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Tag: Unite

  • Re: Unite for peace in the world and Taiwan inclusion in the UN

    Re: Unite for peace in the world and Taiwan inclusion in the UN

    • By Charles Onunaiju 

    The article of the above title written by a staunch member of the Taiwan separatist clique and published in the prestigious The Nation is aimed at bringing the Nigeria’s long-standing and historic “One-China” policy to disrepute. Nigeria participated with 75 other countries in the world to vote for the expulsion the representatives of Chiang Kai-Shek from “the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all organizations relate to it” and thereby entrenched the spirit of the historic resolution as a core cornerstone of its foreign relations and especially with People’s Republic of China.  

    Joseph Wu, a member of the Taiwan separatist clique, chose in the article to distort historical facts with the potential aim to stir ambiguity in the facts contained in the iconic UN resolution 2758, which has gone down as one of the core principles of contemporary international relations with the United Nations system as the central pillar. 

    Joseph Wu, claimed “Since the mid–20th century, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has vowed to take control of Taiwan and refuse to renounce the use of force, despite never having ruled Taiwan.” This is rather disingenuous. Beijing has vowed that the reunification of China is a historic condition for the rejuvenation of their homeland and it is a well-known fact that the aspiration for unification is a common wish of all Chinese people living both in the mainland and the island. Wu and his separatist clique has deviated from the long claim of General Ching Kai-Shek,  who  maintained that there is only one China and his rebellious regime protected by the US armour is the legitimate representative of all the Chinese people. He held on to this illusion until the UN expelled his representative from the world body, while re- admitting Beijing as the sole and only representative of all the Chinese people.

    The argument of a separate Taiwan was recent and principally advocated by the extremist and ambitious Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that has played into the hands of Washington geo-political games to contain China.

    For the record and clarity, China has never vowed to take Taiwan by force and this is simply because no country invades part of its own. Beijing has emphatically maintained that it would use force as a last recourse to deter any attempt to balkanize its homeland, in this case, if any foreign force dare to collude with local separatist hotheads to create “two China’s” or One China, One Taiwan”. In other words, the People’s Republic of China would not only resist but would decisively thwart any effort to infringe on her sovereignty by any attempt to create “independent” Taiwan. Beijing has created enormous and conducive room for cross straits cooperation between the mainland and island Chinese and has demonstrated strategic patience to accomplish national unification through peaceful negotiation.

    Read Also: Dispute stalls Federal Govt, Emefiele plea bargain talks

     The 1992 consensus reaffirmed that both sides of straits belong to One China and should work together to strive for national unification.

    Joseph Wu, who ostensibly think that the iconic UN resolution 2758 is too long in the past and therefore, can be so brazenly distorted as he sought to do in his article may just have to have a rethink. He claimed the “resolution neither states that Taiwan is a part of the PRC nor gives the PRC the right to represent the people of Taiwan in the UN and its specialized agencies”. For the avoidance of doubt, the resolution stated as follows:

     ”Recalling the principles of the charter of the United Nations; 

    “Considering that the restoration of the lawful rights of the People’s Republic of China is essential both for the protection of the charter of the United Nations and for the cause that the United Nations must serve, 

    “Recognizing that the Representative of the Government of the People’s Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations and that the People’s Republic of China is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, 

    “Decides to restore all the rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its government as the only legitimate Representative of China to United Nations,

    “To expel forthwith, the representatives of Chiang Kai-Shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it”. 

    To bring clarity and context to this historic resolution, which Nigeria voted, the reference to the “Government of the People’s Republic of China are the only lawful representative of China to the United Nations” is unambiguous and very categorical and there is no reference to Taiwan because Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and part of the totality of her sovereign expression. 

    Wu’s desperate attempt to distort both the letter and spirit of the UN historic resolution was a matter of recent separatist delusion, which even Chiang Kai-Shek did not harbour.

    China has emerged as a responsible power, playing important roles in shaping the emerging, inclusive and law based international order anchored on the principles of the United Nations. Beijing has been a foremost advocate of international understanding and in this regard, has consistently offered initiatives to generate dialogue on global development, security and civilization and to be driven by the collective wisdom of all humanity.

