Restructuring: Jonathan, Dickson, Top Ijaw Leaders Call For Sincere Implementation Of Apc Report

Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (right) explains a point to former President Goodluck Jonathan (left) during a high level consultative meeting of Ijaw leaders in Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Francis

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, on Thursday led a high powered delegation of Ijaw leaders to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to deliberate on the All Progressives Congress Committee’s report on Restructuring. 

Jonathan, the Governor and the top Ijaw leaders called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to be sincere with the implementation of the recommendations of the party’s committee led by Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State.

The former President and the group said that, a holistic and sincere implementation of the recommendations of the report on restructuring would encourage inter-ethnic harmony and development in the country.

A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Thursday quoted Jonathan as having said that, the issues which fell under the purview of the committee were exhaustively treated during the 2014 National Conference whose sincere implementation would definitely move the nation forward.

He said that, it was a good idea that the APC was able to set up a committee to look into the same grey areas, which featured prominently in the deliberations of the 2014 Conference.

Jonathan commended Governor Dickson for playing the leadership role of coordinating the thoughts of the Ijaw people on the sensitive issue of restructuring.

He said that the Governor must be appreciated for ensuring that the Ijaw Nation did not speak with discordant tones on the issue of restructuring.

He stressed that he was pleased that Governor Dickson was performing the leadership role in accordance with his expectations by coordinating the Ijaw Nation on the topical issue.

He said, “I am pleased with the caliber of people who came with the Governor to brief me on the issue of the recommendations of the APC Committee on restructuring.

“I must say that I am happy with the role being played by the Governor on this issue of restructuring. Ethnic nationalities must not speak with discordant tones on such pertinent issues. I am pleased that Dickson is coordinating the Ijaw Nation.

“I am also pleased that the APC set up a committee to look into the grey areas to come up with these recommendations. When we were in government, we came up with a confab and several issues were addressed which if sincerely implemented would encourage relationship in the country. A sincere implementation of the recommendations on these grey areas will make the country to move forward.”

Speaking also, Governor Dickson said that, he led the delegation of the Ijaw leaders to the former President on a consultative meeting and to brief him on the steps the Ijaws had taken to build bridges of understanding in the pursuits of what is right in the country.

He explained that, the meeting focused on the issue of restructuring and the moves being made to bring about a just, fair and egalitarian Nigerian society.

Dickson noted that, the recommendations contained in the report of the APC committee were the same as those contained in the 2014 National confab.

He said, “As you all can see, this is a high-powered delegation of Ijaw elders and leaders from all the zones from Ijaw nation. I am leading them to meet and consult with our respected leader, the former President and also to brief him on steps we are taking; steps we will continue to take to unify our people to build bridges of understanding and to support all that is right and good, not only in this region, but across the nation.

“As you are aware, there is a raging issue of restructuring and moves made to bring about a fairer, egalitarian, stable and prosperous Nigeria. And here, in this state and in this region, we are proud to have our leader, the former President and so today we came to brief him about the steps we are taking to study all the reports, including, the reports of the 2014 Confab which was rightly empanelled by Mr. President and it is gratifying to note a number of the recommendations given by the APC panel are the same conclusions that the 2014 Confab arrived at.”

The meeting was a follow up to an earlier meeting of top Ijaw leaders at Kiagbodo, the country home of Pa Edwin Clark on January 20, 2018.

The meeting, which had in attendance, the Governor of Bayelsa, Pa Clark, Alabo Graham Douglas affirmed that the 2019 general elections would be a referendum on restructuring across Ijaw land.

The meeting also called on President Buhari and the APC to ensure that the recommendations contained the report of the APC Committee on restructuring were sincerely implemented. 

Restructuring: Jonathan, Dickson, Top Ijaw Leaders Call For Sincere Implementation Of Apc Report

Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (right) explains a point to former President Goodluck Jonathan (left) during a high level consultative meeting of Ijaw leaders in Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Francis

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, on Thursday led a high powered delegation of Ijaw leaders to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to deliberate on the All Progressives Congress Committee’s report on Restructuring. 

Jonathan, the Governor and the top Ijaw leaders called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to be sincere with the implementation of the recommendations of the party’s committee led by Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State.

