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  • 2017: Chances, threats

    2017: Chances, threats

    Last year was quite challenging for Nigerians. Now, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. In this report, many observers express hope that the government will tackle the challenges this year. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE reports. 

    There are a number of challenges that require the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s attention this year. These challenges include the economic recession, insecurity, unemployment, decayed infrastructure, power outage, poor refineries and coruption. Some stakeholders, who have suggested solutions to these problems, believe that the solutions are not too far to seek. They include: The Lagos State Labour Party Chairman,  Pastor Biodun Popoola; All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; Afenifere chieftain, Yinka Odumakin; Lagos State  PDP chieftain Hajia Tolani Animasahun; Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Edo State APC chieftain, John Otaru.

    Popoola

    Popoola said the administration has lost the opportunity to make a difference in the last 18 months, with countless policy somersaults, budget padding, executive recklessness, political witch-hunting, selective approach and narrow mindedness to national issues. He said: “We had the Fulani herdsmen and their merciless killings, political turmoil, inconclusive elections and rigging, hunger, fiscal impropriety, corruption and battered economy etc.

    “The nation is more polarised than it has ever been in my lifetime, along tribal, religious and political divides. So, in 2017, it is expected that this government will allow peace, love and unity to reign. It should nullify tension and violence in the land by retracing its footsteps and putting in place socially connecting nexus of interdependence that will deepen our need for one another.

    “It should enlist and embrace potentials that can help in the holistic review and overhauling of all government service sectors and institution in other to open up possibilities of progress built on selfless service and accountability.

    “As at today, the Naira is N490 to a dollar because of the restrictive interpretation and policies of government as well as its manipulation of the Naira. So, the government should please allow the Naira to breathe the air of freedom, have a natural flow which can induce business growth and the empowerment of the real sector economy. Government should take a cue from USA President elect, Donald Trump who included a Nigerian in his economic team.

    “Therefore, the President should juggle or sack the present cabinet in other to bring in men and women of professional excellence from home and abroad, to help Nigeria come out of this deplorable climate of hopelessness, hunger and starvation, especially with several months of unpaid salaries by all levels of government.

    “He should imbibe the principle of “come let’s all reason together”. Hungry and poor Nigerians are tired of Mr. President’s countless reassurances that lack repository values and dividend of democracy.

    “Corruption is not just stealing or bribery. Therefore, the President should understand that the best way to fight corruption is not the way he has chosen to pursue the cause. With his style, Nigerians are getting more confused, if he is truly fighting corruption or his perceived enemies.

    “So, he needs to go back to the drawing board and stop wasting the poor tax payers’ money with sensational newspaper trials. He should set up powerful machinery bought into by the state governors and all government institutions. By so doing, correction will reach all fabrics of the society.  He also should know that for the corruption crusade to be successful, he needs to generate a framework that will include the traditional and religious leaders. If you ask me, I will ask him to invite all these thieves in high places for a function, out a gun on their head and ask them to return what have been ascertained as illegally acquired.

    “The government over time has turned elections held into a war zone of reoccurring decimal and atmosphere of violence, killings, manipulation and war. Till date many state governors are yet to conduct the local government election while the federal government has turned a blind eye to it.

    “No nation can transverse over and above the limitations placed again it growth except it has the full compliments of her political machinery and organs.”

    Momoh

    Prince Momoh said Nigerians will increasingly come to term with the President’s plans to ensure that the country gets back on course. He said the problems being encountered by Nigerians are not peculiar, as the same problems are being experienced globally.

    His words: “There is hunger in the land, just as there is hunger in the world, insurgency everywhere, including Nigeria. We have armed robbery and hostage takings; all these areas are what welcome President Buhari to office. In the New Year, we will witness increasing return to a secured terrain. There will be attempts at understanding Buhari approach to security and economic development. In securing the land, government has deployed all that is required. Land that is not secured cannot be developed in terms of infrastructure. Nigerians will now understand the ways of government better.

    “Buhari, a very quiet, not loud; despite what people say, he wants Nigerians to witness what is happening. He tried to speak the language that communicates and that is the language of food. So, only food communicates effectively to the hungry. In other words, if you want food, grow it. Nobody will lend you money anyway, because of the recession. There is no money to import food, so go and grow the food. Look at what is happening; go to the area where food is grown, they are celebrating. They are selling their food at a cost high enough for them to act like city people.

