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  • Arewa kicks against new state for South East

    Arewa kicks against new state for South East

    The pan northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is not favourably disposed to the creation of a new state from the South East geo-political zone or any other part of the country for now.

    The forum believes that creating additional states at a time the nation is clamouring for reduction in the cost of governance will be counter-productive.

    The ACF, in a communique issued by its National Working Committee (NWC) at the end of a meeting in Kaduna yesterday, also said the opposition by some northern legislators to certain provisions of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) should not be misconstrued as a regional agenda but one aimed at correcting the anomalies in the overall interest of the nation.

    But it said that should there be any compelling reasons to create new states, the decision should be based on land mass and population.

    The ACF said its insistence on dialogue between the Federal Government and Islamist sect, Boko Haram, is not informed by any desire to encourage insurgency for the purpose of attracting government patronage, but the realisation that the use of military might rarely reins in terrorists anywhere.

    The communiqué reads in part: “The National Working Committee considered the agitations by the Southern Nigeria’s Peoples Assembly for correction of ‘the present national structural imbalance, which has foisted inequity, marginalization and given undue advantage to the North’.

    “It has been the considered opinion of the ACF, which bears repeating, that given the clamour for reduction of cost of governance across the country in favour of development of the real sector, any contemplation for additional states at this point in time could wholly be counter-productive.

    “However, should there be any overriding need for additional states now across the country, ACF appeals to the authorities to take into account factors of land mass and population in such an exercise. This is because inequity, injustice and unfairness occur not only when equals are treated unequally, but also when un-equals are treated equally.

    “The Forum must reiterate that its preference for dialogue between Boko Haram and the Nigerian authorities has not been informed by any desire to encourage insurgency as a viable way of attracting government’s attention for patronages, but by the fact of history: the use of hard power of military might rarely reined in terrorist activities anywhere. Nigeria may not be an exception.

    “Towards this end, the meeting still urged the governments to go as far as efforts can go and bring the leadership of the sect to the negotiation table for public good.

    “The meeting also deliberated on the implications of Bayelsa State Government’s acquisition of gunboats for surveillance of the creeks and other controversial actions like state anthem, coat of arms and flag.

    “It is against such backdrop that the ACF urges the federal government to ensure that such gunboats are used only by those charged with the authority and responsibility of overseeing the maritime borders and the creeks.

    “The meeting deliberated on some lapses contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the fact that those who point them out are being accused of pursuing a regional agenda.

    “This should not be the case, considering it is not only northern states that have no oil. Some states in the South also have no oil, and are opposed to some sections of the bill.

    “So, given the fact that the legislature is a deliberative institution which promotes democracy as contest of ideas and reasons, the forum urges the nation’s legislators and the media to concentrate on the issues relating to the lapses observed in the PIB and not on the places where the persons who raise them come from.”

     

  • Cash gifts, board jobs set PDP chiefs against Tukur

    Cash gifts, board jobs set PDP chiefs against Tukur

    More facts emerged yesterday about the crises crippling the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Besides the power struggle, there is a disagreement over an end-of-year “palliative” for the National Working Committee (NWC) .

    The palliative row has pitched eight deputy members of the NWC against the 12 members, who run the party at the National Secretariat.

    But National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur will today hold a “frank session” with the deputy NWC members.

    The G-84 members have written President Goodluck Jonathan, raising the alarm that the party is stinking.

    G-84 comprises the eight deputy members of the National Working Committee (NWC), 24 ex-officio members, 37 state chairmen and some former leaders.

    They alleged that the NWC is becoming “cultish”, with total exclusion of elected officers.

    They begged President Jonathan, as the national leader of PDP, to save the party from brinkmanship.

    They claimed that their letter had nothing to do with the ongoing feud between Tukur and the sacked National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    They said they are not in support of Tukur or Oyinlola. All they want is sanity in the party, the group said.

    The crux of the crisis in PDP, which also borders partly on the palliative, emerged from the letter written to the President by G-84.

    An influential member of the G-84, who spoke in confidence, said: “Greed is a major challenge facing the party. We also have problem of management of funds.

    “For example, when deputy NWC members were sidelined, we took our case to one of our leaders who said we should do a memo for end of year palliative.

    “But as soon as the money was released, the National Chairman got N7.5million end-of-year gift, the Deputy National Chairman and Secretary received N6million each; each member of the NWC was given N5million and National Vice-Chairmen got N2.5million each.

    “As for the eight deputy members of the NWC who initiated the end-of-year palliative, each of them was allotted N150, 000. The amount offered to us was least expected. We unanimously wrote a letter of rejection to the National Chairman.

