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The Stop Impunity Nigeria (S.I.N) Campaign has expressed concern over reports of an imminent federal government clampdown on the media, warning that such a move would put the democratic process and the forthcoming general election in jeopardy.
In a statement signed by Mr. Edetaen Ojo of the Media Rights Agenda, the organisation said it was reacting to media reports of a military meeting held in Kaduna on Tuesday where a plan to clampdown on some media organisations perceived to be unfriendly towards the federal government and too critical was allegedly hatched.
The media organisations reportedly penned down for government action, including the arrest of their top management personnel, include: The Punch newspaper, The Nation newspaper, and Channels Television.
The campaign said it was worried about what it called “the federal government’s increasing intolerance of any criticism of its actions or policies” which had resulted in a clear pattern of branding anyone expressing such criticism as an enemy.
It also expressed concern over the excessive militarisation of the country, creating a climate of fear and tension.
The S.I.N Campaign Coordinator, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, said: “It is a sad development that the federal government now considers anyone or group critical of its action as an enemy of state that must be silenced by any means. This is completely antithetical to the culture of multi-party democracy, where the media features robust public debates and even virulent criticisms of government policies and actions, most of which are expressed through the media.”
He noted that as vehicles and platforms for democratic debates and the expression of competing ideas, any repression of the media would constitute a direct attack on the democratic process and would automatically rob the electoral process of one of its most enduring characteristics.
The campaign reminded the federal government that the media have been tasked by the Nigerian Constitution with holding the “government accountable to the people” and that the government should not become an impediment to the media’s ability and freedom to play this role.
It called on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to abandon the plot as it would further damage Nigeria’s image and credibility before the international community.
Owasanoye said: “Whatever happens, this government must not interfere with the independence of the media or its operations; the media must be given a free hand to operate in an atmosphere devoid of fear and intimidation.”
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 Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu, Thursday ordered his men to shoot any electoral offenders who first shoot at his men, as a means of self-defence during the general election.
Mbu who was visited the state Command, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, while lecturing the policemen on the general election, said,
“That’s why I said don’t touch my policemen. If you shoot my policeman, I will shoot twenty of you, I will shoot a hundred of you because we are coming to you for peace. We are not coming to you to come and kill you.”
He said “anybody who fires at you, fire him back in self-defence. Anybody who fires at you, fire him back in self-defence but don’t fire first. Anybody you see who is firing at other persons, fire him because you are trying to protect that other person because the law permits you. You are empowered to stop that person from causing harm to the other person.”
Speaking further, he said, “It is clearly stated in the constitution that there shall be a Nigeria Police Force for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is no other police force. The military can come to us in aid of civil authority. We are the civil authority because we are supposed to deal with harmless civilians. So, we are the civil authorities.”
He therefore said he was in Abeokuta to restore hope in all the policemen and to blow air in them, saying, “You know when you just have a male child, you blow air into his mouth and nose so that he can be like you.”
He said, “I love Nigeria Police, I love being a police officer and I’m very proud to be a police officer because only a police officer can do every other job and no other person can do a police job.”
He said “In aid of civil authorities, we are the one in charge of apprehending offenders before, during or after elections. Every other person that is coming is only coming to help us.
“We are the authority, we are the leading agency. So, you are a leading agency and you must take charge of wherever you are posted.”
He added: “Our duty is to make sure that the elections are conducted freely, fairly, peacefully and violence-free.”
“This is a turning point in the history of the Nigeria Police where two very powerful political parties contesting keenly. So, we have to be very serious. “We have to be very bold. We have to be very brave. You must remain at your duty post. You must make sure you keep an eagle eye on everybody coming there.
“You must make sure that whatever is in the Electoral Act, whatever is against the Electoral Act, you are there to stop it. You are not there to start greeting honourable or oga how are you, no.
“He said anybody who comes to the polling unit with an entourage of vehicles, you arrest them immediately, saying, “even if the governor comes there with an entourage and with policemen by his side to come and intimidate people, call your senior officers to arrest them whenever they misbehave.”
