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Tag: Prof. Jerry Gana

  • 2019 Presidency: Jerry Gana declares under SDP

    ...Laments Nigeria facing serious existential threat

     

     

    An aspirant for the 2019 Presidential poll under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof Jerry Gana, has warned that Nigeria is facing an existential threat in the proportion comparable to the end of Biafra war.

    Speaking while officially declaring interest to contest for the exalted position, the former Minister of Information expressed sadness on the level of crippling uncertainty everywhere in the country.

    He further cautioned that the present government has shown incompetence and lack of capability to turn around the drifting country, warning that Nigeria will implode if President Muhammadu Buhari returns for second term.

    Read Also:2019: Fresh crisis hits PDP as Jerry Gana, Adeniran, Orubebe, Turaki, others dump party for SDP

    The former chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) pointed out that apart from insecurity which has rendered human life brutish, short and nasty in the country, the asymmetrical war on corruption by the present government is fueling ethnic decadence.

    “Being a patriotic and committed democrat, who has carried a burden for the rapid development of our far nation for decades, I am deeply concerned at the very real prospect of Nigeria imploding unless our great party comes to the rescue with a God fearing, dynamic, untainted and credible leadership.

    “Nigeria is facing an existential threat, the seriousness and proportion of which have never been witnessed since the end of the war.

    “There is crippling uncertainty everywhere. People are suffering unprecedented and untold hardships as a result of arrested development. Insecurity that has rendered human life brutish, short and nasty is rampart across the zones, states, communities and villages.

    “Asymmetrical war on corruption is fueling further ethnic decadence, while anxiety, unpatriotism and poverty have coalesced into a creepy epidemic of self-doubt. In all of this, the current leadership of the nation, at the highest level of government seems unconcerned, incompetent or incapable of turning around the drift.

    “Since I joined politics in 1978 at the younger age in my early 30s, about 40 years ago, under the mentorship of the Greta Owelle Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the inspiration of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the tutelage of the emancipator chief Solomon Lar, the charismatic Alhaji Abubakar Rimi among many others right from my days in the Nigerian Senate, I have maintained a track record of performances.

    “I have maintained integrity, competence, character, capacity and respect to public office. These opportunities and exposure added to the fact that I have widely traveled across the length and breadth of the nation, many times by toad, I have a front row understanding of our country, as well as the wealth of experience have definitely placed me in a most very vantage position, for above several others, to remark Nigeria and deeply renew the hope of the people in the federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Having consulted and affirmed by my family, local community, friends and a cross-section of eminent citizens and stakeholders across the core national divides of ethnicity, religion and regions, I am convinced that this is the fit time for me to offer for this national assignment on the platform of our great party.

    “By my track record, my desire to seek to contest the election into the highest political office is not motivated by a quest for self-glorification nor aggrandizement, rather it is borne out of my patriotic zeal and conviction that with my pedigree, experience, skills and academic endowment, I can provide the requisite leadership to transform the fortunes of our people and change the trajectory of our country towards the attainment of our fullest potentials.

    “It is my hope and prayer that the party will positively note my interest as under your able leadership, it offers opportunities for service to our dear country, Nigeria,” he said.

    Responding, Dr Ishaq Abdul Ahmed, the Deputy National Chairman of SPD, who represented the National Chairman, Olu Falae, described Prof Gana as an asset to the party and the country.

  • PDP will move on without Adeniran, Gana – Babatope

    PDP will move on without Adeniran, Gana – Babatope

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said on Saturday the exit of Prof. Tunde Adeniran and Prof. Jerry Gana from the party would not diminish its strength.

    Babatope, a former Minister of Transport, stated this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Adeniran and Gana dumped the PDP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) recently.

    Babatope said although the two politicians contributed greatly to the PDP, the party should respect their decision to move on.

    He said there was no need calling for their return to the PDP as they were competent adults.

    “Prof. Adeniran and Prof. Gana were strong members of the PDP. Unfortunately, they have left and there is nothing anybody can do about that.

    “I am not one of those calling for their return to the PDP because they have the democratic right to join any party that suits them.

    “Again, they are competent and intelligent adults who must have reasoned very well before they took the decision.

    “Even though the feeling might not be too good, being that I have known them for long, especially Adeniran, I cannot fault or stop their decisions.

    “I believe the PDP will remain strong even with their exit, as the party was built on strong foundations and not personalities,’’ he said.

