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Sunday 21 June 2015
POLITICSTHISDAY
Kwankwaso and the 8th National Assembly
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21 Jun 2015Kwankwaso and the 8th National Assembly
Atiku warns APC chieftains over Internal Opposition
- Category: REPORTS
- Published on Sunday, 21 June 2015 15:53
- Written by Elombah.com
Former Vice President and chieftain
of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar says it is dangerous
for any individual or group in the ranks of the ruling party to
constitute themselves into an opposition even before the constitution
and take off President Muhammadu Buhari's government.
The former Vice President made the
call against the backdrop of developments in the polity, which he notes
are interplay of forces and interests that are dynamic, but must not be
promoted to the point of being a threat to our democracy and the new
administration.
In a press statement released by his
media office in Abuja on Sunday, 21 June and signed by Mazi Paul Ibe,
the Turaki Adamawa while acknowledging that it is legitimate and
desirable for individuals or groups to seek to pursue their interest, it
must be done with the benefit of sustaining our democracy and promoting
equity, fair play and justice in mind.
"Anything to the contrary may
jeopardise our hard-earned democracy and constitute a clog in the wheel
of the new administration," Atiku said.
He noted that because of the
historic nature of the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari and the
arduous challenges ahead to deliver on making Nigeria work for all
Nigerians, it is important, especially for members of his own party, to
rally behind him in the quest to enthrone good governance, that will
spur security and stability, economic and social development, job
creation, infrastructure renewal and above all a better life for
Nigerians.
The former Vice President urged
members of the APC to emulate the unity of all the presidential
contestants after the party's Lagos primaries and support the President
to form his government and get to work.
The statement exonerated Atiku
Abubakar of the purported hijack of the party and the National Assembly
towards 2019 as figment of the imagination of those promoting it and
asked Nigerians to ignore all such insinuation.
He notes that the recent outcomes of
the National Assembly election contrary to insinuations are products of
interplay of politics which is itself in constant motion.
"In politics, it is a mistake to
expect fixed outcomes. As the President has done, let's all come to
terms with what has happened in the interest of the system and move on."
Open Letter to Buhari on N5000 stipend to 25 Million poor Nigerians
- ARTICLE
- Published on Friday, 19 June 2015 21:39
- Written by Shaibu Stephen Ojate
Your Excellency Sir, I must first of
all let you that i am one of your ardent critics in Nigeria. My
criticism is not borne out of the fact that i hate you but aimed at
pointing out your weakness and also to bring to your knowledge areas you
need to take to correction for positive result.
Yesterday, I read in Daily
Independent Newspaper that you have finally resolved to redeem your
promise to give out N5000 each to unemployed Nigerians as part of your
plans to reduce hardship among unemployed individuals in Nigeria
following your earlier pledge during your campaign.
While I commend you for making the
plight of poor unemployed Nigerians a priority in your administration, I
must also remind you that your intended programme is tantamount to
chasing shadow and leaving substance. I see it as one of those white
elephant projects embarked upon by our past leaders to get applause from
the public that they are working only for them to abandon them due to
lack of fund to continue it.
It is good for unemployed Nigerians
to gain something from your administration but i must make it clear to
you that you are taking wrong step on our National problems. Giving
N5000 each to 25Million is just like somebody is having Stomach pain and
the Doctor resolves giving him Panadol. You would agree with me that
Panadol tablet would be good for somebody suffering from headache and
not stomach pain. Thus, giving out N5000 to 25Millions is just like the
case i have illustrated above.
Point to note, if you successfully
disbursed out the said fund to Nigerians, it would cost the Nation One
hundred and fifty billion naira per month and One trillion five hundreds
billion naira per year. This is a huge fund.
While I commend you for making the plight of poor unemployed Nigerians a priority in your
administration, I must also remind you that your intended programme is tantamount to
chasing shadow and leaving substance. I see it as one of those white elephants
embarked upon by our past leaders to get applause from the public
May I bring to your knowledge that
Ajaokuta Steel and Itakpe iron ore companies are lying down in Kogi
State. From the analysis i got from those working in these companies, i
was made to understand that Nigerian government needs barely half a
trillion naira to complete the projects. The One Trillion and Five
Hundred Billion Naira that you plan to give out to 25Million Nigerians
can perform wonder in these two companies if put to use.
Why not divert the said fund to
complete Ajaokuta Steel and Itakpe Iron Ore Companies as the duo are
capable of generating millions of jobs for unemployed Nigerians both
upstream and downstream sector? Also, the newly employed persons in
these companies would have money to take care of their dependents and
this would go a long way to eradicate poverty in the land just like you
yearned for. These companies when fully operational would have
multiplier effect on Nigerians as it would contribute greatly to
Nigerian economy. Vehicle and other metal products would be
manufactured in Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Let me declare to you that if it is
laudable achievement you want to get from you administration, you stand
to be reckoned with when you resuscitate Ajaokuta steel and Itakpe Iron
Ore companies. Nigeria would remember you as one Leader that
resuscitated Ajaokuta steel and Itakpe Iron Ore companies both in Kogi
State if you heed to my call as expending one trillion and five hundred
billion naira does not implied that the suffering of the 25 million
Nigerians would be totally eradicated. Kindly take to my advice as
expending One trillion five hundreds Billion on unemployed Nigerians
amounts to waste.