He added, “Anybody who comes there with people jumping down, don’t be intimidated. Stop them, even if he’s the governor, you have the power to say stop there and he stops there. Your excellency, I don’t like your conduct. The you call your senior officers around.”
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 Bayelsa State-based Grassroots Initiatives has totally condemned what it described as a show of shame, the action of the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, and her Women for a Change political ‘thugs’ when President Goodluck Jonathan campaign train visited the state last week.
The group alleged that the action of Mrs. Jonathan’s Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) at the rally was aimed solely to humiliate the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, “but that they failed in their efforts.” The Chairman of the Initiatives, Chief Peretimi Akari, in a media parley in Lagos recently, said: “Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s effort to ridicule Dickson at the February 6 historic home coming for President Jonathan seems to have backfired.”
He stressed that his group had vowed to continue to expose “all enemies of progress in Bayelsa State,” adding that: “The day the state literarily shut down, expectedly, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made its final campaign at President Jonathan’s home state, witnessed a show of shame by a handful of Mrs. Jonathan’s TAN and her Women for Change political thugs.”
Akari, who expressed sadness over the situation, explained that: “They failed woefully in their ploy to humiliate Dickson at the rally on a day that he proved his mobilising abilities against all odds, as he got almost everybody in the state to line the routes with a mammoth crowd that converged at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa.”
He, however, posited that what happened at the rally was revolting, “as Bayelsans were shocked to see the country’s first lady descending so low as she took her hatred on Dickson to an embarrassing level, while Jonathan barred his mind on the need for Bayelsans to continue working with Dickson for a continued developmental stride that the governor has maintained since assumption of office three years ago.
“The worrisome aspect is that in her bid to continue with the rift that has polarised the once formidable PDP in the state, Mrs. Jonathan reportedly undermined the governor’s security by allegedly using the state Commissioner of Police, who has since his assumption of duty, never hid his preference to Mrs. Jonathan’s directive, instead of the chief security officer of the state, just as a handful of Mrs. Jonathan’s TAN members and her political thugs failed woefully in their ploy to humiliate Dickson at the rally.”
The leader of the Grassroots Initiatives told journalists that: “The governor’s offence is bringing sanity to governance as he started by cutting costs from government house; put a stop to the inflation of salaries and getting the civil servants to sit up.
“That definitely did not go down well with the beneficiaries; especially, when he stopped the N250million that his predecessor was dolling out monthly to some groups. Before now civil servants in the state hardly ever go to work except few days to month end when they come to collect their salaries. “The question we are asking is ‘why would Mrs. Jonathan be fighting a performing governor, who has touched almost all the communities in the state with his statewide infrastructural development stride?
“Dickson’s efforts at providing a warm reception meant nothing to her because she has her own choice as the next governor of the state. But what they are failing to understand is that the crowd here is not for Jonathan alone, but mainly for the governor who has remained a grassroots person.”
The group alleged that the irony of it all is that: “The TAN leadership, which are mainly ex-governor Sylvia Timipre’s men, mostly members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the rally, strategically positioned themselves to shout down President Jonathan’s plea that all members of the party in the state should work with Dickson.
“The embarrassing situation prompted close observers of the state politics to wonder why Mrs. Jonathan has continued to over-stretch her luck, instead of working with the governor to save the situation from damaging the party’s fortune on March 28.
“More so, as the governor, a grassroots politician has nothing to worry about until later in the year when the primaries are expected to return him for a second term. That forced the president to come down hard on persons and establishments, who he accused of working against the administration of Dickson, saying that persons opposing Dickson are his enemies.”
To buttress his point, he quoted President Jonathan saying: “We are together, we work together to bring dividends of democracy to this state, so don’t allow anybody to deceive you. I am telling you as your brother. I am telling you as your uncle. You must work with the state government to make sure that we develop this state. You have to work with us.”
Akari recalled that the genesis of the problem was when the first lady had wanted to hoist Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events, Hon. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, as deputy governor to Dickson, but the governor, was not comfortable with Dudafa’s antecedent. So Dickson rather offered him a commissionership slot, which he turned down.
