Barring any unforeseen changes, the House of Representatives has scheduled June 17, 18 and 19 for the resumption of the probe of the lease and maintenance of a private jet by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the cost of N10 billion for the personal use of the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Equally, the House Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which met yesterday morning, has so far collated evidence from Excujet Hanger and Vistajet, two private companies connected to the jet charter deal.
It has also received memos from undisclosed whistle blowers, who have indicated interest to appear before the committee to testify.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed (APC, Kwara), disclosed this to journalists yesterday, adding that a new batch of invitations had been prepared and would be sent out to invitees ahead of the period slated for the hearing in about two weeks.
Other bodies PAC would reach out to are the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other relevant agencies in the aviation industry.
Assuring Nigerians that there was no need to lose hope over the conduct of the probe and its outcome, Mohammed, who is also a member of PAC, said the committee would turn in its report on the floor of the House before the lower chamber goes on recess by the end of July.
“We don't want to stampede invitees. We are not after anybody, but to expose what is not right,” Mohammed said.
On the allegations that the House has been compromised and cannot carry on with the probe, the lawmaker stated: “These are imaginary aspersions about favours exchanging hands. But I want to say the House is clean.”
On whether the petroleum minister would show up for the probe hearings, Mohammed said the House had not embarked on a witch-hunt against the minister.
“If you are invited and you refuse, under the law we will subpoena you,” he said.
“But it has not got to that stage. I believe with the calibre of people we are expecting, we hope they will all turn up,” he added.
On the fissure between the executive arm and the House over the refusal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to attend a PAC hearing, which the latter insisted it must get clearance from the presidency to do so, Mohammed said: “If the ministry says so, then it means some people are trying to impede the House’s functions. As an arm of government, we will not be stopped from discharging our responsibilities.”
Despite the determination of the House to proceed with the probe of the charter of private jets for the personal use of the minister and her family, Alison-Madueke and NNPC yesterday filed a fresh suit against the Senate and the House of Representatives at the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging the powers of the legislature to probe the lease of the aircraft.
The new suit was filed on her behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN). The first suit filed by Mr. Etigwe Uwa (SAN) is still pending and will come up before Justice Ahmed Mohammed also of a Federal High Court on Monday.
The new case raises the issue of whether the minister and NNPC has the power to deduct from the revenue in their custody to settle third party debts before remitting the net proceeds to the Federation Account.
After posing five questions for the court's determination, Ozekhome sought 10 reliefs all of which are to the effect that the National Assembly lacks the powers to probe the minister and the NNPC and that such probe is the duty of anti-graft agencies.
In the suit, the minister and the NNPC are challenging the powers of the lawmakers under sections 88 and 89 and 214 of the Constitution.
In the main, Ozekhome has also written to the Clerk of the National Assembly to inform the two legislative houses to stop issuing further invitations to the minister until the suit has been determined.
Among other reliefs, the minister and NNPC asked the court to issue a perpetual injunction to restrain the lawmakers from “interfering or further interfering with their power to make deductions at source from their gross earnings for purposes of settling debts it owed to third parties, including other expenses and contractual obligations, before paying the net sum thereof into the Federation Account under Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered”.
They are also asking the court for a declaration that by virtue of
Sections 88, 89 and 214 of the constitution, the respondents (the Senate and the House of Representatives) or any of their committees are not legally and constitutionally empowered and/or competent to personally/physically probe or conduct investigations into allegations of fraud, corruption or other criminal activities said to have occurred in the agencies under the applicants’ supervision or control, when there exist agencies that are legally and constitutionally empowered to carry out such investigations into alleged fraud or other criminal conduct and prosecute offenders upon the conclusion of their investigations.
They further asked the court to declare that by virtue of the said provisions, the respondents “are not legally empowered to personally and/or physically probe or conduct investigations into allegations of fraud, corruption or other criminal activities said to have occurred in the agencies under the applicants’ supervision or control when such probe or investigation is not for the purpose of enabling the respondents make laws or correct any defect in existing laws”.
They also said Section 8 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act Cap. L12 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 preclude the lawmakers from summoning them for the purpose of giving evidence and or producing any papers, books, records or other documents which relate to the unpublished official records of the applicants without the consent of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria first and obtained by the respondents or their committees.
They asked the court to declare that the lawmakers acted above their powers and functions by sending out invitations to them and agencies under their control when such invitations were not for the purpose of enabling the respondents make laws or correct any defect in an existing law.
Other reliefs sought by them are: “A declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 7 (4) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Act, Cap. N123, Section 1 (2) and section 2 (1) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (Projects) Act, Cap. N124, thereof, deductions can be made at source from the gross revenue accruing to the second applicant (NNPC), for the purposes of settling debts it owes to third parties, including payment of expenses and other contractual obligations, before paying the net sum thereof into the Federation Account under Section 162 of the Constitution of the1999, as altered;
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further conducting direct personal or physical probes, inquiries and/or investigations into any alleged fraud, corruption or other criminal activities in the agencies under the applicant’s supervision or control;
"An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from summoning the applicants or any agencies under the applicants’ supervision or control, to appear before them for the purpose of giving evidence and/or producing any papers, books, records or other documents, which relate to the unpublished official records of the applicants without the consent of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and obtained by the respondents or their committees;
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further sending out invitations to the applicants for the purpose of appearing before them to answer to allegations of fraud, corruption, or other criminal activities in the agencies under the applicants’ supervision or control, when such invitations are not for the purpose of enabling the respondents make laws or to correct any defects in existing laws; and
“An order of this court that the respondents restrict themselves only to causing or directing the appropriate bodies or agencies of government, that is, the police, the EFCC, ICPC, or any other agency so authorised by law, to conduct such probes or investigations with respect to allegations of fraud, corruption, or other criminal offences alleged to have occurred in the agencies under the applicants’ supervision, or control.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday stayed away from their respective schools to protest the abduction of more than 200 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, over five weeks ago.
The president of the teachers' union, Mr. Michael Alogba Olukoya, who issued the directive in Abuja on Wednesday, said the teachers would also protest the killing of 173 teachers by members of the Boko Haram sect.
He said the complete shutdown of schools would force the government to put in more efforts to rescue the girls who were abducted on April 14.
Consequently, teachers in various states nationwide, not only stayed away from classes, they organised protest rallies in their various states.
The teachers were joined in Abuja by the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners, who led a mammoth crowd including civil society groups in protest to demand more action on the kidnapped girls.
But the protesters in Abuja who had planned to march to the Presidential Villa to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan to register their protest, were rebuffed by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
Instead, the protesters were met by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, Minister of State for the FCT, Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide, and other members of the cabinet, who called for a united front against terrorism and cautioned against the politicisation of the campaign against terror.
