Jonathan’s cousin abducted with his uncle discovered dead

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Samuel Oki, who was abducted alongside the former leader’s uncle and foster father, Chief Inegite Jonathan, was on Friday found dead by fishermen in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

Premium Times reports that relatives confirmed that the body of Oki, aged 35, was found floating on Otuoke river, two days after the abduction.

Asini Butswat, the police spokesperson for Bayelsa State, told the newspaper that report of the incident has reached the Police, but could not immediately give details of what transpired. He however said he was working to get briefings from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.

It would be recalled that armed gunmen had on Wednesday kidnapped 72-year-old Chief Inegite Jonathan, but the abduction of Oki was not immediately noticed until several hours later.

Fishermen in Otuoke community on Friday found his body already decomposing, this raised fears about the safety of the former president’s 72-year-old uncle, whose whereabouts was still not known by Friday afternoon.

According to the report, Igbogamini Paul, a relation of the deceased, said both men were kidnapped on Wednesday.

Mr. Paul added that a gunshot they heard during the abduction may have targeted at Mr. Oki

Jonathan’s cousin abducted with his uncle discovered dead

Youths shut Otuoke University, demand appointment of indigenes

There was tension in Otuoke, home town of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, as aggrieved youths of Bayelsa State, shut down Federal University, Otuoke, during a protest.

Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko
| credits: http://www.nigerianmuse.com

The youth embarked on the protest to demand the appointment of indigenes into management positions in the federal university.

They accused the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, of playing the ethnic kite, alleging that none of the principal officers in the university was from Bayelsa.

It was learnt that the placard-carrying youths, numbering over 200, were a combination of Ijaw Youth Council members and students from the state, drawn from tertiary institutions across the Niger Delta states.

Sources said they converged on the main campus of FUO in the early hours of Wednesday and locked the gate against staff and students.

They were said to have proceeded from the main campus to the administrative buildings area, where they were denied entry as the gate had been locked by some security personnel who got wind of the protest.

The protest, though peaceful, caused panic among residents of Otuoke as business operators promptly closed shop apparently for fear that hoodlums could take advantage of the situation to attack and cart away goods.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, ‘Bayelsa youths say no to change of principal officers from Bayelsa’, ‘Registrar is not a Bayelsan. He is short-changing Bayelsans’, ‘Leave our woman bursar alone. We need equal representation in the management of FUO, Otuoke’, ‘IYC declares war if bursar and librarian are changed’, and ‘VC and registrar must go now. Enough is enough’.

President, National Union of Bayelsa State Students, Richard Lawyer, who led the action, said they were using the peaceful protest to send a strong message to Aluko and the school management.

He alleged that the VC edged out the acting bursar, an indigene, and manipulated the retention of his godsons for the post of Director, Physical Planning and Development and that of university librarian, who are non-indigenes.

Lawyer said the people of the state would not accept the arrangement in which principal offices including heads of department were occupied by non-indigenes.

He said they were dissatisfied with the way and manner Aluko had been running the university, stressing that the marginalisation of the people of Bayelsa must stop.

He insisted that the acting bursar from Bayelsa must be retained.

He added, “All sensitive positions in this university are occupied by non-Bayelsans. This is not right.

And it will not happen in our time.

“What is happening in Federal University, Otuoke will define the future of Bayelsans. But Bayelsa State students, youths and women leaders will resist it.

“We are not happy with the way the VC and his people have been running the affairs of the university. We are warning everyone of them who is behind this marginalization to stop.

“Even if the bursar will be replaced, her replacement must come from Bayelsa.”

But the registrar of the institution, David Suowari, who spoke on behalf of Aluko, denied the allegations of the protesters.

He said the authorities of FUO had no hand in the appointment of any principal officers,  adding that all such appointments were done by the Federal Government.

Youths shut Otuoke University, demand appointment of indigenes

FG orders Federal University, Otuoke VC to refund salary over payments

The Presidency, through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, has directed the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, to refund over payment of salaries running into millions of naira.

Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko
| credits: http://www.nigerianmuse.com

The Registrar of the university, David Suowari, was also directed to refund cumulatively the sum of N130, 692.71 per month in excess of his due salary.

The over payments were said to have been discovered during the commission’s visit to the institution on May 12, 2015 to carry out an inspection of FUO’s remuneration practices vis-a-vis the extant government’s pay policy.

The VC and the registrar were accused of appropriating certain allowances to themselves which were not approved by the government.

