APC crisis: Akande’s letter angers northern party leaders

FRESH facts on Tuesday indicated that the national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Monday was cancelled because of the suspicion within the party.

Chief Bisi Akande

The PUNCH learnt that the APC leadership called off the meeting because of reported anger of some leaders of the ruling party in the north at insinuations by Chief Bisi Akande that they were behind the crisis in the party.

Akande, a former interim national chairman of the APC, had in a letter made public on Monday alleged, among other things, that, “Most Northern elite, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels, who never liked (President Muhammadu) Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance, are quickly backing up the rebellion against APC with strong support.”

A member of the party’s caucus from the North-East geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said it would have been a rancorous session if the caucus meeting had held in what he described as “such an atmosphere of mutual suspicion.”

The party leader, who in fact said he would have spoken on the record if not for the fence- mending efforts being made by other leaders of the party, said, “We (northerners) are unhappy about Chief (Bisi) Akande’s outburst. It was unnecessary because we are all trying to put out a fire that is threatening to consume our house. And when you have a respected leader and elder making such unguarded statements it does not help.

“I personally hold Chief Akande in high esteem but what he wrote in that letter was nothing short of an insult on our collective sensibilities. How can you single out a section of your party and call them criminals who were supporting rebels to destroy the party we all built? This is most unexpected and uncharitable to say the least.”

Also, a chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, on Tuesday, described as unfortunate, the statement by Akande.

Baraje, in a statement in Abuja, said he was disappointed that Akande who had led the party and served as a state governor could author a statement in which he was allegedly seeking to divide the nation by setting the North against the South-West.

The APC leader, who once served as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, said, “I do not know where Chief Akande and his cohorts are getting this unsubstantiated information they are circulating. We challenge them to provide proof and let Nigerians make their judgment.

“Akande and co believe that they have exclusive right to determine who occupies what position in today’s Nigeria and whoever tries to challenge their position must be subjected to savage attack in the media. That tactic is definitely undemocratic.

“I have known Chief Akande to be an honest man. I got the shock of my life when he alleged that I had a meeting in my house with ‘some old and new PDP members with a view to hijacking the National Assembly’ through the aspiration of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President.

“I have been quiet as a leader so as to not to be seen as taking sides because of my closeness to Dr. Saraki, else people will read meaning into it.

“Akande has been playing a role which I admire. He will recall that he met some actors, with a governor from the North-West and a leader of the party from the South-West, where the leader from the South-West was cautioned to be reasonable in this crisis.

“He (Akande) supported the view of the governor from the North-West that the particular leader from the South-West should be admonished for his action. It is therefore surprising that Akande is now being economical with the truth and painting a picture that exists only in his imagination.”

Baraje said the allegation by Akande that a purported meeting took place in his (Baraje’s) house after the general elections, where “a so-called new PDP group plotted with a view to hijacking the National Assembly…with an ultimate aim of resuscitating the PDP as their future political platform” was a mere fabrication.

Our correspondents learnt that renewed peace moves were being made in the party and that the party leaders were hoping that they would before Friday achieve an atmosphere conducive to holding the APC NEC meeting.

The APC NEC meeting was shifted from Tuesday (yesterday) to Friday to enable party leaders to engage in further consultations.

A top member of the APC National Working Committee, who did not want his name mentioned, said that the meeting was postponed to allow tempers to go down.

“All leaders are in touch with one another and I can assure you that the crisis will be resolved on Friday,” the party source said.

However, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, himself a northerner, had defended Akande on Monday. Na’Allah said Akande must have been misquoted.

The senator said, “Chief Bisi Akande is a highly respected senior member of this country and I am not so sure he had not been misquoted on that issue. Even where it exists, I am absolutely sure that it cannot be the correct statement on the situation.

“The North holds every section of this country high; we detest the idea of even labelling us as North because we have passed that stage with the current development in our country.

“We are a united country whether we like it or not with some few interests being defined at different levels of our governance but as far as Nigeria is concerned, I don’t want to believe that there is any conspiracy.

“If there is any conspiracy on the part of the North, what made you think that the conspiracy will involve bringing somebody from the Peoples Democratic Party and from the South-East to become the deputy senate president?”

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Timi Frank, on Tuesday, confirmed that the party’s National Executive Committee would meet in Abuja on Friday to thrash out all issues affecting the party.

