PDP Crisis: How Shekarau, Mantu, Nnamani, others plan to form new party

DAILY POST

By Seun Opejobi 

There are indications that the current crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken another turn as some top members of the party are said to have met to discuss how to form a new party.

The alleged plan for a new party is said to have been spearheaded by the former governor of Kano State and former Education minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, ex-Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido and erstwhile Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, Daily Trust reports.

According to the report, others said to be involved in the alleged scheme include, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed, former deputy governor in the old Sokoto State, Ahmed Muhammed Gusau, former governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Adamu Maina Waziri, Ibrahim Idris, Aminu Wali, Abba Dabo, John Odey and Aniete Okon.

The newspaper also claimed that a onetime Senate president, Ken Nnamani, is the interim leader of the group.

Mallam Shekarau was understood to have last week hosted 23 members of the group in his house in Abuja while there had also been meetings in Nnamani’s office.

A source closed to Shekarau who spoke with the newspaper said, “Yes, we are trying to rebrand and weed out bad eggs in the party and it is the process that will lead to the formation of a new party,”

“Initially, we had two options, that is, whether to rebrand the PDP or form a new party.

“Arguments are in favour of the formation of the party, hence resolution of our bigwigs. The direction now is the formation of a new party but we will definitely draw for the resources of the PDP to make headway.”

I Won’t Relent In Project Execution, Wike Assures Rivers People

DAILY INDEPENDENT

 

By Daniel Abia

P/Harcourt

Still basking in the euphoria of the landmark judgment by the Supreme Court, Governor Nyesom Wike has assured the people of the state that his administration  will  sustain  the  tempo  of projects  execution that will benefit  all communities. 

 

Addressing reporters after inspecting some on-going projects in Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor  and Port Harcourt  Local Government Areas on Saturday,  Governor Wike said that funding  of all projects would go ahead as planned irrespective of the short fall in global moil price. 

 

He expressed satisfaction  with the pace and quality  of  work at all the project sites visited, noting that the contractors  were living up to expectations. 

 

Governor Wike noted that residents  of  the  three local government  areas visited were happy that abandoned  and new projects were being completed  by the  administration. 

 

He said: “We are  happy with the  quality  of  work being executed  by the contractors in the areas we inspected today. In just two weeks  after our last inspection  visit, pace of  work  has improved .

 

“I assure the people of the state and the contractors  that funding will not be a challenge.  We shall drive all projects to their  logical conclusion “.

 

The governor particularly  assured  that  work on the new LNG bridge in Port Harcourt will be completed soon. 

 

Wike who intermittently acknowledged cheers from the crown was accompanied  on  the  inspection visit by the Sole Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority, Ambassador Desmond Akawor and PDP  Candidate for the Port Harcourt 1 Federal Constituency, Barrister Ken Chikere. 

 

This is the first inspection visit of the governor after his victory at the Supreme Court last Wednesday. 

PDP Chairmanship: Adamawa Rejects Gulak, Settles For Juta

   ….I May  Still go To Court, Gulak Threatens.

Gulak

The desire of Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan,  to become the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in place of Adamu Mu’azu who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2015 general elections, has suffered further setback.

Gulak’s home state of Adamawa has rejected him and nominated Ambassador Wilberforce .Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, as it’s choice to replace and complete Mu’azu’s tenure.

However, Gulak has rejected the decision of his home state saying the party as a whole has lost the opportunity to nominate a replacement for Mu’azu, and therefore, he (Gulak) remains the National Chairman of PDP.

It would be recalled that Gulak had won a court case against the PDP for refusing to allow someone from the Northeast occupy the Chairmanship seat of the party since the exit of Mu’azu, with Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus occupying the seat in aacting capacity.

Though, the party constitution stipulates a maximum of three months for anyone occupying the position in acting capacity, Secondus has spent more than seven months in the position.

Last Wednesday, Gulak, armed with copies of the court judgement which ousted Secondus, stormed the party secretariat to declare himself the National Chairman of the party, insisting that the 14 days time-frame ordered by the court for the implementation of its order has elapsed.

The rest members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party rejected the self declaration made by Gulak, while the governors elected on the platform of the party, quickly put together an emergency meeting in Abuja same day to discuss the issues.

At the end of their meeting, the governors rejected Gulak as National Chairman, while also asking Secondus to vacate office as Acting Chairman and allow the National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo to assume control of the party pending when a new candidate will be forwarded to the party by the North-East zone.