    “The governance style of Buhari is stretching out for people to know that it is not only political appointments that empower people, but going back to the farm. Look at the celebration this year, for the first time in many years, there is no fuel queue during Christmas. These things are quietly coming to stabilise life as we ought to be experiencing it. The people will understand it more during the year, because things will work better and change will dawn on many people in the New Year.”

     

    Babatope

    Babatope cautioned Buhari to ensure that he puts an end to hunger that is killing many Nigerians in 2017. He said: “He must arrest the situation; he must stop this callous situation in the country. Nigerians are dying of hunger and he must do something about this situation that has become hopeless. The expectation that heralded is coming to office has dwindled because of failed policies. There is urgent need to reverse the trend and he must rise to the occasion.

    “But, as far as the PDP is concerned, we are prepared to cooperate with the government, as long as it does what is right to the people. We are going to cooperate to ensure that the country is rid of recession, poverty, starvation and hunger.

    “If this path is not followed, we shall continue to constructively oppose the Buhari’s regime, until Nigerians see the need to show it the way out. The government must brace up, it must wake up to its campaign promises and do what is right, so that the people can be relieved of the worrisome hunger and starvation in the land.”

    Musa

    Musa said government cannot ignore what is happening in the country, particularly since it failed in the last 18 months to change the country’s socio-economic and political system. He said: “The country needs a reconstruction that will stem insecurity, provide employment opportunities to the youth who have become terrorists overnight. Judging from the performance of the government, it has not met the expectation of the people.

    “The situation has become so worrisome that the people cannot cope with the situation. We cannot continue with this unwholesome development, this rat race, survival of the fittest method entrenched by government policies. The situation we are in today calls for action from the government. The people are running out of patient.

    “There are fundamental flaws in respect of government policies. They need to be reviewed  in order to bail the country out of the economic recession. Government which has run out of idea will definitely be in the bad book of the people. Nigerians want to see security, food and shelter provided at very minimal cost. This regime must wake up in the New Year to tackle the problems it inherited and those it created because of policies that run in negation of what the people want.”

    Odumakin

    Odumakin said the government tried to combat terror and recorded some successes, by tackling Boko Haram insurgents and driving them away from territories they had held in the past.

    He added: “But, in terms of human rights abuse, I think the score card was not good enough. Look at the case of the Shiite, which the government has clamped down on.  If we look at the Southeast and the agitation for Biafra, there were cases of human rights abuses. The detention of the likes of Nnamdi Kanu and other leaders of those agitating for a change has not portrayed the regime in good light. The detention of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) is not good enough. Things like these are not expected in a democracy.

    “I think in the New Year, government should pay more attention in this regard by showing that sufficient attempts have been made to follow the rule of law. We must make sure that the citizen’s rights are obeyed. The government must promote peace by ensuring that due process is followed in dealing with the citizenry.

    “The government that failed to respect the rights of the people to express its inalienable rights is stoking the fire of instability, the government should be humane enough to engage aggrieved parties in dialogue and play the fatherly role expected of it. We expect that 2017 will provided the enabling environment for better human rights expression and provision of environment that will embrace dialogue.”

     

    Animasahun

    Animasahun said the government can do better in the new year by showing the understanding. She said: “The people deserve to be happy, because the previous years were full of pains. The people have been at the receiving end of government policies. They have faced untold hardship with their take home hardly taking them home.

    “The people want to see years of politics without bitterness; they want their votes to count during elections, they want to have electricity without tears. They want better housing policy that will make them become landlords and landladies.

    “They look forward to the crashing prices of essential commodities and building materials. Once the people can take care of their feeding, they will have less time to think of what government could not provide for them. As long as basic essentials are lacking in the homes of Nigerians, no matter what the government tries to do, it will not enjoy the support of the people. Women equally want more political participation in the years ahead. They should be given every support they deserve to climb to the top of their career.

    “Women help in building society because they care for the home front. If their impact at home is unattractive, it will reflect in the society. In view of this important role, government and politicians across party lines should reserve more position and remove encumbrances that will gag the rise of women in 2017.”

    Dabiri-Erewa

    Dabiri-Erewa is optimistic that government will do everything to protect its citizens in the New Year. She said: “Nigerians would be encouraged to tap into opportunities available at home. It is going to be a year of economic turn-around and bumper harvest considering the efforts made by government. Investors who are willing to invest in the country will be encouraged to do that.

