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Break-Up Warning: Ohanaeze, PANDEF, Afenifere, Others Back VP …ACF Cautions Osibanjo Over Utterance
The socio-political groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Pan Niger Delta Forum, on Monday, said the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo’s warning that cracks in the country could lead to its break-up should not be taken for granted.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and PANDEF, in separate interviews with newsmen, supported the Vice President, saying Nigerians could not continue to live in denial.
But the northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), admitted that there were unhealthy cracks in Nigeria.
It, however, said the Vice-President should not make statements that would worsen tension in the country.
Osibanjo, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, at an interdenominational church service in Abuja on Sunday to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary, said, “Our walls are not yet broken, but there are obvious cracks that could lead to a break, if not properly addressed.”
At the service, the SGF read Osibanjo’s speech.
In its reaction, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, agreed with the Vice President that cracks in Nigeria could lead to its break-up.
The National Publicity Secretary and acting Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, said the Vice President’s concerns weren’t different from what other Nigerians had been saying.
Achi-Okpaga said government was not making efforts to address the problems, adding that prayers were not enough.
Although he described Osibanjo as a man of unimpeachable character, who knows where the problems of Nigeria lie, he noted that it was not enough to ask Nigerians to pray.
Achi-Okpaga said, “By his pedigree as the Vice President of Nigeria, law professor and pastor, he knows where the shoes pinch the government.
“In so many areas, he is right. You can’t take his words for granted. He has been inside there and he knows where the shoes pinch the government and the people of Nigeria. So, when he drops a word like that you can always know he is serious and he knows the nitty-gritty of what he is saying.
“What he is saying is not even different from what Nigerians are saying. This thing is not rocket science; we are seeing it. Look at the economy, the prices of the commodities have increased. Look at the electricity tariff increase and fuel pump price hike. Is it the gift that the government is giving Nigerians at the heat of this Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged Nigeria economically?
“Look at security; how Fulani herdsmen are ravaging communities and agricultural lands; killing Nigerians every day. The government is aware of this and no effort is being made to stem it.”
On the Vice President’s call on Nigerians to pray, Ohanaeze spokesman said it was apt but noted that there should be a balance of prayers and actions.
On his part, the Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said, “This is a perceptive observation and bold declaration by the Vice President. It is an honest admission better than playing the ostrich. When you admit the problems you can begin to find solutions to them. But when you live in denial, you won’t find solutions to your problems. We hope his admission will.
Also, PANDEF said that what Nigeria needed was restructuring, justice and peaceful coexistence to bring about progress and development.
Spokesman for the group, Comrade Ken Robinson, said on Monday, the Vice President was right that there were cracks in the country.
He stated, “PANDEF feels that the Vice President is partly right that there are cracks, there are disaffections. Nigeria is in a precarious state.
“People are not happy with the way the affairs of the country are being conducted, so various groups are asking for self-determination. There is a Yoruba group that is asking for self-determination.
“There are the IPOB, the Igbo youths and there is general disaffection in the country, with the nepotistic attitude and disposition of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“So, VP Osibanjo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is right that there are cracks, but the answer is not prayer. We talk too much about prayers in Nigeria, when we know what to do.
“What to do is restructuring of Nigeria to give federating units power. What we need is fiscal federalism. What we need is devolution of powers. There is too much power at the centre.
“The constitution as it is today makes the President the God of Nigeria. This is not right. He can wake up one morning and do whatever he likes and it stands.”
The National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Porgu, also supported the Vice President’s warning.
Speaking in Jos, Plateau State capital, Porgu, noted that the British Colonial masters brought different nationalities together without recourse to their individual differences.
He lamented that the present regime led by Buhari had continued to promote policies in favour of his Fulani and Muslims to the detriment of the interests of other Nigerians
Porgu said “I think the Vice President said the right thing because we have been talking about the issues bedevilling the country including insecurity, bad governance, structure of the government which needs to be restructured among others. Unless these issues are addressed and urgently too, such that all the components that make up the country are happy with coexistence, things can fall apart.”
But the ACF cautioned Osibanjo against comments capable of creating further tension in the land.
The northern body acknowledged that the cracks in the country were unhealthy, but noted that the nation would overcome such.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe while reacting to the Vice President’s comment, cautioned other Nigerian leaders, to “watch their words.”
The ACF’s spokesman said, “The cracks are unhealthy but we expect the Vice President to calm nerves and not make a pronouncement that will aggravate the situation.
“The ACF is hopeful that Nigeria will overcome its current travails as it did in the past and even overcame a fratricidal war to break up Nigeria. To do this, Nigerian leaders like Osibanjo should watch their words.”
The Federal Government has agreed to offer additional N20.5 billion for the completion of the Bonny-Bodo road project in December.
The government, however, said if the construction company, Julius Berger, was not ready to accept the offer, the contract will be terminated.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said this during a meeting with the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Lars Ritcher and members of Bodo-Bonny Road Peace Committee, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The reports that Julius Berger had requested asking for a N28 billion variation on the 82 per cent completed project.
The company hinged its request on the rise in exchange rate, construction materials, and diesel among others.
Umahi, however, said the government was willing to provide N20 billion out of the N28 billion that Julius Berger requested for.
According to him, the Bonny-Bodo road contract which was initially awarded at the cost of N120 billion in 2015, was later varied at N199 billion with a completion dateline of December 2023, which has since elapsed.
The Tide’s source recalls that in 2017, an agreement between the Federal Government, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Julus Berger on modalities for funding the project cost of N199.923 billion, without any further increase.
“If you do not accept the Federal Government’s offer by Friday and resume work on the site, the previously expired 14-day ultimatum for termination of project will be enforced.