The former President and the group said that, a holistic and sincere implementation of the recommendations of the report on restructuring would encourage inter-ethnic harmony and development in the country.

A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Thursday quoted Jonathan as having said that, the issues which fell under the purview of the committee were exhaustively treated during the 2014 National Conference whose sincere implementation would definitely move the nation forward.

He said that, it was a good idea that the APC was able to set up a committee to look into the same grey areas, which featured prominently in the deliberations of the 2014 Conference.

Jonathan commended Governor Dickson for playing the leadership role of coordinating the thoughts of the Ijaw people on the sensitive issue of restructuring.

He said that the Governor must be appreciated for ensuring that the Ijaw Nation did not speak with discordant tones on the issue of restructuring.

He stressed that he was pleased that Governor Dickson was performing the leadership role in accordance with his expectations by coordinating the Ijaw Nation on the topical issue.

He said, “I am pleased with the caliber of people who came with the Governor to brief me on the issue of the recommendations of the APC Committee on restructuring.

“I must say that I am happy with the role being played by the Governor on this issue of restructuring. Ethnic nationalities must not speak with discordant tones on such pertinent issues. I am pleased that Dickson is coordinating the Ijaw Nation.

“I am also pleased that the APC set up a committee to look into the grey areas to come up with these recommendations. When we were in government, we came up with a confab and several issues were addressed which if sincerely implemented would encourage relationship in the country. A sincere implementation of the recommendations on these grey areas will make the country to move forward.”

Speaking also, Governor Dickson said that, he led the delegation of the Ijaw leaders to the former President on a consultative meeting and to brief him on the steps the Ijaws had taken to build bridges of understanding in the pursuits of what is right in the country.

He explained that, the meeting focused on the issue of restructuring and the moves being made to bring about a just, fair and egalitarian Nigerian society.

Dickson noted that, the recommendations contained in the report of the APC committee were the same as those contained in the 2014 National confab.

He said, “As you all can see, this is a high-powered delegation of Ijaw elders and leaders from all the zones from Ijaw nation. I am leading them to meet and consult with our respected leader, the former President and also to brief him on steps we are taking; steps we will continue to take to unify our people to build bridges of understanding and to support all that is right and good, not only in this region, but across the nation.

“As you are aware, there is a raging issue of restructuring and moves made to bring about a fairer, egalitarian, stable and prosperous Nigeria. And here, in this state and in this region, we are proud to have our leader, the former President and so today we came to brief him about the steps we are taking to study all the reports, including, the reports of the 2014 Confab which was rightly empanelled by Mr. President and it is gratifying to note a number of the recommendations given by the APC panel are the same conclusions that the 2014 Confab arrived at.”

The meeting was a follow up to an earlier meeting of top Ijaw leaders at Kiagbodo, the country home of Pa Edwin Clark on January 20, 2018.

The meeting, which had in attendance, the Governor of Bayelsa, Pa Clark, Alabo Graham Douglas affirmed that the 2019 general elections would be a referendum on restructuring across Ijaw land.

The meeting also called on President Buhari and the APC to ensure that the recommendations contained the report of the APC Committee on restructuring were sincerely implemented.

'3bn Annual Pay': SERAP To Meet Saraki

Representatives from Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) will on Thursday, 21 September 2017 visit the National Assembly to meet with the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki to discuss issues relating to details of annual salaries and allowances of lawmakers.

“We are pleased to accept the invitation from the Senate President to visit the National Assembly to discuss matters of public interest following SERAP’’s letter to Saraki to disclose details of salaries and allowances of members of the Senate,” said Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director.

“We will use the opportunity of the face-to-face meeting to ask pertinent questions and seek detailed information and clarifications on the exact salaries and allowances that each senator receives monthly or yearly.”

Adewale said that the Office of the Senate President contacted SERAP yesterday to set up a meeting for Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for 1:00pm at the National Assembly Complex follows SERAP’s request to Saraki to “urgently explain to Nigerians if it is true that a Nigerian Senator gets N29 million in monthly pay, and over N3 billion a year.”

Mr Bamikole Omishore, the Special Adviser to Saraki on New Media, had said on Sunday in Abuja that he would contact SERAP and other CSOs for a meeting to give more details on the yearly earnings of senators.

