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  • Jonathan stops N5000

    Jonathan stops N5000

    The N5,000 banknote battle is over – for now- with opponents of the plan carrying the day.

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday bowed to pressure and suspended the proposed introduction of the N5000 banknote.

    He advised Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to step down the idea to allow for adequate consultation with the people.

    The National Economic Management Team and a few other bodies and individuals, especially in government, supported the move.

    But many Nigerians, including the National Assembly, opposed the idea, saying it will breed corruption and boost inflation – the very ills the CBN said it would tackle.

    The Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday kicked against the idea. President Jonathan later met with Senate President David Mark and House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, who both stood by the decision, insisting that they were merely ventilating the feelings of the majority of Nigerians..

    “We are stepping it down for now,” presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said last night.

    Abati added: “The introduction is being suspended for now to enable the CBN do more enlightenment on the issue. President Jonathan has directed that the implementation of the N5,000 note be suspended for now. This is to enable apex bank to do more in terms of enabling Nigerians understand why it proposed it in the first place. So, for now, the full implementation is on hold.”

    The CBN, in a statement last night, announced its compliance with the presidential directive.

    The statement by its Director of Corporate Communications Ugo Okoroafor, said: “For the purposes of more efficient payments and currency management systems, the CBN proposed and obtained the approval of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, to embark on the currency restructuring exercise, codenamed “Project CURE’ on December 19, 2011.

    “The CBN hereby informs the general public that the President, on Thursday, September 20, 2012, directed that further action on the approved restructuring exercise be stopped.

    “In full compliance with the provisions of the law, the CBN hereby announces that further action on the said restructuring exercise has been stopped, until such a time Mr. President may direct otherwise.

    “It is important to stress that till date, no contract whatsoever, has been awarded by the CBN in connection with the printing and minting of the new currency notes and coins. Consequently, no currency note or coin has been printed or minted under the proposed exercise.

    “In line with its mandate, the CBN remains committed to the pursuit of policies and programmes aimed at promoting the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.”

    But, the controversy is getting bigger by the day.

    Lawyers joined the fray yesterday, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to sack Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) also unveiled plan to convoke a Peace and Security summit to address the insecurity in the country.

    NBA said it was embarrassed that the apex bank had not offered any “sensible” answer to the fears raised by Nigerians over the plan to introduce the N5,000 note.

    Speaking in Abuja at the summit on the future of the NBA, with the theme “The Nigerian Bar Association: The Past, Present and the Future”, Its President, Okey Wali (SAN), expressed surprise that Sanusi could “insult” former President Olusegun Obasanjo for holding a contrary view.

    The association urged him to initiate the process that will lead to Sanusi’s removal.

    He said: “It may well be that the CBN has a case, but the problem is that they are not giving any sensible answer to the fears expressed by Nigerians, aside from such pedestrian reason as, it will make Nigerians to hold naira instead of dollar.

    “ We are supposed to be in a democracy and since Nigerians have rejected the policy, even their elected representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday 18th of September, 2012 condemned the plan.

    “Rather than listen to Nigerians, the CBN is engrossed in distribution of insults and name calling to anybody who dared express a contrary view. To my utter consternation, I watched on National Television as an elder statesman and former President of this country was being called names and ridiculed for daring to hold a contrary view. That is a big shame.

    “Since all indices show that Nigerians do not want the N5,000 note, even if the leadership of the CBN is right, we believe that they are bound by the wishes of the people or they should take the honorable path of resignation, rather than exhibiting such unbridled high level of arrogance and rudeness.”

    Wali went on: “For all the faults that may be identifiable in President Goodluck Jonathan, arrogance cannot be said to be one of his attributes. The NBA is therefore amazed that this high level of megalomania is going on under his watch. We will, therefore, call on the President to please do the needful, initiate the process of the removal from office of the leadership of the CBN.”

    The NBA said it would not hesitate to challenge in court the implementation of the policy, if the government went ahead with it.

    On the raging debate over the onshore/offshore dichotomy by the Northern governors, the NBA agreed with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), that the matter had been settled by the Supreme Court.