“I want to let you know that we are the client. No contractor will dictate for this ministry, and there is no job that is compulsory that a particular contractor must do.
“We give you an offer. If you do not like the offer, you walk away. You don’t force us or we don’t force you.
“Agreement of contractual relationship is a mutual understanding,’’ the minister said.
Umahi said that had Julius Berger adhered to the project timetable, the project would have been completed on schedule before the impact of foreign exchange.
“Our position is very simple, we reject the conditions of Julius Berger totally and we ask Berger to please go back to the site to complete the project based on our offer.
“Our offer is unconditional and we say, accept or reject, so you cannot subject our offer to your conditions ,’’ he added
Umahi said the company should be humble in its dealings and exhibit solidarity during challenges.
Earlier, Richter had explained that the company suspended work on the site to seek some clarifications from the ministry.
According to him, the company asked for the augmemtation of N28 bilion because as at the time the contract was awarded the exchange rate was N305 to a dollar and diesel was N350 eor litre.
“We will still require some outstanding materials; that means that the initial agreement can’t fly because the variation of project is not sufficient and the exchange rate is also not in our favour to compensate the additional costs.
“That is why we decided to go back to our original proposal of the augmentation. Augmentation is a very normal process for all contracts,” the managing director said.
Chief Abel Attoni, Palace Secretary, Bonny Kingdom, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the decision to complete the Bodo-Bonny road project.
Attonu urged the parties to be patriotic and make the necessary sacrifice for the actualisation of the project.
The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, set aside the warrant of arrest against Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rivers State, and five others.
Justice Emeka Nwite stated this while delivering his ruling in an application seeking to vacate the warrant of arrest which he issued on January 31, 2024.
The Judge said he was misled by the police in ordering the arrest of Ehie in connection with the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly on October 30, 2023.
The Police, had told the court that Ehie and five others masterminded the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a plot to impeach Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The five others are Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri, and Chibuike Peter, alias Rambo.
Justice Emeka Nwite while setting aside the warrant said it has now become a mere academic exercise.
The judge further granted same to the 2nd to 5th Defendant/Applicant in same suit.
Femi Falana, SAN, and Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, who appeared for the defendants in separate suits, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to have granted the order.
While Falana filed a motion seeking an order to set aside the January 31 order by Justice Nwite, Aladedoye applied for a stay of execution of the arrest order.
In a motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2024 dated February 2 and filed on February 7 by Falana, Ehie sought two orders, including “an order setting aside the order made on January 31 for want of jurisdiction.
“An order of this honourable court staying the execution of the order made on the 31st January 2024, pending the hearing and determination of this application.”
Giving six grounds of argument, Falana argued that the complainant had not filed any criminal charge or motion before the court.
The senior lawyer argued that the court lacked the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the ex-parte application as the alleged offences of conspiracy, attempted murder, murder and arson took place in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“He submitted that the court lacked the vires to grant an application to arrest and declare his clients wanted in respect of the alleged offences.
“The complainant/respondent (IG) did not adduce evidence of terrorism in the affidavit in support of the application.
“The complainant/respondent did not cite any section of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2013 (as amended) alleged to have been contravened by the applicants,” he argued.
Aladedoye in a motion on notice dated and filed February 9, on behalf of the five defendants, sought two orders, including
“an order staying execution or further execution of the order(s) of this honourable court made on the 31st of January, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed by the applicants.
“An order of injunction restraining the complainant from carrying out or further carrying out the orders of this honourable court made on the 31st January 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed by the applicant in this case.”
Giving a three-ground argument, Aladedoye said that a notice of appeal had already been filed against Justice Nwite’s orders.
According to the senior lawyer, the notice of appeal contains grounds that challenge the jurisdiction of the honourable court.
The Inspector-General had, in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, arraigned the defendants on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on terrorism and murder.
The authorities of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), Rumuolumeni, in Rivers State, have stated that 13 students will be graduating with first class while 182 graduands will bag Ph.D during the 42nd convocation ceremony of the university billed to hold today and tomorrow.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, disclosed this during pre-convocation press briefing held in his office, yesterday, to unveil the programme for the convocation ceremony.
Onuchuku said that the 13 students were among the 4,653 graduands expected to graduate for the 2022/2023 academic session with first degree, while 897 students will be graduating with postgraduate degrees.
The Acting Vice Chancellor while giving the breakdown stated that 13 students made first class, 890 students bagged second class upper while 2,739 students had second class lower for first degree.
He further stated that 182 graduands bagged PhD, 667 got master’s degree and 48 got postgraduate diploma, adding that the convocation ceremony will hold today and tomorrow for first degree graduands and postgraduate graduands respectively.
He said that a total of 47 programmes out of the 54 programmes being undertaken at the first degree levels had been given full accreditation by the National University Commission (NUC) as well as all the programmes at the postgraduate school.
“We have ensured that our programmes both at the first degree and post graduates are in line with the NUC stipulated guidelines and speculations. We have also ensured that we are in line with both our academic and administrative policies,” he said.
Prof. Okechukwu urged the graduating students of the institution to always remember to use thier positions to help their alma mater as well as project the institution in a good image in the larger society.
“Try to ensure you finish any project you want to do, evaluate it first and avoid unfinished or abandoned projects. We will be graduating first degree graduands on Friday while Saturday will be for postgraduates, “he added.
Prof. Onuchukwu also said his administration had achieved a lot since he assumed office as Acting Vice Chancellor, stressing that his administration had improved on the welfare of the staff and the students.
“There are a lot of projects completed in the school; we have also given scholarship to some students and also encouraged departments to do same. We also impacted positively on our host communities”, he said.
Akujobi Amadi
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