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Stop Attacking Jonathan, Group Warns Detractors
A Niger Delta rights group, the Ijaw Liberation Movement (ILM) has warned those attacking former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan for selfish reasons to desist from it or face the wrath of the entire Niger Delta people.
The group, which placed the blame on the doorsteps of egotistic politicians, stated that the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cleared Jonathan of all the accusations of scheming to hand over control of the party structures in Bayelsa State to his cronies.
In a statement by ILM National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Ever, last Wednesday, the group emphasised that the party’s National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi revealed last Tuesday in Abuja how the former President had been striving to protect the same executive committee that was falsely accusing him of interference.
Makarfi said, “When we read some sponsored fake and faceless publications last week, claiming that former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was scheming to dissolve and take over the structure of the People’s Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, we chose to ignore them because we knew they were plain lies.
“We are happy that the party’s national leadership has finally vindicated the peace-loving former president. This came to the fore on Tuesday when the party’s caretaker committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi cautioned the visiting Bayelsa Executive Committee members, who had raised the false alarm, to avoid mischief and rumours, and work for the good of the party in the state.
“We saw shock on their faces when Makarfi bluntly told them that it was even the former President who, on being alerted of a petition by some vested interests for the dissolution of the state executive, called and counselled him to ignore such petitions.
Before then, the purveyors of this sick narrative had been circulating all manner of fabrications and lies supplied to them by their pay masters, against the former president. Since we are not politicians, we however do not begrudge them this ignoble route they have chosen for themselves, in the bid to earn a meal ticket.
“But we were worried that true sons of Ijaw nation could throw caution to the wind, flip their conscience out of the window, and reconcile themselves to circulating barefaced unflattering lies against the only man in the entire Niger Delta to have become President.
“But we are rather worried that this nation has hit this low in hagiography and shadow writing. Otherwise, how will any right thinking Nigerian or Bayelsan ever entertain the thought that the former president would return to the state from his respectable position as the national leader of the party, to begin to drag control of the state structures with anybody?
“Let us even assume without conceding that Jonathan had strangely developed interest in retreating from his God-ordained prominence at the national level and returned to Bayelsa to become a local champion, as they claimed. Which route would have been easier in such situation, for a man of his status?
“Is it by surreptitiously sponsoring anonymous petitions to the party leadership as they mischievously alleged, or directly engaging the party’s national officers, some of who were even his ministers, to achieve whatever end they claim he wanted?
“But this is even at best a needless hypothesis. We are convinced that those apparently running scared of even their own shadows, know, just as we do, that Jonathan, after being Governor of Bayelsa and serving as both the Vice President and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has no other ambition in Bayelsa State.
“These people, in the bid to whip up sentiment against Jonathan, also claimed that his aim was to seize the state platform as a launch-pad for a yet to be declared 2019 presidential ambition. If not for the momentary warped pleasure of mischief, would anybody even be talking about this, since it is clear to all loyal PDP members that the party has zoned the next presidential ticket away from Jonathan’s South-South zone, to the north?
“We believe that Jonathan is actually not bothered by all these baseless and nonsensical allegations, given the way he has ignored them”.
“Our worry is that those who sponsor and selfishly seek to benefit from this sick script do not care about the dangerous threat their sinister plot poses to peace and security in Niger Delta and Bayelsa State. We believe this consideration must have been responsible for Dr. Jonathan’s avuncular disposition.
“As a peace advocate who goes around the globe to preach and galvanize world communities to peace and progress, Jonathan is fully aware of the danger that lurks in the shadows, whenever some soulless politicians deceive and mobilize the youths for the wrong reasons.
“We have recent examples in the Niger Delta where such wrong-headed mobilisation and incitement had led to massive destruction of properties and even loss of lives. We note with pride that Jonathan has maintained a dignified silence despite all the lies his enemies have been heaping on his head. We see that as the height of statesmanship.
“As the national leader of the party and a well celebrated man of peace, we have no doubt in our minds, that Jonathan will not join issues with those hired hands and their puppeteers, no matter the level of provocation.
“We will continue to celebrate him as our democracy icon and the pride of Ijaw nation, because we believe he had served the nation diligently, in good conscience, to the best of his abilities.
“In the interest of peace, we enjoin the former President’s misguided traducers to retrace their steps from the wrong route of bitter politics, and join hands with other well meaning compatriots, to work for the Peace and progress, not only of Bayelsa, but of the entire country,” Makarfi added.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.