During their interaction with the campaigners, the president through Akinjide assured them of the safe return of the girls, adding that he was also at pains at their plight.
Addressing the protesters from a letter written by the president, Akinjide said the protests should be directed at the terrorists that have unleashed mayhem on the country.
He also cautioned against attacking the military that continues to fight and lose their lives “while we all sleep”.
“Our security forces are among the best trained in Africa… We must never lose sight of the fact that we have a common enemy,” he said.
The president also described as “wrong and unfair” suggestions that the government was slow to act following the abduction of the schoolgirls, adding that he had been holding daily meetings with security agencies since the incident.
The president’s letter read in part: “For a government that has placed so much premium on addressing major areas of reform and development in the nation, especially the development of women and the girl-child through increased investment in girl-child education and added opportunity for women, this wicked act has been indeed very painful.
“Our present world is under the grip of terrorism. Yesterday, a market in China where ordinary people go to shop was bombed. Two days ago, terrorists visited our beautiful town of Jos and detonated bombs killing scores of people.
“The communities of Kano, Maiduguri, Abuja, Nyanya, Madallah, amongst others, have at various times been bombed. Churches, mosques, parks and newspaper houses have not been spared. Terrorists and their sponsors have brought terrorism to our land. This is sad. This we must resist.
“In the last three weeks, our country has been in the spotlight. Some evil individuals who call themselves Boko Haram abducted our daughters, the future mothers of our nation, and have refused to release them.
“This evil act has sparked protests all over the world. This is as it should be. There must be a united movement for the release of our daughters and that movement must now be turned into a united action against terrorism.
“Government has mobilised available resources, military and diplomatic, in the search for our girls who have suffered so much trauma in captivity by agents of terror.
“From the very first day this kidnapping occurred, the federal government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors. The search for our daughters has now assumed regional and global proportions and our nation has received strong support from our neighbouring countries and the international community including the United States, China, France and the United Kingdom, among others.
“The security forces also reached out to the Borno State Government and community members for support and collaboration to bring back our innocent daughters. So far, the campaign to bring our daughters back home is on, and is receiving global support.
“Nigeria in collaboration with Chad, Cameroun and Benin Republic have all agreed to establish a single centre for sharing intelligence on the activities of terrorists across our boundaries.
“Apart from those efforts in the public space, I have personally initiated consultations with so many stakeholders, to explore alternative methods of resolving this crisis. It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping.
“As the Commander-in-Chief, I meet with the security chiefs almost daily, and I am also in constant consultations with regional and global partners on these terrorist threats.
“This is why I want to appeal to your group and others through this medium, that it is important that your genuine patriotic zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation in expressing concern and sentiments on this matter and other matters of terrorism.
“As early as January 23, 2013, I asked the world for help in tackling terrorism at Davos, Switzerland. I later met with President Barack Obama during the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2013 where I requested for US support.
“Government believes that we all must come together to fight terrorism and that protests should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters and deprived them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country.
“Our security forces are among the best trained in Africa. They are making so much sacrifice in the fight against terror. As we sleep daily, they are in the field confronting the enemy. They need our support, not attacks and discouragement.
“When terrorists see Nigerians turn on each other in blame it gives them a huge morale boost. We must never lose sight of the fact that terrorists are the real enemy.
“We would like to encourage civil society groups to use their influence to encourage Nigerians to supply useful information to the security services using the emergency number 112. Citizens must protect citizens if our civilisation is to prosper.”
Anyim also expressed the appreciation of the federal government to the protesters for comporting themselves in an orderly manner.
The protesters had earlier handed over a letter enumerating 10 questions for the president to the delegation.
Pre-selected protesters read out the questions after the first one by the wife of the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Mrs. Maryam Uwais.
Some of the questions demanded to know why the president had not visited Chibok to commiserate with the affected families; why the security forces were not effective in fighting and curbing the activities of the Boko Haram sect; and what minimum safety standards are currently in place for soft targets.
Others asked the president to explain the scale and magnitude of what Nigeria is dealing with in terms of the insurgency.
The protesters led by former a Vice-President of the World Bank, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili and Coordinator Hadiza Bala Usman, took off from the Unity Fountain, their convergence point, at 3.42 pm.
The procession chanted “Bring Back Our Girls”, using the tune of John Lennon’s classic “Give Peace a Chance”, and bore placards with inscriptions: “We Are All from Chibok”, “We Condemn Terrorism”, “All we want is Peace”, “Religion is not Politics”, etc.
However, as they got to the Federal Secretariat en route to the Presidential Villa, policemen forming human barricades, bearing batons and shields, blocked all roads leading to the villa, until Anyim and members of the cabinet came out to meet with them.
Throughout the rally, Ezekwesili appealed to the protesters to remain calm and comport themselves as law-abiding citizens.
Ezekwesili, responding to the president's letter lamented that the president had missed a “colossal opportunity” to address Nigerians, adding that none of the issues raised by the protesters was addressed by the president's letter.
Jonathan to Meet African Leaders
But in furtherance of the government’s war against terrorism, the president will today head to Pretoria, South Africa for high-level discussions with other African heads of state and government on combating terrorism on the continent.
The continent’s five regions will each be represented by two heads of state and government at the talks, which will focus on a collective action to effectively roll back the scourge of terrorism in Africa.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, others expected at the talks, which will take place ahead of President Jacob Zuma’s inauguration for a new term in office, include the leaders of Ghana, Republic of Congo, Chad, Angola, Rwanda, South Africa, Mauritania, Algeria and Ethiopia.
“President Jonathan who will be accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali and some key aides, and will return to Abuja after attending President Zuma’s inauguration on Saturday,” the statement said.
CDS Ordered to Investigate Jos Bombings
Also, the president has ordered the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh, to proceed to Jos, Plateau State, to strengthen investigations into Tuesday’s twin bombings which rocked the central area of the city.
The president was reported to have given the order on Wednesday, but this was made public yesterday in Abuja, by the Coordinator of the National Briefing Centre on Terrorism and Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri.
Omeri also said the federal government welcomes the growing international support towards the search for the 200 plus abducted girls, adding that the foreign support would help in the safe rescue of the girls and the return of normalcy to the North-eastern part of the country.
“There was an incident in Jos as a result of which the president has directed the Chief of Defence Staff to proceed to Jos to conduct the investigation into the incident for further assessment of the situation on the ground,” he said.
