Probe TAN, CAN, rich Nigerians - Anglican Bishop urges Buhari

Bishop of the Kaduna Diocese of Anglican Diocese, Most Revd Josiah Idowu Fearon, has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to go after super-rich Nigerians who, during the Jonathan administration, were accused of receiving money for political campaigns.

Ayo oritsejafor

Fearon mentioned Transformational Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in particular, and some public and private office holders, saying Buhari should use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate them even as he advised the president  to sanitize the armed forces, get them well equipped, and flush out Boko Haram insurgents within his first six months in office.

The bishop said Buhari cannot afford to fail Nigerians as the situation he has inherited is so bad that he should not expect any period of honeymoon. He spoke in Kaduna during the diocese’s  20th synod.

He advised the president to be careful on the composition of his cabinet, adding that he should guard against powerful individuals who would shield him from what is going on in the country, and  those  in politics to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation.

“We want to give the President some ideas for his consideration and action. It is obvious, the stakes are high; Nigerians have a high expectation. You cannot afford to fail by disappointing,”the bishop said. “The situation you are inheriting is so bad that you should not expect any period of honey moon: security is not there, power supply is at its lowest level, queues at our filling stations, hardly ever disappear in spite of the payment of subsidy to those importing fuel, we hear that in some states and some Federal Government departments, salaries have not been paid for months”.

 

Probe TAN, CAN, rich Nigerians - Anglican Bishop urges Buhari

I’m pained by Jonathan’s defeat - Ifeanyi Ubah

•Buhari can’t ignore Ndigbo

•TAN was not funded by FG

National Coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah in this interview barres  his mind on the outcome of the 2015 general elections among other issues.

To what extent was TAN significant during the electioneering period?

We are happy about the  impact we have made in the polity. I believe that within a  very short period of time we will be able to make our mark on the political landscape. We were able to draw attention to the activities of government as well as mobilise the grassroots for a more robust political engagement.

Our activities generated incisive discussions regarding the choice of candidates and also added colour and substance to the political space. The best outcome is the inputs of associations like TAN other than political parties in enlarging the political space.

Many  are of the view that the Igbo put all their eggs in one basket by solely supporting President Goodluck Jonathan and that life in the opposition may not augur well for them  What is your take on this?

It  was  expected that the Igbo will vote for Jonathan. The Igbo had quite a number of opportunities in his administration.

Number of opportunities

Even though Jonathan did a lot for the Igbo most of the things he did  were for the  North.  The Kashbila Dam is the biggest project handled by Jonathan’s administration and it was cited in the North.  The Abuja and Kaduna  railways are also in the North.

Irrespective of that, the Igbo are still appreciative of the things  he did for us. Be that as it may, my position is that General Buhari should consider the Igbo and  make them his friends and if possible do more than Jonathan did for us.

On plight of Ndigbo in Lagos

For 16 years that the APC has been in power, they never cared about giving an Igbo man a slot to vie for an elective position in the Lagos State House of Assembly or  in the House of Representatives. If the APC has not given Igbo that opportunity in Lagos, we think there is still animosity against the Igbo in the state. There are large populations of Igbo in many parts of Lagos  so it is expected that political parties factor these issues in their choice of candidates for elective offices.  What we have  done by supporting the PDP is not something that we want the Lagos State government or any person whatsoever, to be angry with.  They should take this as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and see how we can be accommodated. All that we ask for which is  to be involved in the scheme of things.

Nigerians are members of parliament in the UK, why can’t people be elected in places where they have spent all their lives? We are not only talking about Igbo, we want this for all Nigerians, no matter where they come from.

The elections have come and gone. We should go back to the drawing board and plan for the next line of action. I’m grateful to the residents of Lagos who through their votes showed that it is the candidate that matters and  not where he comes from.

What do you think Ndigbo should do to remain relevant in mainstream politics?

My advice is not to Ndigbo alone, my advice is to the government of Nigeria. The government should embrace all Nigerians irrespective of their tribes or tongues. Our leaders must build a nation where people get what they deserve and are not deprived of what they rightly deserve on account of where they come from or do not come from. People must also live in peace wherever they find themselves. They must also respect the culture of their localities.

On the  incoming government?

