The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jonathan

  • Jonathan’s loyal PDP governors meet

    Jonathan’s loyal PDP governors meet

    President Goodluck Jonathan last night met with some governors loyal to the Bamanga Tukur-led exco.

    The meeting which started around 9.10 pm was held at the First Lady’s Conference room.

    Those who attended the meeting included Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Theodore Orji (Abia), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Idris Wada (Kogi) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi).

    Also at the meeting were Vice President, Namadi Sambo, PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

    As soon as the meeting started, reporters were asked to leave the venue based on the claim that the meeting was private.

     

  • Can Jonathan defeat his ‘super power’ foes?

    Can Jonathan defeat his ‘super power’ foes?

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 74 members in the Senate. Two days ago, 22 of them declared loyalty to a faction of the party opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan. If this gang of 22 works out an alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has 31 members, they could shake the presidency, the PDP and the Federal Government to its foundation, writes Bolade Omonijo, Editorial Board

     

     

    THESE are indeed difficult times for President Goodluck Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leadership of the Senate. When the crisis started, it was seen as a move by a group of disgruntled politicians that would peter out in no time. Many said Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi could not sustain the “rebellion” and that he would soon discover how awesome presidential powers could be in an underdeveloped country.

    The events that culminated in a major crack of the ruling party at its mini-convention has shown that the PDP may be on the way to extinction as the leaders appear to have failed to handle the development with care. The matter has now got to a head. Now, there are two factions of the ruling party. The PDP-qua-PDP is headed by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the septuagenarian from Adamawa State, while the governors who sympathise with Amaechi have come up with Abubakar Kawu Baraje as national chairman. 2015 may still be about 21 months away, but the contention for the highest office the land is now here with us.

    Unlike 2011 when President Jonathan had his way despite stiff opposition from senior Northern politicians, he has to do a lot more to clinch the post this time. One area we may begin to see real politick is in the Senate. While the House of Representatives had asserted its independence since inauguration, with the President’s choice for Speaker losing woefully in the first test of strength, the Senate has acted as a check on the bold moves by the House.

    It was to the Senate that the President turned when it appeared he was going to lose face during the Labour-Government tussle on removal of fuel subsidy. Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, though a member of the PDP from Sokoto State, is seen as a ranking opposition figure since he is regularly seen in the company of leaders of the opposition party. He was elected through an understanding between some members of the ruling party and leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and Congress for Progressive Change, before the three fused into the All Progressives Congress (APC). Thus, under him, the House has stood solidly, on critical matters, on the side of the public. The House nearly threw out the 2013 Appropriation Bill on account of non-implementation of the 2012 Budget as passed by the legislature. Again, the President had to fall on the Senate leadership to save the day for him.

    Now, the composition of the Senate has changed, with the disaffection in the PDP that made 22 members of the party declare their allegiance to the Baraje leadership, seen as a decoy for a new political alignment that could see the faction team up with the Peoples Democratic Movement and ultimately ensuring that the opposition, including the APC work together to uproot Jonathan from office in 2015.

    Strategists and tacticians of the PDP are now jittery. A party comprising three PDP governors from the Northwest, one from Northeast, two from the Northcentral and one from what may actually be the most strategic state in the Southsouth, cannot be ignored. By the declaration of “war”, the geo-political configuration of the country has become even more interesting. The Northwest could now be seen as fully anti Jonathan. Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano and Jigawa are now anti-Jonathan/PDP. In the Northeast, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are ready to battle the Jonathan tendency, while Kwara and Niger have joined Nasarawa in the anti-Jonathan belt.

    When it is realised that the entire Southwest is solidly under the opposition’s belt, the hitherto impregnable wall of the South South cracking and a foothold gained in the East through Governor Rocha’s Okorocha of Imo State, it is obvious that this is not a time for the PDP to repeat its boast that it would rule for 60 years.

    The prognosis is that more people who were disenchanted with the party but could not muster the courage for fear of being sidelined now have a choice. More are likely to identify with the new tendency. The bold move in the Senate has created a new scenario. Prior to the disaffection, the ruling party had 74 members in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Now that 22 Senators have pulled out of the confraternity, only 52 are left. It implies that the party cannot even muster the muscle to pass simple bills and crucial resolutions that may be required to make the federal government stable and comfortable. Even if the two Labour Party Senators from Ondo and one All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Senator from Imo are ceded to the ruling party, the situation remains precarious.

