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Tag: ex-President

  • Diya, NMA mourn ex-president

    FORMER Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have condoled with Nigerians on the death of former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

    General Diya, who described the late Shagari as a perfect man of love, peace, passion and ultimate concern for the plight of others, urged those at the helms of affairs to emulate his humility and sacrifice with a view to moving the nation forward.

    The former number two man also said the late Shagari’s zeal, appetite for goal and sense of nationalism, when he led Nigeria, placed Nigeria on global map and should be emulated by the current leaders.

    Diya, while condoling with President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians, said: “The good that men do lives not only after their death, but even before such as great testimonial of the inestimable blueprint at all times.”

    The NMA described the late former President as a symbol of unity.

    Shagari died on the 28thof December 2018 following a brief illness.

    A statement by its President, Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, said the former President’s tenure impacted positively on the life of Nigerians, especially in the health sector.

    He stated that Shagari instituted welfare driven policies while in government.

    The statement said: “The former President was a compassionate leader, whose tenure impacted positively on the life of Nigerians, especially in the health sector where he instituted welfare-driven policies. Above all, Shagari was a symbol of unity.

    “The NMA, therefore, joins others in extolling the leadership qualities of the former President.”

  • Not an ex-president

    Sir: That the late MKO Abiola occupies an important niche in the Nigerian wall, and that June 12,1993 is epochal in our annals is not what any sane person would dispute. There is also no argument that the annulment of the June 12 presidential election was a manifest act of wickedness by Ibrahim Babangida, a conscienceless megalomaniac, encouraged by his insane accomplices. Nonetheless, that inglorious act effectively prevented the actualisation of that mandate as  Abiola was not sworn in as president! Thus, his mandate did not ripen, nor was it perfected. He was consequently not vested with the required ‘positional’ and legal authority for even one second, and this, unfortunately, has vitiated the mandate.

    If Abiola was not president, it is impossible, unreasonable, farcical, and in fact comical to declare him an ‘ex-president’! It is as absurd as it is ludicrous. Is there even a lacuna to situate this imaginary presidency in? I therefore balk at the idea of paying his family emoluments and entitlements for an office Abiola never occupied!

    This is not to say however that the Nigerian state may not be liable for the unwarranted, unjust, unjustified and patently unjustifiable injustice meted out to poor MKO Abiola. This might translate to huge sums of money, which may be far in excess of the touted emoluments and entitlements, as special and aggravated damages payable to Abiola’s family.

    To make myself clearer, declaring Abiola an ex-president is nothing but a continuation of the theatrics that we call running a country. What is more important is to learn from the mistakes made by the wheeler dealers pretending to be statesmen, criminals pretending to be patriots, and ensure that such rascality and brinkmanship do not occur again. What more, for closure, the criminality involved must be addressed. Prosecution of crime is not time-bound; perpetrators of the evil act must brought to book.

    Yes! Declare the result of the June 12,1993 election!

    Yes! Declare Abiola the winner of that election!

    But No! Abiola cannot be declared an ex-President simply because he was not!

    History has to happen; it cannot be invented!

    Declaring Abiola an ex-President is declaring him a fairytale president, and no more than papering over crevices in the polity, and pretending they are mere cracks.

    It simply doesn’t make sense!

     

    • Kehinde Nubi Somolu, Lagos.

  • OBASANJO: Ex-president in the eye of storm

    THESE, certainly, are not the best of times for former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. For the first time since he became the nation’s unofficial kingmaker following the expiration of his two-term tenure as President, his dominant influence on the polity is under severe threat. Calls for his probe have grown by the day since President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed the long-dated allegation that a whopping $16 billion was spent on electricity under Obasanjo’s watch as President between 1999 and 2007 without any remarkable result. Receiving some members of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the Presidential Villa penultimate Tuesday, the President told the delegation, led by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), that a former Nigerian leader was bragging that his administration spent the said sum on electricity.