    NAN

     

  • PDP chair: Confusion as North splits over micro zoning

    PDP chair: Confusion as North splits over micro zoning

    There is confusion in the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) as cracks have emerged among party stakeholders in the North over plot by some elders in the party to micro zone the chairmanship slot to the South West zone.

    The party’s Caretaker Committee and the National Executive Committee (NEC) had already said the position should be open to interested aspirants from every parts of the South to contest.

    Crisis erupted in Abuja on Friday after a group led by a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, issued a communique declaring that party stakeholders in the North had micro zoned the position to the South West.

    But in a counter move, another group, led by Mallam Sani Kutigi disagreed with the Gana group, describing the declaration by the Gana group as “obnoxious and objectionable” plot to rail-road the region into illegality.

    The Gana group, at a meeting convened under the aegis of Northern Elders and Leaders Forum, had issued a communique’ after a marathon meeting that ended in the wee hours of Friday, declaring that the chairmanship slot had been micro zoned to the South West geopolitical zone.

    The communique’, dated December 1, 2017 and signed by a former Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and Mrs. Margaret Icheen, stated that the North had unanimously agreed to the micro zoning of the slot and urged delegates from the region to vote for only chairmanship candidates from the South West.

    The communique’ reads: “As we head to the national convention, the forum showed keen interest on the position of the National Chairman.

    “The forum received reports from the three geo-political zones of the region, regarding the micro-zoning of positions zoned to them, in line with the spirit of rotation. The forum resolved that capable and competent aspirants should be identified and supported.

    “After extensive deliberations, it was resolved that, in the spirit of fairness, equity, carrying every part of the country along, giving every geo-political zone a sense of participation and inclusion in the affairs of the PDP, we strongly support the quest of the South West geo-political zone to produce the next National Chairman of the party.

    “In line with our resolve to rebuild and reposition the PDP, we urge delegates from all the Northern states to abide by this decision and vote for only aspirants from the South West geo-political zone in the forthcoming national convention, in the best interest of the party. This is without prejudice to the right of aspirants from other geo-political zones to contest.”

    The Gana group is loyal to one of the chairmanship aspirants from the South West, Prof Tunde Adeniran, while the Kutigi group is loyal to an aspirant from the South South, Prince Uche Secondus.

    At a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, members of the Kutigi group, who also attended the meeting, accused Shekarau, Gana and others of betraying a mutual agreement not to micro-zone the position.

    According to Kutigi, Gana and his group lacked the authority to speak for the North on the matter, describing their action as an insult and a slap on the face of party members from the South.

    Read Also: PDP chair: South West may present consensus candidate – Adeniran

     

     

  • Breaking: Ali, Makarfi differ on zoning in PDP 

    Breaking: Ali, Makarfi differ on zoning in PDP 

    …Southwest should produce chairman, says Ali

    Prominent leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the three geopolitical zones in the North Tuesday urged adherence to the zoning arrangement agreed upon for the party’s national convention and 2019 general elections.

    Among others, the party has zoned its chairmanship slot to the South and the presidential ticket reserved for aspirants from the North.

    The party leaders, at an enlarged consultative meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, appealed to aspirants to various elective positions not to violate the zoning arrangement, saying the party paid dearly for such violations in the 2015 presidential election.

    But there was disagreement.

    While a former National Chairman Dr. Ahmadu Ali argued in favour of electing the next chairman from the Southwest geopolitical zone, Caretaker Chairman Ahmed Makarfi said the position was zoned to the South and that micro zoning is not binding.

    Ali said: “It’s either we choose our next national chairman from the Southwest or we forget about PDP”, adding that the zone had yet to occupy the chairmanship position since the formation of the party in 1998.

    “We must be ready to ensure that at the convention, the main issue, which is the national chairmanship of the party, is well handled. If we don’t vote the South-West, we can as well forget the PDP.”

    Ali maintained that the way forward for the PDP is to remain united and warned against unauthorised divisive meetings among certain members for selfish reasons.

    Makarfi restated the commitment of the party to respect the various zoning arrangements, adding however that those bent on going against the zonin arrangement should allowed to please themselves.

    Makarfi said: “The Port Harcourt convention decisions remain valid and one of the decisions taken at that convention was zoning.  But microzoning does not have a binding effect.

    “If a position is zoned to the North and you are from the North and you come to buy form, we will sell for you. Don’t forget that people will not get tired of taking the PDP to court”.

