The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peace

  • PDP peace talks continue on October 7

    PDP peace talks continue on October 7

    President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors failed last night to resolve the crisis rocking the ruling party.

    The meeting, also attended by PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Chief Tony Anenih was adjourned after five hours to October 7.

    All seven aggrieved PDP governors – Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) attended the meeting held at the First Lady’s Conference room at the Presidential Villa.

    There were three Pro. Jonathan governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Idris Wada (Kogi) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

    Amaechi, wearing a white shirt, drove himself to the venue around 5:14 p.m. in a Black Range Rover marked Nasarawa AE 153 NBB. He drove behind the Niger State governor’s vehicle.

    At the end of the meeting, Aliyu told reporters that the meeting was inconclusive and stood adjourned till October 7. He said both parties had agreed to stop making inflammatory statements.

    He said: “Sequel to the number of meetings convened by leaders and stakeholders. The governors of Adamawa, Niger, Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Kano and Cross Rivers states met with the President, the Vice President and the chairman of the Board of Trustees and extensively deliberated on various issues.

    “The meetings were cordial and deliberations fruitful with a clear commitment on all sides to resolve all issues raised at the meeting.

    “The meeting (last night) also called on all parties to shield their swords and avoid further inflammatory comments on issues particularly during the course of our deliberations as we have all agreed to resolve all the differences.

    “In the interim, all parties have accepted to commence immediate action and agreed towards complete resolution of all matters and continue to meet until all processes toward reconciliation are totally complete.

    “The meetings will continue on Monday 7th October, 2013.

    “We use this opportunity therefore to thank all members of our party and supporters for their patience and understanding as we will make sure and ensure that there is progress in resolving the crisis.”

    To end the crisis in PDP, the G-7 and Baraje faction had tabled five demands before Jonathan and a seven-man peace panel headed by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The conditions are:

    •The sack of National Chairman Bamanga Tukur.

    •Return of party structure to governors in Adamawa, Rivers, Kano and other states.

    •Sticking to one-term tenure by the President by foregoing re-election in 2015.

    •Resolution of NGF and Rivers crises, including the lifting of Amaechi’s suspension.

    •Stop the harrassment of governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

  • Sultan advocates sustainable peace in Nigeria

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Thursday advocated for sustainable peace in Nigeria and its universities.

    Abubakar made the remark when, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, visited him in Sokoto.
    According to him, sustainable peace is very crucial to realisation of Nigeria’s scientific, technological and socio-economic development.
    “Without peace, there won’t be any chance for development, and this will be disastrous for Nigeria and the world,’’ the sultan said.
    The sultan also said that a tranquil of peace in the universities and other institutions would impact positively on the training of quality manpower for the nation.
    “If this is not ensured, the opposite will be the case and the county would continue to lag behind.’’
    Mustapha, in his speech, told the Sultan that the visit was aimed at congratulating the monarch on his 57th birthday. “We are here to pay our respect to you as our chancellor and a committed leader whose penchant for sustainable peace and unity in Nigeria is unparalleled,’’ Mustapha said.
     
  • Itsekiri peace effort ends in deadlock

    Itsekiri peace effort ends in deadlock

    Peace efforts by Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Itsekiri chiefs to resolve the crisis rocking Warri (Itsekiri) Kingdom ended in a deadlock yesterday.

    It was gathered that the monarch, Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, insisted on the controversial edict changing his traditional title Ogiame and changing the Itsekiri national anthem, among others.

    The edict, titled: ‘The New Order in Iwere (Warri) Kingdom,’ signed by the monarch on Wednesday, also banned pouring of libation, worship of idols and other forms of traditional worships hitherto practised by the Itsekiri people.

    He said: “I also repent for the name and title of “Ogiame” that my ancestors and I have borne, as it connotes our allegiance to Umalokun (goddess of the river) and other deities of the sea, all of which are false gods.”

    The edict has pitted the monarch against his subjects, who insisted that either he rescind the pronouncement or abdicates.

    Members of the Emiko Royall Family, in a response paper signed by 37 princess and princesses, have dissociated themselves from the declaration, insisting on the title “Ogiame’.

    They said: “We consider the history/pedigree of the ‘Ogiame’ title as such that the Itsekiri people hold it dear and sacrosanct to the extent that it should not be cancelled for whatever reason(s)”.

    Yesterday, the protesting youths defied the monarch’s declaration and stormed the palace with the traditional Ipi masquerades, sang the ‘banned’ anthem and did obeisance to the monarch by chanting ‘Ogiame Suooooooo’.

    Women, who continued the siege to the palace, also set up soup kitchens in front of the palace.