Saturday 13 June 2015
Missteps that altered APC’s NASS agenda.
Missteps that altered APC’s NASS agenda.
June 13, 2015
Saraki and Dogora
Senator Bukola Saraki and Yusuf Dogara emerged as the leaders of the 8th National Assembly against the will of their party. FISAYO FALODI, in this piece, writes about the tactical missteps that disrupted the ruling party’s agenda
The emergence of Dr. Bukola Saraki and
Yakubu Dogara as the Senate President and House of Representatives
Speaker of the 8th National Assembly came to many people as a surprise.
Interestingly, the development defied the calculation of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, which has its preferred candidates for the
positions.
The APC has majority of seats in the two chambers of parliament.
The race for the leadership of the 8th
National Assembly started not long after the APC was declared winner of
the March 28 presidential election. As expected, the race led to the
formation of various interest groups within the party with each group
scrambling to get what it considered the best for it.
The groups’ decision was reinforced by
President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim that he would rather prefer the
National Assembly members to elect their leaders without any
interference.
Interestingly, the now opposition
Peoples Democratic Party cashed in on the situation to strategically
position itself to gain lofty advantage over the APC, which was
struggling to reach a consensus on the Assembly’s leadership. The
decision culminated in the PDP’s adoption of Saraki and Dogara for the
positions of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Assembly
respectively. It therefore urged PDP members in the National Assembly to
vote for the two men
But Tuesday’s emergence of Saraki and
Dogara as leaders of the two legislative chambers shocked the APC which
had initially selected Senators Ahmed Lawan and George Akume for the
office of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.
A former Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Tahir Monguno, were
also selected for the leadership of the House of Representatives as the
party’s preferred candidates in a mock election it conducted in Abuja
last Saturday.
Saraki,
who had initially boycotted the mock election even after signing an
agreement earlier in the day with the Lawan group to abide by the
outcome of the poll, was said to have continued his intensive lobbying
of the PDP lawmakers in the National Assembly for support. Dogara
participated in the mock poll, but scored three votes against
Gbajabiamila’s 154. Explaining why it boycotted the shadow election, the
Saraki’s group, popularly called Like Minds, said it took the decision
because of the open ballot system the APC leaders adopted for the
process.
The group said in a statement that the
option was primitive and undemocratic. It said it “shall not be part of a
process that promotes undemocratic electoral process that may result in
rancorous and uncivil situation which inhibits the rights of
individuals to vote for their choice.”
True to its word, the Saraki’s group
boycotted the shadow election while the 8th Assembly Consolidation
Group, the assemblage of lawmakers that promoted Dogara’s interest, also
walked out of the venue with determination to present their candidates
for the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Their tactics paid off when the two
groups won elections to lead the National Assembly. Saraki was
unanimously elected as the Senate President by 57 senators present at
the session when the 51 others were at another venue waiting for a
meeting with the leadership of the APC. The meeting never held. Analysts
have also said that even if Lawan’s supporters had been on the floor of
the Senate for the poll, they would have lost. support, the PDP
senators were rewarded with the position of the Deputy Senate President
which Senator Ike Ekweremadu retained for the third time instead of
Senator Ali Ndume, who had also indicated interest in the office of the
Senate Deputy President.
Also, the victory of Dogara in the
keenly contested election with Gbajabiamila equally sprang a surprise as
it stopped the APC’s preferred candidate from assuming the leadership
of the House.
As expected, the outcome of the
elections, after weeks of horse-trading and lobbying by the two
principal officers of the National Assembly, did not go down well with
the APC. The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary,
Alhaji Lai Muhammed, rejected Saraki and Dogara and described the
process that threw them up as unacceptable and treacherous.
The party said, “Senator Bukola and Hon.
Dogara are not the candidates of the APC. The party duly met and
conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of
Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of
Representatives, supported by a majority of all senators-elect and
members-elect of the House of Representatives. All National Assembly
members-elect who emerged on the platform of the party are bound by that
decision. The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of
its individual members.”
But the PDP saw the emergence of the two
principal officers differently. The party said their elections
underscored the fact that no section of the country should be neglected
in national issues. It said in a statement by its National Publicity
Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, that the emergence of the two leaders was
victory for the nation’s democracy.
Though the decision of the APC to
downplay the zoning of the positions of the Senate President and
Speaker; alleged overbearing posture of the party’s national leaders;
failure of the party to bring together all the interest groups within
it; and Buhari’s aloofness on the choice of the party’s candidates were
cited by observers as some of the factors that worked against the APC’s
candidates, watchers of political events described the emergence of the
new National Assembly leaders as very interesting. They nevertheless
raised fundamental issues that political parties, including the APC
should imbibe for them to remain relevant.
The KOWA Party presidential candidate in
the last election, Prof. Oluremi Sanaiya, is of the view that too much
interference by the APC prevented the party from achieving its plan. She
particularly asked the party to deemphasise selection of leaders by
allowing the people to exercise the freedom to make their choice.
