Nigeria Content Online

President Goodluck
Jonathan has directed all security agencies in the country to remain on
full alert, especially in identified flashpoints across the country, to
thwart any further attempt to breach the peace of the country.

The President, who
is currently on a seven-day working retreat at the Obudu mountain
resort, also said he is determined to move Nigeria further along the
path of democratic consolidation in the next four years to build on the
gains of the 2011 general election.

Some states of the
federation, especially in the northern parts of the country, erupted
into violence after the presidential elections won by Mr Jonathan.

Although there is
no official figure for the number of casualties, it is believed that
hundreds of people were killed and properties worth millions of naira
must were destroyed in the riots.

States like Borno
and Kaduna have also witnessed frequent deadly detonation of bombs by
suspected members of the Boko Haram group, which had claimed
responsibility for some attacks on government officials in recent
months.

The spokesperson
for the President, Ima Niboro, said yesterday that the president
thanked all political stakeholders and Nigerians for the success of the
just concluded election and reiterated that he is “committed to working
with all stakeholders to address any observed weaknesses which persist
in the country’s electoral system”.

Mr. Jonathan has
also urged winners in the elections to be magnanimous in victory and to
commit themselves to good governance for all their constituents without
discrimination. He urged them not to engage their predecessors in
“unnecessary battles, which may turn out as counterproductive”.

He also sympathised
with those who lost elections and advised them to gallantly concede
defeat and congratulate the victors. He advised them to refrain from
taking laws into their own hands but to “take the legal route where
they feel dissatisfied with the outcome of the process”.

Appreciation to all

With the 2011
general elections all but concluded, except for the supplementary
elections scheduled to hold in parts of Imo State on Friday, Mr. Niboro
said the President thanks all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have
contributed to the delivery of the free, fair and credible elections
promised by his administration.

“He expressed appreciation to the Chairman, commissioners, permanent
and ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), especially members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
some of whom sadly lost their lives in patriotic service to the
country, the national security services, local and international
observer groups as well as millions of Nigerians who trooped out thrice
in the month of April to peacefully vote for leaders of their choice,”
Mr Niboro said.

Today, most women and men discuss issues of violence in other
people’s relationships without knowing or identifying similar traits within
their own bad relationships, let alone getting out of them. Violence in
whatever form, within or outside the home, has its implications on personal
development, and addressing violence in its earlier stages reduces its
re-occurrence.

However, the fact that not all people can identify violence at
an early stage is a problem. Interactions with women who survived violent
relationships have revealed that when their abuse started, most of them were
silent about it because they did not recognise or see the signs as something to
worry about.

Recognise the signs

As individuals, we need to check this list to be sure we are
safe from abusive relationships. If you are in a relationship where your
partner calls you names; insults you or talks continuously about your
weaknesses; does not trust you and acts envious or possessive all the time;
tries to isolate you from family or friends; monitors where you go, who you
call and whom you associate with; does not want you to work, controls your
finances or refuses to share money; punishes you by withholding affection;
expects you to ask permission; threatens to hurt you, the children, your family
or your pets; or humiliates you in any way, then you are in an abusive
relationship.

It is worse when your partner has ever: damaged property when
angry (thrown objects like bottles, punched walls, broken glasses); pushed,
slapped, bitten, kicked or choked you; abandoned you in a dangerous or
unfamiliar place; scared you by driving recklessly; used a weapon to threaten
or hurt you; forced you to leave your home; and locked you out. Similarly, you
can be sure you are in an abusive relationship if your partner has trapped you
in your home or kept you from leaving; stopped you from making calls to the
police or seeking medical attention; hurt your children; or used physical force
in sexual situations.

Take action

The list above is not exhaustive as there may be several other
signs not mentioned here. But the reality is that in whatever form it comes,
abuse is dangerous and a red alert to immediately seek help or intervention to
break the silence. Talking to someone about it does not mean you are weak. It
only means you are empowered, courageous and can take control of your own life,
which no one else owns but you. You are responsible for all the consequences
thereafter.

Beyond the pain that comes with abuse – psychologically, physically,
socially, and economically – it has its untold strain on the human resources
much needed for one’s development, because only a sound mind can make
meaningful contributions to any process.

As citizens of the world, as declared in the 1948 Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, protection and freedom from pain is a universal right and should
not be denied anyone under any circumstance. Therefore, now is the time to say
no to all forms of abusive relationships within the home, in offices, and any
other space – public, local and international.

