for March 1.
  
  United will complete their league fixtures against Southampton at St Mary’s, while rivals Manchester City are scheduled to entertain West Ham on the final day. Chelsea will finish against last season’s Championship winners Cardiff, while Arsenal are due to travel to Norwich and Tottenham will host Aston Villa.
  
  The fixture list - which can be seen in full with our club-by-club guide - has served up a host of box office clashes, including Mourinho's first reunion with former protege Andre Villas-Boas - one of Goal's 10 games to look out for next season.
  
  The Football League fixtures were also released today, which can be seen here, with relegated Premier League outfits QPR and Reading handed home ties, while FA Cup holders Wigan take on Barnsley.

B’Haram kills nine students, 13 fishermen in Borno

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  Suspected Islamist militants opened fire on a school in Maiduguri on Tuesday, killing nine students, witnesses and a medical worker said. This was the second  deadly attack on schools in three days.
  
  An eyewitness, Ibrahim Mohammed, said he was taking exams in a classroom at Ansarudeen School when gunmen stormed the building and opened fire at random.
  
  “I saw five students sitting for the exams killed on the spot. Four others were killed as they were entering the school premises,” he explained on the telephone, still shaking with fear.
  
  In another attack on Monday, suspected extremists gunned down a group of fisherman on a river bank in Alau, located 20 kilometers outside Maiduguri.
  
  It was believed that 13 fishermen were killed during the attack.
  
  Most of the victims were relatives of people who have been arresting members of a radical Islamic sect known as Boko Haram.
  
  “They said, ‘Your children brought this fate upon you; they are busy catching our members and handing them to soldiers to be killed’,” recalled one eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
  
  “They then shot them dead, and asked the remaining of us to run for our lives and take the message to the youth vigilante.”
  
  Mortuary attendant, Alhaji Baba, at the State Specialists morgue in Maiduguri told Reuters he counted nine corpses brought in after the attack.
  
  The military was not immediately available for comment.
  
  Seven students, two teachers and two insurgents were killed when suspected Boko Haram militants attacked a school in  Damaturu on Sunday.
  
  The two attacks have raised fears that a month-long offensive by government troops has merely pushed militants into hiding, from where they can still launch devastating operations.
  
  In a separate attack, armed bandits attacked Kizera village in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state on Thursday, killing at least 32 people, local police chief Usman Gwary said.

I won’t resign as PDP chairman –Tukur

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  The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur,  on Tuesday told those seeking his removal from office that his job was not vacant.
  
  “Chairman is there dam! dam!  The chairman is not only in office, he is also in power. In PDP, there is no vacancy in the national chairmanship,”  he boasted to  State House correspondents after the party’s National Working Committee meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Tuesday.
  
  Ahead of the PDP National Executive Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, there had  been  reports that Tukur and other members of the NWC of the PDP had been directed by  Jonathan  to resign.
  
  Tukur told the  State House correspondents   that he would not resign as the national chairman of the party because “we are here to run the PDP.”
  
  “It is not true that I am resigning. Resign for what? It is not true at all. We will continue to run the PDP,”  he added, but went ahead to  confirm that eight members of the NWC whose elections  were faulted by the Independent National Electoral Commission would  resign.
  
  He said himself, the National Financial Secretary, the National Auditor and the National Secretary whose office is already vacant were not affected.
  
  Those who will resign, according to Tukur, are all the deputies, and all ex-officio members.
  
  He said, “The meeting with the President was about regularising the family of the PDP because there was INEC observation that some of the members of the NWC were  not properly elected;  so it has to be regularised.
  
  “Those who have not been elected will resign and they will go back;  they will have the  opportunity to regularise.
  
  “About eight people are affected. There are  people that are not affected, these are the National Chairman, the National Financial Secretary, National Auditor and of course the  National Secretary which is vacant now.
  
  “The other eight people, all the deputies, and ex-officials and the rest of them whose election in the convention was not voted for are affected.”
  
  In preparing  for fresh elections for the affected party officials, Tukur said, “We are going to have party caucus tonight (Tuesday), we are going to have BOT tomorrow (Wednesday) and we are going to have our NEC on Thursday.”
  
  Those who will resign  are  the National Publicity Secretary,   Olisa Metuh; Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje; National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza; Deputy Youth Leader, Dennis Alonge Niyi; Deputy National Auditor, Umar Ibrahim; National Women Leader, Kema Chikwe; Deputy National Women Leader, Hannatu Ulam; Deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; and National Legal Adviser, Victor Gwom.
  
  One  of our correspondents gathered  that in spite of Tukur’s insistence that he would not resign, some PDP governors, including Sule Lamido, were pushing for his removal.
  
  A member of the NWC, who pleaded anonymity, said, “The governors and other leaders of the party that are against us are insisting that  all of us  must go. If he (Tukur) does not resign, they will boot him out on Thursday.”
  