Boko Haram Kills 29 in Fresh Attack
Despite the repeated assurance by the government to stop the activities of the terrorist sect, the violence continued when Boko Haram attacked yet another Borno village on Wednesday, resulting in the death of 29 persons.
The repeated attacks by the sect have forced Nigerians living in communities bordering Cameroun to migrate to the Francophone country.
The latest attack occurred in Chukungduoa village, a community in Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
Chukungduoa is a few kilometres from Gamboru, which was attacked two weeks ago and left in its trail over 300 dead persons.
Wednesday’s attack, according to a resident, Mallam Bakura Mustapha Alhaji, occurred barely 10 days after the withdrawal of military personnel from the village.
Sources said the gunmen drove into the village in 15 vehicles and several motorcycles and were armed with AK47 rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs.
It was gathered that they stormed the village at about 11am and opened fire on unarmed residents, killing 29 people, while most of the houses and shops in the village were razed.
Another source said apart from those killed, there were several injured people, but many residents of the village who sustained gunshot wounds “are now receiving treatment at one of the hospitals in Cameroun Republic”.
He said all buildings in the village were completely razed, with only three structures left untouched by the attackers.
He said the 29 bodies were still littering the community as the villagers had fled.
“As I speak, we have counted 29 dead bodies lying on the streets. The whole houses and shops were razed, the village is deserted with no presence of security operatives.
“Some of our people have fled to Gamboru Ngala Council Area, while others fled into neighbouring Camerounian villages. Please I am appealing to you to tell government about the situation in which we find ourselves, it is really shocking,” he told journalists on the phone.
All efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jubrin, to respond did not yield any result as at press time, but a top security source who was not authorised to speak to the press, confirmed the incident.
UN Blacklists Boko Haram, Imposes Sanctions
In response to the monster that Boko Haram has become, the United Nations yesterday imposed sanctions on the sect, blacklisting it as an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organisation.
The terror designation, which was immediately welcomed by the United States, subjects Boko Haram to an arms embargo and asset freeze, though it remains unclear what practical impact this would have.
“Boko Haram is now listed on the United Nations’ Al-Qaeda sanctions list,” said Australian Ambassador Gary Quinlan, chair of the Al-Qaeda sanctions committee.
“We will work to try and make sure that anyone providing material assistance to Boko Haram, whether funding or arms, will in effect be stopped,” he told reporters in New York.
Quinlan said there was “very clear evidence” that Boko Haram had trained extensively with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, particularly on developing bombs.
A significant number of Boko Haram personnel had fought alongside Al-Qaeda affiliates in Mali and their leader had made strong statements of solidarity with Al-Qaeda franchises, he added.
US Ambassador Samantha Power hailed the sanctions as “an important step” to support Nigeria in defeating “Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities”.
Experts, however, questioned whether sanctions will have a real impact given that the group is based in an area that operates on a cash economy.
However, it was Nigeria that requested the Boko Haram terror designation, with Jonathan calling the group “Al-Qaeda in Western and Central Africa,” portraying it as a threat to regional stability.
The US and a number of other countries have already designated Boko Haram a terrorist organisation in an attempt to cut off any overseas funding for the group.
Power said Washington would continue doing everything possible to help bring back the kidnapped girls and to work with the government of Nigeria to eliminate Boko Haram.
Teachers Protest
Meanwhile, hundreds of teachers of public primary and secondary schools nationwide expressed their anger over the prolonged delay in locating and rescuing the schoolgirls by staying away from their respective schools.
The teachers also protested the killing of 173 of their colleagues by Boko Haram, demanding that the government must provide security at schools, especially in the northern section of the country.
In Lagos, the teachers took their protest to the Governor’s Office and called on the government to bring back the girls. Some of their placards read: ‘Girl-child Slavery is Haram, Bring Back our Girls’; ‘All of the Girls Must be Released Now’; ‘We Want our Girls Back’; and ‘Pray for our Girls to Return Home’.
In a letter addressed to Governor Babatunde Fashola, the teachers demanded the release of the girls, saying they had been depressed since the students were kidnapped more than a month ago.
Likewise, the Values-based Civil Society Organisation of Nigeria staged its protest in Surulere area of the state, calling on the federal government to map out strategies to secure the release of the girls and return them home safely.
The Coordinator of the body, Mr. Sonnie Ekwowusi, said: “What we have done today is to demonstrate that the girls who were kidnapped are part of the human society and we decided to seek for their freedom because it is their right to be free.”
The coalition marched from Union Bank Sports Field through Adeniran Ogunsanya to Eric Moore and Bode Thomas.
In Lokoja, Kogi State, teachers also joined the BringBackOurGirls protest as directed by the NUT.
Although THISDAY gathered that primary school teachers in the state have been on strike due to the non-payment of their four months salaries and allowances, the secondary schools observed the directive by closing down their various schools.
However, academic activities went on smoothly in private schools across the state.
In a chat with THISDAY, the state chairman of NUT, Mr. Abdullahi Suleiman, said though the teachers in the state-owned primary schools were on strike, the teachers decided to collaborate with their counterparts in the union.
It was the same effect in Osun State yesterday when academic activities came to an abrupt halt as the teachers in the state stayed away from their duty posts, after pupils and students who had earlier resumed for normal studies were dispersed and sent back home.
The state chairman of the union, Mr. Saka Adesiyan, urged the federal government to put in extra efforts to tackle the insurgence to allow peace in the country.
The protest took place in all the 30 local government areas of the state with a call on Nigerians to be vigilant so as to avoid another Chibok experience.
However, the protest failed to take place in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as teachers in public schools did not initially hold any such rally, saying they were not informed about the protest, even though the directive nationwide curiously emanated from Abuja, the seat of power. Therefore teachers in public schools across the FCT went about their daily duties.
At the Model Secondary School, Maitama, classes continued as usual. THISDAY visited the school premises at about 11am, and only a few students were walking around, others were in their classrooms.
But after a while, the FCT chapter of the NUT which gathered in Zone 7, Wuse now had a mini rally that ended up with a prayer session, beseeching God to rescue the girls.
Chairman of the NUT FCT, Mr. Hassan Jibir, said the abducted girls were left in the care of teachers to train because of the trust parents had in them.
In the same vein, no fewer than 200 teachers drawn from the 17 local government areas of Enugu State yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest in solidarity with their colleagues across the country to express their displeasure over the abduction of the Chibok girls.
Clad in black attire, with some adorning the uniform of the NUT, the aggrieved teachers also protested against the killing of 173 teachers in Borno and Yobe States by the Boko Haram Islamic group, asking government to find an end to the senseless destruction of lives and property in the North-east.
