The Nation Newspaper

Tag: reactions

  • Mixed reactions trail lawmakers’ quest for immunity

    Many politicians yesterday condemned moves by the House of Representatives to pass a bill to guarantee lawmakers’ immunity from court action on their utterances during plenary.

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, criticised the move.

    Ogundokun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the universal convention was that the lawmakers were not liable for their utterances at plenary and at committee sittings.

    He said: “The rights and privileges of what you say in the house begins and ends there.”

    The National Chairman of Kowa Party, Malam Umar Mustapha, said that the bill had portrayed the law makers in a bad light.

    Mustapha said: “It is like seeking protection against criminality and if they do not have anything to hide, they have better things than passing a redundant bill.

    “The 2015 elections is round the corner, let them put in place laws that will enhance good governance, social and economic development and job creation, rather than immunity law.”

    The former National Chairman of the de-registered National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr. Yunusa Tanko, condemned the move by the lawmakers.

    He said the move was very insulting on the intelligence of all Nigerians.

    He said debating such bill did not make any sense as it had turned Nigerian lawmakers to laughing stocks.

    Tanko said the initiative was absurd and least expected from legislators.

    The National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Mr Osita Okechukwu, said immunity of the parliament was a universal convention.

    He said the bill had created the impression that they don’t understand their work.

    “The bill is self-serving and a way to cover up their shortcomings and abuse their privileges as lawmakers,” he said.

    Okechukwu said even the governors that had protection under immunity clause were using it to the detriment of good governance.

     

  • Yakowa: Reactions from Kaduna

    Yakowa: Reactions from Kaduna

    Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi

    From God we came and to Him we shall return. No one knows

    the time we would go back to our creator, all we should do now is to pray for him, do everything possible to console and condole with the people of Kaduna State so that we take his death as an issue beyond us, but an issue that can further reunite us for the peace, stability and development of the state. I did not see any change in our relationship after he became governor, it was a stable one. I have not seen any attitudinal change in him since when he served as my secretary to state government, deputy governor and my governor. Overall, it was a relationship built on honesty, commitment and respect for one another he was very hardworking. It is a sad loss particularly when we look at what we are going through. But he was a big gift to us from the beginning to the end. He was humble, a complete gentleman and had wonderful plans for the state. If he had lived longer, certainly we would have witnessed tremendous changes in Kaduna State.”

    Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, Kaduna State Chairman of PDP

    We are going to swear in a new governor today (Sunday). I crave the indulgence of all the people of Kaduna State and party members in particular to be very loyal to him as they were loyal and respectful to the former governor. Before he travelled on Saturday, he was talking about 2015 and he said 2015 belongs to God does not belong to him and it is true. For those that knows him, he is a man of peace before and after the election he has always told people that his ambition is to see that there is free and fair election in Kaduna State and by the grace of God we had the most peaceful election both the primaries and the main election and I am happy it was achieved within the short time he was governor of Kaduna state. He took the party serious and believed in the supremacy of the party, he took the party leadership in high esteem. I condole with the people of Kaduna state over his death but it is the will of God we cannot challenge it and there is nothing we can do about it anyway.”

    Aboki Galadima, Yakowa’s Chief of Staff

    It is most tragic, most untimely and extremely painful. Moreso that he is been preaching peace, unity and development he is such a wonderful bridge builder within and outside the state he is becoming the symbol of our unity as a state and as a people because he is completely detribalised and unbiased in terms of religion. His death is so painful and untimely. What we would miss most in him is his drive and passion for unity of the people and to cause development to reach the grassroots areas that have not been touched before. He started this in places like Rigasa and Hanyin Danmani areas that have been neglected, he was just beginning to touch their lives and make them aware that government is conscious of their being in the state and would do everything to bring development to them and make them part of the state.

    Alhaji Yaro Farakwai, Former Speaker, Kaduna House of Assembly

    It Is not a loss to only the people of Kaduna State but to the entire country. I don’t know how to describe his death but words is not enough to describe the impact of his death. I pray almighty God to give his family and the people of the state the fortitude to bear the loss. The expectation is that they have lost a father and a leader so people will be sad and worried. This thing (his death) is something that has been destined by God something that we will all go through we should take heart and pray for him.

    Chief of Kagoro, Ufuwai Bonet

    This is a very sad moment of our lives. The late governor Yakowa tried his best during the various crises in the state in his efforts in bringing the different shades of people of the state together as one. He will be surely remembered for his love for peace. He brought in development as well and we hope that his deputy, now the governor will continue from where he stopped.