    “We condemn the attempt by some politicians and their sympathisers to deliberately overheat the polity by resurrecting the matter. We recognize that it’s nothing but an attempt at distracting Nigerians from insisting that they deliver on their campaign promises. They have been elected to deliver on the promises they made to the electorate and we think they should concentrate on that and desist from any calculated attempt to distract and deceive the people,” Wali said.

    On the essence of the summit, Wali said the Bar was reviewing rules of professional conduct and the Legal Practitioners Act, to regulate solicitors.

    The summit would also draw up a comprehensive five-year strategic plan for the NBA.

    Wali said the association was working on the establishment of co-operative societies and micro finance bank as well as to develop insurance and welfare scheme for lawyers.

    The Bar also expressed worry on the declining quality of lawyers, stressing the need to participate in designing courses, curricula and syllabi of legal education.

    The NBA has realised that to enhance its value to its membership, and to be able to positively affect professional standards, it must make significant input into the training of its members, Wali said.

  • Governors return Excess Crude Account battle to Supreme Court

    Governors return Excess Crude Account battle to Supreme Court

    Governors are back at the Supreme Court over their disagreement with the Federal Government on the Excess Crude Account.

    The move for an out-of-court settlement between the two parties has failed again.

    The Supreme Court had advised the parties to seek an out-of-court settlement as the governors challenged the Federal Government’s deduction from the Excess Crude Account, which they are urging the apex court to declare as illegal.

    At a meeting on Wednesday the Nigeria Governors’ Forum resolved that the states should return to the Supreme Court.

    But the National Economic Council (NEC), the country’s highest economic organ chaired by the Vice President with governors as members, yesterday advised the governors to choose dialogue.

    The Supreme Court advised the parties to reach a truce by September or it will rule on the matter.

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is the Forum’s chair, said “the governors have decided to head back for the court to enforce the Federal Government’s adherence to the Constitution”. He read the communiqué of the meeting.

    Some of the Governors at the meeting are: Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Danbaba Suntai (Taraba), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara).

    Many states were represented by their deputy governors. In all, 20 states were represented.

    The decision may also endanger the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) set up by the government to replace the account. SWF, like its predecessor, is facing some challenges as the governors are skeptical about its operations.

    The account was created by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 2004 to act as a buffer during low oil prices.

    The account was to save money in excess of the budgeted benchmark price of crude oil.

    The states argue that the account is illegal and that the Federal Government did not seek their input before establishing it.

    But the Federal Government claims the account is being kept as a stabilisation fund to protect the country against global economic crisis as witnessed between the 2008-2009 global meltdown.

    The governors also decried the process whereby it is only the federal government that has control over the use of the fund.

    The acrimony between the federal and state governments has been on since 2007.

    The governors approached the Supreme Court, asking for a refund of their shares of the federation revenue which have been used to fund the fuel subsidy regime, among other things.

    The governors urged the Supreme Court to immediately halt the continued deduction of funds it claims it is using to finance the fuel subsidy and other deductions from the Federation Accounts.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of yesterday’s NEC meeting, Ahmed said council encouraged both parties to continue the consultations towards working out an amicable solution.

    He said: “After considering a report by the Committee on the out-of-court settlement on the excess crude account litigation on the extent of the ongoing negotiations between the Federal and state governments, NEC encouraged the counsel of both parties to continue the consultations towards working out an amicable solution.”

    Ahmed, who was accompanied to the briefing by his Gombe counterpart, Ibrahim Dankwambo and the Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, however said the council’s position was advisory.

    He said the council’s position remained that if an out-of-court settlement could still be explored, the parties should go ahead in the negotiation.

    NEC also considered a presentation by the new Performance Measurement and Results delivery System in Nigeria by Shamsudeen, which has begun at the federal level with the recent signing of Performance Contracts between Mr. President and the Ministers and its extension between Ministers/Heads of Agencies and Permanent Secretaries.

    The NEC noted the need to cascade the New Performance Management system to sub-national level to harmonise performance management and tracking system and adopted a roadmap presented by the National Planning Minister to that effect.

    NEC agreed that the States should Establish a Functional Monitoring and Evaluation Department to coordinate the implementation of the Framework and support Performance Management;Conduct Sensitisation/Induction workshops for all Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Agencies and Parastatals and Directors; Governors Forum to adopt as part of Peer Review Mechanism; The National Planning Commission to co-ordinate the production of templates and provide overall technical support.

