The Dialogue and ‘Idiotic’ Issues

Edifying Elucidations By Okey Ikechukwu. Email, okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

Four points are central to any fair comment on the proposed national dialogue, for which a modalities committee is now in place. The first is that the clamour for some form of national discussion has persisted in spite of the many assurances Nigerians have received regarding the stability of the Nigerian state. The second, which draws from the above, is that the strident calls would have not abated, despite the presumed satisfaction of Nigerians with previous conferences.

The third is that those who have maintained the most implacable demands in this regard over the years have never denied the fact of their having participated in the other dialogues and conferences; but they have always argued that the critical issues were still unresolved. The fourth point is that the calls would never have ended, nor the delusions of those who see it as the ultimate solution to all problems abated, if President Goodluck Jonathan did not accede to the demands. Now that the ball is in the pitch and lots are drawn, what else do we have on the table?

Controversy immediately arose regarding the motive for initiating the dialogue at all. Short of an outright vote of no confidence, some declared a futile outcome. Others insinuated political motives, all with interesting permutations. The pessimists were joined by others with limited confidence, but intense faith, in the capacity of the Nigerian people to come closer to mutual understanding via this dialogue. It is within the mix of all of the foregoing that debates have arisen, regarding how it will all work. Questions have also been asked about who will participate, how it will all be conducted and what will happen to the results and resolutions after the citizens have spoken.

One clear point is that, despite pretensions to the contrary, we are not likely to end up with ‘ethnic nationalities’ as the major conferees. It is also arguable whether, going by the position of the North and some other critical stakeholders, it will be a Sovereign National Conference. And, lest we forget, the belief that it may well be a conference of allegedly ‘sovereign nations’ making up the Nigerian state of today is laughable at best.  What are these nations and wherein lies their sovereignty? Perhaps it is all about the fact that there were kingdoms that signed agreements with the British and which can now say that those agreements are no longer binding, since the British have left.

To take this discussion forward, we simply must all admit that each stakeholder group, including those clamouring for the most extreme forms of self expression in the event of another national conference, participated in practically all the previous talk shops.  Of course, that does not automatically validate, or revalidate, their interventions in those past national discussions.

What the current platform offers is an opportunity for all of them to make things easy for themselves, for Nigerians and for the dialogue committee by extracting their positions in the previous talk shops, conferences, or whatever and update them. This will give everyone their most current position on how they think Nigerian can be made to move forward. It is for them all to now consolidate all they still wish to say and forward same as their current position. It is time for one and all to understand that grumbling in a beer parlour and around street corners is not the same as an intervention with any prospect of meaningful impact. Even our activists should see the need to stand down the distracting excesses that are often mistaken for viable positions on serious national issues.

The implication of some of these suggestions is that all previous government white papers, red papers and whatever colour of papers have been written and dumped on the Nigerian question must be deemed (and seen) to be exhaustively integrated into the expected outcome of the current endeavour. The job is as much that of the committee as it is that of everyone else. Since the committee has chosen the commendable perambulatory step of even meeting with Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to fine tune all measures and processes leading up to the actual dialogue, in order to ensure effective participation, it behoves whoever has any issue to canvass to take advantage of the opportunity. But there are still several matters of general concern, all them pretending to be capable of upturning the cart.

One of them is the idea of a sovereign conference. The perspective of some of those arguing for this is that the National Dialogue should be sovereign. But this idea easily seems to fall flat on its face for several reasons. The first is that the Nigerian state is a sovereign state. It has been for a long time now. The president is recognised as symbolising the sovereignty of the Nigerian state by the rest of the world. The logistical and administrative expression of that sovereignty, including its de facto endorsement by the people, is seen in the National Assembly. The judiciary and its unbroken history and tradition presume an entity with a sovereignty existing in a physical space and territory - as well as jurisdiction – that is sanctified by un-invalidated laws, precedents and accepted practices.

How it would be possible to subsume that within another notion of sovereignty designed and determined by ‘the Nigerian people’ presents very interesting scenarios even from just the angel of analysis and argument. A meeting of Nigerians that takes off on the premise that the defining motifs of the modern state are not there, or that they are desperately in need of affirmation is on a precariously uphill trajectory. For good measure, it must contemplate the basis and platform of its own self-affirmation as an endeavour.

On the matter of ethnic nationalities, there is the question of who will identify them and who will determine representation? Is it traditional rulers? If yes, who will give the traditional rulers that mandate? Will traditional rulers then take precedence over the governors who give them their staff of office? What do we do with the state assemblies and the National Assembly? Are the people there representing themselves? Have their constituents disowned them? What superior sovereignty are we about to muster, except to collide with the very institutions and structures that define the Nigerian reality today?