It was however observed that schools in the state were not shut down as a result of the teachers’ protest as teachers were selected from the schools in the state to represent their colleagues.
Led by their chairman, Mr. Paul Nnaji, the teachers carried placards with several inscriptions like: Bring Back our Girls; Save our Schools; Education is a Right; Chibok Girls must be brought Back to School; Pay compensation to Families of Murdered Teachers; Support Government to Crush insurgents; and We taught you, Don’t kill Us’, among others.
The teachers were equally protected by security operatives such as the police, SSS, and civil defence corps in order to ward off the possible hijack of the protest by hoodlums. They later marched to the Government House where they handed over their protest letter to Governor Sullivan Chime who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Inter-Party Relations and Conflict Resolutions, Chris Asadu.
Responding, Asadu said: “Our prayer is that those innocent girls will be released soonest and in good health.”
Similarly, the Sokoto State chapter of the NUT yesterday conducted a peaceful demonstration. Members of the union, who filed out in large numbers for the protest marched to the Government House, carrying several placards to send their message.
Some of the placards read: "Save our Schools; Pay compensation to Families of Murdered Teachers; Support government to crush insurgency; You have killed 173 teachers but have not killed our Patriotism".
Speaking in Sokoto yesterday, state Chairman of the NUT, Mr. Cika Maidamma Alkamawa, said the demonstrating teachers were angry over the abduction of the over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok.
He lamented that over 173 teachers had been killed by the Boko Haram insurgents without any reason while the school system had suffered as a result of the recurring violence in the north, appealing to the Boko Haram insurgents to release the girls without any condition.
"The innocent schoolgirls are raw materials for the nation's future development. We therefore, appeal to Boko Haram to bring back our girls alive,"Alkamawa added.
Responding, Governor Aliyu Wamakko described the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok as cruel and unprecedented in the country.
As it was in the FCT, Kaduna teachers shunned the protest as public schools remained open.
THISDAY observed that both private and public schools in the metropolis, especially areas like Sabon -Tasha, Narayi, Kakuri, Television, Independence Way, Kawo, Angwan Sarki and Hayin Banki opened for normal activities.
One of the teachers at Government Secondary School, Narayi, told THISDAY that they were not informed about any plan to close schools today in solidarity with the kidnapped Chibok girls.
"We are not aware of the NUT directive to close the schools today. Nobody informed us about it. If they had informed us you will not see us in the school.
“We have been praying for the release of the girls and we will support any move that will lead to their release.” she stated.
But teachers in Cross River State fully complied with the directive as the teachers in the state’s public schools turned back their pupils and students who had come to school.
Chairman of NUT in the state, Mr. Eyo-Nsa Itam, who addressed his colleagues yesterday said teachers in the state had decided to join other Nigerians and the international community to call for the release of the girls.
“The school system had suffered the worst attack- from primary and secondary to tertiary education system.
“Apart from the abduction of Chibok school girls and others unaccounted for, so far 173 teachers have lost their lives in the Boko Haram human decimation,” he said.
Itam called on government to put in place appropriate measures that would safeguard the lives of both students and teachers in the schools, demanding insurance cover for teachers and students in volatile regions.
In the same breadth, teachers in Edo State yesterday staged the rally in protest of the abduction of the over 200 girls in Chibok, Bornu State by the Boko Haram insurgents.
The protesting teachers urged the federal government to rescue the girls immediately in order to reassure the country and the citizens that they are capable of protecting every citizen no matter the status.
Consequently, all schools except private schools were under lock and key.
The rally saw the teachers marching through the streets of Benin-city through the state House of Assembly to Government House bearing placards of various inscriptions.
A teacher, who spoke to THISDAY,ss lamented that it was increasingly becoming difficult for teachers to carry out their duties in the classrooms when their mates and pupils in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States are being killed.
“The killing of teachers in these states is a national tragedy. Those killing teachers were taught by teachers. Why then are they killing teachers now?” he queried.
“So we are out now to send a warning to those concerned that we will no longer tolerate such killing,” he said.
Teachers in Ogun State also failed to join in the protest. When THISDAY visited some primary and secondary schools in Abeokuta, it was gathered that only the primary schools complied with the directive, while the secondary schools failed to comply with the excuse that secondary schools in the state are under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) not NUT.
Some of the secondary schools that failed to comply with the national directives of NUT included Reverend Kuti Secondary School; Nawarudeen Secondary School, St John Anglican Secondary School; Abeokuta Grammar School; African Church Secondary School.
On the other hand, teachers in Delta State held a protest march which ended in the Government House, Asaba where Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan advised them not to shut down the schools as that would be the ultimate wish of the Boko Haram insurgents.
“If the classrooms are closed, then, we are supporting those against western education. We must not remotely support them, western education is good for us, it is good for the society and it is good for the nation,” Uduaghan said.
He assured the protesters that Jonathan’s administration was determined to stop any form of terrorism in the country.
Also in Adamawa , the state chapter of the NUT protested the abduction, social and religious incarceration of the over 200 girls by Boko Haram insurgents.
The members of the union marched through some streets of Yola, rounding it off at the Government House to express their grievances to Governor Murtala Nyako, where he was urged to appeal to the federal government to expedite action for the release of the abducted girls.
The state Chairman of NUT, Mr. Dauda Maina, told the governor that they received the news of the abduction as a tale from wonderland”.
Maina said the abduction of the Chibok girls would be a setback to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on education by 2015, which is aimed at making education available for all Nigerians by that year.
The NUT in Anambra State also joined in the protest yesterday in front of the Government House, Awka to demand the unconditional release of the over 200 girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents over a month ago.
The state chapter chairman of NUT, Mr. Ifeanyi Ofodile, who led members of the union, said Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion should close ranks and tackle the challenge posed by the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that should the insurgents succeed in their devilish agenda, they would take Nigeria back by over a 100 years.
“We as parents, teachers and Nigerians are here to say no to the evil perpetrated by them” he said, adding that over 173 teachers had been sacrificed nation-wide since the insurgency began”, describing them as the unsung heroes of these attacks.
The demand for the release of the abducted girls as well as compensation for the slain teachers also formed the fulcrum of demand by the Borno State teachers.
Since all public schools were still closed in the state, the teachers used the opportunity of the day to stage a peaceful protest to the Government House, Maiduguri.
The teachers carried placards with inscriptions such as: "Boko Haram leaders are educated don't deceive Others," "Leave our schools alone, Boko Haram," "Bring Back our girls, safe and alive," "We demand immediate release of abducted girls," Education is a right", "Chibok girls must be brought back to school," "Over 170 teachers were killed," "Support government to crush insurgency."
