Leadership (Abuja)
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday declared that the political violence in Rivers State has presented Nigeria with "a situation of gradual relapse into anarchy".
Tambuwal also described the Rivers situation as "lamentable" and avoidable on the grounds that the joint resolutions of the Senate and House of Representatives aimed at dousing the tensed political atmosphere have been ignored.
The speaker stated this in his welcome remarks on the occasion of House members' resumption from the Christmas, New Year's Day and Eid-El-Maulud recess.
Tambuwal said recent developments in some parts of the country concerning civil liberties and the safety of lives and properties of citizens are a cause for serious concern.
"The two incidents in Rivers State, the one in Ogun and the other in Borno bear all the trappings of impunity which must be eschewed at all cost if we hope to continue to deepen our democracy," Tambuwal said.
He said governance must be subject to the strict observance of the rule of law and good conscience, and therefore civility rather than impunity should be the guide at all times and in all situations.
"The incidents in question exhibit an unacceptable level of either failure of government or abdication of responsibility neither of which should be encouraged in our polity."
On the part of politicians, Tambuwal warned against recourse to unlawful and violent means of projecting political interest and ambitions. He urged adoption of peaceful advocacy and networking.
"It has worked in other jurisdictions and it can work here if we give it a chance," he said.
Extra funding for judiciary
Tambuwal decried what he described as the "progressive decline" of allocation to the judicial branch. He said the trend should be reversed in the interest of the country.
He sought the cooperation of the Senate in achieving a financially robust and truly independent. judiciary.
Tambuwa said: "We take cognizance of the fact that legal autonomy without financial autonomy will not deliver the truly independent judiciary that we crave for. Besides, given that 2014 is an election year there is no doubt that the judiciary will be seriously inundated with election cases in addition to their normal workload. We will therefore be counting on the cooperation of our colleagues in the Senate towards the realization of this objective."
2014 budget, PIB, constitution amendment for quick passage
The House Speaker called on the relevant committees to hasten work on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the Pension Reform Bill and the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill in order to facilitate their early passage.
He expressed concern over late budget presentation which, according to him, often leads to late passage of the budget.
"Poor budget implementation by the executive over the years has continued to test the patience and tolerance of Nigerians regarding officeholders' commitment to their welfare."
APC raises alarm over Rivers crisis, accuses Presidency of sitting idly
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned of impending anarchy in Rivers State that may have far-reaching consequences beyond the state.
Appraising the political situation in the state, the party stated that unless President Goodluck Jonathan urgently reins in his supporters, the state would be thrown into a crisis of unmanageable proportion.
A statement signed by its interim national publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC said that those bent on destabilising the state have resorted to bringing in ex-militants to attack innocent people.
"Having lost confidence in the ability of the police to protect them and keenly aware of the president's deliberate refusal to allow peace to reign in their state, the patience of the people of Rivers is wearing thin," Mohammed said in the statement issued on Tuesday.
On the likely dangers to the security of the state, the party stated that the likelihood of people resorting to self-help has become very real and that it would result in bloodbath.
"Because we abhor anarchy, which is the very antithesis of democracy, we hereby call, for the umpteenth time, on President Jonathan to act today to stop the looming anarchy in Rivers unless of course he is bent on throwing the country he was elected to govern into chaos," it said.
It expressed absolute shock that President Goodluck Jonathan who has been widely quoted as saying his political ambition is not worth the blood of any citizen has been pretending to be oblivious to the happenings around him.
"This president has deliberately refused to listen to the calls by numerous individuals and organisations, including the opposition parties, labour unions and the National Assembly for peace to be allowed to reign in Rivers. He has tacitly egged on the police to champion the worsening impunity in the state," the party wrote.
Drama as APC, PDP Reps switch parties
The House of Representatives plenary session yesterday turned rowdy following the reference to the deputy leader, Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), as minority leader by leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) while contributing to a motion on the floor of the House.
Meanwhile, the gale of defections in the House continued yesterday with four lawmakers formally defecting to other political parties.
APC lost two members to the PDP while the PDP and Democratic People's Party (DPP) lost one each to the APC.
The defectors: Haske Hananiya (Adamawa APC defected to the PDP); Ganama Kwaga (Adamawa APC defected to the PDP); Emmanuel Jime (Benue PDP defected to the APC ); and Suleiman Yahaya Kwande (Plateau DPP defected to the APC).
Tambuwal, who read out the defection notices, stated the defection was with "immediate effect".
As it stands, the APC still commands a slim majority of 172 members over PDP, which has 171 in the House.
A federal high court in Abuja on Monday barred the APC from effecting a leadership change in the House, but the minority leader/leader of opposition, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has described the court verdict as "shameless" and "strange".
Tambuwal however confirmed yesterday that he is in possession of a court order barring the leadership change.
Yesterday's plenary became rowdy when members of the PDP raised an uproar in reaction to Ogor being conferred a "minority" title, but they were matched by the APC members, a move that sent plenary into frenzied verbal exchanges between the two parties.
Gbajabiamila, while contributing to a motion by Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Kano,APC) calling for the removal of the inspector-general of police, Muhammed Abubakar, and the commissioner of police, River State command, Mr Joseph Mbu, over their indictment in the political crisis in the state, was referring to an earlier position by Ogor who had made his contribution.
Ogor, backed by PDP House members, angrily insisted that Gbajabiamila withdraw the statement and address the former by his formal position.
However, an unrepentant Gbajabiamila insisted that addressing Ogor as "deputy minority leader" was a "statement of fact", sending a clear message that the APC be recognised as the majority in the House.
Wading into the hot exchanges, Tambuwal tried to restore calm in the House, describing Gbajabiamila's disclosure as "a very expensive new year joke". He went further to remind the House members of the court ruling barring any leadership change and that "as lawmakers, we should be the last - as an institution and as individuals - to disobey a court order".
