Reasons Why You Should Start Eating Cucumber

Cucumbers are number four most cultivated vegetable in the world and known to be one of the best foods for your overall health, often referred to as a super food.

Pick a handful of firm, dark green cucumbers and drop them into your shopping cart. Congratulations! You have just bought yourself stuff full of good health.
Rehydrates body
If you are too busy to drink enough water, eat the cool cucumber, which is 90 per cent water. It will cheerfully compensate your water loss.
Fights heat inside and out
Eating cucumber will get your body relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin and you will get relief from sunburn.
Eliminates toxins
All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your body. With regular eating, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.
Replenishes daily vitamins
Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. Vitamins A, B and C, which boost your immune system, also keep you radiant and give you energy. Make it more powerful by juicing cucumber with spinach and carrot. Don't forget to leave the skin on because it contains a good amount of vitamin C, which is about 12 per cent of the daily recommended allowance.
Supplies skin friendly minerals
Cucumber is high in potassium, magnesium and silicon. That is why spas abound cucumber based treatments.
Aids digestion and weight loss
Due to its high water and low calorie content, cucumber is an ideal source for people who are looking for weight loss. Use cucumbers in your soups and salads. If it is not your favourite snack, you can eat crunchy cucumber sticks with creamy low fat yogurt dip. Chewing cucumber gives your jaws a good workout and the fibre in it is great for digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as an aid for chronic constipation.
Revives the eyes
Placing a chilled slice of cucumber over puffy eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really can help reduce under-eye bags and puffiness due to its anti inflammatory properties.
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Fights cancers
Cucumber is known to contain secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol. The three lignans have a strong connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including ovarian, breast, prostate and uterine cancer.
Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure
Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin, which is widely spread to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers have found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers can help decrease levels of cholesterol. Cucumbers contain a lot of fibre, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients work effectively for regulating blood pressure. That is why cucumber is good for treating both high blood pressure and low blood pressure.
Refreshes the mouth
Cucumber juice heals and refreshes diseased gums. Get a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for a half minute. The phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing unpleasant breath.
Smooths hair and nails
The wonder mineral, silica, in cucumber makes your hair and nails shinier and stronger. The sulfur and silica in cucumbers help to stimulate your hair growth.
Promotes joint health, relieves arthritis and gout pain
As cucumber is an excellent source of silica, it promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. When mixed with carrot juice, cucumber can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering levels of the uric acid.
Cures hangover
To avoid a morning headache or hangover, you can eat a few cucumber slices before going to sleep. Cucumbers contain enough B vitamins, sugar and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients and reduce the severity of both hangover and headache.
Keeps kidneys in shape
Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your body and is thought to keep the kidneys healthy.

Naij.com

ASUU STRIKE: ASUU Demands N1.5tr To End Strike

The Senate on Wednesday said that the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) wants N1.5 trillion to end its ongoing strike.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, released the figure in his contribution on a motion urging the striking lecturers to call off their strike.
The motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, and 106 others is entitled: “Appeal to Academic Staff Union of Universities to call off the strike action and return to work.”
Chukwumerije, who read the controversial 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU, said that part of the component of the agreement on funding stipulated that “all regular federal universities shall require the sum of N1.5 trillion for the period 2009 to 2011.
He said that ASUU is insisting that the agreement must be implemented to the latter.
He said the agreement also said that “This money is to be paid in three installments, 2009 – almost N500 billion; 2010 – almost N500 billion and 2011 – almost N506 billion.
Apart from the N1.5 trillion the agreement also stipulated that “each state university shall require N3.6 million” while “a minimum of 26 per cent of the annual budget should be allocated to education.”
According to him, the agreement also said that “education should be put on First Line Charge” while the Education Tax Act should be amended to its original concept as High Education Fund.”
He noted that the agreement said that “Governing Council of Universities should access and effectively utilize from Education Tax Fund funds for research, training and development of academic staff.”
Other components of the agreement included Salary Structure of Academic Staff of Nigerian universities and earned academic staff allowances.
The earned academic staff allowances include: “Post graduate supervision allowances; teaching practice and industrial allowances; honorarium for external moderation of undergraduate and postgraduate examination system, postgraduate study grants; external assessment of readers or professors, call duty and clinical duty and hazard allowance and excess workload allowance.”

