19 Governors Set To Accompany Jonathan To Israel On Pilgrimage

No fewer than 19 state governors, as well as some serving ministers, will on October 22, 2013, (tomorrow) accompany President Goodluck Jonathan on Christian pilgrimage to Israel.

This was disclosed on Saturday by President Jonathan during the flag-off of the 2013 Christian pilgrimage to Israel, Rome and Greece.

Represented by the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator David Mark, the president said the pilgrimage exercise was not a business trip or jamboree, but a spiritual journey, and its importance could not be over-emphasised.

The president noted that it was unfortunate that some people had commercialised the exercise, urging the pilgrims to shun acts capable of bringing the image of the country into disrepute.

He urged them to pray for the genuine transformation of the country, especially as the country was facing both political and spiritual challenges.

"Nigeria needs both political and spiritual transformation. The country is facing a lot challenges, hence this pilgrimage exercise will serve as an intercessory tool for the nation to seek the face of God in this trying moment of our national life."

"Christ is a winner and conqueror! I have no doubt that this exercise would help the nation overcome its current challenges," the president added.

About 30, 000 pilgrims are expected to perform this year’s Christian pilgrimage to Israel.

There will be bloodshed if Jonathan loses in 2015 - Asari-Dokubo

Former militant and leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, on Sunday declared that President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition in 2015 was already settled, as his Niger Delta compatriots would not succumb to any force opposed to its full actualization.

There would be blood in the streets if Mr. Jonathan is not reelected president in the 2015 election, the militant leader threatened.

Mr. Asari-Dokubo, who was a guest on a Channels Television programme, Politics Sunday, monitored in Abuja, said he would register as a full member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to enable him join in the fight to realize the president’s re-election bid.

"The way things are going, there is no sitting on the fence in the battle before us," Mr. Asari-Dokubo said. "When some people say they have a right to rule and others don’t have, then there is no sitting on the fence. All of us will have to be in the ring and fight. We cannot leave Goodluck (Jonathan) alone.

"My support for Jonathan will be biased, because charity begins at home. Monkey no fine, but im mama like am. Goodluck, na my person. 2015 is already a settled matter. Goodluck Jonathan would be President in 2015.

"Whether they contest or they don’t. If they say the blood of the dogs and the baboons will be soaked in the streets, or salt water in the streets, we will help them in blood in the streets."

Insisting there was no crisis in the PDP in the wake of the walkout during the recent National Convention by some aggrieved members, led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and seven governors, Mr. Asari-Dokubo said the exit of seven out of 23 governors elected on PDP ticket was not enough to cause any crisis.

On the role of two former Presidents, Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo, who are working towards an amicable resolution of the crisis, Asari-Dokubo described the duo, who are also members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP, as "agents provocateur", who are fueling the crisis by declaring that they do not want Jonathan to run in the 2015 elections.

He accused Messrs Babangida and Obasanjo of secretly encouraging the Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido to run for President, with Rivers state governor, Chubuike Amaechi as his deputy, adding that at one recent public function, Mr. Babangida had said that Mr. Amaechi and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, were good to run for higher offices come 2015.

He described the Rivers state governor as "a traitor to the collective aspirations of the people of Rivers State," saying whatever situation the governor is facing he deserved it, as there was no better way a traitor could be treated by Rivers people.

On the intervention of the National Assembly in the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, the militant leader criticized the decision to take over the legislative functions of the Assembly, saying the lawmaker lacked the moral high ground to have done so, since they were unable to take a similar action when they were embroiled in corruption charges a few years ago.

Mr. Asari-Dokubo, who claimed he was a card-carrying member and major financier of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) until December 27, 2010, said he would be joining the PDP to enable him join in fighting for President Jonathan’s candidacy from  the inside.

Ruling out any possibility of running for any office in 2015, he said his focus for now was on getting the Mr. Jonathan’s reelection project delivered.

"I will declare for the PDP. We will fight, because in this battle, there is no retreat, no surrender. We will not take any prisoner of war. It will be total battle," he said.

