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Violence: APC Seeks Peace Meeting With PDP
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has restated its call for a meeting of the leadership of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stem the rising cases of violence ahead of next month’s polls.
In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said such a meeting will send a powerful message of zero tolerance to violence to the supporters of both parties, those of other parties and indeed the entire people of Nigeria and the international community, and douse the tension that is building up ahead of the elections.
It said the call is a follow-up to the practical steps that have been taken by the party (APC), dating as far back as May 2014, when it first wrote to the leadership of the PDP calling for such a meeting.
According to the APC, “Following up on a meeting of representatives of both parties in Washington, DC, United States, April 7-8, 2014, under the auspices of the CSIS Nigeria Election Forum, at which it was agreed that a joint meeting of both parties be convened to discuss and agree on the crucial issue of a Code of Conduct for the campaigns and the elections, we wrote a letter to the PDP suggesting a bipartisan meeting to address the issue.
“We have since been following up on the letter, the latest effort being on December 28th, 2014, when we again called for the holding of the bipartisan meeting. Apart from its reply to our initial letter, the PDP has not responded to our peace overtures till date,” APC said.
The party said, however, that whether or not the PDP signs on to such a meeting, the APC – as a peaceful party – will continue to educate its members and supporters on the need to eschew all forms of violence before, during and after the elections.
APC restated its pledge to continue working for violence-free polls next month, even though the opposition party has been at the receiving end of a series of grave acts of violence in recent times, noting, “It is common knowledge that our supporters were shot at three different locations while travelling to Port Harcourt for the inaugural presidential campaign on January 6th, 2015. The police even prevented those of them who were hospitalized and treated for gunshot wounds from being discharged.
“Also, our office in Okrika was bombed on January 11th, 2015. Another major incident is the burning of the Jonathan campaign buses in Jos, which is a PDP-on-PDP violence in the wake of the intra-party crisis in Plateau after an apparently unpopular candidate was rigged in as the party’s governorship flag-bearer in the state. The APC had nothing to do with the Jos violence, even though the PDP has tried to spin it in order to portray our supporters as being behind it,” it added.
“Even then, our Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, moved fast to condemn the violence in Jos. On the contrary, neither President Goodluck Jonathan nor any of his party leaders has condemned the shooting of our supporters and the bombing of our office in Okrika,” the party said.
APC said only the PDP can benefit from acts of violence, because it does not want the forthcoming election to hold, having seen the handwriting on the wall, adding: ”We suspect that is why the party has been cold to our persistent calls for a meeting of the leadership of the two major parties to avert violence.”
The party also expressed curiosity at the escalating Boko Haram crisis in the North-East, saying it fits perfectly into the strategic plan of the PDP to depopulate areas where it is not popular ahead of the election.
It said, however, that Nigerians will reject violence and vote en masse to bring about the much-needed change in the country, instead of the continuity of insecurity, poverty, corruption, bad economy, impunity and bad leadership which the PDP is clamouring for.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.
The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.
According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.
He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.
This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.
The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.
According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.
He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.
“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.
Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.
According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.
As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.
He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.
The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.
He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.
By: King Onunwor
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