Nigeria Content Online

Major realignment
of forces and defections have hit the country’s political parties,
especially the big ones, only few weeks to the deadline for the
submission of candidates.

According to the
new timetable for the 2011 general elections released by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last month, the
parties have up till January 15 to submit names of their candidates for
the elective positions to the commission. The parties are, therefore,
expected to organise their primaries (or adopt) to pick those that will
fly their flags before that day.

Consequently, some
of the politicians who are dissatisfied with their primaries or were
afraid that they would not be offered the tickets to run for the
elections have, in the last few weeks, defected to other parties to
realise their ambitions. Some of them are:

Timi Alaibe

Until last Friday,
Mr Alaibe was the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta
Affairs. Prior to that appointment, he was the managing director of the
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Twice, he aspired to rule
Bayelsa State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
but did not succeed. The first was in 2003 when he wanted to challenge
a former governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. In 2007, he
moved to challenge the then governor, Goodluck Jonathan, but backed
out. That was before Mr Jonathan was nominated as the PDP vice
presidential candidate. An efficient mobiliser, Mr Alaibe last Thursday
defected to Labour Party (LP) where he hopes to realise his
governorship ambition. It, however, remains to be seen how he would win
the oil rich state, from which Mr Jonathan hails from for the
opposition Labour Party (LP).

Rasheed Ladoja

He is a former governor of Oyo State under the platform of the PDP. While in office,

he was impeached in
controversial circumstances but was reinstated by the court. Mr
Ladoja’s membership of the party became shaky after his reinstatement
as governor. In fact, the ruling party did not give him the ticket to
run for a second time but instead, gave it to his former deputy and
present governor,

Adebayo Alao-Akala,
thanks to the political force of the late Lamidi Adedibu. Recently, Mr
Ladoja, a billionaire businessman and a former senator, dumped the PDP
for the Accord Party (AP). Some say his defection was informed by the
protracted crisis in the Oyo State chapter of the PDP.

Achike Udenwa

He is a former
governor of Imo State and the immediate past Commerce and Industry
minister. Mr Udenwa came to limelight when, in 1999, he defeated the
more popular Ezekiel Izuogu in the gubernatorial contest in the state.
He ruled the state until 2007. Following the controversy that trailed
the governorship primaries in the state in 2001, Mr Udenwa supported
the emergence of the incumbent governor, Ikedi Ohakim of the
Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) against Ifeanyi Araraume of the PDP.
However, Mr Udenwa’s romance with Mr Ohakim was short-lived as both
battled to control the structure of the party in the state.

The governor has
since dumped the PPA for PDP. On his part, Mr Udenwa decamped to the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) few weeks ago and has interestingly
joined forces with the hitherto political opponent, Mr Araraume to
fight the incumbent governor.

Ifeanyi Araraume

Mr Araraume was in
the Senate for eight years. He showed interest in running Imo State as
governor in 2007 and in fact was given the PDP ticket in controversial
circumstances.

But former
president Olusegun Obasanjo did not want him and mobilised the PDP
supporters to vote for Mr Ohakim who was of the PPA. The former
senator, who was about the most popular candidate, quit the PDP few
weeks ago. He has taken up membership of ACN.

Mohammed Abacha

He is the eldest
surviving son of the late military head of state, Sani Abacha. Mr
Abacha’s foray into politics came as a shock to many. He first took up
membership of the PDP where he had hoped to actualise his ambition to
rule Kano State as its governor. When it seemed like he would not
secure the ticket, the young man moved to the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC). Yet, the CPC appeared hotter for him than the PDP. He was
reportedly thrown out of the CPC last week by a faction of the party
sympathetic to the national chairman, Rufai Hanga. Mr Abacha is said to
be on his way to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Dora Akunyili

The immediate past
information and communication minister was drafted into the federal
cabinet by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, whom she had campaigned
for in 2007. Mrs Akunyili dumped the PDP early last month for All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to contest election to represent
Anambra Central Senatorial District. Not a few describe her exit from
the ruling party as shocking.