The meeting of the North-East zone caucus of the party has been fixed for Tuesday where a new candidate will be picked, while the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is slated for Thursday where the nominee from the zone will be ratified and allowed to take office.

Ahead of the Northeast meeting, stakeholders of PDP in Adamawa  state met on Thursday and resolved to seek the support of other states in the zone towards ensuring that the seat returns to Adamawa home state of both Mu’azu and Gulak.

However, the Adamawa stakeholders have rejected Gulak as it’s choice of candidate for the replacement, preferring to nominate Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding members  of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the post of the National Chairman of PDP.

The decision to pick Ambassador Juta was contained in a letter signed by Chief Joel Hammanjoda Madaki, Chairman, PDP, Adamawa State copied to the National Vice Chairman, PDP, North East and copied to Acting National Chairman, PDP, Uche Secondus.

The letter reads; “The State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamawa State Chapter after due consultation with party Stakeholders in the State and beyond, and having thoroughly deliberated intensively on the issue of the position of the National Chairman of  the party has resolved as follows:

“That, it is imperative the PDP resuscitates itself as a key political party for the purpose of both proffering effective opposition and an alternative platform to ruling APC Government.

“That, such a repositioning need the support of the people as well as a strong experienced and rose tanks personally with impeccable integrity to lead the party as its National Chairman.

“That, it is in the best interest of the PartyCha in the State that the position of the National Chairman of the PDP returns to Adamawa State.

“That, it is hereby resolved to support the candidature  of Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding me,bears of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the called post of the National Chairman of PDP.

“That, it is our conviction therefore, that Amb. Juta can well deliver in this onerous assignment.

“That, the Party( PDP) is calling up on all other interested members to patriotically lay down their personal ambition for the heightened interests of the Party in Adamawa State.

“That, the State Working Committee of the PDP in Adamawa State commends the efforts of those who stood up to be counted in this noble goal of salvaging the Party. and taken after wide and extensive consultations  is  in the best interest of our great party and Adamawa State

“That, we believe this decision taken after a wide and extensive consultations, is in the best interest of our great Party and Adamawa”.

However, Gulak has described as laughable the moves being made by the party to submit a replacement for Mu’azu, insisting that the party as a whole has lost the chance to fulfil the 14-days ultimatum given to it by the court to bring a replacement from the northeast.

He insisted that having declared himself the chairman of the party, he remains the leader of the party.

He said if anything to the contrary was done by the party, he will head to court once again to challenge the action of the party for its refusal to. Recognise him as the party chairman.

He spoke through Honourable Bernard Mikko.

 Mikko said:” The party was given 14 days to bring another person from the Northeast and it failed to do that. So, the window to do that has elapsed. Anything they do now will be challenged.

“Why did they have to wait for Gulak to activate the process?

“This is where they are in fault. Why did the governors of Taraba and Gombe not call a meeting of the North-east and nominate a candidate? They had seven months after the resignation of Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu to do this but they refused.

“The North-east shouldn’t think the entire party will be subjected to their whims and caprices.”

PDP Chairmanship: Adamawa Rejects Gulak, Settles For Juta

   ….I May  Still go To Court, Gulak Threatens.

Gulak

The desire of Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan,  to become the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in place of Adamu Mu’azu who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2015 general elections, has suffered further setback.

Gulak’s home state of Adamawa has rejected him and nominated Ambassador Wilberforce .Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, as it’s choice to replace and complete Mu’azu’s tenure.

However, Gulak has rejected the decision of his home state saying the party as a whole has lost the opportunity to nominate a replacement for Mu’azu, and therefore, he (Gulak) remains the National Chairman of PDP.

It would be recalled that Gulak had won a court case against the PDP for refusing to allow someone from the Northeast occupy the Chairmanship seat of the party since the exit of Mu’azu, with Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus occupying the seat in aacting capacity.

Though, the party constitution stipulates a maximum of three months for anyone occupying the position in acting capacity, Secondus has spent more than seven months in the position.

Last Wednesday, Gulak, armed with copies of the court judgement which ousted Secondus, stormed the party secretariat to declare himself the National Chairman of the party, insisting that the 14 days time-frame ordered by the court for the implementation of its order has elapsed.

The rest members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party rejected the self declaration made by Gulak, while the governors elected on the platform of the party, quickly put together an emergency meeting in Abuja same day to discuss the issues.