Source: PremiumTimes

Nollywood Actor Kanayo O Kanayo Gets Appointment From President Jonathan

Reports reaching us from source confirms that veteran actor, Kanayo O Kanayo has received an appointment from President Goodluck Jonathan. The prolific actor was made a board member of one of Federal Government's parastatals. 

A statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, confirmed this in Abuja yesterday, where members of other boards were revealed. 

The actor was made the Chairman of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies. 

KOK, as he is fondly called, has been romancing President Jonathan's administration before his appointment on Tuesday. He has been one of the major liaisons between the FG and Nollywood. 

See his confirmatory tweets below:

Thank you Lord for this responsibility! Like Solomon, I plead for your wisdom! #GratefulHeart #BlessedSoul
— Kanayo.O.Kanayo,MFR (@KanayoOKanayo) August 21, 2013

and then he retweeted these:

@KanayoOKanayo l celebrate with you as you ve been appointed board chairman for National institute for hospitality and tourism studies.
— Alexander N. Osademe (@lexiano2) August 21, 2013

Congratulations to Nollywood Star @KanayoOKanayo on his appointment as CHAIRMAN The National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Studies
— Nollywood Army (@NollywoodArmy) August 21, 2013

Congratulations to him!

I shunned Rivers Deputy Governor because they refused to mourn with me – Patience Jonathan

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has explained why she shunned the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru, at the Port Harcourt airport recently.

According to Mrs. Jonathan, her reason was not unconnected to the refusal of senior officials of the Rivers State Government to pay her a condolence visit when she lost her foster mother.

The First Lady said she was disappointed that the Rivers State government could not send any delegation from the state despite the fact that several groups and individuals from across the country came to commiserate with her.

Mrs. Jonathan said this in a statement issued by her spokesman, Mrs. Ayo Adesugba.

She was reacting to media reports that she shunned Ikuru, Rivers State Deupty Governor when she arrived at the Port Harcourt airport during the weekend.

The bereaved President’s wife added that she decided to make her visit to the state unannounced in order not to attract the attention of those she described as mischief makers, as she would prefer to stay off the ongoing political tussle in the state.

The statement reads in full;

The attention of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has been drawn to reports carried in some sections of the media alleging that top officials of the Rivers government, including the Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru who came to receive the First Lady, were shielded from Dame Jonathan on her arrival at Port Harcourt International Airport yesterday, (18/08/2013). Some of the media reports went to the extent of alleging that Dame Jonathan “snubbed” the Deputy Governor.

It is important to set the record straight in order to prevent the public from being misled. The First Lady arrived in Rivers State yesterday for a private visit, to make arrangements for the burial of her late mother with members of her extended family.

Customarily, the wife of the State Governor receives the First Lady whenever she visits any state. That is why the wife of Bayelsa State Governor traveled from Yenagoa to receive the First Lady. Ordinarily, one would have expected the same complement from the wife of the Rivers State Governor.

It is instructive to note that since the death of Mrs. Charity Oba, the mother of the First Lady, several groups and individuals from across the country have come to condole the First Family at the State House, Abuja. They include Executive State Governors and their wives from all the political divides; Nigeria’s former Presidents and Heads of State and their wives, captains of industry, female Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Nigeria, other members of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers and traditional leaders – the list is too numerous to call. However, the Governor and the wife from the State which the First Lady hails have not paid such a visit.

It should be clear to all that for quite some time now, the First Lady has refrained from commenting on issues relating to the politics of Rivers State. Dame Patience does not want her name to be used to heat up the polity. We therefore urge that the name of the First Lady be left out of the politics in Rivers State.

 The First Lady, like any Nigerian, is free to visit the state of her birth. Dame Jonathan bears no grudge towards anyone as she is an individual who continues to tirelessly advocate for peace and harmony in Nigeria. We therefore reiterate that the First Lady’s name be left out of the politics in the State.

