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Tag: Jonathan

  • Jonathan, governors to hoist flags for Sports festival

    Jonathan, governors to hoist flags for Sports festival

    President Goodluck Jonathan will hoist the national flag at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on November 3 as part of activities leading to the 18th National Sports Festival.

    The Secretary of the festival’s Main Organising Committee, Alhaji Abba Yola, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.

    NAN reports that the festival is scheduled for the Teslim Balogun Stadium and other venues in Lagos from November 27 to December 9.

    The contingent from the Federal Capital Territory and the 36 states of the federation would be participating in the festival, with more than 22,000 athletes and accompanying officials expected to feature.

    “President Jonathan, who is also the festival’s Grand Patron, will be the Special Guest at the occasion, tagged “Flag Hoisting Ceremony” and scheduled for the stadium’s Main Bowl, where he will hoist the national flag.

    “He will be joined by the governors of the 36 states and the FCT minister, who will all also hoist their states’ flags at the venue.

    “This event, the hoisting of flags, is to practically demonstrate the festival as a symbol of oneness and will also serve as an endorsement for the event,’’ Yola said.

     

  • Ruling the world, my ultimate vision for sports – Jonathan

    Ruling the world, my ultimate vision for sports – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday that his administration was committed to Nigeria becoming the best sporting nation in Africa, top four in the Commonwealth and ultimately rule the world.

    Jonathan spoke at the opening of a Presidential Sports Sector Retreat held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said the vision was realistic and achievable with hard work, greater sense of purpose and dedication.

    The president noted the importance of sports as a source of joy to people, a unifying and mobilising factor and a source of revenue generation.

    He charged participants at the retreat to brainstorm and strategise on how to reclaim the country’s past sporting glory.

    “There is no gain saying that apart from its obvious benefits in bringing joy to our citizens, especially when our teams do well, no other sector of our national life has a greater force for mobilising and uniting our people around a common purpose, than sports.

    “I remember vividly as a vice-president when we were to host one team that did well and the Chief of Staff then, Gen. Abdullahi, was emphasising that we must receive these people very well because it only sports and especially when we are winning that Muslims and Christians don’t know the difference between themselves.

    “They sing the same songs, dance the same steps and we must encourage sporting activities in this country,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying at the forum.

    He said the country could not overlook the relevance of sports to national development and well being.

    He described sports as a viable socio-economic tool for youth development, nation building and for instilling core value of social justice

    Jonathan recalled the superlative performance of Nigerian athletes at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics in particular the performances of Chioma Ajunwa who won the first Gold medal for Nigeria and the Dream Team led by Kanu Nwankwo.

    He noted, however, that the successes recorded had been waning over the years and that there was the need to retrace Nigeria’s sporting steps.

    “This retreat is timely, given the recent disappointing performance of Team Nigeria at the 2012 Olympics in London and our recent lows in football competitions among others.

    “This unacceptable trend points to systemic failures that urgently call for a drastic and holistic review of our sports policies,’’ President Jonathan said.

    He noted that the retreat was not designed to apportion blames or point accusing fingers, but to find solutions and design a framework for achieving national sporting excellence.

    He tasked states governors to identify potentials where they have comparative advantages in sporting event for development.

    The president also called on the private sector to devise means of supporting sporting activities.

     

  • Jonathan congratulates Mimiko

    President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko on his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, President Jonathan also commended the electorate of Ondo State and INEC personnel and security agencies who ensured that the elections were peacefully and successfully conducted.

    President Jonathan urged Governor Mimiko to be prepared to work even harder to justify his reelection.

    He assured Mimiko that the Federal Government will continue to engage constructively and positively with the Ondo State Government in collaborative efforts to achieve faster socio-economic development and better living conditions for people in the state and all other parts of Nigeria.

     

  • Kogi ousted Speaker cries out to Jonathan, IGP

    Kogi ousted Speaker cries out to Jonathan, IGP

    … Says, ‘I’m not safe’

    Embattled Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, on Thursday appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to save the state legislature from annihilation.

    Bello flanked by 12 members of the House addressed a press conference in Abuja.

    He lamented that when the members went to the House to resume legislative duties on Thursday, they were prevented from entering the Assembly Complex by policemen allegedly acting on the orders of the state commissioner of police.

    12 members of the 25-member Kogi State House of Assembly had on Tuesday announced that they have met and impeached Bello and other principal officers of the House.

    Most Nigerians have condemned the action, saying the 12 lawmakers did not meet the constitutional requirement of two-third (17 members), needed to carry out the impeachment.

    He also vowed to challenge the action of the 12 lawmakers in court to ensure that sanity is restored to the state.