At the end of their meeting, the governors rejected Gulak as National Chairman, while also asking Secondus to vacate office as Acting Chairman and allow the National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo to assume control of the party pending when a new candidate will be forwarded to the party by the North-East zone.

The meeting of the North-East zone caucus of the party has been fixed for Tuesday where a new candidate will be picked, while the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is slated for Thursday where the nominee from the zone will be ratified and allowed to take office.

Ahead of the Northeast meeting, stakeholders of PDP in Adamawa  state met on Thursday and resolved to seek the support of other states in the zone towards ensuring that the seat returns to Adamawa home state of both Mu’azu and Gulak.

However, the Adamawa stakeholders have rejected Gulak as it’s choice of candidate for the replacement, preferring to nominate Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding members  of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the post of the National Chairman of PDP.

The decision to pick Ambassador Juta was contained in a letter signed by Chief Joel Hammanjoda Madaki, Chairman, PDP, Adamawa State copied to the National Vice Chairman, PDP, North East and copied to Acting National Chairman, PDP, Uche Secondus.

The letter reads; “The State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamawa State Chapter after due consultation with party Stakeholders in the State and beyond, and having thoroughly deliberated intensively on the issue of the position of the National Chairman of  the party has resolved as follows:

“That, it is imperative the PDP resuscitates itself as a key political party for the purpose of both proffering effective opposition and an alternative platform to ruling APC Government.

“That, such a repositioning need the support of the people as well as a strong experienced and rose tanks personally with impeccable integrity to lead the party as its National Chairman.

“That, it is in the best interest of the PartyCha in the State that the position of the National Chairman of the PDP returns to Adamawa State.

“That, it is hereby resolved to support the candidature  of Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding me,bears of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the called post of the National Chairman of PDP.

“That, it is our conviction therefore, that Amb. Juta can well deliver in this onerous assignment.

“That, the Party( PDP) is calling up on all other interested members to patriotically lay down their personal ambition for the heightened interests of the Party in Adamawa State.

“That, the State Working Committee of the PDP in Adamawa State commends the efforts of those who stood up to be counted in this noble goal of salvaging the Party. and taken after wide and extensive consultations  is  in the best interest of our great party and Adamawa State

“That, we believe this decision taken after a wide and extensive consultations, is in the best interest of our great Party and Adamawa”.

However, Gulak has described as laughable the moves being made by the party to submit a replacement for Mu’azu, insisting that the party as a whole has lost the chance to fulfil the 14-days ultimatum given to it by the court to bring a replacement from the northeast.

He insisted that having declared himself the chairman of the party, he remains the leader of the party.

He said if anything to the contrary was done by the party, he will head to court once again to challenge the action of the party for its refusal to. Recognise him as the party chairman.

He spoke through Honourable Bernard Mikko.

 Mikko said:” The party was given 14 days to bring another person from the Northeast and it failed to do that. So, the window to do that has elapsed. Anything they do now will be challenged.

“Why did they have to wait for Gulak to activate the process?

“This is where they are in fault. Why did the governors of Taraba and Gombe not call a meeting of the North-east and nominate a candidate? They had seven months after the resignation of Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu to do this but they refused.

“The North-east shouldn’t think the entire party will be subjected to their whims and caprices.”

PDP Chairmanship: Adamawa Rejects Gulak, Settles For Juta

   ….I May  Still go To Court, Gulak Threatens.

Gulak

The desire of Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan,  to become the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in place of Adamu Mu’azu who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2015 general elections, has suffered further setback.

Gulak’s home state of Adamawa has rejected him and nominated Ambassador Wilberforce .Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, as it’s choice to replace and complete Mu’azu’s tenure.

However, Gulak has rejected the decision of his home state saying the party as a whole has lost the opportunity to nominate a replacement for Mu’azu, and therefore, he (Gulak) remains the National Chairman of PDP.

It would be recalled that Gulak had won a court case against the PDP for refusing to allow someone from the Northeast occupy the Chairmanship seat of the party since the exit of Mu’azu, with Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus occupying the seat in aacting capacity.

Though, the party constitution stipulates a maximum of three months for anyone occupying the position in acting capacity, Secondus has spent more than seven months in the position.

Last Wednesday, Gulak, armed with copies of the court judgement which ousted Secondus, stormed the party secretariat to declare himself the National Chairman of the party, insisting that the 14 days time-frame ordered by the court for the implementation of its order has elapsed.