The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)
yesterday announced the abduction of yet another of its members. According to
the association, Paul Oriaifo was on Sunday morning abducted by suspected
kidnappers in Ekpoma.

Just last week, a member of the association and former Permanent
Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Health, Momoh Daudu was kidnapped.

The NMA yesterday lamented the poor state of security in the
state just as it said security agencies in the state were not making use of
intelligence information available to curb crime.

The association recalled that the closure of banks in Edo
Central in the last three weeks over incessant robbery incidents had created
lots of hardship for the people in the area, as banks have refused to open for
business since the last two weeks due to almost daily occurrence of robbery. A
statement jointly signed by the state chairman of the association, Philip
Ugbodaga, its Secretary, Emmanuel Ighodaro and its Public Relations Officer,
Kennedy Alohan, called for an overhaul of the security apparatus in the state
for efficiency.

Unconditional release

“The NMA, Edo State branch is extremely concerned that
kidnapping is still a prevalent and thriving business in Nigeria. Despite the
often trumpeted resolve by both the state and federal government to tackle this
emerging threat to free movement and to humanity, very little is being done in
that regard. The inability to curb this menace is a failure of intelligence
gathering.

“While we join the rest of the world to celebrate the killing this morning
of Osama Bin Laden as a result of sound intelligence network, we recommend
undercover intelligence operations by the various security agencies to deal
with the problem of kidnapping. We have gotten to a breaking point. Medical
personnel are now unable to differentiate between abductors and genuine
patients making it difficult for doctors to undertake their humane duty to save
lives. If this problem is not curbed fast, the effect on society will be
devastating.”

The group stated further that “The abductors of Dr Paul Oriaifo are
demanding six million naira. Neither the NMA nor the family is prepared to
negotiate any payment of ransom for his release. We demand his unconditional
release and hereby charge the security agencies to do all that is necessary to
get him freed.”

The Speaker of the
Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Ahmed Faggo of the PDP, has
lost his re-election campaign to represent the Shira constituency in
the Bauchi State House of Assembly. He was defeated by a retired
primary school teacher, Awwal Hassan of the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC).

This was contained
in a statement signed by the state administrative secretary of the
Independent National Electoral Commission in Bauchi, Aminu Adamu Bello,
which contained the list of successful candidates for the
constituencies in the state.

According to the
statement, the result of 27 out of the 31 state constituencies showed
that the PDP won 22 seats while the CPC opposition won five seats. Bye
elections will be conducted for the remaining four constituencies on
May 5. The cancelled gubernatorial elections in Ningi and Misau local
government areas due to irregularities affected the constituencies.

Speaking to NEXT,
the retired primary school teacher thanked God and his students and the
people of his constituency that came out en masse to vote for him, and
pledged to work hard in order to develop their constituency.

The PDP won in Pali, Duguri/Gwana, Kirfi, Zungur/Galambi, Dass,
Lere/Bula, Bogoro, Warji, Dambam/Dagauda/Jalam, Darazo, Sade, Ganjuwa
East, Ganjuwa West, Katagum, Sakwa, Jama’are, Itas Gadau, Disina,
Giade, Madara/Chinade, Udubo and Gamawa state constituencies. The CPC
won in Azare, Shira, Toro/Jama’a, Bauchi and Lame constituencies while
the bye elections will be held in Ningi, Burra, Chiroma and Hardawa
state constituencies.

Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday solicited the cooperation of various ethnic groups and opposition politicians in the state, saying he needs their support in his quest to move the state forward. Speaking at the thanksgiving service to mark his victory at the April 26 poll, at the Words of Life Bible Church in Warri, the governor stated that the time has come for all hands to be on deck to ensure even development of the state. He decried the prevalence of hatred and pledged to reach out to the various factions, not only in his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but in opposition parties to mend fences with them all. “It is time to build an egalitarian state for the betterment of all citizens of the state,” he said.

Diabolic solution

The governor said his opponents even had to resort to diabolical means in a desperate bid to unseat him at some point, but that these did not work. He appealed to his detractors to have a change of heart as he is not a perfect person, saying he was not the architect of some of the problems of the state. He also advised the people against engaging in actions that could plunge the state into another round of crisis, noting that no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of rancour and insecurity. He promised to formulate policies that would ensure the empowerment of youth. “This government is about the youth. The biggest challenge is youth employment. Government will formulate more programmes to engage the youth,” he said.

