Jonathan’s 2nd Term ’ll Ensure Stability — Edeoga

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One-time spokesman of the House of Representatives and currently Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga weekend spoke with selected journalists on various national issues. Excerpts:

Some people like Orji Uzor Kalu claim President Goodluck Jonathan will truncate the chances of the Igbo presidency if he contests in 2015. Do you agree?

They are entitled to their opinions so far they fall within the ambit of the law. Orji Kalu and people who share his views can also test their popularity.

Orji Kalu can speak for himself or any platform of his, but not on behalf of Igbo people neither can I speak for the rest of the Igbo people. The Igbo are wise enough to cast their votes where they feel they are best protected.

I sincerely believe that if Jonathan declares an interest to contest for the presidency in 2015, a majority of the Igbo will vote for him based on his scorecard in office and for the sake of continuity. It is also in the strategic interest of Nigeria that Jonathan seeks second term.

How strategic is it?

A convention of rotational presidency is emerging. From 1999, for instance, it started with the South-West, where Olusegun Obasanjo did two tenures. It rotated to the North-West. Unfortunately Musa Yar’Adua died in office. The power automatically by law devolved to Jonathan.

Rotationalpresidency

He completed the tenure and ran on his own and won. The important thing that has happened is that the presidency moved from the South-West to the North-West and then to the South-South.

Rotational presidency is a necessary Nigerian invention to address Nigeria’s differences. It seeks to build a homogenous national entity. If the contest is left for numerical strength as it is claimed, it might not have gone to the South-West.

Obasanjo would not have qualified because he did not even win in his ward as the PDP constitution stipulates. These are sacrifices that we have to make for the national unity. When Yar’adua died, the rotation went to the South-South which is in tandem with the rotational principle.

When Jonathan serves his second term, it will go to any other zone where it has not gone at least in the current democratic dispensation. It can go to the South-East or the North-East. If rotational presidency is adopted, the acrimony that goes with the contest will be eliminated.

Rotational presidency will also address the issue of some people who feel that they are entitled to some political offices in this country. There are also some people who feel alienated from Nigeria because they feel there is a particular limit they can aspire in the Nigerian polity. Rotational presidency will create a conducive atmosphere where every Nigerian can aspire to become president.

You are a lawyer. Can’t rotational presidency be enshrined in the Nigerian constitution?

It is an evolving convention. A convention is also a legal precept. A convention practised overtime becomes not really a law in terms of written, but acceptable by everybody.

Law-making has various stages. If something happens overtime and it is not resisted, it becomes a convention. There are people in this country, mainly from the North-West and the South-West, who want to truncate the emergence of this convention.

The position of the South-West in this matter is understandable but not excusable. The South-West, under Obasanjo, had its turn of eight years. The South-West governors, under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy, created an enabling environment for Obasanjo to complete his second term.

If the rotation endures, it will return to the South-West when other zones had done theirs. There are elements in the South-West who will not allow this scenario to play out. They were the same people who relinquished their gubernatorial positions for Obasanjo.

Today they have evolved from the Action Congress of Nigeria to the All Progressives Congress. They now agitate that the presidency is up for grabs.

They are the same persons who are putting pressures on Rivers state governor Chibuike Amaechi to do unto Jonathan what they refused to do unto Obasanjo.

That is the duplicity in Nigeria’s political situation. But if they help in truncating it, it will create a situation of fluidity. The most important thing for them is that the system has been truncated, then other factors will come into it.

Even the attack of religious politics that the APC levelled against Jonathan is something that is in ACN or the APC as it is now called. The APC is now trying to zone the position of the vice president to either the South-South or the South-East.

Recall also that the days when the Igbo aligned with the North and accepted the position of vice president, the South-West media kept attacking the Igbo as taking the crumbs from the northern table.

Remembering our history

But now it is the same South-West that plans to zone to the South-East or South-West the same position which they derided the Igbo. We must remember our history.

What is your take in the recent deportation of the Igbo by the Lagos state government?

I have a lot of soft spot for Tunde Fashola, so I don’t want to make negative comments about him, more so with some restraints he has shown in this matter. It is evident that he has realised that he has erred.

There is nothing in his history that indicates that he is headed in that direction, so people are entitled to their mistakes once in a while. It is not a reason why we should create loopholes for rabble-rousers to begin to build mountains out of a molehill.

It is not only in the South-West that the Igbo have become migrants, they have become migrants all over the world because the home environment is no longer in consonance with their entrepreneurial abilities and drives.

Where are the cashew industries, Niger Gas, Golden Guinea, Premier Breweries and a host of them? They have been destroyed. Our leaders have failed to move things to the next level.

However, some of them, like Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, are doing well in the provision of infrastructure. We have to build on that. We must thank Jonathan for creating an international airport in the South-East. It will boost the economy once again. The Igbo’s movement outside home is a result of home not being conducive for self-actualisation.

Conducive for self actualisation

Even the entrepreneurs who now throw their resources towards political contests should redirect them. It is not only in Lagos, the Igbo are also being hounded in the North. Where is the home to run to? It is the dilemma of the Igbo people in Nigeria. The South-East region has buried the industries that Azikiwe and Okpara created.

What is your reaction to the declaration of Governor Sullivan Chime that an Nsukka man will succeed him as governor of Enugu State?

There is also in Enugu State an emerging convention about rotation of the gubernatorial position. It started from Chimaroke Nnamani who did two terms for the Enugu-East senatorial district and then Sullivan Chime, who is currently the incumbent, and about to round off his two terms in office. He is from the Enugu-West senatorial zone.

The next place that it has not gone to is Enugu-North. It is also in tandem with what I am saying that we should follow this emerging convention. Things evolve. Personally the Nsukka cultural zone is being short-changed because it constitutes over 50% of the population of the state. Nsukka should be the one to give because they have the numerical strength to determine where the pendulum of the state should swing. It was done in the early 90s during the Babaginda transition.

Power Privatisation: Atedo Peterside’s Committee, BPE Clash Over Procedures

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The Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, and its implementation arm, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, are almost at daggers-drawn regarding procedures for the conclusion of processes for the just-concluded sale of 15 power assets.

Afric-tv24 gathered that the two arms are quarrelling over the modalities for publicly conveying the end of transactions, upon expiration of the deadline for preferred bidders to pay the balance of 75 percent of their bid values on August 21.

A Presidency source told Vanguard in confidence that while the Atedo Peterside-led Committee wants to get on with laid-down procedures, by meeting and taking a decision on the transactions and possibly decide on the fate of bidders that could not meet the deadline, leadership of BPE is foot-dragging, thereby raising suspicions among members.