 

Ayo Adesugba (Mrs.)

Director (Information)

Rivers State House of Assembly Unrest: Presidency wants Amaechi probed

The Presidency has  advised security agencies to ensure that Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi was investigated and prosecuted after his tenure in office for his alleged involvement in Tuesday’s mayhem in the state House of Assembly.

The advice was given just as the Action Congress of Nigeria urged the Police Service Commission to address  the causes of the fracas in the House  rather than the symptoms in  its  investigation  of  the role of the police in the  crisis.

The comments by the Presidency and the ACN  followed a July 9  petition  by Amaechi  to Jonathan on the free for all that led to infliction of injuries on some lawmakers following an attempt to impeach the Speaker of the House, Mr. Daniel Amachree by a group led by Mr. Evans Bipi.

Amaechi had in the petition which was also addressed to the PSC Chairman, Mike Okiro, requested the immediate transfer of the Commissioner in charge of the state Police Command, Joseph Mbu.

He also sent copies of the petition in which he detailed Mbu’s alleged atrocities to  Senate President  David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

But the Presidency through the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, wondered why the governor’s   priority  should be on the redeployment of the police  commissioner  at a time when efforts were ongoing to fly an injured  lawmaker, Michael Chinda, abroad for treatment.

Gulak,  in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Saturday, however  gave an  assurance that the President would look at the merits and demerits of Amaechi’s etition before taking a decision.

Insisting that the governor should be held responsible for the fracas, the Presidential aide reminded Amaechi  that the immunity from prosecution which he currently enjoys as a governor would end on expiration of his tenure.

He therefore asked security agencies to investigate the  fracas thoroughly and keep the file.

Gulak said, , "It is true that as a sitting governor, he enjoys immunity but immunity cannot be forever.

“Security agencies should investigate the matter (fracas) thoroughly and keep the file because I still find it amazing and tragic for the governor to go into the House of Assembly to play  active role in the fracas. It amazes me.

“But one thing is sure,  the President will read through his (Amaechi’s) petition. He will study it and look at its merits and demerits. It is after that that the President will direct relevant authorities appropriately on the matter.

“The governor had a game plan from the beginning. He wants the commissioner of police redeployed. He is not talking about a member of the House of Assembly who is the Majority Leader and his (Amaechi) security details beat to a coma.

“The lawmaker has been in a coma since that incident on Tuesday and will be flown abroad for treatment. The governor is not talking about that one, his major preoccupation is the redeployment of the police commissioner."

But  the Rivers State Government and  the ACN, said Amaechi’s quick intervention  prevented the free-for-all in the House of Assembly from escalating.

The Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha,  argued that Gulak should have called for an inquiry into how thugs gained entrance into the House.

"It is most unreasonable to contemplate. Rather conversely, Amaechi ought to be commended for his brave intervention and rescue mission even at the risk of his life. Gulak should be suggesting an inquiry into how armed thugs got into the Assembly and at whose behest," he said in an SMS message to The  PUNCH.

"He (Gulak) should be able to absolve the Presidency from complicity knowing the relationship between   Bipi  and the Presidency. Nigerians are better aware than he thinks," Okocha added.

The Police  headquarters  has however summoned the orderly to Amaechi, who was captured in a video engaging in a brawl with a lawmaker during the fracas in the  House.

"It is true that the police orderly who played a prominent role in the fracas has been summoned by the IG. He was captured in the video engaging in a fight with a lawmaker contrary to Force discipline and code of conduct for officers," a source  close to Louis Edet headquarters of the force  said on Sunday.

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had  set up a  panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Operations, Philemon Leha,  to probe the  impasse.

When contacted on Sunday, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said  investigation into the crisis was  ongoing and that the force  would not hesitate to invite anyone involved in the incident.

"You are aware that the investigation panel set up by the IG has begun its work; so anyone found to have participated in the fracas can be invited . Everyone that played a role in the incident will be summoned,” he said.