    Bello said: “All these things that are happening across the states, particularly in Kogi State would not have been happening if not that some people around Mr. President are trying as much as possible to cause a problem for the Federation.

    “The President that I know, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a man of honour and rule of law.

    “If you look at the last general election in the country, he ensured a very free and fair atmosphere for the election to be conducted.

    “So there is nobody that could have used the name of Mr. President to perpetuate illegality in any part of the Federation, particularly in Kogi State.

    “So I appeal to Mr. President as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the number one citizen of this country to rescue the Kogi State legislature from absolute annihilation by the executive arm of government in the state. This is because what happened in Kogi State is an executive influence and maximum force which led to the compromise of the police.

    “I therefore want to appeal to Mr. President to come to the aid of Kogi parliament because without parliament there is no democracy.

    “The absence of parliament means that what we have is absolute dictatorship.

    “So if any governor of a state decides to muzzle the parliament, what we have is elected sole administrator as governor of the state.

    “So we want Mr. President to address this situation as a matter of urgent public importance.”

    He said his life was in danger as the commissioner of police in the state had withdrawn all his security aides.

    Bello also urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to look into the matter and ensure that the rule of law prevails.

    He added: “The commissioner of police, at an ungodly hour of the day of Wednesday withdrew all my security.

    “You know what it means for my security to be withdrawn without informing me.

    “That to me is an abuse of power, it is an affront on the constitution, it is against the rule of law and it is unjust.”

     

  • 2015: Judge’s absence stalls ruling in suit against Jonathan

    2015: Judge’s absence stalls ruling in suit against Jonathan

    Judgment in a suit filed by a Peoples Democratic Party member, Mr. Cyracus Njoku, asking an Abuja High Court to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2015 election was on Thursday stalled.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the judgment was not delivered, due to the absence of the Presiding Judge, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi.

    No reason was however, given for the judge’s absence.

    Oniyangi had fixed October 18 to deliver judgment on whether Jonathan will have a place in the 2015 presidential elections after entertaining arguments from parties to the suit.

    Njoku, from Zuba Ward in the Abuja Municipal Area Council with PDP registration number 1622735, had urged the court to declare that Jonathan could not swear to an oath thrice in view of section 137(1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution.

    In the suit, Njoku also wants the court to declare that the President’s tenure began on May 6, 2010 and that his two terms shall end on May 29, 2015, having taken his second oath of office on May 29, 2011.

    He also wants the court to declare that by virtue of section 136 (1) (b) of the Constitution, no person (including Jonathan) shall take the oath of allegiance and the oath of office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution more than twice.

    Njoku is also praying for an order, restraining Jonathan from further contesting or attempting to vie for the office of president after May 29, 2015 when his tenure shall by the Nigerian Constitution, end.

    He is also seeking an order, restraining the PDP from further sponsoring or attempting to sponsor Jonathan as candidate for election to the office of the President in 2015.

    He also wants an order of court directing the Independent National Electoral Commission not to accept the name of Jonathan, where sponsored by his party again to run for the Office of President in 2015.

    But Counsel to Jonathan, Mr. Kelechi Normeh, in a preliminary objection, asked the court to discountenance the suit.

    Normeh, who is holding brief for Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), described the suit as “frivolous and vexatious” and meant to make the court to labour in futility because the suit was purely an academic exercise.

    He also urged the court to hold that the suit instituted by Njoku, failed to disclose reasonable cause of action.

     

  • Jonathan charges civil service on professionalism

    Jonathan charges civil service on professionalism

    President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that the civil service cannot continue to be a clog in the wheel of development in the country.

    He also warned that bureaucracy should not be a stumbling block to progress and development

    The president charged the civil service on the need to look at things critically and reduce mistakes, saying it will be very costly if government makes silly mistakes.

    He assured that the political office holders on their part will try not to make mistakes.

    The president spoke on Wednesday during the swearing in ceremony of five Permanent Secretaries and the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Okon Ekpo.

    According to the president, “no matter the efforts put in place once the civil servants refused to move along that is the end.”

    While noting that the service needs to be tacit in its work to avoid mistakes, the president said efforts must be geared towards moving the country forward.

    This, he said, is the expectation of Nigerians.

    He pleaded with the civil servants to work with political office holders to change the country for good, stressing that the “country belongs to all Nigerians and we must make sure that we get to where our contemporaries are.”

     

  • I will abide by what Nigerians decide on federalism, says Jonathan

    •Jemibewon, Fashola, others split over zones

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said he would abide by what Nigerians may eventually decide on how to restructure the country.

    But he said the way forward is for all Nigerians to commit themselves to the cause of national integration.

    Jonathan spoke at a colloquium at ThisDay Dome, ,Abuja, to mark the 80th birthday of ex-Vice-President Alex Ekwueme.