    The Taiwan separatist clique, driven by ambition to betray their homeland has chosen a path that leads to nowhere, as their future, if they have any, rests squarely in a dialogue with their compatriots across the straits on the basis of their national unification, a sentiment broadly and widely shared by all the Chinese people which view it as their most assured roadmap to rejuvenation.

    •Onunaiju is director of Abuja based think tank.

  • Wike to PDP presidential aspirants: unite to sack Buhari

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has urged Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  presidential aspirants to unite to sack President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He urged them to support  whoever emerges as the PDP candidate after the primary.

    The governor spoke yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt,  during a visit by a presidential aspirant and former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa .

    He said: “What we saying is that all of us must put our heads together to remove this government that does not mean well for Nigerians.

    “Power comes from God.  If God says it is you, there is nothing any man can do about it. Man can only struggle.”

    Wike said every PDP member must work as a team for the party to emerge victorious in 2019.

    Bafarawa also met PDP local government chairmen. He  urged the state chapter to back his aspiration.

    The ex-governor was accompanied to the meeting with Rivers PDP local government chairmen by officials of his campaign team.

    He promised to ensure equity,  unity,  strong economy and education in line with the manifesto of PDP, if elected President.

    “I am in Port Harcourt,  to seek the support and blessings always well as the advice of my party men and women for my aspiration for the seat of president of the country so that we can move the country forward.

    “These are the main character objectives of the PDP, we are not going to do anything outside the manifesto of PDP,  we must try our best to ensure Nigeria comes out of the mess we find ourselves.

    “I am a trained democrat, I have been in politics in the last 40 years, so there is a different between a a retired Army general who spent all his youthful years in the barracks, handling boots and guns.

    “It is completely odd for somebody who was trained to kill, to defend himself to turn back to see how he is going to manage people,  It will never happen, because that is not his training. By his age, by his training he has expired,  therefore there is nothing that hibiscus going to achieve and Nigeria does not need such kind of persons now.”

    State party Chairman Felix Obuah praised the visit and speeches, promising support for the aspirant at the national congress.

    He said:  “It is not the will of God that people who are trained to carrying gun will continue to lead the country,  but those who are trained for service to God and humanity.”

     

  • Why Christians and Muslims must unite

    Director, UFUK Dialogue, Mr Bilal Saglam, has stressed the need for Christians and Muslims to unite, noting that is the way to have peace as a nation.

    He spoke during an Iftar organised by UFUK Dilogue in Ikeja, Lagos.

    He urged both Muslims and Christians to understand, respect love and tolerate each other in every aspect of life.

    According to him, Ramadan means to understand and share what we have with others.

    “This is why we have organised this dinner to share what we have and what we eat with others. Islam means loving, understanding and respecting humanity. When we respect and love each other, the world would be a better place and we would have a lot of profit,” he said.

    He added that Islam is a religion of peace, noting that Muslims cannot be terrorists and terrorist cannot be a Muslims.

    “Boko Haram is not Islam; this people kill for nothing. He who kills does not know for what purpose he killed and he who was killed does not know for what purpose he was killed. I do not call Boko Haram Muslims, because in Islam, killings are not allowed. Our aim as an organisation is to bring Muslims and Christians together and share what they have with each other to ensure peace,” Saglam said.

  • Unite against killings, PLIN tells church leaders

    An interdenominational ministerial group, Pastors Leaders Interceding Network (PLIN), has tasked church leaders in the country to speak with one voice against the killings of Christians.

    According to PLIN, the killings will halt if church leaders can jointly speak to the authorities instead of using their personal platforms.

    PLIN, in a statement last week by its convener, Apostle Dele Johnson, admitted the leaders have been speaking, but urged them to come together to issue ultimatum to the federal government to address the growing insecurity concerns.

    It said the government will take church leaders seriously when they speak with force as one.

    The group said: “The church must no longer maintain this deafening silence. We are the voice of the poor masses .We are the hope of the inconsequential critical mass.

    “We recognise efforts of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to condemn the waste of human lives by herdsmen and the clear knee jerk, largely insincere and very poor handling of this ugly trend by the government.

    “We believe more needs to be done. All hands must be on deck to end this carnage.”