    “The chairman is on N2m per month, Deputy National Chairman and National Secretary earn N1.5m, and other NWC members get N1.2m each. In addition, the NWC members get N100, 000 to N150, 000 per sitting.

    “At a point, one NWC member used to collect N10million every month for sundry issues until the National Chairman stopped it following observations that the money was not being properly utilised.

    “Apart from salaries and allowances by the 12 NWC members, each of them got a car loan of N8million, furniture allowance of N5million, and annual rent of between N12million and N5million. But none of the deputy members of the NWC got anything, in spite of the high cost of living in Abuja .

    “Since we were all elected, the deputy members of NWC only got N50, 000 in July 2012 when we had the last NEC meeting. As a sign of rejection, they allocated only one office to deputy NWC members some of who were former Senators, members of the House of Representatives, ex-Ambassadors and ex-commissioners in their states.

    “Deputy members of the NWC do not receive anything at the end of the month. No sitting allowance. Yet we have to rent houses in Abuja and feed our families too.

    “The Presidency also gave NWC and their deputies 14 chairmanship slots for boards of parastatals and 55 membership. The 12 NWC members shared everything among themselves without anything for their deputies.

    “You can see why there is tension constantly in the party. There is gross injustice among elected officers of the party. The PDP is in a tinder-box. Those leading us are selfish. The President must ensure justice.”

    Besides the palliative palaver, the G-84 members also highlighted alleged breaches of the party’s constitution

    An investigation by our correspondent revealed that the G-84 wrote the letter on January 19, 2013 to the President.

    Copies of the letter were sent to the Vice-President, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, among others.

    It was gathered that it was on the strength of the letter and the directive of the President that Tukur will meet with the deputy members of the NWC today.

    It was learnt that before resorting to writing the President, the G-84 members, led by the deputy members of the NWC had met with Tukur and Oyinlola four times on their grievances but no action was taken to address the issues.

    The deputy members of the NWC are the Deputy National Secretary; Deputy National Treasurer; Deputy National Financial Secretary; Deputy National Organising Secretary; Deputy National Legal Adviser; Deputy National Publicity Secretary; Deputy National Auditor; Deputy National Woman Leader and Deputy National Youth Leader.

    According to sources, the aggrieved members had on November 28, 2012 met with Vice-President Namadi Sambo on the challenges facing the party.

    The issues tabled before the President by the G-84 are as follows:

    •breach of PDP constitution by not holding National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting;

    •wrongful and consistent misinterpretation of PDP constitution;

    •management of the party in a cultish nature;

    •exclusion of elected party officers by NWC;

    •wasting of party resources on personal events, functions, and chartering of aircraft;

    •fixing of wages and allowances by NWC members to the detriment of other elected officers; and

    •arbitrary sharing of honourarium both in cash and kind.

    A top source in G-84, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have met with the National Chairman and National Secretary four times but nothing has been done on issues we have raised.

    “We are unhappy with the cultish nature in which the affairs of the party are being conducted by the NWC with total exclusion of other elected officials. The party is really stinking; things are not being done properly. We itemised all the infractions of the NWC in our letter.

    “One of our grouses is wrongful and consistent misinterpretation of PDP constitution. The recent suspension of the National Vice-Chairman, North-East, Senator Girigiri Lawal, by the NWC was done in line with Article 29 Section 2(b) but without adequate reference to Article 57. The NWC has been arrogating to itself the power it does not have.

    “At least, due process was not followed in exercising disciplinary action against the National Vice-Chairman. It means the NWC can wake up one day to suspend either the President or the Vice-President. This same attitude made the NWC to revolt against Tukur on January 11, 2013.

    “We also noticed consistent breach of the party’s constitution by not holding NEC meetings. Article 31, Section 4 of the party’s constitution says that ‘NEC shall meet at least once per quarter.’ The last NEC meeting was held in July 2012.

    “These breaches and grievances accounted for the delay in convening NEC meetings because members are angry. People talk of Tukur being afraid of the PDP governors as the main reason for not summoning NEC. But I think the fear of the revolt of G-84 members is behind the foot-dragging on NEC meeting.

    “We have threatened to pass vote of no confidence and walk out if our grievances are not addressed.

    “Mr. President is a good man; he wants the party put on sound footing in a democratic manner but the present crop of NWC members prefers cultish style.”

    Responding to a question, another source in G-84 said: “The situation in Wadata (PDP National Headquarters) does not show fairness. We are meeting the National Chairman at our request and based on the intervention of the President.

