The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jonathan

  • Don’t re-enact June 12, group tells Jonathan

    Don’t re-enact June 12, group tells Jonathan

    A group, Civil Society Coalition on Good Governance, has vowed to resist any attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to truncate the nation’s electoral and democratic process.

    The group accused the Federal Government of planning to re-enact another “June 12” episode, given the palpable signs and fears of further postponement of elections, threat of removal of Independent National Electoral Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and formation of an interim national government.

    The group, at a news conference in Lagos yesterday, warned that the consequences of any attempt to subvert the will of the people would be catastrophic for the country, particularly for the impoverished Nigerians who were already pushed to the wall.

    Its spokesman, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, called on the ruling party and government to put the interest of the country above their individual and narrow interests and desist from actions that would push Nigeria further to the brinks of disintegration.

  • Ohanaeze knocks Obasanjo for comments on Jonathan

    Ohanaeze knocks Obasanjo for comments on Jonathan

    The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for what it called “inciting and hate speeches” against President Goodluck Jonathan.

    It warned the ex-president to stop his attacks on Jonathan or “he will incur the wrath of Igbo Youths.”

    OYC said Obasanjo was putting pressure on Jonathan.

    It said he should stop disparaging the exalted office of the President, stressing that he (Obasanjo) was once in that office and should respect it.

    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the OYC National President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, warned Obasanjo to stop inciting Nigerians against President Jonathan, “whose achievements have dwarfed the achievements of former leaders put together.”

    He cautioned Obasanjo to stop fanning the embers of war through his unguarded utterances against a sitting President.

    His words: “The country has experienced war and has not completely overcome its effects.”

    The Ohanaeze youth leader accused Obasanjo of plotting with some undemocratic elements to truncate Jonathan’s government through inciting comments, warning that Igbo youths would resist any retrogressive action.

    He said: “Obasanjo is a disappointment to democracy. He should not plunge Nigeria into another civil war through his remarks against Jonathan. We’ve not overcome the effects of the last war.”

    Isiguzoro said Obasanjo felt uncomfortable with Jonathan, “because he (Obasanjo) was not allowed to control the President, as he had thought. This is his reason for his constant attacks.”

    He said the President should not be intimidated by anybody because he was from the minority, vowing that Igbo youths would fight his cause in the interest of equity and justice.

    “Obasanjo should know that he has expired politically. Nigerian youths will not allow him and other spent forces, who belong to the past, to ruin our future.

    “The country cannot buy his belated and selfish idea of an Interim National Government. Those plotting to pull Nigeria backwards will be disappointed because youths are now wiser.”

    The Ohanaeze youth leader said the Southeast and Southsouth had a long standing relationship and would continue to defend one another’s right in the country’s political equation.

  • Tricycle, motorcycle operators endorse Jonathan

    Tricycle, motorcycle operators endorse Jonathan

    The National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners’ and Riders Association, (NACTOMORAS), has said it will mobilise 10 million votes for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election  during  March 28 polls.

    Its President Alhaji Sani Hassan, in a statement  yesterday said their endorsement of the President was a show of appreciation for “all the good things he has done for them”.

    Hassan, who said his members engaged in a solidarity march for Jonathan across Abuja, described the President as the father of tricycle operators.

    According to Alhaji Hassan: We have over 9 million members that we are controlling in the country. Apart from that, we also have people we are partnering with our transport sector like dealers, importers and the spare parts sellers and those that are selling food to our members.

    “Our mother-in-laws and our fathers-in-law, all of them are going to team up with the association and vote massively when the presidential election comes on March 28 for President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “By the grace of God, we are going to mobilise nothing less than 10 million votes for him.”

  • ‘Jonathan afraid of polls’

    A member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire, has blamed the postponement of the general elections on the unwillingness of the government to submit itself to a popularity test, after its abysmal performance in the last 16 years.

    Nkire, who spoke in Abuja, appealed to the electorate to be patient and wait for March 28, as according to him, “March 28th is not eternity”.

    He said the only way the country could make progress is to show interest in governance by insisting that elections are held as and when due, taking active part in voting, as well as remaining at the polling stations to make sure their votes count.