Defaulters get deadline extension
This development comes as Vanguard gathered that bid defaulters have till September 18, going by the rules of the engagement, or 20 working days after the expiration of the initial deadline to pay up.

At the close of work on August 21, 12 of the 14 bidders met the full obligations of the 75 percent of their bid value for the 15 companies unbundled from Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.
Atedo Peterside

Atedo Peterside

While the CMEC/EUAFRIC Energy JV, preferred bidders for Sapele Power Plant, made partial payment, Interstate Electrics Limited, for the Enugu Distribution Company, DISCo, could not pay due to foreign bank transfer issues.

While the Sapele plant had no reserved bidder, Enugu DISCo had been calling to be invited to take up Interstate’s bid.

However, NCP has not issued any such invitation, neither had BPE declared end of transaction process.

Terms of engagement
Although a newspaper report on Tuesday (not Vanguard) had claimed that BPE had given a 20-day extension to Interstate, which reportedly had deposited about $12 million, the truth is that BPE had no such powers.

The 20 working days extension is embedded in the rules of the transactions approved by NCP for the sale of the 15 companies signed by all the bidders.

Section 2.5.0, entitled Default Prior to Completion of Bid, in the Request for Proposals, cited by Vanguard, read in part: “The vendors shall not be obliged to complete this Agreement unless the Purchaser complies with Clause 2.3.

“The Purchaser shall not be obliged to complete this Agreement with Clause 2.2 if the completion does not take place on the date referred to in, or as otherwise agreed by the Parties in accordance with Clause 2.1, as a result of a failure by a party to fully comply with its obligations in this Clause 2.

“The Purchaser (in the case of non-compliance by the Vendor) or the Vendors (in the case of non-compliance by the Purchaser) shall be entitled by the written notice to Vendors, or as the case may be, the Purchaser served on such date.”

Section 2.5.1: “To effect completion so far as practicable, having regard to the defaults which have occurred (without prejudice to the obligations of non-compliant Party.”

2.5.2: “To fix a new date for completion (no more than twenty (20) Business Days after the agreed date for completion) in which case the foregoing provisions of this Clause 2 shall apply to Completion as so deferred, but provided such deferral may occur only once.”

Accordingly, NCP will be compelled to invite the reserved bidders upon the expiration of the extended deadline to take up Enugu DISCo if Interstate failed again.

But it is not immediately clear what will become of the Sapele Power Plant, which has no reserved bidder, if CMEC Group also fails to meet the deadline.

Peterside’s letter
Based on the reluctance of BPE to agree to a meeting of the Technical Committee, of which it is also a member, its Chairman, Mr. Atedo Peterside, had written to the 22 members complaining of BPE’s Director-General’s attitude.

A copy of the letter to members, obtained by Vanguard from a source, explained why the committee had not been able to meet “to consider and deliberate upon updates on PHCN’s privatisation.”

The letter is entitled Re: Update on PHCN Privatisation – Inability to Convene a Meeting of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation – ‘Confidential’.

It read in part: “The reason we are unable to meet is because the DG of BPE, who controls the BPE’s budget and therefore releases funds to pay for hotel bills and sitting allowances, has ‘surreptitiously’ vetoed all my efforts to convene a meeting of our Technical Committee of recent.

‘I got a text message’
“His latest ploy was to copy me a text he purportedly sent to the Vice President, requesting approval for our Committee to be allowed to meet and refusing to give me any feedback even after I gave him (the DG) 24 hours within which to revert to me.

“He did not reply my e-mail and did not even bother to explain why he did not reply. As you are all aware, the Technical Committee serves as an advisory/due process ‘watchdog’ over BPE and we are accountable to NCP.

“Accordingly, I find the DG’s surreptitious attempt to keep us ‘in the dark’ objectionable in the extreme. I do not believe for one second that the DG is acting on instructions from above.

“His ‘body language’ and enthusiastic evasiveness suggest that he is the initiator, who has proactively been looking for ways to avoid having to transparently table issues/updates before the Technical Committee.”

In view of the impasse, Vanguard’s source also disclosed that Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is the Chairman of NCP, may have to intervene to retain the credibility of the transaction process.

Tukur Declares War On Senators, House Of Representatives Members And Other

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ABUJA — The crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took another turn yesterday as the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur vowed to declare vacant the seats of senators, House of Representatives members and other elected officers who identified with the seven governors that formed a parallel executive of the party.

Some of the affected lawmakers and other stakeholders of the party have, however, dismissed Tukur’s threat as an empty boast that has no legal basis and advised him to go and read the Electoral Act on the issue and be properly guided. This came as the Kwara State chapter of the party aligned itself with the Baraje-led faction, saying the Tukur-led executive no longer exists.

Also yesterday, the Tukur-led PDP approached an Abuja High Court, asking it to commit new PDP Chairman, Baraje and other officilas of the nPDP to one year in prison, even as it emerged yesterday that Tukur’s confidence might have taken root from the presidency..

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Tukur, who claimed that he was fully in charge as the National Chairman of PDP, stressed that there was no faction in the party and there was no room for such a claim under any guise.

Tukur who threatened to send men of the Department of State Service, DSS; the Police and other security agencies after the rebellious governors and their sympathiszers for operating illegally, however vowed that the party will not hesitate to declare vacant, seats of the 26 senators and the 102 members of  the House of Representatives, as well as other elected officers of the party that have dclared for the new PDP (nPDP).

But in a swift reaction, the chairman of  nPDP and former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje described Bamanga Tukur and others who might not understand how party politics works, as jokers.

He said: “They are all jokers, they don’t know what party politics is. We are not surprised because he (Tukur) is ignorant of party politics. In any case, the process of declaring a seat vacant or recalling members of the National Assembly is well known in the constitution; to wake up and say he is going to recall people or declare their seats vacant is sheer ignorance. He is not fit to be called the National Chairman of the PDP.”

Speaking in a similar vein, spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep. Zakari Mohammed said: “The man should go and read the Electoral Act and be guided as that will guide his utterances. This is about the law. What he does not understand is that when a party is factionalised, I can decide to say that I belong to PPA today, it doesn’t matter because it is public knowledge today that we have two factions of the PDP and nobody can pretend about it”.

Tukur’s statement

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who simply read a two-page statement that was made up of eight paragraphs without taking any further questions from journalists said: “Gentlemen of the press, you are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the Peoples Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a claim under any guise.

“The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such.

“Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and which in the last 14 years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.

“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.

“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.

“I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members are, therefore, advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium. There is only one lawfully recognized PDP and I am firmly in charge. I thank you and may God bless you.”

