Beyonce and daughter Blue Ivy's matching chairs

 MARCH 2013

As the daughter of one the world's most famous singers Blue Ivy Carter deserves just as much star treatment as much Beyonce.

In preparation for her world tour, The Mrs. Carter Show world tour, superstar Beyonce has been making sure she and her daughter Blue Ivy have everything the needs for five months on the road, including their own personalised director's chairs.

Beyonce's own chair is emblazoned with the name of her 64-date-show, while a miniaure version bears her daughter's initials — BIC.

The photo shows Blue Ivy, who is 14-months-old, won't be far from her mum Beyonce's side during her global tour, which kicks off in April.

Single Ladies singer Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z revealed earlier this month that Blue Ivy wouldn't be without her home comforts while she accompanies her mum around the world. The couple said they plan to take furniture and toys the youngster is familiar with so as to stop her feeling homesick.

Beyonce announced the exciting news of her tour during her performance at the Superbowl in January. The singer will give her first concert in Serbia on 15 April and end the three-leg global trip in New York.

In order to look her very best on tour the mum-of-one has called on her favourite British fashion designer Julien MacDonald to create the sparkling looks for.

The stylish songstress will take to the stage decked out in a series of custom made costume designs that will no doubt satisfy the her love for glitz and glamour, incorporating a variety of dramatic diva designs along with Julien's signature sparkles.

"Julien is a huge Beyonce fan so he's really excited about producing some custom-made,bespoke outfits," a source close to the designer revealed.

How airport staff aided drug suspect — NDLEA

MARCH 31, 2013 

NDLEA boss, Ahmadu Giade

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Adetunji Joseph, and some airport employees, who aided him to avoid security checks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to a statement by NDLEA’s Head, Public Affairs, Ofoyeju Mitchell, the suspect, who ingested 100 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.350kg, wore an official tarmac reflective jacket posing as an airport employee and was illegally taken to the boarding gates at the airport by a female cleaner.

A driver with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Olatubosun Olatunji, was said to be the mastermind, a female cleaner, Mrs. Uzoma David, and one Mr. Ekene Uchenna were alleged to be part of the drug racket.

The NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport Mr. Hamza Umar said the incident took place on February 7, 2013 but the main culprits were arrested on Saturday.

Umar said preliminary investigation showed that Uchenna, who is currently at large, gave his reflective jacket and on-duty tag to the suspect.

Nigerian Troops Raid Hideout of Suspected Militants Killing 14 In Kano

Posted: March 31, 2013 - 

House raided by JTF early Easter Sunday

Some of the weapons displayed by the JTF after the raid

By SaharaReporters, New York

Smoke billowed from a house inhabiting suspected Islamist militants planning an Easter Sunday attack on the city of Kano after soldiers from the Joint Task Force hit the building with explosives and gunfire.
The resulting gunfight lasted four hours. Residents said they saw  a dead soldier hurriedly moved from the scene of the gunfight while some were injured apparent from gunfire.
A military spokesperson said some 14 militants were killed in the shootout. The military had acted on a tip-off from residents that noticed suspicious movement of vehicles by militants in Unguwa Uku area on Zaria Road highway.

Kwara police commissioner’s assassination: We have recorded 90% success on investigation – AIG on MARCH 31, 2013 ·

Kwara police commissioner’s assassination: We have recorded 90% success on investigation – AIG

on MARCH 31, 2013 · 

THE new Assistant Inspector General of Police [AIG], Zone 9, Umuahia, Abia State, Mr. Tambari Yabo Muhammad, has called on the governors in the zone to set up security trust fund to assist in providing logistics for security agencies in the zone.

Muhammad, who spoke to journalists shortly after meeting with police commissioners in the zone, urged the governors under his jurisdiction, comprising of Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo states, to emulate Lagos State by setting up security trust fund in the states.
He said the initiative to be funded by  corporate bodies, among others, would help the states as the governors may no longer dip their hands into state coffers to provides logistics for security agencies in their area.