  But The PUNCH gathered  in Abuja  on Tuesday that  Tukur was not leaving anything to chance in order to retain his job. He was said to have asked some ‘friendly” governors of the party to lobby the President for him.
  
  Investigations   showed that the governors, led by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio, had already commenced their “assignment.”
  
  Tukur was said to have  told the  “friendly” governors that his removal would open the party to those he allegedly referred to as “anti-Jonathan forces.”  He was also said to have argued that if he was eventually humiliated out of office, it would be difficult for  the President   to get a replacement who would be loyal to him.
  
  Apart from this, he  allegedly argued that since INEC  did not query his election, he should not be asked to leave with those whose elections were faulted by the electoral body.
  
  His reason to keep his job also includes Ramandan, which he said might commence anytime from the middle of July.
  
  If this happens, he reasons that it might be difficult to hold the party’s mid-term convention where new officers  are to be elected.
  
  Another issue raised by him with the Akpabio-led lobby group was that the constitution of the party does not recognise a caretaker committee.
  
  Already, Akpabio met with some members of NEC in Abuja on Tuesday, where he allegedly  persuaded them to support Tukur’s stay.
  
  The meeting, which was held with a group called G.84 and  statutory members of NEC, was called at Tukur’s  instance.
  
  When contacted, the Special Assistant to Tukur,  Oliver Okpala, declined to speak on the issue.
  
  But the  Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu,   said leaders of the PDP  were  still consulting over the fate of  Tukur and other party executives whose jobs were on the line.
  
  Ekweremadu spoke with State House correspondents after a meeting  Jonathan had with the leadership of the National Assembly on the crises in the party.
  
  He said though the meeting was a routine one, it dealt specifically with  the party’s issues since the leaders were all members of the party.
  
  “We are still consulting on the matter (resignation of party executives) in the evening (Tuesday), we are going to have a meeting of the national caucus of the party and look at all the options available to the party. This is part of the consultation so that by tomorrow (Wednesday) or later this evening (Tuesday), we will have a position of the PDP on this issue,” he said.
  
  President of the Senate, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwwal; and some other leaders of the National Assembly were absent at the meeting.
  
  Asked if the  National Assembly which is dominated by the PDP  was  not worried  by  the   crises, he replied, “every family has their own issues, the PDP is not an exception.”
  
  Also reacting to Tukur’s travails, a former National Vice-Chairman (North-West) of the PDP, Senator Danladi Sankara, said Tukur needed to go for sanity to return to the party.
  
  “Our party is bigger than Bamanga Tukur. His tenure as national Chairman has been nothing but disaster for the party,”  he   told  one of our correspondents in Abuja  on Tuesday.
  
  He explained that Tukur and members of his team had dragged the party’s reputation to its lowest ebb.
  
  Meanwhile, the  Wadata Plaza  headquarters of the PDP in Abuja  has been in total darkness because of the inability of the party’s leadership to pay its bill.
  
  A member of staff   said the party owes  supplier of diesel  about  N9.6m, which he said was accumulated in the last six months.
  
  “We are owing the supplier the sum of N9.6m for the past six months and the supplier said there would be no more supply if we refuse to pay,” he added.

Nine PDP govs voted for Amaechi – Lamido

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  Jigawa Sate Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, on Tuesday said nine Peoples Democratic Party governors voted for the incumbent chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, at the June 4 election that later divided the forum.
  
  Lamido gave a specific insight into what happened during the NGF election while speaking in an interview with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America monitored in Abuja, on Tuesday
  
  Speaking specifically about the election of Ameachi as Chairman, NGF, Lamido said,
  
  “I also voted for Ameachi. Look, in the PDP, myself, the governor of Kano, the governor of Niger, the governor of Kebbi, the governor of Sokoto, the governor of Kwara, the governor of Rivers, the governor of Adamawa, nine of us PDP governors voted for him.
  
  “This election was for the NGF, not a candidate for the PDP; there is nothing to it.”
  
  In a veiled reference to the consensus reached by the Northern Governor Forum to present Governor Jonah Jang as consensus candidate.
  
  He said, “For one group to come and say ‘this is your leader, let’s present him to the nation’. Things are not done like that. People forget easily we are all reasonable people and the PDP was founded by reasonable people.”
  
  Lamido also took a swipe at the party’s leadership over the suspension of Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko.
  
  While describing the suspension of Wamakko by the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee as reckless, he said leaders needed to be circumspect in taking decisions.
  
  He said, “Any reasonable politician, who has foresight, knows that doing anything that will cause trouble for party members or bring confusion, a leader should avoid it.
  
  “The suspension of Wamakko was a mistake that shows a lack of leadership. Secondly, there was recklessness because what was his offence?
  
  “The truth is Bamanga Tukur was defeated in Bauchi or was he not defeated during the zonal elections in Bauchi? He was defeated, not so?
  
  “Myself, Wamakko, the governor of Kano and others came together and said what they (North East) did was wrong, so we will not agree; let us go for an election.
  