“We are holding our NEC meeting on Friday and I am sure all our issues will be thrashed out and the party will come out stronger,” Frank said.

APC crisis: Akande’s letter angers northern party leaders

Be patient with Buhari, northern elders beg Nigerians

LAGOS—Following concerns expressed across the country on the seeming slow pace of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, northern elders have urged Nigerians to be patient with the president.

President Buhari

This is just as a former head of state from the north, it was learnt at the weekend, met with the president to inform him of the general concern among political stakeholders that the delay in forming government was grounding government and business activities in the country.

Meanwhile, the presidency and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were yesterday locked in a war of words over calls by the opposition party for prayers to deliver President Muhammadu Buhari from his difficulties in forming his government.

The fireworks on Buhari’s first 30 days in office came as concerns grew about the increasing drift of sensitive and high ranking positions in a section of the country.

In the latest development on alleged skewed appointments, there were concerns among South-East and South-South political stakeholders that the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, may have been zeroed down to the North East thereby putting the region away from the top six positions in the country which with the exception of the vice-president are all domiciled in the North.

There were also concerns in Abuja at the weekend that the South could also lose out in the ongoing reorganisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

While presidency associates asserted that the President was up to the task in his work and on full throttle, there were concerns among some top political stakeholders over the president’s failure to name key operatives of government.

Besides the PDP, others who expressed concern on the president’s seeming slow start yesterday were Dr. Fredrick Fasehun of the Odua Peoples Congress, OPC, Alhaji Yerima Shettima of the Arewa Consultative Youth Forum and Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Secretary General of the Labour Party, LP.

President Buhari was, however, backed by two members of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Chief Don Etiebet and also by a chieftain of the APC, Chief George Moghalu. Alhaji Ghali Umar Na‘abba, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Tanko Yakassi, who served as Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari, were among those who backed the President last night.

In making its call for prayers for the President and the APC, the PDP noted what it claimed as the administration’s difficulty in finding its bearing 30 days into office.

Noting that governance has only been all motion and no movement, the PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said: “We urge Nigerians to join hands in prayers and offer useful suggestions to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC because with what we have seen in the last 30 days, the present administration is finding it very difficult to get its bearings right while showing no inclination towards implementing its numerous campaign promises for which they were voted into office.

“We are deeply worried that the President who promised to unveil his cabinet two weeks after his inauguration, has not been able to decide on key appointments such as ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, a Chief of Staff and advisers in key sectors of the economy,” he said.

The assertions were immediately dismissed by the presidency which while responding through Mr. Femi Adeshina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said that Nigerians were already hand in hand with the president and did not need to be roused up.

He said: “He wants Nigerians to join hands in prayers for the government, so that things would begin to move. What he does not know is that Nigerians had long formed such coalition. They are hands in hands, and that was what gave victory to President Buhari in the March 28, 2015, poll.

“They had teamed up to uproot an administration that had brought the country to her knees and was about to tip her off the precipice. And Nigerians have resolved that never would they allow any government to divide them along regional, religious and ethnic fault lines again.

“The Buhari administration is naturally contemplative because there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to the way PDP ran the country, particularly in the immediate past dispensation. That is why the Augean Stable is being cleaned now, and it requires scrupulous and painstaking planning. Across all sectors, our national life was devalued, and it takes meticulousness and sure-footedness to repair all the breaches. This, the Buhari administration will deliver.

Alhaji Tanko Yakasai who served as political adviser to President Shehu Shagari on his part said while he agreed that the President should have made the appointments that do not require Senate confirmation, however, said that 30 days in office were not enough to assess the president.

 

Ghali Na’abba

Erstwhile speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na‘abba on his part pleaded for time saying: “The president should be given time. I don’t believe he has not made the appointments without reasons. I am sure he is going to come out in full force soon. I am sure the president is not averse to the feelings of Nigeria.”

 

It’s too early to assess Buhari — Babatope

In his comments, a PDP chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said it was too early to assess the Buhari administration as he promised to come out with his assessment of the president after 100 days.

 

He is slow and unsteady —Ajulo, LP scribe

In his remarks, the National Secretary of Labour Party, Dr Kayode Ajulo said the Buhari administration in the last 30 days has been slow and unsteady.

Ajulo said: “He (Buhari) is slow and he is unsteady. Unsteady in the sense that he is yet to have the rein of power.”