The  AIG also disclosed that the police investigation into the murder of former Kwara State Police Commissioner, Chinwike Asadu, has recorded 90% success, and hinted that, before long, the investigation would be concluded.

According to him, he came to the zone with renewed vigour to fight crime, but would require the assistance of the people  to succeed. He said that the people could help by providing information on crime and assured of the protection and confidentiality of informants and the information.

Late Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu

“We really need their [governors] support in the area of  logistics. Police  are doing their best within the meager resources available to them, but I believe that with support from the  governors, we will do more,”Muhammad said.

“Almost everything is anchored on security, without security there will be investment. So we are appealing to the Governors of the zone to come the assistance of the security agencies to do more. I suggest that they set up security trust fund in their states like in Lagos so that money  can be raised to buy equipment for security agencies. Lagos State has up to 300 patrol vehicles and every place is covered”.

The AIG also promised to resuscitate Police Community Relations Committees across the zone to encourage the people to volunteer information.

NDDC streamlines contracts to end abandonment of projects on MARCH 31, 2013 ·

NDDC streamlines contracts to end abandonment of projects

on MARCH 31, 2013 ·

The Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has streamlined the complex contract system in the commission which “in the past had spawned several ‘toxic projects’ – projects that were awarded without budgetary provisions.”

“And considering the plight of innocent contractors choked with these toxic projects, the Board has passed resolutions empowering the Managing Director to act on them. The process is on-going,” a source told Sunday Vanguard yesterday, while saying the Board had worked quietly since it was inaugurated, leading to landmark achievements.

“Second, issues of payment ,procedures which had led contractors to slow down or abandon projects have been addressed. The Board has reviewed the Accounting Manual and reformed the payment procedure. Now contractors ,have some stability of expectations as interim payment certificates are to be paid between 10-20 working days. The Board has also  empowered the Managing Director to fast-track some very important projects like the University Hostels and road construction and they are going on satisfactorily,” the source stated.

“Finally, at the last Board Meeting, in order to further improve service delivery, the Board has created a “Work-sanitation Day”on the last Wednesday of every month during which every employee must clear his or her desk, and the SERVICOM has been empowered to  monitor compliance. Servicom has also been empowered to monitor file movements in every office and report on a regular basis to the Managing Director who will report to the Board.”

Gunmen kill policeman at daughters’ wedding on MARCH 31, 2013 ·

Gunmen kill policeman at daughters’ wedding

on MARCH 31, 2013 ·

A policeman was killed by unknown gunmen at the wedding  of his two daughters  in Damboa town in Damboa local government area of Borno State, local sources said yesterday, saying the incident happened on Friday.

Residents told our correspondent that the deceased policeman was shot dead in front of his house while conducting the wedding Fatiha of his daughters shortly after the Friday congregation prayer(Jumat). It was gathered that the policeman ran from the  town for months following death threat sent to him by unknown persons only to return to the town last week in order to marry out his daughters.

”He came back last week to marry out his two daughters but was shot dead on Friday after Jumat while the wedding was going on”, a resident who did not want to be named said.Our reporter learnt that the deceased  officer was from  Michika local government area of Adamawa State but resident in Damboa. In another development, a telecommunications  network mast has been burnt down  in Ajigin village, an outskirts of Damboa local government area.

Locals said that the Airtel’s mast, was just repaired Thursday,was burnt  for the second time. No official statement on the two incidents and efforts to get the Borno police spokesman,DSP Gideon Jibrin, weres not successful as at the time of filing this report.

2015 PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST: Obasanjo intensifies plot against Jonathan

*Moves to pacify North, meets traditional rulers
*Aso Villa ‘hawks’ want his wings clipped
*President launches counter offensive, woos S/West elders
*Anenih on fence-mending with govs

Fresh facts emerged, at the weekend, that former President Matthew Okikiolakan Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo is intensifying his opposition to the 2015 re-election aspiration of incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan.