    The protesters prevented the monarch’s Foursquare Gospel Church located within the palace premises from opening for normal services.

    The siege by community and youth leaders, which entered its second day yesterday, seemed to be receding at the time of this report.

    Most of the youths, women, masquerades and chiefs who besieged the palace (Aghofen) located in Ugbori area of the oil city had abandoned their posts.

    However, our investigations showed that a peace meeting led by Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, who is the Igba of Warri Kingdom, and other members of the traditional council of chiefs ended in deadlock.

    The chiefs, it was gathered, met with the monarch at about 12:30pm to get an assurance that the monarch would rethink his decision to changing the traditional title Ogiame (King of Water).

    The delegation, which met with the monarch included chiefs Emmanuel Jones, Edward Olley, E A Tetseola, Utieyinone Nelson and Ayirimi Emami.

    After about 45 minutes, they emerged at 1:15pm.

    Lori-Ogbebor, who addressed the protesters in Itsekiri language, told them they had taken their message of dissatisfaction with the edict to the monarch, adding that they had given the (Olu) time to think about it.

    She said: “We want to let the world know that he is still Ogiame. Chiefs spoke with him. He didn’t take the decision suddenly so we don’t expect him to change it suddenly. We have given him to think about it and what we want is a return to the way he used to be known.”

    She then urged the protesters to give them two hours to deliberate further.

    However, shortly after the chiefs left, it emerged that contrary to reports that the monarch was willing to rethink his decision, Atuwatse II insisted that his decision on the matter was final.

    A youth leader, Sunny Keke, who said he witnessed the meeting, said: “The Olu told them his decision is final and would not rescind it for whatever reason.”

    It was gathered that a shouting match ensued between the two sides, which culminated in the monarch “walking out” on the delegation to “sleep”.

    Uduaghan, accompanied by a short convoy of vehicles, arrived the palace at about 3:40pm and went through the sea of protesters who barricaded the entrance to Ugbori entrance with only a handful of aides.

    He was dressed in a turquoise green short-sleeve buba and sokoto brocade attire.

    The meeting between the governor and the monarch lasted less than 20 minutes.

    During the meeting, a youth leader and perceived leader of the protest, Omolubi Newuwumi, confirmed that the chiefs’ meeting with the monarch indeed ended in a deadlock.

    He said: “When we got there (to a meeting with the chiefs) we were told that the monarch refused. The chiefs have asked for 48 hours to deliberate further.

    “The governor met with us and we told him to come here and speak with you,” Newuwumi said.

    Governor Uduaghan, who later mounted a platform that was hurriedly raised for him in front of the barricaded palace gate, appealed for calm promising that “everything will return to normal.”

    “I have spoken with the king and there is going to be a way out by the grace of God,” he assured.

    Despite the governor’s assurance, our independent investigations revealed that the edict has greatly divided the Itsekiri nation with various leaders divided along the fault lines.

  • 2015: Peace talks stuck as Jonathan won’t drop bid

    2015: Peace talks stuck as Jonathan won’t drop bid

    President under pressure to reject governors’ conditions

    AMID its desperate search for peace, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to have remained struck in the mud of trouble.

    It suddenly put off yesterday a scheduled peace meeting between its leaders and its aggrieved governors.

    It emerged last night that the refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan to make any commitment on his perceived 2015 ambition and alleged investigation of governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led to the abrupt postponement of the talks, which should have been a follow-up to the Sunday meeting at the Villa.

    Besides, a group loyal to the President, Media Network for Transformation (MNT), yesterday asked the Presidency to discontinue talks with the aggrieved PDP governors.

    In a statement by its Coordinator, Mr. Goodluck Ebelo, MNT said only Nigerians can determine the fate of Jonathan in 2015 and not a group of governors.

    According to a source in the Presidency, who gave an insight into why the peace talks were shifted, the aggrieved governors were not happy that they could not extract any commitment from the President on their demands that Jonathan should not contest in 2015 and the stoppage of investigation of governors by EFCC.

    The source said: “The aggrieved governors of the PDP decided to seek a postponement of the peace parley scheduled for Tuesday as a result of President Jonathan’s rejection of the suggestion that the government should put an immediate stop to probe of state governments’ accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “Some of the governors expressed disappointment with the way President Jonathan waved aside the request that he should put an end to the probe of governors by the EFCC.”

    They were also uncomfortable, it was learnt, that the President made no commitment on his 2015 plan.

    “This is purely a constitutional matter, not subject to the dictate of any individual or group. You cannot ask an individual to forego his right,” the source said.

    Unable to get any commitment, the governors told the PDP leadership that they needed further consultations before attending the peace parley.