The rest members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party rejected the self declaration made by Gulak, while the governors elected on the platform of the party, quickly put together an emergency meeting in Abuja same day to discuss the issues.

At the end of their meeting, the governors rejected Gulak as National Chairman, while also asking Secondus to vacate office as Acting Chairman and allow the National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo to assume control of the party pending when a new candidate will be forwarded to the party by the North-East zone.

The meeting of the North-East zone caucus of the party has been fixed for Tuesday where a new candidate will be picked, while the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is slated for Thursday where the nominee from the zone will be ratified and allowed to take office.

Ahead of the Northeast meeting, stakeholders of PDP in Adamawa  state met on Thursday and resolved to seek the support of other states in the zone towards ensuring that the seat returns to Adamawa home state of both Mu’azu and Gulak.

However, the Adamawa stakeholders have rejected Gulak as it’s choice of candidate for the replacement, preferring to nominate Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding members  of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the post of the National Chairman of PDP.

The decision to pick Ambassador Juta was contained in a letter signed by Chief Joel Hammanjoda Madaki, Chairman, PDP, Adamawa State copied to the National Vice Chairman, PDP, North East and copied to Acting National Chairman, PDP, Uche Secondus.

The letter reads; “The State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamawa State Chapter after due consultation with party Stakeholders in the State and beyond, and having thoroughly deliberated intensively on the issue of the position of the National Chairman of  the party has resolved as follows:

“That, it is imperative the PDP resuscitates itself as a key political party for the purpose of both proffering effective opposition and an alternative platform to ruling APC Government.

“That, such a repositioning need the support of the people as well as a strong experienced and rose tanks personally with impeccable integrity to lead the party as its National Chairman.

“That, it is in the best interest of the PartyCha in the State that the position of the National Chairman of the PDP returns to Adamawa State.

“That, it is hereby resolved to support the candidature  of Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding me,bears of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the called post of the National Chairman of PDP.

“That, it is our conviction therefore, that Amb. Juta can well deliver in this onerous assignment.

“That, the Party( PDP) is calling up on all other interested members to patriotically lay down their personal ambition for the heightened interests of the Party in Adamawa State.

“That, the State Working Committee of the PDP in Adamawa State commends the efforts of those who stood up to be counted in this noble goal of salvaging the Party. and taken after wide and extensive consultations  is  in the best interest of our great party and Adamawa State

“That, we believe this decision taken after a wide and extensive consultations, is in the best interest of our great Party and Adamawa”.

However, Gulak has described as laughable the moves being made by the party to submit a replacement for Mu’azu, insisting that the party as a whole has lost the chance to fulfil the 14-days ultimatum given to it by the court to bring a replacement from the northeast.

He insisted that having declared himself the chairman of the party, he remains the leader of the party.

He said if anything to the contrary was done by the party, he will head to court once again to challenge the action of the party for its refusal to. Recognise him as the party chairman.

He spoke through Honourable Bernard Mikko.

 Mikko said:” The party was given 14 days to bring another person from the Northeast and it failed to do that. So, the window to do that has elapsed. Anything they do now will be challenged.

“Why did they have to wait for Gulak to activate the process?

“This is where they are in fault. Why did the governors of Taraba and Gombe not call a meeting of the North-east and nominate a candidate? They had seven months after the resignation of Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu to do this but they refused.

“The North-east shouldn’t think the entire party will be subjected to their whims and caprices.”

BIAFRA| Niger Delta Militants Threaten To Blow Up Hijacked Ship and Crew

Posted By: Breaking Times

Niger Delta ex-militants in support of the secession and Sovereignty of the State of Biafra has claimed responsibility for the hijack of a ship on Friday along the Bakassi Pennisula Nigeria coastal line.

The group which had earlier given Federal Government of Nigeria a 31-day ultimatum to release Nnamdi Kanu said the concerned Niger Delta agitators were abreast with the incarceration of Kanu.

The group’s spokesperson who gave his name as General Ben, Speaking in Port Harcourt,  threatened that they would blow up the vessel with the expatriates on-board, if the government continues to pussyfoot over Kanu’s release.

“We cannot wait till the end of the 31 days to tell the Federal Government that we are serious. The vessel and the crew are under custody”.
“Any noise, any delay from government, we will blow up everything. We will blow the vessel and everybody in the vessel will go down. “We are not interested in the country that owns the vessel. What we know is that the vessel was coming to Nigeria to lift oil. We are not interested;; once it is blown up, let the country and Nigeria resolve the matter”.