    PLIN recalled how the controversies trailing the merger of Christian Religious Studies (CRS) ended immediately church leaders spoke strongly to the authorities last year.

    It said the same result will be replicated if church leaders address the federal government as one.

    “PLIN is hereby calling for a joint press briefing of our church fathers to address this carnage.

    “This must be done urgently to stem this reckless blot letting by the herdsmen/Boko Haram,” the group stressed.

    It went on: “If the church refuses to talk now then we can be assured that the aggression against the church because of the failure of the government shall escalate.

    “We must get this herdsmen proscribed as a terrorist group because they have killed more innocent and defenceless people compared to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that has no records of any killing, which the government was quick to list as a terrorist group.”

     

  • Lawyers, activists unite for Pa Gomez

    Lawyers and civil society activists gathered in Lagos to honour one of Nigeria’s oldest and most vibrant lawyers, Pa Olatunji Gomez, who marked his 90th birthday.

    It was an occasion for soul-searching and the need for lawyers to act as the society’s conscience dominated discussions.

    A lecture was organised by a group, the Legal Torchbearers, as part of events by the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to celebrate Pa Gomez, popularly known as “It is a matter of conscience”.

    The theme was: ”Bar Activism in Nigeria: Past, Present and Future.” 

    Alhaji Olufemi Okunnu (SAN),  a longtime close associate of Pa Gomez,  lamented what he described  as the slow, but sure extinction of firebrand activism among current members of the Bar.

    He said things have changed from the fervour of the 1960s, 70s and 80s as witnessed  during the eventful tenure of Alao Aka-Bashorun as NBA President.

    Okunnu said the dampening of revolutionary fire and collusion with public office holders was  to the public’s detriment. “Are the days of legal activism behind us?” he asked.

    He urged lawyers to gird their loins and play the leading role in the fight for true federalism.

    He said: “The legislature now plays the role of the judiciary and executive arms of government and there is confusion in the land.

    “From this day forward, celebrating a rebel from his school days, all of us should wear the garb of activism.  Our federation died in 1978, we started a unitary type of government in 1979,” Okunnu said.

    NBA Criminal Justice Reform Committee Chairman, Chief Arthur-Obi Okafor (SAN), urged lawyers to always stand for the rule of law.

    According to him, it was the only  way to fight injustice and promote equity and fairness  in the society.

    He praised the Legal Torchbearers for their social contributions.

    Okafor urged lawyers to register for and attend the Administration of Criminal Justice Conference holding in Asaba.

    Former Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) Chair, Ms. Ayo  Obe, urged the  Bar to  embrace activism to save Nigeria.

    “There are good lawyers and there are bad lawyers. The lawyers’  main tool is the law and there are more than one way to be an activist.

    “A lawyer must always be ready to test every bad action or policy in the court of law.  We cannot all be activists, but what we cannot do is to throw away activism,” Obe  said.

    Lagos lawyer Mr Ebun-Olu  Adegboruwa and the branch’s former chairman Mr. Alex Muoka said lawyers have critical roles to play in a society’s survival.

    The keynote speaker, Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, who is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Human Rights at the London School of Economics (LSE), spoke on the evolution of legal activism.

    He laid emphasis on the ‘Dohertys’ and the ‘Gomezes’, who were  at the vanguard of Lagosians’ fight for property rights during colonial times.

    He connected the activism of the first indigenous Nigerian lawyer, Christopher Sapara Williams, to the present and ongoing clamour for the restructuring of the Nigerian polity.

    Odinkalu situated Pa Gomez’s central role as the living conscience of that activist heritage from his student days at King’s College.

    “It was a role,” Odinkalu said, “which came at a steep price  which Pa Gomez was nevertheless willing to pay, comforted as he was by the armour of his social conscience, in accordance with his personal credo: It’s a Matter of Conscience.”

    The man Gomez

    Born on March 15, 1928, the young Gomez enrolled at the King’s College in 1944, where he soon acquired a reputation for his independent-mindedness, fearlessness and leadership ability.

    He qualified as a lawyer in 1961, after training in England.

    In over half of a century of professional practice, Pa Gomez has come to symbolise the social conscience of the legal profession in Nigeria.

