The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

  • US pledges to assist Nigeria in anti-terrorism

    US pledges to assist Nigeria in anti-terrorism

    The United States government has promised to support Nigeria in its fight against narcotics, money laundering, terrorism and other transnational crimes.

    U.S. Ambassador James Entwistle spoke in Ikoyi, Lagos, at the national headquarters of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Entwistle, his wife, Pamela; the U.S Consul General Jeffery Hawkins and other embassy officials were received by NDLEA’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Ahmadu Giade.

    The envoy said he embarked on the visit because crime control was a priority.

    He said: “This is my first official visit, after presenting my letter of credence to President Goodluck Jonathan. I am delighted to be here because of the need for partnership against transnational crimes, such as drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism.

    “Our attitude is to share experience and provide military assistance through training on drug control and counter-terrorism.”

    Giade thanked Entwistle for the U.S support in the fight against narcotics.

    He said: “Our partnership with the U.S has broadened our frontiers of drug control.

    “The impressive operational results recorded from training, sponsored by your government as well as the donation of drug detection equipment, has made our entry and exit points more impregnable to drug trafficking cartels.”

    The NDLEA chief promised to deepen the working relationship with the U.S.

  • Abiara hails Jonathan, lawmakers on anti-gay law

    Abiara hails Jonathan, lawmakers on anti-gay law

    The General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Abiara, has hailed President Goodluck Jonathan and lawmakers on the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Law.

    Speaking at an annual programme of the CAC in Lagos, Prophet Abiara praised lawmakers for rejecting same sex marriage.

    He said: “We thank God for President Jonathan and his cabinet. His stand on same sex marriage is commendable. Our President was the first to reject the same sex marriage law and I thank God that he did not follow the way of destruction as other countries. I want you to know that the God, who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, is the same today. God is going to destroy those who practise same sex marriage.”

    Prophet Abiara said God would provide for Nigeria, if the Western world fulfills its threat to withdraw its assistance.

    Describing same sex marriage as “rubbish”, he said Nigerians should thank God considering happenings around the world.

    The cleric said: “Last year was like Egypt and the Red Sea, but God spared our lives as he did the Israelites. We need to thank God. If you regularly read national and foreign prints and follow the electronic media, you will know that God is good to you and your family.”

    Describing 2014 as a year of happiness, peace, joy, victory and achievements for people who will obey God’s commandments, he warned that it will be a year of disaster for those who reject the voice of God and swim in sin.

    Prophet Abiara said: “In this year, our governments must be careful about the coming elections. The reason God put you in that position is to help the masses, so listen to the voice of the people who voted you into power. Politics is not a do-or-die affair. You should not make life miserable for the people because, whether you like it or not, you will leave that position one day. You should do things that will speak for you after your tenure and when you are dead.”

    Urging the wealthy to assist the less privileged, he said: “You must help and comfort people around you. Do not eat your food alone. This year, do not spend your money alone. Remember that you brought nothing into the world and you will go back to your maker with nothing.”

     

  • Action, not talk

    Action, not talk

    We hope that the defence chief will end Boko Haram menace by April

    Nigerians must be hoping that the inaugural statement by the newly-appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Alex Badeh, on the country’s precarious security situation, particularly relating to terrorist activities of Boko Haram, will not  prove  to be mere  bluster.

    Hopefully, it was not just the excitement of his new status that prompted Badeh’s dramatic words when he said, “The security situation in the North-East must be brought to a complete stop before April 2014. So please if there are any of them around, send words to your colleagues that they are in trouble; we are coming after them.”  However, perhaps unwittingly, he indicated the complexity of the task by his rhetorical flourish which suggested that members of the Islamist group could possibly be present at the ceremony. It is noteworthy that his remark, beyond the exaggerated colour, was reminiscent of President Goodluck Jonathan’s controversial comment sometime ago that Boko Haram had successfully infiltrated the government.

    In addition to the obvious developmental arrest resulting from terrorism, Badeh elaborated on factors that determined his deadline, saying, “I was telling my colleagues that we must bring it to a stop by April 2014 so that we do not have constitutional problems in our hands.” According to him, “We do not want to go back to the Senate and start begging and lobbying. If we do our work cohesively, I can say that General Minimah will finish that thing in no time.”

    What informed  his confidence is certainly unclear, but it is plain that his reasoning was based on the need to avoid legislative endorsement of a further  extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states , after the first round which started in May 2013,  and the current six-month addition from November. In other words, administrative reasons, rather than any solid grounds for optimism were responsible for his dream of crushing the insurgency by the April date.

