The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President Goodluck Jonathan

  • ‘Mbanefo, an asset to tourism industry’

    ‘Mbanefo, an asset to tourism industry’

    Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing Mrs Sally Mbanefo as the Director-General Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), describing the act as ‘a patriotic fetching of an appropriate person to excavate and exhibit a goldmine for the benefit of the nation.’

    Governor Orji spoke last week when he received the Director-General in his office in Umuahia, Abia State. Mrs Mbanefo was accorded a rousing welcome at  the airport where she was received by the Deputy Governors of Abia State and Imo State, Chief Emeka Ananaba and Prince Eze Mbadumere. She was handed her over to Chief Uche Sunday Aja,  the chairman of Ukwa East Local Government.   Chief Aja led the NTDC train to Oganihu Women Hall where the community had gathered for a rousing reception for Mrs Mbanefo. “We are expecting in our midst  a lady of immense intelligent, a humble achiever, a go-getter, a woman who is showing to all that Nigerian women are not push over, a reasonable and responsible representative of President Jonathan.

    A woman who has within seven months as the DG  toured over 14 states which none of her predecessors in office ever did. A woman of great aura who is coming to Abia to help us market and promote our tourism sites so that we the people will make money and enjoy from the blessings which God Almighty has blessed us with in the state.”

    The Chairman of the Local Government, Chief Aja, commended her for the seriousness of purpose, which informed her coming to Abia State in general and his local government in particular. The people were pleased with the DG ‘for not staying in her plush office in Abuja and talking grammar of domestic tourism without venturing to see the places by herself. This has distinguished and sets her apart from the crowd of armchair DGs.

    “We are happy to see you. We are seeing the seriousness of purpose in you. We pray that God Almighty will see you through.”

    Mrs Mbanefo described the ceremony as wonderful and unexpected reception held in her honour. “I am also short of words. This reception and your kind words are not only appreciative pills but rejuvenating tonic to do more. I promise you to do all within my capacity to promote the tourism potentialities of this great country and this wonderful community.”

    The DG assured the people of her desire to assist in the promotion tourists sites in the state. “We are going to collaborate with the state government, members of the private sector and foreign investors to turn this great lake into a global tourism site,” she added.

    DG and her team also visited the War Museum and said: “Though these are reminiscences of our past which might be not too palatable, but the right efforts should be made in preserving for the generations yet unborn, our strides and struggle during the process of becoming a nation. Also, it showcases to the world the innate ingenuity of the vibrant people called Nigerians. We at NTDC will not shy away from our charter in ensuring the effective marketing and promotion of these sites.”

    Governor Orji said: “I have to thank you for not only identifying the tourism potentialities of Abia State but also coming personally with your team to visit the bastion of tourism in the Southeast. I have been monitoring your activities since your appointment and I can boldly say you are an asset to the tourism sector. You have raised the stake in that sector. We shall support without looking back.”

    The Governor assured the DG of immeasurable support for the

    DG and NTDC, saying “we are going to reinforce your efforts

    which are geared towards the mobilisation of the hidden tourism wealth of the nation. You have displayed within a little time, your sincerity of purpose and commitment to the mission of the Federal Government. We are not going to let you down. Thank for coming to Abia State. We appreciate you.“

  • New ‘security architecture’ to end Boko Haram, other security challenges

    New ‘security architecture’ to end Boko Haram, other security challenges

    President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that the Federal Government was adopting a new security architecture to end the Boko Haram insurgency, farmers/herdsmen crisis and other security challenges. He did not elaborate.

    Dr. Jonathan spoke when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders from the Northcentral zone, led by former PDP Chairman Ahmadu Ali, visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Stressing that the government, through the National Security Adviser (NSA), is tackling the issues, he said the Northcentral is PDP’s.

    He said: “The security personnel are moving in to strengthen the conventional security, that is the police. But we are working very hard with the NSA, office to make sure that the security challenges that we have across the country, whether in Borno State or the kidnapping in Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia and so on.

    “We are coming up with different architecture that will deal with this insurgence. As we progress, we will begin to bring the situation under control.”

    Disclosing that litigations have been delaying the privatisation of Ajaokuta steel project, he promised that the issues will soon be resolved.