However, those who
should know have maintained that there was a deal between her and the
APGA structure in Anambra State led by the national chairman, Victor
Umeh and the governor, Peter Obi. Unconfirmed reports indicated that it
was the major reason Mrs Akunyili did not support former CBN governor,
Chukwuma Soludo (her in-law) who ran the election under the banner of
the PDP.

Dele Momodu

This celebrated
journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine wanted to vie for the
presidency on the ticket of LP. But a few weeks ago, in a statement he
authorised, Mr Momodu announced his withdrawal. He has now declared his
intention to run for president under the National Conscience Party
(NCP).

Mohammed Ali Ndume

Mr Ndume symbolised
opposition politics at the National Assembly where he is the minority
leader and leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). A two-time
member of the House of Representatives, Mr Ndume impressed many
Nigerians in the manner he confronted the majority PDP in the House on
issues. At the national secretariat of the ANPP, he was revered for his
role in the House. In fact, he was often described as “the face of
opposition in the party.” But Mr Ndume, last Monday, dumped the ANPP
for the PDP, which is in the opposition in his native Borno State. The
gist is that he wanted to go to the Senate to represent Borno South
Senatorial District, but that the governor refused him. Governor Modu
Sheriff is said to be backing his women affairs commissioner, Asabe
Vilita Bashir for the seat.

Garba Lado

Mr Lado, son of a
rich businessman in Katsina State, has been a senator since 2007 on the
ticket of the PDP. Before then, he was a member of the House of
Representatives.

He is reputed to be
a strong supporter of the late president, Umaru Yar’Adua and kicked
against the “Doctrine of Necessity” on which the upper legislative
chamber stood to declare Mr Jonathan acting president early last year.
Mr Lado, has dumped the PDP for the CPC from where he hopes to oust
Governor Ibrahim Shema from office. A few weeks ago, the senator was
reported to have been picked as the consensus candidate of the party.

However, a former
House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari, who is eyeing the
same position, was said to have kicked against it, insisting that the
consensus project was fraudulently executed. The matter is yet to be
resolved even as Mr Masari is combing the nooks and crannies of the
state to canvass for votes.

Aminu Bello Masari

In 2007, he wanted
to succeed Mr Yar’Adua as Katsina State governor and had indeed been
assured that he would pick the ticket. But the unexpected happened and
he was shoved aside for Mr Shema, who was then a deputy national
chairman of the PDP.

He, expectedly,
fell out with the late president and even fought him till the end. He
decided to join the CPC alongside his associates like Sadiq Abubakar
Yar’Adua (not a relation of the late president), but he is not having
it easy in the quest to actualise his ambition as he faces stern
opposition from fellow party men.

Chimaroke Nnamani

He is a sitting
senator and former governor of Enugu State for eight years. Mr Nnamani
installed the incumbent governor, Sullivan Chime as governor, but the
two have parted ways. The 50-year-old former governor has floated a new
political party called People for Democratic Change (PDC).

Rochas Okorocha

He is a popular
philanthropists and businessman from Imo State. He contested the
presidential primaries variously in PDP and ANPP. But recently, he
defected to APGA, where he wants to contest the governorship election
of Imo State. Sadly, that state’s branch of the party has given him
quit notice. Reason: Mr Okorocha’s thugs invaded the APGA secretariat
in the state where they manhandled some party executives.

He may, therefore, be on his way to another party.

Early decampees

Muhammadu Buhari,
who had contested the presidential polls in 2003 and 2007 on the ticket
of ANPP, left the party to float the CPC. Abubakar Atiku, left the ACN
for the PDP. Governors, Mahmud Shinkafi of Zamfara left the ANPP for
PDP; Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State left the ANPP for the PDP; Ikedi Ohakim
of Imo State left the PPA for the PDP; and Theodore Orji of Abia State
dumped the PPA for PDP. All of them are currently jostling for various
positions in the 2011 elections.

About three hours before 10.27pm on
Christmas eve, bombs exploded in Jos North local government area of
Jos, Plateau State killing scores.