    A united opposition, comprising ACN with 19, ANPP eight, CPC four and the Gang of 22 Senators from the “New PDP”, could shake the presidency, the PDP and the Federal Government to its foundation. On a number of occasions when the general public had called for a showdown with the government over the performance of key ministries, such as Petroleum and Finance, the lot always fell on the Senate and its leader, Senator David Mark to douse the fire. This may no longer be so as Mark himself will have to watch his back at all times as a freshly invigorated opposition could make a bold move to topple and replace the leadership. Mark who was recently embarrassed at his Benue District C base could also draw away from a President who is beloved to be in a hot political romance with his foe, General Lawrence Onoja.

    It may appear far-fetched at the moment that the President could be impeached. But, this could not be ruled out if only to shake him. All that is required under section 143 of the Constitution to kick-start the process of removing the President from office is a Notice of Impeachment signed by one-third of members of both Houses of the National Assembly.

    A lot now depends on the political sagacity of President Goodluck Jonathan to douse the raging political fire in the country, especially in the Senate. A group of Senators that includes former Governors Bukola Saraki, Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Adamu and Shaaba Lafiagi can only be ignored to the peril of the political establishment.

    How would the President respond to this challenge? What would he do to check the turbulence? Can he ride the storm? A lot depends on him and his advisers. Unfortunately, the choice range is very narrow when a leader is surrounded by the likes of Edwin Clark, Tony Anenih, Jerry Gana and Ahmed Gulak, and confronted with the combined strength of former and serving governors, Senators and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The die is cast.

     

  • Group urges Jonathan to redeem promises

    president Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to redeem his 2011 election promises to the people of the Southeast.

    In a communiqué in Lagos at the end of its meeting yesterday, the National Chairman of the Enugu Peoples Assembly (EPA), Patrick Mba, complained that the President made a lot of promises, which are yet to be fulfilled.

    The group complained that the Southeast had been marginalised by the Jonathan administration.

    Mba said: “The EPA is at a loss as to why nothing seems to be happening politically in the Southeast, despite the calibre of Ndigbo in the Jonathan-led cabinet.

    “The President promised Ndigbo functional seaports at Onitsha in Anambra State and Oguta in Imo State; dry inland port at Aba in Abia State; power plant at Oji River in Enugu State; completion of the second Niger bridge at Onitsha; fixing of Enugu–Onitsha Express road and Enugu–Port-Harcourt, among others.

    “All these promises are yet to take off in some instances and there is no federal presence in the Southeast, despite our overwhelming support for the President during the last election.”

     

  • Jonathan appoints DG ICRC

    President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Mr. Aminu Diko as the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

    A statement issued in Lagos by the Acting Head, Communication Department, ICRC, Mrs. Deborah Okafor, said Diko had since assumed office.

    “Diko, a seasoned corporate lawyer, was the executive director, Contract Compliance Centre of the commission.

    “His experience and expertise, spanning over 30 years, will be critical in steering the commission towards ensuring successes in using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a modern procurement option.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Angry PDP governors to Jonathan: forget 2015

    Angry PDP governors to Jonathan: forget 2015

    Peace talks resume today

    Atiku/Governors faction urges court to stop Tukur

    The civil war in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to escalate, with aggrieved governors giving four conditions for peace.

    They tabled the conditions at a meeting on Sunday night with President Goodluck Jonathan, 16 governors, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of a faction of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.

    The conditions are that:

    •factional National Chairman Bamanga Tukur should be sacked;

    •President Jonathan should do one term only and forget re-election in 2015;

    •the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Rivers State crises should be resolved; and

    •”harassment” of governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should be stopped.

    Attempts were made to narrow the conditions to two but no progress was made, The Nation learnt.

    The two factions only succeeded in setting agenda for resumption of talks today.

    But the National Secretary of the Atiku-Governors faction of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said yesterday that despite the intervention by Jonathan, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and other party leaders, members of the New PDP would not abandon their struggle.

