Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday attributed the lingering crisis

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Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan


Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday attributed the lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party to the ambitions by some of its members to seek political offices during the 2011 elections.



Jonathan, in his address at the 50th National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP, in Abuja, however, advised all those interested in the race to conduct themselves in a manner that would not overheat the polity.



The meeting took place after an Abuja High Court had earlier on Tuesday made a U-turn on its order on Monday that the Chief Vincent Ogbulafor-led leadership of the PDP should not go ahead with it. It started at exactly 2:38pm, a few minutes after the Acting President arrived at the Wadata House, the secretariat of the PDP.



The meeting was attended by 26 PDP governors, two former National Chairmen of the party — Dr. Ahamdu Ali and Chief Barnabas Gemade as well as a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih. However, the Chairman, Board of Trustees and former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was absent.



The court, in vacating the order, also directed that the 19 suspended chieftains of the party, including two former Presidents of the Senate—Chiefs Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani—should be invited to the meeting.



But the suspended chieftains, including Nnamani, Wabara and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bello Masari, did not show up at the meeting which, a party official who insisted on anonymity said, was slightly tensed.



The Acting President said, “People are talking and fighting because of 2011 elections. We should expect more of this as the election year gets closer. This is the problem in our party.



“In terms of political ambition, every human being is free to aspire to any office he likes. But within this period, while we are doing that, we should do it in such a way that it should not overheat the polity.



“There is something called mosquito campaign. You will be going round to market yourselves, but let us not overheat the system, if we do that, we create problem for the party.”



He described the last three to four months as being critical for the party and said he was very happy that it (PDP) was already surmounting its challenges.



The Acting President expressed hope that the PDP would not break up, adding that no matter its challenges the party would come out stronger.



Jonathan said, “Also, we have to thank God that no matter the challenges, we have been able to stabilise. I have always believed in the PDP. People believe that the party will split into fragments. No matter how we disagree, at the end of the day, we come out stronger.”



He, however, pleaded with aggrieved members of the party to realise that the PDP and the nation were facing a challenging period.



Jonathan described as false, many of the statements “being bandied about by some people” and called on the PDP members not to be in a hurry to react to these issues.



Jonathan said, “Some of them are true, some half truths; and most of them are complete blatant lies. But nobody will be there to explain things.



“They will say this man said so or that this man has done this, especially those of us, who by divine providence and by your grace, are holding offices of governors, Acting President and chairman of the party.”



The Acting President said there were text messages aimed at tarnishing his image and that of government officials that were being circulated in the country.



He called on party members to be guided by the party’s constitution in whatever they did, adding that until it was amended, all members should adhere to it.



Apparently referring to the suspension of 19 members of the party by the NWC, Jonathan called on party members to learn to resolve their differences amicably.



“One thing I believe in is that in every human society, there may be a tendency for people to disagree on certain issues. Even husband and wife disagree; but the most important issue is how we resolve our crisis. The PDP has that power to do so,” the Acting President added.



The party insider who spoke to our correspondent said that although the “atmosphere was charged” the NEC members who spoke chose their words carefully in order not to further deepen the crisis that the party is going through. Nevertheless, he added, the meeting discussed a wide range of issues, including the need for unity before the party’s imminent primaries (the date of which is yet to be decided) and the 2011 elections. One of those who spoke in this regard, according to the source, was Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, who reportedly said that the PDP governors were not happy about the crisis that had engulfed the party in recent times. The governor was said to have implored the Acting President to leverage his position as the overall leader of the party to take charge and quickly resolved the crises.



Another governor of a North Central State, who only spoke on the condition that he would not be named, said the governors agreed that the ongoing criminal trial of the party chairman is an “embarrassment” to the party. He added, however, that the governors opted not to discuss the matter at length because of the perception among them that the Acting President is inclined to “interfere” in the judicial process to save the PDP chairman. “He (Jonathan) said that the Chairman should go and clear his name,” the governor said.



Speaking, Ogbulafor, who appeared sober, used the occasion to exonerate himself from allegations of corruption against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. He said that he was a victim of political witch-hunt.