At about the same time,500km away in
Maiduguri, Borno state, North east Nigeria, another set of people
launched attacks on two churches, killing seven people. Four days after
the killings, a group (Jama’atu ahlus sunnah lid da’awati wal jihad)
known as Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the bombings in Jos. The
same group was identified by the Borno State police commissioner, and
the Borno State Governor as responsible for the killings in Maiduguri.

These two well coordinated incidents could however have been averted if security agencies had been effective in their duties.

The Borno governor, Ali Sheriff told
the media after the attacks that “prior to these attacks and killings,
I alerted the police and other security agencies in the state to take
no chances of any reprisals from the outlawed sect members. Yesterday’s
attacks and killings could have been prevented if the police had heeded
to my security advice.” A similar report was also before the security
forces before the Jos bombings.

All these were happening two months
after the independence day bombing in Abuja, for which the Movement of
the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has claimed responsibility.

After Christmas

Three days after Christmas, suspected
members of the Boko-Haram, eager to further show their strength in
Maiduguri, attacked a hospital; killing three people including a police
officer.

The post Christmas horror moved from
the northern part of Nigeria into the south four days after Christmas.
This time around, the perpetrators chose a different location; Bayelsa,
the home state of President Jonathan, over 600km from Jos. The
explosion occurred during a rally by a governorship aspirant on the
platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP.) While several people
were injured, no lives were lost. This was not the first time that
Bayelsa state would witness bomb explosions in 2010, previous ones
including the explosions at the home of a former deputy governor of the
state had happened. No group claimed responsibility for any of the
Bayelsa bombings and no one has been punished for them.

The ‘Boko Haram’ members however
continued their onslaught against security operatives on Wednesday,
December 29, killing more police officers and innocent residents while
setting police patrol vans ablaze. A day later, exchange of gunfire
between two factions of the PDP in Ibadan, Oyo State killed three
people,including two aides of a serving senator and senate leader,
Teslim Folarin; and a factional chairman of the transport union, Lateef
Salako (Eleweomo).

Political violence

While the crisis in Oyo and Bayelsa
States clearly had political undertones and could easily be likened to
political sponsorship, that of Jos and Maiduguri cannot be so easily
labeled.

Intelligence sources say although the
impact of the Jos attacks might have political implications,they were
not really a product of politics.

“It is really just another aspect of
what has been going on in the past,” a senior military intelligence
officer serving in Jos said at the weekend.

“Unless government is bold enough in
resolving the underlying issues, then things will continue like this
for a while more,” he said.

Another security officer said crises of
this kind will continue, and perhaps only get worse, as long as
security at airports and ports remained lax and borders remained
porous. He also called on government to work with religious leaders to
rid preachers of ignorance and intolerance.

The military officer, who said officers
are mostly professional in their response to the crisis, said there is
often times trouble securing the confidence of the locals because they
often believe that security officers are partial to either of the two
sides in a conflict situation. ‘

Bringing culprits to justice

Following the statement by the Borno
State governor that the perpetrators of the violence in this state will
be brought to book, Oluseyi Petinrin, Air Chief Marshall and Chief of
Defense Staff (CDS) promised that the federal government will make sure
that the perpetrators of the Jos crisis are brought to justice. Mr
Petinrin however called for restraint, saying the violence is being
promoted by rounds of tits-for-tats.

“The way you can help government to
quickly get to the bottom of this thing is to be calm, go about your
normal business and do not try to retaliate. When you retaliate, you
will be retaliating against innocent people. You do not know the people
who did this thing. It is possible they are not even from Jos, so let
us get to the bottom of it first and I know you can help,’’ he said.

Partial Troops

Some residents of Jos believe that the
reason the violence in Jos continues is the partial disposition of the
military task force.

However, the spokesperson for the special task force for Jos, Charles Nweocha defends the impartiality of the troops.

“A lot of sacrifice is involved in
keeping the peace. The security men are doing their utmost best; the
allegation of bias against them is most unfair,” he said.

“I have a wife and kids with whom I
should normally spend the Christmas, but I have been in this cold since
December 24. I should be in a hurry to see that the crisis is over and
not taking sides to worsen an already bad situation.”

He added that it was not possible for the soldiers to take sides in view of their training in the handling of such situations.