The government should carry Ndigbo along by giving us additional states. That is one thing that is very important. If you do this for Ndigbo, there is no way you will not be appreciated. Ndigbo are not asking for so much from the  government. We only ask for good governance, infrastructural development in Igboland, a  conducive business atmosphere, level playing field, and security of lives and properties. You know, they voted Jonathan because his government guaranteed them these. So, they say we can  give South East additional state, so that we have six states, like the other zones. For example North-West has seven. We don’t want seven. Just give us six, like others. We will, like others, be reassured that we are part of this federation.

The second way to reassure Ndigbo and cultivate their trust  is to make them an integral part of the in-coming government. This is of utmost importance. In any case, I wonder how any government which excludes Ndigbo  because they did not vote en mass for the President will function.

Leadership quialities

Such a government will unfortunately portray itself as petty and vindictive. I however do not think that General Buhari will be persuaded to exclude or ‘punish’ Ndigbo.  He does not strike me as such a person. He is a great Nigerian with exceptional leadership qualities.

Ndigbo have a special gift, which any government will be glad to tap into. You cannot do without the Igbo or indeed any ethnic nationality in Nigeria.  So, it is my opinion, that General Buhari and APC need to show love to Ndigbo.  And once you show any Igbo man that you can  accommodate him,  such relationship will profit everyone.

There are insinuations that TAN was funded with government money, others say that you funded TAN with your money. What is the true position?

TAN was not funded with government money. TAN is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO). We have a lot of friends that have been supporting us. Political campaigns cost so much money, so it is natural to expect that we spent good money on our media and grassroots campaign. We are glad that our members and supporters were very supportive in contributing towards these campaigns. I believe that Jonathan is a good man, who meant well for this country, and I supported him.  One thing that attracted me so much to Jonathan is the love and passion he has for Nigeria. His humility in conceding defeat shows the extent of his great love and belief in our nationhood. His statesmanship saved our nation from the likelihood of post-election turmoil.

Having spent so much on TAN, do you have regrets that Jonathan didn’t win?

Yes and no. You don’t invest and wish that the investment would go the way this one went. The election has come and gone, I would not like to open the old wounds especially when the main actor in the whole episode has conceded defeat.  We have to move ahead at this juncture. We must unite to move Nigeria forward. Jonathan has conceded defeat to General Buhari.

If you are in a boxing ring, and your coach throws in the towel, that is the end of the game. I have chosen to respect his position and indeed that of Nigerians, even though it would have pleased me greatly to see Jonathan win.

What becomes of TAN now that PDP has lost the election?

Our primary objective is to advocate for good governance and the transformation of Nigeria. We will continue to stand on the legacies of President Jonathan and watch from the stand to see what the President-elect will offer Nigerians.  Since he made electoral promises to Nigerians, we expect him to keep those promises which made Nigerians to vote him in.

I want to however, note that we will support him in every way. Apart from this, TAN will pursue other objectives which include the  establishment of industrial parks in six geopolitical zones of the country.

Geopolitical zones

As we speak now our foreign partners have shipped the first phase of the park which will be installed at the regions that are ready. The industrial park will also serve as a vocational training centre for the youths. TAN will also engage in humanitarian activities. Reaching out to the less privileged in the society to see areas we can help. Also TAN will be involved in sports development because youths are very much active in this area.

Your name was mentioned severally during the fuel subsidy scam investigation, can you enlighten us on how the matter ended?

The  Aig Imoukhuede committee, without giving me the right of fair hearing, declared that it had indicted me for fuel subsidy scam. The Committee claimed to have indicted me even when their findings showed that we imported the products . It was a farce. The Committee clearly had a mind-set of what it wanted to achieve.  I believe there was a bit of conspiracy against me. It was all geared towards taking over my company.

I stood firm in resisting the injustice. I dragged the Federal Government to the House of Representatives and insisted on a public hearing so that they can prove their case to the whole world.  The committee  made mistakes.

Looking at my lifestyle or the things I have achieved within a very short period of time, they thought I had my hands deep into the scam. I have always insisted that anyone who has anything against me, should  come out and show it to Nigerians.

Till date, I have never been charged to any law court for the so-called subsidy scam. I have in fact been cleared by the relevant security agencies after very intensive and rigorous investigations.