“And instead of the President’s wife, who was championing his case to see reasons with Dickson, Dudafa was taken to Abuja and elevated as a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events. Your guess of that position is as mine,” he alleged.
He further stressed that, the general agreement among party faithful at the campaign ground that day was why Dickson performance as a governor was not being encouraged?
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.
As election fails to hold over allegations of rigging
ABUJA — The 11th quadrennial delegates conference of the NLC ended in a fracas in Abuja, yesterday, as delegates upturned ballot boxes as a result of allegations that multiple ballot papers had been produced to favour a particular candidate.
Trouble started at about 8.10 a.m when members of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, were voting. A delegate told Vanguard that those who voted before the union had observed this irregularity but no one raised it.
When the situation, became chaotic, the police ordered everyone out of the hall.
However, delegates gave no room for police to use tear gas as they all moved out of the venue en masse. Those in the hall when it became rowdy included the first general secretary of the NLC, Alhaji Aliyu Dangiwa.
Outside the hall of the International Conference Centre, venue of the conference, a delegate showed to Vanguard a ballot paper for a candidate for the post of trustee which had two different serial numbers.
Yesterday’s rowdy session and an abrupt end of the NLC’s conference was the first in the 37-year history of the labour centre. It was witnessed by international allies of the NLC who were invited for the conference.
A number of workers spoken to attributed the crisis to failure of the leadership and the secretariat.
Efforts to speak with Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar whose term technically expired at the conference were unsuccessful as neither Omar nor the General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ison Ezon, could be located at Labour House head office of the NLC.
Unconfirmed sources, however said, a meeting of the elected and appointed officials under the auspices of the National Administrative Council was going on at a secret location in Abuja.
Before the situation got rowdy, Wednesday, as a delegate, Ismaila Bello of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers, called the House to order and called on the Conference in Session to dissolve the executive of Abudulwaheed Omar before the election, in line with trade union practice.
This was, however, turned down by a deputy general secretary of the NLC, Emma Ugboaja who said: “We have checked our constitution and there is no such provision.”
All of these coupled with the incidents of the previous day (Tuesday), such as the adoption of the financial report which was not received by many but was adopted and the failure of the leadership to open up on the over N2.5 billion NLC/Kriston Lally failed housing project contributed to the chaos.
It’s a shame — Dangiwa
Speaking at the venue of the aborted conference, the first general secretary of the NLC, Aliyu Dangiwa, said: “It is a shame. A big shame. I feel disappointed. Whoever caused this has done the worst for the labour movement. Whoever was responsible for this should be traced by Nigerian workers for appropriate action. He should be made to pay for this atrocity against the labour movement.”
It’s unacceptable—SEWUN scribe
The secretary of the Steel Workers Union of Nigeria ( SEWUN), Comrade K. Kadiri on his part said: “It is a shame. Nigeria Labour Congress, which is supposed to lead by example, has perfected rigging for a particular candidate. It is unacceptable.”
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.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s denial of having prior information on the shift of the election date would be hard to believe among many stakeholders who believe that his party and his government worked to ensure the new election dates for their benefit. What does the shift mean for the president and his team?
Nigeria’s pollsters may not have developed the culture of psephology, to have near accurately predicted how voters may have inclined themselves if the presidential election had not been shifted from tomorrow.
However, there was almost a general belief among followers of the opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari that victory was headed their way. Simultaneously, there was also a sense of panic among supporters of the president that the incumbent head of the Federal Government was about to make the record of being the first to be thrown out in an election.
In the days, just before the decision was taken to shift the poll, the tension in the polity reflected that kind of fear and mutual distrust as supporters of the president and Buhari seemingly went for broke.
Given that the extension was within the band provided for by the law, neither Buhari nor critical stakeholders were able to fault it especially against the background of the fact that the election management body was itself not totally prepared for the polls.
For the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the shift is an opportunity to plug every loophole that had not been plugged. For the president and his salesmen, the opportunity is being considered as a welcomed breather to enable the ruling party fix itself and avoid a possible disgrace in the forthcoming polls.
