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Tag: Nyako

  • Nyako’s comments grossly irresponsible – Maku

    Nyako’s comments grossly irresponsible – Maku

    The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on Wednesday faulted the claims by the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, describing his actions as “grossly irresponsible.”

    Nyako had last week, among other allegations, maintained that the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan is promoting genocide in the north through its fight against insurgency and aimed at depopulating the north.

    But Maku, fielding questions from State House correspondents, said the statement was uncalled for from an elder statesman.

    He said, “Each time the security people strike our target there is a lot of public uproar and propaganda which is weakening out national resolve to fight terror. This nation deserves security at this time even in the heat of it, you hear some irresponsible comment coming from highly placed people including a governor.”

    “Now this nation is in need of unity but the way we are playing to the gallery, we are making irresponsible statement. We are making statement that will divide the country, statements that is setting the citizen against security services and government. And when those statements come from people we believe should be leading the course of unity, appreciating the great job the security agents are doing.”

    Continuing, he said: “If only Nigerians understand that as we sit in this hall, our security people are out there in the bush sleeping in the bush day and night and getting killed in the cause of maintaining the security of this country.”

    “But what we see is that every people who has little knowledge ‎on how security services are rendered will just open their mouth and make statements that creates panic in the country and this is very unfortunate.”

    “To hear the kind of things being said by the governor of Adamawa State‎ at this period is very unfortunate. Nyako is the former Chief of Naval Staff, he is someone that has worn uniform before, to publicly incite the people against the security forces of this country is the height of irresponsibility.”

    “And I believe that for someone like that who is old enough to appreciate the kind of crisis this country is going through, we expect that there should be greater understanding, politics aside.”

    “When people reach a certain age they should watch their utterances and the kind of things they are suppose to say. Maybe young people like you and me we can say it due to lack of experience. But people that have known the difficulty this country is going through and the kind of effort that is being made by the federal government to be coming out to make those statements that divide the country even at a point that we need national unity and national healing is grossly irresponsible.”

    “We are expecting that as we move forward, this nation will definitely defeat terror. This is a war of criminals against the entire nation and they know that this crisis originated at local levels.”

     

  • PDP flays Nyako’s memo to Northern governors

    PDP flays Nyako’s memo to Northern governors

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State over his memo to the Northern governors on the state of insecurity in the Northeast geopolitical zone.

    Nyako had, in the same memo, accused the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of complicity in the spate of terrorist attacks and mindless killings by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The governor also accused the administration of genocide, saying the government was aiding the sect in the killing of innocent citizens in various parts of the north.

    But in statement issued on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party condemned what it described as Governor Nyako’s tendencious letter to the governors.

    The party said it was shocking that such a letter came from an elected person.

    It said Governor Nyako should learn from other All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders “who have started guiding their utterances.”

    “Governor Nyako must desist from such and learn from other APC leaders who are now comporting themselves better as a response to PDP statements which succeeded in exposing the link between their unguarded utterances and escalation of violence and insurgency in our nation,” the statement added.

    The PDP charged political figures across board to guide against making violence-instigating statements even as it implored President Jonathan and the 36 state governors to come up with a strong resolution to stop the trend.

    The party also called on all Nigerians, especially respectable politicians to continue to unite against terrorism and all forms of tendencies that promote violence and divide rather than unite the nation.

    “Our resolve is to join hands with responsible, respectable and patriotic Nigerians to highlight and promote our desire to live together in a strong, peaceful and united Nigeria.

    “Our enemies are at the gate, but together we will keep them out as we continually watch our comments and utterances,” the statement added.

     

  • Nyako, Gaidam, Shettima reject extension of emergency rule

    Nyako, Gaidam, Shettima reject extension of emergency rule

    Governors of the three states under emergency rule in the Northeast opposed yesterday the attempt to extend the controversial measure.

    The second strand of the emergency rule is expected to end on April 19.

    The Presidency is weighing its options on the “sensitive” matter.

    Besides rejecting the extension of emergency rule, the governors are also asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn from last week’s general elections in Afghanistan and conduct polls in their states next year.

    The Boko Haram insurgency, has led to thousands of deaths and great hardship in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

    To the governors, shelving elections in the three states would amount to succumbing to or conceding victory to the deadly sect.

    They asked INEC to work with the Federal Government to provide adequate security for a free and fair poll in the affected states.