This is at a time when some hawks in the Presidency are pressing for decisiveness on the part of Mr. President, with a view to clipping Obasanjo’s wings.

The latest indication about the former President’s moves are what sources described as the “series of meetings and consultations between Obasanjo and traditional rulers in the North”.

A former state governor familiar with the surreptitious movements of Obasanjo in the last one month told Sunday Vanguard: “The former president has been moving round the North under the guise of being a special guest at functions; but the real reason for his visits to the North is the series of consultations he is holding with traditional rulers across the zones – save, of course, North East geo-political zone where the dreaded Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, holds sway”.

It was learnt that Obasanjo’s latest moves are “with a view to pacifying the North which heaps on his head all the blames for the loss of its hold on power as occasioned by the death of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a death which paved the way for the enthronement of Jonathan as president.

“What Obasanjo has come to realize is that even most of those he considers his traditional friends and confidants poke disdain at him for his role in the imposition of the late Yar’Adua and Jonathan as presidential candidate and running mate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2007, and he is very desperate to make it up to ‘his people’”.

“The meetings are centred on how best the North can present a united front against the aspiration of Jonathan. And because of his vast network of friends across the country, Obasanjo is cashing all his cheques because of this project”.

Sunday Vanguard can also report that the off-and-on relationship between Obasanjo and former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has again engaged the ‘ON’ mode.

“When you see Obasanjo and Babangida coming together again with their interests coalescing, then you know something is in the air”, our source said.

Another source – a former presidential aide – that is very familiar with the scheme, said, “It is not so much of what Obasanjo wants from the northern traditional rulers but what the rulers want from him. Yes, I can confirm to you that he has been all over the place and he has been holding series of consultations. The agenda is to work against the 2015 aspiration of President Jonathan”.

Asked about the rumoured rapprochement between Obasanjo and his ex-deputy, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the source was emphatic in saying that “the two have not sat down to meet one on one but there are behind the scene consultations with a view to ensuring that happens”.

In addition, Obasanjo is also said to be in consultation with a few PDP state governors who are very loyal to him, specifically Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State.

Indeed, sensing this emerging threat, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, launched a counter offensive.

Already, the BoT Chairman has held talks with Lamido, Kwankwaso, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, and Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State, among others.

His rescue mission is to “ensure that a proper reconciliation is engendered between the President and the state governors”, a very dependable source told Sunday Vanguard.

The talks, which are continuing, are said to be “yielding very positive results”.
On his part, Jonathan himself held talks with a section of Yoruba leaders three weeks ago in Lagos.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the meeting, which had some elders in the land as well as a very strategic traditional ruler in attendance, explored ways of pacifying the S/West geo-political zone which is increasingly becoming vociferous about its claims of marginalization under the Jonathan administration.

The Yoruba leaders, who do not appear to be on the same page with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, or its intended successor party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, are to hold another round of talks with the President at a later date.

Interestingly, even as the President patience is being taxed by Obasanjo’s scheme, some hawks in Aso Rock Presidential Villa are of the view that the former President’s wings should be clipped.

A Presidency source told Sunday Vanguard:”It is because President Jonathan is mild-mannered; if not, are we not living witnesses to how the former President deployed state power to haunt those he perceived as capable of stopping him from achieving his failed Third Term agenda?

“That he is walking the streets of Nigeria free does not mean he is a saint, especially the way he’s been carrying on. Is it not the mess that he created after eight years in office that this administration is still battling to clear”?, the Presidency source quipped.

2015: North rejects Jonathan as sole PDP aspirant

The North has opposed to the plan by the leadership of the People Democratic Party to choose President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole aspirant for its presidential primaries.

The Arewa Consultative Forum and the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, described the move as undemocratic, stating that it could lead to chaos and collapse of the party.

The spokesman of the ACF, Anthony Sani, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the North was opposed to the move because it would limit the choice of Nigerians during the election.