National President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, who ministered at the event, said it was God who made Mr Uduaghan’s victory possible. He however admonished the governor to extend a hand of fellowship to his opponents who lost out in the race. “You should find ways to reach to those who did not win,” he said.

The outgoing Kwara State governor and senator-elect, Bukola Saraki, and his Gombe State counterpart, Danjume Goje, may be heading for a battle with the Senate President, David Mark, as they have reportedly shown interest in occupying the number three position.

Both governors were elected senators on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the April 9 parliamentary elections to represent Kwara Central senatorial district and Gombe Central senatorial district respectively. Mr Mark, also of the PDP, was re-elected to represent Benue South senatorial district for the fourth time since the return of democracy in 1999.

It was learnt that both Mr Saraki and Mr Goje are already positioning themselves for the job even though the party’s hierarchy is yet to meet to decide the zoning formula for the next dispensation. The party, reports say, is billed to meet soon to decide on the zoning of the offices of the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as other principal offices. According to the current formula, the North-Central produced the senate president while the office of the deputy senate president was produced by the South-East. In the House of Representatives, the speaker is produced by the South-West zone while his deputy is from the North-East zone.

However, the results of the recent elections may have made it inevitable for the re-zoning of the offices. Bode Olajumoke and Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, both from the South-West zone, who had shown interest in the position before the elections, lost their seats to their Labour Party (LP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) challengers in the April 9 parliamentary polls.

At the height of the PDP zoning controversy last year, President Goodluck Jonathan had said that the National Assembly offices are only zoned by the party after the election of the president and vice president.

“The office of the President and other elective offices like the senate presidency, speaker and National Assembly officers, the PDP has reasonable control as long as we are in the majority. Those offices could be zoned. But before you zone those offices, the president and the vice president would have first emerged,” Mr Jonathan said.

Going by the result of the elections, the ruling party has the majority of the senators-elect with over 60 of them while the Action Congress of Nigeria, which came second, has about 14. The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has six senators-elect, All Nigeria Peoples Party 7, the Democratic Peoples Party 1, LP 3 and All Progressives Grand Alliance 1. The PDP also won majority of the seats in the House of Representatives.

All eyes on North-Central

Both Mr Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo, both of whom were elected on April 16, are from the South-South and North-West zones. This therefore rules out the two zones from presenting candidates for the four presiding offices of the two chambers of the National Assembly – senate president, deputy senate president, speaker and deputy speaker.

Already, members of the party from the north central zone have commenced intense lobbying of the PDP leadership and some hawks in the presidency to retain the zoning of the senate presidency while those from North-East are demanding that it should be shifted to the zone.

The North-Central zone is anchoring its demand on the fact that the PDP controls five of the six states in the zone. The states are Benue, Plateau, Kogi, Niger and Kwara. The party lost Nasarawa to the CPC. Besides, out of the four zones, it produced the largest number of PDP senators, followed closely by the South-East.

Only four out of the six states in the North-East zone are controlled by the PDP. They are Taraba, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe. Borno State and Yobe were retained by the ANPP.

The South-West zone is not in contention for the position because the PDP won only one senatorial seat in the zone.

A source said the senate president has been lobbying the lawmakers from his zone to have another shot at the senate presidency just as he is said to have promised them juicy committees. Thus, if it is zoned to the North-Central, Mr Mark may have secured an easy victory. Other senators who were re-elected from the North-Central zone include Smart Adeyemi (Kogi), Zainab Kure (Niger), Dahiru Kuta (Niger) and Sule Ajibola (Kwara) have not shown interest in the position because it is not clear if the PDP will retain the position in the zone.

Mr Adeyemi did not respond to text messages yesterday on the issue. Kola Ologbondiyan, the special adviser to the senate president on media, confirmed yesterday that Mr Mark is interested in retaining his position but did not however say, if Mr Mark has been meeting with senators or if he has pledged anything to them.

However, should Goje and Saraki eventually join the race, they might face a tough battle because they are new senators. But an aide of Mr Saraki, said yesterday, “I am not aware of this plot that you are talking about. The man (Saraki) is even out of town.”