    The governors – Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe) and Kashim Shettima (Borno) – gave the advice in a joint statement.

    The statement was released through their spokesmen, including Ahmad Sajoh for Nyako, Abdullahi Bego for Gaidam and Isa Gusau for Shettima.

    The governors said: “On the issue of extension of State of Emergency, it is our considered view that there is absolutely no reason to even contemplate an extension of the State of Emergency in any of the three states.

    “It must be noted that a counter insurgency strategy that lasted one year without achieving the desired result requires a redefinition rather than extension.

    “The Federal Government should always remember that it has the obligation of protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians in all parts of the country without necessarily putting them under any special condition.

    “It has the option of putting a security structure in place that can continue and intensify ongoing counter insurgency operations without an extension of emergency rule.”

    They said there had been insurgency in Niger Delta with Joint Military Task Force (JTF) deployed in the region without a state of emergency in place.

    They added: “After all, we had the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in place in some of States with full military activities prior to the declaration of emergency.

    “We have for many years, also have in place similar JTF in the Niger Delta to combat militancy and kidnapping, we have had same in the southeast to fight armed robbery, we have a Special Task Force in Plateau State combating the crisis in parts of the State without necessarily putting them under emergency rule.

    “Besides, the Nigerian Army has in 2013 created new divisions and brigades in Borno State as permanent military establishments.”

    They expressed confidence that if the military sustained its present level of engagement against Boko Haram, the insurgency will be overcome.

    The statement said: “We hold that with continued motivation, continued and intensified deployment of military resources, the crisis will be overcome.”

    The governors, however, pledged to assist security agencies to restore lasting peace to the three states.

    They said: “We call on citizens in our respective states and other Nigerians to continue to intensify prayers for the return of peace.

    “We call on our security agencies to remain resolute and patriotic. We salute the sacrifices of fallen heroes among them and among our civilians who died in the crisis.

    “We are all very committed and determined to continue to work with security agencies and all other stakeholders in our committed search for lasting peace in our three states.”

    The governors warned INEC against hiding under the guise of insurgency to shelve elections in 2015.

    They said the commission should take a cue from Afghanistan which conducted a successful poll in spite of threats from the Taliban.

    They said: “Afghanistan and its good people were celebrated worldwide for liberating themselves from the scourge of fear and thereby sending a strong signal that no amount of threat would deny them from choosing their leaders through democratic processes. This is the kind of courage expected of genuine patriots.

    “Our Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should please learn from the landmark election that took place in Afghanistan at the weekend during which election officials took the bold step of going on to conduct election in spite of threats by the Taliban to send the country into extinction if the elections were held.

    “The Central Government in Afghanistan provided adequate security for the conduct of the poles. It was also reported that there was a 53 percent voter turn-out during the elections and it went on peacefully in most places.

    “We all know that the unfortunate insurgency affecting this country has a similar attribute to the Taliban doctrine in Afghanistan even though ours is now assuming a very complicated character.

    “The INEC should, as a matter of counter insurgency approach, ensure that no part of Nigeria is excluded from the 2015 elections on account threats.

    “Suspending elections on account of threats by insurgents and other sundry social miscreants would amount to succumbing to their doctrine and conceding victory on the part of Nigeria.”

    The governors said if INEC opted to shelve or postpone the 2015 poll in the three states, the Boko Haram insurgents will be emboldened to infiltrate other 33 states to scuttle the next general elections.

    The statement said: “Should INEC go ahead with its initially considered exclusion of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno States from the 2015 elections, all criminal gangs need to do, is to extend the attacks to other parts of Nigeria and have more places excluded from future elections. “This will then imply that crime and criminality will be victorious in suspending constitutional democracy in Nigeria.”

  • Jonathan, Nyako and Shettima

    It is of immense interest that some governors from the north-east have been making spirited efforts to exculpate themselves from the raging insurgency in that part of the country. President Jonathan had at the North-east zonal rally of the PDP said, more than anyone else the governors should take responsibility for the reign of terror imposed by Boko Haram in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

    For him, it is shameful for a governor who has stayed in office for six years or more to talk of bad leadership when in his state more than 60 per cent of the youths have not even attended primary schools and they are doing nothing about it. In Jonathan’s words, “state governors should be ashamed when our children do not go to primary and secondary schools and they decide to carry arms”.