Also written on the placards were: "We taught you not to kill," "Pay compensation to families of murdered teachers," "Our girls must go to school”, etc.
“The union urges the federal government to stand up to the challenges and end these unwanted destruction of lives and properties” the statement by the Deputy Chairman of the state NUT said.
While addressing the protesters, Governor Ibrahim Shettima said the 173 teachers died fighting the right cause.
“Education is the fundamental right of each and every child in this country and in this world. It is so sad that in this century so many people want us to backslide into primitive era. They want us to be using hoes and cutlasses; they want us to go back and be using only herbs for medication but ironically these lunatics are using guns and ammunition produced using modern technology to kill innocent souls, what a contradiction,” he said.
The protest also forced public schools in Ekiti State to close down yesterday.
The protesting teachers embarked on a protest march through major streets in Ado-Ekiti.
Led by the state Chairman, Kayode Akosile,s and Secretary, Jamiu Ola-Idris, the protesting teachers took off from their state secretariat along Iyin Road and dropped a copy of their protest letter at the police headquarters and later walked to the popular Fajuyi Park.
Addressing the gathering, Akosile said it was unacceptable that over 200 girls had been kidnapped for over a month and nobody has a clue of their whereabouts.
Besides, he disclosed that about 173 teachers had been killed in Borno State since the Boko Haram insurgency started.
He called on the federal government to expedite action to bring back the girls safely and reunite them with their families.
It was the same experience of shut schools in Rivers State as members of the NUT marched through major streets in Port Harcourt to protest the abduction of the Chibok girls.
But more for fear of insecurity than unwillingness to comply, the NUT Kano State chapter declined to join their counterparts nationwide in the protest, fearing that it might suffer another attack. The city was attacked by bomb blasts penultimate weekend, while the police averted another attack last week.
Consequently, school activities both in public and private schools went on unhindered yesterday in the state.
Schools visited by THISDAY observed that teaching and learning activities held successfully.
The state Chairman of the NUT, Mr. Lawal Abdu Garun Malam told THISDAY: “We only gathered at our secretariat and prayed for the abducted girls but no protests at all because of security reason.”
A schoolteacher who spoke with THISDAY under anonymity, revealed that “there is no any security reason, it’s just a matter that the state chapter of the union is not aware of what to do but resolved to organise the prayer”.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The war of attrition between the presidency and the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is winding to a close. The recent court ruling which put in abeyance his reinstatement and the imminent expiration of his tenure effectively paved the way for a new era at the central bank.
The court ruling, which transferred the hearing of the suit on his reinstatement to the National Industrial Court (NIC) has given the governor-designate, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the green light to assume office come June 2, 2014, as there will be no time for adjudication on the suit before the expiration of the suspended governor's tenure.
Even if the NIC decides to hear the case in the future and rules in Sanusi’s favour, the judgment would have no effect whatsoever as it would have been overtaken by events, effectively rendering the suit an academic exercise.
The suspended governor has been in a running battle to save his face and get reinstated following the circumstances that led to his suspension in February this year.
Sanusi had stirred the hornet’s nest in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in which he initially alleged that $48.9 billion from crude oil receipts between January 2012 and July 2013 which should have been remitted to the Federation Account, had been diverted by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
But it was not so much the content of the letter that was later to bother the president, but the fact that three months after the letter was written, it was leaked to the media, causing a massive outcry from the public and demands that NNPC should be probed and account for the unaccounted for funds.
Once the letter became public knowledge, a joint meeting between the relevant ministries, CBN and other agencies of government to reconcile the whereabouts of the $49.8 billion was held.
After the reconciliation meeting, the CBN governor was forced to scale down the amount he alleged was unaccounted-for to $12 billion and or $10 billion. The inconsistency in the amount involved did put a question mark on Sanusi’s credibility and further eroded whatever was left of his relationship with the presidency.
At this juncture, the president had had enough of Sanusi and pointedly asked him to resign, accusing him of leaking the letter in the first instance in order to embarrass and undermine his administration. But in his characteristic manner, Sanusi bluntly denied the allegation and refused to resign, reminding the president that he could only be removed by two-thirds of the Senate.
The episode must have been very embarrassing for the president but he relented when some people intervened on his behalf and pleaded with the president to allow Sanusi stay till the end of his tenure.
But Sanusi was not done on the matter. He was later to scale up the unremitted amount to $20 billion when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance during the probe of unaccounted-for funds, and expanded his scope of allegations to include the kerosene subsidy scam and the non-remittance of oil revenue by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the exploration and production subsidiary of NNPC.
With his unyielding disposition, Jonathan threw the book at him by suspending him and used the report of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), which had raised queries on the accounts of the CBN and accused him of financial recklessness, as reason for his ouster on February 19 while he was on a trip to neighbouring Niger.
On learning of his removal, Sanusi cut short his trip and rushed back to Nigeria, but had his passport seized from him on his arrival in Lagos.
It was from this point forward that Sanusi started his running legal battles to clear his name and regain his position as governor of the CBN.
First he filed a suit to stop agencies of government from harassing him and further seizure of his passport. The embattled suspended governor got a reprieve as a federal high court sitting in Lagos awarded him about $300,000 (£180,000) in damages.
The court also ordered the federal government, the State Security Service (SSS) and the police to immediately release the passport unlawfully seized from him.
He also filed a suit to stop the FRC from investigating him for which he got a reprieve as the trial judge on May 12 ordered the FRC to stop investigating him. The FRC has however appealed the judgment.
He later challenged his removal as governor and sought reinstatement by suing the president, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and the police, asking the court to declare his suspension by the president null and void.
However, a federal high court in Abuja on Tuesday ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit and transferred the suit to NIC.
The many legal battles that the suspended governor has had recourse to essentially betrayed his eagerness to save his reputation, as well as get reinstated to office as governor of the CBN. But with the latest judgment and barely 10 days to the expiration of his tenure, Sanusi’s chances of getting reinstated are negligible, since the time frame for him to get a judgment in his favour has more or less run out.
While for Sanusi this could be deemed a setback, it is a new dawn for the CBN and Emefiele, the governor-designate, who will move into the saddle on June 2.
Emefiele's assumption of office will finally put an end to the controversial reign of Sanusi, which saw many policy reversals, public actions and off-the-cuff remarks that were often considered unbecoming for someone occupying the conservative position of CBN governor.
But one thing that could never be taken away from Sanusi’s tenure was the fact that he instituted a tight regime of risk management in the nation’s banks and ensured the stability of the financial system by ridding banks of kleptomaniac executives and compelling banks to clean up their balance sheets. For this he won accolades and awards at home and abroad.