Unfortunately for the president, the six week difference (five weeks as at date) is not enough to rejig his campaign structure, especially as he has been faulted for his inability to communicate his message to the electorate.
That fact resonated especially when the president met with the business community in Lagos last month and presented his achievements to a select audience of stakeholders.
Select audience
At the end of the presentation one of the prominent businessmen remarked that he and a large section of the audience were quite ignorant of the achievements the president claimed adding that the president must have a problem with his communication machinery.
A shocked president was said to have turned around to two of his communication aides and openly rebuked them.
But shuffling aides would be a poisoned chalice for the president as there is obviously no time for the president to recruit and fit in new personnel to sell his message.
One impressionable milestone that could come in handy is the commissioning of the Abuja – Kaduna railway line which before the election was scheduled for commissioning in March.
Speaking at the PDP presidential rally in Lokoja penultimate Monday, Vice-President Namadi Sambo had given a good picture of the revival of the railway under the Jonathan administration.
“I want to also give the good news that the Warri-Ajaokuta rail line has been 100 percent completed and very soon Mr President will commission that project.
“Also another good news is that the Kaduna-Abuja rail line has been completed. It will also be commissioned anytime now.
“But, the most important one is that Mr. President has approved the design of the rail lines from Abuja to Lokoja to Ajaokuta so that we have a fast train line. Thank you very much Mr. President for that and very soon Mr. President will commission that project.
Trains to work
If the administration succeeds in commissioning trains to work between Abuja and Kaduna it would be a landmark that would put the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in good light in the eyes of the public.
The Abuja-Kaduna train service is besides other strides by the administration in other sectors that have been largely swallowed up in the muddle that have shadowed the administration’s efforts.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Prince Adeseyi Sijuwade, had sometime last year claimed that the railways were moving a monthly average of 3,570 tonnes of cement from Ewekoro; 3,170 tonnes of wheat from the Apapa flour mills and 120 bonded containers from the Apapa Port to Kano and Kano.
Given the good impression a revived railway could have on the populace, it is not surprising that the Buhari campaign has recently sought to puncture the claimed gains of the administration in the sector.
The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation in a statement issued penultimate Thursday said that President Jonathan’s claims to have resuscitated the country’s railways after 20 years of being moribund as a hoax.
“The Director General of his campaign, Senator Ahmadu Ali, even stretches this moribund hyperbole to 35 years,” said Malam Garba Shehu, Director of the APCPCO’s Media and Publicity. “On the campaign trail, the railway lies just seem to keep tumbling out.”
Among the claims which Malam Garba described as lies are the President’s statement during his campaign rallies that his government has rehabilitated and built about 3,500 km of railways.
They have done no such thing as only about 2,000km have so far been rehabilitated and less than 250km of new track has been built,” Shehu said.
He added that the quality of work done on these rehabilitations left a lot to be desired, because the government had shown a preference towards issuing contracts to their cronies, regardless of whether they had the essential skills or experience.
Other notable achievements the administration would seek to showcase within the six week window now offered is the eradication of corruption in the agriculture sector which has reportedly led to unfettered distribution of fertiliser to Nigerian farmers.
Administration officials have repeatedly echoed the gains in agriculture which they claim has led to the stability in food prices despite the steep depreciation in the value of the naira.
The Jonathan administration would also be eager to showcase the country’s position as one of the leading destinations for international investments and that despite the security challenges that have bedevilled some sections of the country.
Another positive the Jonathan canvassers would trumpet is the relative liberty with which Jonathan has handled his rivals. However, that assertion would be challenged by in some places.
The six week window would also be an opportunity for the administration to address two of the serious challenges that have negatively impacted on its image – insecurity and corruption.
Window for progress
President Jonathan during his live media chat on Wednesday claimed that a window for progress in the fight to weed out the Boko Haram insurgency has been offered with the involvement of the multilateral force and the inflow of new equipment to decisively deal with the rebels. There would be much expectation of success on the part of Jonathan’s supporters to show that he has regained the whole country from the hold of insurgents.
On the issue of corruption, the president has apparently begun to retune his message. The president had after a media chat in the past been quoted as saying that stealing is not corruption, a quote that went a long way to project the president and his party as being tolerant of corruption.