“At each of the military check points, you will have Christians and
Muslims; you have all Nigerian tribes mixed up. So, you cannot take any
side under such circumstance. Where you have an Igbo man as team
leader, for instance, you will find that the members of the team
comprise Hausa, Yoruba, Ijaw, or Tiv speaking soldiers; so, whose side
will they be taking?”

More states in the
south-south geopolitical zone of the country will be taken over by the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in the 2011 general elections. This
was the view of a Delta State executive of the party, Adego Eferakeya.
Mr Eferakeya said this while speaking to journalists after the
south-south zone caucus meeting of the party in Benin City yesterday.
Mr Eferakeya said all arrangements have been put in place to ensure
victory for the party in more states of the south-south, just as they
said the party will meet Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC)’s deadline for the submission of names of candidates for the
elections.

“We should work hard so that we can win more states because, as you know, ACN is the only party contending with PDP,” he said.

“We also spoke
about the primaries that are coming up, the dates will be fixed very
soon but tentatively, we expect that the primaries of the Action
Congress of Nigeria tentatively would be on the 6th for the state
houses of assembly, 8th, national assembly, on the 11th, the
governorship and on the 15th of January 2011 will be the presidential
primaries. We have all agreed that there will be a meeting of the
national body that will ratify and some of these dates may change. We
are also looking forward to collecting forms of expression of interest
and nomination forms which you know are very essential before primaries
can be conducted.” All together, Mr Eferakeya said all members present
at the meeting have said they are prepared to work hard for the success
of the party because they know that “divided we fall united we stand.
All of us are working in harmony to ensure that we win more states,” he
said.

The party official
also expressed optimism that security agencies will live up to
expectation of providing adequate security during its primaries and
meetings to avoid the series of explosions that have rocked some
political gatherings in the last few days.

The Edo State
Deputy Governor, Pius Odubu called on the party members to work hard to
achieve their set goal of winning more states in the region. He also
urged them to ensure that their followers do not disrupt the process.
Edo is the only state in the south-south that is being governed by the
Action Congress of Nigeria.

The Katsina State government has budgeted N99.9
billion for its services in the 2011 fiscal year. The budget, tagged
“Budget of Fulfilment,” is higher than that of 2010 by N7.3 billion.

Presenting the budget estimate to the state House
of Assembly in Katsina on Thursday, state Governor,

The Katsina State government has budgeted N99.9
billion for its services in the 2011 fiscal year. The budget, tagged
“Budget of Fulfilment,” is higher than that of 2010 by N7.3 billion.

Presenting the budget estimate to the state House
of Assembly in Katsina on Thursday, state Governor, Ibrahim Shema said
the money will be sourced from the N52 billion Federal Revenue
Allocation and VAT of N5 billion. Other sources are N6 billion Special
Funds, N12.7 billion internally generated revenue, Capital Receipts of
N4.2 billion and the opening balance of N20 billion.

Mr Shema said N68.1 billion (68 per cent) of the
estimate was earmarked for capital projects, while N31.7 billion (32
per cent) was set aside for recurrent expenditure. He also said the
increase in the 2011 budget by N7.3 billion was based on realistic
computation of government’s revenue profiles, both statutory and
internal, as well as other expectations.

Describing the estimates as a “balanced budget,”
Mr Shema said the government will in 2011 complete all ongoing projects
and embark on new ones. He commended members of the state Assembly for
their cooperation and understanding, which he said had assisted
government in the implementation of the 2010 budget, and urged them to
maintain the tempo.

The Speaker of the Katsina State House of
Assembly, Ya’u Gwajogwajo, promised that the House will give the
proposal speedy deliberations and passage.

said
the money will be sourced from the N52 billion Federal Revenue
Allocation and VAT of N5 billion. Other sources are N6 billion Special
Funds, N12.7 billion internally generated revenue, Capital Receipts of
N4.2 billion and the opening balance of N20 billion.

Mr Shema said N68.1 billion (68 per cent) of the
estimate was earmarked for capital projects, while N31.7 billion (32
per cent) was set aside for recurrent expenditure. He also said the
increase in the 2011 budget by N7.3 billion was based on realistic
computation of government’s revenue profiles, both statutory and
internal, as well as other expectations.