In Emefiele, however, the CBN will be getting a governor who will bring with him an unimpeachable track record of stability and focus in one of Nigeria’s biggest banks. Indeed, his stewardship at Zenith Bank Plc has shown him to be a man of steadfastness and drive.
In contrast to Sanusi, his conservative, almost taciturn disposition is expected to impact positively on the central bank and provide it with a steady hand to navigate the vagaries of the economy.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Emefiele had promised to work towards ensuring a stable and sound financial system for the country, reminding his audience that the core mandate of the CBN is to achieve monetary and price stability, ensure a strong exchange rate and to build foreign reserves.
He has also promised to implement policies that would open up the economy to new investment and employment opportunities, and at the same time ensure that banks remain healthy and perform their role of financial intermediation to the real sector.
With the change of baton already a fait accompli, Emefiele will be expected to hit the ground running as he charts a new course for the central bank – one that is controversy-free, but one that impacts positively on the Nigerian economy and its citizens.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
There was confusion in the Senate yesterday over the appearance of a strange document containing the budget of federal government parastatals more than one month after the National Assembly passed N4.695 trillion 2014 budget.
The document, which was presented for deliberation by Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, caused a stir as some senators were visibly angry, querying the rationale behind the presentation of another budget document weeks after the National Assembly had concluded legislation on the national budget.
The Senate passed 2014 budget on April 9. The matter got to a head when Senate President, David Mark, also expressed shock over the presentation of a matter for deliberation in the chamber without his prior knowledge.
The document was accompanied by a letter addressed to the senators by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, where he drew the chamber’s attention to a compendium of estimates for 52 federal government’s agencies and parastatals, which he said would be referred to varying committees for consideration.
The letter read: “Pursuant to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Section 21 which provides that the budget of the listed agencies shall be submitted to the National Assembly, please find herewith the budget of the federal government corporations submitted along with the national budget. The budgets will be considered and referred to the respective committees for consideration and subsequent report to the Senate for further legislation.”
But hardly had the document been presented for debate when an uproar ensued in the chamber as senators queried the source of the document as well as the raison de’tre behind its appearance weeks after concluding legislation on the 2014 budget.
Among others, the document consisted of a N3.5 trillion budget for Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 2014; N144.9 billion for the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA); N377.9 billion for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); N15.6 billion for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); and N86.0 billion for NIMASA.
While moving the motion, Ningi said: “That the Senate do consider the request of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 2014 Budget proposal for the following federal government parastatals.”
This was followed by overwhelming confusion as senators began to wonder how the document emerged. First to react to the motion was Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), who said an attempt to return a budget document to the Senate after passing the entire national budget was strange, unacceptable and a back door approach.
“To me, this request as purportedly made by the president and presented here by the Deputy Senate Leader is strange and very strange indeed because this is the first time I will be witnessing such thing. We have already passed the 2014 budget several weeks ago and now presenting to us another request to consider budget estimates of some federal agencies believed to have been captured in the original total budget estimates passed is strange.
“This to me, President sir, is unacceptable because what the generality of Nigerians are waiting for now, is for the President to sign the already passed 2014 budget into law and not reconsideration of any budget estimates,” Adeyemi said.
In the same vein, Senator James Manager (Delta South), described the move for the reconsideration of a passed budget as unwarranted.
He said: “ Mr. President, this is strange. If you remember, these agencies’ budget estimates have already been treated and considered during the last budget defence session which eventually paved the way for the passing of the N4.6trillion 2014 budget profile by both chambers of the National Assembly in the first week of April.
“Now, what can now be said to warrant this request before us when the budget passed has not been assented to? In a nutshell, what Nigerians are expecting as far as the 2014 budget is concerned, is for the President to sign the one already forwarded to him and not the Senate carrying out any reconsideration of any aspect of the budget.”
Also, Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) and Ayogu Eze (Enugu North), frowned on the return of the document to the Senate six months after the 2014 budget was presented and called for explanation for the action.
According to Eze, the document should have been attached to 2014 budget for proper scrutiny and consideration by the Senate.
“The Senate should take a very serious view on this matter of a strange document on a budget already passed. Pointedly, the Senate should find out from the Chairman, Rules and Business Committee where he got the document from and he should be told that his move is already belated,” Eze said.
In his explanation, Enang said the document came along with the 2014 budget as submitted by the Budget Office last year.
His explanation was not satisfactory to opposing senators.
But Mark, understanding that Enang’s action was spurred by his drive for the application of the principles of Fiscal Responsibility Act, which requires all the parastatals to submit their yearly budgets to the National Assembly, quickly saved the day as he asked Enang to withdraw the document and instead separate the agencies and parastatals whose budget estimates had already been passed from those that were yet to be considered.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has restated his unalloyed confidence in the country’s armed forces, saying the fact that they cannot summarily bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end does not mean that they are now overwhelmed by it.
Badeh disclosed this yesterday during his visit to the scene of the Tuesday bomb blasts in Jos that killed many and caused inestimable damage to properties.
He told journalists that the insurgents are moving away from the North-east because of the pressure the military was mounting on them.
“So, the North-east is no longer a safe place for them to operate and they are moving to other softer targets. That is what is happening and we will follow them,” he stated, adding that the Boko Haram insurgents are very cowardly because they are going after softer targets.
According to him, “Coming to the market to kill people who live day-by-day as the poorest of the poor in the society, is really unfortunate. What they are trying to do is just to intimidate us. But you know that terror will not deter us from being Nigerians. We will continue to do what we are doing. We will continue to live our lives. Terror will not succeed. We will eventually overcome.”
On the possibility of having some improvised explosive devices (IEDs) hidden that had not yet exploded, Badeh praised the security agencies in the country, saying they are doing so much that “if we tell you the number of arrests and the number of things we thwart, you will always be scared. We have been catching these people (insurgents). You know that in a game of football, no matter how many goals the goalkeeper catches, nobody will remember. It is that lone goal that has been scored that people will not forget. That is exactly what has happened here.
“All we can say is that Nigeria has a military that is capable. Fight against insurgency is not something you win in one day. But we will eventually overcome. Some people have fought for over 40 years. They are still at it. In Nigeria, we started our own, we declared a state of emergency, just over two or a year now and we have already done so much in the North-east region that the insurgents are running from the region and finding go softer targets.
“Nigerians should be patient and everybody must contribute to give information, no matter how little. Find somebody and give him information. Call emergency number 112 on your GSM even if you don’t have call credit. Report it. Somebody will take action,” the defence chief stressed.