Government has
taken steps towards growing the economy with corresponding increase in
people’s welfare and job creation, Vice President Namadi Sambo said
yesterday during this year’s Workers’ Day celebration at the Eagle
Square, Abuja.

Mr Sambo, who stood
in for President Goodluck Jonathan, said his administration places
emphasis on alleviating the socio-economic problems that have
bedevilled the country, with a view to improving the living standards
of the Nigerian workers.

“Government is
committed to tackling our developmental challenges, by among other
things, laying a solid foundation for sustainable poverty reduction,
employment generation, wealth creation, value re-orientation and steady
power supply,” he said.

Mr Sambo also
reminded the workers of the commitment Mr Jonathan made last year,
which was to ensure that the forthcoming elections would become the
reference point for free, fair and credible elections in Africa, to
ensure the demand for relativity in pay in the civil service, and a new
minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

He said all those
promises had been addressed and that government had also signed into
law the Employee Compensation Act, with provisions for an open and fair
system of guaranteed and adequate compensation for workers.

While noting that
appropriate public policy framework to implement the National Action
Plan on Employment Creation is to be adopted as a strategic national
working document and incorporated into the development plans, he said
that in order to provide jobs, the sum of N50bn had been provided for
job creation in the 2011 budget.

While urging the
labour movement to accept responsibilities along with government in its
on-going efforts toward consolidating democracy in the country, the
vice president said “providence has bestowed on Nigeria all it takes
(human and material resources) to make her the real giant of Africa and
to make enormous contributions, regionally and globally”.

He said this can
only be possible if the nation’s immense potential waiting to be
unleashed, and talents to be tapped are harnessed for employment and
wealth creation.

Praise for Jonathan

President of the
Nigerian Labour Congress, Abdulwaheed Omar, expressed his appreciation
to President Jonathan, saying his participation in the May 2010 Workers
Day and the import of his speech led to some remarkable changes, if not
a leap forward, in the conditions of workers and our electoral process.

He congratulated
Messrs Jonathan and Sambo “for emerging victorious in the last
presidential elections through the clear mandate of a majority of the
Nigerian people”.

He also commended
the commitment, courage and integrity of Independent National Electoral
Commission chairman, Attahiru Jega, whom he said has lived up to the
expectations of many Nigerians and the international community.

He urged government
to tackle the issues of unemployment, cost of electricity tariff, high
cost of governance, corruption and implementation of the new minimum
wage which has been signed into law.

Others who spoke at the occasion were the ministers of Federal
Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed; Labour, Productivity and Interior,
Emeka Wogu, and president general of Trade Union Congress of Nigerian,
Peter Esele.

Ogun State
Governor, Gbenga Daniel yesterday called on workers to give adequate
support to his successor, Ibikunle Amosun, who will take over the
mantle of leadership on May 29.

Mr Daniel made the
request while addressing workers at the May Day Celebration held at
Moshood Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta. The governor, who was
represented by the Secretary to the State (SSG), Gbemi Onakoya noted
that though the administration of the state would soon change, the
workers must continue to display those qualities that have made the
state workforce the best in the country. “I deeply appreciate the
cooperation and support my administration enjoyed from the generality
of the work force.” He said. “The giant strides we recorded in all
facets of life have been due to the commitment of the workforce.
Without doubt, we have reciprocated their loyalty through workers
friendly policies and programmes that have made our state outstanding
in terms of workers’ welfare.” He listed some of the worker friendly
initiatives of his administration to include: the construction of a new
workers’ estate, in-service training, employment- which has led to
reduction in unemployment and poverty, regular promotion of staff and
the building of an ultra modern state secretariat to enable civil
servants work in a conducive environment.

Learn from the past

Chairman of the
Trade Union Congress (TUC), Seyi Adebanjo said one of the problems of
the out-going government is an excess of political appointees, which he
noted remain the highest in the history of the country.

“In the last
dispensation, there were too many political appointees, the highest
since Independence in 1960,” the labour leader said. “There are Special
Assistant for Billboard and Signage, special assistant for Soft-Sell
Publications, another special assistant for Television, special
assistant for Media, another special assistant for Local Government
Affairs and many others.” Mr Adebanjo said these officials earned
salaries that are higher than directors in the ministries, “whereas
there are well trained personnel in the ministries and agencies who
could handle all these jobs with minimal cost to the state.” He,
however, advised the in-coming administration to learn from the
mistakes of his predecessor.

Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomhole yesterday called on labour leaders to help promote the
call for better governance in the country. Mr Oshiomhole, who made this
call in his message to Nigerian workers to mark the 2011 May Day
celebration, he said Nigerian workers should stand to be counted in the
struggle for the enthronement of true democracy at all levels in the
country, saying that only leaders who are truly elected by the people
will be accountable to the people, including the workers.

“I salute workers
on the occasion of another May Day today; however workers should not
keep quiet in the face of oppression by political actors,” he said.

“As a matter of
fact, workers’ voices should be loudest in the call for the
enthronement of true democracy, because when political leaders are
truly elected, the interest of workers, the nation’s wealth creators,
will be uppermost in their minds. Conversely, people who rig themselves
into office will only cater for the interests of their political
godfathers and other acolytes.” On the revenue allocation formula, Mr
Oshiomhole, who was a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) said: “The revenue allocation formula gives so much money to
Abuja and Abuja has far more money than it needs. For every one naira
that accrues to the federation, Abuja collects 52 percent of it, then
the states plus FCT plus the 774 local governments collect the
remaining 46.4 percent.

“Workers should
join the clamour for the change in this anomaly so as not to give some
state governments an excuse on the payment of the new minimum wage.”

Good elections

He also praised
President Goodluck Jonathan for providing the political leadership
needed for one man one vote to prevail in the just-concluded general
elections in the country. Speaking at the 2011 Annual Dinner and Awards
of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Lagos
last weekend, Mr Oshiomhole also gave kudos to the Nigerian Army for
its neutral role in the elections and not allowing itself to be used as
an appendage of the ruling party. He said the Army demonstrated its
loyalty to the Nigerian nation and not to any individual or political
party. “President Jonathan, unlike a former President who preached
do-or-die politics, provided the enabling political environment, where
the votes of the people counted and results were not determined by
thugs and bullets,” he said. He said this accounted for the loss of the
ruling party in states like Oyo and Ogun. He also gave special
commendation to the Chief of Army Staff, O.A. Ihejirika for providing
the leadership for the Army to defend democracy, saying, after all,
there was a Chief of Army Staff in 2007 when the controversial general
elections were held.

Following the declaration of Abiola Ajimobi as the Oyo state governor-elect in last week’s governorship election, activities are already moving at fast pace for his May 29 swearing in ceremony.

Already, both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the respective winner and loser of the election, have set up transition committees to work on the process of change of baton between the incumbent governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, and the governor-elect.

Lam Adesina, a former governor of the state and leader of the ACN, at a press briefing on Friday, announced the inauguration of a 15-member committee of the ACN, while the governor appointed a 21-man transition team to work with the in-coming administration so as to ensure a hitch free change of baton’.

Dominated by permanent secretaries in the state civil service, the government team is headed by one Tajudeen Aremu and is expected to furnish the in-coming government’s team with all necessary information without any hindrance.

Meanwhile, the out-going governor had told the state workers that his earlier promise to pay the new minimum wage of N18,000 will be implemented by the in-coming governor.

Mr. Alao-Akala, in his message to the workers on the celebration of Workers’ day yesterday, urged them to be dedicated, hardworking and co-operative with the in-coming government.

He also implored the governor-elect to pay attention to the welfare of the workers to be able to get the best in them.

Mr. Ajimobi, in a separate message to government workers, pledged to give all it takes to ensure meaningful life for government employees and the state’s retirees.

No deprivation

In a release from the director of publicity of his campaign organisation, Yanju Adegbite, the governor-elect said “We are all happy for the change in Oyo State and I congratulate our workers too for witnessing the workers’ day celebration. I assure them all that they will not regret voting for me and my party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, in the last election”.

And to retired workers, he said never again would “the Senior Citizens of our state,’ face the deprivation of their entitlements at a time when they should be savouring the fruits of their years in service”.

The camp of governor-elect also raised alarm on the alleged attempt by some politicians to make last minute withdrawal from government’s treasury as the state prepares to get a new helmsman on May 29.

Mr. Adegbite, who made the allegation in Ibadan at the weekend, warned banks to be watchful as, according to him, the plan was to precipitate cash drought for the incoming government.

“We are by this statement issuing a form of caveat emptor to all banks and other key sectors of the Oyo State economy to be on their guard as attempts are being made to siphon the wealth of the state by agents of the exiting government”.