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Tag: Peace

  • Allow peace reign, Agunloye, Aidi urge Mimiko

    Allow peace reign, Agunloye, Aidi urge Mimiko

    The governorship candidates of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Bola Aidi and Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Olu Agunloye, yesterday called on Governor Olusegun Mimiko to allow peace reign in the state.

    They said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis is an internal affair that should not be used to cause problem in the state.

    Aidi said: “If Mimiko truly lives to his billing as the state’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) then the logical thing for him to do is to go to a superior court to reverse the decision that is unfavourable to him and his cohorts.

    “But for Mimiko to instigate the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to cause mayhem  and still rush to President Muhammadu Buhari for intervention; this shows his craftiness.”

    Agunloye, in a statement  by his campaign office, said: “It is appalling to incite students, traders and unions to violence because of the PDP’s internal crisis.

    “Mimiko should stop hiding under ‘self-sponsored’ crisis within the PDP to make provocative statements that could disrupt the peace in the state.

    “The facts are glaring that the PDP is polarised from the national to the ward levels.

    “There are two executives and two sets of members at all levels.

    “What has happened is about the factions presenting two candidates, Jimoh Ibrahim and Eyitayo Jegede.

    “It is not about INEC denying Jegede his mandate and neither is it about injustice in which the people need to go on the streets to damage the few infrastructures we can point to after spending N1.2 trillion in almost eight years.

    “Why is Mimiko shouting as if all the citizens voted for Jegede at the factional primary?

    Are all Ondo people of PDP stock or of the Markafi faction?

    “Why closing markets in Akure? Are all traders members of the Markafi faction?

    “Why should the governor waste tax payers’ money to travel to Abuja to warn the President on self-imposed violence?

  • PDP: Abrupt end to another peace process

    PDP: Abrupt end to another peace process

    Hopes that the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since its unexpected defeat in the hands of the then opposition All Progressives Party (APC) at the 2015 Presidential Election, will soon be over have been dashed once again, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports.

    The crisis into which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) erupted after it was kicked out of the presidency during the 2015 Presidential Election by the All Progressives Party (APC) is not about to end. Contrary to widespread expectations within and outside the party that the reconciliation efforts embarked upon by the two warring factions about a month ago, will put an end to the lingering leadership tussle, facts emerged during the week that the process had ended abruptly about a week ago.

    Sources within the party lamented the turn of events while contending that beyond the two main factions in the struggle for the soul of the party, there are other splinter groups allegedly fueling the rumpus within the former ruling party. These interest groups, The Nation learnt, are unprepared to honour proposed terms in the effort to restore lasting peace in the PDP.

    Following two failed attempts at conducting a national convention and numerous court cases, the Senator Ali Modu Sherif-led faction and the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee had, weeks back, agreed to seek an out of court political solution to the disputes rocking their party. The announcement was received with joy by many party stalwarts while political analysts gave the peace deal a good chance to survive.

    Several meetings were held and a number of promising press statements emanated from both camps, fueling the belief that the peace process was sure to bring to an end the much desired peace for the troubled party. However, signs that all may not be well yet started emanating about a week ago. And by the close of the week, it was no longer news that the planned accord has once again failed to materialize.

    Speaking on the development last Friday, Sheriff blamed Makarfi and his team for the collapse of peace talks. He warned that nobody should hold him responsible for the inability of the two factions to arrive at an amicable solution to the crisis in the party. According to him, the peace process failed because Makarfi refused to agree on the terms of reference to the members of the proposed reconciliation committee that was to be set up penultimate Tuesday.

    But his claims have severally been debunked by the Makarfi camp. According to the Caretaker Committee, Sheriff and his group have never been committed to the peace process. Sheriff, they claimed, aborted the inauguration of the Reconciliation Committee by refusing to secure the venue he earlier assured the committee he will make available for the inauguration.

    While Sheriff said he was ready to step aside as one of the conditions that would restore peace to the party, he accused Makarfi of refusing to agree to the condition that he should disband his Caretaker Committee for peace to reign.  Sheriff spoke through the Acting National Publicity Secretary of his faction, Bernard Mikko, during the week

    Mikko said the position of Sheriff’s camp is that in order for true reconciliation to be achieved, it would be better for the two antagonists to step aside and allow neutral persons to run the party in acting capacity pending the time when substantive national officers would be elected. “The reconciliation process appears to have relapsed due to Makarfi’s insistence not to disband its committee when Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is inclined to stepping down at the next unity convention that will usher in new executive members of the party,” he explained.