The ACN,   in a statement   on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,  said a  statement credited to PSC Chairman,  Mike Okiro, suggested that the commission was only interested in the role of the police in the fracas.

It stated that  the commission was not interested in how the police hierarchy in the state wantonly allowed the flare-up because it was acting to protect certain interests at the expense of the public.

The statement reads in part,  "Governor Amaechi  has documented, in a much-publicised letter to Mr. Okiro, how the Police Commissioner in Rivers, Mr. Mbu has thrown professionalism to the winds in pursuing his narrow agenda at the expense of the security of the state.

"It is on record that this ‘political policeman’ has worsened the security situation in the state since he assumed office in February 2013 by undermining the authority of the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of his state; undermining the security structure put in place by the State Security Council and compromising the council to such an extent that members no longer speak their minds freely during meetings.

"These are the issues we expect a non-partisan PSC to address with a view to sanctioning whoever it is that paved the way for the disgraceful show that was put up under the klieg light last week. While the PSC will be right to sanction even the policemen shown to have acted badly that day, the sanctions must extend to their bosses who allowed that to happen."

ACN also insisted that Jonathan, his aides and the Peoples Democratic Party could not distance themselves themselves from  the Rivers crisis.

It said, "Anyone with a conscience knows that the root of the problem in Rivers lies in the President’s bedroom, and no amount of fanciful statements or name calling targeted at those who are conscientious enough to call a spade a spade will change that.

“This is why we are insisting that the President must be impeached by the National Assembly for his failure to respect the rule of law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he has taken an oath to uphold."

ThePUNCH

Nigerians challenge President's wife, Patience Jonathan to debate with Prof. Wole Soyinka

Some Nigerians on Sunday asked the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, to make herself available for a debate with Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

The call came on the heels of the diatribe the First Lady launched against Soyinka in which she described the renowned playwright as an "embarrassment" for attributing the crisis rocking Rivers State to her and her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan.

But some Nigerians, who took to Twitter and other social networks to voice their concern over the development, called on  a Lagos-based private broadcaster, Channels Television, to organise a debate for the two.

According to them, the TV station’s Sunrise Daily, a news and current affairs programme that features prominent Nigerians, who are experts in their areas of specialisation, will provide a level playing ground for the duo to thrash out the knotty issues they were arguing on.

To actualise their dreams, a cross section of them sent messages in a tweet to the handle of the programme @sunrisedailynow as well as the main official handle of the television station, @Channels_TV on Sunday.

A Twitter user, with the name Abdul Slimzy, tweeting via @abdulslimzy said, "It would be really nice to see Patience Jonathan and Wole Soyinka argue on Channels TV @sunrisedailynow in English Language o."

An anonymous reader on lindaikeji.blogspot.com said, "Kindly call on Channels TV to organise a debate between Prof. Wole Soyinka and Dame Patience Jonathan.  I know we go laugh pass ‘Night of a Thousand Laugh.’"’

Another user of the micro-blogging service with the name, Hig-Wayne Cannon, who uses the handle @dosinclair, said he would be looking forward to the debate on national TV as it would be a clash of the titans. Cannon notes, "You can expect a volcanic grammatical literary of freestyles. What a collabo #Titans."

However, some users of the micro-blogging service boasted that the wife of the President would come out tops after the debate. One of such users of the social network who beat his chest on this was Yakubu Dogara who tweets via @doyakubu.

He says, "I bet it that Dame Patience will win the debate as it will be unwise for the Prof. (Wole Soyinka) to attend much more utter a word."

Another Nigerian tweeting via @hobalawon said Soyinka, who clocked 79 on Saturday, should simply steer clear of joining issues with the First Lady and save himself from being on the receiving end of public bashing which he described as "lethal weapon" emanating from her.

The social network user noted, "Prof, even at 79, we still need you around."

Meanwhile, the exchange of diatribe between the duo has divided Nigerians on social networks. While a section of Nigerians argue that the First Lady shouldn’t have descended heavily on Soyinka and that the onslaught was unpresidential, others maintained that Soyinka got what he deserved.