What kind of relationship do you envisage between Buhari and Nigerians?

The first publication I made after his victory was to congratulate him.   We  prayed to God to give him the wisdom, good health to rule Nigeria. If  I get to understand General Buhari better than I understand him now, I will be closer to him. If he needs me, I will be there for him. He will be our President. I have always had  respect for him.  I wish him well. I have an open mind and my doors are always open.

 

I’m pained by Jonathan’s defeat - Ifeanyi Ubah

No regret in mobilising for Jonathan - TAN

ABUJA—The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, has said that it had no regrets over its role in mobilizing for the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in last week’s presidential election.

National Coordinator of TAN, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, said President Goodluck Jonathan meant well for the country, hence the numerous achievements he recorded in different sectors of the economy, including the road sector which he argued has improved from what it used to be in the past.

He described President Jonathan as an exceptional Nigerian, who had done what many politicians cannot do by willingly accepting the outcome of the election and congratulating his opponent even before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, could release the entire result.

Ubah said: “We want to urge all politicians to follow the exemplary steps taken by President Jonathan who willingly conceded defeat and congratulated the President-elect.

“What he has done has saved this country a lot of stress and I dare say that it also shows that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

“We supported a very nice man, a gentleman, a statesman and he has not failed us because by his act Nigerians can now know that he meant his words when he said that nobody should die because of his ambition.”

He said Nigerians would in the near future begin to judge, rate and put him in the proper position, adding “and we do not have any regrets supporting him and we will also continue to stand by him.”

Ubah also said his organization wishes the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) well for his consistency and resilience, saying TAN expects the new administration to try and deliver on its electoral promises.

He said: “We wish to congratulate the President-Elect, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (retd) for his consistency, persistence, doggedness and resilience since 2003 in his quest for the presidency of Nigeria.

“This shows that persistence on a mission yields success in the end. His courage will make a good case study in universities all over the world.

“We urge Nigerians, irrespective of their religious, ethnic and political affiliations, to respect the outcome of the election in the interest of peace, progress, unity and development of our country.

“Nigeria as a country is greater than any individual or group and it is our plea that no one should do anything to destabilize the unity, peace, order and good governance of Nigeria, which we constantly advocate and support at all times.”

 

No regret in mobilising for Jonathan - TAN

Governor Dickson bars pro-Jonathan group, TAN, from Bayelsa

Governor Seriake Dickson on Friday ordered the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, to leave the state and cease campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election, in what appears a battle between Mr. Dickson and loyalists of the president’s wife who are in charge of the organization in Bayelsa State.

TAN rally collapse in Minna

The decision appears a fallout of deteriorating relations between the governor and Mrs. Jonathan.

Mrs. Jonathan had earlier resigned from her position as permanent secretary in the Bayelsa State civil service.

Last week, Governor Dickson fired three loyalists of the first lady from his cabinet, accusing them of disloyalty.

The governor however denies any rift between him and the First Lady.

In a press statement Friday signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Mr. Dickson directed the leadership of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, to immediately leave Bayelsa State.

The group had for several months staged massive rallies in support of Mr. Jonathan long before the formal kick-off of electioneering in the country. At the time, the group claimed it was campaigning to convince Mr. Jonathan to seek re-election.

But in a fresh twist in relations between the governor and the wife of the president, whose loyalists are said to be in control of TAN in the state, Mr. Dickson accused the group of promoting subversive activities and inciting crisis and divisions within the PDP in the State.

Mr. Dickson, who gave the warning at a meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party’s  flag bearers for February general elections at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, said he is responsible for directing campaigns for Mr. Jonathan in the state.

He described the PDP in the state as the only recognized political platform and structure saddled with the responsibility of leading the president’s campaign in the state with him as party leader.

Mr. Dickson said the activities of TAN have outlived their usefulness.

The governor also alleged that TAN and some members of its top hierarchy have become tools of subversion, creating needless rancour, acrimony and divisions, stressing that the government and the PDP in the State will no longer tolerate their actions.

He noted that the activities of TAN and the other groups, if not checked, could be counterproductive, especially with the presidential and other elections, only a few weeks away.

He said that he has the mandate of Bayelsa people to protect the stability, peace and security of the State.