    The pro-Jonathan group asked the President to be courageous to discontinue negotiations with the aggrieved governors.

    The group, in a statement by Ebelo said to demand that the President should deny himself what the constitution affords him is intolerable hubris.

    The statement said: “The Media Network for Transformation has observed with keen interest recent happenings in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

    “Of particular interest is the walkout masterminded by a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and six governors during the party’s Special National Convention at the Eagle Square on Saturday.

    “While we appreciate the right of any person, including these feuding politicians, to aspire to any political office in the land, we denounce this glaring conspiracy to make President Goodluck Jonathan a hostage of their individual ambitions.

    “ We wish to state that the premeditated walk-out at the Eagle Square, last Saturday and the demands of these politicians smack of blackmail.

    “We, therefore, call on Mr. President to be resolute and resist this weather-beaten gambit, a treachery and mischief, designed to cow him. He should have zero-tolerance to political hostage taking.

    “It is not news that the key persona in the last Saturday’s display of shame are a group of politicians with smouldering ambition to be President in 2015. Of itself, a legitimate aspiration. But to demand that the President should deny himself what the constitution affords him is intolerable hubris.

    “We, therefore, call on the President and all leaders of the PDP, loyal and faithful to the party to immediately discontinue the ongoing negotiations with these men with self serving, ill-disguised ambitions.. What becomes of any ambition, including Mr. President’s, is in the hands of Nigerians, not a motley crowd of turncoats.

    “While we welcome the wish of the feuding politicians to remain in the PDP, we make bold to say that intimidation, treachery and blackmail would not derail the genuine intentions of this President .

    “It is common knowledge that a leader of this group, once left the party and at the end, neither the PDP nor its presidential candidate (the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua), who defeated him in the 2007 presidential election, felt any pinch from his absence.

    “We are of the opinion that the performance of the Jonathan administration in the first four years would give the opportunity to the Nigerian people to decide whether or not to give him a second term in office. It does not lie in the mouth champions of sectionalism to hijack that decision from Nigerians

    “We urge the Nigerian citizenry to be more observant as we move closer to 2015. We cannot afford to allow political desperation to derail democratic governance that caused this country so much to achieve.”

     

  • ‘How to achieve peace in Nigeria’

    To achieve peace in Nigeria,the government must combat the fundamental issues that fuel insecurity, such as corruption and poverty, a former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Agwai, has said.

    He was the guest speaker at an event organised by the Military Law Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at its Annual General Conference in Calabar.

    He warned that use of force alone without dealing with the security of the individual against want could lead to more strife.

    The greater risk, he said, is that the armed forces, in a bid to suppress internal acts of terror, could be stretched beyond their capacity to protect the nation against external aggression.

    There is also need for synergy among the security agencies, as well as increasing their capacity to function, he said.

    Other speakers included Chairman Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo, who chaired the event; the forum’s chairman, Air Commodore Ibrahim Shafii, and an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, who represented the Inspector of Police.

    Among lawyers who spoke were Chief Solomom Awomolo, who represented NBA President Okay Wali (SAN); Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN); Chairman of Council, National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, activist-lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN), and former Kaduna State Secretary to the State Government, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, among others.

    Agwai, who as the guest speaker, said the deployment of soldiers in the northern states following a declaration of a state of emergency could have repercussion if the mission fails.

    “We have already sent our first eleven and if our first eleven is defeated, I don’t know what will happen,” he said.

    To him, the fundamental issues that fuel insecurity must be tackled, even as he called for better synergy among the armed forces

    “Touch and go will not solve our security problems. The underlying issues must be addressed.

    “The only way we can have lasting peace is like a fish in the water. You must remove the fish in the water, or else as long as there is water, the fish will survive.

    “If you want to kill a tree, you must go to the root. If you cut the branches, the tree will get up and even be much bigger than it was before. Go to the root causes. Address all the root causes of our challenges.

    “We need a dialogue. It’s not fault-finding, saying you are right and I am wrong. It’s to examine what the grievances are. Security is not only physical. It your security, my security, the villager’s security.”

    Aqwai also blamed insecurity on poor intelligence management, saying: “If the security agencies get their intelligence and information right, then you have done part of the work.”

    He said development without security is not possible, but human security is even more important, “else the balloon will burst.”

    Falana said soldier gets involved in internal security matters because for 30 years, military regimes progressively weakened the ability of the police to provide effective security.

    Poor funding, he said, remains a problem, as out of N93billion voted for the police in the budget, a whopping N89billion will go for recurrent expenditure.

    “No police station is allocated any money. They depend on bribes. You pay for charge sheets, and despite claims that bail is free, you pay for bail. That is how they fund the stations.