“We are in touch with everything happening around the IPOB leader”.

“Now, court has denied him bail, saying because of his dual citizenship, he might jump bail. We also heard that the judge said he would rather give the matter an accelerated hearing.

This is provocative;; hence we did not waste time to go into action. We are in support of the Biafra struggle.

We will not retreat or surrender. “The federal government might have taken our ultimatum as an empty threat. But, we will surprise them,” he stated.

The group also reacted to the Supreme Court verdict, which upheld the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, saying that it saved the state from bloodshed, saying the state would have been overwhelmed by crisis, warning any government against sabotaging the IPOB agitation of the consequences.

Re-run elections: Peterside to lead APC’s campaign in Rivers

DAILY POST
By Daily Post Staff 

Dr Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, has promised to lead the party`s campaign for the re-run legislative elections in the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission said it had tentatively fixed Feb. 6 for the elections.

Elections will be held in the three Senatorial Districts, 11 House of Representatives Seats and 22 of the 32 state assembly seats.

Peterside disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting of the party in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

“I will be in every local government and villages to campaign for our candidates. I want to assure you that we shall not lose one seat.

“All you need to do as stakeholders and supporters is to do your part. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to provide a level playing ground for all parties,’’ he said.

Peterside said the APC would prove to the world that it was the popular party that the people want in the state.

He urged leaders and members of the APC to put behind the loss of the governorship case at the Supreme Court and work for the party’s victory.

Sen. Magnus Abe, APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, said the Supreme Court took its decision on the law and as democrats and Nigerians, the party was bound by it.

Abe said the court was the apex court in the land and members of APC were bound to accept its decision as democrats and progressives that believe in the rule of law.

“If we will not submit to the jurisdiction of the courts, we will not have filed the case. We give God glory and we accept the judgment of the court.

“The Supreme Court decided the case on the law, it was a legal decision, it is not necessarily the decision of Rivers people but we are bound by that decision,’’ Abe remarked.

The former lawmaker thanked God that same judicial process had given Rivers people the opportunity to make their own decision.

“The decision of the people will not be based on the law, it will be based on the prime principle of democracy which is a decision of the majority.

“The case in the Supreme Court between PDP and APC was decided on the law but the case in the polling units will be decided by Rivers people,’’ he said.

Abe commended Peterside for fighting a good fight for the party and the people of the state.

“I thank you for the statement that you released on behalf of us. It was wise, principled, democratic, fair and right,’’ Abe added.

Chief Davies Ikanya, state Chairman of APC, urged the people that defected to the party not to worry because they took the right decision.

“The decision to join APC is a right decision as it was not based on any court ruling. It is based on your conviction that APC is where to be for Rivers people.

“I congratulate you all for joining the party to fight a good course and I know that more people will join us to fight and liberate the state,’’ Ikanya said.

Ikanya said the APC would continue to mobilise more people to join it to win all the legislative seats in the rerun elections.

He said the party was peace loving and very much interested in the development of the state.

The state APC women leader, Mrs Caroline Nagbo, assured all the candidates that the women would not disappoint them as they would mobilise and vote for APC.

Nagbo urged the women to remain steadfast and focused. (NAN)Re-run Elections: Peterside to lead APC’s campaign in Rivers
NAN-H-41
Rerun
Port Harcourt, Jan. 30, 2016 (NAN) Dr Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, has promised to lead the party`s campaign for the re-run legislative elections in the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission said it had tentatively fixed Feb. 6 for the elections.

Elections will be held in the three Senatorial Districts, 11 House of Representatives Seats and 22 of the 32 state assembly seats.

Peterside disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting of the party in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

“I will be in every local government and villages to campaign for our candidates. I want to assure you that we shall not lose one seat.

“All you need to do as stakeholders and supporters is to do your part. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to provide a level playing ground for all parties,’’ he said.

Peterside said the APC would prove to the world that it was the popular party that the people want in the state.

He urged leaders and members of the APC to put behind the loss of the governorship case at the Supreme Court and work for the party’s victory.

Sen. Magnus Abe, APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, said the Supreme Court took its decision on the law and as democrats and Nigerians, the party was bound by it.

Abe said the court was the apex court in the land and members of APC were bound to accept its decision as democrats and progressives that believe in the rule of law.