She said, “We need political parties
that will operate according to the best global practices. I believe that
it is good to allow members of the National Assembly to decide who
their leaders will be without too much interference from their political
parties. The emergence of Saraki and Dogara as the President and
Speaker of the National Assembly should serve as an important lesson for
us to learn.
“Fighting within political parties with
diverse interest groups might not be the best for us in this country and
I am afraid that this is what has started to be playing out now. The
people are beginning to talk about slowness in the pace of activities in
the new government that the country has now.”
Sonaiya, however, raised concern that
the special interests might hamper the speed with which the newly
elected President could deliver governance and move the country forward.
She said, “We need political parties
that are not tied to special interest of certain individuals. Let
Nigerians be smart and begin to give themselves a different set of
paradigms.”
Also, an elder statesman and former
governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, believes that the
senators and members of the House of Representatives elected their
leaders according to the law, saying it would be unfortunate if anyone
would want to disagree with the lawmakers’ decisions.
He said, “One thing I want to point out
is that the way the Senate President and the Speaker were elected
justified the need for the government of national unity because the
APC-led government will need the support of the PDP senators to carry
out its responsibilities. This definitely justifies the call for the
government of national unity.
“The APC senators could not alone elect
the Senate President and the APC members in the House of Representatives
could not elect the Speaker without the support of their PDP
colleagues. So, they should all work together for the development of the
country. “The election of the Speaker and the Senate President followed
democratic process and that should be understood by the APC. I know the
party did not like the fact that its preferred candidates did not
emerge as the leaders of the National Assembly, but the party has to
accept the reality on the ground. The party should toe the path of the
President who had indicated interest in working with the two men. That
should be the guideline for the APC and its chieftains.”
The elder statesman, however, decried
moves by the APC to sanction the National Assembly leaders, adding that
such moves would not promote the interest of the country.
Musa said, “APC should rescind its
decision to sanction Saraki and Dogara. Already the situation is tense;
the party should desist from what will make the situation become worse.”
A social commentator, Mr. Taiwo
Akinlami, was not surprised about the outcome of the inauguration and
the emergence of the leaders of the 8th Assembly. He said the APC, which
is the amalgamation of different political parties, was characterised
by various groups which wanted their interests protected.
Akinlami said, “When there are a lot of
interests within a political party, it becomes difficult to aggregate
them. Everybody will want his or her interest protected.”
He, however, demanded effective
performance from the lawmakers, especially in the areas of assisting the
executive to provide security for the citizens.
Buhari plans military shake-up, angry with DSS.
Buhari plans military shake-up, angry with DSS.
June 13, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari
There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may carry out a major shake-up in the top echelons of the military.
It was learnt that service chiefs and
other senior officers across the various arms of the military might be
relieved of their posts to pave way for new hands.
Findings showed that Buhari would replace the service chiefs with equally experienced officers.
It was gathered that all but one of the
military chiefs would be disengaged by the President, while appointing
new officers who would be expected to implement the new phase of the war
against the Boko Haram sect in the North-East.
Sources said that there was anxiety in
the military over the looming change of guard which is expected to
affect all the services, including the Army, Navy, and the Air Force.
It was gathered that the military chiefs
were acutely aware of the fate that might befall them, having reached
the pinnacle of their career.
A source said that the President may be
considering one of the service chiefs to ensure smooth transition
between the present military chiefs and their successors.
But another source said this was not
likely, noting that the only service chief that might be retained is the
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, who was appointed a few
months ago by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
One of our correspondents gathered that
Buhari would likely appoint his “loyalists” and those he had worked with
into top positions.
It was also gathered that Buhari might
have made up his mind to use policemen and soldiers as presidential
security, while whittling down the influence and presence of the
Department of State Services at the Presidential Villa.
It was also learnt that Buhari indicated
his preference for policemen and soldiers trained in body guard
protection instead of the usual teams of DSS personnel used by his
predecessor.
A source said that the President is
unhappy with the agency over the “various negative security reports it
wrote against him during his struggle to become the President, including
the report on the recent certificate saga.”
Security sources said the rejection of
253 DSS operatives by Villa authorities last week was informed by the
President’s directive that he did not want the agency’s personnel around
him.
One of the sources said, “The President
has yet to forgive the DSS for what he sees as its antagonism against
him before the last general elections. So, the President has decided to
keep the agency at arm’s length and for his security, he will be using
policemen and soldiers.”
The source added that though a DSS
operative would still occupy the post of the Chief Security Officer of
the villa, “the CSO will be a mere figure-head because he would have no
control over the security at the villa.”
Further findings showed that since
Buhari was sworn in, information about his itinerary and schedules were
no longer passed to the DSS as is the tradition under the former
President.
Our correspondents learnt that under the
last administration, the CSO would always be informed about the
President’s movement and daily itinerary, but this was said to have
changed since Buhari assumed office. Presently, it was gathered, it is
only the President’s Aide-de-Camp that knows Buhari’s daily schedule and
the CSO had to rely on his contacts within the villa to know the
President’s movement.
When contacted, the DSS Deputy Director,
Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, had told one of our correspondents
earlier in the week that she could not comment on the issue of posting
of the service officers at the villa.