Naij.com

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: The Story Of A Vindictive Minister By Abdullahi Yunusa

By Abdullahi Yunusa

Call her Nigeria’s de facto Vice President or Prime Minister and you won’t be faulted at all. For her sake, a peculiar ministerial nomenclature was created just to differentiate her personality and ministerial portfolio from others. She is no other person but the smooth-talking Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, an additional assignment that has no constitutional backing.
Most Nigerians know her more as “Madam Statistics”, who in responding to the cry of starving poor masses in a country literarily flowing with milk and honey would reel out statistics of Nigeria’s ‘bourgeoning’ economy. She is so familiar with statistics that she challenges even the unlettered to assess the President Goodluck Jonathan’s government based on verifiable statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics and not by the growing and biting poverty in the country.
She is a Super Minister. Her colleagues, based on directive from the ‘Oga at the top’, take whatever she dishes out, whether good or bad, hook, line and sinker. One can summarily refer to her to as the “alpha and Omega” of the Jonathan administration. Like the Queen of England, she does no wrong. The Finance Minister operates like the Lord of the Manor. While it is considered a taboo to go against Mr President’s directive, such limitation is not applicable to Mrs Okonjo-Iweala. Like a typical Nigerian “Oga at the top”, this former World Bank staff expects absolute loyalty from her staff, colleagues and people who are even older than her even when she doesn’t deserve it.
She’s so powerful a Minister that she could superintend over the affairs of ministries outside her jurisdiction. Yes, this untoward act can only be possible in a President Jonathan’s Nigeria. One cannot really explain a situation whereby a Minister in charge of the Finance Ministry could call for the sack or redeployment of civil servants in a different ministry for very unexplainable reasons! This is the question that stares many in the face. If one single Minister, obviously with the tacit support of the “Oga at the top” has the monopoly of knowledge and is armed with needed managerial and administrative acumen to oversee other ministries, then its senseless hiring other ministers to carry out similar tasks.
Having taken time to offer a few explanations on the personality of Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala and the enormous powers she wields as Finance Minster and Coordinating Minister of the economy, let’s now focus on the issue this piece intends to address. As you read through these lines, two personalities from both the private and public sectors have since been controversially disengaged from service for very spurious and puerile reasons courtesy of our all powerful and indispensable Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. These two personalities were basically given this inhuman treatment for daring to stand on the side of truth and for blatantly refusing to call tricycle a motor car.
The two personalities in question here are Mallam Shuaibu Yushau, who until the time things fell apart was the Head, Media and Information Unit of the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) and Mr. Laurence Ani who until the period his employers, Leaders and Company, Publishers of Thisday titles suspended him, was the Saturday Editor of the paper. Though the ‘sins’ of these gentlemen are similar (they both chose to stand on the side of truth by refusing to call a spade a shovel), but the treatment they got varies.
Mallam Yushau, aside being a civil servant is equally a consistent public affairs commentator as his strong and objective views have become regular on the pages of local and international dailies as well as online sites. He believes in the potency of communication as a lubricant for oiling societal wheels, without which a society could grind to a halt. It is this realization that has continued to drive him to consistently offer his views on wide range of issues, especially as it relates to the masses. He combines this onerous task of dishing humanity with necessary information needed for personal growth with his official assignment as a Federal civil servant. To borrow from the dictionary of story tellers or feature writers, trouble started when Yushau, in line with his resolve to draw public attention to practices capable of igniting crisis in the financial sub-sector of the economy that he stepped on toes. As usual, Yushau innocently wrote against the gradual ‘Biafranization’ of appointments into public service by the Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He didn’t only advise the Minister not to rubbish her rising global profile by stooping low to promote an ethnic agenda, but equally warned of the huge consequences of her actions. Ironically, instead of commending Yushau’s forthrightness and possibly get a pat on the back for the good done to Nigeria and herself in particular, the minster rather chose to wield the big stick or kill an ant with a sledgehammer.
Minister Okonjo-Iwaela swore never to allow this resourceful government information manager go scot-free. She vowed to use everything, including getting Mr. President’s approval to either sack Yushau or be redeployed to Borno state! Yes, that was the extent to which Madam Finance Minister took her anger to. Even though the public officer in question was not a staff of her ministry, she employed all means just to make sure that Yushau’s wings were clipped or completely chopped off. Informed sources at the Presidency said while the angry Minister of Finance wanted Yushau out of the public service radar, Yushau’s boss and minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku stood his ground that he couldn’t afford losing one of the ministry’s competent communication managers to an ego battle. His stance however didn’t go down well with Madam Minster and her collaborators who insisted Yushau must be dealt with. To calm frayed nerves, Mr. Maku had in his wisdom and in the interest of the nation redeployed Yushau back to the ministry where he held sway as the head of Features and Economic Desk before Yushau himself tendered his resignation letter.
As you read through these lines, Yushau’s promising, result-oriented and enviable public service of more than two decades has rather ended abruptly! For daring not to recant, for refusing to speak from both ends of the mouth, for stubbornly failing to call a rake a hammer and for choosing never to act like a coward, he left the civil service prematurely.
In all sincerity, Mallam Yushau Shuaibu hasn’t lost anything. His conscience, which he prides as his invaluable asset remains intact. Unlike others in similar circumstances, he chose to stand by the harmless advice he offered our Powerful Finance Minister. I pity the Nigerian public service for losing Yushau rather controversially. Undoubtedly, the Nigerian nation has invested much into this man, and when it was time to meaningfully offer himself for general good, power shylocks who felt personal interests supersedes national considerations ensured he leaves the service. I weep for my dear country. It is a sad development all together that we feel unperturbed losing our best hands for very selfish reasons. This is one injustice that all well-meaning Nigerians must all rise up to challenge. Silence would amount to endorsing the rascality of leaders as various levels of governance. We must all rise in defence of citizen Yushau.
Another Nigerian who is presently languishing at home, courtesy of Madam Finance Minister’s overbearing dominance is one Laurence Ani, the erstwhile Saturday Editor of Thisday Newspaper. Like Yushau. Mr Ani, a trained media manager refused to play to the gallery by reporting issues about the minister the way they happened.
What landed Laurence Ani in trouble was a report filed by one of Thisday’s business correspondents, James Emejo, which cited data that indicated a drop in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product. The report had it that Thisday publisher; Mr. Obaigbena had tendered apology to the Minister with a “promise to sanction the editor for daring to publish a story that reflected poorly on the minister’s management of the economy.”
As you read through these lines, Thisday Saturday Editor has been on indefinite suspension.
Madam Finance Minister is fast gaining popularity for the wrong reasons. Like a typical Nigerian leader, Madam Minister always expects media practitioners to be fair to them in their reportage. They don’t really care. All they want is to be praised even where they should be literarily taken to the market square for some strokes of cane.
For how long will Madam Finance Minister continue to use powers at her disposal to tear ordinary Nigerians who dared call her bluff into shreds?
By Abdullahi Yunusa, wrote in from Imane, Kogi State
Meetprofwillsyahoo.com