Tukur’s confidence, it was learnt, followed President Goodluck Jonathan’s apparent rejection of the demands of the rebel governors at the Tuesday night meeting he had with loyalist governors.

At the meeting, President Jonathan was said to have flatly rejected the requests of the rebel governors that he should among others not contest the 2015 presidential contest.

Sources close to the presidency disclosed that the president was quoted as saying that he would not lose sleep over the matter saying “those who ignited the fire should go and quench it.”

A presidency source privy to the development was quoted as saying: “What is happening in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nothing to do with the president; it is not his headache at all and he is not losing sleep over it.

“The president believes that those who ignited the crisis should also look for ways to put it off. And from security reports, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is behind it; he cannot start a crisis and now pretending to be finding a solution to it.”

Presidential aides it was learnt, are worried that former President Obasanjo and his associates may be determined to use the crisis to stop President Jonathan from seeking reelection using the opportunity offered by the crisis.

PDP urges court to commit Baraje, others to prison

The Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also urged a Federal High Court, Abuja, to commit to prison for alleged contempt of court, factional chairman of the party Alhaji Kawu Baraje, the faction’s National Secretary Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Dr Sam Jaja.

The party wants the court to jail the three for a minimum of one year each for allegedly violating a judgment of the Federal High Court, delivered on January 11.

In the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court, which was said to have been violated by the alleged contemnors, the court had nullified Oyinlola’s candidacy as a nominee of the Southwest Zonal Chapter of the PDP.

The Tukur-led party however argued that Oyinlola, “with guilty knowledge” “appointed and declared” himself as the National Secretary of the PDP “for the purpose of rendering the judgment of this Honourable Court nugatory and of no effect.”

The motion on notice for committal of the alleged contemnors, filed yesterday, was brought pursuant to Order 35 of the Federal High Court Rules 2009.

Counsel to the PDP, Mr Ajibola Oluyede, who made the court processes available to newsmen at briefing in Lagos, said he was directed by the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led PDP to file the action.

He said they have also filed a Preliminary Objection against the suit filed by Oyinlola, Baraje and Jaja at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.

Kwara PDP backs Baraje

Meantime, Kwara State chapter of PDP, yesterday, aligned itself with the Kawu Baraje-led executive of the party, saying the PDP under the chairmanship of  the Tukur-led executive council no longer exist.

The party leadership in the state expressed its resolve to back the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje nPDP because of his sterling leadership qualities which brought the party to its peak when he held sway as the acting national chairman of the now troubled party.

The state chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani speaking at a press conference at the party secretariat in Ilorin, recalled that Baraje was able to maturely handle all the crisis in the party to a minimal level and even won more electoral victories for the party.

According to Fulani, who was represented by his secretary, Prince Yemi Afolayan,”the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP has violated the constitutional breaches and its national working committee should vacate office in the interest of the growth of the PDP.

“It was under Bamanga Tukur-led national leadership that leaders of the party have been treating members without following due process, causing disaffection among members of the party.

“As far as the PDP is concerned now in Nigeria, Abubakar Kawu Baraje remains the only leader that can salvage the PDP from its present predicament and so Bamanga Tukur has gone”, he added.

According to him,”we are authentic PDP in Kwara and no one group can lay claim to it any where”. While describing the politicians  behind the claim to PDP in the state as “hungry people”, the chairman stressed that,” Baraje remains our national chairman of new PDP and Senator Bukola Saraki is also our leader and no one can lay claim to the PDP leadership except the affected leaders”.

Tukur’s not in tune with realities—Ugochinyere

Also, a Chieftain of the New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has likened the purported threat by the embattled Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to suspend lawmakers that have given support to Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction as a desperate crying speech of a reckless fisherman that had lost control of his boat.

Ikenga Ugochinyere who is the Convener of the New PDP Stakeholders Forum in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said that Tukur was not in tune with realities on ground, accusing him of destroying a party that was once united.

The statement which was titled, “reaction to Bamanga Tukur’s drowning fisherman press conference” read: “The attention of the PDP Stakeholders Forum and die-hard supporters of the New PDP which is on a rescue mission has been drawn to the ranting and impotent statement made by the drowning PDP factional chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to the emergence of the popular new leadership of the party.

“I want the press to know that the statement made by Tukur at his today’s (yesterday) press conference is nothing but a desperate crying speech of a reckless fisherman who has lost control of his boat as a result of recklessness and is fast sinking.

“We urge members of the party to ignore the speech like they have ignored the ranting of the impostor Chairman in the past.

“Tukur is not in tune with realities on the ground. We urge him to stop crying and bow his head in shame for destroying a united party. We dare him to use his impotent childish suspension option which has faded away with his dislodged rotten reign.

“As Tukur continues to hallucinate, more National Assembly members, members of the State Assemblies elected on the party’s platform, members at all levels, Governors, BoT (Board of Trustees) etc continue to join the new PDP rescue mission.

“Let nobody listen to a man who is not even a member of the party. Let him face the legal battle fired on him and forget noise making as he lacks the power to declare anybody’s seat vacant as such power is with us now,” he stated.

How it all started

It will be recalled that last week Saturday at the Special National Convention of PDP, there was crisis when the party split into two parallel National Working Committees, NWCs,  with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and seven northern governors staging a walk out to later address a press conference on the formation of a new PDP with governor Chibuike Amaechi in attendance.

Baraje had named himself the National Chairman and announced Sam Sam Jaja as Deputy National Chairman and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary.

The governors who were at the venue of the convention until 2.45 pm last saturday when the names of candidates to be voted for were read and discovered that the name of the immediate past Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja was removed leaving only the former National Organising Secretary, Prince Uche Secondus as the sole candidate, with others screened out had to immediately leave for Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre to address the media.

They were governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Abdulfatah  Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State; Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa.

Others were deputy governors of Sokoto, Murktar Shagari; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano; Ahmed Musa Ibeto of Niger state; former governor of Kwara State, Senator Shaaba Lafiagi; former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje; former governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; immediate past National Secretary of PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; immediate past Deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja; Senator Magnus Abe; chairman, House Committee on finance, Honourable Abdumumini Jibrin; Honourable Farouk Lawan, other members of the national assembly, state houses of assembly, among others.

It will also be recalled that Bamanga Tukur’s vexed address to members of the new party was coming barely twenty four hours after the leaders and Stakeholders of the party postponed the meeting earlier scheduled for Tuesday, just as the meeting was designed to brainstorm with the aggrieved governors as a way of nipping in the bud, the political quagmire.