Oh, by the way, what defines an ethnic nationality? Is the Egba man likely to come under the umbrella of the Lagosian? Is the Ijebu man part of the Egba ethnic nationality that is presumed to be one homogenous Yoruba nationality? Is there a difference between numerical and qualitative equality? Who will resolve all that?

It was Chief Ojo Maduekwe who sired and stirred the “idiotic” controversy some 10 years ago, when he ventured into the public domain with the view that we should all insist on a Nigerian president, rather than a president who is our brother, or sister. I doubt that he has recovered from that misadventure. Yet what was his point? The man’s simple thesis is that Nigeria is a modern state made up of citizens with different ethnic roots. The president could come from any of these ethnic groups, but he should please be seen as a Nigerian president of a specific ethnic exaction; rather than a Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo president. Then his bombshell: “The idea of an Igbo president is idiotic, because we have no Igbo, Hausa, Ijaw or Yoruba republic”. That did it! The only thing public consciousness picked, and still remembers, about an otherwise patriotic statement is the first part of Ojo’s statement.

Other variants of what happened, what he said and where he said it soon emerged. The most totally outlandish of them all was the claim that President Olusegun Obasanjo invited all Igbo public office holders to his office in Abuja and told them that he wanted to hand over power to the South-east. Then, as the fabulous account said, Maduekwe stood up and told him that he should not do so; that Igbos were idiots! Propagators of the story did not, of course, ask themselves what other people in the meeting said. They also did not name anyone else, dead or alive, who attended this wonderful tea party handover of power.

But the heat and venom that ‘idiotic’ matter generated only accentuated the fury and passion still attaching to the matter of power and office in our clime. The same heat and passion trailed all controversies leading up to the last presidential election, as well as the political posturing regarding 2015. Everyone is perfectly serious about the matter of zoning and the rest of it. References are made to party manifestoes, political pacts, agreements, secret oaths and party resolutions. In sum, there is a political elite that configures its understanding of how to manage the Nigerian state and move it forward by violating the provisions of its constitution forbidding citizens being discriminated against “on the basis of their place and circumstance of birth”. Is that not what some of these things directly violate? There are important political considerations in these matters, of course. Which means that all is not well, hence the need to talk? Right!

Condolences

The loss of a mother or father is a painful experience, especially if they have been both friend, guide and source of strength. My condolences to Mrs. Uche Ekwunife of the House of Representatives and Chief Mike Nkwocha. While Mrs Lucy Okoli-Ogudebe (nee Dike), mother of Hon. Ekwunife, will be interred at Emmanuel Ogudebe’s compound at Ngo Village, Igbo Ukwu, Aguata LGA of Anambra State on Friday, October 25, 2013, Chief M.O. Nkwocham, the Idejiogwugwu of Enugwu-Ukwu, will be interred on November 8 at Urubaleke, Enugwu-Ukwu, in Njikoka LGA of Anambra State. May the Lord welcome their souls into His kingdom.

 

 

ThisDay

Dele Giwa And the Dilemma Of A Journalist

The Pendulum By Dele Momodu, Email: Dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Fellow Nigerians, today is not one of my happiest days. I’m sorry to start on such a depressing note. But that is the way I usually feel on every October 19, since 1986, when one of Nigeria’s finest journalists of all time, Dele Giwa, was blasted into smithereens, by God-knows-who. Dele Giwa and I were brothers who never met, but had our paths steeped in similar upbringing. We were both born in the ancient city of Ile-Ife. Our parents migrated from the old Mid-Western region, now Edo State and settled in Ile-Ife to engage in odd jobs. Though we never met one on one Dele loomed larger than life and we all knew him like the man next door. I studied his life like a textbook, followed his world trajectory, and fantasised regularly about meeting him some day. The other man who had such magnificent effect on me is the one and only Sonala Olumhense who I was privileged to meet and who later gave me the honour of contributing to the birth of Ovation International in London in our exile days.