Saharareporters

Agagu’s son discharged from hospital

REPORT ACCORDING TO NEWSWATCH

Mr. Feyi Agagu, son, survived.

Two weeks after his admission into the Orthopaedic Ward of Princess Grace Hospital, Nottingham Place, London, Feyi, ailing son of the late former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, was yesterday, discharged. One of the doctors treating Feyi, who confided in Daily Newswatch yesterday, said he was discharged after British medical examiners deemed him fit and considered him out of danger.
It will be recalled that Feyi, who had multiple fractured bones, was also suffering from a neck injury, which doctors said may permanently incapacitate him if not hurriedly treated. Apart from the neck injury, Feyi was also said to be suffering from what the doctors called one-per cent burn.
On Tuesday night, October 8, Feyi and his in-law, Akin, were moved from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where they had been receiving treatment, to Harvey Street Hospital, London, for intensive treatment.
Feyi and Akin were two of the few survivors of the October 3, 2013, Lagos air crash.

OsunDefender

Ojukwu family demands proof of marriage from Bianca

Some members of the Ojukwu family have asked the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Ojukwu, to show proof that she was legally married to the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu.
In a 19-paragraph statement of defence filed by Ojukwu Transport Limited and seven others before Justice Funmilayo Atilade of the Lagos High Court, the family equally demanded proof from Bianca that her two sons, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu are biological sons of Odimegwu- Ojukwu.
The other defendants are Prof. Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr Patrick Ojukwu, Arc. Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs. Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company).
Bianca had in suit No: LD/1539/2012 filed on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu (claimants), wants the court to declare that her children are entitled to the possession and occupation of the property known as No. 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Street, Ikoyi Lagos, until the harmonisation of the management and administration of the assets of the first defendant (OTL).
At the resumed hearing of the suit yesterday, counsel to Bianca and her children, was not in court which necessitated Justice Atilade to adjourn the suit till December 10 for adoption of written addresses on a Motion on Notice seeking to restrain the defendants from the property in dispute.
Bianca’s children had through their lawyer; Chris Ezugwu, prayed the court to declare as illegal the threat of forceful ejection from 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Street, by the defendants.
In addition, they urged the court to declare that they are entitled to possess the following property, namely: No 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now known as No. 13 Ojora Road); No 32A, Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No 30, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No. 30, McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi.
Bianca’s children said throughout the period their father was struggling to retrieve the properties from the government, the second to the seventh defendants “never played any role in the struggle nor contributed financially or otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.”
Besides, the claimant is asking for an order of court restraining the defendants, their agents or privies from interfering with the claimants’possesion and control of the properties.
But, in their statement of defence, the 1st to the 7th defendants through their lawyer, George Uwechue, SAN, averred that the subscribers of the memorandum of association of Ojukwu Transport Limited (1st defendant) at incorporation in 1952 were L. P. Ojukwu and Betram Chukwuemeka Obi, adding that the late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu and one Prof. Joseph Ojukwu (2nd defendant) were later appointed as directors in 1953.
They stated that late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu- Ojukwu thereafter ceased to be a director of the company prior to the Nigerian civil war and was reappointed as a director on December 16, 2005 while the 3rd and 4th defendants were appointed directors in 1954 and 2005 respectively.
They added that the claimants’ statement of claim contained tissues of lies and distorted facts alleging that Bianca who instituted the suit, “being greedy felt that she could hold unto the company’s properties.”
NATIONAL MIRROR

ASUU crisis: Those who signed 2009 agreement for government were incompetent – Mark

President of the Senate, David Mark

The Senate President appealed to ASUU to suspend the strike.
The Senate President, David Mark, has said that representatives of the Federal Government who signed the 2009 agreement between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), were incompetent.
Mr. Mark stated this while ruling on a motion at Wednesday’s plenary of the Senate brought by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and co-sponsored by all the Senators.
ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike since July 1 to protest the failure of the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement for proper funding of universities.