    Without doubt, this non-combat basis cannot be sufficient justification for buoyancy, considering the worrying fact that since 2009 the rebels have continued to perpetrate stunning acts of destruction without any significant pause. It remains to be seen whether Badeh’s tenure will indeed make a difference to the presidency’s counter-terrorism campaign.

    It is disturbing that, perhaps in his enthusiasm to sound prepared for the function, he allowed his emotion to take over. He possibly started on a wrong note by making such a definite declaration. It is a well-known fact that surprise is a key element in warfare, which Badeh did not seem to appreciate as his publicised words were capable of alerting the terrorists to the possibility of danger. Was it necessary for him to announce, as he did, that his battle plan is to end the conflict by a specific time? What advantage, if any, did he hope to get from such openness? With such approach to intelligence issues, does he expect the terrorists to wait to be defeated by April?

    It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time a high-profile security figure, or even a political bigwig, would make such a politically correct statement on ending the fighting within the time frame of the emergency.  Tragically, the advertised intention is far from materialisation, and the immediate targets of the rebels as well as the larger society continue to experience the pains of insecurity.

    Regrettably, the Boko Haram challenge remains potent, in spite of the government’s efforts. This reality calls for greater creativity and firmness of purpose on the side of the political authorities. The government must not allow the chilling carnage carried out remorselessly by the group to drag on. Action, not talk, is the solution.

  • Jonathan approves board for four Aviation agencies

    Jonathan approves board for four Aviation agencies

    President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the composition of the governing boards of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    A statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, said that the dates for the board of director’s inauguration will be announced in due course by the Minister of Aviation.

    The details of the non-institutional and relevant institutional members of the Boards, according to the statement, include Olusola Oke as Chairman of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency while members are C. J. Udeh, Captain Kuti, Okwudili Uzoka, Jerry Ugokwe, H.Z. Abubakar, Lucky Umoru, Captain Megason, A. Chukwuma and Group Captain John Yekorogha (Rtd).

    For the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Dr. Dan Kure is the Chairman.

    Members include Onuora Chinwe Leticia, Hon. Halima Hassan Tukur, Ngozi Lavender, Mr Farouk Gumel, Amobi Nwokafor, Clement Adegoke Dosunmu, Iboro Edaba Ige, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, Dr. Al Amin, Mrs. Patricia Ntofon, Captain Shaifi, Niyi Agbola and Group Captain Henry Unaeze (Rtd).

    Abdullahi Waziri Tambuwal is the Chairman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and members include Col. Tony Igbanoi, Capt. Sabo Sambo, Chief Frank Edonkumor, Captain Alkali, Alhaji Buba, Chief Emeka Akabueze, Captain Edward Bayo, Sokie Amakree, an engineer Captain Ruma Mohammed and Bola Odugbesan.

    Nigerian Meteorological Agency has Chief Yomi Akintola as its Chairman. Members are Capt. Toju Ogisi, Chief Tunde Taiwo, Jim Ogbolu, Mr. Peter Momodu, Mrs Omikunle, Mr. Ralph Ogar, Mrs. Aletche Bimbo, C.C Nwuba, and Tony Odita.

     

  • Jonathan isn’t serious about Boko Haram war, says Nda-Isaiah

    Jonathan isn’t serious about Boko Haram war, says Nda-Isaiah

    Leadership publisher Sam Nda-Isaiah said yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan is lukewarm in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said this is because the insurgents are operating in an area (the Northeast) where “he thinks he cannot win election.”

    Nda-Isaiah spoke during a visit to The Nation headquarters in Lagos.

    A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Niger State-born publisher has been linked with the 2015 presidential race. But he said yesterday it was not yet time to speak on his ambition.

    Nda was received by the newspaper’s management team at the boardroom where he also fielded some questions.

    He said: “Jonathan does not want to fight Boko Haram because it is not in an area he thinks he can win election.

    “Fighting Boko Haram is simple. There are equipment that can show where the elements are and we can afford them and track these peoples’ hideouts.

    “Why have they not been able to jail a single person? Tell me one known name they have caught? It is obvious these persons are not Nigerians because no Nigerian will want to go and bomb a market when he is not sure if his relative will be there.

    “So, if many of them are from Chad and Niger Republic, how come they so easily operate in Nigeria? It is clear that they do not want to stop it,” he said.

    Nda-Isaiah hopedthat the APC will win the 2015 Presidential election adding: “it is time for big dreams.”