    “This audience with Tukur on Monday has nothing to do with the crisis of confidence between him and Oyinlola at all.

    “For instance, the party leadership has excluded deputy members of the NWC from the conduct of the affairs of PDP. Yet, they were all elected in March 2012 together.

    “Our agitation has no sympathy for the chairman or Oyinlola. If they listen to our agitation, it means peace and more cordiality between NWC and deputies, ex-officio members and the 37 state chairmen of the party.

    “On June 27, 2012, we wrote a letter to the former National Secretary of the party (Oyinlola) on the continuing exclusion of elected deputy NWC members from the affairs of the party. We complained against the inability of the NWC to comply with Article 37(2) to 44(2) which says that deputies shall deputise.

    “Oyinlola only replied us that by virtue of Article 13 of the PDP constitution, “deputies to NWC members are to perform party functions only when the need arises. We were shocked and we wrote the BOT Secretary on 16th July 2012 to draw his attention to the anomalies in the management of the affairs of the party.”

  • ANCWL kick against restricting women to certain stadium areas

    The African National Congress Women League (ANCWL) has criticised the reported ban on women from certain areas in stadiums during the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa.

    ANCWL spokesperson Troy Martens described the decision by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) as shocking. “The ANCWL is shocked and appalled at reports that some of the AFCON teams feel women in stadiums are bad luck.”

    She was commenting on a report that women would not be allowed in the lower level of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, near where the players’ changing rooms are. “It is a travesty that in a country such as South Africa, the whims of these teams will be considered by our local organisers.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ghana, the DR Congo,

    Mali and Niger had raised concerns about access to the dressing room area by women.

    “South African women are ardent soccer supporters and it is insulting to have them discriminated against in this manner based on the nonsensical belief that women bring bad luck,” Martens said.

    The league spokesperson said that he was confident that such discrimination would not happen.

    “Never in the history of sports events hosted in South Africa has the ANCWL ever heard of such absurdity. “

  • Why some Reps are against Tambuwal

    Why some Reps are against Tambuwal

    Some members of the House of Representatives yesterday revealed their grievances against the leadership as meetings were held last night to douse tension.

    This is in spite of the vote of confidence passed on Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and the leadership during plenary.

    Our correspondents learnt that various meetings were held with members of the opposition, including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Positive Change (CPC) Accord, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) on the one hand, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on the other.

    A member who declined to be named said: “the meeting is to discuss our grievances and fashion out ways of resolving the matters.

    “I will cite instances of our grouses, one of which was the excesses of the Chairmen of Committees that have repeatedly refused to carry other members of their Committee along in our activities.

    “We are aggrieved because we see the Speaker as not being decisive enough on that front.

    The aggrieved member also said employment opportunities from the MDAs had been cornered by committee chairmen.

    “We also have people from our constituencies who need employment,” he said.

    Another member, who also spoke anonymously, said that issue of allowances of lawmakers is another problem.

    “The issue of allowance is another testy ground for Tambuwal as we are not happy that our allowances have not been raised. and I can tell you that members are not ready to understand this.”

  • Fashola warns against environmental pollution

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said he is satisfied with the progress of projects in Amuwo-Odofin.

    He praised the contractors handling the light rail project, saying with the rate of work so far, the government would deliver on the first phase of the project this year.

    He said: “With the rate of work so far, I must say we are on course and that the first phase of the project will be completed on schedule around June/July this year.”

    Fashola, who praised the contractors handling the project for their commitment, lamented that some residents and traders had turned the walkway of the light rail into a refuse dump.

    He said the blue print of his administration on the environment would not be achieved if the people refuse to obey environmental laws.

    According to him, dumping of refuse indiscriminately around streets and in drain channels does more damage to the environment and it is a precursor of disasters, especially flood. He said a stakeholders meeting would soon be convened to address the environmental issues in order to carry residents along in the drive against indiscriminate refuse dump.

    Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Chairman Comrade Ayodele Adewale told the governor that the porosity of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and Mile 2 Estates needed urgent government attention. The governor promised to address the matter soonest.

    He however, advised residents to take care of their immediate surroundings.

    Among those who received Fashola were former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Abayomi Kinyomi, Hon. Sultan Adeniji-Adele, representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency I, Hon. Ramota Akinola-Hassan, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency II and Mr Fola Owolabi, General Manager FHA, Southwest.

  • Mark: Bill against same sex marriage stands

    Senate President David Mark has said the Bill prohibiting same sex marriage is irrevocable.