    But the Makarfi committee said there is no sincerity in the position being championed by Sheriff and his camp. They said the decision of how best to achieve lasting peace should have been left for the Reconciliation Committee agreed to by the two camps. “It is that Reconciliation Committee they prevented from being inaugurated,” a party official told The Nation.

    The scheduled inauguration of the peace panel had failed to hold in Abuja penultimate Tuesday. This had immediately cast serious doubt on the new reconciliatory move aimed at resolving the crisis in the party. The inauguration of the committee failed to hold despite the presence of some party chieftains including state chairmen and other stakeholders of the party at the venue of the event.

    Likewise, the two key actors in the conflict, factional Chairman, Sheriff and the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Makarfi, who gave assurances earlier that the inauguration of the joint peace panel would take place as scheduled, also failed to show up. However, stakeholders within the party believe that the reason for putting the inauguration of the reconciliation committee on hold may not be unconnected with the fact that the two sides did not outline the terms of reference for their assignment.

    Another school of thought said a high court judgement sacking Eyittayo Jegede as the PDP governorship candidate in Ondo and replacing him with Jimoh Ibrahim was responsible for the failure of the committee to be inaugurated.

    The Ondo factor

    The Nation also leant that the struggle for the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP in Ondo State is another major factor in the development. According to reliable sources, the failure of the peace process is largely due to the inability of the two camps to concede the Ondo ticket to the other.  It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) named Jimoh Ibrahim as candidate of the PDP for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State last Thursday.

    Auguta Ogakwu, secretary of the commission, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja. The statement said Ibrahim and Alabi Omotayo, his running mate were cleared on court order. Ibrahim is the candidate of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party. Eyitayo Jegede, whose name was dropped by INEC, emerged candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi faction.

    And in spite of the peace process ongoing then, the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction promptly rejected Jimoh Ibrahim as the party’s candidate for the Ondo governorship election. This, sources said, angered Sheriff, who claimed the action was against the agreement reached by the two factions earlier that none of them should issue statements against the other.

    But determined to stop the candidature of Ibrahim, the Makarfi faction approached a court seeking a stay of execution against the judgement that gave Ibrahim the ticket. “This move ended all talks about peace process as the Sheriff faction pulled out of all talks, citing the return to court by the other camp as a breach of all terms of reconciliation.

    “We all agreed to discontinue all court processes and avoid instituting new ones. But they went to court to stop a judgment that came out in our favour. Ibrahim went to court as an individual. But they went to court against the party. That is a breach of all agreements and we feel there is no sense in pretending the peace process is still on course,” a party official said.

    To further compound the issues at hand in Ondo and finally scuttle the peace process, a High Court sitting in Akure, on Wednesday, October 26, issued a restraining order against INEC from recognising Ibrahim as the PDP candidate. “That is INEC’s candidate and not PDP’s candidate and it is unfortunate that the INEC that is supposed to be an unbiased electoral umpire has allowed itself to be used by those whose intention is to truncate the nascent democracy we have in this country,” he said.

    Responding to the judgment, Sheriff said it is unfortunate that PDP leaders can claim to be in a peace process while also procuring judgements against the very party. He appealed to party members and other stakeholders not to blame him or his faction for the collapse of the peace process because, according to him, it is the Makarfi faction that breached the terms.

    More confusion

    Following his declaration as the PDP candidate, Ibrahim said he will soon be flagging off his campaign. He assured that the presentation of flag will be done by Sheriff in Akure at a yet to be determined date. Feelers from Sheriff’s camp also confirmed his readiness to storm the Ondo State capital to flag off Ibrahim’s campaign.

    But in a brazen disregard for both the judgement and INEC’s eventual position on who the candidate is, the Makarfi-led faction on Wednesday flagged off its governorship campaign for its candidate, Jegede, ahead of the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State. The move came after the completion of court processes asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to stay execution of its earlier judgment declaring businessman Jimoh Ibrahim the candidate of the party.

    “The least INEC could have done in the circumstance was to maintain status quo and stick to its own earlier decision pending a superior order or Judgment from a superior court. But that did not happen in this case. This singular decision of INEC has generated sporadic reactions from the electorates in Ondo State leading to violent protests and damages.