The meeting was fixed to hold with President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo; chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the aggrieved governors of Kano, Rivers;  Sokoto; Niger; Kwara; Adamawa and Jigawa.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP,  Chief Tony Anenih who noted that some if aggrieved governors have genuine grievances, however explained that  the peace talks, scheduled to continue in Abuja were postponed at the request of the governors of the party who stormed out of the venue of the party’s special national convention on Saturday.

According to Anenih, the  peace talks with the aggrieved governors would now continue on Tuesday, next week, after selected party leaders would have met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday as part of wider consultations demanded by parties to the crisis.

He disclosed that the aggrieved governors told the Presidency and the PDP leadership that they needed more time to make wider consultations, just as he said the Presidency and the PDP leadership were not averse to wider consultations.

He had explained that the Presidency and PDP leadership were taking advantage of the postponement to also consult widely on how to amicably resolve the crisis, adding, “Part of the wider consultations is the meeting of selected party leaders with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning and thereafter, we will meet with the governors on Tuesday, next week.”

Pro-Suntai Lawmakers Disown Uzodinma, Reject PDP Terms

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ABUJA — Barely 24 hours after Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said it had resolved the political crisis in Taraba State, eight members of the House of Assembly, who are loyal to the ailing governor, have rejected the peace move brokered by the party.

The eight lawmakers, led by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr. Joseph Kunini, met in Jalingo, the state capital, yesterday, and renounced the action of the PDP fact-finding panel, headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma.

They accused him of working in concert with the state deputy governor, Garba Umar, to cause more problems for the state.

Suntai at the airport

File: Suntai at the airport

The pro-Suntai lawmakers told journalists that they had to openly dissociate themselves with the decisions arrived at by the Uzodinma panel because the team could not provide solutions to the problems plaguing the state.

The lawmakers, in a prepared statement read by Kunini, said: “We are miffed by Senator Uzodinma’s dubious misadventure and his cocktail of contradictions, which he clearly displayed yesterday at the end of the visit of the fact-finding committee.

Constitutional crisis

“Senator Uzodinma’s hurriedly contrived solution to the constitutional crisis in Taraba State turned out not only poisonous but has left the entire state in more confusion than it has been in recent times.

“Well-meaning Nigerians have expressed the fact that the solution to the problems lies in strict adherence to the Constitution.

“Even a member of the PDP panel and Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, has quoted the Presidency as saying that the issue is a constitutional matter.”

While accusing Uzodinma of implementing a hidden agenda hatched by the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur against Suntai, the lawmakers, warned the party to respect a court order that had already restrained the team from going further with its assignment as far as Taraba was concerned.

They said that they were shocked to discover that the Senator still went to the United States to assess the health condition of the governor and came back to Jalingo to give a verdict that Suntai’s deputy should continue to act as governor despite the subsisting court order barring it from working on the Taraba matter.

The lawmakers insisted that Suntai had completed the process of taking over the mantle of leadership with the transmission of the letter of resumption of work and did not need any other steps to fulfill the constitutional provision on the matter.

Fault Tukur

They accused Tukur of using the Uzodinma Committee to do the bidding of the acting governor, who they claim, wanted to take over through the back door while Suntai was hale and hearty to do his job.

They said: “It is instructive to note that the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, flew in the Uzodinma team from Abuja. On arrival, they held a closed-door meeting at the airport and later went straight to the exco chambers of the Government House.

“They were about to commence their business when they realised that they should have first of all paid a visit to the Executive Governor, Danbaba Suntai.

“After their visit to Suntai, Uzodinma said that the governor was hale and hearty and did not need to go to the market square for people to know that he was okay.

“But in what is now the most dubious thing to happen to democracy in Nigeria, Uzodinma announced a power-sharing arrangement whereby he gave the deputy governor the task of continuing to run the state, while Suntai remains as the ceremonial head.

“This is totally unconstitutional and designed to benefit Umar in his relentless quest to unseat his boss, Governor Suntai, who was democratically elected by the overwhelming Tarabians.

“It is obvious that Uzodinma was not interested in deep-seated solutions, but mercantile and narrow arrangement capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order. He was clearly not interested in peaceful reconciliation based on party supremacy.

“We want to unequivocally state that the solution to the leadership crisis lies in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. This is the supreme document, which forms the basis of our common existence and as a nation and guarantees our democracy.

“It portends great danger if a sensitive Constitutional matter of this nature is handled with political manipulation or at whims and caprice of certain individuals and groups.

“We want to believe that there is an agenda beyond our lenses, otherwise other state governors have been away on medical grounds for even longer periods to unknown destinations yet no issues were raised.

‘Due process ignored’

“We viciously reject the verdict of Senator Hope Uzodinma team, assuming but not conceding that there was no court order against the Uzodinma team, the committee ought to have reported back to the party before decisions are taken.

“We want to strongly call on our President Goodluck Jonathan, who himself has shown unprecedented maturity in handling similar situations in the past as deputy governor and Vice President, to use his wealth of experience and authority to ensure the matter is settled as provided by the Constitution.

“We also urge Tarabians and other Nigerians to disregard Senator Uzodinma Committee’s pronouncement on Taraba State as it lacks the power to do so.”

Signatories

Apart from Kunini, others who signed the document were, Charles Maijankai, Haruna Gbana, Abel Diah, Daniel Gani, Mark Useni, Charles Audu and Gambo Maikudi.

Lending his voice to the state lawmakers, a member of the National Assembly, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, and close ally of Suntai, said that it was wrong for the acting governor, Garba Umar to plan a ‘coup’ against his boss with a view to taking over from him through the backdoor.

Bwacha said Uzodinma’s visit was stage-managed by Umar to enable him actualise his agenda of taking over from Suntai, when he was still alive and able to discharge his duties.

He noted that what Uzodinma did was wrong and unconstitutional and could, therefore, not stand as the position of the party.

‘What we want’

Bwacha said: “What we want is absolute adherence to the constitution and not a stage-managed decision to fit into a hidden agenda by Umar and his group against Suntai.”

It is not clear if Suntai was able to discuss with members of the team, who visited the state on Tuesday, as the visit was restricted to a secret location in his house.

The members later emerged and asked Umar to continue acting based on their assessment of the governor’s health condition.

It was learnt that while the governor was willing to step aside to take care of his health, desperate loyalists led by some close aides were urging him not to surrender his exalted position, as they were ready to rule by proxy, a development that PDP was opposed to.