    “The President has vowed to flush out terrorists and I believe he is not relenting in this direction. The country will be much safe for its citizens and foreigners alike in the New Year. To achieve this, all hands must be on the deck to stabilize the polity. The cooperation of the people is highly demanded and as long as everybody wakes up to his or her responsibilities, things are going work out well for the benefit of all. The citizens would be protected from internal and external threat and we therefore seek the cooperation of all.”

    Otaru 

    Otaru said there is no doubt that 2017 will usher progress. With particular reference to Edo State, he said Governor Godwin Obaseki will not let the people down. He said: “We thank God that despite the campaign of calumny by the PDP to hijack the state at all cost, they failed.

    “Since Edo is in alignment with the Federal Government, the state will witness another remarkable progress just like we have in the days of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The Federal budget for the year indicated that the people are the cornerstone of government plan. I am very confident that this year will be better.  Though, government may not necessarily increase the salary of workers, it should cushion the effect of recession by promoting agro allied economy.”

  • How ranches can stop herdsmen’s threats

    How ranches can stop herdsmen’s threats

    The Federal Government is facing the challenge of cattle rearers across the country. To solve the problem, stakeholders are advocating the establishment of cattle ranches, with the goal of modernising livestock husbandry and inducing pastoralists to settle in one place. DANIEL ESSIET writes.

    These are trying times for farmers who are threatened by the activities of nomadic herdsmen.

    These herdsmen, believed to come from the Fulani ethnic group with their large number of cattles, engage in nefarious activities, such as the destruction of farm crops, arable land, pollution of water bodies, as well as killing and maiming of farmers who dare to stand against them. It is said that they rape innocent women in the communities as well. In some cases, clashes between the herdsmen and farmers have resulted in loss of lives and properties.

    To address this growing tension and prevent its aggravation, stakeholders are calling for immediate action to prevent  the problem escalating to a full blown national crisis.

    Right now, there are two bills before the National Assembly. The Bill for an Act to establish the National Grazing Route and Reserve Commission, to establish and control Grazing Routes and Reserves in all parts of Nigeria; and for Other Matters Related Thereto (HB, 388), and the Bill for an Act to create a Department of Cattle Ranches under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, or any such Ministry Overseeing the Production and Rearing of Cattle; and for Other Matters Related Thereto (HB 323).

    But  some  stakeholders  do not agree with the  idea of grazing  routes and areas; rather,  they are pushing for cattle ranches as a means of ending recurring conflicts between herdsmen and farmers. Ranching is the practice of raising herds of animals on large tracts of land. Currently, ranching and livestock industry is growing faster than any other agricultural sector in the world. This is practiced in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

    Worldwide, private organisations and individuals establish cattle ranches. In most of the arrangements, a group of people jointly hold title to land, maintain agreed herd sizes, and own livestock individually, but herd them together.

    Speaking on the issue, the President of the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr. Victor Iyama, said that cattle raised within the ranches are well fed. Within a ranch, the managers ensure that livestock have grass to graze, good water to drink, and that they are in the right pasture that allows grazed plants time to recover and become highly productive.

    Iyama said Nigeria needs cattle ranches across major parts of the North as practiced in Australia.

    Such businesses, he said, will have   sheds, machinery, accommodation for workers, vegetable gardens. Cattle ranches will also house meat processing plants.

    Apart from reducing the problem of clashes with communities,  large-scale cattle ranching create jobs for farmers, veterinarians, mechanics, and engineers, he said, adding that moving cattles around is not the best for livestock management.

    He described the practice as ‘cruelty to animals, having to walk them for miles in search for grazing areas, stressing that there is no way in Australia with the largest number of cattle population in the world that cattle herdsmen would move animals around.

    Iyama said the absence of the law regulating movement of cattle has led to criminals masquerading as herdsmen and getting away with criminal activities such as destruction of farms.

    He said a lot of waste lands along the nation’s economic routes cannot be used by conventional agriculture, adding that the government can support private investors to take over those areas and convert them to cattle ranches. According to him, there are massive hectares of land along the Lagos –Ibadan axis  and the road to the north that are wasting that can be converted by private Nigerians into cattle ranches.