    The former National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) accused the ruling  PDP of masterminding the postponement in order to gain mileage, as well as to stretch the meagre finances of the opposition.

    Nkire advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that it does everything in its power to get absolutely ready for the elections, in other not to fall into the trap being set for it by those who do not want the elections to hold.

    On whether he was confident that the military could guarantee security in six weeks as promised, he said the Nigerian military had a history of gallantry, adding that he had no doubt that the military would live up to their pledge to the nation.

  • Jonathan rules out another poll shift

    Jonathan rules out another poll shift

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday doused fears of another postponement of the general election, saying the polls date would not be changed.

    He stated this at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, during the commissioning of four new vessels to boost the capacity of the Nigerian Navy.

    The President, who expressed satisfaction at the ongoing war against the Boko Haram sect, emphatically said the military will rout the terrorists, thereby providing conducive atmosphere for elections to be conducted in the northeast part of the country.

    Jonathan assured Nigerians that the areas currently dominated by the terrorists will be liberated before the elections, just as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving the capacity of the Armed Forces.

    He restated his commitment to the unity of the nation, adding that the federal government has placed premium on national security, including food security and employment generation.

    According to the President, government was working in harmony with the military to ensure the nation stability.

    He said: “We will rout Boko Haram. Our capacity has increased sufficiently and officers and men are doing wonderfully well. The ongoing activities to contain the sect will also provide conducive atmosphere for elections to hold in the region.

    “We will return the region to a level where activities of terrorists cannot be carried out.”

     

  • Jonathan sends team to U.S. as image crisis hurts

    Jonathan sends team to U.S. as image crisis hurts

    Ex-anti-graft agency chief,  others lobby

     

    DESPERATE to shore up his administration’s image, which has been battered by the sudden shift in the general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan has sent a lobby team to the United States.

    The mission – to explain why the elections were moved from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11.

    The team is expected to:

    •affirm Dr. Jonathan’s administration’s commitment to the May 29 handover date through a free and fair election; and

    •correct the impression that President Jonathan plans to sit-tight in office or form an Interim National Government.

    The team will meet with some members of the Congress, foreign policy experts and some select caucuses, The Nation learnt last night.

    Besides, all ambassadors and Heads of Mission have been mandated to clarify the circumstances surrounding the polls shift to their host countries.

    The delegation to the United States is being led by an Ambassador in the Presidency. Other members remained unknown as at last night.

    It was learnt that some Nigerians, whose views are usually respected by the US,  are on the delegation.

    A former head of an anti-graft agency is believed to be part of the team because he is believed to have earned a good  “international profile”.

    A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “There is so much pressure on the Federal Government as a result of the postponement of the general elections. The element of trust between Nigeria and some countries has become an issue.

    “The situation was worsened by the fact that the postponement came shortly after assurances were given to the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, by President Jonathan and when many international observers had arrived for the botched February 14 poll.

    “So, the government is battling with an image challenge and there is need to correct it.”

    A Presidency source spoke of how the polls shift has become an albatross to the Federal Government. “It is creating a diplomatic challenge and it has become necessary to clean up the stain. Even foreign media are taking advantage of it to bash the government,” he said, pleading not to be named.

    “It is disturbing that some  countries are seeing the polls shift as a personal agenda of the President when it was obvious that it had to do with INEC.

    “Definitely, we are reaching out to all our friends. You will recall that last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, met with members of the Diplomatic Corps to explain the situation of things.

    “The President also hosted the diplomatic community to a dinner on Friday which afforded him a one-on-one interaction with these foreign nations’ representatives.”

    It was not immediately clear how much it would cost the nation to effect the lobbying but a source said: “No matter what you may say, this administration still enjoys tremendous goodwill. It can count on goodwill.”

    A third source said: “I think the trip has more or less to do with the need to prevail on  the US to change its attitude to the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts.

    “We have security challenges but the US is not assisting as much as expected. There is a missing link somewhere and we need to bridge the gap. If you ask me, I will say the trip has more to do with how to tackle insurgency in the country than the general election.