    He then asked in disarming calmness: “Where is the power?” While a committee constituted by the House of Representatives to investigate the spending had in 2008 described the $16 billion spent on electricity as “a colossal waste” and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had in 2016 called for an investigation into the expenditure, the matter had been discussed in muffled tones because of the awe and respect that surround Obasanjo’s personality. He is not just the only Nigerian that has led the country for eleven and a half years (including his three and a half years as head of state), he has acted as the ultimate force that determines the occupant of the nation’s number one seat. Following the collapse of his bid for a third term in office as President, Obasanjo had adopted the then Katsina State governor, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, in spite of rumours of the latter’s ill-health and rolled the machinery of government behind him to become the presidential candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the eventual winner of the 2007 presidential election. He also anointed the then Bayelsa State governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, as Yar’Adua’s running mate and ultimately the Vice President. And when Yar’Adua was incapacitated by ill-health barely two years into his four-year tenure, Obasanjo shifted support to Jonathan and worked for him not only to complete the two years that were left of Yar’Adua’s tenure but also to win a fresh election. In an instance of the instability of human relationship, however, Obasanjo fell apart with Jonathan midway into the latter’s four-year tenure and campaigned vigorously against his bid for a second term until Buhari won the election on the platform of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    But while Obasanjo had succeeded in mobilising public angst against Yar’Adua and Jonathan at crucial moments, Obasanjo’s bid to use the same weapon against Buhari appears not to have worked with the same measure of efficacy. If anything, his recent call on Buhari via a widely publicised letter not to seek another term appears to be working in the reverse following Buhari’s declaration that the rumoured $16 billion electricity scandal is as real as day light. In apparent demystification of the awe and respect around the former President, individuals and groups are calling for a probe into the scandal even if it must involve calling Obasanjo for questioning. In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, last week, SERAP urged President Buhari to “urgently refer the allegations of mismanagement of $16 billion power projects between 1999 and 2007 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation, and if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, for anyone suspected to face prosecution.” The statement reads in part: “We welcome the focus by President Muhammadu Buhari on the massive allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the power sector and urge him to expand his searchlight beyond the Obasanjo government by ensuring accountability and full recovery of the over N11 trillion squandered by the three administrations.

    It is only by pursuing all the allegations and taking evidence before the court that the truth will be revealed and justice best served. This is the only way to conclusively address the systemic corruption in the power sector and an entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.” In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said the calls by some Nigerians that the $16 billion power projects scandal be probed was in order. Biu said: “From 1999 to date, the promises made by our political leaders to improve power supply have mostly been observed in the breach. The National Assembly had sometimes probed the alleged corruption associated with power supply, but Nigerians are yet to know the fate of that probe. Most worrisome is the lack of political will to bring to justice those found guilty by the probes which have unfortunately continued to encourage corruption by making it a way of life and culture.”

    The ACF added that public officials, no matter how highly placed, must account for their malfeasance while in office, saying that the probe would serve as a deterrent to others and instil prudence in the management of public office. The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, said during the week that heavens will not fall if Obasanjo is probed for the $16 billion spent on National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) under his administration. There were also reports last week that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had commenced the probe of suspects in the failed power projects. Reacting to Buhari’s pronouncement on the failed power project in a statement, Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said President Buhari spoke from the position of ignorance because he relied on the “unsubstantiated allegations” against the former president by the then leadership of the House of Representatives. Akinyemi said: “We believe that the President was re-echoing the unsubstantiated allegation against Chief Obasanjo by his own predecessor, but, one, while it is doubtful that a President with proper understanding of the issue would utter such, it should be pointed out that records from the National Assembly had exculpated President Obasanjo of any wrong-doing concerning the power sector and has proved the allegations as false.