    He said Australia has been able to curtail cattle herdsmen and communal conflict because of its large cattle stations with cattle farms covering thousands of square kilometers.

    This ensures peaceful co-existence between crop farmers and animal farmers, particularly herdsmen.

    With drought conditions and high feed prices creating havoc for many cattle herdsmen. Feed costs have escalated in dramatic proportions, and in some cases farmers are struggling to be able to acquire feed at all.

    To address this, Iyama is launching a national initiative to help cattle herdsmen feed herds from hydroponically grown feed, saying that  the hydroponic feed will provide a highly nutritious and cost effective living feed for cattle on the ranches.

    The feed will be grown from barley and other seeds, which are placed in climatically controlled hydroponic unit.It takes 6 days for the seeds to germinate into a mat of nutritious fresh green barley shoots.

    He said it is his expectation that  the system will provide a consistent, daily supply of fresh feed. With this system, he explained that there was no need to move cattle around the country.

    His thoughts are shared by  other stakeholders who believe  as   urban  consumers  became more  demanding,  especially  in  the  area  of  hygiene,  the  balance  of  the  market   will shift  against pastoralists and towards enclosed systems.

    One of them is the Chief Executive, Centre for Cocoa Initiative, Mr. Robo Adhuze.

    He believes the potential of agriculture is enormous. But there is a huge gap – at the moment agriculture contributes little to thenation’s Gross domestic product (GDP).

    He observed that the sector requires commercial farming, not only to provide the country but also to be able to export, so they can get the foreign earnings that they so desperately need.

    Adhuze noted that rangeland livestock production is an important form ofdiversified agriculture.

    He said the government needs to apply new development concepts to make agriculture more efficient, inclusive and environment-friendly.

    According to him, marked progress in livestock farming ensures food security and supply, while the urban-rural income gap must be narrowed.

    He said that a cattle rearing was private business.He said nomadic cattle rearing was obsolete and should be discouraged.

    He reiterated that establishment of cattle ranches is a lasting solution to the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

    Speaking with The Nation, a former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin(UNILORIN), Prof Abiodun Adeloye  said  the livestock industry  will do well with cattle ranches  established  with miles of fencing and  water supplies accessible to grazing land.  Cattle ranches, he explained,  will support  large pastures-grass vegetation in addition to cattle. Also, cattle will be handled in a more gentle fashion, while herdsmen will be allowed  them to move around  effectively and reduce long-term stress on the animals .

    According to him, investors will make efforts to create large feedlots and also establish  slaughter facilities.

    Cattle ranching,he emphasised is the best livestock management  to handle a greater number of cattle.

    The other issue is that Nigeria is yet to establish a completely computerised traceability system where consumers know exactly where their beef comes from and how it was raised.

  • Thirteen threats to Nigeria

    With this title several readers will jump to the conclusion that the dreaded but now degraded Boko Haram terrorist group should occupy the number one slot while the Fulani herdsmen terrorists and the new Ijaw Avengers would rank second and third respectively. They are wrong!

    While the menace of the three mentioned terrorist groups constitutes grave threat and danger to Nigeria’s corporate existence and her economic resurrection, the combined menace of the three will pale into insignificance when placed side by side with the menace of the criminal silence of Nigerians in the face of the serious onslaught perennially and perpetually unleashed on the country by a handful vultures who have bled Nigeria to near death with their insane looting of the country.

    The number one threat to corporate Nigeria is the unexplainable timidity of all Nigerians, the criminal silence of the masses in the face of the huge theft of their patrimony by a handful. I have always wondered how a people could be this docile and timid. Some times I wonder if Nigeria is the same country that produced legendary Aminu Kano, Madam Sawaba, Mrs Olufunlayo Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, Joseph Sarwan Tarka, Adaka Boro, Tai Solarin, Arthur Nwankwo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Beko Ransome Kuti and fiery Gani Fawehinmi among a few others.

    Inability to speak out against evil, against injustice, against oppression, depression and deprivation is the beginning of calamitous tragedy. Nigerians have kept too quiet for too long that we now have a deadly monster that has almost swallowed us up as a people. Can we pretend not to know when our school drop-out neighbour who became chairman of local government suddenly started putting up a mansion and assembling posh cars in his yard? Did we not see Ghana-Must-Go bags being loaded and off loaded in the National Assembly? Did we not see our governors, presidents and other public officials suddenly becoming billionaires?