    Another former National Chairman Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, called for sanctions against members that go against the party’s zoning arrangement.

    Haliru added that going against the party’s zoning arrangement should no longer be tolerated; saying doing so amounted to disobedience and disloyalty that must be addressed by the leadership.

    The ex-party chair called for sanctions against Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, who declared his intention to run for President, noting that “zoning and rotation are part of the PDP Constitution. We must adhere to them if we are to keep this party alive.

    “There are people who are bent on contesting whether the office is zoned to their place or not. We must discuss with the South, so that anybody who goes against zoning can be punished. We cannot afford to have people come to the convention and make a fool of themselves and ridicule the party”.

    Former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu described the north as one with the required number to decide who becomes the next chairman.

    “We in the North have the number and we will decide who eventually becomes the national chairman from any part of the South. We have done it before and we are going to do it again”, Ayu said.

    A former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana warned against impunity and imposition of candidates to avoid a repeat of past mistakes.

    “I want to appeal to you to give to the party the very best in the positions that have been zoned to us. Let us therefore give to the party, men and women of impeccable integrity.

    “Whatever the Fayoses of this world may be doing, the party has resolved that the presidential candidate will come from one of the three zones in the north”.

    A former Special Duties Minister, Dr. Kabiru Taminu insisted that zoning was one of the principles recognised and entrenched in the party’s constitution.

    Makarfi lauded the sacrifice made by delegates to the meeting.

    Makarfi called for unity among members as the surest way for the PDP to regain power in 2019.

    The chairman announced the decision of the Osun State chapter of the Labour Party to join the PDP as part of the reconciliation efforts.

    Also present at the enlarged meeting were former Governors Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada (Kogi); ex-Governor Ramalan Yero (Kaduna); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina).

    Others include former Ministers Abba Moro, Adamu Maina Waziri Zainab Maina and Chief Fidelis Tapgun.

    A former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu, former National Woman Leader, Ina Ciroma and the chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin also attended the meeting.

  • Gana to deliver Oyo varsity’s convocation lecture

    A former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana is to deliver the 9th convocation lecture of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, scheduled to hold on October 12.

    Mr. Alvan Ewuzie, a Senior Assistant Registrar, Public Relations, said this in a statement in Ibadan yesterday.

    He said that the politician and former minister of information would deliver a lecture entitled ‘Building a culture of academic excellence in Nigerian Universities.’

    The lecture is scheduled to hold at the institution’s law auditorium.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) three eminent personalities would be conferred with the honourary degrees during the convocation scheduled to hold on Oct. 13, in appreciation of their various contributions to the development of the state and the country.

    They are: Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,  wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, and a businessman, Chief Tunde Afolabi.

     

  • Bello meets ex-governor Aliyu, ministers, others

    Bello meets ex-governor Aliyu, ministers, others

    Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, met with former Governor of the state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, and ministers from the state on Tuesday.

    The meeting, which took place behind closed doors in the Government House in Minna, lasted over two hours.

    Present at the meeting were the Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Kuye, ex- Minister of Agriculture, Sheik Abdullah, former Ministers of Sports, Barr. Hassan Gimba and Engr. Sani Ndanusa, former Minister of Internal Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Achituwo, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Hajiya Zaynab Kuchi and former Minister of State for Agriculture Hajiya Asmau Asabe Ahmed.

    Others were former military officers including Gen. Garba Duba, Gen. Idris Garba, Col. Aminu Isa Kontagora, Col. Fidelis Marka and former military governor of Katsina State, Col. John Yahaya Madaki.

    Former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Shem Nuhu Zagbayi, and ex- governor Aliyu’s deputy, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto, completed the list.

    Journalists, who got wind of the meeting, were earlier barred from entering the Government House by security men who claimed they were “acting on instruction from above.”

    It, however, took the intervention of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Jide Orintunsin, before the security men granted some journalists access to the Government House premises.

    Addressing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Madaki said the meeting was at the instance of Governor Bello.

    According to him, the meeting was designed to intimate them on the state government’s programmes and policies.

    “The meeting had a four- point agenda which deliberated on the ‘state of the state’, the internally generated revenue, infrastructural decay and security.

    “A five- man advisory committee was constituted to offer innovative advice and dynamic perspectives as well as wise counsels on how to improve the economy, infrastructures and security of the state,” the former military governor stated.