    “We need the assistance of the US to win the war against Boko Haram. We want the US to sell arms and ammunition to us, share intelligence with Nigeria and assist with modern equipment. Some of those who traveled to the US are experts in counter-insurgency too.”

    All Nigerian ambassadors and Heads of Mission have been mandated to clarify the circumstances surrounding the polls shift to their host countries.

    According to a source in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Federal Government has noticed the  misrepresentation or distortion of the challenges which led to polls shift by INEC. We have directed our ambassadors and High Commissioners to put the picture clearer in their host countries,” he said.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Ade Adefuye, on Tuesday took a swipe at the hard Editorial of New York Times on the poll shift.

    He said it was wrong for the newspaper to have blamed the poll shift on the Federal Government in order to frustrate the APC Presidential Candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

  • Mamora: Jonathan’s playing ethnic card

    Mamora: Jonathan’s playing ethnic card

    Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora is the Deputy Director-General (Operations) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation. In this interview with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN, he speaks on the poll’s shift, preparation for the elections, APC’s chances, hate campaigns, insecurity, failed anti-graft war and the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term by Afenifere. 

    Having toured the whole country as a member of the APC campaign committee, how would you assess the mood of the nation?

    Judging from what I personally witnessed during our campaign tour, the entire country appears ready for the change we are talking about. The enthusiasm, the excitement, the willingness and readiness with which the people have welcomed us, embraced us so far to me bear eloquent testimony to their desire for change. Everything points to the fact that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration has outlived its usefulness. The generality of the people are yearning for a new lease of life which the APC is offering.

    What is your reaction to polls shift announced by INEC?

    What is crystal clear to me is that whatever they are doing, whatever the pretences they are making, it is obvious to me that it was not borne out of genuine love for Nigerians, but for their selfishness and the desire to hold on to power. All they are interested in is to cling on to power by any means possible. Why is it now that they are pushing for polls shift? When we know from the grapevine that it is all delay tactics to frustrate Nigerians who are enthusiastic and the excitement of the people who had fixed their gaze on February 14.

    They wanted to diminish the enthusiasm of the people to vote out the PDP government. They cannot weep more than the bereaved. INEC is constitutionally empowered to determine issues pertaining to elections. It is supposed to be impartial and independent. The subterranean move by President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP was geared towards scuttling the electoral process. It was a sad reminder of the prelude to the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election, which started with the inglorious activities of Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) under Arthur Nzeribe. It is a de ja vu coming into play this time around.

    But, President Jonathan has denied influencing INEC in the decision to shift the polls. Do you agree?

    It was obvious from the way they went about it that President Jonathan and his campaign organisation forced the polls shift on INEC. If you look at the chronology of that perfidy; the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, had indicated that they were ready to provide the security to hold elections, but less than two weeks after, the National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) went to London to ask for postponement not because of security, but the logistics associated with the distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs). Prof. Attahiru Jega responded that there was 70 per cent distribution of the voter’s cards in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and said he will be willing to extend collection up to February 14. Few days later, the PDP came up with a demand for poll shift by six weeks. The military followed suit by saying they cannot provide security for the polls until after six weeks. INEC had no choice but to succumb to the pressure.

    The decision to ask for the postponement was not based on altruism. It was concocted to hoodwink Nigerians. It was based on compulsion and deceit to achieve their diabolical end. What the PDP has done is not just to commit fraud; they have also succeeded in raping the country and the generality of Nigerians. They are doing all this because they realise the day of reckoning is at hand. Their time is up. It is a case of a drowning man clinging to any available object to remain afloat.

    If the elections were to hold tomorrow, what are the chances of the APC?

    If the elections were to hold tomorrow, the APC will win. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will win hands down. I can assure you that if the elections were free and fair, devoid of illegal use of security apparatus and the votes properly counted, the APC will be victorious. Our chances are as bright as day light. The PDP knows; that is why they are showing this level of desperation: the hate campaign, propaganda assaulting our senses and sensibilities on daily basis, particularly on electronic and print media. They are making issues out of Gen. Buhari’s certificate, his late wife and daughter. They have descended so low in their desperation to cling on to power. The hate campaign against Buhari is unprecedented in the history of electioneering campaign in this country. These are nothing but evidence of desperation. The more they attempt to denigrate him, assassinate his character or pull him down, the more his popularity soars.