    Jonathan said: “Of course, on Ajaokuta, the key thing is that we had some challenges with the privatisation process. The people that got it said there were some issues but because of these litigations, the project was held down.

    “And all along, we have been trying one way or the other but the project cannot take off very effectively because we want the private sector to come in robustly, but they will find it difficult, except the legal issues are sorted out.

    “So, what the AGF is saying is that the issues are being sorted out because without mines and steel, the nation cannot industrialise. Yes; you can import but it’s easier when you are producing locally because we believe that Ajaokuta will be one of the bedrock of our industrialisation programme. So, it is a project that is dear to anybody who wants to move this country forward.”

    Stressing that the north central is known for solid minerals and provides food and power for Nigeria, among other things, the President said: “We thank you for this solidarity visit and for giving us a Senate president that has been able to stabilise the National Assembly.”

    On the Governors’ Forum crisis, Jonathan said: “The governors from the zone who have been stabilizing the country because the way some of the governors talk and behave, if 50 percent of the governors behave that way, probably, we would have vacated this place and allowed others to come and manage it for us. But they have been able to help to stabilise the whole country. When the Governors Forum became a monster and we had a lot of challenges, it was the North Central that came on board to stabilise the Governors’ Forum.”

    “So, the zone has been able to produce very great leaders, not just great leaders, but they are patriotic leaders. So, we will continue to work with this zone, we will continue to encourage you. As we approach elections next year, let us know the problems on time; we will work with you to ensure PDP continues to maintain the zone,” he said

    Speaking on behalf of the governors from the zone, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam urged the Federal Government to tackle the farmers/Fulani crisis, noting that the Fulani fermenting the trouble are not the normal ones as they are carrying sophisticated weapons and well-trained to kill.

    According to him, once the Northcentral is destabilised, all the other zones will be easily destabilised.

    Pointing out that the crisis needs to be brought under control as the 2015 general election is fast approaching, he expressed worries that since the Fulani attacks in the zone, nobody has been arrested.

    He said: “The security situation in the Northcentral. Virtually all the states in the zone are affected by the activities of the ‘herdsmen’ in quote. We believe that it’s not just the Fulani herdsmen that are doing what they are doing in the zone, but some insurgents who are camouflaging as Fulani men.

    “Because the Fulani men that will all know and we have lived with them – some of them are part and parcel of the Northcentral. We know that they carry sticks, and at times, few of them carry den guns to catch bush meat for Tiv people.”

    “But Mr. President, what we have witnessed lately are well trained people who are trained to kill and destroy and the manner of destruction is so massive and is unimaginable. The Northcentral is very worried. The state mostly affected are Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue. That is not to say that other states are not affected,” Suswam said.

    Even as he said that he cannot claim ignorant of the efforts the President is making to address security issues in the country, he said that he had to call for special attention for the Northcentral zone because of its stabilising factor.

    “The reason being that if the Northcentral is disorganised, Mr. President you are disorganised because that is where you have your stability and so whatever it will take Mr. President to address the security challenges that we have in the Northcentral.”

    “You have just directed the military to move in; they have started moving in between Nasarawa and Benue. As of last night, there was a lot of security movement between Benue and Nasarawa state and we hope that the same thing will be applicable in Plateau State because the state has had a longer history of this than any one of us.”

    “Mr President, what has worried us as governors who are also leaders is that inspite of the magnitude of destruction, no one person has been arrested and these destroyers move in large numbers. We are worried that without appropriate sanctions, they will continue with impunity because once people are not sanctioned, they don’t take that serious and I think the appropriate example must be shown.”

    “Mr President, how these people get their arms, because they are carrying very sophisticated weapons, is also an issue that we are worried about and I believe that Mr. President is also very worried because all of us swore to the constitution to protect lives and property.”

    The Senate President, Senator David Mark, maintained that the North Central zone remained essential to the stability of Jonathan’s administration and that is why some unscrupulous people want to destabilise the zone, using insecurity.

    He promised the President maximum support from the Northcentral zone, especially from the National Assembly which he heads despite the antics of those he called “rebels” in the House.

    “We cannot betray you, our word is our bond. We want you to trust us because we trust you. All we want is mutual confidence and so far, you have shown it,” he said

    Mark promised that the huge electoral support Jonathan got from North central in 2011 will be repeated in 2015.