    We kept quiet. We are still keeping quiet appearing hopelessly helpless in the face of all these revelations which in the first instance should not be news to us.

    The number two threat to Nigeria is indiscipline. Crass indiscipline at all levels. Indiscipline both in our private and public life. Which government can successfully eliminate drunken drivers or lunatics who drive as if they had an appointment with hell? Which government can stop a bully who daily turns his wife to a punching bag? Some people just behave as if there are no laws in the land. Look at the way people exploit one another at every stage of interactions; petrol stations, electricity distribution companies, police stations, markets, banks, universities, JAMB offices, the catalogue is endless. Indiscipline is at the root of most of the ills plaguing this doubly unfortunate country.

    Proudly occupying the third slot is corruption. And by corruption I am not limiting myself to stealing alone. Stealing is a big part of corruption but it is not the whole picture of corruption. Nepotism is corruption. Taking improper advantage of the staff working under you is a huge form of corruption. There is domestic corruption which makes nonsense of the ethics of cohabitation and co-existence.

    Number four threat to Nigeria is cultism. Cultism is no longer restricted or limited to schools and tertiary institutions. Artisans of all shades and grades have joined the rank and file cultist leagues in Nigeria, and they could be found in all corners and crannies of the country. Carpenters, bricklayers, commercial auto-cycle riders, painters, petty traders and small time musicians are all involved in the dreaded gangs. With children in primary schools now being recruited into cultism Nigeria faces a terrible future.

    Religion and its fanatical adherents are the fifth and sixth threats to Nigeria. Religion has colonised people’s minds and brains beyond redemption and majority of those captured are mere walking caricatures of human persons. Poverty, ignorance and mass unemployment have driven otherwise sane people to satanic embrace of the roguish exploiters who dress in the zany garbs of religious extremists.

    The number seven threat to Nigeria is loss of age long societal values. Almost if not all the ethnic nationalities that make up this country are lamenting the loss of their cherished traditional values. In marriage, in commerce, in attitudes and relationships, as well as the traditional respect for elders and mutual respect for each other, honesty, hard work, patience, morality; all those values have been thrown to the dogs. This loss of our cherished values has dealt a terrible blow on our country and has enthroned lawlessness, strange foreign cultures and behaviours. Our art, our music, our ethos, and even our cuisine and domestic cultures have almost disappeared.

    Number eight is Fulani herdsmen and their undisguised terrorism of horrendous proportion. Whereas the number nine threat which is Boko Haram is largely limited in its operational base and territorial spread, the Fulani herdsmen terrorists are rampaging the whole country. If there is any threat that may easily lead to the break up of Nigeria it is the brutal, brutish and barbaric gangsterism of the herdsmen terrorists.

    We know that Boko Haram is waging a religious [even if undefined] cum vengeance campaign; the herdsmen agenda leaves room for many speculations. Is it a Jihad? Is it territorial expansion and ultimate occupation? Is it colonisation the way the Hausa were colonised?

    The number 10 threat is the open and almost unstoppable campaign for the actualisation of the Biafra dream. This is a political campaign with tinge of self determination and ethnic nationalism. If the threat is not well handled it may snowball into a wild-fire.

    The Niger Delta militants are a very credible threat and they occupy position 11 in my evaluation. The mission of the militants is quite known. Theirs is a campaign for economic emancipation, justice and equity. And they also exercise self determination and are prepared to die to the last man.

     

    The 12th threat is the combination of all self determination groups from OPC to Bakassi and other mushroom bodies that may appear inconsequential but are seriously entrenched in their trenches.

    The 13th threat to Nigeria is the notorious tribe of politicians. If there is any group that is likely to score 100% in its rabid determination to ruin Nigeria and hand her remains over to Somalia, Afghanistan, Rwanda and to the chaos in Iraq and Libya, it is the Nigerian political family.

    Whatever becomes of Nigeria in the months and years ahead is in the hands of our terrible politicians and whatever they make of the other twelve threats.

  • Threats should be taken serious, says Ogunsakin

    Threats should be taken serious, says Ogunsakin

    Asistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Zone 6 Command Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, yesterday in Calabar, advised policemen not to underestimate any security threat.

    He spoke at the police Officers’ Mess in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, while hosting participants of Course 79/2015 of the Department of Maritime Warfare, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna.