    This could have been avoided if INEC had adhered strictly to the letters and characters of the Electoral Laws and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. PDP warned that external forces should not seat in Abuja and set Ondo State ablaze. “Whatever authority in Abuja, whether it’s the Executive that is using the Judiciary or vise versa, must realise that they cannot for selfish political reasons toil with the fate of millions of people in Ondo State.

    “Who emerges governor of the state should be the decision of the electorates themselves through the ballot and not from any organ of the Federal Government in Abuja. It is a known fact that Ondo people are politically sophisticated and any attempt to truncate the will of the people will be resisted vehemently. References should be made to the 1965/66 and 1983 political violence in the west that brought about the collapse of the 1st and the 2nd Republic. We should therefore be careful not to repeat history,” the party said in a release during the ceremony.

    The resultant political tension in Ondo State this week shows convincingly that the much awaited peace in PDP is still elusive. How this situation will affect the party in November and beyond still needs to be seen.

  • Gombe APC lauds peace moves

    Gombe APC lauds peace moves

    The Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) to reconcile the warring factions and resolve the lingering crises in the chapter.

    It however rejected what it described as the meddlesomeness of the four-man caretaker committee from neighbouring states constituted by the NWC to broker peace, saying the development is not in line with the party’s constitution.

    Against this backdrop, Gombe APC Steering Committee and Stakeholders’ Forum have called for a “review of the terms of reference of the committee of four persons appointed by the NWC and converted to an electoral body to conduct elections to fill the vacant positions of the Deputy Chairman and Secretary.”

    The Yakubu James Laubakta-led Steering Committee also wants the issue of the sacked Chairman and Legal Adviser, Magaji Doho and Duda Manu, respectively reviewed.

    The forum believes that the crises rocking the party is multifaceted and has therefore implored the national secretariat to investigate the root causes, with a view to proffering solutions.

    It also wants the crises resolved in good time, to enable the party strategise properly for the forthcoming local government elections, with a view to sweeping the polls; having failed to clinch the governorship in the last general elections due to the crises

    The forum has also implored the APC National Secretariat to stop former Governor Senator Danjuma Goje from parading himself as the leader of the party in Gombe State.

  • Council boss preaches peace

    The Sole Administrator, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Adedoyin Yakubu Salami, has urged residents to be security conscious at all times especially during the Yuletide period.

    Salami Spoke at the stakeholders’ meeting with security personnel and Community Development Associations.

    He said Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode takes the security of the citizenry, irrespective of where they live within the state serious.

    He said the security of the area is a collective responsibility of both the government and the governed.

    According to him, the invitation of the security men to the meeting was meant to consolidate on the peace currently being enjoyed in community and the need to seek the full cooperation of the community leaders in the discharge of their duties.

    On the nation’s economy recession, Salami appealed to the people to pay their rates to enable the LCDA provide the needed infrastructural facilities, adding that the council cannot do anything without the support of the people.

    He said: “As you are all aware of the present economic situation in the country, the council is financially challenged, so, we need to look inward to help ourselves and the only way to do this is through our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and for this reason, I appeal to you to tell our people to pay up to enable the government provide their needs.” A Task Force has been constituted to track all reluctant revenue payers.

  • PDP’s fruitless search for peace

    PDP’s fruitless search for peace

    The PDP recently initiated a fresh process to reconcile it warring factions ahead of 2019 elections. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE examines issues that have militated against the efforts to attain unity in the party.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been engulfed in crisis since it lost last year presidential election. Since the March 28 election, the division in the party has grown from the ward level to the national level. The challenges facing the party, stakeholders believe, may difficult to overcome.

    Attempts to get the party on course have failed. The recent one initiated by the National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi seems not be getting the support of the faction led by Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff. After the botched August 17 National Convention in Port Harcourt, leaders of the party have become more concerned that something urgent must be done to reposition it party ahead of 2019 election.

    Observers say the bid to reconcile the warring factions failed because of the various court cases instituted by stakeholders. If the peace move must work, they insist, the two factions would have to move the battle away from the courts and go back to the negotiation table. But, those who went to court have not sheathed their swords; rather, they are waiting for the court process to complete its course to legitimise their claims.