Dangote Signs $9bn Deal To Build Oil Refinery, Petrochemical Complex

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ABUJA—The Dangote Group Wednesday made history by signing of a combined $ 9.05 billion facility agreement with a consortium of local banks and international investors for the establishment of a refinery, and petrochemicals cum fertilizer complex in Nigeria.

Agreement
Under the agreement signed at a crowded ceremony in Abuja, a $ 3.3 billion medium term loan will come from local banks and international finance organizations; $2. 25 billion from the Economic Commission for Africa, ECA, and Dangote’s equity contribution of $3.50 billion.
$9bn refinery: —From left: Chief Executive Officer, GTB, Segun Agbaje; Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, London, Anil Dua; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote during agreement signing ceremony of US$3.3 billion facility for Dangote's $9bn Refinery /Petrochemical /Fertilizer Complex at Oklng Free Zone in Abuja,yesterdday.

$9bn refinery: —From left: Chief Executive Officer, GTB, Segun Agbaje; Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, London, Anil Dua; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote during agreement signing ceremony of US$3.3 billion facility for Dangote’s $9bn Refinery /Petrochemical /Fertilizer Complex at Oklng Free Zone in Abuja,yesterdday.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, also made a contribution of N50 billion with interest rate of 7 per cent to be repaid in 15 years.

Chairman of the group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, described the complex to be located at the OK-LNG Free Trade Zone, between Ogun and Ondo states, as the largest industrial complex in Nigeria’s history and that he embarked on the project as a demonstration of his confidence in the Nigerian economy.

His words: “As an investor who believes in Nigeria, knows Nigeria well and whose prosperity was made in Nigeria, we have responded to the challenge with our decision to invest $9 billion in a refinery/petrochemical and fertilizer complex to be located at the OK-LNG Free Trade Zone. This complex will be the largest industrial complex project ever in the history of our great nation.”

Lauds Jonathan
He commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country, saying “We are happy to inform your excellences that because of the improvement in the enabling environment for investment created during this present government’s tenure we have had excellent response from the international finance organizations and today we are here to sign the agreement for the medium term loan of $ 3.3 billion.”

Dangote said the project had effectively taken off, with the award of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction, EPC, contract to Saipem of Italy for the fertilizer plant, noting that the Basic Engineering Design and optimization for the refinery had also been awarded.

When completed, the chairman said, the fertilizer plant would produce 2.75 metric tons per annum of Urea and Ammonia; while the refinery would process 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

We ‘ll produce high grade petrol —Dangote
He said the refinery would produce a higher grade of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol, compared to imported ones, saying “in addition to high grade petrol, the refinery will produce: diesel, aviation fuel, household kerosene, slurry as raw material for carbon black, as well as 650,000 metric tons of polypropylene per annum. Our mission is to through industrialization, reverse the historical trend of the export of foreign exchange and jobs and replace it with foreign exchange conservation and job creation.”

Dangote added that the recent discovery and development of the shale oil and gas in “our traditional markets has further stressed the urgent need for us to diversify our economy on a fast track to avoid a reversal of the current steady improvement in all indices of economic performance.”

FG’s transformation agenda working—Sambo
Speaking, Vice President Namadi Sambo, called on other rich Nigerians to emulate Dangote who had invested in several sectors of the Nigerian economy as a demonstration of its confidence in the Nigerian economy.

Sambo said: “Let me use this medium to call on other prospective investors to take a que from the Dangoste group by seizing the opportunities offered by our various investment incentives; our economic policies, adequate market size, vast natural resources, arable land, labour capital and friendly environment to invest massively in Nigeria. We remain the number one investment destination in Africa and indeed all over the world. We are resolute in our effort to offer all the necessary support and encouragement for the private sector to thrive. The transformation agenda and the Vision 20:2020 cannot be actualized without the active participation of the private sector.

“The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has made significant inroads in the creation of the enabling environment for private sector investment. This ceremony underscores and it is indeed a testimony of the positive mark our policy measures and directives are making in stimulating private sector investment both from within and outside our country.”

The vice president said that the Dangote complex would go a long way to reduce products costs , increase industrialization and improve the general well-being of the people, particularly farmers who had been yearning for fertiliser to boost outputs.

He said with the coming on stream of the refinery and the petrochemical plant, “Nigeria will reclaim its place of pride as one of the largest exporters of fertilizer, refined products and other petrochemical products, to consolidate on its efforts in ensuring the rapid development and the contribution of Africa to the global economy.”

CBN to subsidise refineries
The CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who announced that the N50 billion cheap loan had been made available to Dangote for the complex, said that the institution was prepared to support the real sector of the economy by providing subsidies to create wealth across various sectors.

He said that the complex deal was made possible through “the culmination of the results of the various reforms that the CBN carried out under Professor Charles Soludo and himself to strengthen Nigerian banks to make them big enough to finance mega projects.

Sanusi addede that the the facility was ”a demonstration that Nigerian banks are lending to the real sectors of the economy”, adding, “lending to the agricultural sector has jumped by about 600 per cent since 1999.”

Petroleum Minister speaks
On her part, Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke expressed satisfaction with Dangote’s decision to establish one of the largest private refineries in the country and called on other investors to move into the sector as “Nigeria has the capacity to take more of these.”

In the same vein, the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Nigeria, Ms Bola Adesola, said: “Standard Chartered is proud to support the Dangote Group in a project which will significantly boost Nigeria’s economic productivity and create valuable jobs with specialist skills from key growth sectors. This project is an historic example of self-empowerment and leadership for the continent as a whole – and is made possible through effective partnerships between the Nigerian private sector, Government and international financial institutions. Standard Chartered remains committed to being here for good in Nigeria, and the region.”

Largest syndication by banks —Agbaje
The Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Segun Agbaje said: “This is the largest syndication by Banks in Nigeria and it is being undertaken with the knowledge that the successful implementation of Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer project will have far reaching implications for Nigeria’s economic growth.”

Other participating banks are Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Fidelity Bank Plc. First Bank Nigeria Limited, Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, UBA Plc, FirstRand Bank, First City Monument Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc.

Jonathan lauds Dangote
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan pledged that his administration will continue to implement policies that will continuously improve the operating environment for entrepreneurs and investors in the Nigerian economy.

Speaking at an audience with the President of the Dangote Group and leading Nigerian investors and bankers, President Jonathan said that his administration was fully committed to progressively removing all impediments to investment in Nigeria such as inadequate infrastructure and unsteady power supply.

The President lauded plans by Dangote Group to build Africa’s largest refinery, petro-chemicals and fertilizer manufacturing complex in Nigeria and thanked the consortium of banks who are providing a $3.3 billion credit facility for the project.