The governor, who announced the planned visit of Mr. Jonathan to the state, said he would use the opportunity on February 5 to express appreciation to Nigerians for their unwavering support and solidarity to the Jonathan administration.

He also noted that the state is set and that the people are now fully mobilized to accord the President a rousing reception for the mega rally that would be organized in his honour.

The governor emphasized that Bayelsa State is a stronghold of the PDP and a strong support base for President Jonathan, whom he noted, does not need to campaign in his home state.

An unnamed official of TAN, who was contacted for comments, described the allegations as “wild and unfounded” adding that TAN had noted three unprovoked attacks on the organizations.

He said that the organization will deliberate and issue a statement in response to the comments by the governor.

“It is very primitive of someone who claims to be working for the President to try to attack an organization build to promote the candidacy of the same President, this development has exposed the workings of his mind,” the TAN official said.

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Governor Dickson bars pro-Jonathan group, TAN, from Bayelsa

TAN rallies, an insult on Nigerians intelligence -APC

The All Progressives Congress has insisted that the rallies being held across the country by the so-called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria represent an assault on the intelligence and sensibilities of Nigerians, at a time of unprecedented security and health challenges in the country.

Lai Mohammed, APC

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos State on Sunday, it noted that no amount of inversion of reasoning by the TAN foot soldiers can wash the rallies clean of shame and disgust.

It said, “Only those described as ‘morons and sycophants’ by Prof. Wole Soyinka can be engaging in celebratory rallies when soldiers are dying on the Boko Haram battle front, when citizens are daily being dispatched to their graves by insurgents and when the country is still reeling from the challenge of Ebola that has claimed many innocent lives.”

The party wondered how the inauguration of its regional executives in Sokoto State could be equated with the rallies being held across the country by TAN, which is another name for shame, incompetence, cluelessness, cruelty, insincerity and insensitivity.

It said, “If President Goodluck Jonathan had not been running a government hallmarked by impunity, there is no way any political party would have brazenly kick-started electioneering campaign under the guise of an NGO that is coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, State Governors and other public officials, at a time like this.

”The PDP-led Federal Government and its ‘NGO’ called TAN are bare-faced liars and cheats. They have seized an undue advantage over every other party by defying the nation’s laws to start an early electioneering campaign, and no one, not even INEC, dares call them to order! Little wonder, their podiums are collapsing under the weight of their lies.”

The party accused TAN’s self-serving Director of Communications Udenta Udenta of attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians by shamelessly justifying the insane rallies.

It said, ”We have the following posers for the deceptive and pigs-at-the trough TAN organisers: If Mr Udenta and his co- travelers were parents, relations or friends of any of the over 200 missing Chibok schoolgirls, wouldn’t such TAN rallies offend their sensibilities?

“If Mr Udenta or any of his co-travelers in TAN had lost a relation or dear one to Ebola in Port Harcourt, won’t such a rally in the same city about the same time offend their sensibilities? Can Mr. Udenta tell Nigerians the source of funding of TAN? Can Mr. Udenta tell Nigerians how much TAN has spent so far in canvassing for Jonathan’s re-election or for that matter how much it spends daily on radio jingles, television and newspapers advert, billboards etc? Can Mr. Udenta tender to the public TAN’s audited account?

”We know Mr. Udenta has no answers to these posers, but we have no iota of doubt that Nigerians know that TAN is funded and powered by the massive corruption of this government, including but not limited to the missing $20 billion, the over one trillion fuel subsidy scam, the kerosene subsidy scam, the hundreds of thousands of barrels of our crude oil being stolen daily, the Pension scam, the Malibu Oil scandal etc. We also know through which top functionaries of government funds are funneled to TAN.”

APC said it would not stop calling for an end to the TAN rallies until common sense prevails and the President, who waited for an international condemnation of his BringBackJonathan hash tag before taking action, is again forced to call his selfish sycophants to order.

It said, ”Our soldiers are combating Boko Haram literally with their bare hands and under the most intolerable conditions and our government is partying around town. As we write, a Nigerian war plane has been declared missing in the battle zone and our government is celebrating. Clearly, if a fraction of the funds TAN had been expending in its multi-billion naira adverts on radio, television, newspapers, billboard, online and on London buses, not to talk of the mobilization for rallies, can be made available to our soldiers, Boko Haram would have long been forgotten.