My God, those gentlemen had such rare gift of the pen. While Dele Giwa was very bubbly and swashbuckling, Sonala was ostensibly reserved and unquestionably cherubic. Dele Giwa was always going to stand out in the crowd. He gave journalism in Nigeria a lease and its practitioners a life. He challenged the stereotype that journalists were poor and scruffy by appearing most of his life like your High Street Banker.  Just as Dele was loved by those who idolised him, he was feared by men of power for his ability to expose their foibles and egocentricities in his indomitable style. It was an influential position that made him susceptible to love and hate in almost equal measure.  The life of a successful journalist is usually a delicate balance of standing between friends and enemies. And only a thin line separates the two. One negative article is just enough to obliterate 99 positive ones. No one ever remembers to thank you when you write that beautiful story but everyone remember to curse you and your family when you write that one that seems unpalatable.

That is what I call the dilemma of a journalist. My guess is as good as yours. Dele Giwa must have stepped on very powerful but sore toes who felt uncomfortable about his temerity to take on a system that made him who he was. The nation had not attained such level of tolerance to understand the job of a journalist was to write about friends and foes alike. There was always a channel of communication available to the aggrieved. The law courts are essentially there to serve as arbiter and secure rectitude for the victim of yellow journalism in any event.

The problem was not just that Dele died it was the manner of his death. For years, I carried the gory spectre of that bizarre murder in my memory. According to reports at the time, a parcel bomb was delivered at his Ikeja, Lagos home, somewhere off Adeniyi-Jones, in the presence of another accomplished journalist, Kayode Soyinka, now the Publisher of Africa Today. He was luckier to escape with not more than his damaged ear-drums as well as an indefinite sojourn in exile. Dele wasn’t that fortunate. He bled to death and his family comprising of an aged mother, relations, wife and children were thrown into perpetual mourning. The whole country was engulfed in utter shock while the outside world marvelled at our ability to settle scores in the most deadly manner under the flimsiest provocation.

At the time of his death, Dele Giwa was the Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine and easily the most celebrated journalist of that period. His former wife, Florence Ita-Giwa, recently told me she fell in love with Dele because of his effervescent style of writing. By the time they met there was no protocol because she was already head-over-heels in love with awesome diction and rhapsodies. They became inseparable from that moment on. Dele was such a debonair writer who brought a lot of razzmatazz into the media industry. He was young, dashing and daring. He was a power-dresser, a fashion icon but above all an intelligent, inspiring writer and analyst.

Dele Giwa’s column, Parallax Snaps, was a must read for guys of my generation. It was impossible not to be attracted to the writings of Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed, the powerful quartet that founded Newswatch magazine around 1984, shortly after their dramatic exit from Concord newspapers. These were the authentic superstars who titillated us with beautiful prose that dripped with poetic and colourful words. And they lived up to their billing. Newswatch was an instant success and the hottest cake out of the oven. Every issue was a collector’s item.  It is hoped that under the new management, that glory would be restored no matter how daunting.

I had followed Dele Giwa in particular like a true devotee. He was a pen-god who was worshipped at the altar of investigative journalism, and admired irreverently by the high and mighty and the low and meek. His pen was mighty; in fact, mightier than the sword. He was considered a proponent of fairness and justice in governance.  Newswatch was a reader’s delight any day. Every week, the magazine went behind the scene to bring us hidden stories that were buried beyond our prying eyes. Newswatch did not just tell stories, its daredevil reporters told it in elegant style. The team was simply awesome: Nosa Igiebor, Dele Omotunde, Onome Osifo-Whiskey, Dare Babarinsa, Dele Olojede, Kola Ilori, May Ellen-Ezekiel and other journalism greats. Kayode Soyinka reported majestically from London. I will never forget his amazing scoops on the Umaru Dikko saga during the Buhari-Idiagbon military era.

Everything was going well for Newswatch, or so it seemed. The dream of the founding fathers of the magazine evaporated one hot afternoon as the powerhouse of the organisation was inflicted with the most iniquitous brutishness ever experienced in our vengeful society. Neither the exact motives nor the particular identity of the perpetrators has ever come to light. At the very best, all we got were conspiracy theories and circumstantial evidence but there was nothing conclusive till this day. A private prosecutor, Gani Fawehinmi, who took it upon himself to unravel the mystery and jigsaw, met brick-walls at every turn. The labyrinth of esoteric cases he filed at different junctures died with Gani without recording any major success or victory.

One could easily have concluded that such a dastardly act occurred because we were living at that time under the jackboots of the military who knew no other way to persuade its critics than shutting up their mouths through cold blooded murder. Its microphone was the gun-nose and the loudspeaker was the barrel. The military knew no other way to offer superior logic and simply did not bother. And we all prayed and hoped that the evil cup would pass over us. Unfortunately, not much has changed.

Even in the democratic dispensation that we have supposedly enjoyed these past 15 years or so the curse of unsolved extra-judicial cold-blooded murders of our critics and activists continues unabated.

More journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty under the civilian dispensation in our strange country.  The list is painfully long enough. The politicians and their cronies are getting more and more intolerant. Power has become a matter of life and death. I doubt if that was the purpose of fighting for democracy. What I find sadder is that there is a new crop of young people who are being brainwashed and indoctrinated by desperate politicians to cause mayhem and confusion all over the place. It has become almost impossible to have decent conversation and cerebral debates without resorting to vulgarities and vitriolic attacks. This trend can’t continue. If it does, it will certainly portend great dangers for the future of our nation and has the likelihood and potential of descending us all into anarchy. 

As we remember Dele Giwa today, let’s try to have sober reflections and reach the decision that all disagreements of whatever ilk can be resolved through peaceful, gentlemanly means.

Of Tony Uranta And His Tricksters

I stumbled on an interesting post on Facebook the other day. It was a link to an outburst that was credited to a Niger Delta activist and ally of our dear President, Tony Ipriye Uranta. I was shocked to read his unequivocal indictment of President Goodluck Jonathan who he accused of surrounding himself with a kitchen cabinet that was incapable of helping him to deliver on his promises to the good people of Nigeria. He described those cabinet members as nothing but rogues and tricksters.

We must thank God for bountiful mercies. I don’t know what sparked Tony’s anger but it must have been a result of acute frustration about the way the ship of State was floundering aimlessly with the country almost bleeding to death. The manner public officers are splashing scarce resources on luxury items as if all there is to being in power is to indulge in reckless fun should be a cause for concern.

There is nothing new in what Tony said. The only surprise is that he spoke in the way he did.  He merely gave fillip to what we’ve always known and written about. It is reassuring that someone close to the seat of power could be that bold as to tell it as it is. If an outsider had uttered those words, the world won’t hear the last of it. Accusations and allegations about the writer’s motive rather than a robust critique of the substance and the presentation of a veritable defence on behalf of the Presidency would have been the order of the day from the President’s stalwarts. Fortunately, this is coming from a close friend of theirs. They can’t in good conscience accuse Tony of working for some disgruntled Governors or opposition parties.  Although, in retrospect, I won’t be surprised if they do, especially if there has been a parting of ways.

I know it will not go down well with some of Tony’s friends who continue to behave as if there is no tomorrow. I pray the President would heed Tony’s candid advice and appreciate the fact that it is only those who love him genuinely that would tell him what others are shying away from saying. The sum total of the rising cries of patriots is that our nation is in a bad shape and the President’s policies are now working or even helping.  It is about time that the President reviews not only the positions of those he has entrusted with assisting him in managing the affairs of state but also the principles and policies that his government is implementing.  The groans, pain and anger of our people has become incessant and is fast rising tom a crescendo.  Something must be done before something gives.  The President must understand that when the chips are down, the soldiers of fortune will move on effortlessly to other suitors.  He will be left stranded in the sea and will be left to drown like a lonely sailor whose ship has sunk without any life rafts or vests.

We have seen it all before. We pray not to see it again for President Jonathan’s sake

ThisDay

Middle Belt Seeks Postponement Of National Confab Till After 2015 Polls

GOV. JONAH JANG (M) WITH MEMBERS OF PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DIALOGUE, DURING THEIR COURTESY VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR IN JOS ON MONDAY

The North Central geo-political zone has urged the Federal Government to postpone the proposed national dialogue – which date has not been fixed yet – until after the 2015 general elections.

The zone made its position known in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Monday at the stakeholders session held by the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue.
Prof. Jerry Gana, who spoke on behalf of the group as the national leader of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), said the zone welcomed the initiative of the national dialogue and would contribute to its success.
According to the former information minister, “With reference to timing of the conference, Middle Belt has two proposals: If the ongoing preparations can be concluded by December or January, the conference can sit for six months from February to July 2014 and submit its report in August.
“However, in view of preparations for the national election early 2015, it may be wiser to convene the conference after the 2015 elections. As such, preparations for the conference could be perfected in 2014, but the actual convening for February/March 2015 and should be allowed to sit for the rest of the year 2015,” said Gana.

On the mode of representation, he said the Middle Belt is “proposing a basket of selection or election criteria, namely, each ethnic nationality should be represented at the conference to ensure equity, social justice and self-determination.
“People should be allowed to elect the participants; government should not select delegates for the people. It should be purely a people-oriented programme if it must achieve its desired result,” Gana said.

