Probe, jail Jonathan if found guilty – NEF

The Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Paul Unongo, has said that former President Goodluck Jonathan should be probed over the $2.1bn arms deal.

President Jonathan

Unongo, who was power and steel minister in the Second Republic, said the former President should be jailed if found to have corruptly enriched himself in the $2.1bn arms deal and refuses to refund his share of the loot.

Unongo, however, said the former President deserved consideration for conceding defeat in the last general elections and by helping the country to avert an impending national crisis.

These two facts, according to him, should make his punishments mild if found guilty of stolen funds.

Unongo, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Monday, said, “There are three points to make on the arms probe. The first is that Jonathan deserves a special consideration for his contribution to democratic culture in Nigeria and for enabling us to avert a national crisis by conceding defeat during the general elections. He also mobilised support for the present government. Jonathan was great in defeat. He is a hero for doing this.

“Secondly, if the anti-graft agency can prove beyond reasonable doubt that he diverted public funds and if Jonathan agrees to return the stolen funds, he should not be humiliated but he should be given due consideration.

“Thirdly, if it is proved by a transparent process that he stole the country’s money and he refuses to return it, then the law should take its course, whether he is a former President or not. He should be prosecuted and jailed. This is important in order to serve as a deterrent to others.”

Unongo slammed Jonathan’s advisers who have been justifying their roles in the alleged diversion of the arms funds based on the excuse that they acted under instructions from the Presidency.

He said Jonathan’s advisers should be held liable for their actions because they had the opportunity to advise the President against any form of illegality.

According to him, Jonathan’s advisers and ministers who were uncomfortable with his style of governance should have resigned their appointments if the President did not follow their advice.

“I was a minister in this country and that did not stop me from speaking the truth to the President. Jonathan’s advisers who are claiming they acted under instructions to justify their alleged theft are lying.

“Jonathan paid them to advise him so they are liable for their actions. If you advised Jonathan rightly and he said no, you should have resigned your appointment,” he stressed.

The former minister also added that the Federal Government had not ordered the arrest of Jonathan because the government ‘was trying to be careful and abide by the dictates of the law in order not to be seen as dictatorial’.

He said, “I think President Buhari is trying to be careful in not summoning Jonathan so far. I don’t believe there was an agreement President Buhari had not to probe Jonathan as being reported.”

Probe, jail Jonathan if found guilty – NEF

Stop Using Chibok Girls For Political Gimmick, PDP Tells Northern Elders

The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has lashed out at the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) over the October ultimatum given to President Goodluck Jonathan to secure the release of the over 200 Chibok School Girls held hostage by Boko Haram insurgents.

The party through a statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the state Chairman, Prince Felix Obuah said that NEF’s threat to the president to forget the 2015 election unless the girls are released smacks of conspiracy and grand plot to thwart the nation’s nascent democracy, using the security challenge in the country as a camouflage.

The PDP insists that neither President Goodluck Jonathan or the party is responsible for the Boko Haram insurgency and wonder why the Northern Elders are sounding as though the Chibok Saga is stage-managed to get at the PDP and the Jonathan administration.

While join hands to pray for the early and safe release of the girls, the PDP said the Northern Elders should stop pretending to be more concerned about the Chibok Girls and their families but should be seen to be making concerted efforts to complement those of the federal government in not only getting the detained girls released but also putting the entire Boko Haram menace to an end.

“Peaceful and conducive atmosphere remains the best for all and for any meaningful development and should be the prayer of all because neither party, nor tribe, nor group can survive under convulsive environment,” the PDP notes.

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Stop Using Chibok Girls For Political Gimmick, PDP Tells Northern Elders

2015: Presidency replies Northern elders over Chibok girls ultimatum

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News.

The Presidency has replied to the threat by the Northern Elders Forum that President Jonathan should forfeit 2015 re-election if he refused to bring back the  Chibok secondary school girls who were abducted in April, 2014 by the dreaded Boko Haram.

MEETING—From left: Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and Garba Umar, Acting Governor of Taraba, during their visit to Borno State, yesterday. Photo: Sahara Reporters

In a statement signed by the  Senior Special Assistant to the president (Public Affairs), Dr. Doyin Okupe, titled ”re:ultimatum issued by northern elders forum”,  he reminded the NEF that the President does not require a reminder or threat to perform his duties to his people.

The Northern Elders Forum in a press statement signed by Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, had given the President from now till October to provide the chibok girls or kiss his reelection goodbye.

The statement reads ‘“In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October, 2014. The circumstances under which our fellow citizens in and around Gwoza in Borno state in particular live and die will not be tolerated by any people who have a government and a leader sworn to defend them, and they must be reversed immediately. In the event that President Jonathan fails to do this, Nigerians will be left with the only conclusion that he has forfeited his right to ask for our mandate beyond 2015.”

Responding to what seems  like a threat, the Presidency said  ”President Jonathan does not require any threat or ultimatum from any group of persons to be alive to his responsibilities to the Nigerian People.”

”Islamic extremism is a global phenomenon and requires tact, military capability, serious de-radicalisation techniques and community based counter insurgency programmes to ensure success.