    “For the records, Chief Obasanjo has addressed the issues of the power sector and the allegations against him on many occasions and platforms, including in his widely publicised book, ‘My Watch’, in which he exhaustively stated the facts and reproduced various reports by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which conducted a clinical investigation into the allegations against Chief Obasanjo, and the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Recommendations in the Report of the Committee on Power on the investigation into how the huge sums of money were spent on power generation, transmission and distribution between June 1999 and May 2007 without commensurate result. “We recommend that the President and his co-travellers should read Chapters 41, 42, 43 and 47 of ‘My Watch’ for Chief Obasanjo’s insights and perspectives on the power sector and indeed what transpired when the allegation of $16 billion on power projects was previously made. If he cannot read the threevolume book, he should detail his aides to do so and summarise the chapters in a language that he will easily understand.” Obasanjo’s critics are, however, of the opinion that he cannot plead any alibi in the matter because as the head of state and head of government, the government officials who awarded and supervised the failed contracts were his appointees. Will Obasanjo ride the storm? Only time will tell.

  • APC, Okowa, Kalu greet ex-president

    APC, Okowa, Kalu greet ex-president

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former Abia State Governor Orji Kalu have felicitated with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the occasion of his 81st birthday.

    A birthday message to the former President signed by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said Obasanjo has inspired good governance in Nigeria and Africa.

    The APC described Obasanjo as a true Nigerian patriot and statesman, who has over the years built solid bridges across political divides in the country, on the African continent and the world at large.

    According to Kalu, the former President’s contributions to the country’s social, economic and political development are worthy of commendation.

    A statement personally signed by the former governor, extolled the qualities of the former President, adding that the ex-general played a significant role in the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.

    Okowa described him as a true nationalist.

    The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, eulogised the octogenarian for his patriotic and unrelenting service to the nation.

    He called the ex-president an “outstanding patriot, a committed leader and a man of courage, whose gargantuan contributions towards the development, stability and growth of the country is legendary”.

    He wished Obasanjo a very well deserved 81st birthday.

  • Ex-President’s ‘third force’ takes off

    Ex-President’s ‘third force’ takes off

    ALLIES of former President Olusegun Obasanjo converged yesterday on the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja for the launch a movement – the Coalition for Nigeria (CN).

    Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo had in a special press statement, pushed for the formation of the movement as a ‘third force’ to complete the political space with the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The CN promoters spoke of plans to mobilise membership enrolment through online platforms.

    Two former governors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Donald Duke (Cross Rivers), who led the ‘like minds’ to unveil the CN addressed the audience.

    They said the youths would drive the membership recruitment at all levels. They also confirmed Chief Obasanjo’s support for the coalition.

    Besides the two former governors, other notable faces at the at the Yar’Adua Centre venue of the launch, include: former PDP national chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, former Buhari loyalist and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) chieftain, Buba Galadima, son of the late Prime Minister, Dr. Abdujalil Tafawa Balewa and Obasanjo’s associate, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, who opted to sit in the audience.

    During the question and answer session, a member of the audience asked why the coalition is not coming straight out as a political party.

    Author and social media activist Gimba Kakanda Prince Oyinlola why the movement “is coming to legitimise the good and the bad in all a former president stands for”.

    Gimba asked: “How can we move forward in fixing Nigeria if a body like this, as inspired by the military command of a politician, whom we blame for being part of the problem, appears to have been suggested by him as a way of legitimising his own political legacy and bad precedent that could be a moral burden on the conscience of Nigerians?”

    Prince Oyinlola explained that the youths, who will lead the movement and determine their own leaders at various levels, would play a role in deciding whether the coalition transforms into a political party.

    He said: “We are not a political party – at least for now but if and when, through the arrangements and decisions of the leaders that you are going to put in place, we come to the agreement that we metamorphose into a political party, it must be a collective decision.

    “To say that we are legitimising the former president is a bit off the mark. There was an article in the New York Times sometimes ago which allude to the fact that we are somehow docile in this country; there is no one who can fault the contents and the issues raised in Obasanjo’s letter, forget the messenger, let’s discuss the message.

    “If you are saying that we are just legitimising (Obasanjo), are we supposed to just sit there, folding our hands and watching?

    “I think that what he (Obasanjo) has done is to rouse us from our slumber to the reality of what is happening to Nigerians and for us to take charge and take action; are there no other leaders looking on at things going wrong in this country?

    “I think we should instead, give kudos to him (Obasanjo) for having the courage to be able to address Nigerians on issues that call for immediate action and attention.”