    Pa Gomez’s ideological consistency through the decades of transition from white colonialism to the rule by black politicians and soldiers was in line with his belief that a lawyer’s first duty was the wellbeing of his fellow citizens and the good ordering of society, whatever the clime or dispensation.

  • ‘Ogoni must unite in non-violence’

    A former Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Barinua Moses Wifa, has said that the Ogoni must unite, for their non-violent struggle to be successful.

    He noted that groups in Ogoni four councils; Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme must shun those threatening the struggle and peace.

    Wifa, an indigene of Kono-Ogoni in Khana, who just turned 80, spoke yesterday in his Port Harcourt home.

    Chief Gani Topba-led Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates presented to him the 14-point communique of the Ogoni General Assembly, aimed at moving the crude oil and gas-rich area forward.

    The senior lawyer said: “Let me say that the time we celebrate victory is when we get the fruits of our struggle. For the purpose of Ogoni struggle, I just have one piece of advice: there is sufficient space for all the different opinions in our communities to be accommodated, because nothing is mutually exclusive.

    “There is need that you maintain peace and know that you come together, work to achieve a goal. I warned many years ago that we are being left behind. Let me say in very clear terms what I mean by we can all work together. Let us not just be talking. We should have some action points to ensure that we keep aside what appears to be over-massaging of our egos and look for the common good of Ogoni people. That is what will bring us the benefits of the struggle.

    “I want to say that it is not over until it is over. The victory we will get when all of us, I mean all of use, the leadership of our people, come together, is enormous. We have the responsibility, the young and old, to lead our people aright. I am charging all the leaders of Ogoni to come together. Let us put aside our personal egos. Let us look at what is critical for the benefit of everybody in our land. We should know that the struggle is not an easy one.”

    Wifa lauded members and leaders of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates for the communique, urging them not to deviate from the non-violent struggle that Ogoni people were known for.

  • Fayose: aspirants for chairman must unite

    Fayose: aspirants for chairman must unite

    •‘There must be shadow poll’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has urged Southwest aspirants for  national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unite before the national convention in Abuja.

    The governor noted that the region may lose its slot for the party’s national chairmanship, if the aspirants refused to work together and choose a candidate.

    He said presenting a candidate would brighten the region’s chances.

    Fayose suggested the conduct of a shadow election among aspirants to enhance the zone’s chances of winning the position.

    The governor spoke at the weekend while hosting one of the aspirants, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He noted that presenting one contestant will brighten the chances of the zone to clinch the position on December 9.

    Daniel, who supported Fayose’s suggestion of a primary among aspirants from the zone, said he had the exposure, experience, contacts and acceptability to occupy the office and lead the party to victory in elections.

    Fayose said: “We need to get a consensus candidate from our zone to clinch the post. We should not go to the convention as a divided house.

    “I see nothing bad if we get all delegates from the Southwest to vote in a shadow election for their preferred candidate. Then, whoever emerges would be supported by all during the convention.

    “If we propose that and majority of aspirants agree, whoever does not agree would be seen as having no follower at all. I can’t work against you or your interest.

    “We have too many aspirants from our zone, and it is not only us (Southwest) that will decide who becomes the national chairman of our party. It will be decided by every member from across the country.

    “As for my position as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, I am only a voice there. Agreed that the governors will play a crucial role in determining who wins, but if I say something, I can’t force it down my colleagues.

    “It is only advisable that we get our house in order. All aspirants from our area, apart from dividing the votes in the region, are also dividing the votes in the North too. We all know that our party is the party to beat in the country.”

    The governor promised not to work against the interest of Daniel or any other aspirant in the zone or work against interest of the zone.

    Daniel said: “Fayose’s suggestion is a good idea. If our party leaders and members support it, I am ready for it. Majority of aspirants only have the experience of being political appointees. I have contested and won elections twice.

    “As a governor, you know what it is to contest and win elections. I have traversed all nooks and crannies of this country, and I am well accepted.

    “Our party needs somebody like me, who has the contacts and the experience to lead it. We are going to contest against incumbent in many states and even at the presidential level. So, we must be up-and-doing. I am assuring our members that I will lead the party to victory in coming elections.”

  • Lagos poll: APC should unite, says Seriki

    Lagos poll: APC should unite, says Seriki

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Alhaji Akanni Seriki has urged members to unite as they warm up for the local government elections.