The senators appealed to ASUU to call off its lingering strike and return to work to prevent further devaluation of the country’s education sector.
Mr. Mark observed that the basis upon which the agreement was reached did not reflect fairness and sincerity of purpose on the part of both parties.
According to him, the Federal Government ought to have acknowledged from the beginning that the agreement is not implementable because so many demands are embedded which are not realistic.
“The issue of research and development in our educational institutions cannot be over emphasised, our national development must be hinged purely on education not on oil, not even on the amount of money that we get.
“Listening to the agreement that was signed by the Federal Government, I was really wondering whether this was signed or it was just a proposal, but it was signed.
“It only shows the level of people the executive sent to go and negotiate on their behalf because abinitio, people must be told the truth, what can be accomplished and what cannot be accomplished,’’ Mr. Mark said.
The Senate President said “but even if you decided immediately after that you cannot accomplish it, I think it is only proper for you to go back and start renegotiating’’.
“But if you prolong it on the basis that you are still going to honour it and you don’t honour it, then it doesn’t portray us in good light.’
“This is where the Federal Government ought to call those who were party to this agreement.’’
Mr. Mark said ASUU simply took advantage of the ignorance of those who were sent and “just allowed this agreement to go on because it is obvious that this is going to be a very difficult piece of paper to implement.”
“They found out that those who were sent there simply didn’t know their right from their left and they just went ahead.’’
The Senate President appealed to the parties involved in the dispute to show understanding and make necessary compromise to resolve the crisis to guarantee future of the nation.
He advised ASUU to shift grounds as soon as possible, adding that failure to do so might make the union to lose the sympathy of Nigerians who had always supported their cause.
“I want to beg ASUU on behalf of the Senate that they resume and come back to work, they have made a strong case and their position is obvious now.
“We can now see the consequences of their action and I think if they extend it beyond this, then they will begin to lose public sympathy.
“There is no winner and no loser in this exercise. As long as the strike continues, nobody will win and everybody will lose,’’ he said.
According to him, it is not a matter of PDP, APC or any other political party, we are all Nigerians and if we don’t build a solid foundation in our education system, we are going to lose at the end of the day.
In his contribution, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, called for the granting of autonomy to all universities to enable the institutions generate and manage their resources.
Mr. Ekweremadu advised that government should make loans and grants available to enable students pay the fees that would be charged by these universities.
“There is the need for full autonomy of our universities while they are properly regulated to deliver services that meet global best practices as obtainable in other parts of the world.
“Then the government will provide loans and grants to enable students acquire quality education while the universities will be autonomous and charge appropriate fees,’’ Mr.  Ekewremadu said.
Ita Enang (PDP- Akwa Ibom), said that the government should have understood ASUU’s demands as an economic matter and not labour issue before venturing into the pact.
“Economic consideration must be given to these demands because the Federal Government cannot raise this money from the blues, but it has to be appropriated by the National Assembly,’’ he said.
Also contributing, Olushola Adeyeye (APC-Osun), urged leaders at all levels to wake up to the responsibility of charting a progressive course for the education sector without any further delay.
Adeyeye suggested the introduction of education tax to be paid by all working persons in the country, adding that effective mechanism should be put in place to protect such funds from being looted.
Ahmed Lawan (APC- Yobe) advised that the Senate President should lead the mediation process to broker peace between the two parties.
George Sekibo (PDP – Rivers) said the National Assembly should take steps to make every tier of government to fund its tertiary schools.
In his contribution, Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP – Bauchi) said “for two decades, education is not viewed as a priority in this country.’’
Earlier, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, said some of the demands of ASUU included; salary structure for academic staff and earned academic allowances.
Chukwumerije listed some of the earned allowances as injury/sick allowance, call duty allowance, excess work load allowance, sabbatical allowance and post graduate study grant.
The others are vehicle refurbishment loans, external assessment of theses, teaching practice allowance as well as funding of universities with the total demands amounting to N1.5 trillion for implementation within three years.
The senators also mandated the Senate President to engage the Presidency and the leadership of ASUU with a view to bringing the crisis to an end.
(NAN)