On nairaland.com, a Nigerian with the name, My Time, argued, "I still maintain that Patience Jonathan has no moral justification to attack the professor. Her only portfolio is being the wife of the President. Soyinka has achieved a lot and demands respect. He is one of our national icons and a gift to this nation. He commands more respect outside the shores of this country than she does and can ever get."

An anonymous visitor on the blog noted, "I see this current government and her (Patience Jonathan) agenda losing their taste of civility and moral standing. I don’t see any reason why the First Lady should talk to an elderly statesman with such verbal brutality, irrespective of what he (Soyinka) said to her. Really, I think it’s quite unpresidential."

However, those who believe that Soyinka deserved Patience Jonathan’s onslaught against him said it was wrong for Soyinka to insult another man’s wife in the first place. They noted that since Soyinka had descended into an arena of conflict, he could not avoid such a treatment.

On lindaikeji.blogspot.com, one Abidoh Jonathan said, "Why exactly are people abusing the First Lady? Prof. Wole Soyinka made a derogatory remark about her, and she reacted with an on-point come back. What is the big deal? If you ask me, I think the Prof stooped too low to comment and link the First Lady to the current crisis rocking Rivers State. He is a renowned Prof. but hello, she too is still the First Lady now and she deserves some respect."

Source:Punch

What's your take on this???

Rivers Crisis: President Jonathan Cut Shorts China Trip, Returns To Nigeria Today

President Goodluck Jonathan cut short his trip to China trip, where his administration has secured a $1.1billion loan deal from the Chinese government to finance key infrastructure projects in the country.

Although, no reason was immediately given for the decision to cut short the trip, rumour has it that it may not be unconnected with the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, where Jonathan and his wife, Patience, have been fingered as the mastermind in the political crisis rocking the state.

The duo has severely and severally received knocks from many Nigerians who believed they are behind the decision of five anti-Amaechi lawmakers to impeach the speaker of the State House of Assembly.

The attempt by the five lawmakers though failed, but has since degenerated into bloody combats between pro-Amaechi and Anti-Amaechi lawmakers, leading to the seal off of the Assembly complex.

Amaechi, Jang, & Other Governors Attend President Jonathan’s Dinner

 Contrary to speculations of rumour mongers and non-well wishers, Governor Amaechi of Rivers State Nigeria, shocked many people by cancelling the NGF meeting slated for Wednesday, June 26th, 8pm, to honour the President's dinner invitation.

 .

This might very well have been a dare on the part of President Jonathan, to see Amaechi's reaction, since the NGF meeting was already fixed by Amaechi, before the invitation to the dinner was sent out.

Governor Jonah Jang of  Plateau State sure didn't have any issues being present as I'm sure he had no intention what ever, of attending the NGF meeting called by Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, Chairman of the NGF.

PUNCH Reports...

For the first time since the election that  caused a division in  the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, almost all the 36 state governors converged on the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday for a   mid-term dinner organised by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The two main antagonists in the NGF crisis Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who won the  May 24 election of the forum and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who leads a faction of the group, attended the event.

Although Jang and members of his faction were already seated before the arrival of the President which signaled the commencement of the dinner, Amaechi and his loyalists arrived at the same time shortly after the event had started.

A mild drama however played out when Amaechi, who cancelled a meeting of the NGF earlier scheduled for 8pm on Wednesday,  joined the table where Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and others were already seated.

In the process of exchanging pleasantries, Amaechi was heard pointing to Akpabio and saying, 

“No, you can never be a democrat.”

Some governors in the Amaechi faction were initially seated among journalists at the back of the hall before they were  ushered in to the front where seats were reserved for them.

The other  governors  in attendance were  those of Niger, Lagos, Nasarawa, Imo, Edo, Adamawa, Zamfara, Ogun, Kano, Ekiti and Jigawa.

Others were the governors of  Sokoto, Cross River, Bauchi, Abia, Plateau, Kogi, Ebonyi , Ondo, Delta, Anambra and Kaduna states.