     

     

     

  • Middle Belt backs 12 regional structures for Nigeria

    Middle Belt backs 12 regional structures for Nigeria

    A group of northern leaders under the auspices of the Middle Belt Forum Thursday rose from their meeting in Abuja to propose a 12 regional structure as federating units for the country, resolving to support the restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

    They Middle Belt leaders who discussed key issues such as restructure of the federation, devolution of powers and appropriate revenue formula for the Federating units believe that the new regional structure should be based on the old regional block.

    President of the Forum and former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana said the region is in strong support of allowing Federating units to control their resources and to develop at their own pace.

    They condemned the quit notice given to Nigerians from the South East, describing it as totally unconstitutional and unacceptable, expressing their unalloyed loyalty to the Nigerian federation and therefore not ready to dump the country.

    In a communique at the end of their meeting, the Middle Belt leaders insisted that in the event that other regions decides to quit the union, they would rather remain and retain Abuja as its capital.

    The communique which was read by the National Secretary of the Forum, John Dara, the leaders said they noted that some of the fundamental issues fueling crisis in the country have been adequately resolved at the 2014 National Conference.

    “We strongly support the demand for the restructure of the federation, together with appropriate devolution of powers to the Federating units and a commensurate revenue allocation formula.

    “We urge the Federal Government to take appropriate and urgent steps to ensure full implementation of resolutions and recommendations contained in the conference report as this will promote peace.

    “We denounce in the strongest possible terms, recent calls and threats to Nigerians from the South-East living in the northern states to move back to their areas of Orin. Being free, equal and legitimate citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, such class on South Easterners are totally unconstitutional and unacceptable.

    While maintaining that they would remain in Nigeria, the leaders said that, “in the catastrophic event of other components of Nigeria insisting to be entirely on their own. We resolutely wish to remain and continue to be the Federal Republic of Nigeria with our capital at Abuja, ” the forum said.

    Addressing the meeting earlier, Prof. Gana disagreed with the position of the former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Ahmadu Ali that the reason the north rejected the report of the 2014 national conference membership was skewed in favour of the south, pointing out that as one of those consulted by the organizers on the modalities, he can vouch that there was deliberate attempt to give the south any edge.

    He said that what happened was that membership at the 2014 conference was equitably distributed across the geopolitical zones but that the organizers decided that they are not going to interfere in the nominees by professional bodies.

    Among the leaders who attended the meeting were Prof. Angela Okatashi, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Air Commodore Dan Sulieman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, John Dara and Air Comodore Isaac Alpha.

     

  • Obasanjo, Gana, others celebrate Badejo at 70

    Friends, well-wishers and religious leaders gathered last weekend to celebrate Pastor Wilson Badejo, the immediate past General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel church, Nigeria.

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, chairman of the occasion described the septuagenarian as a “good man” who performed well in all his endeavors.  “As a farmer, he performed well, as a pastor he did the same, he is also a good family man”, Obasanjo said.

    He went on to recount his many years of friendship with the Ogun State born farmer cum pastor, “I learned a lot from Dr. Badejo, when I left office as an unwanted Head of State, I needed something to do and all the lessons I got from him about the farming business were put into practice.”  He also declared that Badejo was the one praying for his release while in jail.

    Similarly, former Vice Presidential aspirant and convener of Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the guest speaker of the program described Badejo as “a man of many parts” who has lived a “purposeful life”. He described him as a mentor with whom he has had a great relationship over the years and the man who commissioned his church, Latter Rain Assembly.

    Former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana who was the chief launcher for Wilson Badejo’s newly written book, ‘My Spiritual Odyssey’ described him as a man of honour who speaks the truth at all times.

    Former Deputy Governor in charge of Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, Archbishop Lanre Obembe of  Elshadai Bible Church and Pastor Yomi Kasali of  Foundation of Truth Assembly were some of the dignitaries that graced the event.

  • PDP not diminished by loss of power – Jonathan 

    PDP not diminished by loss of power – Jonathan 

    • Anenih: Party plagued by selfish interests 

    The loss of power at the centre in the 2015 general election has not diminished the electoral value of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

    Jonathan, who stated this in Abuja while receiving a delegation of PDP chieftains at his private evidence, said the party would work hard to get back to power in 2019.

    The former President harped on the need for the present administration to strengthen national institutions, stressing that the nation can only grow when the institutions are strengthened.

    “No nation can grow with weakened institutions,” Jonathan said, adding that existing political parties also required reforms to strengthen their structures.

