Nigerian Newspapers
NGF crisis: PDP’s reconciliatory moves of necessity
If the ongoing reconciliation move among Nigerian governors is anything to go by, the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), may soon be a thing of the past. In the last few days several efforts are being made by the governors and some stakeholders, including President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo to end the leadership tussle between Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State in the NGF.
The relationship among the governors have become frosty following the emergence of two separate chairmen during the Friday May 24 NGF chairmanship election held in Abuja. During the election, 19 members voted to give Amaechi a second term while 16 others cast their votes in support of Jang.
However, despite Amaechi’s victory, those in support of the Pleateau State governor refused to acknowledge the victory of his Rivers State counterpart. The disagreement between the two camps eventually led to a factionalisation of the forum.
As a result, Amaechi and Jang have since been parading themselves respectively as NGF chairman and running the affairs of the forum from different secretariats. Although Governor Amaechi seems to gain public support and acceptance as the NGF chairman, the Jang-led faction appears backed by the presidency and the faction has met President Goodluck Jonathan on some occasion.
The president has also, at different occasions, shown his recognition of Governor Jang as chairman of the NGF. Since the election the two factions have been meeting separately. Whenever Governor Jang called a meeting, Governor Amaechi always instructed his supporters not to attend. Ditto Jang’s faction.
Both factions have also engaged in diatribe on different occasion, particularly, challenging one another over the leadership of NGF. Apparently worried about how the NGF crisis has been heating up the polity and the need for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors to unite before the 2015 general elections, the Jang-led faction decided it was necessary to urgently call a truce.
At a meeting held in Abuja by the faction of the NGF on Sunday, with seven governors and six deputy governors in attendance, the governors expressed their willingness to ensure peace.
Speaking to journalists before the end of the meeting, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), and Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said that reconciliation among the governors was overdue. He noted that all the governors should be seen to be working together under one umbrella. His words: “We are going to reconcile. We need to work together as a team. We, all the governors, are going to reconcile and come together under one umbrella.
We believe that all governors should come together so that we can positively impact on Nigerians.” One of the arrow heads of the Jonah Jang-led NGF faction, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also told journalists that there was need to put a stop to the factionalisation of NGF.
“We need to settle down and settle our differences. It is not portraying us in good light before Nigerians and the international community. We need to put a stop to the factionalisation of the forum,” he said.
According to a reliable source, the need for peace among the governors, especially the PDP governors, was borne out of the belief that the factionalisation in NGF might affect the fortune of the ruling PDP and injure the 2015 ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan if urgent steps were not taken to reconcile the governors. It is believed that the opposition had been exploiting the division in the NGF by romancing with some of the PDP key governors, who are majorly in Amaechi’s camp.
The development, if allowed to continue, especially with the emergence of the newly registered All Progressives Congress (APC) may lead to the collapse of PDP before 2015 if not properly checked, some have also reasoned. In order to prevent a monumental havoc to be wreaked on the ruling party, the Jang-led faction has therefore deemed it necessary to ensure peace. Although the Amaechi-led faction mem-bers boycotted the NGF meeting called by Governor Jang on Sunday, it appeared not to have foreclosed the possibility of reconciliation between the two factions.
To show their seriousness toward the reconciliation, some of the PDP governors from the two factions have, between Sunday and Tuesday, met with President Jonathan and Obasanjo for fence-mending meetings and fine-tuning of the reconciliation move. Prior to the various meetings that took place between Sunday and Tuesday there have been several peace moves to reconcile the governors with President Jonathan even meeting with some of the aggrieved governors, including Governor Amaechi, individually.
On June 27, during a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the two factional NGF chairmen were made to sit sideby- side in the new sitting arrangement for attendees. Amaechi and Jang according to the alphabetical sitting arrangement were made to sit side-by-side on the right side of the Vice-President. During the meeting a drama ensued between Jang and Amaechi and other governors as they exchanged banters with one another over the crisis.
While the banter that pervaded the beginning of the NEC meeting could be considered as a psychological warfare, analyst regarded the meeting as an event to prepare the ground for a possible reconciliation among the governors.
A number of events have unfolded after the meeting and today, it is apparent that efforts are being made to ensure that frayed nerves are calmed and genuine peace returns to the NGF. It would be recalled that two days after the mild drama, President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi, who had not been relating well for several months engaged in a public show of affection as they shook hands and embraced each other on June 29 in Port Harcourt.