“If we will not submit to the jurisdiction of the courts, we will not have filed the case. We give God glory and we accept the judgment of the court.

“The Supreme Court decided the case on the law, it was a legal decision, it is not necessarily the decision of Rivers people but we are bound by that decision,’’ Abe remarked.

The former lawmaker thanked God that same judicial process had given Rivers people the opportunity to make their own decision.

“The decision of the people will not be based on the law, it will be based on the prime principle of democracy which is a decision of the majority.

“The case in the Supreme Court between PDP and APC was decided on the law but the case in the polling units will be decided by Rivers people,’’ he said.

Abe commended Peterside for fighting a good fight for the party and the people of the state.

“I thank you for the statement that you released on behalf of us. It was wise, principled, democratic, fair and right,’’ Abe added.

Chief Davies Ikanya, state Chairman of APC, urged the people that defected to the party not to worry because they took the right decision.

“The decision to join APC is a right decision as it was not based on any court ruling. It is based on your conviction that APC is where to be for Rivers people.

“I congratulate you all for joining the party to fight a good course and I know that more people will join us to fight and liberate the state,’’ Ikanya said.

Ikanya said the APC would continue to mobilise more people to join it to win all the legislative seats in the rerun elections.

He said the party was peace loving and very much interested in the development of the state.

The state APC women leader, Mrs Caroline Nagbo, assured all the candidates that the women would not disappoint them as they would mobilise and vote for APC.

Nagbo urged the women to remain steadfast and focused. (NAN)

BREAKING: SITUATION REPORT Pictures from Lagos Boat Mishap

(VIEWER DISCRETION)

Posted By: Breaking Times

Below are pictures from the boat accident that happened at Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday. The boat was reportedly conveying about 20 people.  7 people are confirmed dead and 8 others still missing. The boat capsized at about 10.20am.

     

By Osita Duru @radicalyouthman

The Online Warriors – By Reuben Abati

Breaking Times

Posted By: Breaking Times

My criticisms of the excesses of the online phenomenon in terms of its brazen abuse in an unregulated environment has often made me the target of attacks, with many insisting on quoting the opening paragraph of a piece I once wrote along these lines as if it is a memorial verse, but further developments have shown that indeed, liberal, accommodative, useful and open as the growth of the new media may seem in Nigeria, we may well, if care is not taken, be dealing with a dangerous tool in the hands of the unscrupulous which could drive society towards the lunatic fringe.

The beauty of the new media is its democratic temper. With any electronic device, anyone at all, can set up a communications unit, using a phone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop, and simply occupy the social space and broadcast information which in a matter of minutes may go viral and condition public opinion. It grants the person involved absolute freedom, even anonymity, dangerous anonymity of self, space and location, but the worst part of it is the freedom from decency, responsibility and conscience. And so while so much good can be done by persons exchanging information, and as has turned out, creative jokes and skits which entertain and amuse, a lot of evil can be committed through resort to blackmail, abuse, and mischief.

This dangerous dimension is beginning to grow in different directions and the latest that I have seen is what seems to be the emergence of cartels, or perhaps cabals in the online industry, with various persons organizing themselves into groups, and if this were to be a sign of freedom of association exercised by like minds, it would be commendable. But rather what is emerging is bitter rivalry among the various groups, a fierce struggle for territory, unhealthy, cut-throat competition, and a desperation to out-do each other.  The group warriors are not necessarily fighting for any great ideal, but ego, power, privilege and access to the corridors of power.

I happen to have suddenly become a victim in the midst of this turf-fighting, as my name this week was drawn into a cat fight between two groups: the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN). These are two of the emerging groups but there are others: Association of Online Bloggers, Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP), the Online Magazines Publishers Association (OMPA). And who knows, there may well be the Association of What’s App Users, the Nigerian Association of Twitter Voltrons, Association of Nigerian BBM Users, National Association of Chat Group Administrators, all of them fighting over influence, space, and patronage. This politicization of the online business can only in the long run diminish its influence and promote opportunism.

The case that I refer to was triggered by a meeting in Lagos, between the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a group of online publishers under the umbrella of GOCOP. This prompted a rival group, the OPAN to issue a statement accusing Alhaji Mohammed of meeting with the wrong group and ignoring the main stakeholders. There has been serious “blood-sharing” since then. GOCOP issued a rejoinder in which it attacked OPAN.  And my name was brought in.  I was accused of being the spirit behind OPAN, and an attempt was made to set me up against Femi Adesina, my successor as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of Nigeria. Femi was given special praise, he being a Trustee of GOCOP, so the whole thing is projected as OPAN being pro-Jonathan and GOCOP being pro-Buhari.