    The former President buttressed his call for strong institutions with the case of the United States, where President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Muslims was upturned by the courts.

    He assured the party chieftains of his willingness to make himself available for contributions towards rebuilding and repositioning the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Jonathan welcomed the idea of direct primaries to elect the party’s candidates for general elections, as enunciated by the party chieftains.

    He, however, pointed out that direct primaries do present serious challenges, particularly with the number of voters involved. Rather, he canvassed enlarged and broad-based delegate system from the ward level.

    Speaking at a separate venue, a former chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, blamed the sorry state of the PDP on the pursuit of selfish interests by chieftains of the party.

    Anenih, who also received the party’s delegation at his private residence in Abuja regretted that the PDP had missed many opportunities to organise the party.

    “Everybody wants to be national chairman, everybody wants to be the presidential candidate in the pursuit of personal interests and ambitions”, Anenih stated.

    Chief Anenih faulted the decision of the party leaders to wait for the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the leadership tussle between the PDP Caretaker Committee and the Ali Modu Sheriff camp.

    “Why must you wait for the Appeal Court to deliver judgment before you can organise yourselves as a party,” he queried, adding that the party should start its rebranding process right now.

    According to him, many of the politicians that destroyed the PDP have now found themselves in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the APC only exists in the pages of newspapers.

    “When things go a little bit wrong, the next thing they do is to move to another political party. I never believed leaving my political party to join another”, he said.

    He advised the leadership of the PDP to strive hard to rebuild the party and make it strong enough to challenge the APC in the 2019 elections. 

    Anenih continued, “You need to build a strong PDP because the APC is nowhere today. It only exists in the pages of newspapers. We need a strong opposition and constructive criticism to move forward.

    “The PDP has a chance to choose a leader that will lead the country when President Muhammadu Buhari finishes his tenure. God will help us to choose the leader that will lead Nigeria”.

    The Edo-born politician who called it quit with active partisan politics late 2016, observed that the governors elected on the platform of the PDP were not doing enough to help the party.

    He stressed the need for them to be making monthly financial contributions towards the running of the party, saying, “you can’t do anything without money”.

    Chief Anenih enjoined the party leaders to strive ensure a credible convention to elect committed leaders to run the affairs of the party.

    A former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who also received the delegation expressed delight that the PDP had kept faith with democracy.

    He, however, observed that certain negative tendencies had continued to hinder the growth and progress of the PDP.

    Tukur enjoined the party leaders to shun ethnicity and religious bigotry to able the PDP face the challenge of providing strong and credible front to win the 2019 general elections.

    The leader of the delegation, Prof Jerry Gana, had earlier presented the report of the party’s Strategy Review and Inter-Party Relations Committee to the hosts during the visit.

    He had expressed reservations about the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as it is presently constituted.

    According to him, INEC aid being controlled by the APC led Federal Government, saying however that a summit of opposition parties was in the offing and that the issue of partisanship on the part of the INEC would be tacked at the summit.

  • ‘Nigerians are regretting voting PDP out of power’

    ‘Nigerians are regretting voting PDP out of power’

    The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has said that Nigerians have been regretting voting PDP out of power in the 2015 general elections.
    According to him, some Nigerians are already apologising for voting the party out, saying however that there have another opportunity to vote the PDP back in power in 2019.
    Makarfi who spoke at a party function in Abuja on Wednesday, said the PDP was in the process of rebranding and re-strategising ahead of 2019.
    He said: “We are reviewing and rebranding the party, it is only the judgment in Port Harcourt we are waiting for and we are praying for a fair judgment that will revive the hope of the people.
    “Justice should be done and seen to be done in a manner that the whole would will see that the judiciary is doing the right thing.
    “If you eliminate or encumber the opposition, nobody will be safe. It is for the interest of Nigeria that there is opposition.
    “Some people are already apologising for voting us out of office, but we are telling them to vote for us again.”
    He advised his fellow party members to criticise wisely and to also come up with alternative policy options. He warned party members against blackmail.
    Makarfi assured that the party will reconcile on a strong foundation, stressing that the PDP would avoid loopholes in its reconciliation drive.
    Earlier, Chairman of the party’s Strategy Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said the party had covered a lot of ground in resolving the leadership crisis in party.
    According to him, party members across the nation have given support to the caretaker committee, adding “We trust that very soon, judgment will be delivered and the party will move forward.