According to him, “we are pleased that you are now investing in refining, petro-chemicals and fertilizer production. It is the downstream sector of oil and gas that can really create many jobs. Your interest and investment in that area will help in the area of job creation which we had been emphasizing. You are also helping us to move away from being a mere producer of raw materials by adding value to our natural resources.”

Alhaji Dangote who led the team from his company, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, and Nigeria’s leading banks had earlier told the President that they were at the Presidential Villa to thank him for his administration’s policies which have greatly encouraged further investments in Nigeria.

Alhaji Dangote was accompanied by Chief Executives of participating banks including First Bank of Nigeria, UBA, Stanbic-IBTC, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Rand Merchant Bank.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Alhaji Dangote reiterated that Nigeria’s current fuel importation would end by 2016 when the proposed Dangote Petrochemical project come on stream

Alhaji Dangote said the project would create about 85,000 jobs for Nigerians at the initial stage and 8,000 engineers.

Others on his delegation included Chief Kola Jamodu, Mr. Femi Otedola, Mr. Jim Ovia and management executives of the Dangote Group.

Jobs prospect thrills Labour
Meanwhile, African region of Industril Global Union, representing 50 million workers in Nigeria and other part of the globe has commended the Dangote Group for the $9 billion loan agreement to set up an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Nigeria.

ABUJA—The Dangote Group Wednesday made history by signing of a combined $ 9.05 billion facility agreement with a consortium of local banks and international investors for the establishment of a refinery, and petrochemicals cum fertilizer complex in Nigeria.
Agreement
Under the agreement signed at a crowded ceremony in Abuja, a $ 3.3 billion medium term loan will come from local banks and international finance organizations; $2. 25 billion from the Economic Commission for Africa, ECA, and Dangote’s equity contribution of $3.50 billion.

$9bn refinery: —From left: Chief Executive Officer, GTB, Segun Agbaje; Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, London, Anil Dua; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote during agreement signing ceremony of US$3.3 billion facility for Dangote’s $9bn Refinery /Petrochemical /Fertilizer Complex at Oklng Free Zone in Abuja,yesterdday.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, also made a contribution of N50 billion with interest rate of 7 per cent to be repaid in 15 years.
Chairman of the group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, described the complex to be located at the OK-LNG Free Trade Zone, between Ogun and Ondo states, as the largest industrial complex in Nigeria’s history and that he embarked on the project as a demonstration of his confidence in the Nigerian economy.
His words: “As an investor who believes in Nigeria, knows Nigeria well and whose prosperity was made in Nigeria, we have responded to the challenge with our decision to invest $9 billion in a refinery/petrochemical and fertilizer complex to be located at the OK-LNG Free Trade Zone. This complex will be the largest industrial complex project ever in the history of our great nation.”
Lauds Jonathan
He commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country, saying “We are happy to inform your excellences that because of the improvement in the enabling environment for investment created during this present government’s tenure we have had excellent response from the international finance organizations and today we are here to sign the agreement for the medium term loan of $ 3.3 billion.”
Dangote said the project had effectively taken off, with the award of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction, EPC, contract to Saipem of Italy for the fertilizer plant, noting that the Basic Engineering Design and optimization for the refinery had also been awarded.
When completed, the chairman said, the fertilizer plant would produce 2.75 metric tons per annum of Urea and Ammonia; while the refinery would process 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
We ‘ll produce high grade petrol —Dangote
He said the refinery would produce a higher grade of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol, compared to imported ones, saying “in addition to high grade petrol, the refinery will produce: diesel, aviation fuel, household kerosene, slurry as raw material for carbon black, as well as 650,000 metric tons of polypropylene per annum. Our mission is to through industrialization, reverse the historical trend of the export of foreign exchange and jobs and replace it with foreign exchange conservation and job creation.”

*Alhaji Aliko Dangote

Dangote added that the recent discovery and development of the shale oil and gas in “our traditional markets has further stressed the urgent need for us to diversify our economy on a fast track to avoid a reversal of the current steady improvement in all indices of economic performance.”
FG’s transformation agenda working—Sambo
Speaking, Vice President Namadi Sambo, called on other rich Nigerians to emulate Dangote who had invested in several sectors of the Nigerian economy as a demonstration of its confidence in the Nigerian economy.
Sambo said: “Let me use this medium to call on other prospective investors to take a que from the Dangoste group by seizing the opportunities offered by our various investment incentives; our economic policies, adequate market size, vast natural resources, arable land, labour capital and friendly environment to invest massively in Nigeria. We remain the number one investment destination in Africa and indeed all over the world. We are resolute in our effort to offer all the necessary support and encouragement for the private sector to thrive. The transformation agenda and the Vision 20:2020 cannot be actualized without the active participation of the private sector.
“The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has made significant inroads in the creation of the enabling environment for private sector investment. This ceremony underscores and it is indeed a testimony of the positive mark our policy measures and directives are making in stimulating private sector investment both from within and outside our country.”
The vice president said that the Dangote complex would go a long way to reduce products costs , increase industrialization and improve the general well-being of the people, particularly farmers who had been yearning for fertiliser to boost outputs.
He said with the coming on stream of the refinery and the petrochemical plant, “Nigeria will reclaim its place of pride as one of the largest exporters of fertilizer, refined products and other petrochemical products, to consolidate on its efforts in ensuring the rapid development and the contribution of Africa to the global economy.”
CBN to subsidise refineries
The CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who announced that the N50 billion cheap loan had been made available to Dangote for the complex, said that the institution was prepared to support the real sector of the economy by providing subsidies to create wealth across various sectors.
He said that the complex deal was made possible through “the culmination of the results of the various reforms that the CBN carried out under Professor Charles Soludo and himself to strengthen Nigerian banks to make them big enough to finance mega projects.
Sanusi addede that the the facility was ”a demonstration that Nigerian banks are lending to the real sectors of the economy”, adding, “lending to the agricultural sector has jumped by about 600 per cent since 1999.”
Petroleum Minister speaks
On her part, Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke expressed satisfaction with Dangote’s decision to establish one of the largest private refineries in the country and called on other investors to move into the sector as “Nigeria has the capacity to take more of these.”
In the same vein, the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Nigeria, Ms Bola Adesola, said: “Standard Chartered is proud to support the Dangote Group in a project which will significantly boost Nigeria’s economic productivity and create valuable jobs with specialist skills from key growth sectors. This project is an historic example of self-empowerment and leadership for the continent as a whole – and is made possible through effective partnerships between the Nigerian private sector, Government and international financial institutions. Standard Chartered remains committed to being here for good in Nigeria, and the region.”
Largest syndication by banks —Agbaje
The Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Segun Agbaje said: “This is the largest syndication by Banks in Nigeria and it is being undertaken with the knowledge that the successful implementation of Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer project will have far reaching implications for Nigeria’s economic growth.”
Other participating banks are Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Fidelity Bank Plc. First Bank Nigeria Limited, Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, UBA Plc, FirstRand Bank, First City Monument Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc.
Jonathan lauds Dangote
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan pledged that his administration will continue to implement policies that will continuously improve the operating environment for entrepreneurs and investors in the Nigerian economy.
Speaking at an audience with the President of the Dangote Group and leading Nigerian investors and bankers, President Jonathan said that his administration was fully committed to progressively removing all impediments to investment in Nigeria such as inadequate infrastructure and unsteady power supply.
The President lauded plans by Dangote Group to build Africa’s largest refinery, petro-chemicals and fertilizer manufacturing complex in Nigeria and thanked the consortium of banks who are providing a $3.3 billion credit facility for the project.
According to him, “we are pleased that you are now investing in refining, petro-chemicals and fertilizer production. It is the downstream sector of oil and gas that can really create many jobs. Your interest and investment in that area will help in the area of job creation which we had been emphasizing. You are also helping us to move away from being a mere producer of raw materials by adding value to our natural resources.”
Alhaji Dangote who led the team from his company, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, and Nigeria’s leading banks had earlier told the President that they were at the Presidential Villa to thank him for his administration’s policies which have greatly encouraged further investments in Nigeria.
Alhaji Dangote was accompanied by Chief Executives of participating banks including First Bank of Nigeria, UBA, Stanbic-IBTC, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Rand Merchant Bank.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Alhaji Dangote reiterated that Nigeria’s current fuel importation would end by 2016 when the proposed Dangote Petrochemical project come on stream
Alhaji Dangote said the project would create about 85,000 jobs for Nigerians at the initial stage and 8,000 engineers.
Others on his delegation included Chief Kola Jamodu, Mr. Femi Otedola, Mr. Jim Ovia and management executives of the Dangote Group.
Jobs prospect thrills Labour
Meanwhile, African region of Industril Global Union, representing 50 million workers in Nigeria and other part of the globe has commended the Dangote Group for the $9 billion loan agreement to set up an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Nigeria.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/dangote-signs-9bn-deal-to-build-oil-refinery-petrochemical-complex/#sthash.Mskl8zSB.dpuf

