Connect with us
study in Ukraine

Nigerian Newspapers

Anxiety over Amaechi’s security

Published

on

THERE are plans to withdraw Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s security aides, The Nation learnt yesterday.

House of Assembly Speaker Otelemaba Dan Amachree’s police orderly and escorts were recalled Wednesday night. No reason was given for the action, which is thought to be part of the deepening crisis in the ruling Peples Democratic Party (PDP).

The planned withdrawal of security details is believed to be part of the plot to intimidate Amaechi ahead of the May 23 Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) election, sources said.

Barely eight days to the election, the Presidency and some members of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are mounting pressure on PDP governors to vote against Amaechi.

Six governors are the arrowheads of the anti-Amaechi campaign.

It was not immediately clear yesterday how the plan to recall Amaechi’s security details, including his Aide-de-Camp, leaked but the anxiety in the governor’s camp was felt by observers.

It was learnt that following a tip-off, some of the security aides to the governor had started packing their luggage out of the Government House in Port Harcourt.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The cold war between the Presidency and Amaechi has degenerated. There was tension yesterday following the alert that the governor’s security aides would be withdrawn by the police and other security agencies any moment from now.

“Those concerned have already got verbal alert or hints from their superiors; they are expecting signals from their agencies. Some of them have already started packing their loads ahead of the release of the signal.

“Those that will be affected include the policemen, soldiers and men of the State Security Service (SSS) attached to the governor.”

Amaechi is the chairman of the NGF, which has been at loggerheads with the Presidency on key issues, such as the Sovereign Wealth Fund and revenue allocation.

“Barring any last minute change of plans, the withdrawal could take place as early as this weekend,” the source said, adding: “The plot is to first withdraw the police security details attached to the governor, including his orderly and Aide de Camp (ADC).

“When the Governor and his people raise alarm about the withdrawal, the police would quickly try to defend the withdrawal as routine redeployment of officers and men.

“But new policemen, considered to be loyal to the government, will be posted to the governor. The whole plot is to dampen the spirit of the governor ahead of the May 23 NGF election.”

The six governors pushing the anti-Amaechi campaign among the NGF members are three from the Southsouth, one from the Southeast and two from the North.

But two groups, the Open Rivers Initiative (OPERI) and the Nigerian Democracy Watch Group (NDWG), have warned President Goodluck Jonathan against the return of the country to the dark days of the past.

The PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) leadership is also leading the campaign, telling Southsouth and Southeast governors on Sunday in Asaba to ensure Amaechi’s loss at the election.

The governors were warned against Amaechi’s possible re-election, which, to the leadership, could jeopardise Jonathan’s chance in 2015. The President is yet to decide his political future, but he is widely believed to have concluded that a victory for an anointed candidate among the governors means an easy ride in the 2015 presidential race.

“These governors are asking governors to vote for Jonathan’s candidate or have the EFCC invading their states,” the source said.

Another source in the NGF said: “It is obvious that PDP governors are being blackmailed to vote against Amaechi.

“But some Northern governors have decided to dare the consequences by voting according to their conscience.”

There are fears that an official violence may be engineered in Rivers State to distract Amaechi.

But two groups, the Open Rivers Initiative (OPERI) and the Nigerian Democracy Watch Group (NDWG), have warned President Jonathan against the return the country to the dark days of the past.

 OPERI, in a statement by its Chancellor, Dagogo Smart, said it would resist any attempt by the Presidency to impose a state of anarchy in Rivers State as part of the plot to remove Amaechi and stop him from recontesting or emerging victorious in the coming poll.

Smart, who spoke on behalf of other “progressive minded Rivers people,” said: “The Executive conspiracy to dislodge the present Chairman of the Governors Forum, Rotimi Amaechi has wide and deep implications because it is a plot that is being conducted in a way that will not only stifle democracy but portray the Government of President Goodluck Jonathan as advancing militarised democracy”.

“We are prepared to face oppression in any form and defend the mandate freely given twice to Amaechi,

“We must span the consciousness of the Nigerian people to appreciate that democracy cannot grow in an environment that allows struggle for power to promote politics of non-accommodation.”

The Nigerian Democracy Watch Group said it would not “hesitate to mobilise over one million Nigerians to confront the Presidency, should it go ahead with its unbridled determination to install a puppet as chairman of the NGF.

The Chairman of the NDWG, Shaka Idowu, in a statement in Abuja, said: “It is highly regrettable that the Presidency would find luxury of time to be involved in such practices at a period that his focus should be on confronting some critical challenges posed by some criminal elements aka Boko Haram that wish to diminish the capacity of the state.”

————————————————————————————————————————-
Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.

Source: The Nation Newspaper

DisNaija.Com publishes regular posts on Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Online Nigeria Gist.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Nigerian Newspapers


Your Opinion Counts. Be sure To Leave A Comment, If You Have Any.

Please Like, Share or Tweet. Your Support Is Appreciated.

Tribune

Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110

Published

on

By

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

Continue Reading

This Day

Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack

Published

on

By

•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

Continue Reading

The Nation

UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal

Published

on

By

Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.

The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.

According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.

This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.

Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.

Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics

Continue Reading

Premium Times

Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings

Published

on

By

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

Continue Reading
Advertisement study in Ukraine

Politics

Popular Posts