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I’ll Confound Critics By 2013 – Jonathan

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President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday he would prove
critics of his administration wrong by 2013 when the dividends of new policies
introduced begin to manifest.

Jonathan said this while declaring open the 52nd Annual
General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja.

He said he was the most criticised president in the world at
the moment because his critics failed to understand that the country’s current
challenges predated his administration.

He assured that his critics would have the cause to praise
him at the end of the life of his administration when his Transformation Agenda
would have yielded the expected dividends.

“I think I am the most criticised president in the whole
world, but I tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the
most praised president.

“I have experienced that before, in my governor journey in
Bayelsa State. In fact, people who were close to me will tell you that even after
the election, I told them that in my first 12 months, please cover your ears
because you will hear all kinds of things. But as we progress, you will see
(changes).

“We are working very hard to stabilise power. We are working
very hard to resurface our roads. We have security challenges, which we are
also working very hard to bring to reasonable control.

“It is not easy; we don’t have the magic wand, except the
miracle worker that with the wave of the hand, probably will help to throw all
these challenges away and prosperity will appear. But in pure governance
issues, it takes time.

“Sometimes, even people who have held offices in government
criticise me to the extent of personal abuses. Sometimes I ask, were there
roads across in the country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads?
or we had power and I brought hurricane to break down the entire
infrastructure?

“If they say Boko Haram is because of poverty; were there
massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive and massive
farms, and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms? under two years is
it possible?

“Well, time will tell. What I can tell Nigerians is that let
those who criticise continue to criticise.

“We will do our best and as we progress, Nigerians will know
the truth and we’ll see that we are committed and will surely transform this
country,’’ he said

The President said that he promised to deliver free, fair
and credible elections before the conduct of the 2011 general elections and the
assessment of the polls by local and international observers was a testimony
that he kept his promise.

He said his administration had initiated policies that would
ensure the political, social and economic transformation of the country.

Jonathan said the Federal Government had proposed a new
Anti-terrorism Bill 2012 to address the current security challenges in the
country.

The President said he disagreed with the position of the NBA
on the urgent need to create State Police to address the security challenges in
the country.

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Why Wike Is Playing God In Rivers -Asari Dokubo

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A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”

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Investors, Tourists To Get Visa Within 48 Hours, FG Assures

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The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.

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Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”

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