”Again, these times call for deep reflection and not for deep throats. These times call for cool-headed and decent men and women to realize that a nation at war cannot be celebrating, because it sends the very wrong message to the men and women deployed to the battle zone to protect our nation. This is not about politics, this is about common sense, sensibilities and decency.”

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TAN rallies, an insult on Nigerians intelligence -APC

TAN rally goes sour, VIP seat collapse, dignitaries rushed to the hospital

• FCT senator blames incident on devil and enemies of President Jonathan

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

There was confusion on Saturday morning at the Minna Trade Fair Complex where the Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria (TAN) organized rally to campaign for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan.

TAN rally collapse in Minna

The complex was packed with people, dignitaries seated while the area for the VIP  constructed for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains and other government officials suddenly collapsed trapping some people already seated below.

The incident, according to information gathered, caused panic as people were running out of the complex, scampering for safefy.

Information gathered further revealed that some government top officials were injured and were rushed to the nearest hospital.

seeing the devasting situation, Governor Babangida Aliyu, who was the host governor rushed to the microphone to appeal to the attendees to stay calm as situation was brought under control.

Governor Aliyu appealed further to the crowd to take what has happened in the complex as a sacrifice made for success.

Another speaker, the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Gabriel Aduda also appealed to the crowd, blaming the incident on the devil and opponent of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said “Whatever happened here, the devil is a liar. No weapon fashioned against us and Jonathan shall succeed. What happened was because the crowd was too much”

TAN officials later gave a statement that those injured in the incident were being treated in hospital. After the short chaotic break, the rally continued and another area was made for VIPs.

The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, disclosed while speaking at the event, that the rally was organized to celebrate the President. He described Jonathan as one of Nigeria’s best president.

Maku boasted that his home town, Nasarawa would give President Jonathan 95% of its vote, adding that, the President will complete another four years before power would return back to the North to continue the power rotation.

TAN has successfully organized rally across the country in support of President Jonathan relection despite the fear of Ebola spread in the country.

 

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TAN rally goes sour, VIP seat collapse, dignitaries rushed to the hospital

Rivers APC Condemns TAN’S Pro-Jonathan Rally

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned Saturday’s Pro-Jonathan rally organised in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt, by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a group secretly sponsored by the Presidency to promote President Goodluck Jonathan’s third term ambition.

“President Jonathan and his promoters through the misguided elements in Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) have once again demonstrated their hatred and lack of understanding of the plight of Nigerians, particularly those in Rivers State, by going ahead to organise their senseless rally in Port Harcourt even after being alerted of the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the State by the Minister of Health and other relevant bodies,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued Sunday in Port Harcourt.

According to the party in the statement signed by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya, “With this TAN Rally in Port Harcourt, President Goodluck Jonathan and his cohorts have only succeeded in exposing their deep-rooted hatred for the good people of Rivers State, fully aware of the implication of organising such a senseless rally at this period that we are still studying how wicked agents secretly exported Ebola to Rivers State just to endanger the lives of Rivers people. This was after Nigerians had been warned to desist from organising large gatherings. This is the height of insensitivity which will surely spell electoral doom for President Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and beyond.”

Rivers APC commended discerning sons of Rivers such as Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Chief Uche Secondus, Chief (Dr.) Doris Fisher and Brother Felix Obuah who, despite being PDP chieftains, refused to attend the rally promoted by misguided Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education and PDP Leader in Rivers State. The party said it had taken note of Chief Wike’s courageous declaration during the rally that President Jonathan has not done anything meaningful for Rivers State and her people apart from approving a school on Oil and Gas which is still on the drawing board. “We would however have expected Chief Wike to tell the world that Rivers and her people will never vote for PDP, seeing the injustice and wickedness the State has suffered under the PDP-led Federal Government since President Jonathan assumed office,” Rivers APC said.

The party added: “One thing going for us in River State is that we have a President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP whose hatred for our State and her people is legendary not minding that he is from our sister State Bayelsa and our in-law and we gave him the highest number of votes that made him the President. Our campaign strategy will be centered on this hatred, which has manifested in the hounding of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the ceding of our oil wells to Bayelsa and Abia states, refusal to direct Akwa Ibom to pay us the proceeds of our oil wells she kept for many years, wicked refusal to implement the UNEP Report on Ogoni and now the deliberate act to worsen the Ebola crisis in the state by allowing a rally in his honour against wise counsel by those who truly care about the health and well being o Rivers people. Mr. President has left no one in doubt of his deep hatred for Rivers State and her people, so how can we support him or any PDP candidate in 2015?