Describing the estimates as a “balanced budget,”
Mr Shema said the government will in 2011 complete all ongoing projects
and embark on new ones. He commended members of the state Assembly for
their cooperation and understanding, which he said had assisted
government in the implementation of the 2010 budget, and urged them to
maintain the tempo.

The Speaker of the Katsina State House of
Assembly, Ya’u Gwajogwajo, promised that the House will give the
proposal speedy deliberations and passage.

Nigerian youth have
been asked to actively participate in the voters registration and
voting exercises coming up next year so that they can elect leaders
with track records and integrity, President Goodluck Jonathan said
yesterday in Abuja.
The president, who
stated this during the National Youth Summit organised by the Federal
Ministry of Youth Development, said the future belongs to them and it
is their duty to ensure that they use their numerical strength to
effect a change by ensuring the country has good leaders at all level
of government.
Mr Jonathan said as
a former student and lecturer, he knows the needs and desires of youth
and promised that he will not disappoint them if voted into office next
year. The president, who was excited by the loud applause from the
crowd, said the ovation has rekindled his joy and enthusiasm and has
also convinced him that what the youth and the entire country need are
leaders that will turn their dreams into reality.
“You have made me proud of you and I want to promise you that I would not disappoint you,” he said.
He charged them to
always think of how the country can move forward instead of thinking of
things that will not benefit humanity.
“If you don’t contribute to societal progress, foreigners will not come and fix Nigeria for you,” he said.
Youth power
The Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole said the problems the country
is going through today were caused years ago when none of those
gathered at the summit were probably born. To get out of the mess, he
said, youth should use their large population to effect a positive
change by voting good candidates into office at all levels.
“Nigeria today is
settling heavy debts that were incurred years ago due to
maladministration,” he said and suggested that the only way out is to
ensure good governance for the country. Mr Bankole advised the youth
not to allow themselves to be deceived by politicians who have nothing
to offer and challenged them to look at the achievements of this
government since Mr Jonathan assumed full office as president.
The Minister of
Youth Development, Akinlabi Olasunkanmi said the 2006 census put the
population of the youth at over 60 million and explained that if they
all voted, they can determine who governs the country.
“This generation of
young voters holds the weapon of change from old stereotypes,
primordial conceptions and entrenched cynicism,” Mr Akinlabi said.
Citing instances,
Mr Olasunkanmi said in the United States of America (USA), youth
participation at the ballot box progressively increased from 2006 to
date, noting that it is on record that over 22 million youth voted in
2008 to deliver a major power shift in the U.S,A , producing president
Barrack Obama, the first black man to ever occupy the White House.

President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted the resignation of his special adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Timi Alaibe.

Mr Alaibe had
informed the President in a letter that he is resigning his appointment
with effect from today to contest for the governorship of Bayelsa State
in the 2011 general elections.

In the past weeks, some ministers have also exited the cabinet with special assistants now towing the same line.

Until his resignation, Mr Alaibe was in charge of the amnesty programme for repentant militants in the Niger Delta.

A statement signed
by the special adviser to the President, Ima Niboro said following the
vacancy created, Mr Jonathan has appointed two other senior special
assistants.

The President
appointed Emmanuel Egbagbe as Senior Special Assistant to the President
on Infrastructure Development Matters and Saidu Yusuf Dutsi as Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters.

Until his
appointment, Mr Egbagbe, who holds a Masters of Sciences Degree in
Water Resources Systems Engineering from the University of California
and was the best graduating student of Civil Engineering at the
University of Lagos in 1977, was the Director of Infrastructure
Development at the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Mr Dutsi, who holds
a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Bayero
University, Kano has held various elective and Public posts in his
native Katsina State. Until his new appointment, he was the Special
Assistant on Political Matters to the Katsina State Governor.

“Both appointments,
which take effect from January 1, 2011, are to fill vacancies created
by the appointment of Femi Ajayi (former SSA to the President on Social
Development) as Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency and the death of Polycarp Nwite (former SSA to the President on
Political Matters),” Mr Niboro said.