    He decried the amount of money the country has spent on the power sector without commensurate generation of electricity.

    “The amount spent on power is enough to give us 20,000 megawatts. We are still talking about 4,000 megawatts, when South Africa is improving on its 40,000 megawatts.

    “Nigeria is too divided and this division is caused by the leadership. Good leadership is achievable and possible and it depends on whether we want it or not.”

     

  • Akpabio backs Jonathan for 2015

    Akpabio backs Jonathan for 2015

    •PDP ‘ll poach from APC, says Mu’azu

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio yesterday pledged his support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 re-election bid.

    He urged him to declare his intention to run.

    With the call, Akpabio, regarded in the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) circle as one of the President’s die hard supporters, appeared to have belled the cat on Jonathan’s re-election bid.

    His call is coming on the heels of a resolve by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to poach prominent members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to counter the defections from the ruling party.

    The Akwa Ibom governor promised to deliver to the President all the delegate votes from his state, as he did during the party’s 2011 presidential nominations.

    “We did it in 2011 and I assure Mr. President that Akwa Ibom will do it again. We were the first set in 2010 to announce our support for him to go for his first tenure in 2011.

    “We did that and other states followed. We are again the first state to urge Mr. President to go back for a second term.

    “We are a monolithic group in Akwa Ibom, although you may have one or two people who want to test the political waters here and there”, he added.

    Although the President is yet to openly declare his interest in the race, his body language over time, has continued to reinforce the general belief and suspicion among party chieftains that he might be scheming for the 2015 presidential ticket of his party.

    The sustained scheming by the President’s close aides and loyalists ahead of the 2015 poll was one of the factors, which sparked the lingering crisis in the party.

    It has led to defections, with five governors and a number of federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP crossing to the APC last November.

    The governors are Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).

    Thirty-seven members of the PDP in the House of Representatives in December also defected to the APC.

    No fewer than 17 senators of the ruling party are also waiting to join APC.

    But Akpabio, who led a delegation of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the PDP to the party’s national secretariat, said the defections were no longer relevant in the emerging calculations.

    According to him, most of the defected governors are on the last lap of their second and final tenure, stressing they would all vacate their seats at the expiration of their tenure next year.

    Said he: “Most of us are outgoing governors. So whether the five governors, who defected to the APC come back or not, we must leave and others must take our places.

    “I think we should concentrate more on those ones who will take over from those governors and ensure that those states remain with PDP.

    “Elections are not done in offices, neither do we do elections in the Presidential Villa. So, those who have access to the Villa and who have access to the offices at the PDP secretariat are not necessarily those who will get the votes that will put PDP in power in 2015.

    “I owe nobody any apology over my loyalty to President Jonathan. One thing I know about party politics is loyalty. You cannot be disloyal to the leadership of the party and the system and then expect to come through the window to take power. It is impossible and this is what the National Working Committee (NWC) must help us to work against.

    “I am very loyal to the leader of the party at the national level, Mr. President and you can all attest to it. I don’t make pretences about it. So I will expect the same loyalty to be extended to me at the state level.

    “Whoever wants to stay in Abuja and jump through the office of the NWC to take power in Akwa Ibom, I say it is impossible”.

    Giving reasons for his support for Jonathan’s re-election project, Akpabio said he believed in the President’s transformation agenda, particularly in the areas of power, agriculture and other sectors.

    Mu’azu, however, expressed the party’s desire to woo back the governors and federal lawmakers, who defected to the APC.

    According to him, plans are afoot for a meeting of major stakeholders with a view to addressing Nigerians on what the PDP stands for.

    Mu’azu also hinted of plans to review the party’s manifesto to keep abreast of dynamics in contemporary party politics, stressing that the need to reposition the party ahead of the 2015 elections has become imperative.

     

    The PDP chairman challenged the opposition APC to what could be described as the poaching game, vowing to ensure that the ruling party beat APC.

    Mu’azu said: “The opposition politicians are master poachers, but we will soon show them that we are better at the game, because we are going to beat them.

    “If that is their game, then we are going to learn it because they are going to teach us how to poach.

     

    Apparently pained by the warm embrace given the PDP defectors by the APC, Mu’azu said: “When two members of your family fight, you should reconcile them and not pitch one against the other”.

    Among members of the Akwa Ibom delegation were two serving senators, some members of the House of Representatives, a ministerial nominee and several party chieftains from the state.