    Analysts say the meeting between the National Assembly caucus and the National Caretaker Committee is another waste of time. They say nothing fruitful will come out of it, since the other factional leader, Modu-Sheriff, still sticks to his guns of being the legitimate leader of the party. Though the meeting between the National Assembly caucus and leaders of the party was to midwife a new process of reconciliation, other meetings called thereafter have not been successful as those invited did not turn up for discussion.

    The meeting, according to the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, was to brief the National Assembly caucus on the moves to return peace to the crisis ridden party. He noted that the caucus was made up of the Board of Trustees (BoT), governors and other stakeholders, who have been in the forefront to reposition the party for the 2019 election.

    Adeyeye explained that the peace move was endorsed by those who attended the meeting. The party scribe said Sheriff and Makarfi have resolved to meet former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP governors to intimate them on the reconciliation plans.

    Former President Jonathan has not made any categorical statement on the reconciliation. Analyst say the former leader is too occupied with other local and international assignments instead of dissipating his energy on crisis resolution in PDP.

    Sources said the effort being made to unite the PDP was being frustrated by the Sherriff, despite court orders that effectively nullified his tenure as the interim chairman. The source said the party leaders had resolved that if the entire peace overture to the factional leader of the party fails, some members of the party are contemplating a new party for the 2019 election.

    He said: “We will not allow them to kill the opposition; more so now that Nigerians are being hit by harsh economic realities. The All Progressives Congress is struggling to face the reality and it must pack out of Aso Rock by 2019. A weakened PDP is in the interest of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Modu-Sherriff is there to ensure they achieve their objectives. Again, from the revelation of the President’s Wife Aisha we know that APC may not get the support of Nigerians, so if the PDP peace plan fail, we will float a new party.”

    Another PDP chieftain, who also wanted to maintained anonymity, said the reason why the new move by the party to bounce back may fail is that the ruling APC will continue to work against the unity of PDP in order to elongate its tenure. The chieftain said it would be disgraceful for the APC to fizzle out having spent only four year piloting the affairs of the country.

    According to him, “Sheriff is a willing tool in the hands of President Buhari. He has found in him what APC needed to choke and distabilise the PDP out of reckoning. As long as Sherriff remains in the PDP, the party cannot overcome the crisis that it has plunged into.”

    Former Minister of Transport Chief Ebenezer Babatope said the party will fly again. He noted that what is happening in the party is a storm in the tea cup. He explained that the issue was no longer in the hand of Sheriff but at the domain of the judiciary.

    He said: “We are going to have unity before 2019, things are going to be okay, we are going to resolve our crisis and then we will be prepared for the election. We call on President Buhari and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to arrest those who have hand in the peaceful and tranquil existence in the PDP.

    “We have been shouting and shouting that they should arrest the Justice Abang Okon who is causing trouble for the party. He has been delivering judgment to ruin the PDP, widening the gap for the peaceful return of the party to national reckon. So, we beg all Nigerians to help us appeal to the President Buhari and the EFCC to call to order this justice who is hell bent to destroy the party. He is the number one notorious judge perverting justice for reasons that are not justified.”

    Lagos State PDP chieftain Tolani Animasahun expressed optimism that the PDP overcome its challenges. She said the party was not the first nor will it be the last to be held down by internal wrangling. She explained that party crisis was expected in any democratic settings, noting that where people don’t observe political conflict is only common in society where there is dictatorship, where everybody is subjected to the rule of one man.

    She added: “Looking at the political situation the world over, you will agree with me that what is happening in the PDP is not peculiar; it is a global phenomenon. In Britain and America political parties have witnessed one turbulent or the other. They had their low moments, what they did was to sit down, assess the situation and get back on course.

    “That the PDP is going through a small crisis does not mean the end of the party. It is a normal thing and I strongly believe that when the time comes we will get over it. What I think is really wrong is beyond the PDP, I think it permeate the society as a whole. We have not really seen ourselves as one; this I think is playing out at the various political party levels. We have too many groups put together, these groups have cultural divergence which sometimes disagree and putting them together has become a real challenge.

    “That is where the crisis in the country actually started; it merely nosedived to the political level and other strata of the society. It is something we have to continually work on. It is not can be achieved over night; we have to continually work on the peace process.

