Palpable tension has gripped the Bayelsa waterways after pirates at separate incidents killed four policemen and abducted six other persons in Nembe waters, Nembe Local Government Area on Friday.
Keshi Credit: vanguard
It was gathered that the gunmen also seized a gunboat belonging to the Nigeria Police in an incident that occurred at about 1.30pm on the fateful day.
The gunboat was said to be escorting a barge owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) when it came under attack.
It was gathered that the hoodlums, who operated on a speedboat, laid ambush for the gunboat and opened fire on the policemen.
They were said to have overpowered the police, killed and pushed them into the water and took control of the gunboat.
It was learnt that the incident which occurred along Santa Barbara and Nembe waterways caused panic among travelers.
The development was said to have delayed the movement of persons travelling to Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area, for the funeral of the uncle of a former governor of the state, Tmipre Sylva.
Most of the guests for the burial were said to have waited at Ogbia jetty till after the gunmen finished their operation.
A security source who pleaded anonymity said the hoodlums were not interested in the Agip barge and its occupants.
He, however, said three policemen and the gunboat operator were killed after the gunmen hijacked the boat.
He identified the boat driver as a civilian, adding that the bodies of the policemen had since been recovered.
He revealed, “Policemen escorting Agip barge were attacked on Friday. The gunboat and the policemen were all taken away. The policemen were three including the driver of the boat making them four. The barge and its occupants escaped, because the gunboat was the target of the pirates. This incident happened along Santa Barbara and Nembe route at about 1.30pm. The pirates were after the gunboat and the arms.”
In a separate incident, six persons working for a company identified as Icon Xearex, an oil servicing firm, have been abducted at Oluasiri in Nembe.
It was gathered that the pirates attacked a boat owned by the company in the early hours of Friday and took the workers away.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in state, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said he was in Abuja for a program and could not comment on the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, when reached for comment, claimed to be in a meeting.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, is making moves to ensure members of the House of Representatives will not impeach him when he finally defects from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Aminu Tambuwal
There had been speculations that Tambuwal might defect from the PDP, on which platform he was elected to the House, to the APC.
On Monday, the Speaker attended a meeting of APC members convened by the Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, to discuss the political future of the state.
Tambuwal, however, said he was still consulting and would brief Nigerians very soon on his final decision.
The Office of the Speaker had claimed that a reconciliatory mission of the Board of Trustees of the PDP to Sokoto on Monday did not invite Tambuwal to a meeting of the PDP stakeholders in the state.
The BoT members were said to have been led by the Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih.
A statement by Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Imam Imam, stated that the Speaker obliged the invitation by attending the Wamakko meeting.
Tambuwal’s romance with the opposition is said to be puzzling to the Presidency, the representatives and leadership of the PDP.
Findings showed that Tambuwal, who is in the last lap of his consultations on the issue, might likely defect on Thursday this week.
The House too is set to adjourn plenary on Thursday to allow members prepare for the primaries of their various political parties.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the Speaker had been talking some members into supporting his defection for “stabilising the House since June 2011.”
Leadership stability is said to be his lobbying thrust to retain the speakership after the speculated defection.
Insiders said he used his loyalists across party lines to preach the need to sustain the seeming unity in the House till May 2015.
“Meetings are going on; a lot of members are being spoken to. It is to prepare the ground for the Speaker’s final move, which should happen any moment from now”, one source told SUNDAY PUNCH.
Investigations revealed the targets of the intensified lobbying were PDP members of the House, who could move against Tambuwal should he defect to APC.
As things stand, the PDP has regained full control of the House with about 206 members, while the APC controls about 151 lawmakers.
Accord Party has two members, while Labour Party has one.
“The Speaker’s game plan is to ensure that he will escape removal from his seat should there be a plot by the PDP to impeach him.
“He is trying to get the support of more than 240 members to be in the safe zone,” another National Assembly source confided in SUNDAY PUNCH.
Under Section 50(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President of the Senate or the Speaker can be removed from office if supported by the votes of “two-thirds” of all the members.
Two-thirds of the 360 House members is 240.