    He listed lack of Standard Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), accommodation, and communication gadgets as some challenges  facing the command.

    He said: “Recent developments in the area of national security are still fresh in our minds. These ugly experiences have shown that no security threat is negligible or should be underestimated.

    “It may be incumbent on you in future; based on the training you have benefited from at the Defence College, to assess the security situation along our land borders, air space or territorial waters and advise authorities objectively.”

    The leader of the team, Navy Commodore Obi Ofodile, said they were in the command to understudy the police in the zone.

    The visit, according him, would afford the team a first-hand knowledge on how the police and navy personnel collaborate in the discharge of their duties, especially in the maritime domain.

  • APC slams DSS, Police for silence on threats by ex-militants

    APC slams DSS, Police for silence on threats by ex-militants

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the Directorate of State Service (DSS) and the police for their “loud silence” on the threats of war by ex-militants.

    The failure of the security agencies to act is an indication of their double standard and lack of fairness, the party said in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    To the APC, Chief Government Ekpemukpolo (alias Tompolo), Mujadeen Asari-Dokubo and others met at the Government House in Bayelsa, threatening to go to war should President Goodluck Jonathan lose the February 14 election.

    It is insightful to

    note that the same security agencies that reacted with hysteria to the harmless comments by Governor Rotimi Amaechi have suddenly lost their voices when the ex-militants threatened to wage war on the nation.

    ‘’When Governor Amaechi said soldiers had the right to protest if their welfare was not taken care of, the DSS was at its most efficient level, with its voluble spokesperson threatening fire

    and brimstone and only stopping short of arresting the governor, despite his immunity.

    ‘’When the same Governor Amaechi said the APC will form a parallel government if the Feb. 14th and 28th elections are rigged, the same DSS and the police sought to outdo each other with threats and condemnation of what they called ‘inciting comments’, even when Governor

    Amaechi’s warning was conditional.

    ‘’Now, the ex-militants have said President Jonathan must be re-elected or they will unleash violence on the country. In other words, it is immaterial whether or not he loses in a free and fair

    elections. There is no clearer indication of impunity than the action of the ex-militants, who issued their threats in the Bayelsa government house, with the governor of the state in attendance.

    ‘’More than a week later, the DSS has been missing in action while the police, in what can pass as a most shocking reaction, said they are still studying the ex-militants’ comments. Even after former Defence Minister Gen.Theophilus Danjuma called for the arrest of the ex-militants for their treasonable threats, and the ex-militants had the audacity to repeat the threats, the police still continued to ‘study’ the threats. This is simply unbelievable,’’ it said.

    APC said the implication of the conspiracy of inaction by the DSS and the police is that, under the administration of President Jonathan, there are different rules for different Nigerians, wondering how the security agencies can be trusted to provide a level playing ground for

    all political parties before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

    ‘’For supporters of President Jonathan, there is no law, there is no police, there is no DSS. Their support for the President is a licence for lawlessness and irresponsibility, and if at all there is any law, they remain far above such law. That is why they could dare the entire nation by issuing such treasonable comments and get away with their action,’’ the party said.

    It called on Nigerians to take note of the glaring double standard of the security agencies, while urging local and international observers to closely monitor the activities of the security agents before, during and after the polls.

    ‘’On our part, the fact that the DSS and the police, both of which have issued their last warnings against those making inciting comments, have failed to move against the war-mongering ex-militants is a confirmation of what we have always believed: that national institutions have been deployed in the pursuit of partisan, rather than national interests under the Administration of President Jonathan,’’ APC said.

  • ‘Count PDP, Jonathan out of ex-militants’ threats’

    ‘Count PDP, Jonathan out of ex-militants’ threats’

    The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibril, at the weekend, said the party and President Goodluck Jonathan have no hands in the threat being issued by ex-militants that there will be mayhem should the president failed to win the February 14 presidential election.

    Jibril noted that as a supporter of Jonathan, he would not like anybody to spoil his chance, saying the trio of Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, Victor Ben Ebikabowei (Boy Loaf), Government Ekpudomenowei (Tompolo) were speaking for themselves.

    He added that what they said did not represent the views of the Southsouth people as well.

    Jibril, who spoke with The Nation at the weekend, maintained that the PDP would not support any statement that would lead to the nation’s breakup, no matter who ever made the statement.”

