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.

APC's Convention Will Go On Without Buhari, Osinbajo - Rochas Okorocha

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday insisted that the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari or Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, cannot stop the All Progressives Congress (APC), from holding its national convention.

Okorocha, who is also APC Governors’ Forum Chairman, spoke after he led his colleagues to a meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

He explained that the party was trying to resolve other issues, before they can announce a date for the convention.

“We came to discuss issues relating to our party and our government and how to move our party forward.

“We discussed a lot of issues on how to move the party forward, how to strengthen the party and how to make sure our party remains victorious in all elections. Very soon we will have a convention. That is part of the things we are discussing.

“The convention not taking place has nothing to do with the absence of the President or the Acting President. We are just putting our house in order and making sure things are in the right form before we kick off,” Okorocha said.

The Governor also dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as no threat to APC.

Okorocha said: “PDP is a non issue; we don’t even care about that. We defeated them when they were in power, so what is different when we are now in power?”

By Ifreke Inyang

Nigerians Regret Voting APC - Ex-Gov Lamido

Former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido has stated that Nigerians are now regretting voting the All Progressives Congress into power.

Lamido called on the aggrieved PDP members ‎who dumped the party to immediately return as the party had bounced back strongly.

He made this known on Thursday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat in Dutse, Jigawa State.

According to him, arrangement has gone far to reconcile all aggrieved PDP Governors, Ministers, Senators, members of House of representatives and other members who dumped the party due to internal crisis that bedevilled it.

The former governor, who described the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as a disaster to Nigerians said, ‘reasonable Nigerians are regretting for voting APC into power.’

According to him, “the pattern of APC leadership lacks focus and direction as the party is a combination of minor political parties that have no good manifestos and prominent politicians that cannot take the country to the promise land.

“The PDP would soon hold an emergency stakeholders meeting on the possibility to extend the tenure of caretakers leadership of the party from 12 August to next three months to allow for a better restructuring of the party ahead of 2019 general elections.”

While speaking on the Jigawa State politics, the former governor said, Governor Muhammad Abubakar Badaru would soon regret sending him to prison as the action was nothing but an insult to the entire Jigawa people.

He added, “as a father in Jigawa, sending me to Kiyawa prison by the present governor Badaru is an insult to all Jigawa people, and I am assuring you that the governor must regret taking this action, and to me as politician, jail is nothing but rather just a fashion”.

By Ameh Comrade Godwin

LG Polls: PDP, LP Will Defeat APC In Lagos – Bode George

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has expressed confidence that the party’s strategic alliance with the Labour Party in Saturday’s council polls will produce good results. 

He said in order to perform excellently, the PDP stepped up campaign and grassroots mobilisation after the Supreme Court judgment which favoured the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee,

George told newsmen at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2, Lagos on Wednesday that the authentic Executive in Lagos State recognised by the Caretaker Committee was the one led by Chief Moshood Salvador, his Deputy, Chief Ola Apena and the Secretary, Prince Muiz Dosunmu.

The chieftain said: ”As part of our strategy of confronting the present challenges, we have decided here in Lagos to implement a PDP and Labour Party Alliance for this Saturday’s local government election.

”It is a necessary recourse which has been authorised and blessed by the National Caretaker Committee.

“My appeal now is to all our loyal members and all the electorate in Lagos State to please go out en masse and vote for our candidates under the Labour Party platform.

“This is the platform of truth and liberation. This is the platform that is people centered. This is the platform that cares about the weak, about the poor, about everyone else who wants a better and improved governance in our state of excellence.

“It is a wonderful time in the life of our great party. The PDP is back. Our long nightmare is over. The good Lord is on the side of the righteous. The truth is back on the saddle.

“We are ready for the Nigerian people. We are prepared to play the assertive role of responsible opposition. We are repositioning ourselves for the new challenges”.

 

By Wale Odunsi