  “The North East said its consensus candidate was Babayo. Bamanga Tukur was brought to us at the convention and we elected him, even from this, you have your answer (about the NGF election).”

APC leaders yet to agree on office sharing

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  There were indications in Abuja on Tuesday that leaders of the yet-to-be registered new political party, the All Progressives Congress, were yet to agree on the sharing formula for national offices in the party.
  
  The Merger Committee of the three parties in the merger met in Abuja on Tuesday where the issue was again discussed.
  
  Spokesman for the Merger Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, said the matter was being addressed.
  
  The three parties in the merger arrangement are the Action Congress of Nigeria; All Nigeria Peoples Party; and the Congress for Progressive Change.
  
  Some members of the Democratic Peoples Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance are also involved in the merger.
  
  Our correspondent learnt that while both the ACN and the CPC had been allocated five slots each in the proposed Interim Management Committee of the APC, ANPP was allocated five positions.
  
  In the IMC of the party, the ACN is producing the national chairman while the ANPP is producing the national secretary and CPC, treasurer.
  
  Name of officers, who are to occupy these offices in the interim have been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission as demanded by the electoral body.
  
  However, the Commission was said to have responded and demanded that the names of other officers of the proposed party be supplied as well.
  
  This was said to have necessitated the meeting of the Ikimi-led committee in Abuja on Tuesday.
  
  However, at the end of the meeting, no concrete decision was reached as representatives of the three parties were scheduled to meet with the caucus of their parties in Abuja on Tuesday night.
  
  Ikimi, who spoke after the meeting, said, “We have reviewed the processes that are ongoing with regards to our registration and look into various issues in order to enable us to carry all the merging parties along.
  
  “This night, there would be caucus meetings of the merging parties and so we have worked out various things which we want to take to the caucus meetings where we would meet with the leaders of our various parties to enable us finalise these matters.
  
  “On interim officers, we have looked into the various issues to enable us carry all the merging parties along.
  
  “We have some forms from INEC, asking for the names of interim officers. At the end of the meeting with our caucus, we should be able to resolve these matters.”
  
  Meanwhile, CPC has said that the Peoples Democratic Party cannot stop governors who have indicated interest in joining the APC from doing so.
  
  The party described the witch-hunting of some PDP governors for plotting to defect to the APC as ridiculous.
  
  National Organising Secretary of the CPC, Alhaji Salihu Yusuf, said in a telephone interview with The Africcon Media on Tuesday that Nigerians were in need of a change from the current situation in the country.
  
  Yusuf argued that nothing was wrong for any governor to decide to move to another political party that would serve his objective, particularly as it concerned the development of the country.

NWC members beg Jonathan for appointments

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  Out-of-favour members of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday night begged President Goodluck Jonathan to reward them with political appointments.
  
  The eight members, expected to leave office on Thursday, appealed to the President for appointments since they had not completed their tenure as NWC members of the party.
  
  They were elected at the party’s national convention which was held in Abuja in March 2012 and they were supposed to be in office for four years.
  
  However, the report by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which queried the way they emerged through affirmation, was said to have been responsible for their being asked to resign.
  
  The affected NWC members are the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; National Youth Leader, Alhaji Garba Chima; Acting National Secretary, Solomon Onwe; Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom; National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh; andthe party’s National Treasurer, Bala Kaoje.
  
  The President was said to have told them that their continued stay in office could be to the party’ disadvantage in the future as some people were already planning to capitalise on the report to challenge decisions taken by the affected officials in court.
  
  At the Tuesday’ meeting, the President was said to have asked them to comply with his directive before any further discussion on their request.
  
  A member of the NWC, who disclosed this to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said he and his colleagues did not know what would happen concerning their appeal to the President.
  
  He said the President refused to listen to their pleas that their case, which is pending in court, be allowed to be decided before leaving office.
  
  “I think the mind of the President is made up. He insisted that we must resign first. We will comply,” he added.
  
  Meanwhile, the party’s national mini convention has been slated for July 15, while the zonal congress would hold on July 13.
  
  This decision was taken at the meeting the G.84 members had with the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, who is also the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Constitution Amendment: Senate, Reps Panel At Crossroads

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  Africcon Report: Constitution Amendment: Senate, Reps Panel At Crossroads
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  From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
  
  Cover by Africcon Media – Constitution Amendment: Senate, Reps Panel At Crossroads
  
  The Senate, House of Representatives seem to be at a cross road over the issue of tenure of elected executives in the report of the constitution review committee of both chambers. Adesuwa Tsan captures the reception of the proposal by members of the House.
  
  If there is a matter that the 7th Assembly have in common, it is the collective will of the two chambers to speak with one voice. This is visible in solidarity moves in the case of the call for the dismissal of the director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms Arunmah Oteh and chairman of the Task Force on Pension Reform, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina.
  