In the fight against the insurgents, the Presidency said ” We are improving on our operational capabilities and efficiencies by acquiring more advanced weapons and technologies for our military and security agencies.

”We have drafted more military personnel to the region to strengthen the fighting power of our armed forces.

”We are taking advantage of the offers from our international military and intelligence allies to assist in identifying key locations.

”We are working with our neighbours to secure the borders and limit the movements of the Boko Haram fighters, building on the agreements reached at the recent summits in Paris and London.

”We are deploying more resources to maximize operational efficiency, acquire more advanced and relevant weaponry and boost the general morale of our combatants. This is why the Government recently requested for an additional funding of $1bn.

”And the last piece in the puzzle is targeting the domestic and international funding, and stopping the money flows into the coffers of the terrorists. With all these efforts and the support of our allies, these steps will help fight the threat of the Boko haram and move us closer to bringing the girls back safely.

To counter the accusation that the Presidency is allegedly involved in the continuous attack in the North by the sects, to destablized the togetherness and cooperation enjoyed by the people, politically and otherwise, the presidency said ”The suggestion that the Government is carrying out any scheme to annihilate any section of the country for political gain is preposterous, contrary to common sense, divisive and essentially a deliberate attempt to disseminate “hate mentality” and cause mischief.

”President Goodluck Jonathan was voted for by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the board, and he will never promote any policy that is either divisive or inimical to the wellbeing of any section of the polity.

What the country needs today is total co-operation, of all its citizens and stakeholders, with the Government and our military and the security agencies.

”We wish to assure Nigerians that in spite of this and many more distractions, the President is focused on continued successful executions of his transformation Agenda; and the guarantee of the security of lives and properties of the Nigerian people.

NAIJA CENTER NEWS could recall that the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako wrote a similar letter to the Northern elders forum, accusing President Jonathan of using  the soldiers to commit crime against humanity, reducing the population of the north through genocide, which, according to speculations, landed him in his present impeachment saga.

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2015: Presidency replies Northern elders over Chibok girls ultimatum

Northern Elders urge Jonthan to investigate insubordination towards Minister of Defence

By Ehi Ekhator

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NBF) has requested the National Assembly to look into the stubborn attitude displayed by the Service Chiefs displayed towards the Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau.

Aliyu Gusau, minister of defence

This was disclosed by the Deputy Leader of the NBF, Dr. Paul Unongo in Abuja requesting that the alleged insubordination, if true, was a dangerous development

He said : It is not done in the Armed Forces. It dents the credibility of the minister. If they refuse to appear before him, what right has he to oversee the entire Defence Forces?

“Disrespect is not tolerated in the Armed Forces. If he resigned, I support him. If he did not resign, what happened? I heard Mr. President pleaded with him to withdraw his resignation letter.

“This is a serious issue that the National Assembly should investigate because it is an attack on our democracy. This is a very serious thing in a democratic set-up.

“When such a thing happened in the United States, the Head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces was dismissed. The President is allowed to choose anybody whom he feels can do the job.

“This kind of thing should never be tolerated. Such officers should be flushed out of the system because if hey are not flushed out, it is dangerous for our democracy.”

The second Republic Minister of Steel Development, Dr. Unongo hope that the President “will take note of the grave implications inherent in the drama of his Armed Forces refusing to carry out instructions of civilian cabinet ministers appointed to oversee their various departments.”

“To oversee these functions, Mr. President invites cabinet ministers to assist him run the departments and the military is a department. He added

“These heads of the Armed Forces, according to the Constitution, unless they have changed it, are directly under a director within the Ministry of Defence.

“This is a man that has been a General for over 20 years with the Nigerian Armed Forces. This is a person that became the Chief Spy; his nickname is the Chief Spy of the Nigerian Federation.

“This is a man that all governments, including this present administration, tap his knowledge and I know this person and how long the Government of President Jonathan tried to get him to accept this position of Minister of Defence.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, General Gusau yesterday met with Service Chiefs in what appeared a likely resolution of the crisis of confidence between the minister and leaders of the Armed Forces.

Gusau and the Service Chiefs reviewed the situation in Maiduguri and other parts of the North-East.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said the Service Chiefs, led by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, decided to honour the invitation after the intervention of the Presidential Villa.

The source said: “The Defence Minister and the Service Chiefs met to iron out grey areas on the management of security challenges and out to forge a common front.

“I think we are closer to the resolution of the misunderstanding between the minister and the Service Chiefs.

“We expect a better co-ordination of all operations against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.”

Asked if the Service Chiefs will now report to the minister, the source added: “Not likely because National Security Agencies Act does not mandate them to do so.

“But what yesterday’s meeting has achieved is the need for mutual respect and how to collaborate without friction.

“It is also about drawing inspiration from Gusau who is respected globally as an expert in counter-insurgency.

“The crisis in Maiduguri was a catalyst for the session between the minister and the Service Chiefs. It jolted all of them into action.” (0)

Northern Elders urge Jonthan to investigate insubordination towards Minister of Defence