“In any case, the feats of the Amaechi administration are enough to give us victory in future elections. These feats, which are well known, include making Port Harcourt the World Book Capital City, eradication of militancy, dogged fight for the oil wells and other rights of Rivers State and her people, as well as award-winning achievements in Education, Agriculture, Health, etc.”

Dr. Ikanya said that, in addition to all these, “we will ask the good people of Rivers State to make their choice between the characters and vision of those in PDP (insecurity, ungodliness, etc) and the vision and characters of those in APC (godliness, security and concern for the future of our state). These are the issues for Rivers State to use to decide which of the parties governs the State from 2015.”

Ikanya concluded by advising APC faithful in the State not to panic or fear about the future of the party, as “Rivers people have since adopted APC as the party of their choice and there is nothing the doomed PDP or any other party can do about that.”

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Rivers APC Condemns TAN’S Pro-Jonathan Rally

Stop TAN"s rally nationwide to control Ebola - APC tells Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately halt the rallies being organized across the nation in his support by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), saying the rallies are jeopardizing Nigeria’s efforts to control the spread of Ebola.

Lai Mohammed, APC

”Mr. President, you said your ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian. But the TAN rallies for your re-election are endangering the lives of thousands of Nigerians in these days of Ebola. Some things must simply transcend politics. This is one of them. Please stop the rallies now,” the party said in a statement issued in Ilorin on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

It said the President must in particular ensure that the rally slated for Port Harcourt on Saturday is stopped, in view of the spread of the Ebola virus to the Rivers capital and the fact that 100 people have been placed under surveillance there following the death of a medical doctor from a suspected Ebola disease in the city.

”If TAN goes ahead to organize its rally in Port Harcourt, can anyone guarantee that none of those who have had contact with the medical doctor will attend? It can only be better imagined the kind of danger that those who will attend the rally will be subjected to. Therefore, President Jonathan has a historic opportunity to put the well being of his compatriots above politics, for once,” APC said.

The party reminded President Jonathan of the statement he made on Aug. 8th, 2014, when he was declaring the Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria a national emergency, thus: ”Religious and political groups, spiritual healing centres, families, associations and other bodies should, in the meantime, discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk.”

It also reminded the President that his administration has postponed the resumption of private and public primary and secondary schools across the nation as part of the measures to curtail the spread of the virus, wondering what message the same government was sending to Nigerians by allowing TAN rallies to continue.

”Mr. President, add this to the fact that Nigeria’s economy is losing millions of dollars to the Ebola disease, and you will realize that the need to control the disease supersedes personal political considerations,” APC said.

The party said the TAN rallies in Awka and Ibadan, and the forthcoming ones in Port Harcourt and elsewhere flout the advice by the President against large gatherings that can encourage the spread of the disease.

It described as untenable the argument that the rallies are not being organised by the government, hence the President has no control over them.

”Mr. President, you are the sole beneficiary of these rallies. Top officials of your administration, led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, have been attending the rallies. The signatures being collected by TAN are ostensibly to encourage you to run again. So this is your show,” APC said

The party wondered how President Jonathan can, on one hand, be complaining about the stigmatization of Nigerians by other countries over Ebola and, on the other hand, turning a blind eye when his supporters are doing things to flout the Ebola control measures put in place by his Administration.

”The embassies of the foreign nations in Nigeria are seeing all that is happening. They are seeing how the efforts of the federal government to control Ebola are being sabotaged by the supporters of the President. How then can we complain when our citizens are stigmatized abroad? How can we complain when the foreign governments issue travel advisories to their citizens coming to Nigeria? How can we complain when they start barring Nigerians from coming to their countries on account of the Ebola virus?

”This is why we are calling on President Jonathan to call his supporters to order today. We are also calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the President not to endanger the lives of Nigerians simply because of his personal ambition,” it said.

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Stop TAN"s rally nationwide to control Ebola - APC tells Jonathan