“I don’t have such information and I cannot comment on it,” she said.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to
the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Sheu, declined to
comment on the issues of appointment.
He said Buhari could not make any
pronouncement on appointments or any other issue until he received the
report of his transition committee.
Shehu recalled that Jonathan submitted its handover note to Buhari on the eve of his (Jonathan) exit from office.
He said the President thereafter handed over the note to a committee led by Ahmed Joda to study and make recommendations.
He added, “The Joda committee was given two weeks to study Jonathan’s handover note and make recommendations.
“This committee just finished its
assignment on Wednesday evening and may present its recommendations to
the President on Friday.”
Atiku, Tinubu fight to control APC.
Atiku, Tinubu fight to control APC.
June 13, 2015
Atiku, Tinubu
There are strong indications that
two power blocs within the All Progressives Congress are now engaged in a
fierce battle for the soul of the party.
Saturday PUNCH’s investigations
on Friday revealed that the battle between the two power blocs to
control the party: one led by Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and the other led by
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, played out during Tuesday’s
National Assembly leadership elections.
The ruling party’s preferred candidates
in both the Senate and the House of Representatives were defeated by
party members who contested the elections against the wishes of the
party.
The battle for supremacy between the two
power blocs led to the emergence of the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party’s candidate, Ike Ekweremadu, as the Deputy Senate President.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that both
Atiku and Tinubu were desperate to have maximum control over the party
structure so that party decisions could favour them at all times.
It was learnt that the two blocs wanted
their candidates to emerge principal officers of the National Assembly
since that would automatically qualify their candidates to become
members of the party’s National Executive Committee, which is the
highest decision arm of the party.
Senator Bukola Saraki emerged the
President of the Senate at a time when leading figures of the party
including Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and APC Senators as well as members
of the House of Representatives were waiting for President Muhammadu
Buhari at the International Conference Centre for a crucial meeting.
The party’s NWC earlier held a shadow
election in which Senators Ahmad Lawan and George Akume emerged as the
party’s candidates for Senate President and Deputy Senate President
respectively.
But, Atiku, Saturday PUNCH learnt
that Atiku was never in support of the mock election believed to be
spearheaded by the APC national leader as the former Vice President was
bent on breaking Tinubu’s influence on the party’s NWC.
As things stand, most of the current members of the APC’s National Working Committee are Tinubu’s loyalists.
With the outcome of the National
Assembly leadership elections, there are strong indications that the
Tinubu camp, which many agree, boasts of the likes of Lawan and Akume
are not prepared to let the matter rest.
Sources said the Tinubu camp, though still jolted by its initial ‘defeat’ would likely spring a surprise in the days ahead.
It was gathered that members of the
Senators Unity Forum, who supported the party’s candidates are queuing
behind Tinubu and are likely to continue to do so in the days to come.
It was learnt that in supporting the
aspirations of Saraki and Dogara, Atiku had argued that democracy could
better be served when the principle of internal democracy is respected.
It was further learnt that Saraki’s
publicised visit to Atiku’s residence a few hours after his emergence,
was part of the power play.
By virtue of their new positions as
Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Saraki and
Dogara, have become automatic members of the National Executive
Committee, the highest decision making body of the party.
Their positions also confer on them automatic membership of the party’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee.
A leading member of the party’s NWC, who confided in Saturday PUNCH, explained that the unfolding scenario is likely to open up new frontiers in the power struggle within the party.
According to him, decisions at NEC from now on will be keenly contested by the two power blocs.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the
outcome of the National Assembly elections would likely affect decisions
to be taken on ministerial nominees as some of the candidates in
Tinubu’s camp may be rejected during screening by the Saraki/Atiku
group.
He said, “It is obvious that with what
happened on Tuesday at the National Assembly, two (dominant) power
blocks have emerged in the party.
“We hope to heal the wounds created by the contests, but there is mutual suspicion between the two groups.”
When contacted, the Director-General of
the Atiku Media Office, Mazi Paul Ibe, said, “Atiku did not orchestrate
the emergence of the new leadership in the National Assembly and
insinuating that amounts to nothing but political mischief, as he had
refused to leave the party or work for the PDP even when the then
President Jonathan was desperate for Atiku’s support.
“The visits of politicians and APC
leaders including that of the Senate President are common political
rituals in Atiku’s Asokoro residence. For the purposes of emphasis, the
President has confidence in him and that explains why he had drafted him
as an envoy of sorts in the race leading up to the emergence of a
Nigerian President of African Development Bank.
“It is baseless and unfounded to suggest
that Atiku conspired with the PDP or Saraki to ‘sabotage’ the APC. He
would have congratulated Senator Ahmed Lawan (or any other leader) if he
had won. It is simplistic to attribute conspiratorial agenda to an
innocuous congratulatory visit.
“Atiku’s loyalty to his party is
indisputable. He remains a loyal party member. He, in fact, threw his
political assets behind the Buhari presidential campaign. Any suggestion
that he conspired with Saraki or anybody is the figment of someone’s
imagination.”