    We are aware of other things they have lined up. If they have their way, they will truncate the electoral process and democracy. They are working hard, but they will fail, because the message of hope the APC is bringing to this country is unstoppable.

    Are you worried about the role the media is playing in the electoral process?

    What I expect of the media as the fourth estate of the realm is to sift the chaffs from the grains, enlighten and educate the people. I expect some adverts and documentaries should have been censored. The regulatory agencies the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Nigeria Press Council (NPC) seem to have abdicated their responsibilities and that is why many television stations and newspapers have thrown ethics to the wind. The NTA appears to have been in an unholy alliance or part of the conspiracy to malign Gen. Buhari in the hate campaign.

    Are you surprised that Afenifere directed the Yoruba people to vote for President Jonathan?

    It is unfortunate that the Afenifere is no longer what it used to be. It is a shadow of its old self. I can’t be bother about the directive that is coming from the Afenifere. I know that the Afenifere does not and cannot have that power to determine who the entire Yoruba people would vote for. May be I need to remind you that I as Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, between 1999 and 2003, I was Convener of the Afenifere restructuring group in 2002, when Pa Abraham Adesanya was the leader. Following the submission of our report, the inability to implement it was the beginning of the crisis in Afenifere.

    Well, the Yoruba of the younger generation have since left the old Afenifere bloc to form the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), which to all intents and purposes is more vibrant and has a better understanding of the yearnings and aspirations of the Yoruba, as encapsulated in the Yoruba agenda. No wonder the ARG has distanced and dissociated itself and condemned the directive to vote for Jonathan and the PDP.

    I am happy the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), a credible association, also distanced itself from that directive. That tells you that the Afenifere cannot in any position determine how the Yorubas should cast their votes.

    Don’t you find a contradiction in the statement of President Jonathan that his generation has failed and his quest for another term?

    It is an admission of failure. He should bow out. It was the same Jonathan who once said he would only do one term as president and that if he could not change the country in four years, it will not matter if he’s there for 100 years. If after six years, the man is seeking for re-election; it is left to Nigerians to shine their eyes. Jonathan’s administration is known for catalogues of broken promises.

    How would the APC tackle corruption if it takes over the rein of power?

    What the APC promises is that under Buhari, we will do it differently. That is part of the message of hope we bring to Nigerians. One of the important pillars of democracy is the rule of law. Enthronement of the rule of law is what we want to make possible as against the rule of impunity. There can be no progress without applying sanctions against people who breach the law. That is accountability. When people know they will be called to account, they will do the right thing. The APC will not witch-hunt. People will be answerable through due process.

    It appears Nigerians are more divided along ethnic and religious lines than they were in 2011. Do you agree?

    Never in the history of this country has it been so divided along ethnic and religious lines than under the PDP and the Jonathan Presidency. The hallmark of the PDP and Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation is whipping up ethnic and tribal sentiments in electioneering campaign. You will recall that Femi Fani-Kayode accused the APC leadership of being essentially Islamists when it is convenient for him to do so. The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, was quoted recently to have accused the APC of being largely Christians; that the party has established 5,000 churches. You can see the divisive game being played by the Jonathan camp. Happily, it was a Muslim northerner that replied Sambo, saying that he would not be swayed by that kind puerile argument. Nigerians have made up their minds on whom to vote for, irrespective of religion or tribe.

  • Obasanjo vs. Jonathan and PDP

    Last Monday, after several months of bitter war of words, Obasanjo finally dumped the PDP.  He had justified his exit with a Yoruba idiom.  “They said they want to expel me from the PDP…We have been trying to run away from a mad man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river.” That in itself is probably indicative of close affinity between the duos. Obasanjo and PDP are like Siamese twins. Separation is often not advisable. In most cases, one has to die for the other to live. The game of death has started in earnest with Ayo Fayose, a man who ordinarily does not place much value on integrity saying “the former President was a man without honour” and describing his exit as “a good riddance to bad rubbish”. By virtue of EFCC’s outstanding case of Fayose’s alleged mismanagement of N19 billion on failed poultry project before his impeachment in 2006, I think he is better placed to know how PDP’s leading lights convert public funds to personal use. He is therefore eminently qualified to  insist that “Obasanjo shouldn’t just tear his PDP membership card, he should relinquish the ownership of Bell University, Obasanjo Farms, Obasanjo Presidential Library, and other financial benefits he got during his eight years as President.’’