    “All we are concerned with is that democracy should be rooted in the country. We cannot achieve this at once, it will be gradual, we cannot afford to go back, and all that we need to do is to put heads together to achieve results. We must learn from the mistakes committed while trying to achieve a stable political atmosphere.”

    Former Chairman of the Labour Party Dan Nwanyanwu said the PDP cannot overcome the problem that it created for itself. He explained the leadership of the party was not serious about unity for the party. He said: “The problem with the PDP is selfishness, personal interest and greed. The truth is that most of the officers of the party are not acting in the interest of the party. They want to take control of the soul of the party. They want to be in the position to determine what happens in the party in 2019.

    “They tend to forget that even when you have a party that is when you will be talking about 2019. They think it is business as usual like they had done it in the past 16 year. They though, it was the period when they had the President and whatever happened they laugh over it and simply see it as family affairs now they don’t have that head. I think it was deliberate or refuse to look into what is happening in the party. Some governors when and brought Modu-Sheriff to be chairman, this is a man that is too new to be the chairman of the party.

    “The reason they brought him is because they thought he has big pocket that he will bring out money to run the party which they themselves supposed to do as governors, senators, lawmakers, commissioners, and council chairmen.

    “Now the man has got the power, I do not see PDP resolving their problems because at every stage spanner is thrown into the wheel. Some governors were supposed to meet on Tuesday, they did not come, and they are now quarreling over list of members that will handle another convention. “Some said there are other groups apart from the Sherriff group, they want to manufacture another group to that they can have control over the convention they are planning to hold. As an only looker, you have to place these things where they are, unless the PDP buries it selfishness and greed, no reconciliation is possible.”

    The Chairman of United Progressives Party (UPP), Chekwas Okorie, believes the PDP is doomed, Okorie said the factionalisation of the party has grown to the extent that reconciliation will be difficult. He added: When a party is factionalised from the national level to ward levels then it becomes extremely hard to achieve unity. When you go to the ward level of the PDP, you now have Sheriff faction and Makarfi faction.

    “I am talking from my experience at the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) crisis. When you talk of reconciliation, you must find a way of reconciling all the factors involved. So, if you multiply the number of states, numbers of local governments, numbers of wards up to the national level then you will understand that what the toying with is not a small issue.

    “So, no reconciliation just at the national level can be settled the crisis it has precipitated at the others levels of the party. The matter is made worse by the court cases it has at the judiciary, bearing in mind that our judiciary is a bazaar.

    “That is to say the PDP cannot overcome it challenges because the party is now a shadow of itself. But, incidentally the ruling APC is not better than the PDP. So, what we are expecting in view of what is already happening the political climate.

    “There is going to be realignment of political parties, there are discussion going on underground over the issue. There is going to be realignment of four political parties that feel strongly about the country. One will be a breakaway from the APC, one from the PDP and the third UPP which I represent, discussion is already on to achieve this.”

    Observers said that, for peace to return to the PDP, the leadership of the party must reconcile itself to the issues, which bother on unemployment, insecurity and the biting economic reality. The PDP is made up of an army of unemployed youth, who are frustrated, because of their inability to enjoy what they used to enjoy from the national cake. Many of them are said to be enjoying the division in the party, because are being armed and sponsored by the factional leaders to foment trouble.

  • Ishaku’s peace and development agenda

    Ishaku’s peace and development agenda

    They are like Siamese twins. Peace and development. They are inseparable. This twin concept has proved an enduring but regrettable fact of life in many countries and communities around the globe where hostilities in all their manifestations and ramifications have crippled human efforts at improving the quality of life and living. Many societies that had earned for themselves the reputation as great and enviable signposts of human creativity in development have crumbled and their progress retarded due to the absence of peace necessitated by wars and other forms of inter-communal hostilities.

    It is for this reason that some leaders pay attention to the task of forestalling crises and promoting peace through deliberate policies. One good example of such modern day leaders is Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku, governor of Taraba State who came into office in May 2015 trumpeting the philosophy of peace and stability as a necessary and desirable ingredient of the enabling environment for sustainable development.