Attempts to get a reaction from Tinubu’s Spokesperson, Mr. Sunday Dare, were unsuccessful.
Calls to his mobile phone at 5:21pm and
at 7:14pm were neither picked nor returned. A response to a text message
was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report at 7:24pm.
But, a member of Saraki’s Like Minds
group of Senators, Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South), said Saraki’s emergence,
has no negative implication for party cohesion.
He said, “We are already reaching out to everyone. At the leadership level, we are reaching out to individuals.
“The Senate President is a very generous
Nigerian with a very large heart. He has already extended his hands of
fellowship to every senator and he has assured us all that he would
carry everybody along. It is not going to be a case of
winner-takes-all.”
Also, a member of the Senate Unity
Forum, Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central), said the party
leadership is currently working tirelessly to ensure that the party
remains a formidable and united entity.
The South East Zonal Spokesperson for the APC, Osita Okechukwu, said the party was seeking ways of moving forward.
According to him, it will be futile to
begin to apportion blame and look for scapegoats because doing so will
provide an avenue for those who do not wish the APC well to cash in.
He said party leaders deserve the
respect of all party members, adding that if the wise counsel of
President Muhammadu Buhari for non-interference in National Assembly
issues was adhered to, the party would not have found itself in this
situation. He, however, said it was time to move on.
Okechukwu said, “It is the desire of our
opponents for there to be a rift but there is no rift. As a party, the
only thing we need now, more than ever before, is unity.
“We need to unite especially in the
National Assembly to be able to deliver on our promises to the Nigerian
people. I dare say, we also need bi-partisan support if we are to get
things done because we need each other.”
Boko Haram: Buhari and burden of political hypocrisy.
Boko Haram: Buhari and burden of political hypocrisy.
June 13, 2015
Jonathan, Buhari
President
Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Niger Republic and Chad to seek regional
collaboration against Boko Haram is considered laudable. Analysts in
this report by FISAYO FALODI, however, describe his action as political hypocrisy
One of the key issues Nigerians expect
President Muhammadu Buhari to deal with post-May 29 inauguration is the
total defeat of the Boko Haram sect that has killed thousands of
innocent people and destroyed property – private and public- worth
several billions of Naira in the last six years.
This
is because the President and the All Progressives Congress, during the
campaigns, vowed to totally eradicate Boko Haram insurgency in the
North-East of the country if elected into power. The APC therefore
launched its full arsenal against the then ruling Peoples Democratic
Party with promises of change which climaxed in the March 28
presidential election won by Buhari. With Buhari elected as President,
Nigerians no doubt expect a quick end to the Boko Haram insurgency.
Not a few Nigerians would recall that
the APC, which had on various occasions described the administration of
former President Goodluck Jonathan as clueless, callous, incompetent and
corrupt for its failure to fight the terror group to a standstill,
turned itself and Buhari to apostles of change that the citizens were
waiting for.
On every available occasion, the party
and Buhari had also rubbished all the initiatives carried out by
Jonathan to tackle the dangerous sect. To them, attempts by the former
President to seek regional cooperation to find solution to the
insurgency were senseless.
“The government has also failed in any
effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem leading to a
situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours to
come to our rescue,” Buhari had said at the Chatham House, London, the
United Kingdom.
Buhari also reiterated his ability to
bring the insecurity to its knees in his Chatham House speech, where he
painted the gloomy damage the Boko Haram insurgency had done to Nigeria.
He particularly blamed Jonathan for failing to take a multi-dimensional
response to the country’s security challenge, culminating in Nigeria’s
dependence on Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon for anti-Boko Haram war.
He had said, “There are other reasons
why Nigerians and the whole world are intensely focused on this year’s
elections, chief of which is that the elections are holding in the
shadow of huge security, economic and social uncertainties in Africa’s
most populous country and largest economy. On insecurity, there is a
genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the
civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this
insecure.”
He added, “Boko Haram has sadly put
Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals,
displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on
to portions of our territory the size of Belgium. What has been
consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against
insurgency.”
No doubt, Buhari’s speech at the Chatham
House boosted his popularity with voters desperate to see
implementation of decisive and tough policies to wipe out the Boko Haram
insurgents and other challenges such as corruption among public
officials and revitalisation of the economy.
In whispering and open campaigns, Buhari
and the APC continued to blame Jonathan for his proclivity for minimum
use of force to tackle the sect and his patience with some people in the
country suspected to be close to the insurgent group. They therefore
raised the hope of Nigerians that once the party was able to form the
government at the centre, the persistent killings and destructions by
the violent sect would become a thing of the past.
Even while inaugurating his campaign
team in Port Harcourt before the election, Buhari stressed that the
insecurity posed by the sect had reached a level that could no longer be
tolerated thus assuring that effective strategies would be taken to
fight the menace.
The highlight of the President’s
determination to end the insurgency came early in the week when the
command centre of the military relocated to Maiduguri, the epicentre of
the Boko Haram activities.