He instructed the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, to discourage those who are trading near the roads, adding that the casualty figure would not have been much if there were no road side trading.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has debunked the recent allegation by a Kaduna-based Muslim cleric that the Nigerian military was involved in unrestrained killing of civilians and turning Borno State into a killing field.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in a statement yesterday, described the allegation as untrue, disappointing and a calculated attempt to divert attention from the main goal of routing the area of Boko Haram terrorists.
Olukolade said the DHQ “found the latest allegation of genocide against the Nigerian military by the cleric as not only diversionary, but unfortunate.
“The DHQ wishes to unequivocally dissociate the Nigerian military from any involvement in the alleged genocide as depicted in the graphic pictures which appeared in the front page of Blueprint newspapers of 22 May edition entitled, ‘Alleged Killing field in Borno:.
He stated that while the military would continue to respect freedom of expression of Nigerians, it would not submit to desperate blackmail and propaganda aimed at diverting attention and pitching public opinion against the armed forces.
He said even though the real motive of the report and presentation with the apparent intention to impute military complicity in the event depicted in the pictures was yet to unfold, “the DHQ sees this allegation as the manifestation of yet another grand design to tarnish and denigrate the image of Nigerian armed forces.”
The Defence spokesman further said Nigerian military remains a professional force whose operations are guided by high standard of professional ethics and would not be party to such dastardly act.
According to Olukolade, at no time or event in the course of the counter-insurgency operation have the troops embarked on the extra-judicial killing of civilians as exhibited in the gory pictures.
He said: “The location and occasion where the events captured in the pictures were taken is unknown and has no bearing whatsoever as insinuated in the report by the Blueprint Newspaper.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Feelers within the military have revealed that they are unhappy with the daily joint press briefing on the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operation handled by the National Orientation Agency (NOA). They said its aimed at informing members of the public about the progress in tackling the nation’s security challenges.
According to a top security source, who drew the attention of some defense reporters to the development, the NOA lacks the technical capacity to inform on military and security matters, which is different from its basic orientation duties.
“You would recall that in the last few days, the NOA press centre has become a forum where the spokesmen for all the security agencies-the military, the Police, the State Security agencies and a few others inform the populace about the security challenges and the ongoing counter-insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country.”
“Whoever arranged this got it wrong and I don’t know why the spokespersons accepted it, because the programme is a misnomer and it is not in the interest of the military,” the source said.
Further investigation showed that while the Police and State Security Service (SSS) are comfortable with the new structure, the military feel short-changed, warning that “what the government stands to lose is going to be much more than its gain if it is not stopped.”
“Let me also let you realise that it is the duty of the Police and the SSS to handle intelligence gathering, are they now saying their spokesmen should be telling the whole world the information in their possession?”
According to one senior officer: “What the government wants to achieve remains to be seen with that jamboree press briefing. Is there anything they want to know that is not made known to them? We are in a war situation and there is no military anywhere in the world that go to the market to discuss its war strategies.
“NOA has its primary responsibilities, which include public enlightenment and education of what the government is doing or its policies. And even in the ongoing security challenges, the NOA has not been doing this to the maximum.
Many people are still ignore of security awareness and this is why those bombers are still having their days in the public places. This is what the agency should face instead of dabbling into a zone it is ignorant of.”
The officer further expressed displeasure with the situation, describing it as “not professional”, while calling on the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, to direct the NOA Director, Mr. Mike Omeri, to stop the programme.
The source noted: “Labaran Maku, the Information Minister, was a journalist and he should know better. The earlier he stops the programme the better.
“I was personally embarrassed the last time the CNN reporter was asking Omeri question on a life broadcast and the reporter said the programme is being sponsored by the Ministry of Information but Omeri said no, it is the NOA that organises it. This is a misnomer and it is not in the interest of the military.”
According to the senior Officer, Maku should know better, saying: “I strongly believe the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, allows the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major-Gen Chris Olukolade, to go there out of respect and loyalty to the President and not because it is the right thing to do.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Niger State Government has stated that this year's Children's Day and Democracy Day celebrations will not be marked with the usual pomp and ceremony as a mark of respect to those affected by the security challenges currently confronting the nation.
According to the state Commissioner for Information, Communications and Strategy, Danladi Ndayebo, who made this known to journalists in Minna at a press conference yesterday, the state government said that Children's Day and Democracy Day celebrations would be marked in the state with prayers for the nation and the abducted female students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
“Owing to the security situation in the country, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has directed that this year’s Children’s Day and Democracy Day be used to seek God’s face and intervention for the nation.”
Ndayebo said the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development would on Children’s Day mobilise children from across the state to pray for the release of the over 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State.
He said the state government had concluded arrangements to conduct prayers on Children’s Day, children, both Muslims and Christians will pray for Nigeria.
“They will pray for the safe return of their colleagues who were abducted from school on April 14. In May 29, we will pray to God to bring an end to terrorism and to restore peace in the troubled North-east region and Nigeria at large.
He urged all stakeholders to remain steadfast in prayers for an end to the senseless killing of Nigerians.
The commissioner said the PDP led government in the state was doing its best to maintain peace which is a necessary perquisite for development.
He urged the people living in the state to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies, stressing that security for all is the responsibility of all.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday justified its political rally in Ekiti State, saying the decision to hold the rally was compelled by exigencies of time.
The party, which reacted to accusation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of not postponing its campaign in honour of the victims of Jos twin bombings, told the PDP to stop playing politics with the lives of Nigerians, describing it as wrong, irresponsible and uncharitable to seek to make political gains out of the worsening and deadly terror attacks in the country.
In a statement issued in Gusau, Zamfara State yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Nigerians are too discerning to be hoodwinked by PDP’s ceaseless finger-pointing and name calling, as exhibited by the party’s overly-exuberant and rarely-introspecting spokesman.
“We were left with no choice than to proceed with the rally in view of the suddenness of the Jos twin bombings and the fact that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot be prevailed upon to change the timetable of the Ekiti polls, made it as somber as possible under the circumstances.
It said Nigerians who watched the live telecast of the APC rally in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday saw how the party, left with no choice than to proceed with the rally in view of the suddenness of the Jos twin bombings and the fact that (INEC) cannot be prevailed upon to change the timetable of the Ekiti polls, made it as somber as possible under the circumstances.
‘’Despite the presence of musical groups and other performers, all musical breaks in the programme and all other scheduled performances were cut out, while the rally itself was drastically abridged. There is no doubt that the PDP’s spokesman did not even bother to get the full details of the rally before rushing to the media in his usual jumpy self.