    Oyinlola, who issued a statement in Abuja, said the faction would not disappoint members in the mission to make the PDP work again in the interest of Nigeria and its people.

    Sources said that Sunday’s meeting was a no-holds-barred type, with Jonathan feeling overwhelmed.

    It was gathered that the seven governors, who were represented by four of their colleagues, complained lack of internal democracy in the party and “repression” by the Presidency.

    “The governors demanded the removal of the factional National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to have genuine reconciliation in the party, a source said, adding: “They also asked the President to stick to the agreement he purportedly had with party leaders to spend one term in office. They urged Jonathan to come out openly on his rumoured re-election bid in 2015.

    They listed the crises in the NGF and Rivers State and promotion of parallel party structure in some PDP states as their grouses.

    Another source at the session said Kwankwaso spoke first, complaining against the use of EFCC by the Presidency to witch-hunt governors who have mere political disagreements with the President.

    Said the source: “Kwankwaso cited the arrest and prosecution of a son of the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, by the EFCC. He insisted that the prosecution of Lamido’s son was triggered by the Presidency when it was obvious that the victim was on a medical trip to Egypt.

    “Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, whose brother was recently grilled by one of the anti-graft agencies over alleged N60million contract, was quoted as saying ‘I have been facing EFCC probe because I served in the executive of Senator Bukola Saraki. There is an atmosphere of fear in Kwara over activities of the EFCC’.

    Governors Jonah Jang, Godswill Akpabio, and Gabriel Suswam reportedly pleaded for understanding.

    Jang was said to have attributed the challenges being faced by the party to what he called “deception”.

    The source quoted Jang as saying: “People should not be using deception in politics. The same people who said I should go and contest for the NGF chairmanship as a consensus candidate later moved against me. As adults, we should not engage in politics of deception.

    “On EFCC investigation, this should not be an issue because it applies to everyone. For three years, I was placed under investigation by the commission.”

    Suswam spoke in a similar manner, saying EFCC was not the problem because “I am also being investigated”.

    Akpabio was quoted as saying: “I do not see anything bad in EFCC investigation. My sister, who was on a medical trip, was sent back from Germany because she is a relation of a political office holder.

    “I think we should all give peace a chance because nobody will be in office for life.”

    A worried factional Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, pleaded with the aggrieved governors to give peace a chance, it was learnt.

    Jonathan, according to the sources, described the party’s challenges as “resolvable”.

    Another source quoted Jonathan as follows: “All the problems analysed are within human capacity, we will address them.

    “Those within my powers, I will address them personally and those for the party, I will get the party to address them

    “But we should all remember that PDP is a party in all localities in Nigeria and because of that we will not allow anything that will undermine the PDP.”

    There were attempts to build a consensus on some of the problems, but two were “nasty” – in the view of a source. These are removal of Tukur and dumping of second term ambition by Jonathan.

    Oyinlola said despite intervention, the struggle would go on.

    Oyinlola’s statement reads in part: “Alhaji Baraje and other leaders of the party appreciate the overwhelming outpouring of support and encouragement from genuine members and leaders of the party across the country.

    “We assure them that we will not disappoint them in the mission to make the PDP work again in the interest of Nigeria and its people.

    “We also appreciate the efforts of leaders of the party, particularly President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo who, we note, have scheduled a meeting of the party elders for this week.

    “We respect the elders and will be guided by them even as we stress that we will not abandon the ideals of justice and fairness that gave birth to the new party leadership under Alhaji Baraje.

    “We equally call on all party members across the country to remain peaceful and law abiding as the PDP rescue process is being pursued with vigour.

    “We owe the coming generation of Nigerians a duty of ensuring that impunity and dictatorship do not take any root in our democracy and, indeed, in our nation.”

    The new party commiserated with families, associates and friends of the Adamawa State delegates who died in Saturday’s road crash.

  • Jonathan mourns Peter Obe

    Jonathan mourns Peter Obe

    •How ace photographer died, by son

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday commiserated with the family, friends and associates of ace photo-journalist, Peter Oyeyemi Obe, who died on Sunday in Lagos. He was 81.