He however, added that PDP does not have the final say as to who becomes president in 2015.

He said, “I am not aware of this kind of move by the ruling PDP. But I want to say such practices, if allowed, would limit the democratic space by reducing the choice of candidate. As a result, members of the ruling party’s right to participate in the choice of their presidential candidate will be short changed. Nigerians’ choice will also be limited.

“It is to be noted that even in America, when candidacy is conceded to the incumbent, it is not forced but brought about by consensus by members of the ruling party. And that was why Senator Kennedy was not barred from contesting the primaries with President Jimmy Carter in the early 80s. The practices of limiting candidacy to incumbency cannot promote democracy that is premised on triple foundation of liberty, justice and common decency.

“When you talk about effect of such development on the aspiration of the North to vie for the presidency in 2015, you at once convey an impression that the primaries in PDP is final. Nigerians can still make judicious use of their democratic rights and vote candidates in some other parties, more so in a clime where most of the political parties are mere clones of one another in terms of their approach to solving the myriad of problems of Nigeria.”

Sani advised Nigerians not to let such action by the PDP result to chaos in the country.

“Nigerians should not allow the actions of a few or of a party to determine how they think, what they say and what they do. Nigerians should shape events, and not allow events to shape us. There is no need for chaos, since voters have the final say. Instead of causing any chaos, voters should make judicious use of their democratic rights and vote leaders of their choice,” he added.

Sani added that it was too early to determine if the North will look in the direction of the All Progressives Congress to actualise it’s aspiration for presidency in 2015.

On the one-term agreement northern governors allegedly signed with Jonathan, Sani said, “I have said agreements (whether signed or not) and court cases do not produce presidents in a democracy. Only Nigerian voters can produce the president. Somehow, I believe that both the controversy about agreement and court cases have been brought into the open for a higher cause. Nigerians deserve leaders they can rely upon to deliver on their promises.

“Though northerners aspire to be president in 2015, they would do so democratically, and not undemocratically. So the question of forcing northerners into one political party does not arise. They do not have to be in one party in order to make their votes count.”

On his part, the convener of CNPAPB, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said imposing Jonathan as the sole aspirant in PDP would tear the country apart.

“Let them try it. If they try it, let us see what will happen. The second term governors are not the only ones aspiring to be president. Let PDP become an automatic consensus candidate party, and let’s see how the party survives. That will lead to a collapse of PDP and that is the best possible outcome for the country.

“If they do that, there will be reaction and the reaction will not be only from the rest of the country, but also from the international community. This because the international community will not want to pay the price of Nigeria breaking down, because they will not want to bring their marines here to stop us from tearing ourselves apart,” he stated.

Culled from Punch

Don’t use religion to cause havoc, Jonathan advises Nigerians

President Goodluck Jonathan has enjoined Nigerians not to use religion to cause havoc capable of the disrupting the peaceful co-existence among residents.

Mr. Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo in Sokoto on Friday, at the opening of a two-day international conference, restated the commitment of his administration to ensure freedom of religion to all Nigerians.

The conference was organised by the Sokoto State Government in conjunction with the Muslim World League, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on the theme: ‘’Islam and the Fundamentals of peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.’’

“We should not use faith to cause havoc,” he said. “Sectarian differences should not be allowed. Inter-religious dialogue plays an important role in the society. The Federal Government is taking seriously the advice and recommendations of NIREC (Nigeria Inter-Religious Council),” he said.

The president gave the assurance that the Federal Government would continue to protect the rights of Nigerians, including right to religion, pointing out that adherents of the two major religions -Islam and Christianity- must maintain their long history of peacefully co-existing for centuries.

“All of them (religions) preach peace and unity and they abhor violence and transgression. They also uphold the dignity of humanity. We have no alternative to peaceful coexistence as there could be no meaningful achievements without peace,” he said.

