The Nation Newspaper

Category: News

  • ‘Embrace non-violence’

    ‘Embrace non-violence’

    The Consul General of the United States Embassy, Jeffrey Hawkins Jr, has enjoined Nigerians to embrace non-violence as a means of conflict resolution.

    Speaking in Lagos at the unveiling of a reality television series: “Dawn in the Creeks”, Hawkins said the series are empowerment tools to forge a legacy of peace and transformation in the Niger Delta.

    He also noted that the series would enlighten the people in making just demands non-violently.

    Addressing participants at the event, the project’s Creative Director, Jeta Amata, who screened and trained the seven participants in Nembe, Bayelsa State, praised the Department of State for sponsoring the venture.

    He extolled the notion of non-violence as a means of conflict resolution and urged agitators to employ the tactics in resolving the problems plaguing the region.

     

     

  • ‘Jonathan’s re-election non-negotiable’

    ‘Jonathan’s re-election non-negotiable’

    The Members of the National Executive Committee made the declaration shortly after arriving Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for a meeting.

    NYC also called on security agencies to prosecute persons and groups calling for the nation’s dissolution.

     

  • PDP warns Ekiti Assembly over result of Ekiti Assembly on LCDAs

    PDP warns Ekiti Assembly over result of Ekiti Assembly on LCDAs

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has urged the House of Assembly to disregard the results of the last Saturday’s referendum on the creation of  Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

    The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend, said the position arose from the fact that the Assembly had been served notice of the suit filed by it (the party) challenging the exercise.

    The PDP added that the suit, filed on behalf of the party by its Chairman, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, was duly served on the Assembly and that the appropriate thing to do in line with the custom of a legislative body was to “stay action” on such matters.

    “The proof of service on the Assembly is there and the Assembly leadership knows the right thing to do, stay action on any matter in court until such is determined by the court’

  • Voter cards ready in Cross River

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State has said permanent voter cards and materials for the continuous voter registration are ready.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini said  three days have been fixed for  people to collect their cards at the polling units where registration took place in 2011.

    He said the exercise would begin from August 15 to 17, adding that to collect the cards, voters must have been registered in 2011.

  • APC: impeachment plot against Amaechi will fail

    APC: impeachment plot against Amaechi will fail

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said any impeachment plot against Governor Rotimi Amaechi will fail.

    It said God who has been protecting him all these years, will “surely” see him to the end of his tenure on May 29, next year.

    The party lauded the governor’s commitment to serve the people.

    The APC, through its state Chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said the defection of 24 members of the House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC was a step in the right direction.

    The Felix Obuah-led Rivers PDP, on April 29 last year, suspended all the pro-Amaechi lawmakers from the party.

    The party said:”We are confident that God will not allow the evil machinations of the PDP to materialise. One thing going for Amaechi is that having spent eight years as Speaker of the House of Assembly and four years as the Leader of the Speakers’ Forum in Nigeria, he is in a better position to understand legislative power games.

    “We should also appreciate the fact that apart from politics, most of the lawmakers are his colleagues and political associates, who are too principled to sell out at this crucial time.

    “ Amaechi and the lawmakers have come a long way. These lawmakers and the governor share the same political fate. They were all members of the PDP and were all suspended from the party.

    “The lawmakers are all victims of PDP’s brutality and high-handedness. Governor Amaechi and the G-25 lawmakers detest evil, greed and politics without principle.

    “We make bold to say that Rivers APC lawmakers are not only progressives and God-fearing democrats, but most importantly, true sons of Rivers State, who will not join our enemies to cause any confusion in the state.

    “These enemies of democracy have demonstrated their hatred for our governor and Rivers State. It is our duty to ensure that they do not come here to scuttle everything that Amaechi has achieved for the state and its people.

    “We are pleased to congratulate the 24 lawmakers, who declared for the APC. By so doing, they have demonstrated that they are true progressives, who are resolutely committed to an egalitarian, virile and vibrant Rivers State.”

  • 236 PDP members join Kwara APC

    236 PDP members join Kwara APC

    Two hundred and thirty six members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State.

    The defectors attributed their decision to PDP leaders’ insensitivity to their plight.

    The defectors, mostly youths from Ajanaku ward in Ilorin South Local Government Area claimed to be members of the Solidarity Oba Abu Youth Vanguard.

    They were received by the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Sulaiman Yusuf.