  • Jonathan leaves for AU meeting on Wednesday

    President Goodluck Jonathan will leave Abuja on Wednesday to attend the 22nd Summit of African Union Heads of State and Government which begins in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

    The African Union has declared 2014 as The Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa and the 22nd summit of African Union Heads of State and Government will have “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture: Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development” as its theme.

    President Jonathan and other participating Heads of State and Government will formally launch the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa which coincides with the 1oth anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme.

    They will also consider and adopt the reports of high-level committees on the Assessment of the African Standby Force and the Operationalization of the African Capacity for Immediate response to Crises as well as the reports of other high-level committees on United Nations Reforms, the post-2015 Development Agenda, African Trade and Climate Change.

    President Jonathan will be accompanied to the summit by Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Honourable Garba Shehu Nicholas, the Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, the Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu and the Supervising Minister of Environment, Mr. Darius Ishaku.

    He will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the summit on Friday.

  • Jonathan: Why service chiefs were sacked

    *Warns new service chiefs against rivalry

    President Goodluck Jonathan has given reasons why he recently sacked service chiefs in the country.

    Speaking while commissioning the Air Force Comprehensive School in Yola, Adamawa State, the President said that he has over the years noted that the new chief of defence staff has been a good manager of resources.

    Maintaining that there were unnecessary rivalry among security agencies in the country, the President also pointed out that security lapses contributed to the successful attacks carried out on five helicopters by the terrorists.

    He warned the newly appointed service chiefs against embarking on unnecessary competition among themselves,urging them to work together and complement each other in the interest of the nation.

    He said: “We will work with them to make sure that we overcome these challenges. One of the reasons that made me to uplift the present chief of defence staff from the chief of air staff is that I noted very carefully in terms of managing resources, he tried.”

    “And I believe that with him now taking charge as the chief of defence staff, working with other men that have been properly briefed about how they conduct their work, I know that the Nigerian armed forces will be a different armed forces.”

    “I urge you to cooperate. Sometimes we use to hear some kind of mutual and individual competition among service chiefs and security personnel. But this time around, we will not tolerate any unnecessary competition that will bring retrogression to this country.”

    Continuing, he said: “We charge you to work together because our country is exposed to cancer and I told the former chief of defence staff when I came back from meeting in France, that was the time they attacked our five helicopters and a journalist ask me, Mr. President is it not shameful? And I asked him, If you were me, how will you have felt? And I believed we will no longer experience that kind of situation. That happened because of some obvious lapses.”

    “We will make sure we work with the national assembly, we will work with the service chiefs and other senior military personnel, we will work with our traditional rulers and governors and senior citizens to see that we move our country to next level.”

    Speaking earlier, the new Chief if Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, said that the fight against insurgency is surmountable as he urged security agencies to remain focused.

    He also pledged his loyalty to defend the nation in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria.

    According to him, the Air Force Comprehensive School project, which he said was the brainchild of the Air Force, was carried out on five hectares of land within a period of seven months through direct labour.

    Governor Murtala Nyako, who was among the dignitaries that received the President at the airport, noted in the school that the insecurity situation in the stare has not allowed proper and befitting reception to be organization d for the President.

    The President later met with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and party men in the state, where they pledged their support for him towards 2015 election.

    Among the leaders were Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, James Ngiliri and Prof. Jubril Aminu who took turn to thank President Jonathan for all the appointments that have come to the state.

    They still pleaded four more attention to the state as they noted that it is trailing behind states like Gombe and Taraba in terms of some infrastructure.

    The president was presented with two members of the House of Representatives, who announced their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP.

    The President, who noted that he was instrumental in the success of Governor Nyako, who is now with the APC, during his election in 2011, said that he was overwhelmed by the turn out of party men in the state.

    He also suggested conduct of zonal rallies to be carried out before aspirants and candidates start emerging in order to reposition the party.

    “We need to have zonal rallies before election. Before INEC open doors for people to start campaigns for offices, let us have neutral rallies now that we don’t have aspirants and candidates. We will have zonal rallies, and we will encourage states to also have state rallies then we will also have the national convention. We need to do that to re-energize our party.” He said

    The immediate past National Chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, Women Affairs Minister, Zainab Maina and some members of National Assembly were at the meeting.

  • 2015: Ohanaeze bars Kalu, prominent Igbo from contesting for president

    2015: Ohanaeze bars Kalu, prominent Igbo from contesting for president

    As part of its move to secure block votes for President Goodluck Jonathan, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it has begun consultations with prominent Igbo citizens to shed the ambition of contesting the 2015 presidential election.