That image was not helped by the parade of persons who have either been suspected or are undergoing trial as key associates of the president.
On Wednesday night when he met another set of media men for a chat, the president again sought to clarify the statement saying that he was not the one that originally said that stealing is not corruption.
According to him, he was only quoting a former Chief Justice of the Federation:
“People who told you I said stealing is not corruption did not tell you I said stealing is good. That is why philosophers say that the primary reason people disagree is because people use one statement to explain two typical things or vice versa. I made that statement because I quoted the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mustapha, (when) I called a meeting then, with the Anti-crime organizations and the judiciary.”
Whatever the assertions, the president’s rivals would be looking to him to make a clean break with those around the administration whose image have impacted negatively in the public space.
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.
Responding to requests and clarifications inundating the Nigerian Embassy in the United States over the postponement of the general elections, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the country, Prof Ade Adefuye has assured the international community that the election shift will allow the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to perfect its system for conducting credible elections.
In a statement made available to Vanguard, Friday, Prof. Adefuye said, the decision to postpone the election was based on the need to get logistics right, allow all qualified Nigerians to exercise their franchise and ensure adequate security during the conduct of the polls.
According to the Ambassador, Nigeria is committed to conducting a free, credible and peaceful election , “not only because of its importance to the future of democracy in Africa, but also because of our belief in the principle of democracy and the intricate connection between democracy and development.” Ambassador Ade Adefuye
Ambassador Ade Adefuye
His words: “Since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the re-scheduling of the general elections in Nigeria that were to begin on 14th February, 2015, the Embassy of Nigeria has been inundated with telephone calls and mails from individuals and organizations across the United States seeking information or clarifications on the status of these elections. The Embassy is pleased with the widespread interest in these elections, and wishes to assure all that the elections, now re-scheduled to begin on 28th March, 2015, will proceed as planned
” We have a National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is independent in all its ramifications. It is the body that decides the dates of the elections based on its belief that the logistics and security necessary to ensure the conduct of a credible election are in place. As it has been admitted by INEC itself, the election management body was facing some challenges in meeting the target date of 14th February for the elections. With a week to the elections, only about 45,829,808 Personal Voters Cards (PVCs), representing about 60% of the total number of registered voters has been distributed. INEC also had issues with getting over 600,000 ad hoc polling staff ready for the elections. The decision by INEC to move the election forward will therefore allow it to perfect its systems, including the distribution of over 26 million PVCs to voters.
“On security, Nigeria is now leading a multi-national task force that is waging a serious war against insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country. Because of this, the Defence Forces will find it difficult to provide security necessary for a peaceful conduct of the election in the affected states in the North-Eastern part of the country. The full attention of the Armed Forces is currently directed towards ending the insurgency. It is the combination of the security concerns which are serious and genuine as well as the need to perfect the election arrangements that compelled INEC to postpone the election.
The ambassador also reiterated President Jonathan’s commitment to ensure the swearing in of an elected President on May 29.
” Let me stress that the decision to postpone the election was made by INEC and not the Government. The dates of February 14 and 28, 2015 earlier changed by INEC are not sacrosanct. According to section 260 of the 2010 Electoral Act, the election body is required to choose a date so long as it is more than 30 days from the date for the swearing-in of a new government as provided for in the Constitution. What is sacrosanct is the 29th of May as the date for the swearing-in of the elected President. President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that the date will be strictly adhered to. What is also sacrosanct is our determination to conduct a free, fair, credible and peaceful election as well as providing adequately for the security of lives and properties in Nigeria.”
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.
LAGOS — The All Progresives Congress, APC, has said the party’s leadership and members will not be intimidated by the latest antics of the Jonathan administration to harass and intimidate the opposition, especially in the run-up to next month’s general elections.
In a statement in Lagos, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the recent military siege on APC National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s residence and the Imo State Government House and the police harassment of APC’s Presidential Campaign spokesman, Garba Shehu fit perfectly into this emerging pattern.