Omishore said, “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to demand for more details regarding the earnings of senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Having released the breakdown of the National Assembly budget, the most comprehensive in the history of Nigerian Senate, it seems the release of pay slips is yet to clarify earnings of Nigerian senators.

“The Senate President has agreed to a roundtable with SERAP and other CSOs to enlighten them and answer genuine questions regarding the matter. I will make contact with SERAP and other CSOs for a date convenient for all parties in the next few days,” Mr. Omishore also said.

It would be recalled that Professor Itse Sagay, Chairman Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC), had alleged that a Nigerian Senator gets N29 million in monthly pay. But the Senate has so far refused to clarify this or disclose the details of salaries and allowances of its members.

Subsequently, SERAP wrote Saraki stating that, “The ‘sky will not fall’ if details of a Nigerian Senator’s salaries and allowances are published on a dedicated website. SERAP believes that releasing the information on salaries and allowances of members of the Senate would encourage a nuanced, evidence-based public debate on what would or should be a fair salary for a member of the Senate.”

The organization said that, “It is by making transparency a guiding principle of the National Assembly that the Senate can regain the support of their constituents and public trust, and contribute to ending the country's damaging reputation for corruption.”

The statement read in part: “Transparency is a fundamental attribute of democracy, a norm of human rights, a tool to promote political and economic prosperity and to curb corruption. For the Senate, practising transparency should start with the leadership being open to Nigerians on the salaries and allowances of members.”

“SERAP strongly believes that it is by knowing exactly how much their lawmakers earn as salaries and allowances that members of the National Assembly can remain accountable to Nigerians and our citizens can be assured that neither fraud nor government waste is concealed.”

Daily Post 

Don't Put The Life Of Igbos At Risk - Gov Ikpeazu Warns Agitators

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has warned his kinsmen that any war will jeopardise the lives of 11 million Igbo living in other regions.

According to the governor, there are Igbo currently residing everywhere across the country, even close to unlikely place like the dreaded Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

He alleged that some people attempted to hijack the recent activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in his state in order to cause conflagrations in the whole country.

The governor said this in an interview with State House reporters after a-30 minute meeting he had with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Ikpeazu said he briefed the Vice President on the violence by IPOB adding that the Southeast governors were still trying to stabilise the “fragile peace” in the region.

He said the governors from the region were banking on the assurance by northern governors that every part of Nigeria was safe for all Nigerians, including Igbo, to continue with their businesses.

Asked what message he had for the Igbos all over the world, he said the  northern governors had assured that every part of Nigeria is safe for every Nigerian, including Igbos, to continue in their business and enterprise. 

“I want to announce that the population of Igbos outside Ibo enclave is about 11.6 million, you don’t play with the lives of 11.6 million. 

“So, we all have to be careful---the press, the leadership at the state level, the leadership at the federal government level, everybody. 

“I think we should be guided by the rule of law and grow confidence in the Nigerian citizen that under our laws, he is protected.”

The governor said the mainstay of the economy of his state is trade which should not be allowed to be threatened by activities of IPOB.

Answering a question on what went wrong in his state, he responded: “It depends from what point to what point. But if you’re referring to what happened in the past one week, Nigerians know that for some time now that this group called IPOB were agitating for a separate nation called Biafra and that the home state of the leader of that group happens to be Abia State.

“As expected, when such things happen, there’s an interface between some members of that group and the military, and the theatre was Abia state. And some people attempted to hijack that event to conflagrate our country. 

“To the glory of God, the rest is history. We’re still working to stabilize the fragile peace in the region. I thank God also for the instruments He used to be able to keep our country as one. We’re humbled by the privileges.”

He recalled that he had also assured the northern governors of the safety of lives and property of everybody residing in Abia, saying “I swore with the Bible to protect lives and property and because I take such things seriously, I’ll continue to protect the lives and property of my brothers and sisters irrespective of where they come from. 

The main stay of our economy in Abia State is trade and commerce and I don’t think it’ll augur well for our economy if we make our kitchen the theatre of Biafra. A native wisdom in my place says you shouldn’t allow fight to ensue from your mother’s kitchen. It’s my responsibility also to grow prosperity from my state.