  • North’s governors back Tambuwal against plotters

    North’s governors back Tambuwal against plotters

    Some governors of the North have launched a battle to stave off the plot to impeach House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

    Also, there is pressure on Tambuwal to remove from key committees’ those behind the plot to destabilise the House.

    The Nation learnt that some governors, led by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, prevailed on members of the House, (mostly from the North) who are against the Speaker, to shelve the plot.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said Aliyu told lawmakers that they would not succeed.

    The source said: “Aliyu has made calls to the co-ordinator of the ‘Operation Clean’ group and some members on why the North cannot afford to lose the office of the Speaker. He said North’s governors felt it is better to stabilise the House than going through another crisis.

    “The governor also condemned the recourse to “politics of bitterness” by some of the aggrieved lawmakers. He pleaded with them to shelve their plan.

    “The Niger State governor felt bad that the arrowhead of ‘Operation Clean’ is from his state, creating an impression that he is not sincere in leading the 19 governors of the North”.

    It was also learnt that about five to six governors from the North, including Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, have intervened.

    Some of the governors might still meet with the aggrieved lawmakers later on how to ensure a sustainable rapprochement between them and the Speaker, according to a source.

    The “Operation Clean” group suspended the emergency session of first term members it planned for yesterday.

    When our correspondent visited Transcorp Hilton, an official simply said: “I think this event is not holding here again.”

    A principal officer of the House confirmed the anger of most members against the group. He said: “The Speaker is under pressure to remove these people from key committees but he thinks that the House should overlook any infractions committed by any member.

    “But members are insisting that those plotting against the Speaker took advantage of their committees’ interaction with some forces in government to source for seed cash to destabilise the House.”

    Following the plot being coordinated by a lawmaker from Niger State, Mohammed Sani Idris Kutigi, the Speaker summoned an Executive Session.

    But the chairman, House Committee on Information and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, at a media session yesterday, said the unity of the House was not in doubt.

    “I am a member of the House and I was at the executive session, but I cannot confirm what did not happen.

    “What I can tell you is that we are 360 members who elected our own leadership and the unity of this House is not negotiable,” he said.

    The convener of the meeting of the 260 first timer, told The Nation that the planned meeting was not intended to cause disharmony in the House.

    Kutigi, who said impeachment was far from the issues on the minds of the conveners, stressed that the content of the text message that was sent to all members of the House was mischievously misinterpreted by “sycophants”.

    He also said the leadership of the House was aware of the planned meeting.

    “The truth is, impeachment is a process but I wonder where people get their facts from. The fact remains that it is a group of members, formed at the inception of the current House and led by Abudlmumin Jubrin, but after the inauguration, it was dispersed.

    “So, the text message was a reunion of members coming together after a long while.

    “To prove that there was no malicious motive to the meeting, the leadership of the House was informed of the meeting that was supposed to hold today (yesterday)

    “It was not a clandestine meeting; the text was sent to the 360 members of the House. The older members were free to join us. If it was meant to create disharmony in the House we would not have met with the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha.

    “We met the Deputy Speaker on Tuesday to intimate the Speaker about the meeting, but he was not available at that particular time; he was at an engagement outside the complex. So, if we are planing to unseat him, is it logical to inform him of the meeting and send text to everybody, when we know that we all have our differences?

    “Speaking of issues, there were no issues to be discussed, we have not met, if we had met, issues would have been raised and addressed or find means of addressing them, so there was no agenda”.

    “If impeachment was on the agenda, how can I put my name on the text. The text was a catch; it was meant to make members curious enough to want to attend.”

    According to the lawmaker, the planned meeting was eventually shelved as a result of the executive session that was attended by all the lawmakers.

    “By the time the text was sent, the leadership found it necessary to sit for an executive session, and since executive session usually holds for the Speaker to get feedback and comments from members, by the time we concluded it, we felt that there was no need for it any more,” Kutigi added.

