PDP Crisis: House Of Reps Undecided On Grounds For Jonathan’s Impeachment – Spokesman

The House of Representatives said yesterday
that it would not rush into taking a decision
on any motion regarding the impeachment of
President Goodluck Jonathan over the
lingering Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP,crisis. Chairman, House Committee on Media and
Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed made this
known at a parley with newsmen at the
National Assembly. According to him, “Every issue will be looked
at according to its merit. The floor will
determine what happens. To now say we will
impeach Mr. X means we have made up our
minds on what we would do. “There must be issues that will generate
impeachment, and it is the floor that will
decide whether these issues are impeachable
or not.” He faulted the argument that the matter was a
PDP family affair and should not be taken to
the National Assembly; saying since the party
is in the majority whatever affects it affects the
entire House. “Whatever affects the PDP in the House will
definitely affect the colouration of the House.
With 208 members in the House, whatever
affects members of the PDP will be felt by all
of us”, he said. Mohammed urged the PDP to urgently resolve
the crisis in order to avoid a situation where it
will slide into the minority when 57 members
of the “New PDP” join ranks with the
opposition All Progressives Congress, APC,
which has 137 members.

El-Rufai: “Nothing Can Make Jonathan Succeed”

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC,
Malam Nasir el-Rufai in this interview culled
from Saturday Sun talks about why he has
remained a constant critic of President
Goodluck Jonathan, why he cannot serve under the current administration and his plans
for 2015. Mr. el-Rufai, who said he understands
President Jonathan better than those around
him now, also adduced reasons why he thinks
the present administration cannot succeed. Excerpts… When asked if he has a hidden agenda for his
persistent criticism of government, Mr. el-Rufai
says, “No, no, no. Jonathan was actually a
good friend of mine at the time he was deputy
governor. To me, when a friend of mine is
destroying Nigeria, I have to speak. And I believe strongly that Jonathan has been
systematically destroying the fabric of unity in
this country. He has been promoting divisions
and corruption and impunity at the highest
level. Even if we were from the same mother, I
would criticize him if he does that. I don’t care! I think Nigeria is more important than
any relationship, personal or familiar. And if
my own brother was the one running Nigeria
the way Jonathan is ruining it, I will criticize
him.” Don’t you think your criticism will be better
channelled if you participate in his
government? No! I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that the
devil will repent. I don’t believe that when you
see something and you know how devilish it
is, you will improve. There is a limit to how
much you can change what is technically bad.
I believe that the Jonathan government is completely and totally bad and anyone that
joins will only come back spoilt. So, I don’t
believe that. I have never for a moment even
considered having anything to with the
Jonathan government. Not even for a
moment. People believe he listens more than former
President Obasanjo whom you worked with
and that you were one of the arrowheads that
made that government succeed. Those
advancing this argument also believe that
being part of this government, you would also make it succeed. What is your take on this? Nothing can make Jonathan succeed. He is
grossly incompetent, he doesn’t listen, he
doesn’t even understand the issues. I am
sorry! I know the man more than those that
are shouting with Jonathan because when he
was my friend, none of them even knew him. I knew Jonathan as a deputy governor in 2002.
That was when I first met him and we have
been relating. So, all these new found
Jonathan lovers should just shut up. I know
him and I know what he can do and what he
cannot do. So, please, they should just leave me alone. Those that want jobs can go and
take jobs. I don’t want. His plans for 2015 I am going to continue to work on building
our party at every level and hope that we will
present an excellent presidential candidate
that will ensure that Jonathan goes back to
Otuoke. That is my plan.

Arewa Youths Hail Jonathan’s Sack Of Youth Development Minister As Long Over-Due

The removal from office of Minister of
Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir
by President Goodluck Jonathan has been
hailed as a ‘welcome development’ by
northern youths. It will be recalled that the former minister was
unceremoniously shown the exit door by
President Jonathan on Monday while he was
busy on official assignment in Calabar, the
Cross River State capital. The youths, who expressed support for the
move, said the sack of the minister was
long over-due as he was disconnected from
issues relating to youth welfare and
development. Their position was articulated by National
President of Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, Alhaji
Gambo Gujungu, in an interview culled from Vanguard. According to Gujungu, Abdulkadir refused
to heed the advice by well-meaning youth
groups in the North on how to tackle the
myriad of challenges confronting them on a
daily basis. “We see the sack of the minister by
President Jonathan as a welcome
development,” Gujungu said, adding that it
could not have come at a better time than it
did. “To be honest with you, the former minister
did not do much to satisfy the needs of the
teeming youth population in the country
and his removal did not come to us as a
surprise. We are aware he did not know how
to handle youth problems even though we tried many times to advise him he did not
listen to us”. However, Gujungu urged the president to
pick a replacement for the sacked minister
from Sokoto State on the basis of
competence as against political affiliation
to the Peoples Democratic Party. He warned that any attempt to appoint the
replacement based on political
considerations, would also not yield the
desired result and might also lead to
disappointment.

Boko Haram Attack On Damboa Town In Borno Leaves 11 Dead

The northeast state of Borno on Thursday
night witnessed yet another attack by
suspected Islamic militants as no fewer
than 11 persons were killed in Damboa
town. Witnesses said gunmen shot civilians and
police in Damboa, about 85km from the
state capital, Maiduguri. The latest killing comes almost one week
after suspected insurgents killed 44 people
in a mosque in the nearby town of Konduga. Local official Ayamu Lawan Gwasha said
security forces repelled gunmen who
attacked the police station and a military
post in Damboa. Farmer Mustapha Aji said
other militants gunned down civilians and
firebombed about 20 homes. He told the Associated Press that residents
had the premonition of an impending attack
following the deaths in Konduga and had
asked for more security; which was yet to
arrive. Details of the attack are sketchy as there is
no telecommunications network in Borno
State since the declaration of emergency
rule by President Goodluck Jonathan in May
in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in order
to battle the militants.

Boko Haram: Despite Recent Attacks, Emergency Rule’s Yielding Results – Presidency

The recent attacks and killings by Boko Haram
in some northern parts of the country has not
taken anything away from the success of the
emergency rule declared in Borno, Adamawa
and Yobe states, the Presidency said on
Tuesday. Speaking on a Federal Radio Corporation of
Nigeria (FRCN) Network programme on
Tuesday monitored in Abuja, the Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity to the
President, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that normalcy
is fast returning to the areas and the terrorists are being uprooted and dislocated from their
enclaves. Said he, “The first point to note is that before
the declaration of state of emergency the
situation in the affected states was really bad,
socio-economic activities had practically
ceased. There was anxiety in the communities
and other affected parts of the country. On a regular basis, there were either cases of
detonation of bombs or harassment of
people. There was a state of fear. “But since the declaration of state of
emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan, a
lot has been achieved. It was a very good
tactical and strategic move, as well as a very
good demonstration of leadership,
determination and focus by this present administration.”