  Reaching a compromise on resolutions and bills in an amicable and timely manner is also characteristic of both Houses as witnessed in the benchmark agreement and other decisions reached on the 2013 budget that was passed by the National Assembly. However, the true test of this alliance seems to be in wait except tenure elongation or something like it.
  
  If initial postulation is to be taken into consideration, then there are indications that the Senate and the House of Representatives may be heading for a row following the proposal of a 6 year tenure for political office holders which the House of Representatives has rejected.
  
  The six years single tenure proposal by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, headed by deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has been greeted with widespread rejection by Nigerians even as the House of Representatives has vowed to uphold the wishes of Nigerians who voted against tenure elongation in the Peoples Public Session last year. it will be recalled that the House of Representatives committee on the Review of the Constitution, under the leadership of the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, had reported that Nigerians rejected by vote, any changes to the status of duration and terms of political office holders.
  
  However, only last week, the Senate committee’s report on zonal hearings on the constitution review, which is yet to be debated by senators in plenary, threw up a proposal for a six year single tenure for public office holders in elective positions such as governors and presidents. Here lies the knot, since both committees say they relied on opinion gathered from Nigerians.
  
  According to the result of the People’s Public Sessions held by members of the House of Representatives in all the 360 federal constituencies, Nigerians voted massively against a change from the present arrangement of four years, two tenures. The result of these sessions were publicly presented and analysed by all stakeholders, including civil society groups.
  
  So keen were the lawmakers to defend the votes of their constituents in order not to incur their wrath in the polls that they insisted that the first slated presentation of the voting result could not hold until they have confirmed that they reflect the true position of the people. More so, when allegations of moves to provide for tenure elongation and other twists were flying in the air. To this end, all members cross checked the results to confirm that it tallies with their own before the presentation was held.
  
  Commenting on the outcome of the zonal sessions which the Senate committee relied on for the proposal,  spokesman of the House, Hon Zakari Mohammed (PDP, Kwara), said Nigerians have spoken and the House of Representatives will rise up to defend their wishes by passing the recommendation in the report of the constitution when the lawmakers resume from their recess later this month.
  
  “As you know, Nigerians, in our public sessions held in all constituencies, voted against amendment of tenure and voted to maintain four years, two tenures. We, as representatives, cannot then go against their wishes, more so when the result of the hearings were publicly displayed for all to see the voting pattern”, he said, adding, “We are maintaining the status-quo. Nigerians have spoken and we are going with their position. When we resume, we are going to consider it and at the end of the day, we will go for the conference to reconcile our differences”.
  
  Also expressing the view of the House on the issue, Hon Salisu Ado Daura (CPC, Katsina) said he will not support a six year tenure proposal in line with transparency and response to the wishes of their constituents.
  
  Daura also noted that the idea of a single drawn out tenure will not help development of democracy since the clamour for a second chance gives political leaders the drive to deliver dividends of democracy to the citizens.
  
  “The view that we got from our own public sessions is that the four years should be maintained. I am not sure if this proposal is that of the senate itself or it is the outcome of its zonal public hearings.”
  
  “my personal view is that the four year term should be maintained because the problem is that if you have a bad leader and his tenure continues to drag to six years, it is too much. If he is good, he can always come for a second term and we will vote for him, rather than limit his performance to six years only”.
  
  The recess of the lawmakers will come to an end next week and as the public anticipates the outcome of the debates in both chambers, especially for an explanation on how the opinion of the same group of people could produce two conflicting results and where the middle ground will be for the two chambers when they meet in the reconciliation committee. But all these depend on if the proposal gets the nod when the senators consider the report in session.

11 killed in JTF, Boko Haram Yobe clashes

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  Africcon Report: 11 killed in JTF, Boko Haram Yobe clashes
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  From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
  
  Cover by Africcon Media – 11 killed in JTF, Boko Haram Yobe clashes
  
  
  
  The Military Joint Task Force  in Yobe State has confirmed that 11 people were killed in separate attacks as suspected members of the Boko Haram sect invaded the Government Secondary School and a military checkpoint in Damaturu, the state capital.The military spokesman in the state, Lieutenant Eli Lazarus, in a statement on Monday, explained that two teachers, seven students and two insurgents were killed during the attacks.
  
  Apart from the 11 killed, three soldiers, according to the statement, were critically injured in the clash that lasted for over five hours.
  
  The army spokesmen said three of the suspected Boko Haram members were caught alive and were currently in the custody of the JTF.
  
  The Medical Officer of the Damaturu Specialist Hospital, Salem Umar, confirmed that 11 corpses were brought to the hospital and gave the breakdown as seven students of the GSS Damaturu, two teachers of the school and two members of the suspected Boko Haram members.
  
  He added that six students also sustained various degrees of injuries and were currently receiving treatment at the Damaturu Specialists Hospital.
  
  Mohammed Ya’u (SS3 student) Abdulkadir Mohammed (SS2) and Goni Abubakar (SS1), who survived the attacks, said in Damaturu that the suspected insurgents stormed their hostels few minutes after 9pm on Sunday and started shooting sporadically as the panic-striken students fled through the windows and doors of the hostel.
  