    “All the tables and televisions you see in the stations are exhibits. With all of this, the military will continue to be involved in internal security.

    “It is not the business of the military to handle internal security. It’s the primary responsibility of the police.

    “For the police to do that, we must empower them, we must equip the police, we must train the police and give the police all the necessary tools and conditions to perform that role.

    “The armed forces are meant by the Constitution to play a secondary role, and that’s why it used the phrase: ‘In aid of civil authorities.’ But that has been subverted, and that’s why we’re in this mess.

    “Today, the armed forces are in 28 states and Abuja. The military is now involved in election monitoring. It should not be tolerated.”

    Falana said even men of the armed forces are not spared the effects of bad leadership, adding that “the military is being dehumanised by the authorities.”

    According to him, when a Nigerian soldier is killed while on foreign operation, their bodies “are brought in at night and buried” rather than celebrating them as the United States does when its soldiers are killed.

    “When soldiers are killed on duty, contact and compensate their families and give them heroes’ burial,” he said.

    Azinge said the military should be trained on how to handle internal security without usurping the duties of the police.

    “The military should realise that when they are handling security situations within their territory, they should not treat them as they would treat external aggressors.

    “Why do they do well in peace-keeping operations but not do so well in internal security? This is what the military must interrogate,” he said.

    Odinkalu said there is a sense of competition among the security services, which does not help the country’s safety.

    “No agency is more patriotic than the other. They are serving the country,” Odinkalu said.

     

  • Peace returns as NUPENG’s unit elect officials

    Peace has returned to the Warri, Delta State Unit of the Independent Marketers Branch (IMB) of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), following Wednesday’s peaceful election of Comrade Benjamin Ifeta as chairman.

    There was tension, following the insistence of some members of Ekpan host community, that the position must be given to their kinsman.

    The situation led to the election being moved to the Zonal headquarters in Edo State by the national leadership of NUPENG, which also threatened a statewide strike.

    The NUPENG’s Deputy National Secretary (in charge of Operations, Comrade Joseph Ogbebor, who was he returning office, declared Ifeta winner after he polled 418 of the total votes cast. His nearest challenger, Comrade Peter Oghomienor, got 10 votes.

    Rex Mobaghan was unopposed for Vice-Chairman. Harrison Ojugbeli emerged Secretary after beating off challenges of Jonathan Okwokei and Chuks Nwokolo.

    Matthew Ogwala, John Bayo and Lugard Agege emerged Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Financial-Secretary.

    Isaac Omokoro is the public Relations Officer. Mangodo Emuejevoke emerged Auditor.

  • We are for peace, says union

    The Students Union Government (SUG) of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (Offa Poly) has debunked the allegation that the union was sponsored by political parties to disrupt council elections in the state.

    The Public Relations Officer of the union, Johnson Eleko, said the allegation was false.

    He said: “We want to clarify the wrong impression of some politicians that we have been paid to cause crisis in the coming council elections. On no circumstances will Offa Poly students be used as political thugs to disrupt the forthcoming Offa local government elections. What we want is the restoration of properties that were destroyed during the last crisis in the institution. The state government has refused to listen to our plea since the incidence occurred.”

    President of the union, Hameed Omuiyadun, said the union will continue to peaceful.

    He added: “We are law-abiding citizens of the state. We shall never engage in activities that would destroy the peace of the state, especially the coming elections. We have no intention to create chaos.”

  • Muslim youths sue for peace

    The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation (NACOMYO) in Ondo state has urged Nigerians, especially Muslim, to pray for the nation in this month of Ramadan with their spiritual status.

    Besides, the Council equally enjoined them to pray for the leadership of the country, as prayer is an essential tool that could change the nation’s present predicament.

    A statement issued in Akure, the state capital by the chairman, Political Awareness Committee, Imam Ismail Ododoloto and Secretary, Olukayode Adesuyi urged citizens and residents to pray for peace.

    The committee reminded the public of the 2015 elections and the need to pray for divine guidance to choose leaders and representatives that would fear Allah.

    It appealed to the Muslims in the state to bear with the committee, stressing that necessary steps are being taken to ensure Muslims are well represented politically.

    The statement reiterated that the development of youth is pivotal, for it stands as foundation for the growth and development of the country.

     

  • Ladipo market: Peace search begins

    Desperate for a lasting solution to the leadership crisis rocking the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market, Mushin, Lagos, traders have appealed to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to intervene and prevent the market from total disintegration that could arise from the unending crisis.