We’re running out of patience —Shetimma, President, Arewa Youths Forum

On his part, National President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shetimma said Nigerians were running out of patience owing to the slow pace of the administration.

Nigerians are disappointed —Fasehun

Also, founder of the Odua People’s Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun expressed disappointment in the President’s performance in the first 30 days. He said: “Nigerians are disappointed in the Buhari administration so far because we expected him to hit the ground running and jumping but we have more of motion and less movement.”

President has shown leadership — Moghalu

An APC chieftain, Chief George Moghalu said President Buhari has shown leadership.

He said: “The President has shown leadership in the areas of insecurity and the economy putting in mind the situation the President met on ground when he came on board.”

Former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Don Etiebet said the President is doing great so far and it is evident that there is road to the promised land.

The Presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie in the last election said that Buhari was already showing positive results in its first 30 days.

He cited improved electricity supply as part of the results in the last 30 days.

 

Buhari is cautious

—Onyeagocha

Also commenting on the President’s 30 days in office, a former member of the House of Representatives and senatorial candidate in the last general election for Imo East, Mr. Uche Onyeagocha said that the President was showing caution in his actions.

 

Be patient with Buhari, northern elders beg Nigerians

Northern Elders Ask Buhari To Grant Amnesty To Boko Haram

SOME prominent northerners including the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Mohammed Uwais and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe and former Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, Ibrahim Gambari have asked the President -elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, declare amnesty for Boko Haram insurgents when he takes over power on May 29.

Justice Uwais

However, Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, dismissed the call saying it would amount to rewarding criminals instead of punishing them for crimes against humanity.

They also asked Buhari to give priority attention to the special economic programmes for the North East geopolitical zone which had been ravaged by the Boko Haram terrorists, just as they warned against the scrapping of the on-going amnesty programme for ex-militants in the Niger Delta region.

These were contained in a communiqué issued after a two-day conference with the theme: “Security and Governance Challenges in Africa’s largest Democracy,” by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, SCDDD, as part of its “Nigeria Beyond 12015 Project,” in Abuja yesterday.

Those communiqué was signed by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, founder of Savannah Centre, Major General Ishola Williams, Executive Secretary, Pan-African Strategic and Peace Research Group, PAN-AFSTRAG, Justice Mohammed Uwais (chairman of the occasion) and Ambassador Abdullahi Omaki, executive director of the Savannah Centre.

They also called on the Federal Government ‘’to expedite action on the compensation of victims of Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency through the established and funded Victims’ Support Fund,’’ and for urgent priority attention to the special economic programme for the North East by the incoming administration, just as they condemned ‘’the carnage, devastations and displacements, which the Boko Haram group inflicted upon many innocent Nigerians in the north east region.’’

Furthermore, the communiqué called ‘’for the establishment of a special economic programme for the affected states of the North-East, focusing on rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction,’’ as well as on the need for ‘’the governors of the North-East States and indeed of the entire North, on the necessity for a blueprint that addresses the issues of vocational and skills-acquisition education for the youths.’’

Among those who participated in the conference were the National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki, rtd, (represented by Ambassador C.L. Olaseinde); the Secretary, Borno State Elders’ Forum, BSEF, Dr Bulama Gubio (who represented Governor Kashim Shettima); Dr. Zakariya Ousmane Ramadene of N’djamena, Chad. Prof. Abubakar Momoh, DG, Electoral Institute, INEC, Abuja and Professor Habu Galadima, director research, NIPSS, Jos, Plateau State.

The communiqué read in part, ‘’After thought-provoking, incisive and lively discussions, the Conference resolved follows:

SECURITY

Recognizes the need for security shift from military-centred to military-civilian centred. Mindful of the military’s cherished role as security provider, calls on all security organs to play their pivotal role in protecting citizens’ life and property as well as protecting them from fear and physical harm;

‘’Affirms the primacy of developing integrated comprehensive national security policies addressing the major military and human security concerns;

Abubakar Shekau

‘’Observes the need to redress the current communication deficit by improving on information sharing by the defence and security establishments on a need-to-know basis with stakeholders and the citizenry;

‘’Notes with dissatisfaction, the proliferation of institutions of state with overlapping functions and calls for urgent need for this to be addressed with a view to stream-lining their functions, and also cutting the cost of governance as well as reducing unnecessary bureaucratic misunderstandings;