“That is the idea of consulting more members and seeking for their cooperation,” the source added.
The section reads, “The President or Deputy President of the Senate or the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall vacate his office (c) if he is removed from office by a resolution of the Senate or of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of that House.”
The Speaker’s loyalists are also said to be arguing that the constitution does not provide that the Speaker must come from the majority party.
“Even our rules book does not specify so. It simply says the members shall elect from among themselves a speaker.
“So, this impression created that because the PDP is in the majority, it must produce the speaker, doesn’t arise,” one member asserted.
They also argued that neither the constitution nor the rules book gives any grounds for the impeachment of a presiding officer of the National Assembly, “though they can opt to remove him if supported by the approval of two-thirds of the members.”
The constitution makes a provision for the mode of electing of the presiding officer in Section 50(1)(a)(b) thus, “There shall be: (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and
“(b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.”
It was learnt that Tambuwal’s field men tried to do this groundwork ahead of the defection in a bid to checkmate external pressures on PDP members to move against him in the aftermath of the defection.
Findings also showed that the defection was delayed as a strategy to wait till “very close to the primaries” when members would be more preoccupied with how to win their return tickets than removing the speaker.
The PDP caucus at the House again remained indifferent to the Speaker’s defection plans when SUNDAY PUNCH sought the views of the leadership.
The caucus declined to speak elaborately on the matter until Tambuwal would have defected.
“We have said times without number that all this is speculation.
“We see the Speaker as a PDP member until he defects or he informs the caucus that he is no longer a member.
“Since he has not told us so, he is a PDP member”, Deputy House Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, stated.
Ogor also repeated his familiar lines of not commenting on what the caucus would do should the Speaker defect.
“When we get to that bridge, we will cross it.
I have also said again we should not place the cart before the horse,” he added.
But, House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said his members were excited to hear that the Speaker was interested in the APC.
“Our doors are open to him any day; though he has not told us of any intention to join APC.
We will welcome him any day he decides to join us,” the APC leader said.
The Speaker’s Office would not respond to inquiries on the planned defection.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media, told SUNDAY PUNCH he had nothing more to say.
The South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, said in a news conference on Friday that the $15m earlier seized from some Nigerians by the South African Government had been released to Nigeria.
President Jonathan and President Zuma
The South African Government had, on September 5, 2014, seized $9.3m cash belonging to Nigeria and a month later seized another $5.7m, claiming that both funds were to be used for illegal purchase of arms, www.thecable.ng reported.
However, Nigeria’s National SecurityAdviser, Sambo Dasuki, said the transactions were legal, urging the South African Government to stop actions that could degenerate to a diplomatic showdown.
The South African Government on October 14, 2014 said it would return the money to Nigeria.
Mnguni also spoke on the collapsed building in the Synagogue church in Lagos State and its effect on the relationship between the two countries.
He said that the two countries had come a long way and that the development would only make them remain stronger.
“South Africa’s relations with Nigeria has come a long way, so now this actually will make us much closer, to see how we can close some of these gaps that result in such accidents,” he said.
The South African ambassador added that the seizure of the funds was in no way related to the Synagogue collapse.
“South Africa’s relation with Nigeria is priceless; it cannot be sold for $15m,” he said.
Hundreds of supporters of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Friday trooped to the streets, protesting alleged plan by members of the state House of Assembly to impeach the governor.
Fayose, Govenor elect in Ekiti State
The protesters, under the aegis of Positive Minds Club for Teachers, converged on Fajuyi Park in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, with placards bearing various inscriptions criticising the Assembly.
They proceeded from the popular Fajuyi Park to Ijigbo roundabout where they were addressed by two of their leaders.
Some of the placards read, “No to impeachment,” “We want peace in Ekiti,” “Return the N100m bribe to your leader,” “No going back on June 21 election result” and Tinubu stay away from Ekiti,” among others.
The group’s President, Mr. Ojo Patrick, and Treasurer, Mr. Bello Akande, vowed to mobilise the people of the state to move against any plan to remove the governor.