The  acting governor of Taraba State and the deputy governors of Bayelsa, Kwara, Katsina, Benue and Gombe States were also in attendance.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwwal, was however  absent at the dinner attended by the President of the Senate, David Mark; and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

The dinner was still ongoing at the time of filing this report.

Before the cancellation of the NGF meeting, some of the Pro-Amaechi governors had converged on the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, where they took the final decision to  attend the dinner.

In a brief chat with journalists before they moved to the Villa, Amaechi said
"We have shifted the meeting to honour the invitation sent to us for dinner by the President. We would have loved to meet, but we have to honour the President’s invitation".

News: President Jonathan Asks Tukur, PDP NWC To Resign

 

President Goodluck Jonathan may have directed the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, and other members of the PDP National Working Committee to resign.

It was learnt on Monday that Jonathan gave the directive after the presidential committee on the PDP crises headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim, submitted its report to him in Abuja .

The order and submission of the report which noted that the party was drifting coincided with the lifting of the suspension of Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, by the 12-member Tukur-led NWC.

A member of the presidential committee, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, added that Tukur and the other NWC members would tender their resignation letters at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja.

He said apart from the PDP internal crises, the President was concerned about the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission on the manner majority of the NWC members came to office.

INEC had queried the affirmation method that returned most of the NWC members to office.

It was also gathered that the NWC members were told that they risked being sacked if they failed to quit before Thursday.

A PDP source said, “If they fail to resign before Thursday, they will be sacked.” He added that the Presidency had already directed that a caretaker committee be set up in place of the NWC.

When contacted, a member of the NWC, who wondered how Jonathan’s directive was leaked, merely said it was true.

“How did the story leak? Yes, it is true. I am already packing my things from my office, “ he said.

But another NWC member, who also admitted that they would cease to hold office before Friday, said, “We are not resigning because President Jonathan asked us to do so. If we resign, it will be because of the report by INEC. We will be resigning to protect the integrity of INEC.”

A national leader of the PDP confirmed the looming dissolution of the NWC, saying, “You remember INEC had said that it does not recognise the election of a majority of them (NWC members).

“The fear is that one of those on the NWC could go to court and aver that the election that produced him or her was illegal. Anybody could go to court on that score too. The party may have problem at that point.”

A member of the presidential committee which has governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Goodwill Akpabio, (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia ); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); and Gabriel Suswam (Benue), as some of its members, had said the panel was not pleased with happenings in the PDP.

He said, “Our report, which might not please the President and the leadership of the party, is that the party is drifting. We have told him not to allow the party disintegrate further because whether we like it or not, the party is drifting dangerously and we have to arrest that.

“We have put in the report that some actions of the National Working Committee are repressive and unnecessary.

“We wondered why the party refused to hold its NEC for about a year, which to us amounts to breaching of the party’s constitution.”

The party’s constitution stipulates that NEC must hold at least once in a quarter.

The panel, which also has the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadhome; and the Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, as members therefore recommended the immediate holding of the NEC meeting, which has not taken place since July 2012.

The Board of Trustees of the party is expected to meet in Abuja on Wednesday.

Our correspondents gathered on Monday that pressure from PDP governors made Tukur and his team to lift the suspension on Wamakko at a press conference jointly addressed by himself, Akpabio and four other governors–Uduaghan, Orji, Yuguda and Shema. Anyim and Gulak were also present at the briefing.

Investigations by our correspondents showed that the governors had indicated their readiness to fight Tukur because Wamakko’s suspension was based on a “trivial” issue.

The NWC of the PDP had while announcing the suspension of Wamakko, said it took the decision because of alleged insubordination to Tukur and his office.

The NWC had earlier suspended the Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, for refusing to reinstate a suspended Local Government chairman and councillors in the state.

But the PDP governors whose chairman is Akpabio, were said to have expressed anger over the gale of suspensions in the party, particularly that of Wamakko.