While commending organisers of the conference, the President expressed the hope that it would provide an avenue to achieve lasting peace, unity and security in Nigeria and the world at large.

In his speech, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, challenged Nigerians to return to their Holy Books and do the right things, pointing out that country is having problems at the moment because both the leaders and the followers have deviated from the paths of their religions.

“We must always stand by the tenets of our religions no matter what happens. We will also continue to strive to ensure peaceful coexistence and harmony amongst the Muslim Ummah and the adherents of other religions,’’ Mr. Abubakar said.

The Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, said that Islam and Christianity teach their adherents the virtues of upholding peace, unity and harmonious living, adding that these also underscored the imperative of dialogue in solving all problems in Nigeria and the entire world.

“Nigerians should live devoid of any political or ethnic bigotry. Without peace, no meaningful achievements could be recorded,” he said, adding that Nigerians have no reason whatsoever to adopt violence as a way of achieving any cause.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Abdullahi Abdul-Muhsin, said that Allah enjoined kindness and justice, adding that “the peoples of the world must live peacefully.’’

We are the owners of oil, no force can stop Jonathan’s re-election – Tompolo boasts

Former Niger Delta militant leader, Ekpemupolo famously known as Tompolo, has affirmed that nothing can stop President Goodluck Jonathan for contesting in the 2015 presidential election.

Tompolo gave this affirmation in Oporoza, headquarter of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Council of Delta state, saying that“Nobody can stand on the way of the re-election of President Jonathan come 2015.”

According to him, Jonathan is the best President Nigeria has ever produced, urging every Nigerian to support him for his transformation agenda to become meaningful and effective.

Tompolo lauded the President for granting pardon to his benefactor, former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieseigha, describing the gesture as the best thing Jonathan has done since he became president.

His words: “2015 is for President Jonathan, nobody can stop his re-election. He has the constitutional right to contest again in 2015. Let all Nigerians support him for his transformation agenda to be meaningful.

“We are the owners of the oil and by the grace of God we are going to get the best share of it. What we have is for everybody. We are going to sort out the issue of the oil blocs, but we want to get our fair share and this is the issue; nobody is going to stop us. If anybody is going to try to stop us that means they are forcing us to do something funny because it is our right and we are going to get it by the grace of God.

“The problem of oil theft is not the problem of Niger Delta alone. It is the problem of everybody. It is a cabal and we are working hard to break that cabal so that the country will be at peace once again. What we have is enough for everybody.

“What I want to appeal to everybody is that we should try and work together as one because we have almost everything that can sustain this country. But what we are saying is that we need to get a fair share of our oil.

“I am in total support of the pardon and I support the President 100 percent.

People are complaining about the pardon granted to Alamieyeseigha, but I think that is one of the greatest things that the President has done and God is going to reward him for that. There is nothing one will do in this world that people will not criticise. But what he has done is to make sure that 2015 is for him because Alamieyeseigha is one of the key leaders in Niger Delta region.

“The issue of corruption has been there for a very long time. We will put heads together and help President Goddluck as a person, because he is one of the best Presidents we have had so far. Development is not something you can do overnight.”

On oil theft, he said the cabal controlling the illicit trade would be driven out of business, adding that the Niger Delta people have suffered for too long, and as such, they have to enjoy their God given wealth.

What Jonathan told the Awolowo’s during his condolence visit

JONATHAN WITH MAMA AWOLOWO

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday visited the matriarch of the Awolowo family, Hanna Awolowo, in Ikenne, Ogun State, to commiserate with the family over the death of Oluwole Awolowo, the Publisher of Nigerian Tribune Newspaper.

Mr. Jonathan landed in Ikenne in a chopper marked NAF 571 at the Ansar Udeen Primary School from where he moved to the home of the Awolowo’s. The president was joined in his official car by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Segun Adesegun.

Mr. Jonathan, in the condolence register, said he was sad by the death of the late publisher and son of Premier of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo.