    Ali said that the PDP Northcentral remained proud of him and praised him for what he had been doing for the zone.

    Declaring that the zone will continue to support Jonathan in elections, Ali urged Jonathan to find solution to the challenges hindering the Ajaokuta Steel Complex from contributing to national development.

    He also canvassed for the establishment of a solid minerals development commission for the zone.

    PDP Chairman Adamu Muazu noted that the PDP would continue to wax stronger in the zone. He said the Northcentral would give the party 100% support, especially towards the 2015 general election.

    On the delegation were Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang and Kogi State Governor Idrus Wada.

    Former Kogi State Governor Ibrahim Idris, former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, former Information Minister Prof. Jerry Gana, Senator Tunde Ogbeha and Senator Khariat Gwadabe.

    Many cabinet members from the zone were also present.

  • Govt urges court to dismiss suit challenging conference’s legitimacy

    The Federal Government yesterday urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit by rights activist, Tunji Abayomi, challenging President Goodluck Jonathan’s power to convene the ongoing National Conference.

    The government, in a notice of preliminary objection it filed, argued that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to initiate the suit. It also queried the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.

    Abayomi, besides challenging the convocation of the conference, also prayed the court to declare it null and void.

    Listed as defendants are the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the conference and its Secretary.

    Counsel to the Federal Government and AGF, Femi Falana (SAN), argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case because the plaintiff, besides lacking the right to initiate the suit, disclosed no cause of action against the defendants.

    He added that the President had the constitutional power to convene the conference.

    Falana urged the court to hear his objection to the plaintiff’s originating summons, to prevent delay.

    Justice Abdul Kafarati granted the order.

    Abayomi told the court that the conference’s chairman, vice chairman and secretary have been served with court processes.

    It is his contention that the President lacked the power to convene the conference without an authorising legislation from the National Assembly.

    The Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and other defendants were not represented in court. They also did not file any response.

    The court adjourned till May 8 for hearing.

  • One nation, multiple destinies

    One nation, multiple destinies

    If anyone ever needed evidence of how complex and multi-layered the dimensions of the Nigerian pathology have become, the ruckus over the rules of proceedings at the on-going National Conference ought to provide some guide. The profession of multiple destinies apart, the zero-sum attitudes among the cream of the nation’s leadership would seem to have added a new impetus to the raging national question.

    Given the bitter recriminations and mutual suspicions that have characterised proceedings so far, even the most incurable of believers in the conference idea should be wondering whether the goals of the conference are any achievable. Even at that, it would seem that the battle over the rules of proceedings has only temporarily upstaged the earlier battle over representation over which the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar 111 had led a delegation of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan penultimate week. The same issue of unfair representation – or marginalisation – would equally prompt Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) to protest – with statistics for good measure- what the body called under-representation of Nigerian Muslims.

    Quite understandably, attention has shifted to the shocking outbursts from the Lamido of Adamawa, Mohammadu Barkindo Mustafa. And what did he say? Contrary to what many have reported him as saying, he didn’t quite say that the conference will flop but rather to warn of that possibility “if we are not careful” and the dire consequences should it ever happen.

    Of course, he also said that “if something happens and the country disintegrates – God forbid – many of those who are shouting their heads off will have nowhere to go” – unlike his kingdom of Adamawa which transcends Nigeria and Cameroon.

    The latter statement is certainly regrettable. The truth however is that we have heard worse from elders from other parts of the country without the heaven caving in on our heads.

    Howbeit, the issue for me isn’t really about what he said about his dual allegiances to Nigeria and the Cameroon which he is entitled to; or even his choice of a walkout weapon to deal with his hecklers which comes with the territory of such conferences; it is whether the Lamido as indeed the throng at the conference, truly appreciate how deeply troubled the nation is, and what leadership at such a critical time as the nation is passing through demands. And to imagine that this is coming from the rank of those called up to pull the nation’s chestnuts out of the raging fire!