Ikpeazu said he would not dethrone the father of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as being called for. “I clearly separate Kanu from his father. 

The processes of handling traditional institutions are enshrined in the laws of our land. And traditional rulers who are members of our constituency have leadership. They will do the needful at the appropriate time. But for me, I think there is a clear division between Nnamdi Kanu and his father.”

FG moves to formalise IPOB as terror group

The Federal Government has begun the process to categorize the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a ‘terrorist organization’, Daily Trust has learnt. The Military Friday declared IPOB a terrorist organization but that view was modified by Monday.

The southeast governors at the weekend also proscribed the activities of the group in their geopolitical zone.

However, Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki, in a statement Monday argued that the categorization of IPOB as a terrorist group was done without recourse to due process.

Speaking exclusively to our correspondent yesterday, Senate spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC) said the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has started that process stipulated in the Terrorism Prevention Act.

“We have it on good authority that as a result of the observation of the Senate president, the AGF has begun to follow the procedures stipulated in the Terrorism Prevention act. So that the organization can formally be proscribed as such,” he said.

The Senate spokesperson said the Senate president was not in any way against the categorization of IPOB as a terrorist organization, “all he was saying is that the procedure is not followed.”

Section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act which speaks on proscription of organization states that where two or more persons collaborate in an act of terrorism or promote, encourage or exhort others to commit an act of terrorism; or set up or pursue acts of terrorism, the judge in Chambers may on an application made by the Attorney General, National Security Adviser or Inspector General of Police on the approval of the President; declare any entity to be a proscribed organization and the notice should be published in official gazette and also published in two National newspapers and at such other places as the judge in Chambers may determine.

It provides that person who belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organization commits an offence under this Act and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a maximum term of 20 years.

The Act however said political parties should not be regarded as proscribed organizations and nobody should be treated as such because of his or her political beliefs.

Meanwhile, a cross section of senators interviewed yesterday backed the ongoing military intervention in the Southeast. One of the lawmakers who does not want to be named said the intervention was long overdue and kicked against the withdrawal of the soldiers in the southeast. 

“The military intervention is long overdue and I’m in total support of it. All those who are advocating for the withdrawal of the military men in the Southeast are hypocrites,” he said.

Stop blaming me for APC failure – Jonathan 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday told the Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to stop blaming his administration for the failure of the All progressives Congress( APC).

The former president posted on his Facebook page .

He said at the press briefing, Minister of information accused the opposition of sponsoring IPOB, Jonathan challenged the minister to identify the opposition sponsoring IPOB, arrest and prosecute them.

The post reads: “The insinuations in the press conference given by Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday the 17th of September 2017, accusing the opposition of sponsoring IPOB and the fact that he mentioned that Nnamdi Kanu preached Nigerian unity during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan is another clear indication that the present administration has not left propaganda mode for proper agenda mode two and a half year into their tenure.”

We’ll block IPOB’s source of funding

The Federal Government says it is aware of sources of funding of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and is taking steps to block them.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this on Tuesday when he appeared on a live TV programme “Good Morning Nigeria” on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

“Terrorists do not publish where their funding are coming from. But we know the countries that are supporting IPOB.

“We know the sources of their funding though I am not at liberty to disclose them here.

“We are taking steps to block them and we are also taking a lot of diplomatic actions in respect of the countries that are supporting them”.

The Minister said that most of the countries supporting the group were doing so based on ignorance.

He said they had been hoodwinked to believing that “Nigeria is a country where Muslims persecute Christians” and a country where there is genocide.

“As we speak today, IPOB has written letters to many Governments outside Nigeria, international parliaments sending fake and cloned videos claiming there is genocide in Nigeria.

The minister charged the international community not to adopt double standard in dealing with IPOB and to be more diligent before making any pronouncements.

He said what the countries would never accept in their territories, should not be condoned or encouraged in Nigeria.

The minister justified the actions of the military for declaring IPOB a terrorist group as well as its proscription by the South-East governors.

“There are a lot of arguments regarding the constitutionality of the action of the military and the South East governors.

“People must realise that we are dealing with issue of national security and I do not think that the military and the governors should fold their arms while the country is set ablaze.”

By Isiaka Wakili & Ismail Mudashir