These concerns were raised in a letter from the NSIWC to Aluko, signed for the Chairman of the Commission by the Director of Compensation, Chike Ogbechie.

The commission said, “The findings of the inspection in respect of your institution (Federal University, Otuoke) were as follow:

“The Vice-Chancellor was being paid total emoluments of N1,970,476.76 monthly, whereas he should not earn more than N922,810.23 if he were paid furniture allowance en bloc earlier, or N1,043,176.79 if he were being paid furniture allowance.

“Much of the difference was attributed to certain allowances which were not approved by the government.”

In the case of the registrar, the commission said he was being paid N130,692.71 in excess of his due salary of N502,580.25.

The commission also said the university disaggregated its staff salaries against the government’s policy of pay consolidation.

The NSIWC, therefore, directed the university to stop “the wrongful practices” and comply with relevant rules and rates.

The commission added, “We hereby direct the vice-chancellor and the registrar to refund the cumulative overpayments made to them.

“You are to report to the commission in writing, your compliance with this directive within four weeks of this letter.”

It will be recalled that Prof. Mobolaji Aluko became the Vice-Chancellor of the university in February 2011.

But reacting to the commission’s position, Aluko said in a text message to our correspondent that there was neither disaggregation of salaries nor overpayment of salaries.

The vice-chancellor said, “Rather, pension and health insurance allowances were due to three of us, Diaspora Vice-Chancellors who are on Sabbatical from our foreign universities, and co-paid monthly in naira to us for payment to those foreign universities.

“Without that concession occurring, our own local salaries would have been wiped out completely, and we could not have accepted the job.”

Aluko wondered why the issue was coming up in the fifth and final year of their tenure.

“However, the need for accountability is welcome, and Salaries and Wages Commission will be fully reconciled to the full facts,” the VC stated.

FG orders Federal University, Otuoke VC to refund salary over payments

Mixed reactions as Otuoke plans grand reception for President Jonathan

It is not clear if President Goodluck Jonathan would eventually retire to the serene university town of Otuoke, his hometown  on May 29, from the Aso Rock Villa, after his official disengagement as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces or once again return to the classroom, his first calling before veering into the murky waters of politics.

What is clear is that he will be returning to a paradox of mixed reactions that is Ogbia Kingdom, where those close to him are fulfilled and others nursing sense of betrayal and abandonment. It is normal in life as no one can please everybody.

While some folks are not happy that the state and by extension the Niger Delta region did not benefit from his presidency in terms of infrastructural development, some see his last minute to develop the area as tokenistic. They regret the neglect of the proposed coastal road that would link the littoral states of the South to Epe in Lagos. President Jonathan’s recent award of contracts for the Elebele-Imiringi-Otuoke road, the Igbedi-Amassoma road and Okordia-Zarama-Biseni road have only impressed a few.

Others have argued that in spite of the noticeable flaws of President Goodluck Jonathan not being able to influence mega projects to the region, he deserves a heroic welcome for his courage of conceding defeat even before the conclusion of the collation of the 2015 presidential polls, a trait alien to African leaders, who are in the habit of sitting tight on power.

This singular act, which according to them, prevented the country from drifting into anarchy has proven to the world that something good can come out of Ijaw nation.

But surprisingly, with few days to Dr. Jonathan’s disengagement from office as President and Commander–in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there is nothing fascinating about his ancestral hometown, Otuoke, where he is expected to return.

Though the decision of his government to site the Federal University in his community has changed the once nondescript rural settlement into the most beautiful community in the entire Ogbia Kingdom and the state, the people are still living in darkness and lacking potable water.

Be that as it may, the Bayelsa state government is planning a grand festival to welcome home their national hero. Elsewhere in Otuoke, the town is quiet and devoid of any sign of celebrations.

The Ogbia Brotherhood which could have been the rallying point for the people is divided due to alleged interference of some of the President associates.

Aside the construction workers trying to put some finishing touches on the fencing of the palatial residence of the Jonathans, which also has a chapel for worship, it is just normal business as usual. The Patience Jonathan Square ,venue of the proposed civic reception is yet to be given a facelift.

Most people care less and are indifferent to the coming back of their kinsman. Obviously, nobody is happy with the development, yet the people are grateful for what they have been able to achieve under their son, albeit modest.

Although the people never envisaged a situation where Jonathan will lose the presidential poll, however, having come to terms with the reality, they have since moved on and taken the twist in fate in good faith.