Patrick said, “It is a peaceful protest and the police are here to ensure that the protest is not hijacked. We are going to maintain peace throughout the protest.
“We just want to show to all Ekiti people that we stand by the result of the last governorship election and our mandate.
“If the members of the House of Assembly want us to come and dialogue with them, we are ready. We learnt that they went for a meeting in Lagos State with Tinubu and each of the lawmakers collected N50m while the Speaker got N100m to impeach the governor and to make sure that Ekiti State is made ungovernable for Fayose.”
Patrick, however, appealed to the lawmakers “in the interest of all Ekiti people to stay clear of any move to impeach the governor.”
The state House of Assembly had on Thursday at a press meeting denied collecting money to remove the governor.
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr. Churchill Adedipe, said the meeting they held in Lagos was to discuss the forthcoming All Progressive Congress presidential primary.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, has criticised the All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for obtaining a loan of N27.5m to procure his party’s expression of interest and nomination form for the 2015 presidential election.
Buhari
He made this remark on Thursday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while speaking at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Paramount FM Chapel Press Week.
He noted that the action of the former head of state was indefensible, stressing that it amounted to monetisation of politics.
He said, “It is indefensible for Gen. Buhari to have obtained a loan facility of N27.5m just to obtain a form of intent to contest in the presidential election in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress.
“Is he going to obtain another loan during his campaign, because in Nigeria, it costs billions of naira to run a presidential campaign?”
Falana, who was the guest lecturer at the event, spoke on the topic: ‘Current Security Challenges: Implication for 2015 Elections’.
On the coverage of the 2015 election, the legal luminary advised journalists not to give undue advantage to any candidate, but should give all of them equal coverage, devoid of ethnic or religious colouration.
He also advised journalists to be wary of phony politicians who would want to play to the gallery, but should focus on issues.
He said, “Journalists must show more than a passing interest on how those aspirants want to manage the economy. The government must address mass illiteracy, corruption and poverty.”
Falana noted that the nation was facing security challenges such as kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, human trafficking because of the unemployment rate.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria called on the government to wake up and fight the security challenges confronting the nation the same way the Ebola scourge was tackled.
“Government gave Ebola Virus Disease attention because it is no respecter of anybody. But government is not conscious of the security of the people because they have security guards protecting them,” he said.
The event, which also featured award presentation to deserving members of staff, was graced by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun, the state NUJ chairman, Mr. Wole Sokunbi, and the secretary, Mr. Soji Amosu, among others.
After many months of suspense, President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday opened up on his intention to seek re-election during the 2015 presidential election.
Jonathan, ex-leaders, govs resolve to end terrorism before Dec
All organs of the Peoples Democratic Party had before now endorsed the President as the party’s sole candidate for the election.
Groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria had also been campaigning for Jonathan by highlighting at rallies and through advertorials what they consider as his achievements.
Even though he had kept mum on the matter, his body language clearly showed that he had made up his mind to seek re-election.
Jonathan, who has already raised a 37-member declaration committee, will formally declare any day between November 7 and 15.
A reliable Presidency source, who pleaded anonymity told journalists in Abuja that Jonathan made his intention to contest known to the party leaders at a closed-door meeting in one of the guest houses inside the Presidential Villa.
The source said after thanking the party leadership for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned, he told them that he had accepted the offer and was ready to run.
Jonathan was also quoted as telling the party leaders that he would come to the party headquarters to pick his nomination form before the October 30 deadline fixed by the party.
The source said, “President Jonathan today (Thursday) met with the leadership of the PDP and party leaders from the various zones of the country. He thanked them for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned.
“The President told them that he had accepted their offer and he was interested in the presidential race.
“He told them that he will come and pick up his nomination form before the deadline stipulated by the party.”
The source added that following the declaration, the President announced the composition of a committee saddled with the responsibility of coming up with an elaborate declaration programme.
He said the committee chaired by a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, was asked to work towards ensuring that the declaration held between November 7 and 15.
The committee, according to the source, has a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, as the deputy chairman, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, as secretary.