Appealing for calm and stability in the House, Tambuwal warned that if the lawmakers begin to get involved in fights over issues such as this and "can't sit, they will be playing into certain hands".
On the motion calling for the sack of the IGP and Mbu, Tambuwal detailed the House committees on Rules and Business and Justice to perform further legislative work and report back in one week.
Ogor had criticised the motion as a potential embarrassment for the House if passed, as the indicted officials had not been given fair hearing.
"We are taking a resolution here which, if care is not taken, might become an embarrassment to us here in the House," Ogor said.
2015: Mark warns politicians, says 'your naked ambition is overheating the polity'
President of the Senate David Mark yesterday cautioned politicians over provocative utterances capable of igniting a crisis ahead of the 2015 general election.
Also, President Goodluck Jonathan introduced for formal consideration and enactment into law the Cybercrime Bill, 2013.
Mark, in his address to welcome senators back after long Christmas and New Year holidays, also warned that politicians' naked ambition was overheating the polity.
According to him, the Nigerian environment is tensed up as a result of pervasive political tension arising from festering political disputes, which have continued to engage the larger polity.
He said across the nation governance appears to have been sacrificed on the altar of desperate political manoeuvres and feverish permutations aimed at out-flanking one another ahead of the 2015 elections.
Said the Senate president: "As we resume today, we will soon realize that it is not only our legislative responsibilities that will task our wisdom. Pervasive political tension arising from festering political disputes continues to engage the larger polity.
"Across the nation, governance appears to have been sacrificed on the altar of desperate political manoeuvres and feverish permutations aimed at out-flanking one another ahead of the 2015 elections. Blinded by naked ambition, the political class has so painfully forgotten the lessons of our national history, and has once again allowed the collision of vaulting personal ambitions to overheat the polity and undermine governance.
Pro-Mbu protesters shut down Port Harcourt
Business and commercial activities in Port Harcourt were disrupted for about one hour yesterday, when protesters drawn from the four local government areas that make up Ikwerre ethnic nationality of Rivers State marched through the major streets of Port Harcourt to declare support for police commissioner Joseph Mbu.
The protesters later converged on the GRA Junction, along Aba Road, close to the headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, about 8:30am and occupied an appreciable portion of the road up to 9:30am, singing, dancing and displaying placards.
LEADERSHIP observed tha, unlike other protesters, the pro-Mbu protesters, who operated under the aegis of Ikwerre People's Assembly (IPA), had full police protection with a team led by Mr David Osuani, a chief superintendent of police, with three patrol vehicles.
The protesters threatened to shut down all entry points into Rivers State, including the international airport, which is located within the Ikwerre community, all the oil wells, flow stations, and oil facilities located in any of the four local government areas occupied by indigenes of Ikwerre ethnic stock.
Some of the placards read: "Thank you I-G for leaving Mbu for us"; "We have a brother in Jonathan"; "A South-South Man Cannot Betray His Brother"; "Tinubu, Enough is Enough"; "We Will Not Support Impunity"; '"Leave CP Mbu Alone".
Spokesman of the protesters Chima Boms said: "CP Mbu in our estimation has performed creditably well and deserves commendation. We therefore request that he continue to serve in Rivers State for the good of the people. Consequently, the Ikwerre People's Assembly will resist any attempt to redeploy CP Mbu as commissioner of police, Rivers State, as such move will take us back to the dark era.
"The resumption of Mbu as commissioner of police, Rivers State, has effectively put to an end the reign of impunity, lawlessness, harassment and the abuse of the fundamental rights of the citizens by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
"Mbu, since resumption of office, has demonstrated an uncanny zeal, dexterity, and enthusiasm in the art of policing the state, hence the peaceful and serene atmosphere pervasive today in the state which ironically and indeed inexplicably does not go down well with the governor of the state.
"Any redeployment of CP Mbu at this time will be asking for the total shutdown of all entry points to Rivers State including the international airport which the Ikwerre people play host to, and all the oil wells, flow stations and oil facilities located in Ikwerre land."
I survived the attack - Abe
The senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Magnus Abe, who was shot with a rubber bullet by the police at a Save Rivers Movement (SRM) rally in Port Harcourt over a week ago, has finally broken his silence.
Abe, in a statement released yesterday, expressed gratitude to friends, well-meaning individuals, groups and indeed Nigerians for their prayers, phone calls, solidarity messages and support, and prayed God to protect them at these dangerous times.
He also condemned last Sunday's attack on supporters of Rivers State governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at Bori, lamenting that rather than implement the UNEP report on Ogoniland, the federal government chose to arm youths with guns worth millions to kill fellow human beings.
He said: "Every gun has a life span of over 100 years; our politics may change. As today's friends become opponents tomorrow, the guns will also change hands; but they will still remain lethal, even against their present owners."
Abe, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), stated that, rather than encourage violence to gain relevance in politics, he will continue to arm his supporters, just like his children, with school fees, laptops, prayers and the fear of God.
Bori Attack: Police detain LG chairmen
The Rivers State police command on Monday evening detained the chairman of Khana local government area of the state, Chief Gregory Nwidam, and his counterpart in Gokana local government area, Hon. Demua Leedee Demua, following the invasion of a rally organised by the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) at Bori by hoodlums.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Nwidam and Demua, who are both core-loyalists of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, came to the police headquarters in Port Harcourt on Monday, on the invitation of Mbu, and were later detained at the Old GRA Police Division.
When contacted, the police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, Ahmad Mohammad, confirmed the arrest of the two council chairmen. He did not give further details.
But a senior police officer, who pleaded anonymity, told LEADERSHIP that Nwidam and Demua may be charged to court today for illegal assembly.
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