According to a community leader and one time Community Development Committee chairman, Mekunumuni Digha, “the unprecedented transformation of Otuoke from the once sleepy community to an academic environment with the establishment of the Federal University, Otuoke, has affected the standard of life of the people.”

He noted that the people are relishing the transformation of their community.

“The major and famous impact of what Mr President has done for this community is the establishment of the university. The establishment of the university has brought development to us and that is why the people have welcomed it and they are happy.

“Bringing university to a place like this is like bringing light; it creates jobs opportunities and manpower development in every field of human endeavour. Our people can now develop the vast lands that had remained unused over the years as a result of the siting of the university,” he said.

He disclosed that the people were overwhelmed with the siting of the university and therefore made sacrifices to ensure its take off. “The community was very happy with the creation of the university that they donated over 200 hectares of land for the project. They organised a lunching and raised funds to build structures to enable the institution kick off. Most of the structures in the administrative section and permanent site were built and donated to the university by the community”.

The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council, the umbrella body of all Ogbia youths said they are prepared to host their son, President Goodluck to a grand reception as he steps down as Nigeria’s president.

To this end, the youths, he noted, are in high spirits and have fully mobilized the youths and the people to roll out their drums and give the returning president a befitting homecoming.

In a chat with Saturday Vanguard, the National President of the body, Comrade Dazibia Apiri thanked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Nigerians for giving their son the opportunity to serve and lead Nigeria, adding that Jonathan’s administration has added “immense value to all facets of the Nigerian state.

“We the youths of Ogbia kingdom are ready to join Governor Dickson and other Nigerians of good conscience in hosting Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to a grand reception as he transforms from the Nigerian President to Nigeria’s most celebrated statesman.”

He said the departing president has done a lot for the people, citing the Federal University and job opportunities for Ogbia youths, among other several empowerment opportunities. “Today, Ogbia youths can hold their heads high anywhere because of the precedent set by our elder brother and father.

“Above all, his humility and uncommon courage in conceding defeat and for declaring that his ambition does not worth the blood of Nigerians have elevated him above as a statesman, peace ambassador and a hero of democracy,” he said.

In his view, the Otuoke Youths President, Mr John Adueze said the people will forever remain indebted to President Jonathan for all the changes that have occurred in the community.

He said, “I believe that the purpose and intention of God to give us a President is because this place was in dire need of development. That’s why he brought Jonathan to alleviate our plight. There has been a kind of rapid development since he became president, things that we ordinarily would never dream of. We are feeling his impact. He is a role model to us.”

Another senior citizen of Otuoke, Mrs. Azibla, said even though the people are disappointed that their son did not secure a second term, they all have cause to thank God and celebrate their illustrious son for coming home alive in good health, and with his wife.

 

Mixed reactions as Otuoke plans grand reception for President Jonathan

APGA members may storm Otuoke over unpaid election largesse

Leaders and members of the All Progressive Grand Alliance across the country are set to embark on a protest to President Goodluck Jonathan’s hometown, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, over the refusal of the President’s aides to release election largesse, promised them before the last presidential poll, to them.

The National Organising Secretary of APGA, Dr. Gbenga Afeni, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Monday.

Afeni said the party was promised some amount of money before agreeing to support Jonathan’s re-election, lamenting that the APGA members had yet to receive the promised fund since March 28, when the presidential election took place.

He alleged that the party was shortchanged the same way after supporting Jonathan during the 2011 presidential election, which he won.

The APGA chieftain said at least, 100 members from each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory were planning to march to Otuoke even after Jonathan’s exit from Aso Rock to register their displeasure with the breach of agreement by his aides and party leaders.

The statement read, “Arrangements have been concluded to march at least 100 party members from each state of the federation and the FCT to Otuoke, the hometown of President Gooluck Jonathan.

“The purpose of the march is to protest the breach of agreements in 2011 and 2015 general elections. In 2011, APGA supported Jonathan and the PDP to victory and the PDP promised to form a government of national unity inclusive of APGA but the B0T of the PDP, after the election, schemed out APGA from any political appointment.

“Also in 2015, we supported President Jonathan and PDP, but till date, those saddled with the responsibilities of liaising or reaching out to political parties have not shown up by way of appreciation to APGA.”

Afeni said APGA leaders had suffered much embarrassment as their followers were daily demanding their share of the election largesse from them.

APGA members may storm Otuoke over unpaid election largesse