I was also accused of having influenced the Corporate Affairs Commission to block the registration of NOPA, the first name that the other group had chosen when it sought formal registration. I was alleged to have used the powers of the Presidency to victimize members of then NOPA, who eventually adopted a new name and got registered. But obviously, the aggrieved were looking for an opportunity to go after me. And they believe the time is now right and that their facts are right, hence they threatened to release “documents”.

They are wrong. Here are the facts:  I was invited to be a Trustee of OPAN in 2010 when I was still Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian. I was at the time involved either as a Trustee or contributor to many social causes – motherless children’s homes, special children, book reading clubs, girl child education projects, and hence, adding to that list a group that defined its objective as developing standards in the emerging online space was not a problem for me. I agreed to be a Trustee of OPAN and I made inputs into the drafting of the philosophy of the group. It had become clear by then that the online space was bound to grow and that there was a need for an articulation of ethical and professional standards, which may not be officially imposed but which could provide a basis for the insistence on a responsible use of the internet to promote serious issues. OPAN secured registration with the CAC, but it remained in a formative stage throughout the period I was in office, and was only formally launched late 2015. I did not even attend the launching ceremony. Having seen that the group had finally found its rhythm and its objectives properly defined, I offered to step down from the Board of Trustees.  I got to know of the bitter fight over CAC registration between GOCOP and OPAN in the press release issued by the former.

Let me make this clear: I could not have been involved in that fight. The CAC is a statutory body and I believe it is in a position to defend its integrity. Anyone knows that the CAC conducts name-search before registering any organization and where any conflict in identity is subsequently reported, it has its own mechanism for resolving such. If NOPA and OPAN were fighting over nomenclature, it was the job of the CAC to resolve that, not the Presidency. In any case, my office could not have supported one group of online publishers against another, because that would have been counter-productive.  My assignment required me to relate regularly with website owners, bloggers, and all categories of journalists and they all published our materials. I have made it clear privately that I probably received more support from members of GOCOP, many of whom I had always known and with whom I had shared happier moments, particularly at the St Bottles’ Cathedral in Lagos: our hang-out in those days.

But I see that twice in the past eight months, there have been curious attempts to pitch me against my successor, Femi Adesina. In the imagination of a dubious minority, I am supposed to be fighting him and make his work difficult. I can imagine the kind of stories that may have been going back and forth, invented by persons looking for what to eat. I have been there and I know how it is. But Femi and I have never fought over anything and we have absolutely no reason to fight. I am out. He is in. Life goes on. I have nothing against him or the PMB government. In 2015, the Nigerian people made a choice and spoke. It is a choice that we respect.

But as if all that is not plain enough, the latest that I have seen is a 2012 private e-mail “document” purportedly leaked to Sahara Reporters giving the impression that I worked with an online group to undermine Sahara Reporters in defence of the Jonathan Government, and of course the sub-text is to link me with the current war of the online publishers. This has to do with an e-mail, which the Association of Nigerian Online Publishers (ANOP) sent to a third party which was forwarded to me. I was then hearing about ANOP for the first time.

I forwarded the mail to the main promoter of OPAN, the only one of such groups that was known to me then and I only wanted to know if this was the same group, given the striking similarity. The leaked mail is one of many such unsolicited proposals and suggestions that came to my desk. Nothing came out of it thereafter, and I had no reason to worry about that innocuous incident until now. I took an oath of office to defend the interests of the people, President and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I did my bit, but it was not the style of that administration or my office to intimidate, gag, frustrate or undermine the free media. I had direct access to Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.

Throughout my four years on the job, he used every single press release that we issued and always listened to my many protestations. He always insisted however, that he had his facts, and that he knew more insiders than I could ever imagine. I was always shocked how State House documents and inside stories regularly found their way to his desk, and how on the day the President’s brother died, he had published the story even before anyone in Aso Rock knew. If the leaked e-mail proves anything, it is that he and his own colleagues are involved in a bitter rivalry, and that there is indeed a war of online operators and this can only get worse with everyone these days, becoming a blogger or online publisher.   This poses a serious challenge for media, reputation, and perception managers who must continuously swim in an ocean of sharks, alligators and piranhas. If you relate with A, you could offend B. And if you receive a mail from C, you could get into trouble, not knowing which cartel or cabal you are dealing with.