Mr. Alaibe later picked up the nomination form of Labour Party to contest the Bayelsa State’s governorship election in 2011.

He picked the form
at the national secretariat of the party where he was received by the
National chairman of Labour party, Chief Dan Iwuanyanwu.

His entrance into the race makes him the main challenger to the
incumbent governor, Timipre Sylva of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Resident Electoral Commisioner of
the Independent National Electoral Commission for Adamawa State, Kassim
Gaidam has taken delivery of over 8,000 Direct Data Capture (DDC)
machines, promising that the machines will get to every ward and the
2609 polling units of the state.

Security around the
INEC headquarters’ in the state has also been tightened following the
delivery of the machines. Visitors to the INEC office now have to be
subjected to serious security checks, a measure, Mr Gaidam said has
become necessary to ensure that the machines are protected from theft.

In other states
which had earlier received the equipment, training has already started
for staff on the use of Direct Data Capture machines ahead of the voter
registration scheduled to begin on Jan. 15. In Enugu State, the
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Josiah Uwazuruonye, urged the
trainees to be diligent and receptive to instructions.

He said voter registration is the starting point of the electoral process and should be taken seriously.

“Registration is an
important exercise, given the current political history of the nation,”
he said. “There is a need to get it right this time.” In Adamawa State,
Mr Gaidam told journalists that additional 2,000 DDC machines were
still being expected to be delivered in a second consignment.

He said adhoc staff
being recruited by INEC in the state for the forthcoming voter
registration exercise will be subjected to test at the end of the
training as part of measures to ensure that it got only the best hands
for the exercise.

Train the staff

A staff of the
commission said the office needs to make strenuous efforts to train its
284 registration camp officers on the use of the DDC machines due to
the late arrival of the machines.

At the Federal
College of Education, Yola venue for the train the trainers workshop,
our reporter gathered that the DDC machines which are suppose to be
used for the training a day earlier were only received today, the last
day of the training. A check on the venue revealed that some of the DDC
machines were already been displayed and ready to be used for training.

It was gathered
that the commission directed a shift in the close of the training to
allow for the trainees to be properly skilled on the use of the DDC
machines.

“226 official
registration area camp officers are being trained to preside over each
of the registration area centres of the 226 wards in the state,” Thomas
Umar, head of operations of INEC, said. He pointed out that 62 other
officials are taking part in the exercise.

Mr Gaidam, who re-stated the target of
his commission to register over 2million voters in the state in the
forthcoming voter registration exercise, noted that “there’s much more
awareness now about the forthcoming voter registration exercise.” He
promised to ensure that the DDC machines get to each of the 2609
polling units in the state, promising to put at least 3 DDC machines in
each of the polling units.

The National
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo
yesterday warned officials involved in the on-going electoral process
in the party not to flout the guidelines spelt out for the process.

Mr Nwodo gave this
warning while reacting to issues raised by various aggrieved party
members, especially aspirants alleging irregularities in the process.

The party had,
during its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting two weeks ago,
approved the fresh guidelines for its State Assembly, National
Assembly, gubernatorial and presidential primaries. It also approved
panels to screen the aspirants and later raised appeal panels to handle
complaints arising from the process.

Mr Nwodo said that
the National Working Committee (NWC) will not tolerate situations where
officials or members violate the guidelines which the party had made
efforts to draw up in order to ensure a credible process.

He said that he has
dedicated a special telephone line (08060095007) to welcome views and
complaints arising from the intra party process across the country.

The party boss
added that barely 24 hours after installing the telephone line, he had
read and reacted to over 25 text messages (SMS) on the election across
the country.

Problem states

He listed the sates
from which complaints came to include Plataeu, Abia, Bayelsa, Oyo,
Anambra and Enugu. Others include Osun, Lagos, Delta, Kwara and Ebonyi.

Mr Nwodo added that
most of the complaints alleged manipulations by some party leaders to
thwart the will of the party members and some deliberate attempts to
exclude majority from participating and picking leaders of their choice.

According to him,
he has referred some of the issues raised by the complainants to the
relevant panels for attention and necessary action.