    The masters of ceremony – Remi Damola, Omoruyi Edoghere and Genevieve Anthony –urged the youths to buy into the project by joining the coalition, register to vote and help take back rescue the country.

    The former Osun governor asserted his preparedness to quit the ruling APC and relinquish his position as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)   Board Chairman for the CN cause.

    In his closing remarks, Duke stressed that the nation’s terrible condition must not be prolonged, adding that it is only when millions of Nigerians heed the clarion call and constitute themselves into a ‘critical mass’ that the CN can make strong impact.

    Duke said: “This endeavor is timely because there were several movements in the offing and this coalition has to bring them all together if we want to make things work.

    “More importantly, we have the dire consequences of now in our nation; where we are today, if you project another three to four years, the disaster would be worse, it is not going to get better. We must all come together to change the narrative.”

  • How ex-president came about advisory

    How ex-president came about advisory

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo may have consulted some former Presidents and Northern leaders before issuing yesterday’s statement on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    It was learnt that Obasanjo and some of former leaders had been weighing some options on the President’s constitutional right to seek another term in office and its implications.

    But there were strong signals yesterday that Obasanjo’s advisory might be a template for the emergence of a new national party.

    The former leaders have had up to three meetings with Obasanjo in the past few months as part of their “position on the way forward for Nigeria from 2019”, a source told The Nation.

    They however maintained that their position on the second term option will be “strongly advisory” and not binding on Buhari in the light of the relevant provisions in the 1999 Constitution on two terms of eight years.

    The source, who was  privy to the plans of some of the former leaders, said: “From the look of things, Obasanjo  made his feelings on Buhari known to some former Presidents and Northern leaders. And the aggregate position of the leaders resulted in Obasanjo’s advisory on 2019 poll.

    “All these leaders, including Obasanjo,  have been under pressure due to representations from many Nigerians, foreign leaders and missions on the state of affairs in the country. They had thought that things might improve but they were unconvinced.

    “Some of these leaders provided advice and support which guided the emergence of Buhari in 2015. They had been consulting on the next poll and what is best for Nigeria.

    “The advisory is not binding at all on Buhari but they may be weighty enough to serve as guidance. They believe Buhari has the constitutional right to vie for second term in office but inauspicious in 2019.”

    The Presidency did not confirm whether or not it received Obasanjo’s advisory before it was released to the press.

    It was also gathered that the Presidency might not join issues with Buhari to “avoid heating up the polity”.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said: “I have absolutely no comment, not even a word.”

    The 1999 Constitution makes provision for two terms for any president.

    1. (1) A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if –

    (a) subject to the provisions of Section 28 of this Constitution, he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country; or

    (b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections; or

    (c) under the law in any part of Nigeria, he is adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind…”

  • Buhari, APC, PDP greet ex-President Jonathan at 60

    Buhari, APC, PDP greet ex-President Jonathan at 60

    President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have felicitated with former President Goodluck Jonathan on his 60th birthday.

    Jonathan, who has been described as the luckiest politician in Nigeria’s political history, was born in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, on November 20, 1957.

    Buhari, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, noted that the former president, within a short period rose from being a deputy governor, governor, vice president to becoming Nigeria’s President for six years.

    According to the President, Jonathan’s foray into politics and ascendency to the highest political office in Nigeria from a humble riverine background “testifies to the greatness and inclusiveness of Nigeria’s democracy, and serves as an invitation to all those with interest to add value to the nation”.

    Buhari prayed that the almighty God would bless the former President with good health, wisdom and strength to continue serving the country.

    The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “We join well-wishers in celebrating a statesman whose life and politics have been defined by patriotism and humility.

    “The APC recalls the commendable and exemplary conduct of Dr. Jonathan before and after the 2015 presidential election, which demonstrated his patriotism and love for Nigeria.

    “The party urges Dr. Jonathan to remain steadfast to the positive ideals he stands for and continue to support the development of the country.