“Ordinarily, at three scores plus, one will be grateful to God,but still, this death of Chief Oluwole Awolowo is very painful to all of us. May God grant his soul a peaceful rest and let the family have the fortitude to bear the loss,” the president wrote in the condolence register.

While speaking to the family of the bereaved, the president said he was short of words to condole the Awolowo family.

“It’s a period that we lack words, even though as a teacher and politician, in some cases though, I’m generally somebody of very few words. But in some situations, even the very few words disappear. So we really lack words to express our feelings,” the president said.

“Ordinarily at that 70, which is why I have said that from Biblical injunction, three scores and ten, is an age where you thank God to attain, especially in a country where the average life span is quite below 50. But under the circumstances, his death is painful to all of us.

“To me, I’ve seen the way the Awolowo family has taken me as their own and I would have loved to be here almost every day. Gbenga Daniel (former Ogun State Governor) can attest to that. You have taken me as your own; this is not the period to say it and I have the opportunity to say that and the whole world can know.

“I remain grateful to you for integrating me into the great Awolowo family. That is why I asked the first time I heard about the death that have they informed mama? It was Douglas that told me that they have not informed her and I asked him to go to Lagos and follow this’.

“I pay my personal condolence to mama and the entire members of the family and I also condole with the children, especially the younger ones that are still expecting significant parental care.

“I join the Bishop to say God knows everything and he knows the reason for everything. On our part, we will continue to be members of the family and any little thing that God has given us the privilege to do the children, they are my children and my brothers.

“So mama, it is painful but God knows best and we pray that you don’t experience this again and God will see you through. Mama, I’m your son, I will continue to be with you,” Mr. Jonathan stated.

Earlier, while welcoming the President, the eldest child of the Awolowo’s, Tola Oyediran, expressed the family’s appreciation to the Federal Government.

“On behalf of the family, I want to really appreciate you. You have no doubt identified with us in this journey, even when we thought it was too big for us to carry, you were there to help us carry the load.

“We did not think at all that you would come and see us. What you have done today, it will remain forever in our hearts and we pray for you and your entire family that you will never know sorrow in Jesus name. Everything that you desire in your heart, we pray that the Lord will grant it to you.

“I want to welcome you on behalf of Awolowo family and mama and to assure you that your stay here will be peaceful,” Mrs. Oyediran said.

In a related development, the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Gani Adams, also paid a condolence visit to the family and prayed for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace.

“We have lost a brother, a progressive and ideology in this country. I pray that God should (grant) him an eternal rest,” the OPC leader wrote in the condolence register.

Culled from Premium Times

My Father Not Responsible For CAC Crisis – Prophet Obadare’s son

Late Obadare

Eldest son of Prophet Timothy Obadare, the late founder of the World Soul Winning Evangelical Ministry, Dr. Paul Obadare, on Friday, stated that his father neither caused the crisis within the Christ Apostolic Church nor frustrated efforts to resolve it.

Obadare, who is also a pastor and president of the USA chapter of WOSEM, made the clarification during an interview with our correspondent against insinuations that his father allegedly frustrated all moves to reconcile the warring factions before his death last Thursday.

Obadare said he personally made a move to reconcile the factions when his father was alive.

He said, “We use this occasion to call for the unity of CAC worldwide in the tradition of our motto: one fold one shepherd.

“It is not true that my father caused the crisis within the CAC fold. In fact, his accusers were actually responsible and I made series of efforts, which were frustrated by some of the leaders.

“My father carried on his WOSEM as an evangelical arm of the CAC for many years and he submitted himself under the authority of the church, which he still did until he was called to glory.

“A lot of people were at peace with WOSEM activities and they requested for branches which were granted by my late father. Some leaders saw this as setting up of an independent church, which was not the case.

“The statement that my father caused the crisis is not correct. It is not a honest one. Before his death, baba had on many occasions sent letters to the authorities, seeking their understanding on the need to be in one accord.