Mr Nwodo also
reiterated his determination to ensure that internal democracy is
allowed to prevail in the party just as he vowed to provide a level
playing ground to all aspirants.

President Goodluck
Jonathan has accepted to engage his main opponent for the presidential
ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in a
political debate.

Though he said this
must be done at the instance of the party, he said he expected that the
party’s flag bearer and other candidates will debate on issues based on
manifestos rather than challenging each other as if to a wrestling
competition.

Mr. Jonathan’s 2011
political ambition took a step forward when he was yesterday
unanimously endorsed by South-South delegates to the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) national convention during a meeting between the president
and the south-south delegates in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

The delegates from
the six states of the region openly endorsed the Jonathan/Sambo ticket
as the best ticket. While thanking delegates for their support, Mr.
Jonathan said he was ready to take up the challenge of his main
opponent whenever the party deems it fit for them to meet.

“I am waiting for the party to invite me for presidential debate,” he said.

The president also
assured the people of the region that he will do his best not to let
them down, noting that whatever he does while in office will rub off
positively or negatively on the people from the south-south region.

He further noted
that he will ensure that he does nothing that will jeorpardise the
chances of others from the region in the nearest future.

“If I mess up, the
people will reject us (zone) completely, and this is why I have to do
everything possible to ensure that we do well as a government,” he said.

Working for progress

He reassured the
people that come March next year, the country will enjoy relative power
stability, as all the efforts put in by the administration should have
yielded tons of fruits.

The president said
after considering the other aspirants from the party, he is convinced
that he and his vice president present the best that will lead the
nation out of the woods.

“That is why our
administration is assuring Nigerians that if given another four years,
we would try and make the country better,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan, who
had earlier met with the chairman of Rivers State traditional ruler,
King TJT Princewill JP Amachree, Amanyanbo of Kalabari Kingdom, also
reiterated his plan to send to the National Assembly a bill that will
recognise the traditional institutions in the country.

This he said he
will do early next year. He asked the traditional rulers to contribute
towards the bill when the National Assembly commences public debate on
the it.

The president, who
also reacted on the Jos killings, said the situation is a national
embarrassment, adding that terrorism has become a global plague which
the government is working hard to tackle and make a thing of the past.

The Socio-Economic
Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President
Goodluck Jonathan to arrest and repatriate suspected perpetrators of
the violence in Jos, Plateau State to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) in The Hague for prosecution.

It, however,
attached the salvation of Jos to the government’s readiness to fight
against impunity in Jos by ensuring that no offender is shielded by
security agencies.

“President Jonathan
should meet this challenge head on and exercise the required political
will to make the arrest and transfer of perpetrators to the ICC
happen,” SERAP Executive Director,

Adetokunbo Mumuni
said. “It is now time for this government to show that it is truly
committed to putting an end to impunity for the crimes in Jos by
immediately arresting and surrendering suspected perpetrators to the
ICC.” The group called on Mr Jonathan to “show strong leadership in the
face of increasing violence in Jos, and the killings of innocent
citizens, by urgently arresting and surrendering suspected
perpetrators.” It stated that the court is already investigating the
international crimes being committed in Jos.

Doing little

No fewer than 80
persons have been confirmed killed and 109 wounded in the bombing and
reprisal attacks which took place in Jos from Christmas eve to date.

“It is on record that successive governments have failed to
implement the country’s international legal obligations to respect,
protect, and fulfil the human rights of the people of Jos by
persistently failing to deter and prevent recurring outbreaks of
violence, and by failing to effectively investigate and prosecute
suspected perpetrators,” SERAP says. “This in turn has fostered chronic
impunity for perpetrators, and total defenselessness of victims and
their relatives. The surest and most effective way to restore and
maintain peace and security in Jos is for this government to allow and
facilitate the investigation and analysis of Jos by the ICC by sharing
with the court important information that will lead to the transfer of
perpetrators to the court for trial.” The International Court had, in
November, promised to investigate and analyse the situation in Jos with
a view to prosecuting the relevant crimes. This followed a petition
sent by SERAP’s solicitor, Femi Falana to the ICC Chief Prosecutor,
Luis Moreno Ocampo.