    The apex body said it was doing so in the interest of peace and unity, noting that a president of Igbo origin would emerge at the appropriate time.

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo President Gary Nnachi Enwo-Igariwey yesterday visited a former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, to urge him to drop his presidential ambition. He said the move was strategic and it would enable the Igbo to speak with one voice on the 2015 presidential election.

    Enwo-Igariwey, who said he started discussions with Kalu about seven months back, said he was in Abuja to urge him to comply with the Igbo cause by reconsidering his plan to run.

    He said: “I was here about six months ago to actually discuss with him on issues concerning the Igbo nation. It was about rumours on presidential interest and I told him I will like to discuss that with him formally when he eventually decides on what to do. I have come in continuation of that discussion and to appeal to him to share my views with him. So, I have come here to rub minds with him and to tell him to join me in the discussions about Igbo unity so that we will speak with one voice.

    “We no longer want a situation where we speak from different points and our agenda should be the same. I have talked to him about his views. I have appealed to him to shelve it in the interest of the Igbo nation. I have appealed to him to join hands with us and at the appropriate time when we make our statement, it will be with one voice as a people. That a great son like him should also join in that decision making and I have appealed to him to shelve that ambition in the interest of peace, until such decisions are made in Igbo land and he has given me his assurances that he will listen to Ohanaeze’s appeal so that we speak with one voice in the interest of the people.”

    Asked if the decision would not jeopardise the rights of the average Igbo person to aspire to the highest post in the land, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo chief said other individuals should exercise their rights but the body has a target group and Kalu happened to be one of the prominent Igbo who should be persuaded to shelve their ambition.

    Speaking on the threat by some Northern elders to sue former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, to the World Court, Enwo-Igariwey said the body condemned the statement, demanding its withdrawal. It is a known fact that there is bound to be some unfortunate casualties in the fight against terror by the authorities.

    Responding to the request, an apparently unexcited Kalu said he would reconsider his decision to run for president.

    “Mr. President (Enwo-Igariwey) was here and he advised that he would like the Igbo to speak with one voice. They said a tree cannot make a forest. If the apex organisation in Igboland wants to say, ‘well; we don’t want any of our sons to contest for election this time’, well, we will hold on and work with them to see what they will do. I will never be a scapegoat that will sacrifice my tribe. Whatever my tribe says is superior to what I will think. I believe they have their reasons and their reasons may be more superior to what I think. He was here six months ago and I told him we will discuss it between December and January and not only him, there are many of our Igbo elite who have been to me in Lagos, Abuja and in the diaspora and I don’t know who I am to say no to them.”

  • Activists to Jonathan: stop lawlessness in Rivers

    Activists to Jonathan: stop lawlessness in Rivers

    A pro-democracy group, the Voters Assembly, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to order the police to stop lawlessness in Rivers State.

    The group, in a statement yesterday by its president, Comrade Mashood Erubami, decried the development arising from the differences between President Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi. It described it as “growing lawlessness and political impunity.”

    The statement said: “The growing lawlessness and political impunity going on in Rivers State call for the attention of all Nigerians, particularly a proactive action from President Jonathan. With the situation in the state, if nothing is done, it could become a festering ground for a setback for the 2015 democratic consolidation.

    “The consequences of not taking immediate remedial actions by statesmen and leaders of parties to arrest the situation in Rivers State may engender a multiplier effect in other states, as manifesting already in Anambra, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Ogun. This could result in graver consequences for our democracy.

    “President Jonathan cannot afford to look elsewhere and exhibit the attitude of indifference to the unwholesome development in Rivers State, particularly as a result of political difference going on among politicians, because of its grave consequences on the polity. He must, therefore, rise to the occasion and discharge his duties to preserve, protect and defend the constitution, in accordance with the law and in the best interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and security of Nigeria.

    “The President must be seen to be doing right to all manner of people without consideration for political affiliation and ill-will.

    “The obvious misuse of the police in River State unleashing terror on innocent citizens, who are committed to saving the state from the impunities of a few is not acceptable and stand condemned. Hence, efforts should be made by the President to make the Inspector-General of Police prevail on the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu, to respect the law and rights of the people.

    “The police under the law are obliged to respect the right of governors as the chief security officers of their states. A situation where the safety of the governor is put in jeopardy as is the case in Rivers, opens the state and its indigenes to a danger of high magnitude and this can undermine the movement towards entrenching genuine democracy in Nigeria.”