    Governors’ Murtala Nyako and Kashim Shettima of Adamawa and Borno states respectively have risen to defend themselves of culpability, even remotely, for the raging insurgency.

    Shettima anchored his case on the grounds that he has only stayed in office for barely three years and that Boko Haram insurgency was at its full swing in Borno before he assumed office.

    He argued that the short duration of his regime and the fact that insurgency was thriving before he assumed office were enough reasons why he did not qualify for the blanket blame by Jonathan. This is even the more as he recounted the efforts made by both his administration and the federal government to make Maiduguri safer since he assumed office.

    Shettima may have a point here. And that point is that he has not stayed in office for a long time while insurgency was already thriving in the state before he took over. Therefore, he could neither be largely responsible for the abysmal primary and secondary school enrolment nor the insurgency he met on ground when he assumed office.

    Yet, that is not all there is to the issue. As germane as the issues canvassed by Shettma are, they only succeeded in shifting the blame to his predecessors. Inadvertently, he admitted that governors in states where insurgency has been the order of the day have some blame to share. That is the logical inference from his argument.

    If Shettima’s alibi can be excused, Nyako’s reaction was rather brash and puerile. He would want the blame for the insurgency in the north to be heaped at the doorsteps of the Jonathan regime for what he called poor leadership. According to him, governors cannot be held responsible for the security challenges because they have no control over the security apparatus. He missed the point because he sees the phenomenon only from the prism of curative response rather than prevention. Fighting insurgency through the force of arms is not the matter under reference here. Even then, governors being the chief security officers of their states share vicarious responsibility in it.

    It is obvious from Nyako’s responses that the heuristic value of the issues raised by Jonathan is completely lost on him. By arguing the way he did, he failed to appreciate the role of development in stemming crimes of various hues, including terrorism.

    Yet, he has been in the vanguard of those who have stridently sought to construct a positive correlation between the insurgency in the north and the high level of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy there. It was for the same reasons that agitations for amnesty and the application of the carrot and stick strategy as therapeutic responses to the phenomenon have been severally canvassed by the northern elite.

    Having recognized that poverty is at the root of the quick resort to violence in the north, Nyako could not have convinced anyone when he strove to exculpate his regime from the failure to significantly reduce the phenomenon in Adamawa after nearly eight years in office. If he could not take the blame for not developing his state, it remains a puzzle at what level of governance the blame will be heaped.

    Take the case of primary and secondary school enrolment which Jonathan cited, it will be difficult to imagine how the federal government will take the blame for the inability of the affected states to guarantee access to their indigenes to education at those levels.

    The folly in stretching this argument any further is easily exposed by the disparities in school enrolment between states. By the logic of Nyako, Jonathan should then take the credit for the high school enrolment in some other states of the country. That is the incongruity in pushing the argument any further.

    It is true the policies of the federal authority bear great influence on what happens in the states. Yet, these policies ought to be adopted by other levels of government to suit local peculiarities. But the overall responsibility for the development of the states rests squarely on the shoulders of their respective governors. Neither Nyako, nor Shettima can shy away from that responsibility.

    Ironically, the two were part of the 13 northern governors who met with US officials a couple of weeks back on how to stem Boko Haram insurgency by addressing the socio-economic factors underlying underdevelopment in the north. The import of that engagement is that northern governors must focus more on exploiting local resources to uplift their people from ignorance, disease, hunger and illiteracy which combine to accentuate the quick resort to violence. It is therefore confounding that so soon after that visionary engagement in the US, Nyako still wants to hold the federal government responsible for all there is to insurgency in that part of the country.

    With such a jaundiced mindset, it would appear that not much progress can be made in the fight until his likes come to terms with the high demands of their mandate vis-à-vis the fundamental issues of development raised by Jonathan.

    The central message in Jonathan’s speech is that governors have vital roles in uplifting the standard of living of their constituents. And when this point is internalized and realistically addressed, the objective conditions that accentuate violence will be considerably reduced. That point is unassailable as it has direct links with the massive corruption in public places that has stultified all efforts at development.

    The other value deriving from Jonathan’s contention is to raise the consciousness of the affected states against the culture of heaping blames on the federal government without doing their own part to stem violence through development. Boko Haram rose as a protest against all those directly linked with western education. Ironically, these are people directly or indirectly linked with leadership roles. The original philosophy which was displaced along the line was to stigmatize and overthrow this class of people for the unmitigated liability they had become to society. It is akin to the proletarian revolution as aptly captured by Marx and Engels.