But barely four days after the
inauguration of his administration, Buhari realised that the promise to
tackle the insurgent group had become a big burden on him. To the
amazement of many Nigerians, the President took his anti-terrorism
campaign to Niger Republic and Chad to seek collaboration on how to curb
the Boko Haram insurgency. The move, according to some observers,
leaves Nigerians wondering if the President is not engaging in double
standard and hypocrisy for toeing the same path he and his party had
initially condemned. They said though nothing stopped the President from
seeking regional collaboration to end the sect’s activities, his
decision to rehash a method he had once chastised raised moral
questions.
The observers recalled that Buhari and
the APC tagged Jonathan’s administration various derogatory names for
seeking regional collaboration against the sect. They said the
President, apart from relocating the command centre to Maiduguri as
promised, should devised more effective and practical strategies to
combat the terror gang. They also asked him to focus on some of the
initiatives adopted by Jonathan to combat the insurgency, which they
said had already started yielding results even before Buhari was elected
as the President.
The observers said though Boko Haram
insurgency pre-dated Buhari’s administration, they pointed out that the
sect had carried out no fewer than five attacks in the North since he
assumed office in the last two weeks.
The National Conscience Party
presidential candidate in the last general elections, Mr. Martin Onovo,
who did not see anything new in the President’s visit to the
neighbouring countries to seek regional cooperation against the sect,
flayed Buhari and his party for engaging in “hypocritical politics” over
their earlier criticism of Jonathan’s administration for adopting same
approach.
He said now that Buhari had seen some
atoms of senses in the strategy; he should improve upon it in the
interest of national development and security.
Onovo said, “We must focus on our
objective, which is to tackle insurgency and other related activities.
Now, based on the military report, some of the terrorists are operating
across borders. Like Dr. Jonathan did, Buhari will need the cooperation
of neighbouring countries to achieve success in his anti-terrorism
battle.
“What I see President Buhari doing is
not new; he is only trying to improve on Jonathan’s approach. So, we
must focus on our objective. Whatever we need to do to contain the
insurgency and terrorism must be promoted. Therefore, I don’t see
anything wrong or new in Buhari’s initiative to hold talk with the
neighbouring countries.
“Nigeria needs to focus on the right
thing to get the right result. One of the right things to do is to get
the cooperation of our neighbours, which the former President has
started anyway. So, Buhari should improve on what Jonathan has started.”
An Abuja-based social commentator, Mr.
Malachi Ugwummadu, believes that Buhari and the APC might have made the
statement based on the reality on ground at that time; it nevertheless
undermined the capacity of Nigeria’s government to tackle the Boko Haram
insurgency.
He said as the President himself is
aware, the fight against the sect required collaboration, support and
concerted effort with relevant stakeholders.
Ugwummadu said there was no deliberate
effort to improve the capacity of Nigerian military in terms of
sophisticated weapons until the country was compelled to do so by the
circumstances of her weakness.
He, however, urged Buhari to stop at nothing in fulfilling his avowed pledge to tackle insecurity in the country.
“There is an end to politics. Politics
must end where governance must begin. Buhari must now direct his energy
in the direction that will benefit all Nigerians,” Ugwummadu said,
asking the President to lead by example.
Like Onovo, a rights activist, Mr.
Olufemi Aduwo, said it was unfortunate that the insecurity posed by the
sect was politicised by those who should know better. He said no doubt,
the fight against terrorism anywhere in the world required collaboration
of relevant stakeholders, but added that it was regrettable that the
APC played to the gallery by deceiving and misinforming Nigerians over
the initial regional collaboration the administration of former
President Jonathan sought to curb the sect’s activities.
Aduwo said, “What they accused Jonathan
of is what they are now doing. Nobody said they should not seek foreign
collaboration, but they ought to have understood before now that
anywhere there is anti-terrorism war, the people and the government
there must be serious to fight it.
“The President must realise that the
Boko Haram sect has been existing in Nigeria since 2002. Its activities
were only pronounced a few years ago. Relocating the military’s command
centre to Maiduguri may not be enough to tackle the sect’s activities;
the President may need to review and improve on some of the approaches
taken by his immediate predecessor.”
While stressing that it was not always
easy to tackle terrorism, Aduwo said the militants in Colombia
celebrated their 60 years of existence last year. Despite the over $7bn
the United States had spent to fight terrorism in Colombia, he said the
militants’ activities had yet to subside.
He said, “Terrorism across the world has
become a cultural evolution. What the people are trying to do across
the world is to make sure that they reduce activities of the terrorist
to the barest minimum.
“So, for Buhari to record success in his
anti-terrorism war, he needs collaboration and improvement upon what
the previous government had done.”
Though the APC has risen in defence of
Buhari, saying the President should be praised rather than pilloried for
the move, adding that the decision showed that he understood the
regional dimension that the insurgency had assumed, the PDP asked Buhari
to apologise to Jonathan and Nigerians for toeing the path he and his
party had once chastised.
Friday 12 June 2015
Buhari orders military to conduct internal probe on Amnesty International report.
Buhari orders military to conduct internal probe on Amnesty International report.
President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The president is quite disturbed by the allegations contained in the report,” Garba Shehu, his spokesperson said Friday. “The next step is to look into the allegations and confirm or disprove the disturbing details.”
He added that President Buhari has already determined that one of the first assignments of the incoming Attorney General of the Federation would be to look into the Amnesty International report and advise the government on an appropriate course of action.