Members of the committee include a governor from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, four National Assembly members; four members of the Federal Executive Council; four PDP officials as well as eight party members and four others appointed on presidential discretion.
A breakdown of members according to zones showed that the South-South, the North-East and the North-Central have six representatives each while the South-East, the South-West and North-West have five representatives each. The Federal Capital Territory has one representative.
Apart from Bello, Nnamani and Anyim, Prof. Rufa’i Alkali, Julius Imagwe and Baraka Sani are members of the committee.
State governors representing the various zones are Liyel Imoke of Cross River State; Theodore Orji of Abia State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.
The National Assembly representatives are Hosea Agboola, Ahmed Makarfi, Bitrus Kaze and Salmas Badru.
Representatives of the Federal Executive Council are the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke; Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed.
Officials of the party in the committee are the Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus; Benue State chapter Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Agbo; National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; and the North-West Zonal Chairman, Ibrahim Kazaure.
Party member representatives include Stella Omu, Walid Jibirn, Ibrahim Bunu, Jolly Nyame, Aniete Okon, Peter Obi, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, A. B. Mamman and Abdullahi Maibasira.
Those appointed at the President’s discretion are Halima Alfa, Nimota Akanbi , Micah Jiba and Sam Ikon .
Shortly after that meeting, Jonathan also entered into a crucial meeting where a committee saddled with the responsibility of raising fund for the PDP presidential campaign was formed.
The committee has a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, as the chairman.
Party chiefs who attended the meeting included the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu; the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, and the President of the Senate, David Mark.
The All Progressives Congress has however described Jonathan’s decision to seek re-election as an anti-climax.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it would have been news if the President had declared that he was not running.
Mohammed said, “This is an anti-climax. Of course, if the TAN have been going all around spending billions on television advertorials and campaign, all the governors have adopted him, the National Working Committee, said he is the only one. As far as we are concerned, it is an anti-climax. It would have been news only if he said he wasn’t running.”
Wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has resigned her appointment as Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service.
Patience Jonathan
The 57-year-old Patience was said to have left the service voluntarily.
She was one of the appointed 17 permanent secretaries in the state civil service in July 2012.
The appointment had caused outrage in the state at the time with some Bayelsa residents accusing Governor Seriake Dickson of politicising the civil service in the state.
Though Ministry of Education sources said Patience disengaged from service voluntarily, there were speculations that she resigned because of alleged rift between her and Dickson.
The alleged frosty relationship between the governor and the President’s wife was said to have been triggered by Patience unwillingness to support Dickson’s second term bid.
Instead, it was learnt that Jonathan’s wife had expressed her preference for the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa.
It was learnt that Patience resigned her appointment to enable her to have the moral justification to push her candidate.
At the state’s Ministry of Education on Thursday, many of the civil servants refused to comment on the development.
But our correspondent learnt from reliable sources that the ministry had computed her terminal benefits already.
One civil servant, who agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity, said, “The whole thing is political. It appears Madam (the President’s wife) is not happy with the governor. With her resignation, the battle line has been drawn.
“I feel the President’s wife resigned to enable her to have the moral right to slug it out with Dickson ahead of the governorship poll in the state. Let no one deceive you, the whole thing is politics. After all, she is 57 and the retirement age is 60.”
When contacted, Chief Salo Adikumo, who resigned during the week as Commissioner for Education, said he was no longer the commissioner.
“I resigned recently as commissioner to enable me to pursue my political ambition. Please direct all your enquiries to the ministry, “ he said.
However, a ranking official of the ministry said it was true Patience had resigned voluntarily.
The official, who did not want her name in print because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, said she was not aware of the resignation having political undercurrents.
She said, “I can say Patience Jonathan has voluntarily retired. But whether there is political undertone in her resignation or not, I cannot say.
“I think the First Lady felt that her continued stay as Permanent Secretary will be depriving others. Now that she has resigned, it will afford others the opportunity to take over her position.
“Already, in accordance with the civil service rules, we have prepared all her entitlements. Whatever is due her will be given to her. She will also be receiving her pension.”