“I also, on several occasions, have gone to meet the leaders when Baba Olusheye was the president. I have also gone to talk to the new president several times about solidarity and I pleaded with them to bury the hatchet and allow the CAC to move on as a united church.”

Jonathan in Dilemma As Experts Warn On Declaring Amnesty For Boko Haram

A lawyer, Mr Afam Ani, publisher of the Nigerian Democrats Newspaper, Dr. Gboyega Aribisogun and a public affairs commentator, Mr Sam Emesele today looked at the call for the federal government to declare amnesty for the militant Islamist Boko Haram group.

The trio were speaking as guests on Channels Television’s weekend flagship programme, Sunrise Saturday.

Mr Ani, who gave a legal perspective on the issue, said despite amnesty meaning a general pardon given to a number of persons or person, it will be “foolhardy” for Boko Haram to enjoy such privilege.

He said the objective of the group totally negates the statutes of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.

He made a comparison of the claim of the militants in Niger Delta region and that of the sect and concluded that former have a genuine case.

Dr. Aribisogun, on his part said members of the group must first be identified before any move to grant amnesty be discussed. He also shared the view of the federal government that “we cannot be dealing with ghosts”.

He continued saying “those who have been masterminding this violence have not come out to say this is why we are doing this”.

He said the sect has spent the last three years waging war against the government of Nigeria therefore the government cannot say “No responsible government will sit down and say yes, even though we do not know you, we will sit down and be talking to empty chairs”.

However, Mr Emesele said there should be a line of communication between the federal government and the sect despite their faceless nature “in order to move forward”.

Culled from ChannelsTV

PDP govs compile constitutional breaches against Tukur, others

MARCH 31, 2013 

PDP National Chairman, Dr Bamanga Tukur

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party is taking a new turn as governors of the party are reportedly compiling constitutional breaches against the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, and other members of the National Working Committee.

Investigations by our correspondents indicated that the governors were determined to remove the chairman and members of the NWC from office.

Some of the governors, it was further gathered, were angry with the roles being played by some NWC members, who they claimed to have helped to assume office but who later turned around to become their enemies.

A governor, who disclosed the compilation of the breaches against the party’s constitution, said they were waiting for the party to call its National Executive Committee meeting before making their position known.

He said he and his colleagues were not happy with the refusal of the Tukur-led NWC to call for NEC meeting, which he said was one of the offences being listed against the party’s leadership.

He said, “I can tell you that we are not relenting in our desire to stamp our feet that the constitution of the party must be obeyed.

“The party’s constitution says there must be a NEC meeting at least in a quarter, yet there is no meeting for about nine months and they want us to keep quiet.”

The governors at their meeting on January 9, 2013 had “resolved to call for National Executive Committee meetings of the party to be held as and when due as provided in PDP constitution.”

Twenty-one governors were in attendance where the demand was made.

Part V111, of the party’s constitution, which deals with NEC meetings says, “National Executive Committee shall meet at least once in every quarter at the instance of the National Chairman or at the request of two-thirds of its membership, who shall notify the chairman at least seven days prior to the meeting.”

Another allegation that against Tukur and his team according to the governors, is his alleged determination to conduct a zonal congress for the election of the party’s national secretary.

Tukur had said a fresh congress would be held in the South-West zone to elect a replacement for the former National Secretary of the party, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The former Governor of Osun State was ousted by the court, which ruled that the zonal congress where he emerged as the candidate from the South-West, where the office of the national secretary was zoned, was not the proper congress.

Oyinlola, who is appealing the court ruling, has since been replaced by his deputy, Mr. Solomon Onwe, in acting capacity.

Tukur had told our correspondent on Thursday, that “The caretaker committee, which is currently in place in the zone, will hold fresh congress where a new secretary will be elected. It is a process and I can assure you that the office is not being taken away from the zone.”

But the governors are insisting that the party’s national secretary not would be elected at the zonal level.

