Nigerian Newspapers
Crisis can consume PDP, says Oyinlola
The ousted National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has raised the alarm that the party is at a crossroads and ought to resolve its crisis to protect its survival in the future.
He said PDP cannot be talking about the much touted “reconciliation’’ while some leaders are also taking steps to fragment the party.
He said with the proposed merger of some political parties, the PDP must watch it or else it will fail.
He said he suspected that some questionable scripts are being acted by some power brokers in the party.
Oyinlola spoke in a secret memo submitted to Governor Ibrahim Shema Committee looking into the problems facing the party’s Southwest chapter.
He said he had been committed to peace and reconciliation up to the extent of taking Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State to beg the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
In the memo, exclusively obtained by our correspondent, Oyinlola attributed the crisis in PDP to mutual suspicion.
He said it was sad that Alhaji Tukur backed parallel National Working Committee (NWC) than the elected NWC.
The memo reads in part: “Without any doubt, the political arena has now assumed higher levels of activity, with the planned merger of some political parties. To us, the leadership of the PDP, we must be able to avoid the problems associated with cynicism and resist the temptation to promote those issues that divide us instead of uniting us. In doing this, let us never fail to read the minds of people and situations correctly, while putting aside sentiments that have torn us apart.
“ Today, we stand at a major crossroads. It is through our people and supporters at the grassroots that we could make our great party unshakable and greater.
“ The truth is that majority of our members in the Southwest are disenchanted as a result of many issues. And the manner in which we resolve issues confronting us today will largely determine the future of our political activities as a united and cohesive mass movement that is destined to rule Nigeria for a longer period.”
He said he suspected that some power brokers are acting some questionable scripts.
Oyinlola said: “From the aforesaid and available indications, it seems to me that there is a deliberate attempt to shut out the Southwest from the PDP given the very hasty and questionable decisions taken against us on the orders of the National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, following the court judgment in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/504/2012, delivered on January 11, 2013, by Justice Abdu Kafarati. The Learned trial judge nullified my election as the national secretary based on the complaint of the Engr. Bayo Dayo faction that I emerged as the national secretary based on the decision of the Southwest zonal congress.
“The PDP, led by the national chairman moved swiftly to implement this decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja by hurriedly organising a celebrated inauguration of my deputy, Onwe Solomon Onwe as the Acting National Secretary.
“Surprisingly, PDP disrespected the Court of Appeal to obey a Federal High Court ruling on the advice of Chief JK Gadzama, SAN, who is a personal friend of Dr. Bamanga Tukur.
“ Allow me to observe that it is normal for the Deputy National Secretary to act whenever the National Secretary is not available to perform the duties of the National Secretary. I believe there was no need to celebrate this development based on the fact that the PDP constitution is clear on the mode of stepping into the shoes of the national secretary by the deputy national secretary and the fact that the matter was still in court.
“Pronouncements in the newspapers after my removal from office by Mr. Buruji Kashamu and Mr. Joe Gadzama, SAN, stating emphatically that Olagunsoye Oyinlola will never return to office as the national secretary of PDP are very suspect.
“It is also a sad commentary that the PDP counsel went ahead to withdraw the PDP motion for a stay of execution of the Justice Kafarati judgment of January 11, 2013, and caused to be published, various statements antagonising me and my attempts to seek redress through a motion for a stay of execution of the Kafarati judgment.
“ That gave cause to me to suspect that some questionable scripts are being acted by some power brokers in the PDP. I say here that it is only God that is able to shut and no man would open; and conversely, open and no man would be able to shut.”
Oyinlola claimed that the crisis bedeviling PDP started shortly after the inauguration of the NWC led by Tukur.
He added: “A few months after our inauguration, I started hearing the rumour that there were planned moves to shut out those of us from my zone, and understandably the Southwest PDP from the NWC and remove us from reckoning within the PDP.
“I was informed that the plan was being hatched to obtain a ‘kangaroo’ court judgment against me on the grounds that I was not validly elected the national secretary of the PDP, as a result of my purported nomination by the Southwest zonal congress held on March 21, 2012, which had been nullified by a court order.
“I never took the information serious because I knew, as a matter of fact that nobody, who understands the constitution of our great Party would ever subscribe to, or canvass that position which is clearly patently false, ridiculous, misleading and pedestrian. I was to later discover, upon investigations and from records at the national headquarters that the crises in the Ogun State chapter of the PDP pre-dated the present NWC, into which I was validly elected.”
Oyinlola insisted that if the party is adamant on his sack from office, the same Federal High Court judgment had implied that Tukur should also vacate office.
He said: “I wish to also make it known that most of the decisions taken in this matter have been unilaterally taken by the national chairman who attempted on more than one occasion to rail-road the NWC into taking hasty and ill-conceived decisions.
“ I want it placed on record that our great party ignored the ruling of a Court of Appeal, Lagos which granted the motion for a stay of execution of the order of the Federal High Court which nullified the Southwest PDP congress. I hold that it is surprising that we could ignore the ruling of an Appeal Court which granted a stay of execution of judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos, and choose to respect the order of a lower court simply because it nullified the election of Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
“ This development could only ridicule all of us in the eyes of right thinking members of the society; and I must say that, expectedly, these sordid developments have had negative effects on the morale of members of the PDP in my zone.
“ Let me go further that going by this same Federal High Court, Lagos ruling cited earlier, both the national chairman and the national secretary have not been validly elected following the nullification of the Southwest zonal congress by the court. That aspect of the judgment concerning Olagunsoye Oyinlola has been implemented.
“ However, the Federal High Court ruling which annulled the Southwest Congress which also produced the national chairman and members of the NWC has not been considered in the process of implementing court decisions.
“Technically, that judgment also invalidated the election of the national chairman based on the fact that the Southwest delegates to the PDP zonal congress of March 21, 2012, also voted at our National Convention held on Saturday March 24, 2012.
“ I am of the opinion that if this lapse is not corrected, it would continue to be a case of great injustice and unwarranted assault on the Constitution of the PDP and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and against my person and office as a national secretary of the PDP. I believe very strongly, that I was removed from office in very questionable and unjustifiable circumstances.
“ I wish to state most respectfully, and without any fear of equivocation that my commitment is to contribute to a democratically constructed PDP that is predicated on peace, justice and truth. It is most painful that our confidence has been badly shaken by political antics and miscalculations which are capable of breeding disharmony in our great Party.
“ Coexisting with fellow human beings, even among immediate family members entail difficulties, not to talk about managing a huge political party like ours, which prides itself as the largest and strongest political party in Africa. It must be part of the gifts or endowments of managers of human resources to be able to organize them to keep friction among our members to the barest minimum.
“ We cannot in one breadth be talking about the much touted ‘’reconciliation’’ while also taking steps to fragment our cherished political party down the line. The Constitution of the PDP prescribes the mode of managing our Party and our differences.
“ I believe that major causes of internal conflicts in the PDP, apart from elite competition are mutual suspicion and our inability to pursue the path of moral rectitude.
He accused Tukur of backing a parallel NWC leading to a deeper crisis in the party.
he said: “Furthermore, the presence of ‘’parallel NWC members’’ at the national secretariat, who seem to enjoy the confidence of the national chairman than the constitutionally recognized NWC members has been one of the greatest problems confronting the National Secretariat.
“ A lot of doubts and suspicions could have been avoided, had all issues been handled transparently and made to follow the due process. It is not impossible that anybody so opportune to be functioning in a capacity that makes him/her to hijack the functions of an NWC member, could also be moving to position himself/herself for future political positions, and may indeed be influencing matters based on selfish interests.’’
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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