    Chief of Kagoma, Col Paul Wyom (rtd) Yakowa’s Traditional Ruler

    It is very difficult to give the account of the governor. The last time that I saw him was during the Local Government election in the state, that is on December 1, 2012. That was the moment that I will never forget in my life. He was a seasoned civil servant. He will be remembered for being the first civilian governor of Kaduna from the Southern part of the state and he will also be remembered for his prudent management of state resources.

    Bishop Joseph Bagobiri

    A monumental loss of a gentle, God-fearing and self-less leader who ran an all-inclusive government where no persons were excluded on the basis of religion and ethnicity.

     Adamu Mashal, Secretary General, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU)

    The loss of Yakowa is of monumental pain to all of us in Kaduna State and not just the people of southern Kaduna. His coming INto office was a divine intervention and God knows why He has to take him now. We also believe in the same God to show us the way forward. Yakowa did a lot to balance the contending interests in the state more than any other governor or any other person before him. I can tell you that the northern part of the state will miss the balancing factor in Yakowa more than any other part of the state and I must tell you that even those who don’t like him will miss him greatly. Right now, we are grieving. He has strived to bring justice and fairness to all sections of the state. It is a vacuum that will be difficult to fill and words cannot say what he has been able to do in the last two years. As for the politics of the state, let us leave that for another day.

    Jonathan Asake, former Member, House of  Representatives

    Yakowa was a very prudent, transparent and humble governor. He had a lot of experience and brought all to bear in the governance of the state. He came to meet a state with a profile of debt and worked hard to make it debt free and was able to embark on projects that have direct bearing on the people of the state. For the people of southern Kaduna, we will miss him a lot because it was a long struggle to have one of our own in southern Kaduna as governor and that aspiration has vanished. He knew them (southern Kaduna people) very well they knew him. The state will miss him as a balance and just leader. His exit will no doubt affect the politics of 2015 because there will be a resufflement. Yero will definitely come with his own programmes and would want to write his own name in gold. I am sure he will want to continue some of the projects that his predecessor started and adjust those that does not fit into his programme or change them.

    Mrs. Charity Shekari, Wife of late Deputy Governor, Stephen Shekari

    Yakowa was truthful and committed to the cause of everyone in Kaduna state. He did not have the nature or pedigree of wanting to amass wealth. Everybody was equal in his sight. He did not believe in acquiring wealth and was committed to the development of Kaduna state. We will miss him greatly.

    Mohammed Musa Soba, Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

    It is very said. The death of Sir Patrick Yakowa is a great loss of unquantifiable magnitude to all lovers of peace and development. He was an excellent administrator with a patriotic passion for the development of Kaduna state and the country. He understood the concept of opposition politics and was never antagonistic towards critics of his administration. He was simple and a dedicated patriot who was interested in moving the state forward and he did all within his power to achieve that. We pray for the repose of his soul and pray God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

  • Mixed reactions in Akure, Ondo

    Mixed reactions in Akure, Ondo

    Mixed reactions yesterday trailed the Ondo State governorship election results announced by the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Akure.

    At 12.26 pm, Daramola; the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure declared Governor Olusegun Mimiko winner of the poll, saying he polled the majority of the votes cast by the electorate.

    There was jubilation in Akure and Ondo by Labour Party (LP) supporters who danced round the cities.

    The LP agent at the final collation centre, Dr. Ben. Enikuomehin, said the results reflected the views, wishes and expectations of the voters.

    However, his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) counterpart, Mr. Idowu Otetubi, disagreed with Enikuomehin, saying the election was marred by irregularities in some local governments.

    He did not give details of the irregularities and the affected councils, saying he would submit a comprehensive report to the party leadership on his findings. Otetubi said: “The results have been presented. But we have detected some irregularities in the poll. I will present my report to the leadership of the party for consideration and decision.”

    Enikuomehin, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defector to the LP, hailed the election, saying it was free and fair.

    He praised the INEC and security agencies for their patriotism, adding that democratic elections have become a reality in Nigeria.

    Enikuomehin said: “The poll was transparent, credible, free and fair. It reflected the true wishes of the people. It is an affirmation that they preferred the governor and LP. The task before the governor is to continue to work for the people of Ondo State. There is a lot of work to be done.”

    Addressing a crowd of supporters who visited him at the Government House, Alagbaka in Akure, Governor Mimiko thanked the people for re-electing him.

    He hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for fulfilling his promise to encourage free and fair elections in the country.

    Mimiko dedicated his victory to the “democracy-loving people of the state”, promising to serve them better in the second term.

    He added: “The election was free, fair and credible. It reflected the wishes of the Ondo State people for continuity. I appeal to my co-contestants to join me in the task of building the state and taking it to a greater height. I will break the jinx of non-performing second term governors.”