    People who are familiar with the recent history of Taraba State will not find it difficult to appreciate the wisdom in Ishaku’s choice of the twin concept of peace and development as the underlying philosophy of his administration. Within the period of two years before he assumed the leadership of the state as governor, Taraba was a state in political and inter-ethnic turmoil. The situation had prevailed even uptill the elections that brought him in as governor. The crises left in their trail frightening memories that had destroyed the fabric and fibre of mutual trust among the various ethnic groups in the state. The ultimate loser was development which the state was in dire need of. For this ugly situation to change, Governor Ishaku had to take the message of peace to all corners of the state in order to help heal the social and emotional wounds inflicted and to psych up the people to believe in themselves and their state once more. It was also woo them in support of government’s development agenda to which the governor had unequivocally committed himself.

    Today, just over a year after, the peace effort of the governor has proved a wise political and social investment. Through the machinery of security surveillance established by the governor, crime and criminality have been drastically reduced in the state. But the bigger frontier of achievement is inter-ethnic crises and herdsmen attacks on farmers. These were the major causes of bloody clashes with heavy casualties under the immediate past political dispensation in the state. It gladdens my heart and, I believe the hearts the hearts of numerous Tarabans and Nigerians also, that the gory spectre of socially and economically ruinous crises have ended, thanks to Governor Ishaku’s peace and reconciliatory efforts. Those bitter religious and inter-ethnic ill-feelings that often fuelled crises in the state have been subdued.

    It is in the interest of all indigenes of the state this situation is sustained. Crises of the magnitude that were witnessed in the state in the past two or three years can, apart from the social and psychological trauma that they inflict on the people, also be an unfortunate source of distraction and financial waste for the government. Funds that could have been otherwise channelled into the execution of projects with direct benefits on the social condition of the people will be wasted in the promotion of government’s peace efforts. Government may also lose concentration in the process and its development plans and projections greatly jeopardised.

    Today the people of Taraba State can thumb their chests and say that their state is at peace. That was not the case before the coming of Governor Ishaku. They can also now say with pride that they have a government that is not only deliberately promoting peace but determined to develop the state through the execution of people-centred projects. For example, the scarcity of portable water in Jalingo and other major towns and cities in the state is now being aggressively tackled by the governor. I’m also aware that government is working on a partnership with the African Development Bank for a more dramatic, all-encompassing approach in addressing the problem. This is highly commendable.

    In the past one year, Jalingo has turned a huge construction site. Road projects have received the attention of government. This trend is replicated in other major towns in the state. Electricity power generation and rural electrification projects are being vigorously pursued as part of government’s overall poverty alleviation and job creation package. There has also been a deliberate government emphasis on agriculture to achieve increase in food production, reduce hunger and poverty as well creating employment opportunities. These projects, some already completed and others on-going, are only possible because of the relative peace the state has enjoyed so far. The state would have fared worse if the security situation had been otherwise.

    The lesson behind this development requires no emphasis. The people of the state must give peace a chance to reign. Some people have said in the past that most of the crises in the state are fuelled and even sponsored by the political elite in the state for their selfish political gains. This is not far from the truth. The ordinary people of the state usually nurse no ambitions and desires that bring their communities and ethnic groups into conflicts and crises with others.  The elite do. That is the reason they are the target of this writer’s appeal for peace in the state.

    Politicians and political leaders in the state should now realise that the elections are over and time to work for the people is now here. The state must now move forward. The luck of the state today lies in the fact that Darius Ishaku is governor. He is a man with a big dream of a greater Taraba State. Such a man deserves the support of all the people.

     

    • Magaji is a current affairs analyst

     

  • Delta urges moral rebirth, as it celebrates international peace day

    The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) ,Asaba branch has admonished all aggrieved groups in the country to sheathe their swords as the world celebrated the 2016 International Day of Peace.

    It canvassed the adoption of mediation and concilliation in the judicial process to foster peace and unity in the Nigerian State, adding that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is flexible ,quick at dispensing social justice , less expensive ,less time wastage, friendly, and conducted in private and strictly confidential.

    The group in collaboration with Delta State Ministry of Justice penultimate week organised a one-day workshop to train legal officers in the Delta State Ministry of Justice on mediation and concilliation as the primary mechanism for resolving disputes.

    The workshop with theme, ‘The Sustainable Development Goals:Building Blocks for Peace’ calls attention to the United Nations three prong approach to ensuring world peace I.e ‘end to poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all’.

    The group said the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism can ‘greatly help in fostering peace and unity in the Nigerian State even before 2030 which is the target date for achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals by the United Nation (UN)’.