  • U.S.: why we won’t tag Boko Haram terrorist body

    U.S.: why we won’t tag Boko Haram terrorist body

    The United States has not designated Boko Haram a terrorist organisation because its insurgency is principally aimed at portraying the Nigeria government as ineffective, Ambassador Jonnie Carson said yesterday.

    The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs spoke in a continent-wide telephone conference monitored at the US Embassy in Lagos.

    Mr. Carson said Boko Haram is not a homogenous organisation and, therefore, not qualified to be labelled a terrorist group.

    “Boko Haram is an organisation trying to discredit the Nigerian government and trying to show the government as ineffective in protecting its citizens,” he said.

    He, however, conceded that the US “constantly keeps it (Boko Haram) under review” and that is why it has declared three Boko Haram leaders as terrorists.

    Last June, the US Government placed Abubakar Shekau, Abubakar Adam Kambar and Khalid al-Barnawi on its global terror watch list.

    “These three leaders were declared as terrorists because we believe they have established contacts and broader network with foreign terrorist organisations. They have sought funding and materials,” Carson said.

    In the build-up to the November 6 US presidential election, Carson spoke extensively on US affairs in Africa.

    According to him, the US’s predominant activities are targetted at helping “Africa deal with its ongoing security challenges” because crises take away resources meant for development. But, he said the country’s larger aim is to help Africa grow its economy, especially agriculture.

    On the recent attacks by Islamists on US Embassies and diplomats in some African and Arab countries. Carson’s said the “provocative video” was only a means for the attackers to show their interest, which is not necessarily religious, but to force US government out of those countries.

    He, however, said “that incident will not draw us back from engaging the global community but will make us intensify our efforts”.

    The US Consular General in Lagos, Jeffrey Hawkins, also condemned the violence that erupted as a result of the anti-Islam video.

    “That video does not reflect the view of the US government and I am personally against it,” he said, adding: “However, we believe in freedom of speech in the US; even speeches that are sometimes provocative and that should not warrant violence.”

    Mr. Hawkins said Nigerians have shown maturity in the wake of erupting violence against US diplomats.

    Mr. Hawkins said the Lagos Consular office now exists strictly to build bridges between the US government and Nigerians, without any government interference.

    “We recognise this is a young and growing country and we realise the youth are the future. So we are focusing a lot on the youth of this country,” he said.

    There was a procession in Zaria, Kaduna State, yesterday against the production of the anti-Islam video in the US.

    Leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky said the production and release of the anti-Islam film is part of the plan to institutionalise September 11 as an annual ritual aimed at branding Islam as a religion of terrorists.

    Addressing the protest rally at the Zaria Polo Club, El-Zakzaky condemned the film makers and the United States for releasing such a film to mock and ridicule Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

    According to him, apart from outward mockery of the tenets and beliefs of Islam, the film presented Prophet Mohammed in an unspeakable, immoral manner, pointing out that the “filthy” hand of the enemies of Islam is once again restless and becoming impatient and frustrated with the daily increased radiance of Islam and the Holy Qur’an in the present world.

    The Islamic scholar noted that the United States had in the past backed the previous links in the “evil chain”, namely Salman Rushdie, the Danish cartoonist and the U.S. Pastor who attempted to burn the Holy Qur’an.

    He also alleged that the American government had ordered for production and worldwide distribution of many anti-Islamic movies to companies affiliated to the Zionist capitalists, pointing out that if they had not done that, things would not have gone the way they are today.

    He noted that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and the Muslims in Nigeria decided on a peaceful demonstration to condemn this dastardly act, as people who love Prophet Mohammed and his teachings.

  • Senate hits Maku over comment on resolution

    Senate hits Maku over comment on resolution

    The Senate hit back yesterday at the Presidency for describing its resolutions as mere advice that is not binding on President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The Upper Chamber was angry that an “unelected” Information Minister, Labaran Maku, declared its resolutions mere advice, which President Jonathan could ignore.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who took on Maku on the floor of the Senate, noted that the Senate or indeed the National Assembly does not need the Minister to tell them that their resolutions are not binding, “just as we don’t need to remind him that he was not elected”.

    He said there was no doubt that anybody who chose to ignore the resolutions of the Senate does so at the expense of good governance.

    Ekweremadu noted that though the resolutions are not binding, the positions taken by Senators on issues are usually well thought out, in-depth and borne out of patriotism.