    The lawmaker, who spoke when he addressed Catholic faithful and guests at the civic reception in honour of Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan in Abuja, said the Bill would be passed into law irrespective of pressures from some sections of the international community and human rights activists demanding the legalisation of same sex marriage in the country.

    Besides banning same sex marriage, Mark said it is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment of not less than 14 years.

    He added that despite pressures from some quarters, the law has come to stay.

    Said he: “We will not compromise on this. I want you to join the crusade of decency in our society.

    “There are many good values we can copy from other societies, but not this one (same sex marriage).

    “We have to prove to the rest of the world, who are advocates of this unnatural way that we Nigerians promote and respect sanity, morality and humanity.

    “Every individual is a product of the union of a man and woman.”

    Senator Mark acknowledged the cordial relationship between Nigeria and the Church and pledged that the National Assembly would ensure religious freedom and peaceful co-existence.

    He added that it would support religious programmes that have positive bearing on Nigerians, condemning religious intolerance and extremism.

    Mark enjoined spiritual leaders to pray for good governance, peace and security.

    “We are doing our best to ensure the safety of life and property,” he said.

    Cardinal Onaiyekan thanked Pope Benedict X11, the government and people of Nigeria for their prayers and support, especially since his elevation to the Collage of Cardinals.

    He said he would be a crusader for peace and unity in Nigeria.

    The Chairman of the Reception Organising Committee, Rev. Father Innocent Jooji, noted that Onaiyekan, as a soldier of Christ, has brought honour to the nation with his elevation to the Collage of Cardinals.

     

     

  • Why we’re against Kalu, by Abia PDP elders

    THE plot against the readmission of former Abia State Governor Orji Kalu into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thickened at the weekend.

    At a town hall meeting organised by the indigenes in Abuja, chieftains of the party said Kalu’s re-entry would cause problems instead of uniting members.

    A former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, blamed the former governor for the crises in the party.

    He said: “Since he left the party, the rancour and quarrel in Abia have stopped. We, the stakeholders of the PDP, took a decision that we don’t want Orji Kalu back. Since he left, there has been unity and peace in the state. That is what we want to be sustained. Where there is no peace, there will be no development.

    “Not long ago, people associated Abia with terrorism and kidnapping. Companies in Abia even left, but now the presentgovernment has been able to restore confidence; now the companies are gradually coming back, which is what we don’t want to be hampered.”

    A former PDP National Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, who chaired the meeting, hailed Governor Theodore Orji for restoring peace to the state.

    He said: “No matter what you do, people must find fault in you. However, we need peace in Abia.”

    Labour and Productivity Minister Emeka Nwogu said: “We were exiling in Abuja before now; most of us lost our ‘manhood’. We thank God that it has been restored.

    “At a time, we lost what made us men. The other time, some of us could not make it to a meeting in Abia due to fear of being kidnapped; we felt so bad about it.”

    Orji urged the indigenes to give his administration the benefit of doubt.

    He said: “The major problem I inherited was the personification of governance. We were all at daggers-drawn before now. I gave life back to Abians, there was a time that people ran away and nobody wanted to come home. Now, the security is restored and as at today, we have 250 health centres in the state. That is why I tell people, when are accessing me, access me as a person that receives only N3.5billion as monthly federal allocation and pays salary with N2.5billion. We have already given employment to over 4,500 youths, but some people will go to their newspaper and start writing rubbish about the state…”

     

  • ‘We’re not against Hijrah holiday’

    Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Osun State Superior Evangelist Abraham Aladeseye yesterday said Christians were not against the recent declaration of a public holiday marking the beginning of the new Islamic year, Hijra.

    Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, Aladeseye hailed the Chief Imam of Osogbo and the President-General, League of Imams and Alfas in the Southwest, Sheik Mustapha Ajisafe, for his maturity in handling religious matters.

    He said: “The celebration of Hijra does not disturb Christians and we do not have anything against it. There is no Christian complaining about it because we believe it is promoting Islam.

    “Infact, I sent congratulatory messages to Ajisafe and Governor Rauf Aregbesola to wish them well.”

    Aladeseye said most religious issues are resolved at the National Religious Council (NAREC) meeting, adding that the controversy surrounding the use of hijab in public schools was resolved amicably at the meeting.

    Advocating tolerance among adherents of various religions, he said the nation can only develop when there is peace and stability.

    Aladeseye urged Aregbesola to sustain the religious harmony in the state and urged residents to support the government.

    He said: “The governor always asks us to resolve any matter affecting us at the NAREC meeting. I recognise the achievements of the current administration. Its projects and programmes are people-oriented, so all hands must be on deck to support the government.”