    The Nation’s ace columnist Idowu Akinlotan in his ever perspicuous Palladium column on Sunday certainly did well to highlight what he calls the disturbing signals emanating from different sections of the polity in the wake of the conference, notably the deep-seated cleavages of religion and ethnicity and what these portend for the survival of the country. The good thing is that these feelings, long buried are at last coming into the open. And now, if it seems a feature of the interesting times we live in, it appears that not even the high-minded liberal ethos of the South-west is a match for the forces of religion and religiosity in what Akinlotan would describe as the complicating role of religion in the nation’s politics. Now at last, the Yoruba Muslim Ummah have not only jettisoned the seductions of the Yoruba culture as an integrating force that bound them with their kiths, they have signalled their preference a new identity defined strictly along the lines of their faith.

    That to me is one important revelation that those in the forefront of the agitation for the dismemberment of the federation should take into account in their clamour for their utopian republic. The lesson of course is that there can be no end to differences among nations.

    Having said that, it seems to me that there can be no understating the challenge posed by the intrusion of religion into our politics. Nigerians appears to have found a resolve to live and have their beings defined in it. Where that leads is a matter of conjecture. However, if current indications are anything to go by, it is a path that leads to a Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).

    And the way out? Not until majority accepts the principle that the cleavages have been exacerbated by the hard reality of the dual economy that consigns more and more to the fringes, and the comprehensive meltdown of governance across the board that has become our lot, can we begin to talk of progress.

    Here, if I may borrow the analysis of Mustafa Chike-Obi, the Asset Management Corporation’s Managing Director as reported in Sunday Punch of March 30, to put a perspective to the challenge that the nation currently faces. Now, we know how bad the unemployment situation is. Indeed, it has since grown to the point of becoming an industry, so much so that one out of every two is out of our youth population is unemployed. Much as the situation is troubling enough, another dimension to the population is the population growth currently at 3.5 percent per year – translating to some roughly six million addition to the population per year – for an economy that has done far better to deliver paper rather than tangible economic growth.

    But by far the greatest tragedy is that majority of our idle youths are simply unemployable – lacking requisite skills needed in a modern economy.

    To these class of youths, the current squabble for the spoils of battle by the elite matters very little – at least not yet. Not until the current seductions to false religiosity begins to wane and the anatomy of the manipulators of the nation’s collective destinies stand revealed would the lasting change begin to come. When that time comes, there would be no stopping the mighty army.

    In the meantime, the conferees can continue to have their fun!

  • Jonathan for EU-Africa summit

    President Goodluck Jonathan is scheduled to travel to Brussels today as the head of Nigeria’s delegation to the Fourth European Union-Africa Summit scheduled to open in the Belgian capital tomorrow.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the summit has “Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace” as its theme.

    Other participants, the statement said, include the President of the European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Commission, Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, other Heads of State and Government of the European Union and Africa as well as leaders of the European Union and African Union Institutions.

    They will be discussing ways of stimulating further growth and creating more jobs in Nigeria and other African countries.

  • Groups drum support for Jonathan

    The Goodluck Initiative for Transformation, yesterday in Abuja, joined other groups urging President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his intention to seek re-election next year.

    The groups, which included: the Unbeatable Group, Greater Nigerian Youth for Peace Initiative, Goodluck Initiative for Transformation, PDP Talented Youth Transformation Support Forum, Nigerian Youth Organisation, Women for Goodluck 2015, National Yoruba Multilinks Development Association for Goodluck 2015 and National Coalition for Goodluck, insisted that Jonathan should seek re- election to continue his transformation agenda.

  • Jonathan blames Northeast govs for Boko Haram insurgency

    Jonathan blames Northeast govs for Boko Haram insurgency

    •No godfather in PDP, says Mauzu

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday turned the blamed for the raging insurgency in the Northeast on the governors in the zone.

    He said they, more than anyone else, should take responsibility for the reign of terror imposed by members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    Jonathan, who spoke at the Northeast zonal rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi, said it was a shame for the governors to shift the blame for the insecurity on the Federal Government.

    “It is shameful for a governor who has stayed in power in his state for up to six years or more to come to me and talk about bad leadership when you have youth in your state, more than half of whom have not attended primary school and you are doing nothing about it,” he said.

    He added: “State Governors should be ashamed when our children do not go to primary and secondary schools and they decide to carry arms.

    “We had insecurity challenges in Bayelsa when I was deputy governor and later governor and we handled them. It is not the duty of the Federal Government to send children to Primary and Secondary schools but it is the constitutional right of the Federal Government to make sure children attend tertiary institutions which we have done.