    The northern leadership must identify and redress those social conditions that force the illiterate, the unemployed and innocent but brainwashed youths to take quick resort to violence. This is imperative given the ambivalence or suspected tacit support of sections of the elite for the insurgents. That appears to be Jonathan’s message and it tallies with that which the 13 governors got from their US trip.

  • Gunmen attack Nyako

    Gunmen attack Nyako

    … Senator laments attack on governor

    Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State was on Friday attacked by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect at Shuwa, Madagali local government area of the state.

    Reports said the governor had gone to the area to commiserate with victims of recent attack in the area when unknown gunmen fired gunshots into the air as he was addressing the people.

    According to an eyewitness, few minutes after the governor received the microphone to address the people, two gunmen in military uniform emerged from the crowd and shot thrice into the air.

    Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo, on Friday said the Friday attack on Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect is a clear confirmation that nobody is safe in the country.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker said the attack is a wake- up call on security agencies to change strategy.

    He said, “The attack on Adamawa State governor has now demonstrated that “nobody is safe” in Nigeria.

    “I called on the security agencies to change their strategies in line with resolution of the  committee which on Wednesday ordered the army headquarters to relocate to the 7th Division in Maiduguri in order to tackle the Boko Haram sect. I condemn in strongest terms the attack on the my Governor Murtala Nyako.”

    He said the governor was on assessment and condolence visit to areas recently attacked by insurgent when he came under attack.

    “This shows that nobody is safe and even after the recent attack, security is still not tight even as there is state of emergency in place,” Bindo said.

     

  • Angry governor lashes military

    Angry governor lashes military

    Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako is a bitter man. He was angry yesterday on the devastating Boko Haram attacks on defenceless people in the Northeast.

    He criticised the activities of securitymen deployed in the states under a state of emergency and called for more proactive measures to stem the tide.

    Nyako, a Rear Admiral, said the frustrated people might take to the streets in demonstration.

    The governor wondered why soldiers were late in arriving at scenes of incidents.

    He said: “In Buni-Yadi, Yobe State, the soldiers withdrew from checkpoint hours to the attack. Who ordered the withdrawal? In Shuwa and Michika, soldiers withdrew, shortly after that Boko Haram attacked, who ordered the withdrawals”?

    “We also have the case of Gen. Mohammed Shuwa (who was killed) in Maiduguri by the so-called Boko Haram. There is an army unit there, but they didn’t respond during the attack. Who told them not to respond?

    “The Air Force base was raided in Maiduguri. There was a military base nearby; who gave the base the order not to respond during the raid on the Air Force base?

    “Either this thing is controlled by unknown fellows or unknown Boko Haram strategic commander is in the defence system or are things being stage-managed?”

  • Nyako, Amaechi, others reject wrong service in suit by PDP

    Nyako, Amaechi, others reject wrong service in suit by PDP

    FIVE governors, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rejected yesterday the wrong service of processes in a suit filed against them by the party.

    The PDP, in the suit instituted in December, seeks to sack the five governors, who joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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

    Yesterday, lawyers representing the governors criticised the pattern of service of court processes on their clients.

    Former Attorney General of the Federation Akin Olujimi, John Baiyeshea, Lateef Fagbemi, Awa Kalu and Yusuf Ali(all Senior Advocates of Nigeria) told the Federal High Court in Abuja that they appeared in protest.

    Baiyesha (for Nyako) said his client had not been served and that his appearance in court was based on the hearing notice he saw in two newspapers as ordered by the court.

    “We have not seen all the processes, including the originating summons filed by the plaintiff, and that was why I said earlier that I appeared in protest.

    “We have filed a motion reacting to the purported notice of hearing,” Nyako’s counsel said.

    Fagbemi (for Amaechi) told the court that he filed a notice of conditional appearance dated February 5.

    He said he also appeared in protest due to the non-service of processes on his client by the court’s plaintiff.

    A similar case was made for Wamakko, Kwankwaso and Ahmed by their lawyers.

    Olujimi told the court presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole that the defendants served the plaintiff’s lawyer with their motion challenging the “purported” service of hearing notices.

    According to Olujimi, “It is a threshold issue and we pray the court to hear us”.

    The defence lawyers said they rejected the service because it was improper.