    The ICMC is the professional body of Nigerian practitioners that trains prospective candidates , and encourages organisations and institutions to adopt mediation and concilliation as the primary mechanisms for resolving disputes.

    Its President, Dr Louis Ogbeifun in an address at the occasion blamed ‘some stakeholders in the judicial process of hindering the anti-corruption fight of the present administration’, rand urged support for the anti-corruption crusade.

    He urged the federal government to take proactive measures to tackle the current recession,warning that the ‘sole catalyst for people’s revolt in almost all ages is poverty and hunger’.

    His words, ‘ Government can fight corruption with the teeth of the law.It can fight militancy ,insurgency and other wars with guns and bombs, but the war orchestrated by hunger if allowed to rear its ugly heads does not respond to any law ,arsenals and armament.’

    He said to prevent a masses revolt, government must provide necessary support to farmers, while encouraging citizens to cultivate small scale gardens and poultry farms.

    Ogbeifun said bailout funds should not be geared towards salaries but be channelled into employment generation ,reduction of poverty ,hunger and incentivising exportation to earn foreign exchange.

    On the successes  recorded by ICMC, Ogbeifun said, ‘So far, the ICMC is happy to have partnered with Delta ,Bayelsa, Ogun  and Edo States in setting up or in the process of setting up their multi Door Courthouses’.

    He harped on the imperatives of ADR in resolving disputes, adding that in ‘Delta State many lawyers have been trained to ensure effective administration of justice, and promotion of peace and harmonious coexistence among the various ethnic, religious and socio-political groups.’

    Delta Commissioner for Justice, and Attorney General  Mr Peter Mrakpor in his remarks said the fight against corruption should be attitudinal,adding that except Nigerians imbibe values and principles the war on corruption is doomed.

    His words: ‘It is an attitudinal change we need in Nigeria. Nigerians should understand  that what they need to live a qualitative life. Since we do not need a billion Naira to live a qualitative life, then someone should remind us that we do not need a billion to live a qualitative life.Food clothing and shelter are the basics in achieving this goal.We need to have a re orientation of values. You can take people to court, you can charge them or even send them to prison,despite these measures, society is still grappling with large scale larceny of our commonwealth.”

  • Bama: As peace returns to Borno

    Bama: As peace returns to Borno

    SIR: The arid town, with over 200, 000 population 2006 census), located some 68kilometres from Borno’s capital, Maiduguri, symbolizes a summation of the carnage visited upon the north-east region by ragtag Boko Haram, in the last past seven years. At the peak of its campaign to foist a so-called Caliphate on the vast region, Boko Haram found Bama most enticing to establish a base, perhaps due to its strategic location i.e a pathway between Nigeria and some neighboring counties on the plains of Lake Chad.

    The town, lying at the heart of the historic Dikwa Emirate, was reported to have fallen to the insurgents in September, 2014, and soon lost its original identity as marauding terrorists roam uninterrupted with their Kalashnikovs, while civil authority took to flight.

    While Borno and, indeed, the entire north-east labored to surface from the ruins of war – in the face of renewed vigour by the military – it is apparent that it may take sometimes before normalcy is restored fully, going by a careful evaluation of damage done to the socio-economic orbits of societies in the expansive territory.

    The recent unearthing of new cases of polio in Borno, alongside daily dosage of woes of lamentations coming from several IDPs camps housing about two million people across the region, serve as readily available authentication which lays credence to anyone’s pessimism about the journey ahead.

    However, in the midst of doubts and cynicism currently saturating the north-east, there seems a beam of welcoming assurance that all hopes are not lost, yet. The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, appears turbo-charged to occupy the vanguard of restoration to the people of the state. He has suddenly become a harbinger of some good tidings, even as cloud of conundrum looks unyielding.

    Shettima recently stirred a national debate when he boasted that Borno is more peaceful than Abuja and Lagos, using the largely incidence-free Eid-el Kabir celebrations in the state as yardstick.

    Beyond the speechifying, notwithstanding, the recent announcement of resumption of public schools, after two years of ‘no show’ could be seen as another positive in the ongoing recovery process in Borno.

    To further prove a point that the state is ready to emerge stronger from years of stagnation and hopelessness, Shettima relocated to Bama, few days ago, as his temporary official base, to personally supervise rebuilding process of the town. Pictures have surfaced of a society that may, one day, see the afflictions of the insurgency as blessings in disguise. Torched structures, including the palace of the Emir of Bama, now wear a new look as renovation assumed full swing.