Acknowledges the efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, in pioneering, initiating and developing policy and operational framework documents to enhance effective and efficient security and defence service delivery; encourage the ONSA to properly enlist and engage other relevant agencies and stakeholders in implementing these laudable initiatives and wide-ranging responsibilities encapsulated in these documents;

‘’Emphasizes the efficacy of adopting, nurturing, developing, consolidating and strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations with Nigeria’s neighbours by evolving strategic and tactical, military, socio-economic and political cooperation with Nigeria’s neighbours, particularly Niger, Cameron and Chad, Benin Republic as well as Mali and Burkina Faso in combating the Boko Haram terrorists;

‘’Recommends that Nigeria must seek to enhance her security through a combination of strategies. First, is through careful and full implementation of the various provisions in the recently released National Security Strategy Document. Second, through a revitalized Bilateral arrangement with her immediate neighbours, namely Cameroun, Chad, Benin Republic, Niger as well as Mali and Burkina Faso. Third, through Multilateral arrangement by way of an expanded Multinational Joint Security Task Force (MJSTF) under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), taking into account the strategic location of Benin Republic to Nigeria’s security interest;

‘’Acknowledges the high vulnerability of the Lake Chad region, which is currently compounded by the Boko Haram insurgency and urges member-states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission,as a matter of priority to ensure the operational effectiveness of the Multinational Joint Security Task Force. Pursuant to this, member-states are further urged to quickly conclude the ongoing negotiations on the legal status and operational modalities of the Task Force, to enable it quickly take control of the security situation in the sub-region.

POLITICAL

‘’Notes the successful and peaceful conduct of the 2015 elections, and calls for the urgent need for party building and the institutionalization of management mechanisms;

Recommends that political party organization and management in Nigeria should be based on the rules, guidelines and constitution of the party. In this regard, parties and members should always allow internal party democracy to prevail;

‘’Reiterates the supremacy of party constitution paramount so long as it is not in conflict with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act as amended;

‘’Urges the Political Parties to move away from the current syndrome of political elitism to building the real political class whose focus is anchored on sustainable development of party politics; devoid of the current political nomadism whose sole purpose for power acquisition is to satisfy the parochial interest of its political class (not of the people). In order to attain this, it is important that parties are built on interests, issues and ideology;

‘’Recommends that inter-party cooperation and understanding should be strengthened; calls on the Nigerian political parties must return to the original concept of party-building and democratic values, guided by a disciplined political class in order to stem the spate of defections that have characterized the Nigerian political system;

MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION

‘’Urges the media to strictly adhere to professional ethics, standards of journalism, and any violation should attract severe sanctions

Calls on the Media and Civil Society Organizations to be agents in the promotion of national interest, religious tolerance, peaceful co-existence, national integration and cohesion;

ECONOMY

‘’Stresses the necessity for full implementation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act to check corruption as well as strengthen the relevant state Institutions, such as the EFCC and ICPC;

Notes that while due process as a procurement policy is important and necessary, it must be conducted in transparent manner;

Observes with disappointment that the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission, RMFAC. has abdicated its responsibility of mobilizing revenue and instead concentrating mainly on allocation;

‘’Calls on the Nigerian-State to expedite action on the compensation of victims of Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency through the established and funded Victims’ Support Fund;

Condemns the carnage, devastations and displacements, which the Boko Haram group inflicted upon many innocent Nigerians in the Northeast region;

Calls for the establishment of a special economic programme for the affected States of the North-East, focusing on rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction;

‘’Underscores the necessity for the incoming Government to reduce the size of governance by collapsing appropriate MDA’s and other institutions of Government; Notes the success story of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (for Niger Delta ex-militants) which terminates in 2015 and called for targeted review of the scheme to forestall the relapse of the region into its turbulent past. ‘’It further calls for a similarly arrangements to address the peculiar issues arising from the insurgency in the Nort-East, while noting the singularity of purpose for the General T.Y Danjuma Victims Support Funds;

COMMENDATION

The Conference commends the Savannah Centre for organizing this Conference on “Security and Governance: Challenges in Africa’s Largest Democracy” at this critical moment in Nigeria’s security development and sub-regional security challenges.’’

 

 

Northern Elders Ask Buhari To Grant Amnesty To Boko Haram

Jonathan meets with northern tradidtional rulers

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with traditional rulers from the north led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, to discuss ways of proffering solutions to the spate of killings in the region.