Tinubu: Nigeria at the Threshold of Greatness and Failure

Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu

•Lawyers tackle APC over plan to shun national conference

By Olawale Olaleye and Shola Oyeyipo

A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, Wednesday said the nation was at the threshold of greatness and failure, observing that how the leadership managed the fragile situation would determine where Nigeria would end up.

Delivering the 70th anniversary business lecture of the Island Club, Lagos, Tinubu, who was represented by the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi, however advised on the need to chart a new path for the nation with focus on agriculture as the future for a progressive economy.

“This nation stands at the threshold between greatness and failure, between progress and collapse and hope and despair. As if blindfolded, we cannot decide which way is best,” he said.

Taking a cue from the club, Tinubu said: “The Island Club has marched and advanced during the years. If only this nation had followed the trajectory this club set, we would be a nation in reverie. Instead, we are one quaked by regret.

“Unfortunately, the glow of Nigeria has turned to dross; the nation is a gem obscured by the grime of venal and menial leadership. Today, I state the name 'Island Club' not only has geographic significance, it also has poetic or figurative bearing.
“Yes we are located on an island but the club is also an island of good management, unity and vision in a sea of national muddle and confusion.

“Though having to adjust at times to the dizzying political thermometer of the country and in response to the sometimes conflicting demands of its members, Island Club has pulled through. It stands stronger today because it has figured out the recipe of cooperation and compromise for the common good.

“The picture of Nigeria as it now stands; if you ask me to describe the state of the nation, I would say it is an ambivalent one. Nigeria is a nation standing half in the light of progress and promise and half in the darkness of injustice. We live in a period of grave uncertainty. As things now stand, we have no idea where the nation is headed.”

Tinubu, who made a detour to reinforce his position on the proposed national conference, reiterated that “for years, the idea of a national dialogue has been bruited. Government has always slapped the notion away.  Now, devoid of ideas and with its back to the wall of poor performance, the current government grabs at the notion much like a drowning man does a life vest.”

“Yes, we need to talk. I remain an ardent supporter of the call for a national conference that is sovereign and truly open to all. That is the only route out of the woods.  We must bring Nigeria back on the path of true federalism. A staged-managed affair scripted and monitored to achieve the narrow political aims of narrow political minds in Abuja will do nothing but whet confusion's appetite. Anything short of a Sovereign National Conference will be like trying to apply a bandage to a tornado.

“So soon after calling forth this event, we have seen the deceptive, unsure steps of the government. Many of those that attacked my position in questioning the sincerity of the government are now retreating from the Jonathan conference.