FG Approves Five-Year Jail Term For Exam Cheats

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The Federal Executive Council has approved the amendment to an Act of the West African Examinations Council, part of which will make culprits of examination malpractice to be liable to five-year jail term or N200,000 fine or both.

The Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyat Rufai, announced this in Abuja on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting. He addressed journalists in company with her counterpart in the Health and Environment ministries, Onyebuchi Chukwu and Hadza Mailafia, respectively.

Rufai said the decision of the meeting, which was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, was to “give effect to the revised convention of WAEC, 2003 in Nigeria.”

She said the Council had subsequently directed the Ministry of Justice to take further necessary action on the subject.

Rufai had recently presented a memo to FEC, seeking its approval for the enactment of an Act to amend the WAEC Act, CAP W4, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004 with the aim of giving effect to the revised convention of WAEC, 2003 in the country.

The 2004 Act, “empowers WAEC to take disciplinary action against those who have committed both the offences and penalties for illegally using examination papers and leakage of examination papers.”

Section 19(1) of the Act reads in part, “Such candidate shall not take or be allowed to take or continue the examination; in addition, he shall be prohibited from taking any examination held or conducted by or on behalf of the Council for a period of two years immediately following upon such contraventions.

“If a candidate aforesaid has already taken any papers at the examination, his result therefrom shall be cancelled.

“In addition, the candidate may be prosecuted and if found guilty, shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N200, 000 or imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

The sub-continental examination body was established in 1952 following the acceptance of the Jeffery Report by the then colonial governments in Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia and later joined by Liberia in 1974.

I Didn’t Abandon Daniel – Teenage Stowaway’s Father

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Two weeks after his son flew from Benin City to Lagos in the wheel compartment of an aircraft belonging to Arik Air, Daniel Ohikhena’s father denies claims that he abandoned his family, writes JAMES AZANIA

Little is known about Daniel Ohikhena, the 13-year-old stowaway who flew from Benin City to Lagos in the wheel compartment of a plane belonging to Arik Air, by his schoolmates at Ogbe Junior Secondary School in the Edo State capital.

Shortly before his celebrated escapade, Daniel’s mother, Mrs. Evelyn Ohikhena, had withdrawn him from a private secondary school for want of money to pay his tuition fees. She had enrolled him in OJSS, which was about 500 metres from her residence.

Investigation by our correspondent shows that the teenager had spent only a term in his new school before embarking on the dangerous adventure. A source said, on condition of anonymity, that Daniel joined the school, popularly known as ‘Ezoti Junior’ just before the end of the third term.

A youth named Festus, who also resides in the same neighbourhood as the stowaway boy, said the latter was not popular in the area.

“We hardly know him. It was recently that we heard he lives in the neighbourhood. I have not seen much of him. He was very quiet at school. I have not known him for long,” he said.

However, events took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when the boy’s father, Osaigbovo Ohikhena, 44, materialised as if from nowhere. Earlier, his wife (Daniel’s mother) had claimed that they did not live together.

Mr. Ohikhena, who is a driver by profession, said he had been separated from his family for a year because of a misunderstanding between him and Daniel’s mum. But he denied the latter’s claim that he abandoned his family.

“I always pay my children’s school fees and provide money for their feeding regularly, contrary to claims that I abandoned my family. After I lost my job, I decided to move to a cheaper apartment and told my wife that they should move in with me. But she refused and continued to stay in the three-bedroom flat. My new residence is located on Siluko Road. I decided to come here (Government House) to tell the world that I am the father of Daniel.

“Initially, when I heard the news, I thought my son was kidnapped. But my wife said I should calm down and she promised to get back to me when everything is finally okay. I never dreamt of going to America nor am I married to another woman. My wife refused to give the DSS my phone number when they asked for it,” he said.

Giving an insight to what could have been responsible for the teenager’s strange behaviour, an expert and sociologist at the University of Benin, Dr Kingsley Omoyibo, described him as suffering from maladjusted personality, due to inability to mix. Omoyibo did not only warn against labelling the teenager a criminal because of his action; he recommended that the youngster be made to undergo rehabilitation.