He said, “As for my alleged involvement in a certain N104m contract cases with the ICPC, let me, with all sense of responsibility, state that I am innocent of the allegations.



“I was a Minister of Economic Matters in the Presidency while the National Economic Intelligence Committee was an agency of government in the Presidency.



“It had a chairman and committee members. I was not a member of the committee. I never attended their meetings. More so, decisions were solely made by them.



“My role was limited to accompanying them to the Presidency to present the reports of the committee. I know that these allegations are politically motivated, and I am absolutely sure that justice will be done, and I will be vindicated.”



He said that people should not mistake his civility for weakness and called on the party to unite to face the challenges ahead.



“Let me use this medium to remind us that civility is not a sign of weakness. Notwithstanding their antics, the NWC will not shrink from its responsibilities,” he explained.



At the meeting, the NEC members passed vote of confidence on the Acting President and the Ogbulafor-led NWC leadership.



A statement after the meeting said the confidence vote on Jonathan was for his role in stabilising the polity since he assumed office as the Acting President.



The statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali, added, “NEC also passed a vote of confidence on the National Assembly for its steadfastness in ensuring the stability and good governance in the country.



“NEC also unanimously expressed a vote of confidence on the NWC led by Chief Ogbulafor and encouraged the committee to continue in current line of organising the party and ensuring its growth and stability.”



It added that the meeting also “approved proposals for the amendment of section 12.14, 12.46, and 12.48 of the PDP constitutions which deals with number of delegates to elect flag-bearers of the party at various levels.”



The statement added that the NEC observed that the current provision which made the number of delegates in a Senatorial congress more than those electing a governorship candidate was an anomaly.

Court refuses to stop Ibori’s arrest

A Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State on Wednesday rejected an oral application by former Governor James Ibori to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Police and the State Security Service from arresting him.



The EFCC had on April 14 declared Ibori wanted over alleged fraud involving the sale of shares belonging to the Delta State Government.



But Ibori, through his counsel, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), approached Justice Ibrahim Buba, with an application asking for an order of interim injunction restraining the EFCC from arresting him.



He also prayed the court to restrain the commission, its officers or agents from arresting, harassing, intimidating or attempting to arrest him pending the determination of the substantive motion.



Joined in the suit were the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director of SSS.



Buba, after listening to the motion, directed that the motion be served on all the respondents before it was taken on April 19.



At the resumed hearing on April 19, the court also adjourned to April 28 to enable fresh hearing notices to be served on the first and third respondents as well as for ruling.



The adjournment was made by the court after listening to Mr J. B. Daudu (SAN), counsel to Ibori.



At Wednesday’s hearing, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, counsel to the first, third and fourth respondents, asked for a short adjournment to enable him regularise and file necessary processes.



He said his clients would file their preliminary objections and responses in the next adjourned date.



Daudu, however, said he would not object to the application if Daudu reiterated and reapplied for a preservative order made on behalf of Ibori.



The preservative order sought was to stop the EFCC from arresting the former governor pending the determination of the substantive matter.



But counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Chidi Okoroma, intervened , saying that preservative orders would be premature in the circumstance.



“If they are making an application for preservative order, it is better to make a formal application so that we will be able to react,” he argued.



Daudu, however, told the court that where counsel made a strong representation to court orally, the rug would not be pulled under the carpet if the court ruled on it.



He said, `Since the last adjourned date when Okoroma gave an indication that nothing will be done, all hell was let loose.



“The applicant (Ibori) had been declared wanted dead or alive. The affidavit we filed just showed newspaper cuttings that the EFCC has not relented in going after Ibori.



“Where we suffer this apprehension, it is one of the functions of this court to preserve the status quo. If we keep quiet, one may not have grounds to execute the application.



“Please grant the preservative order because a lot have been done to arrest Ibori. I speak from the Bar.



“I urge you to grant the order to restrain all the defendants from attempting to arrest the applicant pending the determination of this matter.’’