    The panelists comprised Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, Niger State Deputy Governor Musa Ibeto, the leader of Niger Delta and Southsouth Peoples Assembly, Chief Edwin Clark, former Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Northern Leaders Political Forum (NLPF), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, former Minister of Police Affairs, David Jemibewon, Kano State Governor represented by his deputy Umar Ganduja and the former Vice-President of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.

    The mini-conference was moderated by ThisDay Chairman Nduka Obaigbena, with the following respondents, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, former Akwa Ibom State Governor Victor Attah, former PDP National Chairman Chief Solomon Lar, a former Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Bolaere Ketebu.

    Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the President said he has resolved to work for the actualisation of national integration.

    “The challenge of our time is the failure of our constitution. 52 years of independence, it is clear to all that there is really the need for every one to commit to national integration.”

    On the agitation for true federalism, Jonathan assured that he would abide by the decision of Nigerians on how the nation should be structured.

    He urged leaders to stay away from divisive tendencies in order to build the nation.

    The President described Ekwueme as one of the architects of present day Nigeria and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and indeed a great star of our time.

    Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon, who chaired the occasion, said: “I do not accept call for sovereign national conference but a national constitutional conference.

    “Today’s event may well serve as a mini national constitutional conference because people from various ethnic and religious groups are represented here.

    “Nigeria needs a veritable platform such as this one offered by the former Vice President’s birthday for us to redesign the way forward and where issues relating to the equitable distribution of our national resources can be discussed and resolved”

    On the celebrant, Gowon said: “Ekwueme’s mental alertness is never in doubt despite grey hairs, just as he may risk losing count of his string of degrees in Architecture, Urban Planning, Sociology, History and Law.

    “He is an astute politician and a consensus builder. I know him to be a good man and a patriotic Nigerian.”

    Gowon, who stood in for former President Shehu Shagari, said Ekwueme’s penchant for acquiring academic degrees is perhaps unequalled.

    Lagos State Governor Raji Fashola said he disagreed with the move to introduce the concept of six geopolitical zones into the constitution.

    The governor said with the present agitation for more funds between the existing tiers of government, it is obvious that the six geopolitical zone structures will find it extremely difficult to find its bearing.

    Fashola proposed the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) propelled regional economic integration being canvassed for the Southwest.

    He listed some of the national values that the country must always stand for as multi-party system, true federalism and a resolve to address the insecurity problem and incidence of natural disaster as one body devoid of politicking.

    He described Ekwueme’s as gentleman and one of the few good men Nigeria can boost of.

    On his part, Obi said there is no need to amend the constitution.

    The governor said: “The creation of the six geopolitical zones was based on injustice and inequality because some zones have seven states, whereas other zone like the Southeast has five states.

    “There is, therefore, the need to amend the equality as contained in the six geo-political zones.”

    Ganduje said the six geo-political zones as presently constituted is “not acceptable to Kano people”.

    He said the zones were a military creation during the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference.

    “The creation of the zones was deceitful. It was not based on land mass and population. We are deceiving ourselves; the six geo-political zones are not acceptable to Kano people.”

    Jemibewon, who spoke thereafter, opposed the call for the call for the cancellation of the zones, saying if anything like that is done, “there would be uprising”.

    Ibeto, who represented the Niger State Governor, called for the strengthening

    Said he: “There is nothing wrong with the six geo-political zones, what I will advocate is that the zones should be strengthened to perform. We need to strengthen the zones by providing the enabling environment.”

    Mrs. Ezekwesili said the significance of the colloquium is the identification of the vision and identity of the country.

    She called for the establishment of the law and order as what happened in Port Harcourt and Mubi where students were killed still remain a challenge to entity called Nigeria.

    Ciroma said he is opposed to zoning, but, in the long run, the best option is to improve the performance level of the states to ensure good governance.

    He said if the argument of the zones is carried into a conclusive end, then the states as a federating structure would have to go.

    Clark said the zones as the federating units are not equal, as “some zones have more states than others.

    “There are zones with seven states and others with five. Where then is the equality?”

    He said some states are dependent on others and cannot even initiate or generate funds as they depend on crude oil and federally collectible revenue as their source of income.

    Clark called for the scrapping of the states to be replaced with the six zones as the federating units.

    Attah said a national conference where the future of the country will be decided should be planned and all ethnic groups will subscribe to the agreement of one Nigeria.

    He said so far, Nigerians seem not be satisfied with the agreement of the constitution.

    Ms Ketebu queried why Bayelsa State has only eight local governments instead of 10 that was recommended by the National Constitutional Conference of 1994 and 1995.