“This is in addition to the internal inquiry he asked the armed services to undertake by themselves,” he said.
He also emphasised President Buhari’s commitment to human rights, and his promise that there would be no human rights abuses under his government.
“Any allegation of human rights abuse that takes place during the tenure of President Buhari’s government will be swiftly investigated and dealt with,” he said.
The report by Amnesty International, published June 3, accused the military of being responsible for the deaths of 8,000 prisoners.
The report listed senior military commanders, including serving and past service chiefs, it suggested should be investigated for possible war crimes.
Buhari appoints new Accountant General.
Buhari appoints new Accountant General.
President Muhammadu Buhari.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect from June 12, 2015, followed the retirement from service of Jonas Otunla.
Until his appointment, Mr. Dikwa was the Director, Funds Department in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Mr. Dikwa would hold the office until a substantive Accountant-General is appointed by the president.
Mr. Dikwa, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy and a Masters in Business Administration and Finance, attended the Senior Executive Course 34, 2014 at the National Institute of for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.
He was awarded Certificates in Public Finance Management Reforms, Leadership and Governance, High Performance Leadership Programme and Treasury Management at the Harvard University, USA; University of Cambridge, Oxford University in the UK, and Thames Valley University UK respectively.
A professional Accountant and Member of many Professional Bodies, Mr. Dikwa is a Fellow Certified National Accountant; Fellow Charted Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, among others.
Apart from serving as a facilitator in many courses, workshops, seminars and conferences he attended both within and outside Nigeria, Mr. Dikwa served as Borno State Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance between1999 and 2004 and Chairman, Technical Board Bank of Industries (BOI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
He also served on the Board of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Defence Industry Corporation; Distribution Company of Nigeria (DISCO), Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Royal Swaziland Sugar Company, etc.
He was also the Director in-charge of Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) and later Revenue and Investment. He is happily married with children.
Summit on Boko Haram holds in Abuja.
Summit on Boko Haram holds in Abuja.
Muhammadu Buhari with Chadian president, Idris Deby.
Presidents of Chad, Idriss Deby, Niger, Mahamadou_Issoufou and Republic of Benin, Boni Yayai, are expected to attend the summit, while Cameroon’s Minister of Defence is expected to represent the President, Paul Biya.
At the meeting, the African leaders are expected to discuss the security challenges affecting the four countries that share boundaries with each other.
The countries, majorly affected by the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram will take significant steps toward establishing a joint task force when they meet on Thursday at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producing country, has been besieged by terror attacks perpetrated by the jihadist Boko Haram sect, mostly in its North Eastern region.
Boko Haram has killed thousands and displaced about 1.5 million people during a six-year insurgency. Its aim has been to establish an Islamic caliphate. It has extended its reach to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.
Upon resumption of office, President Muhammadu Buhari had taken a tour of Chad and Niger to discuss the fight against the Boko Haram. Chad, Cameroon and Niger are part of the Multinational Joint Task force waging war against the Boko Haram insurgents.
Buhari rejects proposal for Chad, Niger, others to head central force against Boko Haram.
Buhari rejects proposal for Chad, Niger, others to head central force against Boko Haram.
At a meeting with leaders of the Lake Chad nations Thursday in Abuja, Mr. Buhari insisted Nigeria must be the sole leader of the joint military operation.
He said a proposal that such leadership alternate amongst the participating nations after every six months, may ultimately undermine the joint operations.
The president said his argument should be adopted since Nigeria remains at the centre of the Boko Haram crisis, and will provide the bulk of troops for the operation.
“While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency,” Mr. Buhari said.
“Such a process will undermine, even if it is not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.
He continued, “I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for Your Excellencies’ consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort. This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.”
The president’s remarks were disclosed in a press statement released by his office.
It was not immediately clear whether the suggestions were adopted by the other leaders.
The Extra Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin, was attended by the president of Chad, Idris Deby; Niger, Issoufou Mahamadu; Benin, Boni Yayi; and the Defence Minister of Cameroun, Mebe Ngo’o Edgard Alain.
The coalition considered new measures against Boko Haram, responsible for thousands of deaths in Nigeria, and neighbouring countries.
Mr. Buhari thanked the foreign leaders for their help in the fight against the insurgents.
“Nothing has emphasized our common humanity and destinies more than the dastardly crimes against our people by the insurgents, who have maimed and raped our women and children and held our nations in a vicious strangle hold,” he said.
“Our campaign against insurgency must therefore, be directed on all fronts, starting from limiting their capacity to access funds and weapons. We must, therefore, strengthen our cross border patrols and increase our capacity to gather and share intelligence. In this regard, I urge that all necessary steps be immediately taken to reinvigorate the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU).”
He thanked the Ministers of Defence of all the countries for coming up with a proposal for the joint military force.
He said Nigeria had promised $100 million for the take-off of the multinational force, and assured the funds will be provided.
He said notwithstanding the pledge, funding still remains a major issue of the campaign.
“I had raised this issue at my meeting with the G7 leaders. While I am encouraged by their support, I also urge you to garner the support of your international friends and partners to sustain this campaign,” he urged the leaders.