    But an alert and ever calculating Obasanjo knew when to throw in the towel. He has been out-witted by his foxier godson, a grandmaster of political intrigue who has traded him off with the likes of Buruji Kashamu, Ayo Fayose, Jelili Adesiyan, Gbenga Daniel, Musiliu Obanikoro whose antecedents are well known to Nigerians.  He is also conscious of the difficulty of claiming any moral superiority over his associates like Tony Anenih, ‘Mr. Fixer’ of election results; Tom Ikimi, Bode George; Ojo Maduekwe, (fiery campaigner for ‘Abacha for ever’, Jerry Gana (inner circle member of all PDP governments since 1999 who recently donated N5 billion on behalf of his unnamed friends towards Jonathan’s re-election bid}, and Ahmadu Alli who as chairman of PPPRA, presided over an alleged theft of N1.6 trillion by fraudsters otherwise described as fuel importers.

    Obasanjo as the father of PDP also provided an umbrella cover for his PDP family members as they embarked on ‘do or die election’, a euphemism for rigging, the wrecking of the economy through ill-implemented privatization programme, which resulted in the sales of once viable companies such as Nigerian Airways, The Daily Times, Nicon Insurance, banks, Nicon Noga Hilton, PHCN, mostly to PDP members and their fronts at give-away prices according to the House of Representatives report. Obasanjo also presided over the sharing of our national patrimony through an ingenious PDP creation called monetization policy through which physical assets  in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Port Harcourt Ibadan etc inherited from our colonial masters were sold at give-away prices to privileged members of the ruling elite. As part of the conspiracy to ensure our refineries did not work, cash-strapped PDP men came up with an ingenious creation called Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to give patronage to party members as fuel importers under the phantom subsidy regime which ended in alleged theft of an estimated N1.6 trillion according to a House probe. We must not forget to add that it was also under Obasanjo as PDP leader we had unresolved political assassinations of prominent PDP members  involved in intraparty feuds and those they invited ‘to come and chop’ like Bola Ige and Sunday Afolabi.

    To cover up all his sins against our nation, Obasanjo has chosen this moment when our nation is under siege by a Boko Haram insurgency that has already killed over 16 million mostly innocent Nigerians while rendering about 1. 6 million homeless in the north-eastern Nigeria and when PDP has brought the nation to its knees through inept leadership and monumental stealing which they claim is not corruption.  He has accused President Jonathan of an attempt to prolong our nightmare by trying to play Laurent Gbagbo – perpetuate himself in office or cause chaos if he loses the rescheduled March 28 presidential election.

    But rather than address the issues, empty and self-serving Jonathan aides are claiming Obasanjo who has governed Nigeria at different periods for about 11 years, an eminent international personality whose opinions count for much outside our shores was out to ‘maliciously impugn the integrity of President Jonathan  for the primary purpose of self-promotion’. They forgot Boko Haram has already stripped the administration of integrity.

    They also claimed “it would be completely senseless, irrational and out of place for Chief Obasanjo, to accuse President Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by ‘hook or crook’ even when PDP’s leading lights had said they would do anything to ensure  PDP holds on to power  and in fact projected they would rule for 60  years. The problem is that the spokespersons for a government facing crisis of integrity are themselves facing credibility crisis because of their antecedents.  The medium, as they say, is the message.

    It is also not too long ago, Obasanjo told Nigerians that the president undermined his party governorship candidates in Ondo and Anambra as trade-off for their support for his candidacy in the 2015 election. Ex-Governor Peter Obi of Anambra and Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo have since dumped their parties to become campaign managers for the president’s re-election bid.