    “The party wishes Dr. Jonathan many more happy, healthy and rewarding years of service to the nation.”

    The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, credited Jonathan with “wonderful contributions” to the stability of democracy and the country’s overall development at his prime age.

    The party said Nigerians and members of the international community would always remember the former President for his numerous and indelible achievements while in office.

    The PDP noted that the Nigerian economy became the largest in Africa under the Jonathan administration.

    The statement said: “Nigeria witnessed unprecedented infrastructural development in all areas of the economy. Inflation was at single digits and we had a stable foreign exchange regime.

    “You consolidated Nigerian democracy by ensuring free and fair elections culminating in the historic presidential election of March 2015 in which you graciously conceded defeat and congratulated your opponent, even when there were substantial grounds to dispute the outcome.

    “Most importantly, the rule of law and the human rights of Nigerians were greatly respected. For these and many more, you have written your name in gold in the hearts of all Nigerians and you will be remembered as one of the greatest leaders of Africa.’

  • Angst of an ex-president

    Angst of an ex-president

    It is good to respond sharp sharp to some of the misinformation in book on Jonathan 

    Since comments are free, and only facts sacred, one would have allowed the comments in the book on the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan on the 2015 elections, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war go without response. However, the office that Dr Jonathan occupied before he was voted out in 2015 is not one to allow for any sweeping generalisations. As former president, Dr Jonathan should not begin to rewrite history too soon and before our very eyes. We have had all manner of accounts from different actors in the country’s evolution, including the civil war and some of their accounts are as laughable as they are spurious. But the civil war was some 50 years before; so, some of the writers might be pardoned for the time lag errors of misinformation. But not so for events that happened less than a decade ago.

    The former president shared his feelings in a book, “Against The Run of Play”, written by Olusegun Adeniyi, chairman, editorial board of ThisDay newspaper. Although presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina was right to have said he could not comment on the contents of a book he has not read because of his delicate position, the fact remains that extracts from the book as reported in the media were unambiguous that the only thing that would render them invalid is the repudiation of such views by Dr Jonathan. To the extent that the former president has not denied what was reported days after, it could be safely assumed that they represent his views; and this is tragic.

    Dr Jonathan, from the reports, appears visibly angry and uncomfortable with the Buhari administration. As human beings, we can understand, notwithstanding that the former president himself conceded defeat in the 2015 elections. But that was over two years ago. With the former president’s outburst, could one begin to feel that, looking back, he regretted conceding defeat in that election? On the 2015 poll, Dr Jonathan said: “I felt really betrayed by the result coming from some northern states. Perhaps for ethnic purposes, even security agents colluded with the opposition to come up with spurious results against me. You saw the way the Inspector- General of Police, a man I appointed, suddenly turned himself into the ADC to Buhari immediately after the election.” But one thing that should make us feel sad as Nigerians is the fact that the former president even thought of some places where they should not have lost in the election despite the inept and corrupt administration that he superintended.

    Hear him: “How could we have lost Ondo, Benue and Plateau states if our people were committed to the cause? If you examine the results, you will see a pattern: in places where ordinarily we were strong, our supporters did not show enough commitment to mobilise the voters.” Should this not tell the former president something: that what he did not see his foot soldiers saw, hence, their surrender to the superior political firepower of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polls? Or, is it not well known that what a child cannot see even if standing on an Iroko tree, an elder would see sitting down? The point is, as former President Olusegun Obasanjo said, as far as Dr Jonathan was concerned, money was going to be the determinant at the polls. That is perhaps the basis for some of the money that we are now finding all over the place, some without owners. So much money was apparently warehoused for the elections which, but for God, the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could have bought. Again, as Obasanjo noted, Nigeria would have been looted out of the global map if that had happened.

    For God’s sake; what achievements did the Jonathan administration post that could have fetched it reelection? While one waits for the book to flood the streets, there are certain things that just cannot wait to be replied or debunked. For instance, we do not need any book to tell us that the Jonathan administration performed woefully. The government enjoyed some of the highest crude prices ever but either frittered or stole the proceeds. The mess that its successor has been battling to clean up, amidst low crude prices, is enough evidence of that. What sector of our economy did the Jonathan administration leave better than it met it? When the former president was in Osogbo for a political rally and saw an ancient locomotive pass by, he pointed to it as part of his government’s achievements!