 InformationNigeria

APC Rejects National Conference, Says Jonathan Has Lost Focus

President Goodluck Jonathan

By SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria’s main opposition political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) today announced its rejection of the National Dialogue being organised by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The position was taken at a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC in Abuja.  It was attended by six governors.
Speaking after the meeting, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed declared that Mr. Jonathan has lost focus and the credibility required to organize that kind of conference.
“What we see today is that this government has lost focus, it has lost credibility, it has lost control of the economy, security, corruption has attained uncontrollable proportion and at this point in time, this government lacks the credibility to organise a real meaningful national conference.
“In any event, we see this thing as nothing but a diversion and what are we talking about a national conference for when even the President himself has said that the outcome of that conference would be subjected to the approval of the National Assembly?”
Mr. Mohammed pointed out that in effect, the aim is a constitutional amendment rather than a national conference.  He said the APC would not be a party to it, stressing that it is not an issue of boycotting.
“I have put it clear to you: this is diversionary. If it is a clear, meaningful national dialogue, we will participate, but this isn't. The President himself has said whatever is discussed there will be subjected to National Assembly. So, what you are having is constitutional amendment."

Saharareporters
 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan queries Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, over N255m armoured cars

Festus Owete

Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah

More and more groups are also calling for Minister Oduah’s  sack.
President Goodluck Jonathan has queried the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, demanding a detailed explanation from her concerning the allegation that she arm-twisted an agency under her supervision, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to buy her two armoured cars for N255 million, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.
In a memo marked “Restricted”, and written on a State House letterhead, Mr.  Jonathan directed the embattled minister to provide him a detailed report on the procurement of the controversial bullet-proof cars, especially the cost, procurement processes and other issues relating to the transaction that have been raised by the media.
“The president is really angry at the disgrace that this shameful episode has brought upon his administration that is already hated by millions of Nigeria,” said a presidency source who has seen the memo sent to Mrs Oduah by the president. “The president has queried her as a way of following due process. He wants her to state her own side of the story in black and white.
“The president hardly feels this angry over an issue. I can tell you that except he has a change of mind, Oduah is a goner already.”
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the president asked the minister to respond to the query, dated October 21, before his arrival from Israel, where he and some governors and ministers are expected to perform this year’s pilgrimage.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media, Reuben Abati, was not available to comment for this story. Repeated calls to his mobile telephone did not connect Tuesday night. An aide said he had been busy preparing for the trip to Israel with the President.
The spokesperson for Minister Oduah, Joe Obi, could also not be reached. He did not answer or return calls. So also was Yakubu Dati, the coordinating General Manager for Public Affairs for the aviation agencies, who has been defending the minister since the scandal broke.
However, an aide of the minister confirmed Mrs Oduah received the query on Monday and has been scrambling to put together a convincing explanation for the president.
“I can tell you that they have been cooking up explanations they believe will assuage the President,” said an aide who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“They are trying to destroy evidence as well. The sensible thing would have been for the president to suspend her before launching an enquiry. Now she is still in charge and at liberty to destroy evidence.”
The key issues the President wants the minister to explain are the allegations she inflated the cost of the cars while also violating the 2013 Appropriation Act and the Public Procurement Act in the acquisition of the controversial cars.
She also has to convince the president that she did not by her action violate a number of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws.
PREMIUM TIMES had authoritatively reported that the multimillion contract was never listed or approved in any government budget as required by law, neither was it openly advertised or bided for.
The contract was also not listed in the budget of the NCAA, the agency compelled by the minister to make the purchase; and was not listed by the Federal Airport Authority, FAAN or Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
The ministry’s own budget too, had no plan to purchase any car for the minister, or other officials this year.
Spending public funds on unbudgeted projects attracts three years in jail and a fine of N100, 000 the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences law stipulates.
Also, contracts involving public funds without due procurement processes- basically open advertising and bidding- draws a minimum of five years, and a maximum of 10 years in jail, the Public Procurement law says.
Mrs Oduah had reportedly compelled the NCAA, to buy the two BMW 760LI armoured cars for her.
Her media assistant, Joe Obi, confirmed the procurement of the cars, claiming the agency bought the vehicles to protect the minister from “imminent threats” to her life.
The confirmation attracted outrage from Nigerians, especially anti-corruption crusaders and opposition politicians, who did not only demand her sack, but also called for an immediate investigation into the matter by the nation’s anti-graft agencies.
According to them, the transaction did not go through the procurement process neither were the vehicles budgeted for. They also claim that the cost of the vehicles might have been massively inflated.
Lagos lawyer and activist, Femi Falana, wrote the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, last Friday, demanding the minister’s resignation and an immediate investigation by the commission, failing which he would head for court to compel the Commission to do so.
Another anti-corruption group, Anti-Corruption Network, ACN, headed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, also gave Mrs Oduah 72 hours to refund the N255 million used to purchase the cars. The group also threatened to sue her.
Other groups that called for the minister’s head include the Conference for Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Say No Campaign Nigeria, SNCN, and Centre for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC.
Mrs Oduah had reportedly made desperate moves to suppress the matter since it blew open by reaching out to some influential individuals and socio-cultural groups, including Aka Ikenga to mount a campaign that she was being victimised for stepping on the toes of some influential forces in the aviation sector.
She was reported to have also reached out to some media organisations to help checkmate the attacks on her.
Besides, she tried unsuccessfully to seek audience with Mr. Jonathan.
On Tuesday, a day after the president’s query was issued, the NCAA made further attempts to save the minister.
Mr. Dati insisted in a statement Tuesday that due process was followed in the purchase of the vehicles for the minister.
He also claimed that those calling for Mrs Oduah’s head were doing so with the aim of preventing Mr. Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election.
 PremiumTimes