Wamakko, while describing his suspension as null and void, had called for the sack of Tukur and Gulak.

He had accused Tukur of running the party as his personal estate.

The governors’ anger was said to have made Jonathan to set up the Anyim-led committee to look at the crises in the party.

While announcing the lifting of the suspension on Wamakko, Tukur said, “Now this issue will never come again. It is a great party, we believe in our nation. We need a party as a platform to stand on, but based on unity, discipline and commitment.

“We are also going to have NEC meeting. We have the support to rescind the suspension, which is a very important thing. We rescind the suspension of our governor of Sokoto.

“With that, we are ready for further business because NEC meeting is the requirement of our own party, always to get in touch with the people to tell them of our programmes, like the state- of -the nation and state of the party.

“So we are going to have our NEC meeting on Thursday, June 20 by 12pm.

 “NWC has rescinded the suspension of the Sokoto state governor on the appeal of the PDP Governors’ Forum and secondly the National Chairman is inviting the PDP statutory members to the meeting of NEC.”

Also speaking at the briefing , Akpabio said that the presidential committee appealed to the NWC to lift the suspension of Wamakko.

Akpabio added, “I want to thank the national chairman of our party and other members of the working committee for granting us the privilege of this meeting today (Monday).

“We came as a select committee of the PDP to discuss the state of affairs of our great party, particularly the relationship between the working committee and the PDP governors and I want to say that we make a very strong appeal to the working committee on behalf of our colleague, Governor Wamakko.”

On why Amaechi’s suspension was not lifted, Akpabio said it was because of a case he (Amaechi) instituted against the party. 

[ThePunch]

I Did Not Come to Port Harcourt To Unseat Governor Amaechi – Patience Jonathan

 

Contrary to speculations, wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Sunday said her current visit to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, is not meant to unseat Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Mrs. Jonathan, an indigene of the state, had been in the news for allegedly backing the anti-Amaechi members of the state House of Assembly, with a view to removing the factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, an allegation she has denied.

In a statement by her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, the President’s wife said none of the purposes of her latest visit to the state had to do with politics.

She said apart from the fact that the entire country was her constituency, she equally had the liberty to visit any part of the state.

The statement reads, 

“We have observed reports in some of today’s (Sunday’s) national dailies which are an obvious attempt by certain interests to link the current visit of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a desire to unseat the governor of the state.

“For the purpose of protecting the innocent public from misinformation by these interests, it becomes important for us to state the facts of the First Lady’s presence in Port Harcourt as follows:

“Her Excellence was the Special Guest of Honour at the official commissioning of the Yitzhak Rabin International School, Port Harcourt on Friday, June 15, during which she also received an award from the Yitzhak Rabin Centre for African Development for her successful advocacy for women empowerment and the achievement of enduring peace in Nigeria and around the continent.

“She also featured eminently as Mother of the Day at the wedding of her brother and member of the Rivers State Legislature, Evans Bipi, on Saturday.

“The First Lady will finally receive well wishers at the burial of her grandfather on Sunday, the 23rd.

“It is difficult to see how any of the activities above is associated with the political circumstances of anyone.

“Perhaps we need to remind those who are crying wolf and are being harassed by their own ghost, that Rivers is the home state of the First Lady, which makes her a principal stakeholder with all the rights and privileges to visit the state as she considers needful.

“This is besides the fact that the entire country is her constituency as mother of the nation, a situation that comes with the liberty to visit any part thereof at will.”

Pretty Boy Ice Prince Zamani Becomes NASCOM “Rhythm N’ Play” Ambassador

Aboki master and chocolate city artiste Panshak Zamani was honoured by President Goodluck on his NASCOM "Rhythm N’ Play" ambassadorship, on Thursday 6th June,2013.

 

The rapper took to his instagram page to share his excitement.
He said:
“Mr President be like ‘I love your music’ and I be like ‘I love your life story sir thank You’ #BeInspired”.

I be like, Congrats Icey, You Rock!