  The insurgents, who they said were many, also compelled some of the students to direct them to the teachers’ quarters, after which they were also killed.
  
  Sunday’s attack interrupted the months of ceasefire in Damaturu, a situation that made the state government to further reduce the curfew hours to between 9pm to 6am from 6pm to 6am daily.

Jonathan asks Tukur, PDP NWC to resign

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  Africcon Report: Jonathan asks Tukur, PDP NWC to resign
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  Cover by Africcon Media – Jonathan asks Tukur, PDP NWC to resign
  
  President Goodluck Jonathan  may have  directed  the  National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,  Dr. Bamanga Tukur,   and other members of the PDP National Working Committee   to resign.
  
  It was learnt  on Monday that Jonathan  gave the directive  after  the  presidential committee on the PDP crises headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim,  submitted  its report to him in Abuja .
  
  The order and submission of the report which noted that the party was drifting coincided with the lifting of the suspension of Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, by the 12-member  Tukur-led  NWC.
  
  A member of the presidential committee,  who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, added that Tukur and  the other NWC members  would tender their resignation letters  at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja.
  
  He said apart from the  PDP internal crises, the President  was concerned about  the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission on the  manner  majority of the NWC  members  came to office.
  
  INEC  had queried the affirmation method that returned  most  of the NWC members  to office.
  
  It was also  gathered  that the NWC members were told that they risked being sacked if they failed to quit before Thursday.
  
  A PDP source said, “If they fail to resign before Thursday,  they will be sacked.” He added  that the Presidency had already directed that a caretaker committee  be set up in place of  the NWC.
  
  When contacted, a member of the NWC, who wondered how  Jonathan’s  directive was leaked, merely said  it was true.
  
  “How did the story leak? Yes, it is true. I am already packing my things from my  office, “ he said.
  
  But another NWC  member, who also admitted  that  they would cease to hold office   before Friday, said,  “We are not resigning because President Jonathan asked us to do so.  If we resign, it will be  because of the report by INEC. We will be resigning to protect the integrity of INEC.”
  
  A national leader of the PDP  confirmed the looming  dissolution of the NWC,  saying,  “You remember INEC had said that it does not recognise the election of a majority of them (NWC members).
  
  “The fear is that one of those on the NWC could go to court and aver that the election that produced him or her was illegal.  Anybody could go to court on that score too. The party may have problem at that point.”
  
  A member of the presidential committee which has governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Goodwill Akpabio, (Akwa Ibom);  Theodore Orji (Abia );   Isa Yuguda (Bauchi);  Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); and Gabriel Suswam (Benue),  as some of its members,  had said the panel was not pleased with happenings in the PDP.
  
  He said, “Our report, which might not   please    the President and the leadership of the party, is that the party is drifting. We have told him not to allow the party disintegrate further because whether we like it or not, the party is drifting dangerously and we have to arrest that.
  
  “We have put in the report that some actions of the National Working Committee  are repressive and unnecessary.
  
  “We wondered why the party refused to hold its NEC  for about a year, which to us amounts to breaching of the party’s constitution.”
  
  The party’s  constitution  stipulates that NEC must hold at least once in a quarter.
  
  The panel, which also has the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadhome; and the Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, as members therefore recommended the immediate holding of the NEC meeting,  which has not taken place since July 2012.
  
  The Board of  Trustees of the party  is expected to  meet in Abuja  on Wednesday.
  
  Our correspondents gathered on Monday that  pressure from PDP governors  made  Tukur  and his team  to lift the suspension  on  Wamakko  at a press conference jointly addressed by himself, Akpabio and four other governors–Uduaghan,  Orji, Yuguda and Shema.   Anyim and Gulak were also present at the briefing.
  
  Investigations by our correspondents showed that the governors had indicated their readiness  to fight Tukur  because Wamakko’s suspension was based on a “trivial” issue.
  
  The NWC of the PDP had while announcing the suspension of Wamakko, said it took the decision because of alleged insubordination to Tukur and his office.
  
  The NWC had earlier suspended the Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum,  Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, for refusing to reinstate  a suspended Local Government chairman and councillors in the state.
  
  But the PDP governors whose chairman is Akpabio,   were said to have expressed anger over the gale of suspensions in the party, particularly that of Wamakko.
  
  Wamakko, while describing his suspension as null and void, had called for the sack of Tukur and Gulak.
  
  He had accused Tukur of  running the party as his  personal estate.
  
  The governors’ anger  was said to have made  Jonathan to set up  the  Anyim-led  committee to look at the crises in the party.
  
  While announcing the lifting of the suspension   on Wamakko, Tukur said, “Now this issue will never come again. It is a great party, we believe in our nation. We need a party as a platform to stand on, but based on unity, discipline and commitment.
  
  “We are also going to have NEC  meeting.  We have the support to rescind the suspension, which is a very important thing. We rescind the suspension of our governor of Sokoto.
  