    “I don’t think such statements are good enough to assist the President. Therefore, I regard their statements as personal and has nothing to do with PDP, because PDP will never make such statement or encourage that kind of statement.

    “I call on the supporters of PDP and those working for the re-election of President Jonathan to mind what they say. They should be very careful with their utterances. We are not at war and nobody should plan to separate Nigeria. We should strive to support Goodluck Jonathan because he is a very careful and simple person.

    “He will not encourage break-away and he will not encourage anarchy. He will never encourage abuse of people; he is a gentle man,” the PDP BOT secretary said.

  • Dickson and ex-militants’ threats

    SIR: Reading through the newspapers of January 25, I was shocked that Governor of Bayelsa State, Dickson Seriake, assembled the Niger Delta ex-militants at the Government House, not to ask them to peacefully work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, but to threaten the rest of Nigerians that should Jonathan fail to win the election, they would return to the creeks. This is totally unacceptable. The group also said that they will retaliate the ‘attack’ Jonathan’s campaign rally received in Katsina and Bauchi states.

    Governor Seriake and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State are both of same party, the PDP. Governor Yuguda in all sincerity confirmed that it was PDP supporters that pelted objects on President Jonathan and his entourage at their recent rally in Bauchi. Unfortunately Governor Shema of Katsina State kept mute on who actually perpetrated the Katsina act. Information filtering has it that it was the handiwork of PDP members who felt sidelined.

    Widely reported in the media was an appeal by General Buhari to all APC supporters not to take laws into their hands by causing any disaffection at the PDP presidential campaign rallies. Furthermore, the governor of Borno State personally signed a press statement urging Borno people not to do anything negative to the entourage of President Jonathan. We are all witnesses to the fact that Jonathan had a peaceful rally in Borno State. When Buhari came to Bayelsa, he had an issue-based campaign.

    These truths should be enough for Governor Seriake to caution his people on the planned retaliation. Therefore it beats one’s imagination that Governor Dickson could assemble and urge the ex-militants to employ violence should Jonathan fail to win.

    I would rather the governor address the heat that the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, is giving him. Governor Dickson sacked some of his aides suspected to be stooges of the First Lady. A group that is supposed to be campaigning for Jonathan’s re-election was banished from the state by the governor just because of Dame Patience. Dame in retaliation has urged the group to flood Yenagoa streets with campaign posters for one of her supporters for governorship of Bayelsa State slated for 2016. What an irony!

    Governor Dickson has earlier advised Jonathan not to campaign in Bayelsa as that would amount to waste of time and resources, even when he had disbanded a group campaigning for the President’s re-election? Things are cooking over there in Bayelsa.

    Dame Jonathan’s town, Okirirka, has witnessed two different attacks with explosives against the opposition, APC. The first was the bombing of the APC secretariat in Okirika and the other was last Saturday’s bombing of campaign ground of the APC Rivers State governorship rally.

    If one may ask; why is it so difficult for President Jonathan to caution his wife?

     

    • Chief Allagoa George,

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • No to threats of violence

    SIR: Few days after my article of December 28, 2014 titled “2015: Nigerians need peace”, was published in The Nation, I received the news that President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen. Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have signed a peace accord ahead of the February elections. Many of us that saw those pictures of the gentlemen hugging each other and smiling at the venue of the peace deal welcomed the development because it symbolized peace, understanding, tolerance and hope. I really felt we were making progress towards a relatively peaceful election until my escalated hope was put on a very serious doubt just few days later.

    It all started with a sitting governor putting up an advertorial in the front pages of supposedly highly respected Nigerian dailies wishing the candidate of the opposition party dead. While the nation was yet to fully recover from this shock, she received another blow in faraway Katsina – a state branded as home of hospitality. This time it was the convoy of the President that was stoned by miscreants during a campaign rally. As expected, both parties dissociated themselves, then went ahead to condemn the act.

    It is important to note that even though the state is the home state of the leading opposition candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the paradox is that, the state is governed and controlled by PDP. Many of us cannot forget how the governor of the same state was recently caught in a video inciting his supporters against the opposition.

    As if we have not seen the end of it, another attack was unleashed on the campaign train of the President again but this time around in Bauchi State – another state governed and controlled by the PDP. The governor Isa Yuguda would exonerate the opposition from blame putting the blame on disgruntled elements from within his party.