Mahmoud also disagreed with Daudu’s application because “he is misunderstanding the legal principles in this matter.‘‘



Mahmoud said, “There is no basis for that order by your Lordship. The issue is not that of preserving the jurisdiction of court. There must be legal basis for the order to be made.



“There is no legally enforceable rights called the right to refuse arrest. You are being asked to issue a blanket order.



“If he (Ibori) is arrested, he is entitled to a safeguard of law. It will be outside the scope of preserving your jurisdiction.



“Court must be weary of stopping a statutory body from carrying out its functions. This application should not be entertained at all.



“Criminal justice administration should not be impeded. The application is misconceived and court should reject it.’’



Okoroma, who associated himself with Mahmoud’s submission, said, ”The application cannot hold water because no person had the right to be insulated from investigation.‘‘



He said Ibori was at liberty to file a formal application on the matter.



Okoroma added, “From April 19 till date, the status- quo remained the same, nothing has changed.



“If anything has actually changed, the court deals on facts formally presented before it.



“They have enough time to bring a formal application and give us an opportunity to react.’’



In his ruling, the judge declined to make a preservative order stopping the EFCC, the police and the SSS from arresting Ibori because it was made orally.



Buba, who adjourned the case to May 10, however, ruled that Ibori was free to formally bring an application for preservative order of court.



Immediately after, Ibori filed a fresh motion seeking to stop his arrest.



The motion marked FHC/ASB/CS/34/2010 and titled “The matter of an application by Chief James Onanefe Ibori for the enforcement of his fundamental rights to fair hearing and personal liberty under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009,” was filed by Daudu.



An affidavit in support of the motion was signed by Chief Azikiwe Ako, who said that he was in the court on April 19, 2010 when EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Chile Okoronma, on EFCC’s behalf, “specifically stated that since the service of the court processes, they had not done anything and will not do anything that will make the determination of this matter a fait accompli.”



Ako added that “contrary to Okoronma’s undertaking in open court on Tuesday, April 20, 2010, the respondents arrived in Oghara in a bid to arrest Ibori.”



He argued that unless the court restrained the EFCC, police and the SSS, there was a likelihood that Ibori’s fundamental rights would be infringed upon before May 10.



Ako added that if the embattled former governor was arrested, he might “suffer great, untold and exceptional hardship.”



Meanwhile, the former governor has expressed his gratitude to his supporters across the country that have rallied to his defence since “this round of political persecution and not legal prosecution against him began.”



The former governor, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, urged them to always maintain the peace.



Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Benin on Wednesday, failed to hear an appeal by the EFCC against the decisions of the Federal high Court in Asaba.



The EFCC is contesting the judgment of Justice Marcel Awokulehin, which quashed the 170-count charge against Ibori.



The five-man panel declined to entertain the matter on the grounds that the case was not an election dispute.



When the matter was mentioned before the appellate court, Ibori’s lawyer, Mr. Alege, observed that the case was a criminal matter which should go before the regular appeal court.

TAFAUTI YA MANENO NA MATENDO INAWEZA KUKUSHUSHA THAMANI MAISHANI

KILA NAFSI INAWAJIBU WA KUEPUKANA NA MARUMBANO MABAYA MAISHANI. UNAPOKOSEA WATU, UNAWEZA KUJIKUTA KATIKA HALI YA KIPIGO MAISHANI NA MARANYINGINE UNAWEZA KUSEMA UKWELI, UKAWA MBAYA NIVYEMA KUVUMILIANA NA KUELEKEZANA MAISHANI.

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Hata hivyo kulikuwa na fujo bungeni wakati wa majadiliano kuhusu hatua hiyo.

Wabunge walipigana, huku Spika akijificha chini ya mwavuli, wakati wabunge walikuwa wakimpiga kwa mayai.

Mabomu yanayotoa moshi pia yalitegwa nje ya bunge.

Nje ya bunge, polisi walipambana na maelfu ya waandamanaji, wengine wakiunga au kupinga makubaliano ya wiki iliyopita kati ya marais wa Ukraine na Urusi ya kuongoza muda zaidi katika Urusi kukimiliki kituo hicho cha kijeshi.