It said: “As the elections approach, we know the harassment and intimidation will be stepped up. We know our leaders, including the National Chairman Chief John Oyegun; National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu; Gov. Rotimi Amaechi; former Gov. Timipre Sylva; Senator Bukola Saraki and National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, are under surveillance and their phones being hacked.
“We are aware that several of them, especially the National Publicity Secretary, have been marked down for arrest in the days to come. We know there are evil plots to frame some of them on trumped-up charges. We know our lives are in danger. But these and more will not deter us from continuing to act in the national interest or from seeking to effect change through the ballot box.
“Yes, we are alerting Nigerians that if anything happens to us they should know where it is coming from, but for us there is no going back because we are resolute.”
APC thanked Nigerians for their immense and unwaring support, especially since the postponement of the elections which was aimed at dampening the enthusiasm of the citizens, and urged them not to relent.
“We are glad that instead of weakening the resolve and enthusiasm of Nigerians, the Presidency-orchestated postponement has further galvanised them to be more determined not only to vote but also to defend their votes,” the statement added.
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.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned Nigerians not to vote for a mediocre performer as president. Obasanjo who made this statement at his book launch, My. watch, in London, yesterday said that he said maintains the statement credited to him of his endorsement of APC presidential candidate, Gen Buhari
“What I said and I maintain that and I will say it again and I will do it. When the time comes for me to vote, I will consider the track record of all the candidates that are contesting and I will assess and based on my assessment for who I believe have the best track record to perform the job of the Nigerian president, then he will have my vote and if anybody should know what the job of the Nigerian president requires, I should know.
“And there is no sentiment in the affairs of Nigeria.Nigeria is a population of 180million and you wouldn’t have anybody other than one person or two persons that can run the affairs of Nigeria? What the hell are we talking about? For me there are millions who can run the affairs of Nigeria that are not even coming out.
So why should you die on behalf of one who is probably performing as a mediocre.
With all due respect. Nigeria, if you love it, you would look for the best for Nigeria and I don’t believe that at this point in time we have the best” he 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 Federal Government, yesterday, warned foreign nations’ represented by their missions in Nigeria against making what it termed “unguarded utterances”on matters the government said are strictly Nigeria’s internal issues.
According to Nigerian Tribune, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, gave the warning in Abuja, at an interactive session with the diplomatic community over the shift of the general election.The warning by the Minister is coming on the heels of comments by the US and EU on the postponement of Nigeria’s general elections, Channels reports.Guardian reports that the Minister wondered why the heads of missions take on the role of government seeking to impose their opinions on Nigerians.
He said, “Let me also seize this opportunity to express the strong displeasure of the Federal Government with the conduct of some heads of missions who have continued to behave in an imperial manner and in clear breach of the channel of the diplomatic communication.
“A situation where head of a mission takes on the role of government, seeking to impose his views and perspectives and making unguarded utterances on matters that are strictly within the domestic jurisdiction of the host-country is totally unacceptable.
“It is therefore unacceptable for envoys to abuse their privileges and immunities by behaving in a manner that would have been met with the opprobrium in their countries were Nigerian ambassadors to behave in like manner,” he said.Thisday quotes the Minister as saying, Nigeria does not need to be lectured on its internal affairs.“No country, no matter how well intentioned, can love Nigeria more than Nigerians themselves,” he concluded.
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.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says contrary to reports, he has not yet endorsed any presidential candidate.
Obasanjo had said during an interview with the Financial Times at a book launch on Monday that he would support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
He had said, “The circumstances he (Buhari) will be working under if he wins the elections are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature – he knows that. He is smart enough. He is educated enough. He’s experienced enough. Why shouldn’t I support him?”
The said endorsement was well received by the APC but condemned by leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party such as a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and the National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’Azu.
However, Obasanjo said he supported Buhari but had not yet endorsed him.
He said, “I will not go into argument about that. I did not unendorse him or endorse him as such. A question was asked and I said I will determine, based on the track record of those candidates who are contesting and who ask me for support, and when I do that, based on my own assessment, I will support the candidate that I believe has the best track record. And I am still in the process of that.”
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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