    He said the White Paper of the Constitutional Conference was tampered with, as the outcome was not what the conference produced. She said Nigerians should be given opportunity to produce the constitution that is acceptable to it.

    Lar called for the improvement in the status of the six geo-political zones. He lamented that the powers at the centre were enormous and that in the past the regions had much powers before the military adventure in politics.

    “It was the military that made the powers at the centre to be enormous. They made the states to become like local governments.

    “My advice is that Nigerians should be patriotic and we should not be sectional. Let us work to improve the six geo-political zones, it is not good –to scrap them.”

     

  • Jonathan’s Yoruba friends

    Jonathan’s Yoruba friends

    SIR: Nothing can be more unfortunate than hearing that the so-called Yoruba leaders were pursuing President Goodluck Jonathan for juicy and sensitive positions. There can be no better way of eradicating the policy of principled opposition established by the Yoruba sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    An Awoist can be justified if the government of the day were ideologically sound and progressive, but not a government flown by those milking the nation dry, perpetrating abject poverty and criminal activities, such as armed robbery and kidnapping.

    The Nigerian security forces and the general populace are under severe attacks from Boko Haram, kidnappers, armed robbers, and marauding Fulani herdsmen all over the country. The Police are misused in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and elsewhere in the country. How unimaginable to hear that the concern of the so-called Yoruba leaders is how to solicit juicy positions for Yorubaland, rather than how to overthrow mediocrity and corruption?

    Yes, it is selfish, self-centered and myopic at the same time. It is a subtle way of seeking legitimacy for a discredited government that has imported Boko Haram terrorism, petroleum scam and scarcity, together with the attendant mass penury.

    I am again appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to rally round opposition unity. What is happening in Yorubaland now, under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is an indication that the opposition will not perpetrate business as usual. However you view it, things have changed for better in Edo State and Yorubaland under the ACN. Yes, I criticize the ACN governors because no condition is perfect, but I know the difference compared with when the states were under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Indubitably, Pa Awo must be lamenting in heaven that unexpected persons are betraying his policy of principled opposition to ask an anti-people government for juicy and sensitive positions. As the Yoruba would say, Omo eni iba joni iba dun (How pleasant it will be to see your own child resemble you in character and behaviour!).

    Let the selfish ethnic leaders continue to romance with Jonathan while Nigeria is wrecked by miss-governance.

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin

     

  • My personal house now under water, says Jonathan

    My personal house now under water, says Jonathan

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s home in Otueke, Bayelsa State, is submerged .

    The President disclosed this yesterday while commending development partners and organisations that have so far responded to the cries for help to rehabilitate flood victims.

    He noted that his personal house in Otuoke that was initially spared, has been submerged in water up to window level.

    Dr. Jonathan spoke at the launch of ‘Save one million lives’, a United Nations Commission on Life Saving Commodities for Women and Children at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “Nigeria is so devastated by the flood. Sometimes when you watch on television, you do not appreciate what we are going through. I travelled from North to south and on Sunday I was in my village after touring my state. I left my village on Sunday morning and as at that time water was about entering my compound.

    He said: “As at this morning, the information is that my house, up to the windows, is under water.

    “So, you can see what people are passing through within this period. But with the assistance the development partners will give us and people who are in the humanitarian sector, we will soon get over it.”

  • Why I’m emotional about child, maternal mortality – Jonathan

    Why I’m emotional about child, maternal mortality – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan has launched “save one million lives “programme.

    He explained that his personal experience was the reason for his desire to end child and maternal mortality in the country.

    This is even as the Norwegian government has agreed to commit the sum of $25 million to Nigeria’s “save one million lives” programme over the next five years.

    He spoke on Tuesday at the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving commodities for women and children; meeting of chairs, co-vice chairs, commissioners and ministers with national observers and launching of the “saving one million lives” programme at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja.

    According to the president, out of the nine children his mother had, seven died at infants with him and his elder sister being the only surviving kids.

    “On the issue of saving lives of women and children I’m passionate, because my mother had nine of us but seven died as infants with myself and the elder sister surviving. That I’m alive today is not because of any intervention but by God’s hand.”

    The President, who revealed that Nigeria has increased domestic funding, said the sum of $33.4 million has been committed for the procurement of the commodities for the next four years.

    He also said the sum of $500 million is being committed for reproductive health, while the government has also increase its commitment to the fight against eradication of polio and immunisation to the tune of $68 million.

    Besides, the president said the removal of user fees for contraceptives had increase demand rate to about 150 per cent.

    Jonathan, who commended development agents for the aid given to Nigeria to fight the devastating flood that has ravaged majority of the states in the country, said the launching of the “save one million lives” project was historic, pledging transparency during the stage of the implementation plan.