    Besides, the President and PDP are dealing with an Obasanjo who does not hide behind one finger. He crudely told Awo the best man didn’t have to win the 1979 election. He went out of his way to favour Shehu Shagari, daring his Yoruba people who later ensured he lost election even in his ward during the 1999 Presidential election. But he was not ashamed to campaign for Shagari’s ouster after he and his NPN wrecked the economy in four years through profligate consumption and went on to award themselves ‘landslide and sea-slide’ victories in the 1983 elections. Obasanjo literarily chased Babangida and his government and ‘army of anything is possible’ out of office following his fraudulent eight years ‘transition without end’. He installed Umaru Yar’Adua as president by rigging him into office but was not hesitant to tell him to hand over to someone else when he fell ill. And today as the nation is brought to its knees by PDP buccaneers desperately pushing for four more years for Jonathan to enable them continue with massive stealing which they believe only Jonathan can condone, Obasanjo is smart enough to know it is time to dump PDP and identify with beleaguered Nigerians.

    And finally, the much hyped good luck of Jonathan pales in significance when compared with Obasanjo who has been buffeted by good fortune all his life. During the civil war, it was his good fortune to take the glory for the work done by Benjamin Adekunle, the ‘Black Scorpion’. Murtala Muhammed set out the transition programme in 1976, Obasanjo took the glory by becoming the first African military leader to voluntarily hand over to civilian administration. MKO Abiola his Egba kinsman won an election but died in detention defending his mandate while Obasanjo, condemned to death by Abacha came out of prison to wear the crown. As PDP’s President Jonathan and his prosperity prophets set out in this war against an Obasanjo, who  has always had fortune smiling upon him, they must be wary of ‘the ides of March’.

  • Odigie-Oyegun: Jonathan plunging Nigeria into crises

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of instigating constitutional, religious and ethnic crises in a manner never witnessed since the nation’s independence.

    Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke when he received a group of Ijaw youths under the auspices of Izon-Ibe Global Policy Network (IGPN) at the party’s national secretariat, said the Jonathan administration’s attitude was threatening the country’s corporate existence.

    He lamented that because of the president’s ambition, the country had been divided in a way never experienced before.

    The party’s national chairman said: “What is most worrisome is that we not only think that there has been no phenomenon development, but for some funny reasons, the whole country is being plunged into unnecessary crisis, constitutional and otherwise, which is in very real terms threatening the nation’s existence.

    “In all the history of this country, even before the civil war, the people of the Southsouth have been noted as those who kept the country going through thick and thin and through the period of the civil war.

    “Today, as we seat, we are not sure what will happen tomorrow. We are not sure whether the election of March 28 will hold; the country is divided so seriously in a way it has never been – along religious and ethnic lines, along the poor and rich, corruption, insecurity; all to the extreme. So, when I come across young people like you, who are professionals, I am always very impressed because the future belongs to people like you. With people like you, there is definitely hope for the Nigerian nation.”

    Expressing happiness about the decision of the youth to associate with the APC, Odigie-Oyegun said: “It is not easy to find particularly young men of Ijaw extraction ready to stick out their neck and say their own brother has failed them, their own son has failed them and that what is important is who is best placed to address the challenges and the ills of our nation.

    “Even outside Ijaw areas, the South generally, there are very few people who have that courage. We all seems to be trapped in the old antiquated mentality that once somebody is from us, whether he is right or wrong does not matter.

    “I am glad that with people like you, we have proven that we are getting out of that mentality of my brother is right or wrong. I must say that the President is someone who has been blessed by God in every way possible.

    “He became deputy governor riding on the goodwill of the governor; he became governor because your principal fell out with the federal system and so, they set him up and properly dealt with him.

    “You were asked to become vice president. You pleaded to be allowed to remain in your state to continue to be governor, but you were dragged screaming to become vice president.

    “Again, nature took its course. God called your principal home and without lifting a finger, the whole of Nigeria rose up  in your defence and you became President and you served the almost two years that was left. On your own, and with the whole country routing for you, you became President.

    “A man in the position will look up in the sky and say God, use me. Whatever you want to use me for, I am ready and available. At the end of the term he is serving now, he would have served six solid years as the No. 1 citizen of this nation.