    The President said the photojournalist would be remembered as a thoroughbred professional who put his skills to the best use in an illustrious career that spanned several decades.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President noted that the history of journalism in Nigeria would not be complete without acknowledging the late Obe’s pioneering role in the development of photojournalism, his lucid documentation of the Nigerian Civil War and other events in the evolution of the nation.

    The statement reads: “As they mourn the legendary ace photographer, President Jonathan enjoins his professional successors and other journalists to strive to emulate Peter Obe’s exemplary commitment, dedication and patriotism, which were always apparent throughout his long and highly successful career.

    “He prays that God Almighty would receive the late Obe’s gentle soul and grant him eternal rest.”

    Femi, the eldest son of the late photojournalist, has narrated how his father died peacefully last Sunday afternoon.

    He told The Nation that his father, who passed on at 81, was hale and hearty until he developed a symptom (sore throat) earlier in the week.

    Femi said on Saturday, one of his siblings and a doctor, was contacted to test the ace photographer at his 31 Moronu Maduagwu Street, Surulere, Lagos home.

    He said: “On Saturday night, my father went to bed late. So, he did not wake up early in the morning until when his doctor son came to the house around noon to check on him. Unfortunately, he was found in his room gasping for breath. He died just two minutes after.”

    Femi said his father’s thriving photography career was stunted by the visual impairment he suffered some years ago. Since then, the son said, Obe could not perform as actively as he used to be.

    The late Obe was born in December 28, 1932. He lived a life of photography as his name was synonymous with excellent photography.

    Femi described his father as a man who loved his job and took a lot of risks in doing it.

    He said: “In fact, he was passionate about it and took risks where others dreaded. He taught us to be serious with our work. When he was at the war front during the Biafran war, we were very worried each time we heard of the death of people. We only got information about him when soldiers from the Defence headquarters visited us.”

    On his father’s most memorable assignment Femi said: “It was the news of the Cocoa House in Ibadan being gutted by fire. In company of my younger brother and myself, my father left Lagos for Ibadan by 10pm. He took several shots of the Cocoa House that late night when many had gone to bed. He dared the danger and got exclusive shots.”

    The young Obe said his family would discuss how to preserve their father’s photo collections and the publications in his studio.

    He added that the family would also decide on the date for the ace photographer’s funeral rites.

  • Jonathan intensifies fight against vandalism

    Jonathan intensifies fight against vandalism

    •35% of power-generating assets vandalised, says minister

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday called for cooperation between security agencies and private owners of infrastructure to tackle vandalism.

    Jonathan, who was represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo at a two-day stakeholders’ forum on the Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) in Abuja, said he would inaugurate a component of the National Crisis Management Centre later in the day.

    The forum was organised by the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mr. Mohammed Dasuki.

    Jonathan said the centre would, among other things, drive coordination when dealing with major national incidents.

    He said: “Later today, I will inaugurate a component of the National Crisis Management Centre, which will, among other things, facilitate this coordination when dealing with major national incidents.

    “It is envisaged that similar crisis centres will be established at the state and local government levels, employing the ICT infrastructure provided by the NSA, who will continue to coordinate the activities of all stakeholders in the security sector.”

    On synergy among security agencies, the President said: “Secondly, there is need for heightened cooperation between stakeholders and security agencies to effectively protect our critical national assets and infrastructure.

    “For instance, there is need for quicker resolution of court cases and the imposition of stiffer penalties on offenders. We must send a clear message that, henceforth, there is a huge price to pay for the theft of resources, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.”

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Interior, Mr. Umar Bature, said the House has been advised to pass a law to put the nation’s assets in care of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    Minister of Interior Abba Moro, who expressed confidence in the ability of the NSCDC to tackle vandalism, said more resources should be allocated to the corps.

    Power Minister Prof. Chinedu Nebo said vandalism was a “moral equivalent of war” on the nation. He said over 35 per cent of power-generating infrastructure had been vandalised.

    NSCDC boss Dr. Ade Abolurin said the country had lost many security officers to the war against vandalism. He called for the provision of helicopters to monitor national assets.