    He noted that the time had come for President Jonathan to implement the resolutions of the Senate on the Bureau for Public Enterprise.

    Said the Senator: “If there are very fat buttocks that are sitting on it, he (President) should use the executive powers to push them out and get the reports implemented in the overall interest of this country.”

    He added: “There is a huge gap and anything to bridge this gap is helpful.

    “Namely the response from Minister of Information on our resolutions concerning the N5000 note, that our resolutions are not binding.

    “I don’t think that we need the Minister of Information or any other Minister to tell us that our resolutions are not binding just as we don’t need to remind him that he was not elected.

    “We know that our resolutions are not binding, but the positions we take in this Senate, especially regarding the resolutions, are all well thought of.

    “They are borne out of patriotism; they are well researched and they are amalgamation of the views of very responsible Nigerians.

    “To that extent, they are very persuasive and any person who is ignoring the resolutions of this Senate is doing so at the expense of good governance and we cannot encourage such a thing.

    “I believe this is the opportunity for Mr. President to go and look for resolutions of the Senate regarding the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) investigations.

    “If there are very fat buttocks that are sitting on it, he should use the executive powers to push them out and get the reports implemented in the overall interest of this country.”

  • Is this the end of N5,000 note?

    Is this the end of N5,000 note?

    On December 19, 2011, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) proposed and obtained the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan to embark on the currency restructuring exercise, codenamed ‘Project CURE’.

    On August 23, CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi announced the new denomination of 5,000 naira bill. He said it would help Nigeria’s economy by providing a “befitting currency structure”.

    Under the new structure, the existing denominations of N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 will be redesigned with added new security features while a new high currency denomination, N5,000, will be brought into circulation.

    Sanusi explained that the lower banknote denominations of N5, N10 and N20 would be coined, meaning that naira currency structure will now be twelve- six coins and six banknotes.

    While the coins will now be 50k, N1, N2, N5, N10 and N20, the banknotes will be N50, N100, N200, N500, N1,000 and N5,000.

    But there was a lot of public outcry against the planned introduction of N5,000 banknote, with some saying it would fuel inflation, aid corruption and that it was at variance with the CBN’s cash-less policy that de-emphasises the use of cash.

    The apex bank and some economists said it would not cause inflation because the amount of money in circulation would not increase.

    On September 6, former president Olusegun Obasanjo said the N5,000 would cause inflation and kill production.

    On Septmeber 12, Sanusi replied Obasanjo, saying the ex-president is a good farmer but a bad economist.

    On September 18, the House of Representatives and the Senate asked President Jonathan to stop the N5000 banknote.

    On September 20, President Jonathan eventually directed that further action on the approved restructuring exercise be stopped.

     

  • Advocates, opponents of N5,000 note

    Advocates, opponents of N5,000 note

    •Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo

    “The way Sanusi was fighting inflation by removing money from circulation was improper…, as this approach would kill production and affect small businesses negatively.”

    •Gen. Yakubu Gowon

    “The production of the N5,000 by the CBN will surely cause devaluation of the country’s naira.”

    •Alhaji Aliko Dangote

    “I think it is even to protect the economy. The cost of printing is not anything different from the amount they are using in printing any other note. It is the same cost.”

    • Information Minister Labaran Maku

    “I believe we should allow CBN to have leadership on this issue. This is not an opinion poll debate but a technical matter and the heated debate will not help in the management of our economy.”

    •Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

    “We are in an interesting country because my uncle or my father, who is our former Head of State, Gen. Obasanjo, you know he is a very successful farmer, but he is a very bad economist. He says that this higher denomination will cause inflation and improve hardship.

    “Gen. Obasanjo did N20, he did N100, N200, N500 and N1,000. He introduced higher denominations in Nigeria than any other head of state. He did a N100 note in 1999, he did N200 in 2000, he did N500 two years later and in that period inflation was coming down because it was accompanied by prudent fiscal and monetary policy.

    “For somebody (Obasanjo) who had done this to stand up and say introducing a higher denomination will cause inflation must be an empirical, most important determinant of inflation in our country given the number of notes he had printed.”