Noting that what happened to Daniel could have resulted from his experience in his home, the don urged the boy’s parents to live up to their responsibilities in order to prevent untoward behaviour from their children in the future.

He said, “Like we learnt, the boy is a recluse. He has a withdrawn personality because he does not mix. This is why he acts the way he does. This condition is capable of making him do damage not only to himself, but to his siblings and his immediate environment.

“The boy needs to be rehabilitated. Although we cannot say that his attempt to stowaway in the wheel compartment of an aircraft is criminal behaviour, it is a devious act that must have been propelled by lack of adequate parental care. I do not know the background, but what we can extrapolate from this is that the home is not stable.

“You will find out that there is a lacuna in the upbringing of the boy and consequently, it has affected the way he reasons and appreciates societal issues. The way he sees the complexity of society is different from a child that has complete socialization. The boy is suffering from maladjusted personality.

“Indeed, that child, I still maintain, is not a criminal. In the process of maladjustment, he is exposed to odious things. For a child to keep all night watching films, it tells a lot about his state of mind.”

Now that a group known as De RAUFS has offered the teenage stowaway scholarship up to university level, it is the duty of his parents to seek ways of reshaping his character for a better future.

Tukur Threatens Senators, Reps Backing New PDP … Says Their Seats’ll Be Declared Vacant

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The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, on Wednesday warned that the seats of about 124 PDP members in the  National Assembly would be declared vacant if they failed to withdraw their loyalty to the breakaway faction of the party known as the New PDP.

Tukur, at a news conference at the Wadata House headquarters of the party in Abuja, also described the promoters of the New PDP as “undemocratic and unpatriotic elements,” who are bent on destroying “our common destiny.”

But he was referred to as “a joker” by the leader of the faction, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje,  and the spokesperson for  the House of Representatives, Zakari Mohammed,  who advised him to study the Electoral Act properly before making a pronouncement on such an issue.

On Monday, 26 senators and 57 House of Representatives members announced  their loyalty to the New PDP which other key officials are a former National Secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,   and  a former Deputy National Chairman,  Dr. Sam Jaja.

 Forty five members of the House of Representatives had  earlier  identified with  the group that also  has  a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar;   Governors  Sule Lamido(Jigawa);  Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara);   Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); and Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano), in its fold.

An angry-looking Tukur  said at the brief news conference that  the leadership of the PDP would do everything within  its powers to deal with anyone that attempted to undermine the authority of the party.

He  added, “All persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.

“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed,  any other individuals who attempt to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.

“I wish to emphasise that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members are therefore advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium.

“There is only one lawfully recognised PDP and I am firmly in charge.”

Referring to Baraje, Oyinlola, and Jaja as “impostors,” Tukur, who was flanked by the majority of the members of  the newly constituted  National Working Committee of the party,   enjoined the Police and other security agencies to treat them as such.

He said, “Gentlemen of the press, you are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being here is  to inform you without any iota of doubt that the PDP has no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a claim under any guise.

“The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee under my chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such.

“Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and which,  in the last 14 years  has lifted high,  the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some  undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.

“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

Tukur refused to  field  questions from journalists  after the short press briefing.

But,   Baraje declared  Tukur and those in the  PDP NWC  as unfit to lead the ruling party.

Baraje said, “They are all jokers. They don’t know what is party politics. We are not surprised because  they are  ignorant of party politics.

“In any case, the process of declaring the  seats of members of the national or state assembly vacant or calling  lawmakers back is well known in the constitution. To  wake up and say he is going to recall people back or declare their seats vacant  shows that he is ignorant.

“Tukur  is not fit to to be called the national chairman of the PDP.”

In the House of Representatives, its spokesman, Mohammed, who is also  one of the 57 members of the House that on Monday declared support for the New PDP,  said Tukur ‘should study the Electoral Act properly, before jumping to conclusions.”

His counterpart in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, could not be reached for comments as his mobile telephone number indicated that he was out of reach. A text message sent to him was not responded to.

Gov Okorocha Apologizes To Churches, Orders Repeal Of ‘Abortion Law’

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Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha yesterday apologized to churches in the state over the controversial law legalizing abortion in the state made by the state House of Assembly.

The Governor therefore ordered the State House of Assembly to repeal the law without delay to assuage the feeling of the church.

Okorocha who said this at the Ikemba Ojukwu Convention Center, Owerri noted that the appeal to the House of Assembly became imperative because of the misrepresentation of the law by the people not withstanding that some aspects of the law were still relevant.

According to him since the federal law has “taken care of the situation there was no need of repeating it.”

He explained that as president of Rochas Foundation primarily set up to take care of abandoned children he could not have been in support of any law against life.

“We should not only think of amending the law but repeal it completely,” the Governor said.

The Catholic Bishop of Owerri has last week raised alarm over the law recently passed by the House of Assembly describing it as anti life and called for its repeal.

NGF: Jang Knows He Did Not Win Any Election – Amaechi

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Rivers State governor and chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chibuike Amaechi said there was the need to uphold democracy in the country where aspirants should simply accept victory or concede defeat, saying that Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang knew that he did not win the NGF election.

Amaechi, who stated this yesterday when a delegation of the Senators’ Forum of Nigeria visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the senators for intervening in the crisis rocking the NGF, describing them as  patriotic.

He said: “I thank you for coming. It shows how patriotic you are, that you think that anything that will scuttle democracy or affect the progress of democracy in Nigeria must be addressed. You are not under any obligation to sort out anything happening in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

“I thank you for visiting my friend, the governor of Plateau State. Like you know, he did not win the election and if he was sincere he should have confessed to you that he did not win the election.

“I hope that when you visited him you encouraged him to uphold democracy because democracy is about elections and it is about a party accepting victory and another party accepting defeat and working together for the progress of the institutions for which they have decided to compete or contest to administer.”

Earlier in his speech, the acting chairman of the Senators’ Forum of Nigeria, Senator John K. Brambaifa, said they took up the peace initiative because of their concern about the current political developments that threaten national polity.

Brambaifa said: “Accordingly, we deem it pertinent to seek your kind permission to intervene for quick resolution of disputes that are likely to threaten our national polity and peaceful co-existence.

“You will recall that the Senate and indeed the National Assembly had cause in the past and, even more recently, to intervene on some issues and challenges to our national unity, growth and development.

“The Forum, in discharge of its mandate, had resolved to consult major stakeholders in the country with a view to strengthening and consolidating our democracy. It is in the light of this resolve that the Forum, through our letter dated August 21st 2013, wrote seeking audience with your Excellency to discuss matters of urgent national importance, with a view to bringing down the political tempo and douse the tension.”