    “Anybody in that position would knee down and say God, you have been kind to me and would want to write his name boldly in the annals of history, such that people will look back generations from now and be proud.

    “Those of us from the Southsouth will also be proud that when our brother was there, when our son was there, this name recorded phenomenal growth and we in the Southsouth will say, but for him.

    “We would not have known what a railway station is or what a train looks like; but for him. We would not have known what a true expressway is. But for him, we would not have known what it is to have electricity round the clock. But for him, we would not have had the industries that are now taking care of our children as they come out of schools.

    “For a man, who is so blessed, he would like to leave his name in the annals of history having been there for six years; two years short of the normal eight years, which is two terms of a normal president. So, it is a matter of concern.

    “I am also from the Southsouth, the Niger Delta, even though peripheral. But you are proper Ijaw from the various states of the Niger Delta. I particularly commend your courage for looking at these last six years and conclude that we can do better. Whether he is our son or not, we must have the courage to say no, ‘you have not done well; somebody else can do it better’.

    “So, I want to say that we appreciate the courage of what you have done; we appreciate the spirit of what you have done and to say to you that it is stuffs like you that nations are made of, that nations are built on, and that you should continue the good work that you have started and I want to assure you that at the proper time, you will be appreciated and acknowledged.”

    The group’s spokesman, Ayubalayefa Dennis, said its members have mobilised over five million youths from the Niger Delta region to carry on the gospel of change and ensure that General Muhammadu Buhari is voted into office.

    He lamented that the amnesty programme put in place for youths of the Niger Delta was badly managed by President Jonathan, alleging that he had politicised the programme.

     

  • Jonathan, PDP leaders meet over Obasanjo, poll

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Abuja. The reason for the meeting was not immediatelty clear. A source said it was all about the party’s crises in some states and former President Olusegun Obasanjo drammatic exit from the party.

    The meeting reviewed the campaign of the party in 35 of the 36 states.

    The PDP has problems in more than 10 states, including Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Benue Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Gombe, Adamawa, Oyo, and Kebbi..

    Ahead of likely sanctions, Obasanjo was said to have decided to beat PDP to its game.

    Obasanjo had stumbled on intelligence report that he might either be suspended or expelled from the party. He quit in a sensational manner tearing his PDP membership card.

    His fast-track approach caught the Presidency and the PDP unawares.

    There was disquiet in ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida’s camp over the deteriorating relationship between Dr. Jonathan and Chief Obasanjo.

    The President, it was learnt, had a meeting with some party leaders at the Presidential Villa.

    A party source said: “We were all shocked by Obasanjo’s comments on Saturday. We felt the party is drifting again in an election year and we should mend fences. The President had audience with some of our leaders on how to manage the situation.

    “But as we are trying to see how to reconcile, Obasanjo again tore his PDP membership card in Abeokuta. You can see that we need to put our house in order.

    “We hope our leaders will find solutions to challenges facing the party. We will also take stock of the party’s campaign and where we ought to make amend.”

    Another source said: “As at Sunday night, there was so much pressure on the presidency to clip Obasanjo’s wings by suspending or expelling him.

    “Obasanjo got wind of plans to deal with him through intelligence sources and hurriedly convened a ward meeting to tear his PDP membership card.

    “Rather than waiting to be disgraced, Obasanjo opted for self-exit. The fast-track method adopted by Obasanjo however troubled many party leaders and members.

    A government source said: “We learnt what pained Obasanjo was the way some presidential and campaign organisation aides   were abusing him.

    “The former President said he had no business in PDP again if it would get to a level that these aides will take him to the cleaners. He felt insulted. But he has forgotten that he also rubbished the President.

    “Having been in government before, he needed no soothsayer to know that the Presidency may play dirty by revealing what an official of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation called ‘personal demands’ on the disquiet in the camp of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida.

    A source said: “Irrespective of the situation, some people in Babangida’s camp are of the opinion that Obasanjo deserves some measure of respect.

    “They said Jonathan’s camp ought to have looked at the issues raised rather than personalising the situation.

    “There is disquiet in Babangida’s camp. Some loyalists of Babangida, especially retired Generals, are unhappy with what is going on.”