News
Ministers, Political Appointees Seek Acting President’s Favour
There are indications that Ministers and other top political appointees in the Presidency have intensified moves to get into the good books of Acting President Gooluck Jonathan.
This is sequel to growing conviction that the Acting President would carry-out his earlier threat to remove officials who mischievously advance their personal interest.
According to The Tide’s source, their worry is based on the belief that Dr. Jonathan is awere of the roles they played in the wake of the constitutional crisis that arose following the prolonged absence of ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua.
It would be recalled that President Yar’Adua had been hospitalised at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia since November 23, 2009 when he left the shores of Nigeria.
The Tide’s source gathered that currently, subtle lobbying for the Acting President’s attention is rising, particularly, since he redeployed the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mike Aondoakaa to the Ministry of Special Duties.
The Ministers and top government functionaries are also worried over the incessant calls from various quarters for the Acting President to dissolve the Cabinet if he wants to make any meaningful improvement in governance.
Some political parties, notably the Action Congress (AC) and Chief Edwin Clerk, a fron line Niger Delta advocate, have advised Dr. Jonathan to drop ministers noted to be underperforming.
Such calls and seeming regrets over their earlier attitude towards Dr. Jonathan while Yar’Adua was in charge have made them feel insecure in the present dispensation.
Some of the ministers had in the early period of Yar’Adua’s departure engaged in actions that had undermined Vice President Jonathan to the point that he had called them to order.
Vice President Jonathan, it would be recalled, had on January 16 warned that ministers and other heads of ministries, departments and agencies who engaged in causing acrimony in the party may do so at the expence of losing their jobs.
Jonathan’s spokesman, Mr. Ima Niboro, said the then Vice President had warned against “efforts by some well-placed individuals within and outside the administration” to take advantage of the President’s absence to cause mischief.
Currently, these set of ministers and political appointees are eargerly adopting every available means to mend fences with the Acting President through his aids.
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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