    “How can you allow hungry youths to just go out and start killing people? Bayelsa was the first state in Nigeria that witnessed commercial kidnapping and we tackled it.”

    He described the situation as very sad but pledged that the federal government would do its best to redress the situation.

    “It is very sad what is happening in the Northeast but as a government we are working very hard to ensure that peace is brought back to the Northeast and the region’s glory will surely be restored. These challenges are only temporary,” President Goodluck said.

    He also promised to provide opportunities for the creation of wealth and infrastructure in the Northeast.

    Expressing appreciation that the zone is facing serious security challenges, he said government would tackle the security challenges in the country to guarantee free movement of Nigerians.

    “Boko Haram in the North East, kidnapping in the South South or armed robbery in the South East, we must bring them to a reasonable control,“ he said.

    He vowed that the PDP would reclaim Adamawa, retain Taraba and take over Borno and Yobe States.

    He noted that those claiming to be strong opposition in Adamawa state are only “living with one vote.”

    Other speakers who spoke at the rally acknowledged the insecurity in the region.

    The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu, called on aspirants in the party to go back to their villages and seek the people’s mandate, stressing that there is no God Father in PDP today.

    He said: “Only the God of Adam and Eve that can give you power. All our people who want to seek political officers should go back to their villages and ask the people for their mandate because the simple definition of Democracy means Power to the People by the People and for the People. So you don’t need a God father to win election in PDP today.”

    Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, who spoke for his colleagues, said they would deliver the zone to the PDP in next year’s elections.

    ‘’The entire Northeast is a PDP Zone and it will remain under the control of PDP come 2015 general elections,’’ he boasted.

    Yuguda praised Jonathan for initiating and completing several development projects in the zone but pleaded for the completion of the Kafin Zaki Dam in the Ganjuwa local government area of the state.

    Security in and around Bauchi ahead and during the rally was very tight with armed security men deployed in many parts of the city.

    Many roads were blocked and party supporters had a tough time accessing Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium,venue of the rally on account of the tight security.

    Some were molested by the security men.

    Some even had to leave after waiting in the scorching sun for several hours for the President who came behind schedule.

    He apologised for his late arrival.

  • Confab: Delegates plot to defy Presidency

    Confab: Delegates plot to defy Presidency

    As the National Conference enters its third week, there are indications that delegate may ignore President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive not to discuss issues bothering on the unity of the country.

    Some delegates, The Nation gathered, are already evaluating issues they consider to be critical to the continued existence of Nigeria as one nation.

    They want such issues to be thoroughly discussed at the conference regardless of government’s position on them.

    The Presidency, according to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, had declared that discussions about the oneness of Nigeria   are no-go-areas for the delegates.

    Anyim, in unveiling the modalities for the conference had said:  ”The national conference shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any material, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation; thus the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.”

    However, sources at the confab said some delegates want to push for the discussion of all issues.

    It was also gathered that steps are already being taken to convince more delegates into seeking the discussion of the no- go- areas.

    One source said: “I can authoritatively confirm to you that we are talking seriously about ensuring that the conference discusses all issues. There is no way we will come here and miss the opportunity to restructure Nigeria.

    “If we do that, we would have failed the people we came here to represent. While it is true that we were told not to discuss the unity of this country, I want to tell you that is one thing we cannot afford to leave un-discussed.

    “Nobody is bent on dividing the country but most of us are worried about how we should exist together as a nation. What we are saying is that unless we discuss the unity of this country, we will not be able to agree on how we want to live together.

    “It is not okay that we should continue to exist as a country on terms that are obviously not satisfactory to all the parties involved in the union.

    “It is because of this that we are now talking together on how to get the confab to set aside that directive and allow for the discussion of all issues without constraints and conditions. It is only when this is done that we can say we have achieved the intentions of a gathering such as this.”

    The Nation also gathered that some delegates met at a location in Abuja on Thursday to fine-tune strategies on how to lobby more delegates into the move to set aside the no –go-areas.

    A participant at the meeting said it was called by worried delegates to enlighten others on the need for swift action on how to set aside certain inhibitions that are likely to affect the outcome of the entire talk shop negatively.