    • Managing Director, IRIS Consulting, Richard Obire

    “The policy may spur demand for wage increase. CBN is further devaluing the naira as there is a direct relationship between higher bank notes and devaluation.”

    •NLC Vice-President Issa Aremu

    “The policy would raise inflation and further pauperise the common man. It also contradicts CBN’s cash-less policy and raise corruption level in the country.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking Bassey Otu

    “This type of action is only taken where there is a major currency crisis and the CBN must be careful not to send a wrong signal to households or the domestic sector, or even the external economies that the Nigerian currency is valueless, which, I believe is definitely not and that for every unit of value, they need to carry a large quantity of cash.”

    •NBA President Okey Wali

    “The introduction of the N5,000 note should not be imposed on Nigerians.”

    •Atedo Peterside

    “Money is a store of value. All these thieves, rogues and vagabonds running around various states and all over the country when they steal money will want to keep it outside the banking system, so they need higher denomination notes.”

    •Hon. Jones Onyereri

    “The House would not support any policy that would further impoverish Nigerians.”

  • Anti-Mohammed film: US Embassy meets Muslim clerics

    Anti-Mohammed film: US Embassy meets Muslim clerics

    The leadership of the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), Lagos State has held a meeting with officials of the United States Embassy led by the Consul-General Mr Jeffrey Hawkins on the global protests triggered by a film, Innocence of Muslims, against Prophet Mohammed.

    The meeting, according to CIO Coordinator, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, was to promote better understanding between Muslims in Nigeria and the government and people of US.

    He said the meeting looked at measures to prevent a recurrence of attempt to misrepresent Prophet Muhammad.

    He said Hawkins acknowledged the constructive dialogue approach adopted by the CIO and most Muslims in Nigeria to handle the issue.

    Speaking at a news conference yesterday at the Beleke Smith Memorial Central Mosque Hall, Surulere, Lagos mainland, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ahmad, who spoke on behalf of the CIO, commended the US government for the effort to seek the views of Muslims on how to promote better relations between the Muslim world and the US.

    He condemned the film and described the producers and promoters as pathological haters, enemies of international peace and security.

    He said though Muslims were enraged by the film, majority of them were cautious in their reactions by the teachings of the Prophet.

    He said: “There can never be a more effective guarantee of international peace and security than justice, equity, reciprocal respect and mutual understanding.

    “Muslims will never accept that the symbols of Islam, such as the creator, Allah, Prophet Muhammad and all other prophets sent by God, the Qur’an, and places of worship subjected to ridicule, insult and attack in the name of freedom of expression.”

    Amid the watchful eyes of the officials of State Security Service (SSS) and other security agents, many Muslims youth carried placards, expressing their disgust to the film.

    Flanked by various Islamic scholars, Sheikh Ahmad said Islam abhors the taking of lives of innocents.

    “That is why all well-meaning Muslims and members of CIO condemn, unequivocally, the deplorable death of the US Ambassador to Libya and three other US Embassy staff. This has no place in Islam. One very important lesson that we can all take from this is that it is absolutely wrong to judge a country or a people by the deeds of the minority of bad people in that country,” he said.

    He said no human freedom can be absolute.

    “We, therefore, urge the US government to provide legal guarantees that prevent people from infringing on the rights, honours and freedom of others while exercising their rights to freedom of expression.”

  • Over 700 dead pensioners’ fund ready, says Maina

    Over 700 dead pensioners’ fund ready, says Maina

    tHE Chairman, of the Presidential Pension Reform Task Team (PRTFT), Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, yesterday said the entitlements of next–of–kins of over 700 pensioners are ready .

    Maina said: “Treating one dead case was very arduous given the fact that aside the legal issues involved, the deceased are not alive to re-produce documents required for easy processing of their benefits and arrears. This is why it took us a very long time to identify and approve their next -of -kin’s for payments. This is a mean feat that must be celebrated.”

    He spoke when he hosted members of the National Association of Federal Civil Service Retirees and the National Association of Retired Prisons Officers.

    Maina vowed to discharge his duties to ensure that corruption, embezzlement and misapplication/diversion of funds were exposed.

    He assured that remedies would be provided to end the agonies and pains to which pensioners have been subjected.