The meeting which started by 10:25pm, took place at the First Lady’s Conference Room and had in attendance the Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and other Presidential aides.

It would be recalled that the traditional rulers had on Wednesday met in Kaduna where they discussed the Boko Haram crises in the northeast and other parts of the region and the economic situation in the north.

The Kaduna meeting was attended by the chairmen of traditional rulers council from each of the 19 northern states while yesterday’s meeting was attended by 13 of them including the Sultan himself.

The Sultan who briefed the press after the Kaduna meeting, had pledged to take the opinion and observation of the northern traditional rulers to the President as part of ways of forging stronger alliance with government against terrorism.

 

 

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Jonathan meets with northern tradidtional rulers

Northern leaders insincere about Chibok school girls – Kuku

SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr Kingsley Kuku, yesterday accused North-East leaders of being economical with the truth over the actual number of the missing Chibok school girls.

Chibok girls

Noting that the Americans have used their Drones to conduct search for over one month without finding the abducted girls, Kuku, who spoke while delivering a lecture entitled “Challenging Current Security Issues For National Transformation: The Way Forward”, at the 10th Convocation ceremony of the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

He alleged that the plot of those opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan was to continue to cause confusion and create a state of war, asserting however that the President will run for a second term no matter the threats.

He lamented that North-East leaders have failed to find solution to the insecurity problem in the region, recalling that during the militancy era in the Niger Delta and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) struggle in the West, Niger Delta and Yoruba leaders met with leaders of the groups and stopped the crises in their various areas, wondering why it has been difficult for Northern leaders to stop the Boko Haram insurgency.

His words: “Look at the issue of Chibok girls: they said they were 273 writing Physics, all the girls in one common village called Chibok. I am from Ondo state and our only resource is education. Let us think well, I am not saying that there are no Chibok girls. But in your own village where education is revered, since 1970, have you really seen 50 girls writing Physics in one day? Let us think about it, 273 girls writing Physics; that means there is need for science in Nigeria.

“I used to join the protest ‘Boko Haram release our girls’ but I got home and thought about it. The next thing America started abusing us, they even made American First lady to join the protest but later she stopped. And Americans came and started complaining that we don’t have equipment to search for the girls, then the President said okay please come and help us.

“They roamed the airspace and for over one month Drones were used but they could not find one girl. And I replied Senator Mccain, who was describing our President as one guy, and I told him, ‘your country came but could not find traces of these girls for one month so what are you saying?’ I said, please America come back and find these girls for us you are our father. They said they could not wait again and they left.

“And as at that time, the government of Russia made a statement on the internet that they will not waste time to join in this dream journey and that if Nigeria was serious and the international community wanted the truth that they should see what exactly was happening in the premises of the government of Borno State. People underplayed that statement but the whole world came and the girls are yet to be found.

“In Abia state today, the highest enrollment for WAEC, we assessed Umuahia which is the capital, we did not go to a community like my community, we did not find 70 students enrolling for Physics in a school but in Chibok, a community I first heard in my life when this incident happened, we saw 273. Then you can see the gimmick, they will come up to say seven came out, they escaped.

“After two weeks they said another seven ran out of the bush. And the first lady of this country tried to move into the matter Nigerians started abusing her that she was not a mother. We like abusing First ladies in this country, now she has kept quiet, go to the internet they have started complaining that she is not talking again. Then when she speaks they will say she talks too much.”

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Northern leaders insincere about Chibok school girls – Kuku

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

Produce Chibok girls, or forget 2015, Northern Elders tells Jonathan

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday, said that President Goodluck Jonathan should forget about contesting in 2015 if he fails to produce the Chibok secondary school students kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect in April.

Jonathan meeting with the chibok girls

According to statement, signed by Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the group NEF states that it does not believe that the Nigerian military cannot defeat the terrorists, and that it feels the conflicts in the country are simply being engineered to weaken the North politically and economically.

“We also reject the notion that multiple internal security challenges such as attacks on villages, ethno-religions conflicts and banditry springing up by the day in many parts of the north are all a coincidence,” the statement said. “Indeed, we are convinced that most of these conflicts are being engineered to weaken the North politically and economically by interests which intend to exploit such weaknesses for electoral benefits.”

NEF expressed strong displeasure over the Boko Haram insurgency, the government’s failure to deal with it, and the recent massacre in Gwoza town in Borno State.