Another grudge issue is the refusal of the party to constitute the party’s Disciplinary Committee as provided in Chapter X of its constitution.

Since the dissolution of the last committee, headed by the former deputy chairman of the party before his elevation to the position of acting national chairman, Dr. Haliru Bello, the party has refused to constitute any committee to handle disciplinary issues.

But the National Legal Adviser of the party, Mr.Victor Kwon, said the party was not deliberately breaching the party’s constitution.

He said, “We are handling issues which has not allow us to hold our NEC meeting as and when due. We are not deliberately breaching the constitution of our party. We are law-abiding and believe so much in the party’s constitution.”

Meanwhile, the PDP in the South-West has called on the national leadership of the party to retain the post of the National Secretary in the region.

A PDP Board of Trustees member, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said the matter would be “determined by the national convention of the party and not the congress.”

2015: North rejects Jonathan as sole PDP aspirant

MARCH 31, 2013 

President Goodluck Jonathan

The North has opposed to the plan by the leadership of the People Democratic Party to choose President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole aspirant for its presidential primaries.

The Arewa Consultative Forum and the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, described the move as undemocratic, stating that it could lead to chaos and collapse of the party.

The spokesman of the ACF, Anthony Sani, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the North was opposed to the move because it would limit the choice of Nigerians during the election.

 He however, added that PDP does not have the final say as to who becomes president in 2015.

He said, “I am not aware of this kind of move by the ruling PDP. But I want to say such practices, if allowed, would limit the democratic space by reducing the choice of candidate. As a result, members of the ruling party’s right to participate in the choice of their presidential candidate will be short changed. Nigerians’ choice will also be limited.

 “It is to be noted that even in America, when candidacy is conceded to the incumbent, it is not forced but brought about by consensus by members of the ruling party. And that was why Senator Kennedy was not barred from contesting the primaries with President Jimmy Carter in the early 80s. The practices of limiting candidacy to incumbency cannot promote democracy that is premised on triple foundation of liberty, justice and common decency.

“When you talk about effect of such development on the aspiration of the North to vie for the presidency in 2015, you at once convey an impression that the primaries in PDP is final. Nigerians can still make judicious use of their democratic rights and vote candidates in some other parties, more so in a clime where most of the political parties are mere clones of one another in terms of their approach to solving the myriad of problems of Nigeria.”

Sani advised Nigerians not to let such action by the PDP result to chaos in the country.

“Nigerians should not allow the actions of a few or of a party to determine how they think, what they say and what they do. Nigerians should shape events, and not allow events to shape us. There is no need for chaos, since voters have the final say. Instead of causing any chaos, voters should make judicious use of their democratic rights and vote leaders of their choice,” he added.

Sani added that it was too early to determine if the North will look in the direction of the All Progressives Congress to actualise it’s aspiration for presidency in 2015.

On the one-term agreement northern governors allegedly signed with Jonathan, Sani said, “I have said agreements (whether signed or not) and court cases do not produce presidents in a democracy. Only Nigerian voters can produce the president. Somehow, I believe that  both the controversy about agreement and court cases have been brought into the open for a higher cause. Nigerians deserve leaders they can rely upon to deliver on their promises.

“Though northerners aspire to be president in 2015, they would do so democratically, and not undemocratically. So the question of forcing northerners into one political party does not arise. They do not have to be in one party in order to make their votes count.”

On his part, the convener of CNPAPB, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said imposing Jonathan as the sole aspirant in PDP would tear the country apart.

“Let them try it. If they try it, let us see what will happen. The second term governors are not the only ones aspiring to be president. Let PDP become an automatic consensus candidate party, and let’s see how the party survives. That will lead to a collapse of PDP and that is the best possible outcome for the country.

“If they do that, there will be reaction and the reaction will not be only from the rest of the country, but also from the international community. This because the  international community will not want to pay the price of Nigeria breaking down, because they will not want to bring their marines here to stop us from tearing ourselves apart,” he stated.