    Nigeria is like a very old water tank; just when you try to fix water leakage from one position another position just bursts. In faraway Bayelsa State, a group of ex-militants are now trying to disturb the peace of the nation. The warlords threatened that in the event that President Goodluck Jonathan loses the election in February, there will be war! In a sane nation, these nuisances should by now be cooling off in a prison for treasonable felony.

    I call on all Nigerians not to be intimidated by this empty threat or any similar one that may come in the future. No one should be cowed into voting against his or her wish. The future of our country lies in our votes. We finally have another opportunity to make it right as a nation. While I continue to call on all of us to avoid any act of violence, I shall also continue to call on all of us to vote wisely because our vote is our right.

     

    • Shafi’i Hamidu,

    Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

     

  • 2015 polls: Lamido warns Clark, El-Rufai, other over threats

    2015 polls: Lamido warns Clark, El-Rufai, other over threats

    JIGAWA State Governor Sule Lamido has warned Ijaw leader Edwin Clark and Kaduna State All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship candidate Malam Nasiru el-Rufai to stop heating the polity and threatening next year’s general election.

    Lamido gave the warning at the weekend at the formal flag-off of the state Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) campaign for next year’s general election.

    The governor, who expressed concern over the political statements by people like Clark, Mujahiddeen Dakubo-Asari, el-Rufai and others, described their utterances as “serious threat to national unity, democracy and 2015 general elections.”

    Lamido also expressed dismay at the manner some politicians were preaching do-or-die election.

    He stressed that Nigerians must exercise restraint and put national interest above any individual, regional or group of people’s interest.

    He noted that since Nigeria is practicing federalism, every citizen has the right to associate with any political party or group of his choice.

    Lamido argued that it would be undemocratic, unconstitutional and unacceptable to intimidate, injure or kill any person because he or she vote for political party or candidate of his or her own choice.

    He urged Nigerians to resist any attempt  to intimidate or force them to vote for any candidate or party against their own free will.

    At the event, party’s flags were presented to the state governorship candidate, three senatorial candidates, 11 contenders for National Assembly elections and 30 candidates for the House of Assembly.

  • Threats to 2015 polls, by Jega

    Threats to 2015 polls, by Jega

    The “war like” attitude of politicians to elections is one of the biggest threats to the 2015 elections, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chair Prof Attahiru Jega said yesterday. Jega identified funding and insecurity as other challenges.

    He spoke at the graduation of the participants of the Senior Executive Course 35 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Abuja.

    The INEC chair said: “The heat and passion associated with elections in Nigeria often make it appear like war. It is not possible to predict all challenges that will face the management of an election. All we have done is to learn from past challenges and try to contain them.

    “Still, some old challenges would persist and new ones are likely to emerge,” Jega, who is still in the eye of the storm over the Anambra State Governorship election, said.

    Represented by by Prof. Okey Ibiano, Jega said: “Three major challenges continue to face us as we approach 2015, and for want of better characterisation I name them as insecurity, funding and attitude of the political class.

    “One of the most depressing epithets of elections in Nigeria is that they are said to be ‘akin to war’. Pre-election violence has led to the death of many politicians, their supporters and innocent citizens. Widespread intimidation of voters persists and oganised thugs spread fear across communities in the build up to elections.

    “In any case, elections in Nigeria often produce winners take all outcomes in which losers lose everything and winners win everything, akin to payment of reparations by an enemy defeated in a war. In fact, security has become a lasting issue facing the management of elections in Nigeria.

    “Several security threats now characterise the electoral process. These include physical attacks on INEC staff and facilities, attacks on security personnel on election duty, misuse of orderlies by politicians, attacks political opponents, cyber-attacks targeting INEC, attacks targeting INEC databases, especially the register of voters, violence at campaigns, intimidation of voters, snatching and destruction of election materials, among others.”

    “Parties even find it difficult to select candidates, creating a situation in which practically every party nomination process in Nigeria ends in a court case,” he said.

    President, Alumni Association of the National Institute, AANI, Major General Lawrence Onoja expressed support for the national dialogue planned by the Federal Government. “Nigeria has undoubtedly organised various national conferences that were constitutionally, economic and political in nature. The basic problem is implementation of the findings of these conferences.”