  “With that, we are ready for further business because NEC meeting  is the requirement of our own party, always to get in touch with the people to tell them of our programmes, like the state- of -the nation and state of the party.
  
  “So we are going to have our NEC meeting on Thursday, June 20 by 12pm.
  
  “NWC has rescinded the suspension of the Sokoto state governor on the appeal of the PDP Governors’ Forum and secondly the National Chairman is inviting the PDP statutory members to the meeting of  NEC.”
  
  Also speaking at the  briefing , Akpabio said that the  presidential committee appealed to the NWC to lift the suspension  of  Wamakko.
  
  Akpabio added,  “I want to thank the national chairman of our party  and other members of the working committee for granting us the privilege of this meeting today (Monday).
  
  “We came as a select committee of the PDP to discuss the state of affairs of our great party, particularly the relationship between the working committee and the PDP governors and I want to say that we make a very strong appeal to the working committee on behalf of our colleague, Governor Wamakko.”
  
  On why Amaechi’s suspension was not lifted, Akpabio said it was because of a  case he (Amaechi)  instituted against the party.

When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains

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  Cover by Africcon Media - When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
  
  There is no gainsaying that the emergency rule imposed on Adamawa state by President Goodluck Jonathan has ruffled many feathers in the state especially in view of the heated debate that arose about its desirability, constitutionality or even its potency to resolve the lingering insurgency bedeviling mainly the north eastern axis of the country which Adamawa state is a part. MOHAMMED ISMAIL writes.
  
  The emergency rule in Adamawa State quite threw up more questions than answers as many people in the state believe that it was unjustly imposed to score political points against Governor Nyako whom has been embroiled in a war of wits with powerful forces ahead of the 2015 general election that has become a recipe for political unrest between the governor and those who want to wrest power from his grip.
  
  The battle was so fierce that the gladiators deployed all practicable arsenals to win the battle while the general populace largely remained on the fence, watching the onslaught with intense consternation as it lasted.
  
  However, while the onslaught was ongoing, nobody thought that it will degenerate to the extent that because of it or so to say, a state of emergency would ever be enforced in the state. Therefore, the people of the state were mostly taken off balance when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the imposition of a state of emergency on the state alongside two other neighboring states of Borno and Yobe that were noted as the hot bed of the Boko Haram crises in the country.
  
  Although a lot of people were not surprised by the inclusion of Borno and Yobe states in the emergency rule, however, the inclusion of Adamawa state has caused a lot of tongues to wag because many say the insecurity indices in the state does not measure up to the indices
  
  of many other states that were unfortunately not in the list of the affected states. Even the explanation that the action was taken to prevent insurgents from Yobe and Borno states from securing abode in Adamawa could not appease the people as many were quick to counter that if the imposition of the emergency rule was due to that singular reason, then other states like Bauchi and Gombe that share borders with Yobe another hotbed of Boko Haram activities should have been similarly included in the emergency rule.
  
  But while the raging debate was ongoing, a town hall meeting was organized by Gotel Television, a media enterprise owned by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. The participants who were drawn from the academia, political arena, civil society groups and technocrats, seemed to reveal the innate feelings of Adamawa citizens, as about 99 percent of them believe that the emergency rule was wrongly applied on Adamawa State even as they said it smacks of political vendetta.
  
  Because of the belief that the emergency rule in Adamawa was at the instance of powerful politicians from the state, governor Nyako became an instant hero as many said they preferred him to those who instigate trouble in the state for political gains, unmindful of its dangers or even its negative consequences on the body polity.
  
  And that notion was not helped by the seeming failure of Nyako’s adversaries who in the government circle were believed to include the adviser to the President on political matters, Alhaji Ali Ahmed Gulak, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alex Badeh,  to challenge the presidential decision or even to make the mildest effort to distance themselves from the accusation that has trailed the imposition of the emergency rule leading many people, especially religious leaders to mount a series of prayer sessions against them, especially in mosques as many muslims believe that they were responsible for the malady that prevents them from observing three important congregational prayers following the curfew imposed on the state.
  
  But while Nyako’s adversaries who were mainly accused of being behind the imposition of the emergency rule failed to do anything to appeal to the sensibilities of the citizenry, governor Nyako  on the other hand, has since the imposition of the emergency rule, did not rest on his
  
  oars using local and national media to appeal for calm in the state even in the face of its seeming provocation. In one of the state broadcast he made to the people, the governor said some people who wanted the youths of the state maimed were behind the imposition of the
  
  emergency rule just as he urged the people to indulge in ferrent prayers to guard against its adverse effects. He also warned the youths to be more security conscious as they are in most cases, worst affected by the emergency rule as witnessed in Borno and Yobe states.
  
  In the same vein, the Sarkin Matasan Adamawa launched a rigorous sensitization campaign across the 21 local governments of the state about the need for the youths to exercise restraint about their conduct as the emergency rule in the state, even as he called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders to continue sensitizing the populace about the need to respect constituted authority so as not to worsen the fragile atmosphere in the state.
  