    What the former president has succeeded in doing is to remind us of the better-forgotten troubles that his government put the nation through. In the absence of nothing to say, Dr Jonathan is accusing the Buhari administration of hounding his family. Perhaps the former president does not know what is going on in the minds of millions of Nigerians who are wondering why, up till now, the Buhari administration has not deemed it fit to pick up the former president to explain how it was so easy for people to keep billions of naira and millions of dollars of public funds, without the government knowing (to use the ex-president’s expression when it was alleged that $20billion was missing from the country’s coffers)!

    Dr Jonathan must have amused many Nigerians when he said that “His (Buhari’s) style of fighting corruption is different from mine and since most Nigerians apparently prefer his style, it is okay. There are steps you take that will help in retrieving ill-gotten wealth and punish offenders while restoring confidence in the system. But there are also things you can do to damage the system.” Pray, since when did Dr Jonathan admit that corruption thrived in his regime? Even when those who were detached from the madness of the era cried out that corruption was killing the country, did the then president not say what was being referred to as corruption was (mere) stealing? If what we are seeing now was (mere) stealing by Dr Jonathan’s definition, then what is corruption? How come the former president is now saying his (Buhari’s) “style of fighting corruption is different from mine?” How could Dr Jonathan have had any style to fight something that he did not believe existed?

    Honestly, Dr Jonathan should thank his stars that we are in this kind of country. His wife laid claim to about $5.8million; this was someone who was all her life a teacher, or civil servant. The closest she got to being in the banking sector was when she secured a job with the first community bank in Port Harcourt, Akpo Community Bank. So, howm come she is having $5.8million in account? In some saner climes, the onus of proof of ownership of that money would have fallen on her but here, we say he who asserts must proof. The government has not been able to pick the former president too apparently due to the political insinuations that would be read into it. Rather than ask whether the allegations and free looting in his era was true, people would now be saying he is being hounded because of where he comes from. If Dr Jonathan momentarily imagined he was president in China, he would have known what it is to be hounded.

    One wonders who and who are seeking asylum abroad that Dr Jonathan referred to when he said: “But a situation in which people go into exile for political reasons is not good for us.” It reminds me of a poster that I used last week playing a pun on the ‘ban’ of importation of whistles by our senate which is worried that whistle blowing is now killing more people than meningitis in the country! Which people are being killed by whistle blowing? That should be the high profile thieves in our midst. In the same vein, who are those going into exile for political reasons? I beg to submit that in saner climes, more people would have fled the country now due to the fact that they had soiled their hands enough for us to notice. If only Dr Jonathan is privileged to know how bad many Nigerians feel seeing the same people who looted our common patrimony still walking pompously on the streets, he would not have said people are going into exile. If only he knows the number of Nigerians who want him arrested and tried for the massive looting that happened in his time, he would have known he is being treated with kid gloves by the Buhari administrations.

  • Ex-President Jonathan backs Dickson’s Peace Committee

    Ex-President Jonathan backs Dickson’s Peace Committee

    …Insists political solution best option to end PDP crisis

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Saturday, threw his weight behind the Governor Seriake Dickson-led Peace and Reconciliation Committee, insisting that a political solution remained the best option to resolving ongoing crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Receiving the governor and members of his committee in his country home at Otuoke, Ogbia local government area, Bayelsa State, Jonathan urged the contending parties to embrace negotiations as a way out of the current party challenge.

    Jonathan , who made the remarks after receiving the report of the peace Committee, said party affairs should be treated like a family matter and settled out of court.

    He commended the Dickson-led committee immensely for its good work saying members of the committee deserved encouragement.

    He particularly thanked the governor and his entourage for going round the country to meet with key stakeholders and leaders of the party to seek ways of returning peace to the PDP.