It said it was issuing the statement after concluding a major review of the state of the nation, and as part of its continuous commitment to help to resolve Nigeria’s current political, economic and security challenges, and facilitate the emergence of a more united, secure and prosperous nation out of its present limitations.

“The security situation in our nation today represents the most serious threat to our individual and collective lives in our entire history,” NEF warned.

It observed that the reality is that the threats posed by what appears to be an insurgency that has many manifestations and defies a clear and consistent identity is growing on account of a clear national consensus over its nature and it solutions.

“The lack of a strong will at the level of the presidency to fight it, as well as deep-seated corruption and incompetence in governments and in the management of our security challenges has allowed a band of terrorists to take and hold vast parts of our land and populations hostage, while every citizen lives in fear that they will be its next victim.”

Asking Mr. Jonathan to forfeit 2015 unless he produces the Chibok girls, the Northern Elders warned, “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.”

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Produce Chibok girls, or forget 2015, Northern Elders tells Jonathan

#Bringbackourgirls: Fani-Kayode accuses Northern elders

By Ehi Ekhator

High profile Nigerians are beginning to speak out on what they sense as “Pampering of  Boko Haram by the north” who seems to also cry loudly as though the Federal Government is not doing enough.

Chief Fani-Kayode

An ardent critic of the Federal Government, Chief Fami Fani-Kayode has lashed northern elders who are protecting, sponsoring and backing the insurgents in whatever way, from the Federal Governemtn’s rots.

According to Fani-Kayode, he said the issue concerning the abduction of the 234 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, is getting clearer since some northern elders do not want troops deployed or force used against Boko Haram members.

The statement reads ” The suggestion by a group of northern elders that ”force should not be used” in securing the freedom of the abducted girls is sickening and instructive. The bitter truth about this whole matter is getting clearer by the day. It is the same people that did not want troops to be deployed to the area in the first place.

It is the same group that did not want a state of emergency to be declared in some parts of the north. It is the same group of people that have been urging the government to negotiate with Boko Haram for the last three years. It is the same group of people who have consistently asked that Boko Haram should be treated with kid gloves and that they should be offered amnesty even when the islamist group have slaughtered no less than 10,000 innocent people in the last three years.

It is the same people that are suggesting that Boko Haram is actually an agent of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). It is the same group of people that secretly rejoice when churches are burnt, when bombs are detonated, when innocent people are killed, when our soldiers are routed, when children have their throats slit, when the country is being made ”ungovernable” and when girls are abducted, sold into slavery and buried alive.

It is one of these so-called northern elders that referred to Boko Haram as ”freedom fighters” only last year. It is another that said that members of Boko Haram ought to be treated ”in the same way as the Niger Delta militants” and that they should be rehabilitated, resettled and paid large sums of money.

Today, just three weeks after the Haramites have abducted almost 300 young school girls at Chibok, burnt down their school and kept them as sex slaves and just three days after 300 innocent people were slaughtered by the same islamist group in a border town with the Camerouns, these so-called elders are saying that force must not be used against them. This is absurd, insensitive and unacceptable and their suggestion must be treated with the contempt that it deserves.

I just do not know what it will take for the Nigerian people to accept the fact that Boko Haram is the greatest evil that our country has ever had to contend with and that there can be no negotiation or dialogue with such demons in human flesh. I just do not know what it will take for these so-called northern elders to accept the fact that evil is evil, that you must never negotiate with terrorists and that their ”gentle way” way simply does not and cannot work.

The truth is that until every single member of Haramite is hunted down, brought to justice and despatched to hell where they belong there will be no peace in our country. We must also eliminate their closet supporters who secretly encourage, fund and protect them because there can be no fellowship with light and darkness.

I have always viewed all those that have suggested that Boko Haram should be treated with kid gloves with the utmost suspicion. It is either that we live in a civilised country where the rule of law prevails, where beasts have no place and where murderous animals are treated like the murderous animals that they are or we shall have no country at all.

All this talk about ”not using force” must stop because it is nonsensical, it is counter-productive and it presents a very real threat to our desire to continue as one nation. Those that abduct, rape, kill, enslave and terrorise little girls deserve no mercy and they do not deserve to live.

Those that believe that the Haramites are rational or reasonable and that ”force should not be used against them” should please give them their own daughters in exchange for our missing girls. After they have done that they can be as gentle with Boko Haram as they like.”