  • Balarabe warns North against secession

    Balarabe warns North against secession

    Former Kaduna State Governor Balarabe Musa yesterday rejected the call for the North to secede from Nigeria, saying it will not be in its interest.

    He described secession agitators as desperate people who should be ignored to avoid tension.

    Also, indications confirmed last night that some of the North-East governors.

    At a summit in Bauchi, the convener, Alhaji Bello Kirfi, raised volatile issues like secession. Governors of Northeast states shunned the summit.

    Musa, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent, said if any region is seeking disintegration, it should not be the North.

    He faulted the convener of the North-East Forum for Unity and Development (NEFUD), Alhaji Bello Kirfi, for seeking secession of the North from Nigeria.

    He said: “No to secession. I think he (Kirfi) is just desperate. He is a good person, he cares about Nigeria but the insecurity in the country, particularly in the Northeast where he comes from, is frightening him.

    “But his position is a wrong one. It is wrong for any section of Nigeria to seek secession now or never because of the negative state of the nation.

    “People in the North seeking disintegration are merely desperate because of the state of the nation but they should think deeper.

    “So, seeking disintegration should come from somewhere else, but not the North. I appeal to the masses in the North to ignore the call because it is against their fundamental rights.

    “No section of Nigeria can go it alone. This is more so even in the case of the North. What I mean is that no section of Nigeria will benefit from disintegration but the North will suffer more.

    “You cannot keep Nigeria united without the North, the East, the West and the South. Our leaders in the past, like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, Chief Mike Opara, Malam Aminu Kano and others, fought very deeply for Nigeria to remain united and they contributed to the dignity of human and the progress of the country more than the present leaders. We should not destroy their legacies through disintegration or secession.”

    He explained why secession would not be to the benefit of the North.

    He said secession would worsen the 40-year educational gap between the North and the South.

  • Chukwumerije vows to move impeachment motion against Jonathan

    Chukwumerije vows to move impeachment motion against Jonathan

    Senator Uche Chukwumerije yesterday said that he is prepared to move impeachment motion against President Goodluck Jonathan over non implementation of Senate reports and resolutions.

    Chukwumerije (Abia North), spoke while contributing to a debate on a Bill for an Act to Amend the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act Cap P38 LFN 2004.

    The Bill, sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta North), specifically seeks to provide for inclusion of host communities in sale of shares and to ensure better accountability and for other related matters.

    Chukwumerije wondered why public funds are allegedly being looted with nobody saying or doing anything.

    His words: “The Ahmad Lawan report on BPE is the highest moral ground of the Seventh Senate so far.

    “It was that report that convinced everybody, the public that the hope for this country lies with the Senate; that there is still one body that is concerned with the nation which lies far above sectionalism.

    “The pattern in this country all along has been one siphoning of country funds through all sorts of legal subtleties to private pockets and private companies.

    “And for the first time, there was a bold report that exposed the rot and we called for a reversal of this pattern.

    Unfortunately, it is business as usual.

    “It is, therefore, in the interest of this Senate that in addition to what we are doing on this Act as we are doing now, we must pass a resolution calling the attention of Mr. President to the main body of that report.

    “They are looting public funds with impunity and nobody is saying anything.

    “Where it comes to the stage of threatening impeachment, I, Uche Chukwumerije, will move the motion.”

    The bill was co-sponsored by six others including Senators Ahmed Lawan, Hope Uzodinma, Babafemi Ojudu, Ali Ndume, Mohammed Magoro and Philip Aduda.

    Senator Okowa, in his lead debate, said the amendment was to provide further legislative framework for improved accountability, provide appropriately for host communities and staff of public enterprises in the sales of shares of such public enterprise.

    He said the Bill also seeks to amend the functions of the National Council on Privatisation to remove all forms of contradictions.

    He recalled that the Senate constituted adhoc committee in July last year to investigate the activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) from inception to date with appropriate terms of reference.

    According to him, On submission of the committee’s report, a number of recommendations were made and the Senate did approve the report of the Committee in December, 2011.

    The lawmaker stressed that the amendment would enhance the security of the public enterprise as both the staff of the enterprise and the host community will buy-in to the process of privatisation and would, as co-owners, protect such enterprise, post privatisation.

    He noted that the local economy will also be stimulated and the gains made would help to transform our communities.

    While challenge of local content and employment within such enterprises would more likely be addressed by the communities as co-owners.

    Awaiting action by the executive arm of government on the resolutions of the Senate, Okowa called for further legislative action to strengthen the resolutions that could be dealt with by the legislators.