  Many people interviewed by Africcon Media have expressed appreciation over the manner in which the state government alongside the Sarkin Matasa played significant roles in dousing tension which they attributed to the success of the emergency rule in the state in view of the hitch free nature it is being conducted.
  
  Pastor Sunday Joshua was of the opinion that even though he felt that the emergency rule on Adamawa   misapplied, he said the governor’s approach has gone a long way to pacify the people of the state, as a result of which the emergency rule is being observed peacefully.
  
  A clergyman who does not want his name in print, said the clergy have elected to pray for the success of Governor Nyako who became their new hero in view of the efforts he is putting to secure life and properties of innocent citizens of the state. “I and some of my
  
  colleagues in the state and even beyond, have formed a league to support Governor Nyako with prayers because of his concern for the safety of the people of the state. We have also resolved to pray against the enemies of the state who are ready to set the state in flames to achieve their selfish end”, the cleric said.
  
  Also many participants at the town hall meeting organized by Gotel Television believe that constitutional provisions were not followed by the presidency before the emergency rule was imposed as the presidency had seemed to be in a hurry to impose the emergency rule circumvented the procedures provided by the constitution before enforcing the emergency rule.
  
  In his view, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Governor Nyako, Mr. P.P Elisha, said Nyako’s adversaries resorted to the imposition of emergency rule in the state because they see it as the only means of illegally ousting the governor from power. He said some politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box are now resorting to the use of illegal means to get the governor out of power but they were all shamed because their efforts have come to a nullity.
  
  “Some disgruntled politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box were responsible for the latest attempt to use the state of emergency to remove governor Nyako
  
  through the back door but their efforts have met a brick wall”. He said the reason why the action was vociferously rejected by all well-meaning people of Adamawa state was due to its unpopularity hence it was unanimously rejected by even those who do not always share
  
  the same political view with the governor.
  
  “Although we share different political view with my brother, Dr. Umar Ardo, the way he
  
  expresses reservation against the emergency rule in Adamawa shows that the rejection was done in the interest of Adamawa people who are at the receiving end of the rule”.
  
  Elisha called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse the decision as it has already taken a negative toll on Adamawa people who are mostly operating in the informal sector. “Adamawa State is a civil a ciil service state where residents mainly collect salaries and the greater part of the population depend on doing petty businesses in order to keep body and soul together like frying bean cake, roasting fish and meat by the road side and what have you. All these businesses with the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state have been forced to close shop adding to the raging poverty afflicting the people”. He called on the President to have a change of heart in view of the call from the majority of Adamawa people who feet the emergency rule
  
  was politically motivated to score a political point against governor Nyako.
  
  “We recently conducted a town hall meeting where majority of the stakeholders drawn from the academia, civil societies, political parties, all conceded to the fact that the emergency rule was not in tune with the realities of Adamawa’s insecurity”, he added, calling on the people to continue to obey the curfew so as not to fall victim of molestation as the state government is doing everything possible to get the situation regularized.

Africcon News
Africcon Report: When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
Africcon New Media – News

From: Africcon Media – Nigeria

Cover by Africcon Media - When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains

There is no gainsaying that the emergency rule imposed on Adamawa state by President Goodluck Jonathan has ruffled many feathers in the state especially in view of the heated debate that arose about its desirability, constitutionality or even its potency to resolve the lingering insurgency bedeviling mainly the north eastern axis of the country which Adamawa state is a part. MOHAMMED ISMAIL writes.

The emergency rule in Adamawa State quite threw up more questions than answers as many people in the state believe that it was unjustly imposed to score political points against Governor Nyako whom has been embroiled in a war of wits with powerful forces ahead of the 2015 general election that has become a recipe for political unrest between the governor and those who want to wrest power from his grip.

The battle was so fierce that the gladiators deployed all practicable arsenals to win the battle while the general populace largely remained on the fence, watching the onslaught with intense consternation as it lasted.

However, while the onslaught was ongoing, nobody thought that it will degenerate to the extent that because of it or so to say, a state of emergency would ever be enforced in the state. Therefore, the people of the state were mostly taken off balance when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the imposition of a state of emergency on the state alongside two other neighboring states of Borno and Yobe that were noted as the hot bed of the Boko Haram crises in the country.

Although a lot of people were not surprised by the inclusion of Borno and Yobe states in the emergency rule, however, the inclusion of Adamawa state has caused a lot of tongues to wag because many say the insecurity indices in the state does not measure up to the indices

of many other states that were unfortunately not in the list of the affected states. Even the explanation that the action was taken to prevent insurgents from Yobe and Borno states from securing abode in Adamawa could not appease the people as many were quick to counter that if the imposition of the emergency rule was due to that singular reason, then other states like Bauchi and Gombe that share borders with Yobe another hotbed of Boko Haram activities should have been similarly included in the emergency rule.