    Jonathan expressed reservation over the use of courts to settle political matters, stressing that a political solution would ensure a win-win outcome for the warring groups within the party.

    He said: “ I believe a political solution remains the best means of resolving the crisis in the party and that’s why the Dickson committee must be commended.

    “No two parties go to court and come out smiling especially for a political party like the PDP that’s in the opposition”, the former president opined”.

    Giving instances of people who went to court and at the end could not get the desired result, Jonathan insisted that courts should ordinarily have no business in deciding who should be the chairman of a political party.

    The former president called on the parties to submit themselves to a political solution and expressed hope that it would finally rest the protracted crisis.

    On his part before presenting the report to the former President, Dickson aligned himself to some of the remarks made by Engr Aba Gana, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who had earlier spoken.

    Dickson added that Bayelsa State has benefited substantially from the PDP, declaring that the party remains the only one that has given the position of President to Bayelsa, a minority.

    He expressed Bayelsa’s indebtedness to the PDP, insisting that it is a thing of pride to work to ensure that the crisis in the party is finally resolved.

    Earlier, Gana, who is a member of PDP’s Board of Trustee paid glowing tributes to the remarkable leadership quality of Dickson referring to him as a peacemaker.

    “He has pushed the process so relentlessly to the extent that the success of finding a lasting resolution of the crisis has become evident”, Gana said.

    He also commended former President Jonathan for conceding defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari at the time he did.

    He maintained that that singular move restored peace to Nigeria and averted the looming crisis that would have consumed a number of lives.

    Gana noted that a leader who could achieve that feat effortlessly, would even do much more to restore peace in the PDP.

  • Ex-President Obasanjo flays police for keeping him waiting

    Ex-President Obasanjo flays police for keeping him waiting

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday criticised the police for keeping him waiting.

    Obasanjo, who was the special guest of honour at the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone II maiden special training and capacity development, advised them to be ready when next they invite him.

    The former President was at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island venue of the training for about 90 minutes before the event started.

    Billed for 10:30a.m, the event didn’t begin until 11:52a.m, with the former President informing the gathering he had to return to Ogun State for an event he left midway to attend the police training.

    “Next time, before you call me, please be ready,” Obasanjo said as he stormed out of the hall.

    It was gathered AIG Kayode Aderanti, the host of the training, had sent a police helicopter to convey Obasanjo to the venue.

    There was, however, a communication breach between operatives that went to bring Obasanjo and the team expecting the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    Speaking on the initiative, Obasanjo said there was no substitute for training, urging security operatives to be in tune with practices of their contemporaries in other parts of the globe.

    According to him, human institutions need constant appraisal, regeneration, introspection and training.

    He said: “Police must be aware and in touch with new developments in other parts of the globe. I can see my former IGP Musiliu Smith.

    “Smith is completely out of date to give lecture on police duty. He has experience to share with you, but not on modern way of doing things.”

    Idris, who got to the venue at 12:19pm – about 10 minutes after Obasanjo left – apologised for being late.

    He said: “I was told former President Olusegun Obasanjo was here and I would have loved to meet him. He’s a committed Nigerian, who has given so much to this country. I sincerely appreciate his coming, which shows the level of his commitment to our quest for democratic policing.”

    Idris hoped such trainings would improve the level of professionalism of policemen, adding that soon, the police would be celebrated at home and abroad.

    At the event were Smith; Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Training, Emmanuel Nyang; AIG Tunji Alape (rtd); Commissioner of Police (CP) Olayinka Balogun (rtd), Lagos CP Fatai Owoseni, Ogun CP Ahmed Iliyasu and former Director General, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Dr. Ndi Okereke, among others.

    Muslim advocated heavy investment on security, lauding the IGP for placing high premium on training.

    Aderanti hoped the training would enhance capacity of the participants.

    The guest lecturer, Dr. Charles Omole, said changing security landscape in the past decade had placed increasing and new demands on the police globally.

    He said the realisation created the need for revised and regular training for law enforcement personnel at all levels of government.

    According to him, the police must practise situational awareness consistently throughout the day.