     

    • Funmilola Ajala,

     Ibadan.

  • Peace be unto you

    How did Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, come to be known as Mama Peace? Well, it all happened almost three years ago on December 13, 2013. Her husband was in power and had power. The occasion was the launch of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Maternal and Child Health (SURE –P MCH) otherwise known as MAMA Project. Mrs. Jonathan announced her new name to a probably bemused audience at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Mrs. Jonathan declared: “My name is no more Patience but now Mama Peace because I believe that without peace, there will be no more women, no more children and no more health sector. Without peace, the international community will be afraid to come and invest in our country.”

    She reinforced her new-found song on “peace evangelism.” The woman who, up till that point, was known for her turbulence also preached and prayed: “Peace is from the heart and not from the tongue or lips; not what you say but what is in you. We pray for genuine peace because peace is the key to our arriving at our desired destination as a nation.”

    It was the year-end season, which is traditionally a time for New Year resolutions, and Mrs. Jonathan’s name-change suggested that she intended to turn over a new leaf. At the time, the event was heartwarming because of the promise of change. However, the public was disappointed as the publicised renaming changed nothing and Mama Peace continued to live up to her reputation as a woman of war.  Mama Peace is still fighting. It is a new battle, triggered by fresh developments over a year after her husband was voted out of power. This time, the war is about her money, millions and millions of dollars, which she claimed to have earned but which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged to be ill-gotten wealth. There are other corruption-related allegations against her.

    So, Mama Peace is not at peace and cannot be at peace. There are loud and clear public criticisms against her, following the allegations of messy millions and other messes. She must be feeling really messed up.  It’s a mess she needs to clear, and it remains to be seen how she will do so.

    Today, more than ever before, it is a good time to greet her with those familiar words of good wishes: Peace be unto you.

  • Octogenarian preaches peace, unity at birthday

    Octogenarian preaches peace, unity at birthday

    The spacious auditorium of Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church, Anglican Communion Lagos was filled to its capacity. It was the venue of the 80th birthday celebration of Pa Daniel Onaolapo.

    The beautiful rendition by the choir threw those in attendance in ecstasy.

    To some, the birthday celebration was an honour to a patriotic and God-fearing man. At 80, Daniel Onaolapo still advocates for both spiritual and social well-being of the common man. He stressed the need for the country to be united; a feat he said was achievable if people could give their lives to God.

    Even before the church service which was scheduled for 12 noon that day, people had already filled the auditorium. Men and women, old and young alike dressed in attire to suit the mood

    The officiating ministers: Rev. Ekpeyong Bassey, Rev. Jaiyeola Edu, Rev. Tunde Ogungbe, Rev. Canon Albert Agbaje, Ven. (ASP) Moses Adekola and assistant priests; Ven. Olusegun Onafeso, Vicar and other priests were also present.

    Others included most Rev Adebayo Akingbe, Archbishop of Lagos Province and Bishop of Lagos Mainland Diocese.

    Onaolapo said his involvement in the activities of the church and society was to restore lost souls, adding that his passion for evangelism was divine.

    “I had always been in the Bible Study Group organisation of House Fellowships, Evangelism, Vigil and Prayer Group,” he said, adding he was also one-time Chaplain of the Society of Christ Youth Followers (CYF).

    Narrating his encounter with Christ in 1999, he had attended many discipleship training courses and conferences; including Great Commission Movement, Calvary Ministries, Lagos Anglican Seminary and Equipping the Saints World-Wide Ministries’ African Mission School of Discipleship

    “I had always been involved in church matters as much as I could through the grace the Lord had bestowed on me. However, I have always found relief and succour in church matters. I had a lot of spiritual development at OBBH School; Oyo, “he said.

    He said he joined Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church (BAHM) in 1966, where he worshipped till now. He became a member of CYF, one of the foremost societies in the church.

    He founded the Driver’s Fellowship in the church; a body he described as an important but less appreciated group in the society.

    He said the fellowship was to cater for both spiritual and material well-being of the group, adding that it gave a sense of belonging to carry every one along, including the truck pushers, brick layers, market men and women.

    He urged government and religious leaders to live up to their responsibilities in ensuring the good of the common man.