     

  • Jonathan mourns Peter Obe

    Jonathan mourns Peter Obe

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday commiserated with the family, friends and associates of ace photo-journalist, Peter Oyeyemi Obe who died on Sunday in Lagos at the age of 81.

    Mourning the late Obe, the President said that he will be long remembered as a thoroughbred professional who put his immense skills and talent to the best possible use in a very illustrious career that spanned many decades.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President maintained that the history of journalism in Nigeria will not be complete without an acknowledgement of Mr. Obe’s pioneering role in the development of photo-journalism in the country and his lucid documentation of the Nigerian Civil War and other profound events in the evolution of the nation.

    It reads: “As they mourn the legendary ace-photographer, President Jonathan enjoins his professional successors and other media practitioners to strive to emulate Peter Obe’s exemplary commitment, dedication and patriotism which were always apparent throughout his long and highly successful career.”

    “He prays that God Almighty will receive Obe’s gentle soul and grant him eternal rest. “

     

  • Talks to resolve PDP crisis deadlocked

    Talks to resolve PDP crisis deadlocked

    The meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and 16 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night to resolve the crisis rocking the party ended in deadlock.

    Seven governors including Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulafatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) left the venue of Saturday’s Special National Convention of the party with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to form a parallel exco for the “new PDP.”

    They announced the sack of the Bamanga Tukur- led executive committee and replaced them with Kawu Baraje as National Chairman, Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary and Dr. Sam Jaja, as Deputy National Chairman of the new PDP.

    Reading the Communiqué of the meeting convened to resolve the crisis at the early hours of Monday, the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, said that discussions at the meeting was smooth and encouraging.

    Anenih, who was flanked by President Jonathan on the right and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso on the left, said that all the other aggrieved governors will attend another meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

    Out of the seven governors that left the convention to form a parallel party, only four of them attended the Sunday meeting. Those in attendance were – Aliyu, Wamakko, Nyako and Ahmed.

     

  • We’ve kept our promises to Nigerians, says Jonathan

    We’ve kept our promises to Nigerians, says Jonathan

    •PDP critics are pretenders – President 

    President Goodluck Jonathan declared yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kept the promises it made to Nigerians since 1999.

    He dismissed PDP critics as pretenders who keep refusing to acknowledge the achievements of the party over the years.

    He spoke at the PDP special convention in Abuja.

    He said the party is the only one out of the three registered in 1998 that has retained its identity, while the others have imploded or subsumed their identity in search of political direction and relevance.

    PDP, he said, would continue to grow bigger and stronger.

    He listed achievements of the PDP, led government to include improvement in telecoms, agriculture, aviation, transportation, roads, water resources, and education.

    The President reiterated the party’s commitment to internal democracy and belief in the rule of law.

    He said: “Ours is not only the party of the present, but it is the party of the future. It is very clear that we are the party destined to take Nigeria to greatness. We are the party that holds the interest of Nigerians dearly at heart. We do not pursue divisible policies, we do not preach hate, we reject violence, we reject killings, we recognise Nigeria as one indivisible entity, we deplore ethnic distrust among our great people.

    “We must insist on defending Nigeria from those who threaten her in words and deeds. We are a nation in God’s hands and we must keep it so. Before I leave, let me ask our party men and women one fundamental question and I need the answer yes or no. As a party, have we changed our name? No. As a party, have we changed our logo? No. As a party, have we changed our slogan? No. As a party, have we changed our motto? No. As a party, have we changed our vision? No. No shaking.

    “We are here today to reaffirm our faith in Nigeria, our commitment to internal democracy and our belief in the rule of law.”

    He called on party members to work relentlessly to bring about cohesion, discipline, and supremacy of the party to enable it face without distraction, pressing national challenges and task ahead.”

    “To remain strong and successful, we must not only continue to be a party of internal democracy but also of internal discipline. Our party structures and rules are clearly defined there provide a clear guide for action and programmes. To undermine them is to compromise our strength and goals. I will like to remind all here how far we have come.”

    “The visible vibrancy that our party has encouraged from 1998 helped to strengthen our party and support the goals of internal democracy of this country. It will foster greater democracy in our party. We believe in freedom of speech, we believe in the freedom of association, we believe in the freedom of participation.”