    The defence team also rejected the suggestion by plaintiff lawyer Alex Iziyon (SAN) to hand the processes to them in court for their clients.

    Justice Kolawole had on the last date ordered the PDP to serve hearing notices on the five governors at the APC national headquarters in Abuja.

    Iziyon said even when the court bailiff served the defendants with hearing notices as ordered by the court, “we were served with memoranda of conditional appearances by the second to the sixth defendants (the governors), except that the third to sixth defendants this morning filed and served us with a motion seeking the court to set aside the hearing notices.

    “I have read through their applications, their complaint is that contrary to the order of the court made on January 27, that hearing notices be served at the national headquarters of the APC at 6, Guinea Bissau Street, Wuse Zone 6, the bailiff instead took the court processes to 40, Valentine Street, Wuse 2, the PDP lawyer stated.

    Iziyon said the bailiff got to the APC national headquarters on No. 6 Guinea Bissau Street, Wuse Zone 6, to learn that the party has relocated to 40 Valentine Street Wuse 2.

    “The bailiff should be commended because he had to use wisdom to take the documents to the place the party said it moved to,” Iziyon said.

    In view of the defence team’s refusal to accept service on behalf of the defendants, the judge adjourned to a further date for the issue of service to be sorted out.

    Justice Kolawole held that the issue of service of processes in relation to a case was important because it touches on the court’s jurisdiction.

    The judge adjourned till February 24 for a report of service of hearing notices on the governors and for them to also file and serve their responses.

    The PDP, in the suit, argued that the governors should be sacked from office on the grounds that, because of their defection, they forfeited their offices, which, as a result, reverted to the party.

    In the event that the five governors were sacked from office, PDP wants the court to order the deputy governor or speaker of the Houses of Assembly of the affected states, or any officer next in rank, who is still its member, to assume the office of governor.

  • Defecting governors: Court orders fresh service of processes

    Defecting governors: Court orders fresh service of processes

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered fresh service of court processes on five ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    The processes are in respect of the case filed by the PDP, seeking to sack the governors on the ground of their defection to the opposition party.
    The governors are – Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara).
    Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the order on Monday upon complaint by plaintiff’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN) to the effect that despite being served, the defendants were not only absent in court, they have also failed to file any response to the processes served on them.
    The judge ordered that the governors be served through the national office of the APC in Abuja.
    Justice Kolawole also granted the plaintiff permission to publish the court processes in two specified newspapers. He adjourned to February 6 for hearing of the plaintiff’s originating summons.
    Sued with the governors is the Independent National Electoral Commission (listed as the 1st defendant).
    The PDP argued that the governors should be sacked from office on the ground that, upon their defection, they have forfeited their offices, which, as a result, have reverted to the party.
    In the event that the five governors are sacked from office, PDP wants the court to order the deputy governors or speakers of the states’ Houses of Assembly of the affected states, or any officer next in rank, who is still its member, to assume the office of governor.

  • I won’t return to PDP – Nyako

    I won’t return to PDP – Nyako

    Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa on Friday said he would not return to the Peoples Democratic Party despite the resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the party’s national chairman.

    Nyako made his stand clear when he spoke with journalists at the Yola International Airport, Adamawa.

    “The resignation of Bamanga Tukur is not a condition for my return to PDP.

    “Some of my reasons for not returning are that the party has become an empire of impunity and lawlessness,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the governor as saying to journalists.

    He said his decision to remain in the All Progressives Congress was not for personal interest, but in the interest of the country and democracy.

     

  • Let’s work for APC’s victory, says Nyako

    Let’s work for APC’s victory, says Nyako

    A damawa State Governor Murtala Nyako has said G5 governors can also be called the founding fathers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The governor said there was a misconception that the G5 governors are not part of the formation of the party.

    He said they should be seen as founding fathers and stakeholders not ‘defected governors.’

    “We are stakeholders in APC’s formation, not that we are joining APC but we and others are trying to build a party to take over from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “The G5 governors are on ground in their states and they will ensure APC forms the next government at the centre in 2015.”

    The governor spoke yesterday while addressing the Advisers Forum after its defection to APC.

    Nyako urged them to go to the grassroots and mobilise the people.

    He added that the governors under the APC banner remain leaders of the party in their states and would work for its victory.

    The governor urged Adamawa citizens, including Brig Gen Buba Marwa and Markus Gundiri, to work for APC’s victory.