    He said: “We have no other party than the APC. When the situation is like this, we should forget our personal interests and endorse our collective aspiration.”

    Seriki, a party leader from Epe Division, added: “I am calling for peace and unity so that we can survive under our party. There will be adjustments later. Not all of us can be chairmen and councilors at the same time.”

    He noted the complaints that have trailed the selection of party flag bearers for the local government elections, saying that the large number of contenders posed a serious challenge.

    Seriki called for loyalty, saying that the party is big to accommodate the interests of its members. However, he warned against “a certain and dangerous tendency” of conceding leadership to new comers, who, he said, were throwing stones at the progressive bloc when they were members of the conservative platform.

    He said: “I have been a consistent politician. But, some people who have traversed all the political parties in the world have now returned and trying to dominate us in the APC. I object to this in Epe Division.”

    Seriki described himself as an acknowledged leader of the APC in the division, stressing that his contributions and achievements are verifiable.

    He stressed: “As a leader of Epe APC, I have produced a Speaker of House of Assembly, commissioners and a governor. Anyone who will achieve more than me will have to install a president. I have my good name. I am opposed to falsehood and blackmail in politics. They are not god virtues. I have been able to groom credible leaders for Epe. Other leaders coming up should emulate me.”

    Seriki hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for living up to expectation, adding that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu deserved credit for his foresight.

    He added: “Governor Ambode is doing well. His projects are well spread across the three districts, in terms of roads, bridges, security, education. In two years, he has justified the confidence reposed in him. The impact of his works is felt all over the state.

    “”I thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for grooming a leader from Epe. Ambode has not let us down. We should be praying for the governor. We should also pray for Tinubu. We should always rally round them.”

  • Unite against flooding, Assembly urges ministries

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has urged the state Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Urban Planning and Physical Development to join forces against flooding.

    This was part of its resolution yesterday sequel to a motion by Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu and 10 other lawmakers.

    The House advised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the ministries to remove structures that are blocking drainages.

    They urged the ministries to ensure that canals and drainages are dredged and de-silted regularly.

    The state government was also urged to comply with the state masterplan especially for Lekki.

    It was also tasked to create a rescue team for any emergency as well as ensure cooperation amongst the relevant ministries in motoring infractions of environmental laws.

    The Ministry of the Environment in particular was urged to publicise state emergency lines 767 and 112, for people to know what number to call during emergencies.

    Addressing the lawmakers earlier, Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare blamed the flood on natural and human causes.

    According to him, “natural cause comes in form of climate change, and this affected places such as London, Suleja and other places. There was high tide at the sea that made the level of the water to rise.

    “The flood affected places such as Lekki, Victoria Island and Lekki-Epe Expressway. But the water receded within 12 hours. We have been embarking on tree planting to reduce climate change in the state.

    “Man-made is caused by people, who build houses on drainages. We saw people sand-filling to build houses on Osborne Phase 2. People also build houses by the Lagoon against the law,” he said.

    Adejare said further that there are illegal dredging all over the state and that machineries have been put in place to correct all these, adding that drainages channel water to the Lagoon but when they are blocked the water comes back.

    He said that the ministry does massive clearing of drainages before, during and after rainy season.

    The commissioner stressed that it would take time before drainages are properly cleared, and that a lot of advocacy is being done through the print and electronic media to inform the people about the need to prevent flooding in the state.

     

     

  • Emir of Kano urges Muslims to unite

    Emir of Kano urges Muslims to unite

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, has urged Muslims to unite and eschew hatred.

    The emir, who is also the national president general, Jama’at Faedat Tijjaninniya of Nigeria, spoke yesterday in Ilorin at the inauguration of the Kwara State chapter of Ansarrudeen Attijanniyya society.

    Sanusi, who was represented by the National Secretary-General of the society, Sayyidi Yahaya, said Islam was not by show-off, but by adherents having a clear understanding and practicing its tenets.

    “Do not hate; Islam is not by hating others. Our mission is to propagate peace, unity and togetherness,” he said.

    According to him, the objective of the society is to become the most peaceful group in Nigeria and bring out the best of humanity in people.

    The emir urged members to integrate to develop the society.