11 APC states to boycott national confab

Members of the newly formed Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), when they unveiled the forum in Lafia, last week.

The proposed national conference announced by President Goodluck Jonathan has suffered a setback as the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has declared that 11 states under its control, will not participate. States being controlled by the APC are Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara.
Revealing the planned boycott, while addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Committee of the APC in Abuja yesterday, the party’s Interim National Publicity scribe, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that APC-controlled states would shun the proposed national summit because the Jonathan administration allegedly lacked the credibility to initiate a meaningful national dialogue.
Pointing out what he described as an inherent defect in the process, Mohammed said the motive of government to subject its outcome to the ratification of the National Assembly would reduce the envisaged summit to a constitutional amendment, not national conference.
“ What we see today, is that this government has lost focus, it has lost credibility, it has lost control of the economy, security; corruption has attained uncontrollable proportion and at this point in time, this government lacks the credibility to organise a real meaningful national conference.
“In any event, we see this thing as nothing but a diversion and what are we talking about a national conference for, when even the President himself has said that the outcome of that conference would be subjected to the approval of the National Assembly?
“So, what we really have to do is a constitutional amendment, not a national conference and we shall not be a party to that,” he stated.
He however, gave indication that the party’s NEC might review its stance, if the Federal Government showed commitment to a clear, meaningful national dialogue.
“There is no issue of boycotting. I have put it clear to you, this is diversionary. If it is a clear, meaningful national dialogue, we will participate, but this isn’t.
“The President himself has said whatever is discussed there will be subjected to National Assembly. So, what you are having is constitutional amendment.”
Mohammed challenged the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee, Dr Okunrounmu, to reconcile his declaration that the outcome of the exercise would be subjected to a referendum, to President Jonathan’s declaration to submit same to the National Assembly.
THE SUN

Women shut down Imo to protest Okorocha’s intimidation by presidency

Owerri, the Imo State capital, was literally shutdown yesterday as thousands of women from the 27 local council areas of the state protested alleged intimidation and harassment of the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha by the presidency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Human and vehicular movements in the capital city came to a standstill while the protest lasted.
Addressing journalists yesterday, one of the protesters, Mrs Tessy Ohanuba, stated that the women of the state simply came to Owerri to express their anger over what she described as the intimidation and harassment of the state governor, by the presidency and its agencies especially EFCC.
“The Federal Government has been using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to intimidate and harass the officials of the state government ever since Okorocha became the governor of the state, which is just to distract the government.
“We are asking the Federal Government to support this performing governor and stop distracting him. We are calling on the gender-friendly president to listen to the cry and see the tears of the women and call those harassing the state governor and his team to order,” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Adaku Agbugbaeruleke, said that the alleged plot to remove Governor Okorocha, was unacceptable, stressing that the Federal Government should not manipulate the apex court but should allow justice to prevail.
“If President Jonathan supports Governor Okorocha in his efforts to make Imo better, the women of Imo will in turn, support him again in 2015 like we did in 2011. So, we don’t like the continuous harassment of the governor; that is why we have left our children and businesses to come to Owerri this morning. We are appealing to the president not to create confusion in the state.”
The women also besieged the INEC office along the Port Harcourt/ Owerri road, to demand the immediate release of the Oguta Assembly re-run election or announcement of a new date to conduct election in the remaining wards.
THE SUN