“Our campaign against Boko Haram must be seen within the wider context of the global war against terror. Terrorism has no frontiers and they must, because of the great implication for regional and global peace and security, be defeated.”
Boko Haram kills 37 women in Borno villages.
Boko Haram kills 37 women in Borno villages.
June 11, 2015. Article by Citizen.
Terror group, Boko Haram, has killed 37 people in separate attacks on six villages in Borno State, a youth vigilance member told journalists in Maiduguri on Thursday.
He revealed that the notorious group drove in a convoy of vehicles to Koshifa, Matangle, Buraltuma, Darmanti, Almeri and Burmari villages, all in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, on Wednesday night.
The source said the insurgents opened fire indiscriminately on the villagers while setting houses on fire.
A top member of the youth vigilance group in Biu, a neighbouring local government area of Damboa, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said some of the villagers, who fled from the attack villages, narrated their ordeal.
He said those who escaped were mostly women, who alleged that the insurgents killed their husbands and burnt down their houses leaving them with nothing.
The women, the youth added, were equally afraid that the insurgents might come back to finish off the villages, forcing them to flee.
He said, “At least, 37 persons were killed in coordinated attacks on the six villages, and the victims were mostly men and youths and their homes razed down completely.
”The women said many people were still missing but they believed that they will still come to Damboa or Biu town so that they can reunite with their families. I must say Boko haram has almost wiped out this generation.”
(UPDATED)Boko Haram: National contingents to be deployed on July 30.
(UPDATED)Boko Haram: National contingents to be deployed on July 30.
June 11, 2015. Article by a citizen.
President Muhammadu Buhari
The MNJTF was set up and saddled with the responsibility of fighting the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The approval was contained in a communique released at the end of the summit held at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and presided over by President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic.
The heads of government, including President Muhammadu Buhari, resolved that the national contingents be deployed under the operational command of the MNJTF Commander assisted by his Joint Headquarters.
A Nigerian, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was recently appointed the Force Commander.
According to the communique, the summit also approved three key positions of responsibility of the MNJTF headquarters.
The position of the Force Commander would be held by Nigeria, the Deputy Force Commander was zoned to Cameroon while the post of the Chief of Staff would be occupied by Chad.
While Nigeria will hold the office of the Force Commander until the end of the mission,the two remaining positions would be rotational every 12 months.
The summit also approved the immediate deployment of the MNJTF headquarters at N’Djamena (Chad) by implementing its human, logistic and financial requirements.
Participants also approved $30m for the funding and equipping of the headquarters.
They also requested the African Union’s logistics and financial supports to the MNJTF in its operations.
They also resolved to seek the support of strategic partners, notably, European Union, France, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The heads of governments also requested the President of the United Nations Security Council to make a declarative statement in support of MNJTF operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group.
In the course of their deliberation, the Heads of State acknowledged with satisfaction the successes recorded on military operations jointly conducted in the field by the coalition of the troops from Cameroun, Niger, Nigeria and Chad which have significantly broken down the military capability of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
However, they agreed on the need to be continually active by taking decisive measures in order to totally curb Boko Haram insurgency.
Buhari faults joint task force commander’s six-month tenure
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday kicked against a proposed guideline of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin that recommended six months duration for change of the command and control structure of the Multinational Joint Task Force.He urged his colleagues to allow Nigeria retain the position of the Force Commander of the MJTF throughout the period of the war against insurgency.
Buhari made the appeal in his opening remarks at an extra-ordinary meeting of the commission’s Heads of State and Government held at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
A Nigerian, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was recently appointed the Force Commander.
The President argued that military operations that are subjected to rapid change of command and control structures would not be efficient.
He said Nigeria should be allowed to retain the position of the commander since the country would be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.
He said, “While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency.
“Such a process will undermine, even if it not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.”
“I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for your excellencies’ consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort.
“This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.”
Buhari also promised to redeem the pledge made by Nigeria to contribute $100m to the force.
“Nigeria has already pledged the sum of $100m for the smooth takeoff of the MJTF. I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise,” he declared.
Buhari also stressed the need to strengthen cross border patrol and intelligence sharing, adding that efforts must be targeted at limiting the insurgents’ capacity to access funds and weapons
Setting the tone for the meeting, the President said the parley was premised on common resolve and commitment of member states to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated.
He said it was also meant to mitigate the suffering which had been imposed on the civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and the terrorists.
He added that the meeting also afforded them an opportunity to finalise the instruments of the operations of force in order to give life to the joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents.
He added, “You will recall in my inaugural address on May 29, 2015, I affirmed that I will consult regularly with heads of government of our immediate neighborhood and I have within four days of my assumption of duty as President embarked on a thank you visits to the Presidents of Niger and Chad.
“This important assignment was however interrupted because I had to honour the invitation extended to me by the G-7 member states to attend their meeting in Germany.
“I intend to continue his thank you visits to the remaining Lake Chad Basin Commission member states very shortly.”
The meeting was attended by President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic; President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad Republic and President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic.
Cameroonian President was represented by his Minister of Defence.
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