    The defectors claimed that PDP “lacks organisation, team work, credibility and service to humanity”.

    They lamented that the party leaders “lacks sincerity and do not have their interest at heart. They only make empty promises to gain popularity and followership among the youth of the community”.

    The group’s Chairman, Usman Olaiya, explained that they have nothing to show for their support for PDP leaders.

    Olaiya said: “They are so self-centred, they only want to benefit from us and care less about the situation of our group or the ward we represent.”

  • Collapsed building kills three

    Two sons and a housemaid of Edo State Chairman of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) Osamudiamwen Osagiede have been killed in Benin, the Edo State capital, when a building collapsed.

    They were at the building to repair a bicycle when the tragic incident occurred.

    The names of the boys were given as Junior and Martins, aged 15 and seven.

    Their dad said: “It is a great pain to me. They were my only sons. They went there to repair their bicycles when a section of the building collapsed on them. They were killed instantly.”

    He said the matter has been reported to the police.

  • ‘Jonathan, PDP not behind Nyako’s removal’

    ‘Jonathan, PDP not behind Nyako’s removal’

    The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, has described the impeachment of the former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, as an act of democracy.

    Metuh said the impeachment was a constitution right granted the people of Adamawa State and it was exercised through the State House of Assembly’s members.

    The PDP spokesperson, in a statement yesterday, added that the lawmakers “accorded rule of law and due process the rightful place in removing Nyako.”

    Metuh added: “Therefore, allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) linking the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan to this are purely escapist and can only come from revisionists and reactionary forces.”

    He added that it was unfortunate that the APC championing the rights of the people to choice of leadership was the same party turning against the constitutionally guaranteed right of the people to withdraw legitimacy through impeachment and recall.

    The statement advised the APC to look inwards in finding answers to its woes and leave the PDP out of it, saying that “if a sitting governor who has spent over seven years in office could be removed by more than two-third of the members of his state assembly, reasons should be located to fundamental factors within rather than the trite excuses of external influence.

    “While we state in no uncertain terms that neither the PDP as a party nor President Jonathan is remotely or otherwise connected to the impeachment in Adamawa or elsewhere, we also wish to ask the APC to locate the Sword of Damocles dangling in some of the states which they control to the expression of the collective will of the people against bad governance as the PDP believes strongly in separation of powers and the sanctity of the legislature.”

  • FRSC deputy spokesman pledges to do more

    FRSC deputy spokesman pledges to do more

    Mr. Bisi Kazeem, the Deputy Corps Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has pledged to do more in saving lives as an operative of the Commission.

    He made the pledge in an interview with journalists shortly after being decorated with his new rank of Corps Commandant.

    Kazeem was among 23 senior officers including four female recently promoted to corps commandant.

    He said, “I am very elated because to be promoted as Corps Commander is not something that is very easy, many were called but few were chosen. To whom much is given, much is expected; I want to pledge that with this, I would do more of my job.”

    Earlier, Mr. Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, represented by Deputy Corps Marshal Ayodeji Omidiji, urged the newly promoted officers to brace up to the challenges of their new rank.

    Kazeem was appointed the deputy spokesman of the Commission in 2009.

     

     

    Eighteen senior officers, including three Deputy Corps Marshals and 15 Assistant Corps Marshals who benefitted from the recent promotion were decorated with their new rank on Monday.

     

  • Police warns public against hoarding information

    Police warns public against hoarding information

    Hoarding information from security agents by members of the public has been identified as a major challenge in the fight against insecurity in the country today.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, of the Nigeria Police in Calabar, Musa Daura, who said this after decorating 53 newly promoted officers and men at the zone headquarters yesterday, charged members of the public to always provide information if they observe anything strange around them.

    He, however, pointed out that states under the zone have witnessed a decline in criminal activities in the recent past.

    He said the present administration under the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar was committed to the welfare of the force, especially to the welfare of its men for better service delivery.

    According to him, promotion as and when due to deserving candidates, is one of such welfare schemes.

    Other schemes, he said, included the provision of affordable housing to the serving and retired officers, effective insurance scheme, upgrading of training institutions and logistics among others.

    He said the confidence and spirit of the present crop of policemen under the present administration have been lifted translating to enhanced service delivery, civility and hospitality in policing the society.

    Those promoted were 11Police Constables to Corporals, 22 Corporals to Sergeants and 20 Sergeants to Inspectors.