    The crisis had, 10 days ago, seen majority of the traders, mostly Igbo and executive members of the Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealers Association (LACEC), take to the streets in protest against what they called the “imposition of Alhaji Oladotun Abibu Oki as Babaloja” of the spares market.

    “On Thursday last week, a similar situation almost repeated itself but for the matured way it was handled,” said LACEC’s president, Mr Ikechukwu Animalu.

    The traders said Oki controls only one out of the 36 units that make up the entire market and therefore, is not qualified to be their leader.

    They said his imposition on the market is against the wish of the majority and the attempt to impose his authority is not acceptable; thus, to avoid crisis, they want Fashola to intervene. The traders are also demanding an election to select their choice leader as opposed to imposition.

    Ikechukwu, who spoke with The Nation last Thursday during the weekly sanitation, alleged that Oki and his group had organised some members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and some state security operatives, hoping that the traders would react for them to capitalise on the ensuing development to make trouble, which would have led to the market’s closure.

    He said when he got wind of the plot, he prevailed on the traders not to respond to any act of provocation. Saying that Igbo traders had invested billions of naira in the market, he alleged that Oki and his group were doing everything to ensure that the market is closed down to their detriment.

    “If the market is shut, the Igbo traders that will be the greatest losers; that is what I want to avoid,” Ikechukwu said.

    However, Oki described as untrue, the allegation that he was imposed on the market as the Igbo traders want people to believe. He said he was validly selected as the Babaloja of the market and was given authority to so act “by the government and for the government.”

    He showed a copy of the authorisation letter issued to him on December 22, 2011 by the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria to The Nation.

    Oki said the major reason the Igbo traders refuse to accept his authority is about money matters, explaining: “The government wants to improve the market and also wants improved revenue and I was made the Babaloja for this purpose. As we collect the revenue and give to government, we can then have the grounds to approach the government for whatever we want for the market. The situation where huge amounts of money are collected and not remitted to government coffers is not good; I am here to stop that”.

    He said being the Babaloja of the market does not in anyway disturb their trading activities; it is just that they do not want Babaloja. He said he had spent 16 years at the market, adding that his interest is the development of the market for the good of every trader.

    His appointment, he said, was ratified by the late Iyaloja General of the Federation, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, last year.

    The LACEC President, however, maintained that the Babaloja group violates government instructions by reveling in street trading, thereby causing obstructions.

    He said the market is a spares’ market and not a commodity market and as such, there is no need for Babaloja. “Such appointments are for commodity markets,” he said.

    Now, the matter rests in the hands of the X Squad Unit of the state Police Command, mandated by Commissioner of Police Umar Manko to find lasting solution to the crisis.

    Both parties, The Nation learnt, had been attending deliberations with the Officer in Charge (OC) and other officers of the squad.

  • Audacious hope for Middle East peace

    It is a mark of how slim the chance of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become that the talks about talks that are soon to begin in Washington are the most hopeful development for some years. Few expect substantive progress to emerge from the discussions. There is little sign that the Israeli government will accept its 1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations, as Palestinian leaders have been insisting; in the occupied territories, it continues to build illegal settlements that it aims to annex to Israel as part of any deal.

    What has brought the parties to the table is not so much the prospect that talks might succeed as the advantages to be won by taking part. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must appear to engage with the Palestinians if it is to deflect international pressure to end its obstructionism. The Palestinian leadership receives a concession in the form of prisoner releases, and anyway has few alternative venues in which to press its demands. Meanwhile, having made the cause of Middle East peace his own, John Kerry, US secretary of state, needs to show some return on his frenzied diplomacy if he is to move it further up the agenda of his boss, President Barack Obama.

    It would be easy, therefore, to wax defeatist about Mr Kerry’s initiative. Certainly, without strong backing from the White House, he is in no position to offer the leadership in the Middle East that Mr Obama once promised but has failed to deliver. Still, a glimmer of hope is a precious thing. Historic change has sometimes been wrought from inauspicious beginnings, and, if Mr Kerry can lift the air of futility that now surrounds the peace process, even modest steps towards agreement could conceivably mark the beginning of progress that will one day come to look unstoppable.

    If that faint prospect is to be realised, others must do all they can to nurture it. Mr Obama’s capitulation over Israeli settlements – which he criticised in his Cairo speech in 2009, only to veto similar criticism at the UN Security Council in 2011 – has weakened his voice. But the squeals of protest in Tel Aviv that followed the EU’s recent decision to cut a small amount of European funding for Israeli entities on occupied Palestinian lands reveals a government sensitive to criticism from foreign quarters.

    Israel’s friends must use all their influence to ensure that this chance for peace, hard-won but slender, is seized.

    – Financial Times