    Maina said his team has inaugurated a committee with members drawn from the Para-military and Federal Head of Service, to distribute the smart card aimed at completely halting pension fraud.

    The exercise, he said, has been zoned to reduce stress on the pensioners.

    He said: “Our era marks a new dawn in the Pension sector. We are adopting a permanent solution to the ugly, unacceptable, deplorable and repulsive condition and system of pension administration and payment in Nigeria, which had brought untold hardship, bitterness and misery to our elder statesmen-our pensioners. These pensioners had meritoriously put in all their years of youthful strength and intellect to the service of their fatherland and must be rewarded.”

  • What makes Nigeria tick, by Jonathan

    What makes Nigeria tick, by Jonathan

    Those seeking Nigeria’s disintegration are “lazy politicians angling to be kings in tiny islands’’, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday in Abuja.

    It was at the opening of a National Summit and Rally for peace, unity and development, oganised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Besides former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Dr. Jonathan, dignataries at the event, included Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Labour Minister Emeka Wogu, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Presedent-General, Peter Esele.

    The President noted that the strength of the nation is in its size, population and diversity and his administration remained committed to its unity.

    He said: “I agree with other speakers that we cannot talk about cannibalising and balkanising Nigeria.

    “I think those who are thinking that way want to be kings in tiny islands because I believe from the little I know that Nigeria is still rated as a country to look at globally. It’s not because we produce oil, and some people think it’s because of our oil.

    “One small country with less than 10 million population produces more oil than Nigeria. So, it is not the oil, its not the vast land. What is the land space of Nigeria compared to Sudan?

    “The population, yes, we have the population, but I think the key thing is actually the size in terms of the human beings; it’s not the oil that we think we have.

    “So, any person who feels that they just want to stay as one nation, just want to be king without hard work. They will not get it, because Nigeria will not divide.’’

    President Jonathan underscored the need for Nigerians to embrace peace as a pre-requisite for development.

    He decried the destruction of communication towers and equipment by ‘’some disgruntled elements’’.

    Jonathan noted that such negative trends by saboteurs impacted negatively on the economy and made it difficult to develop society.

    The President praised the NLC for organising the summit, adding that it was in line with the government’s position of seeking consensus in nation building and sustainable development.

    He urged the organiser to discuss home-grown strategies in confronting the challenges of security, peace and development.

    Jonathan requested the NLC to take serious interest in the nation’s constitutional development by making valuable contributions in writing to the National Assembly Committees on constitutional review.

    He noted that the modest efforts of the government were yielding results, particularly in the areas of foreign direct investments, power, agriculture, aviation and manufacturing.

    Earlier, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, identified disconnect between the political class and the masses, unemployment, corruption, anti-masses policies, among others, as causes of disunity and crises in the country.

    The former NLC president noted that there could not be peace, unity and development without justice.

    He said economic growth could only be measured when it trickles down to the masses.

    Oshiomhole called for a review of the revenue allocation formula to allow for a reduction in the resources accruing to the Federal Government in favour of states and local governments.

    He noted that by so doing, states would be allowed to develop at their own pace and attention would be shifted from the federal to the states.

    Gen. Gowon, Chairman of the occasion, noted that the situation in the country made it mandatory for all true lovers of Nigeria to come together to proffer a solution to the daunting security challenge confronting the nation.

    “I am happy that NLC has chosen to be that agent of change. It shows that NLC is not all about calling out workers on strike and shouting. All Nigerians should help so that in the end we would be able to bring peace that will make Nigeria rank among the best in the world”, he said.

    The former head of state warned that Nigerians should stop playing the ethnicity card, insisting that we are all Nigerians first irrespective of where we may have come from.

    “I do not subscribe to minority, majority slogan. We are all Nigerians and should have equal access to the national cake and should be seen as adding value to Nigeria,”Gen. Gowon said.

    Labour President Abdulwaheed Omar, said the union, being a pan-Nigerian organisation with a history of nationalism and intervention dating to the Independence struggle, cannot fold its hands and watch the country break up, hence its decision to hold the summit.

    “Nigeria’s existence as one indivisible entity is inviolable, irrevocable and inalienable”, he said.