‘’Mr. Olisah Metuh is definitely eager to act like an opposition spokesman rather than the spokesman for the ruling party. This is not a problem as his party is definitely fighting hard to trade places with the APC as the main opposition party come 2015. We can only appeal to Mr. Metuh to wait for a few more months and, in the meantime, start learning the ropes as an opposition spokesman,’’ APC said.
The party reminded the PDP that the Ekiti rally was not the same as the illegal rally in Kano, where President Goodluck Jonathan led other PDP leaders to engage in Azonto dance less than 24 hours after 75 of his compatriots were killed in the first Nyanya bombing.
It also said the Ekiti rally cannot be equated with the failure of leadership, the cluelessness and the callousness exhibited by PDP leaders, including President Jonathan and Mrs. Kema Chikwe, in the aftermath of the abduction of school girls in Chibok; or the fact that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces is so afraid of a band of terrorists that he has failed to live up to his presidential billing by visiting Chibok.
‘Reacting to the justification, the PDP said the leaders of the APC wanted to unleash their personal frustrations on Nigerians, stating that they should note that Nigerians are peaceful and loving people.
The PDP said: “We will remain one nation and Nigerians will continue to go with the PDP irrespective of the lies and propaganda unleashed by the APC.
“No matter the antics of the APC, the PDP will remain on top and we will win the 2015 general election. The election is not going to be conducted in the media. It is not going to be based on how many insults you hauled at your opponents. It is all about people who are peaceful and loving and have the best agenda for Nigeria.
“We want the APC to provide Nigerians with answers to our questions. Why is it that the APC, which was down and out only recovered their voice and boisterous selves after the recent bombings and the attacks? Is it violence that propels them as a party? Is there any link between the attacks and the propensity of the APC to dance naked in the public with their statements?
“One thing is clear. The APC cannot intimidate the government. They cannot intimidate the PDP and they cannot intimidate Nigerians,” the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has asked the federal government to take urgent steps improve the capacity of the country’s security services in the face of growing threat posed by terrorism.
A statement signed by the Chairman of the forum and Governor of Imo State,
Chief Rochas Okorocha, urged federal government to explore all avenues to ensure the protection of lives and properties.
“We urge the federal government to strengthen the capacity of our security services and provide all the equipment and resources that our officers and men in the frontline need to become an effective fighting force and to carry out counterterrorism operations,” he said.
He said the PGF was also reiterating its commitment to work with all stakeholders to reduce terrorism and address the root causes of terror such as illiteracy, social disenchantment, injustice and inequality in the society.
Similarly, the governors said the federal government should note that terrorism had never been defeated anywhere by sheer force alone.
“All avenues must be explored to ensure the safety of the lives and property of all Nigerians; this is the minimum requirement of government. “We hereby expresses its deep condolences with the families of those killed and injured by yet another dastardly and mindless bomb attack on innocent Nigerians who were only trying to earn legitimate livelihoods in already difficult times.
“Coming barely three days after a similar attack in Kano, the twin explosions in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday, May 21, 2014 marks a significant escalation in the senseless attacks on Nigerians and an affront on the Nigerian state. “It is apparent that these attacks were intended to cause as much carnage as possible, and also increase mutual suspicion among people of different faiths and ethnicity. We urge Nigerians to stand firm and not relent to the antic of terrorists who seek to return us to the dark ages.
Similarly, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government on the issue of urgent and proper funding of the armed forces.
In a statement by CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the group quoted the Chief of Accounts and Budget of the Nigeria Army, Major General Abdullahi Muraina, complaining that inadequate funding, bureaucratic bottlenecks and the nebulous envelope system are adversely hindering military operations,
The CNPP urged the PDP to stop the blame game and fund the military.
“We are sick and tired of the unfounded blame-game-drum PDP is serially darting at the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the midst of threatening insurgency, bloodletting and gruesome anarchy in the land.
“It is our candid view that propaganda cannot bail us out, for if anybody in the APC is behind the insurgency why don’t the PDP arrest the person?
“While the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday was idling away with their blame game, the Chief of Accounts and Budget of Nigeria Army, Major General Abdullahi Muraina, exploded the bomb in Jaji, ‘Currently, budgetary allocations for the military is inadequate to meet the challenges and also to cater for the welfare of the Nigeria Army.’”
It went further to narrate that apart from inadequate funding bureaucratic bottlenecks and the nebulous envelope system are adversely hindering military operations, army was enmeshed in the bureaucratic bottlenecks for funding approvals for military operations.
According to CNPP, inadequate funding might have been the reason why soldiers allegedly shot Major General Ahmed Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division, the first of such incident in the history of military operations in Nigeria.
“CNPP recalls that when the governor of Borno State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shetima, told the world that the Boko Haram insurgents were better equipped and better motivated than the Nigeria Army; PDP went to town hauling all manner of invectives on the governor. A Daniel has come to judgment as Major General Muraina is only painfully telling the truth and not playing politics, for the man who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.
“In sum, the PDP should swallow the humble pie and admit that the corruption mandate it has implemented since our return to civil rule has not only ravaged our infrastructure, declined our economic development, impoverished our citizenry, but has stunted the robust growth of our military,” it said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Northern States Governors Forum has described as uncharitable and unfortunate, the comments credited to the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, on the insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country.
Speaking at the opening of a one-day meeting of federal and state governments’ security administrator in Minna yesterday, the Chairman of the forum, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said it was unfortunate for Maku to say that the northern state governors are not doing enough to curtail insurgency in the region.
Aliyu added that no governor would be happy have such security challenges in his state.
Aliyu also said if the views expressed by the minister was the opinion of the federal government, “it is very uncharitable, it is more than unfortunate.”
According to the governor, “If it is his (Maku) view, then it is unfortunate and that is part of the hypocrisy because no governor as far as I know can be accused of not doing enough with the circumstances that we find ourselves.”
He further stated that one of the reasons it took the federal government a long to swing into action on the abducted Chibok girls was because people like Maku played politics with serious issues.
“Why would we be able to do anything when some people believe that what is happening is a deliberate plan to stop some people and therefore the action that should have been taken to nip it in the bud was delayed till now. “Why would we not be accused of not doing when even the children that were kidnapped some people were trying to make it look as if nothing happened.
“I am not aware of any governor invited by the National Security Adviser and told of what to do and he did not do it I am not aware of that, we as northern governors set up a committee that went round all the states we sent our report and recommendations to the federal government and what did the federal government do they set up another committee which went round and plagiarised the report of the northern governors. We need to stop this blame game and start to find solution to what is happening.”
Aliyu said the Niger State Government “is very conscious of security and has mobilised the people accordingly,” adding that all hands must be on deck to check insurgency in the countr.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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