But while the raging debate was ongoing, a town hall meeting was organized by Gotel Television, a media enterprise owned by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. The participants who were drawn from the academia, political arena, civil society groups and technocrats, seemed to reveal the innate feelings of Adamawa citizens, as about 99 percent of them believe that the emergency rule was wrongly applied on Adamawa State even as they said it smacks of political vendetta.

Because of the belief that the emergency rule in Adamawa was at the instance of powerful politicians from the state, governor Nyako became an instant hero as many said they preferred him to those who instigate trouble in the state for political gains, unmindful of its dangers or even its negative consequences on the body polity.

And that notion was not helped by the seeming failure of Nyako’s adversaries who in the government circle were believed to include the adviser to the President on political matters, Alhaji Ali Ahmed Gulak, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alex Badeh,  to challenge the presidential decision or even to make the mildest effort to distance themselves from the accusation that has trailed the imposition of the emergency rule leading many people, especially religious leaders to mount a series of prayer sessions against them, especially in mosques as many muslims believe that they were responsible for the malady that prevents them from observing three important congregational prayers following the curfew imposed on the state.

But while Nyako’s adversaries who were mainly accused of being behind the imposition of the emergency rule failed to do anything to appeal to the sensibilities of the citizenry, governor Nyako  on the other hand, has since the imposition of the emergency rule, did not rest on his

oars using local and national media to appeal for calm in the state even in the face of its seeming provocation. In one of the state broadcast he made to the people, the governor said some people who wanted the youths of the state maimed were behind the imposition of the

emergency rule just as he urged the people to indulge in ferrent prayers to guard against its adverse effects. He also warned the youths to be more security conscious as they are in most cases, worst affected by the emergency rule as witnessed in Borno and Yobe states.

In the same vein, the Sarkin Matasan Adamawa launched a rigorous sensitization campaign across the 21 local governments of the state about the need for the youths to exercise restraint about their conduct as the emergency rule in the state, even as he called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders to continue sensitizing the populace about the need to respect constituted authority so as not to worsen the fragile atmosphere in the state.

Many people interviewed by LEADERSHIP have expressed appreciation over the manner in which the state government alongside the Sarkin Matasa played significant roles in dousing tension which they attributed to the success of the emergency rule in the state in view of the hitch free nature it is being conducted.

Pastor Sunday Joshua was of the opinion that even though he felt that the emergency rule on Adamawa   misapplied, he said the governor’s approach has gone a long way to pacify the people of the state, as a result of which the emergency rule is being observed peacefully.

A clergyman who does not want his name in print, said the clergy have elected to pray for the success of Governor Nyako who became their new hero in view of the efforts he is putting to secure life and properties of innocent citizens of the state. “I and some of my

colleagues in the state and even beyond, have formed a league to support Governor Nyako with prayers because of his concern for the safety of the people of the state. We have also resolved to pray against the enemies of the state who are ready to set the state in flames to achieve their selfish end”, the cleric said.



Also many participants at the town hall meeting organized by Gotel Television believe that constitutional provisions were not followed by the presidency before the emergency rule was imposed as the presidency had seemed to be in a hurry to impose the emergency rule circumvented the procedures provided by the constitution before enforcing the emergency rule.

In his view, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Governor Nyako, Mr. P.P Elisha, said Nyako’s adversaries resorted to the imposition of emergency rule in the state because they see it as the only means of illegally ousting the governor from power. He said some politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box are now resorting to the use of illegal means to get the governor out of power but they were all shamed because their efforts have come to a nullity.

“Some disgruntled politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box were responsible for the latest attempt to use the state of emergency to remove governor Nyako

through the back door but their efforts have met a brick wall”. He said the reason why the action was vociferously rejected by all well-meaning people of Adamawa state was due to its unpopularity hence it was unanimously rejected by even those who do not always share

the same political view with the governor.

“Although we share different political view with my brother, Dr. Umar Ardo, the way he

expresses reservation against the emergency rule in Adamawa shows that the rejection was done in the interest of Adamawa people who are at the receiving end of the rule”.

Elisha called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse the decision as it has already taken a negative toll on Adamawa people who are mostly operating in the informal sector. “Adamawa State is a civil a ciil service state where residents mainly collect salaries and the greater part of the population depend on doing petty businesses in order to keep body and soul together like frying bean cake, roasting fish and meat by the road side and what have you. All these businesses with the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state have been forced to close shop adding to the raging poverty afflicting the people”. He called on the President to have a change of heart in view of the call from the majority of Adamawa people who feet the emergency rule

was politically motivated to score a political point against governor Nyako.

“We recently conducted a town hall meeting where majority of the stakeholders drawn from the academia, civil societies, political parties, all conceded to the fact that the emergency rule was not in tune with the realities of Adamawa’s insecurity”, he added, calling on the people to continue to obey the curfew so as not to fall victim of molestation as the state government is doing everything possible to get the situation regularized.