    “I don’t want to agree that it was a secret meeting. This is because it was freely announced and discussed on the floor of the conference same day it was held.

    “I, for one, was not secretly invited. It was initiated by respected delegates here at the confab.

    “The discussions at the meeting bothered on how to ensure that we maximise the opportunity offered by the confab to satisfy the yearning s of our people.

    “It also discussed how to ensure that all issues that are needed to be discussed by a confab as this are tabled and thrashed out.

    “We resolved to continue to enlighten more of the delegates on the need to put Nigeria first before any other things. We agreed to reach out across all divides in the quest for thorough deliberation of the Nigerian questions.”

    A delegate representing one of the self determination groups at the conference confirmed the moves, said:”It is wrong to say what we are doing by discussing how to ensure the discussion of all issues is a new plot to defy anybody.

    “Did we sign any undertaking to come here and be guided by any restriction? Is this not a talk shop meant to fashion ways forward for us as a people and as one nation?

    “Please, tell me: how can we move forward in unity if we don’t get answers to the many questions hanging on our nationhood?

    “Even before the conference was inaugurated, our people had been saying they wanted all issues discussed. The records are there. All sections of the country canvassed the discussion of all issues.

    “The President General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo told the federal government that the organisation wouldn’t be restricted at the conference.

    “He declared that they would want all problems to be mentioned and discussed. That’s their position on it. Similarly, the Movement for the Realisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) said it was coming to the conference to table the demand for Biafra State.

    “You will also recall that the Odua Peoples Congress leader said each section of the constitution ought to be mentioned”.

  • Jonathan pushes for holistic approach to problems in Mali

    •Seeks free, fair election in Guinea Bissau

    President Goodluck Jonathan wants a holistic approach to the problems in Mali with a view to achieving sustainable peace and stability.

    He is also advocating free and fair elections in Guinea Bissau and the full support of all members of ECOWAS and other international partners for that country.

    He spoke at the closed door session of the 44th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government on Friday night in Cote d’Ivoire.

    Jonathan, who was a mediator in the Malian crisis along with his Burkina Faso counterpart, Blaise Compaore, said that having achieved some level of peace, Mali now requires tolerance, peaceful co- existence, unity and deliberate efforts to preserve its territorial integrity.

    He said: “It is clear that any strategy for settling the Malian issue has to be based on a holistic approach. We have a responsibility to continue to encourage the government and other parties to the Malian question to continue to exert their best efforts in the ongoing search for a definitive solution to the problems in Mali.”

    “In addressing the remaining issues in Mali, care must be taken to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of the country, even while room is created for the various groups to co exist peacefully”.

    On the situation in Guinea Bissau, he urged his colleagues and other international partners to give full support to the country to ensure the success of its forthcoming elections.

    All political groups and other stakeholders in the country, he said should ensure the polls are free and fair and to also accept the results in good faith.

    He encouraged the winners to form a government of national unity and the Armed Forces to stay away from governance and respect the new civilian order.

    Also at the conference were President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, Blaize Compaore of Burkina Faso, John Dramani Mahnma of Ghana, Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf of Liberia, Boni Yayi of Benin Republic,   Ibrahim Boukar Keita of Mali, Mahmadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and many others.

    The Ghanaian leader was also elected new chairman of ECOWAS during the 2- day conference.

    He took over from the host country’s leader, Alassane Outtara.

  • Senate screens Emefiele today

    The Senate may today screen President Goodluck Jonathan’s nominee for the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

    Also to be screened by the Senate in the Committee of the Whole is CBN’s Deputy Governor nominee, Mr. Adelabu Adebayo Adekola.

    According to a notice paper of the Senate obtained by The Nation yesterday, the Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba would move the motion for the screening and confirmation of the nominations.

    The order reads in part: “That the Senate do commit to the Committee of the Whole, the request of Mr. President, Commmander-In-Chief, for the confirmation of the following nominees for appointments as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in accordance with Section 81(1) and (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 2007.”

    Emefiele and Adekola and their positions were on the paper.

    Similarly, the Senate may today confirm Justice Zainab A. Bulkachuwa as the President of the Court of Appeal.

    Jonathan nominated Justice Bulkachuwa for the Appeal Court President.