#Bringbackourgirls: Fani-Kayode accuses Northern elders

Lamido of Adamawa under verbal attack over threat to walk out of National Conference

The Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha threatened to walk out of the on-going National conference if pushed to the wall.

The statement did not go down well with some of the delegates. Sir Olaniwun Ajayi said he was not surprised by the threat. Mr. Ayo Opadokun reminded the monarch that his territory was in Nigeria on the magnanimity of the Nigerian people in the first place.

Former Governor of Borno State Mohammed Goni believed that the traditional ruler could not have meant the statement the way it was perceived, Mrs. Daisy Danjuma urged Nigerians to be patient and await the outcome the of the conference.

Sir Ajayi, an elder statesman, who is representing the Southwest geo-political zone on the platform of socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality groups, said he was not surprised by the pronouncement of the monarch.

He said: “I am not particularly surprised because since 1947, until our independence, the northern leaders have always been threatening secession or walking out and the British people always begged them and giving them what they want.

“For instance, the first general conference held in Ibadan in 1950, the North came with four demands and if not granted they would walk our.

“The demands were parity of the membership of the House of Representatives with the South; that is, whatever bill they brought to the House they will win because the North controls the House.

“Secondly, they want the revenue of the country to be shared on per capital basis, because they have been given the impression that they were more in number than the people of the South put together.

“Three, they said the boundary between the North and the South should not be adjusted, that is Ilorin, Kabba and other towns, on that axis would continue to be part of the North.

“Lastly, they want Lagos to cease to be part of Nigeria. Little, by little the North got all they demanded for, which became, the undoing of Nigeria because that was what led to the first military coup.

“The reality is that, and which is very worrrisome, is the statement and then the attitude of the chairman, who failed to stop him making comments on a subject that was not on the table.

“He was supposed to have ruled him out of order.

“I think this as probably an agenda that could have been the result of series of meetings overnight or since we got here, otherwise. What he was saying and what he was allowed to say were not good, considering what we are here for.

“I am highly disappointed by this, coming from a reputable former Chief Justice of Nigeria to have allowed the monarch to say what he said.”

Opadokun said the statement was uncalled for, as Adamawa is in Nigeria on the magnanimity of the people of Nigerians.

He said: “It’s an unfortunate statement because we should be talking about issues that bring us together and not the ones that separate us.

“It’s even more unfortunate because his comment was not on what was on the debate as at that time. Even when the Chairman called him to order, he continued to make that damaging statement.

“Saying that he has a place to go should the country disintegrate, he must be reminded that his living in Nigeria was at the instance of the good people of Nigeria, spearheaded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who fought Cameroon to the United Nations.

“I believe this conference is going to achieve the desired result for this country, but not at the expense of our rights to be happy staying together. In other words, we would not allow anyone to impose conditions on us.

“We can persuade people, persuade ourselves because there is a lot of joy living together. But, if your coming together will cause some injustice, people will resist.”

Goni believed Lamido could not have meant the statement the way it was perceived.

According to him, the threat could be a reaction to the helplessness experienced by his subjects over security challenges and the seeming inability of Federal and state governments to stem the insurgencies.

He also doubted that the threat would be carried out because to convince others would be impossible.

His words: “I don’t think it is strongly meant because, in his view, he knew it can not be binding on other people. I want to believe that the statement was made as a result of pressure of the lingering security challenges being faced by the people of his area.

“You know, this is a place where killings occur almost on daily basis and the frustration of seeing that government efforts have not been able to stop the killings.

“In other words, I see it as just a statement made on the spur of the moment. I don’t think he meant it. Moreover, we have been together in this country and since the Constitution Conference of 1979, which I attended and subsequent ones, it has always been made clear that the unity of this country can not be compromised.

“Moreover, even if he wants to stage a walkout, it won’t succeed because a consensus must be reached by the political leaders and others in his area of influence for that to be carried out.

“In other words, the traditional ruler would have to convince political leaders and other state actors from the local government level in his area to the top and I don’t think that is easy.

“That statement was just the voicing out of frustration of the challenges his community is facing and the seeming hopelessness of the situation.”

To Mrs Danjuma, the statement is of no importance and should not be taken seriously.

She said the statement was not binding on the conference and that rather than let tempers flare, people should wait for the outcome of the conference.

“At the end of the day, we will come to a compromise, that is after everybody might have expressed their fears,” Mrs Danjuma said.

Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, leader of Southeast delegation: “In the end, we have a united country that has decided not to break up, one that supports the structure of governance that support progress, fairness and justice.

“That outburst, I will rather compartmentalise it to the Lamido and Adamawa State. First, I am disappointed that he was not able to hold his anger and I am sure he would regret it now.

“I also don’t believe that he is saying in effect that he is Cameroonian, warning that if things really go bad, he has a place to run to”.

On the 49-member committee to deliberate on the stalemate voting method.

“Yes. I would rather put it this way that most of us here are those who ran the country to where we are today and it’s best for those people who ran the country aground, so to say, to correct themselves and ensure that we have a better country.

“I have a strong believe, that at the end of the day, we will have a stronger and better country”.

Femi Falana: “There are 492 delegates here, brought here from all walks of life and you must expect all manners of contributions. Including not so bright contributions.

“The only unfortunate thing from the proceeding so far, is the tendency of the secretariat to recycle those who brought Nigeria to her knees considering the composition of the 49- member committee that has just been drawn up.

“The same people of expired ideas, who have fixations about Nigeria. It’s not about the Nigerian youth or women, one can just imagine a committee of 49 people with only three women and no youth.

“Anyway, as they are consulting, we are also consulting, so that we do not allow those whose ideas led Nigeria to her kneels to dictate the pace here. Enough is enough.

“We are ready to listen to them. What are the criteria for picking them. You can’t pick people with regional ideas while people with pan Nigerian mandate are there. Many people are here to maintain and sustain the dangerous status quo but the majority of the committed delegates are anxious to have a new Nigeria on the basis of progressive ideas.

“How do you ask those who led to the collapse to come and reorganise it. I expect people to be remorseful and when called to speak, decline and say let others talk but that is when someone can say his territory extends to Cameroon”.

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Lamido of Adamawa under verbal attack over threat to walk out of National Conference

National confab a sham for Jonathan’s re-election – Northern elders

Northern Elders Forum, NEF, yesterday, decried the rising wave of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the Tiv in Nasarawa State and blamed unnamed top government officials for the mayhem.

National conference

According the NEF, the premeditated violence was to create tension in the state and pave the way for the Presidency to unseat Governor Tanko Al Makura through the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Deputy Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Paul Unongo, who made the claim at the media briefing in Abuja, also accused the President of selecting his friends to be the sole delegates for the impending National Conference.

The NEF said it would have nothing to do with the confab as it would not produce any tangible result for the country.

According to the forum, the confab had been primed to advance the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The elders, who met in Abuja to review the state of the nation, also lamented the seeming inability of the Federal Government to tackle rising menace of terrorism in the North, which they noted, had caused a lot of havoc and dislocation in the region.

Unongo pointed out that the impending conference would not be able to solve any problem for Nigeria because the delegates were selected by the President instead of allowing Nigerians to elect them as proposed by the Committee raised by the government.

Unongo pointed out: “What they are going to do is not a national conference but a Jonathan conference because almost all the delegates are selected by him and his friends instead of an open election that was adopted for the previous exercises even during the military era.

“This is not fair. The manner of selecting only the friends and associates of the President for the conference does not represent the generality of Nigerians and we cannot be part of such a sham,” the former minister said.

While sympathising with the government over the killings in the North, the NEF official called in the administration to take whatever steps possible to flush out the terrorists, whom he said did not represent any religion in the country, as claimed by some ignorant persons.

Unongo, who advocated the use of what he called “carrot and stick” approach to dislodge the terrorists, warned that the menace could spread to other parts of Nigeria if not checked through a holistic and creative approach.

Turning to the suspension  of the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Northern Elders said they were irked by the action of Mr. President for condoning corruption by removing the whistle blower, who risked his life to dare the forces working against the interest of the generality of Nigerians.

NEF said, “In our judgment, we feel that Sanusi has the right to be genuinely concerned about the non-remittances of over $20 billion of oil revenue into the Federation Account as stipulated by law.

“The President should have commended rather than suspend a man who loves this country and has refused to play along with others who are causing serious havoc to the economy of this nation.

“Why is the President afraid of those who are exposing corruption and playing along with those who are wasting public funds?

“How does Sanusi’s sack or suspension bring about the missing billions of dollars of oil revenue?” the NEF leader asked.

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National confab a sham for Jonathan’s re-election – Northern elders