“All I ask is that you watch not with blind hope but with a watchful eye. I believe you will come to see this as the dark alley that I see,” he said.

He maintained that Nigeria must start to chart a new path in the critical areas of its politics, economy, education and infrastructure development, else it faced the risk of rising levels of poverty and political discontent.

“We live in a fast-paced world but Nigeria is only crawling. In front of us, progressive development moves quicker than us. With each day, the distance between development and us increases.

“Behind us, calamity moves fast, gaining grounds on us. With each day, it comes nearer and nearer to us,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s over-dependence on oil revenue and near total neglect of agriculture have placed it on a precarious growth path and development.

“I shudder to think of the state of the nation in years to come if we continue in this limp fashion. Those now in government take false solace in the belief that Nigeria is a land of happy, carefree people who will somehow manage to eke a living no matter how badly governed we might be.

“Those in governance better look again. Whatever happiness we had was born of fantasy or of faith and patience that a better day was to come,” he said.

Meanwhile, reactions yesterday trailed Tuesday’s declaration by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it would boycott the national conference proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan, as the majority of those who spoke to THISDAY, all of them renowned lawyers, thought the position was unpatriotic.

The party, rising from a meeting of its interim national executive held in Abuja had said it was “averse to any form of national conference that would have its outcome subjected to the approval of the National Assembly.”

The interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the declaration on behalf of the party, attributed the resolve of the party to the fact that “the present administration has lost credibility and control of the economy,” with security and corruption rising on a daily basis.

Professor Itse Sagay, a distinguished legal scholar, said though he was a sympathiser of the APC, he would rather plead with the party to review its position on the proposed national dialogue.

He was of the view that rather than being party-based, the conference should be nationality-based with representation by the citizenry, thereby limiting the influence of the parties on the conference.

Even at that, he suggested that the APC had better use the opportunity to the advantage of its people.

“As far as I know, the conference will not be based on political parties. I expect that it would be based on nationalities. The political parties will not have influence on it.
“I'm a great sympathiser of the APC because it is the party that gives us hope of good governance, so I’ll advise them to participate; take it over and turn it around to what they want. They should take over the driving seat and bring about the desired change.

“The APC should know that it is an offshoot of the ACN that is of the Yoruba, who are the greatest advocates of true federalism. Even from Awolowo to Tinubu himself and the only way we can get true federalism is through a conference.
“So they should take advantage of the conference rather than abandon it,” he said.
Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Olisa Agbakoba, took a similar position, stating: “I don't know the answer to the question.”

He said even with the plethora of suspicion coming from the public about the conference, it was still an opportunity to move Nigeria forward.

“I do know that there are several concerns about the credibility of the conference, but for me, having being a proponent of the conference, no matter what the obstacles are, I would engage the problems.

“The Nigerian problem is that we don't have a model that will make the nation work. If the APC says it would not attend, I cannot talk for them but I would see the conference as a way to discuss.

“Boycotting is not the best. It is better to dialogue. Though the concern of many is that the conference would be a distraction but in spite of the distraction, I would say Nigeria is not occupying where it should be because we have no model. Even if THISDAY does not have a model, you cannot be one of the best newspapers in Nigeria today,” he said.

Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Fred Agbaje, also felt the decision by APC was not in the best interest of the people. According to him, the decision to boycott the proposed national dialogue would not affect the credibility of the conference.

He therefore maintained that rather than boycott, Nigerians should come together to make the best of the opportunity offered by the conference.

“We should all join hands together to move the country forward from the era of decadence and backwardness. By boycotting, poverty, unemployment, insecurity, ASUU strikes, and all such, will continue,” he added.

He said if they boycotted the conference and decisions are taken, such decisions would be binding on their people.

“In fact, in modern day politics, a boycott is not an option; it is old-fashioned. And it would amount to self-inflicted political doom. Though we may not like the procedure being adopted, the truth is that Nigerians want to talk,” he said.

In contrast, another Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Festus Keyamo, said he believed that without the APC, the conference would be a failure because of the states the party controls.

Keyamo, who is also a member of the APC, was also of the view that the conference was not being designed to succeed.

“If the APC opts out of the conference, it has dented the credibility of the conference, because they have the government in those states that will not be participating.

“Nothing will come out of the conference in the first place. It is just an unnecessary waste of time and that is why they (the APC) are excusing their people from it,” he stated.

 

ThisDay