The truth, if we must say so, is that the social media in Nigeria has become a battle-ground for survival. It is no longer about young people playing with a phone or a laptop, it is big business, and where the stomach or sheer rivalry, is involved, we can see that persons are ready to shed blood, shred reputations and break jaws. It is most unfortunate that this positive force that could be used for the good of society is finally going the way of all things. The other truth is that the big war of communications is no longer fought on the pages of newspapers, but online and all the bad habits of old have been transported, without any ethical restraint. This is where the real danger lies.

The challenge is to insist that online journalists, publishers, bloggers and tweeters must be held down to certain prudential standards of practice. The in-fighting is unnecessary. The various associations can be useful as vehicles of self-regulation, and for promoting values and best options.  They should not become special purpose mechanisms for patronizing politicians and political office holders.

OBJ PLEASE DON'T WRITE ME By D-One Ayekoto

POSTED BY ADEPOJU ADEYEMI
I'm not a fan of OBJ but one of my prayer points has always been that may Obasanjo never write me a letter. Obasanjo may have done exact or more evil than whoever he's writing to admonish but while OBJ always escape repercussions, whoever he writes to admonish are not always lucky.....I inquired sometimes to know how a man who is glaringly not perfect, escapes nemesis, and still will not stop to bring out similar faults of others, it was then I discovered that, indeed "Jacob I loved, Esau I hate...." OBJ's involvement in any issue signifies the imminent end of that issue. Why did I say so? OBJ was not too involved in the civil war, others were fighting but suddenly, OBJ was drafted to take over the 3rd Marine Commando, and a war that has been fought for 2.5 years ended few months after. To him Biafran Soldiers surrendered completely and he brought them all to Lagos and handed them over to Gowon!!!! Today, he is viewed as the man who conquered Biafra. It wasn't his will really to lead Nigeria but when Murtala died and he was unanimously selected by the military. OBJ is the first military head of state in Nigeria(if not Africa) to handover powers to the civilian....although, through some shady elections, he handed over to his preferred candidate Shehu Shagari. OBJ didn't spare Shagari when the latter was soaked in mismanagement of the economy. He wrote him. A few months after, the military smashed Shagari government......in 1995, he secretly wrote to Abacha and described him as a stone age dictator...he also refused to settle Abacha rift with Mandela...the letter landed him in trouble. He was almost killed. But after his death sentence was converted into prison terms, he wrote another letter to Abacha titled NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT.....Where he said, "I was a head of state yesterday, today, I'm in jail. You're the head of state today, tomorrow, your condition may be worse than mine...". LOL....Indeed, Abacha's future was worse as he ended inside the grave!!! OBJ didn't write himself while in power but instead wrote his deputy, Atiku Abubakar. Atiku has become a shadow of his pre-1999 self since then. It wasn't clear whether he wrote Yar'adua, a terminally ill former Katsina governor he imposed on Nigeria....but he came out publicly and asked him to resign!!! OBJ is one former ruler who hates conspiratory diplomacy and boring protocol.....no former head of state does it better. Although, he also imposed the Ineffectual Buffon(According to the Economist), Jonathan whose damage to Nigeria no get part two, yet, when GEJ corruption reached a level that satan was afraid of Nigeria and even Mobutu in his grave described Jonathan as corrupt(so I heard).....OBJ didn't spare his imposed devil, he wrote him in a letter titled BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE......But it was actually late before the letter was written. Jonathan, today, has become a sorrowful history to which many Nigerians don't know why such evil befell us as a nation. Jonathan was a monumental disaster!!! OBJ's latest letter was written to the Saraki led NASS. The NASS leadership brought about by forgery and deceit of other members. The NASS where the SP was a former robbery suspect, DSP a forger, SL alleged boko haram sponsor, minority leader recently attempted to transfer a huge amount of dollars to a safer place. What a NASS???? OBJ in his letter, advised them to stop their corruption and think Nigeria for once. Their reply too is the usual reply OBJ gets from every letter he writes to public officers.....insults, denials and mockery. Unfortunately, anyone he writes is always destroyed thereafter, especially after their expected reply. OBJ, Please don't write me....... I don't have sacrifice money in my house!!!••••••• 

Happy Sunday