President Jonathan on July 27 also had a secret meeting with Amaechi and five PDP governors, who had been in consultation across the country in a bid to restore normalcy to the PDP. The five governors are Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger ), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso(Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto). To political analysts, the reconciliation is a good move but some people seem to be divided over what would be its final outcome. While some believe that the reconciliation will see the light of the day, some are of the view that it may be difficult for all the parties involved to accept the terms raised at the negotiation table.
According to a reliable source, based on the outcome of some of the meetings that took place this week, there is a strong indication that both Amaechi and Jang may be asked to step down for another neutral candidate to emerge as NGF chairman for peace to return, and in the interest of the PDP. But the two governors seem not to buy the idea.
None of them appears ready to step down for the other. Political analysts are of the view that while it may be easy for Governor Jang to step down since his emergence as NGF chairman was controversial and tied to the apron string of the presidency and PDP leadership, the same cannot be said of Governor Amaechi, who was duly elected and won the NGF chairmanship election with 19 votes against 16. It is also believed that it may be difficult for Amaechi to step down because of the various factors that led to his re-election and some of the sacrifices he and other governors in his faction had made in the cause of the NGF crisis.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after his meeting with President Jonathan on Wednesday, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State insisted that the election that produced Amaechi must stay, adding that Governor Jang could not lead the governors’ forum. His words: “In democracy, when you have an issue, you discuss.
The election in the governors’ forum has become an issue. It shouldn’t be an issue. If one group got 19 votes the other one got 16, in democracy, even in the eyes of the people in elementary school, they know that 19 is higher than 16. It should not be turned into a controversy. “You are saying Jang should step down, step down for what? Did he win the election?
What we are saying here is that if he (Jang) is going to step down because he is second winner, then that is their business and it is not the business of others or the winner to tell him to step down. He is number two, he got the second highest votes and that is the way forward.”
Governor Nyako also noted that the NGF needed a chairman that would protect the interest of its members and Nigerians in general. “We have already in the governors’ forum established certain criteria for leadership within us.
He must be somebody we trust. I would like to have a leader of the forum who when he is with the president in the small room talking about Adamawa State can put in a word for Adamawa State. It should not be someone who will aggravate issues in the eyes of Mr. President.
“The other one we feel is that he should add some value to Mr. President. If you have a forum leader who is seen to be part of the president, that has become a yes man of Mr. President, then the governors will say he is not representing our interests. If he is not representing the interest of the governors he is not representing the interests of the ordinary Nigerians.
These are areas we have sorted out,” he said. Some people are of the view that any attempt by Governor Amaechi to step down may be seen as a sign of betrayal to some governors, especially the APC governors on whose back Amaechi rode to power. If not for the support of the 11 opposition governors, it would have been difficult for Amaechi to defeat Jang. The APC governors’ voices are presently recognised in NGF and taking the NGF chairmanship from Amaechi may not be in the good interest of the opposition party governors.
Attesting to the fact that the APC governors will determine Amaechi’s next line of action, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semanitari, said his boss would not hesitate to yield to the opinion of the governors that voted him as their chairman. “Everybody who knows Amaechi knows that he does defend democratic principles. If all of the governors, especially the governors who voted for Governor Amaechi, ask him to step down, that would mean that the majority of the governors have decided that there should be a new chairman. Naturally, he would concede to his colleagues.
But today, that is not the case,” she said. Irrespective of the move being taken by PDP to reconcile all its governors, the opposition parties having benefitted immensely from the PDP and NGF crises, definitely will not want the PDP governors to reconcile and they may possibly do everything within their power to ensure that the ongoing reconciliation does not see the light of the day.
Considering the reality that the PDP needs to be united to continue to succeed, especially in coming elections, the party would possibly do everything within its power to unite all its governors before the 2015 elections. Speaking to journalists after his meeting with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, Governor Akpabio said the series of high-level meetings among the governors and the stakeholders would bring about a positive result.
His words: “All the steps being taken at the moment are in the right direction to ensure cohesion and bring back all the party faithful; particularly the body of governors will come together to work as one for the interest of Nigeria and the interest of the PDP. “I know that all the governors of the PDP are working towards the success party.
One thing I can assure you is that there is jittery in the camp of the opposition with the meetings of the PDP governors.” As the reconciliation moves continue, the questions on the lips of many people is, how easy would it be for PDP to bring back all the warring factions, putting into the consideration the damage the NGF crisis has caused the ruling party and how PDP has created a crack in the wall for the opposition to penetrate.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: National Mirror Newspaper
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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
•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
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
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
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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