Spokesman of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, Prince Kassim Afegbua, declared wanted by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over the statement he issued on behalf of his principal on Sunday, said the police have apologised for declaring him wanted.
Afegbua, who reported at the Force Headquarters, in Abuja, about 10:10am, yesterday, also disclosed that Babangida was fully in support of the statement and stood solidly behind him.
He turned up at the Louis Edet House in Abuja, accompanied by his legal team, led by his lead counsel, Dr. Kayode Ajulo.
He told newsmen, shortly before entering the Louis Edet House that; “the former president is fully behind me and he has been in touch with me. There’s no need for him to say anything more than he has already said.”
Afegbua said General Babangida was surprised and wondered why the police declared him wanted when he is not a criminal and added that it was the former president who called to inform him that he has wanted by the police.
He said: “It will even interest you to know that when I was declared wanted on national television, my boss, IBB was the one who called me and asked, ‘why are they declaring you wanted? Are you a criminal?’ and we laughed over it.”
After the meeting with police authorities, Afegbua, in an interview with journalists, said: “Incidentally, it became a very fair discussion. The police said there was a mixed up somewhere, to have warranted me being declared wanted and they apologised.
On the N1 billion suit he instituted against the police and some media houses, he said: “Of course, you know we have a case in court, my lawyers will advise what steps we are going to take.”
Police authorities were not available to comment on the apologies Afegbua said they had offered to him
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), has invited Afegbua for a chat with its Director-General, Mr Lawal Musa Daura, today.
The DSS invitation came few hours after Afegbua voluntarily honoured Police invitation at Force Headquarters and was subsequently cleared of any wrong doing by the police authority yesterday morning.
Afegbua’s lead counsel, Dr Kayode Ajulo, said his client received a call from the DSS yesterday evening indicating that he should come for a chat with the DG between the hours of 11:00am or 12:00noon.
He added that Afegbua would be going to the expansive headquarters of the secret police this morning, but could not confirm the motive of the invitation as at the time of filing this report.
“My client has right to legal entitlements which every other citizens should enjoy without fear of the government or other fellow citizens. These are rights which cannot be said to have been given to man by man, but are earned by man for being a human, because they are necessary for his continuous happy existence with himself, his fellow man and for participation in a complex society. Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear about this,” Ajulo said.
Afegbua’s invitation by the DSS, some rights activists said, followed criticism of the agency that it often acted in a knee-jerk manner to arrest opposition elements critical of the Buhari’s administration, while looking the other way, when the ‘president’s friends’, make incendiary statements.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed it would deploy satellite to remote areas where 3G and 4G networks are not available, to monitor the 2019 general elections.
Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this when he visited the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Abimbola Alale, in Abuja, yesterday.
“In continuation of consultations with national agencies in the telecommunications sector, INEC considers this interactive meeting critical to the success of our commitment to deepening of the application of technology to elections.
“While we appreciate the tremendous reach of the telecommunications operators, we are equally aware that some of our polling Uunits are located in places where 3G and 4G networks are not available for real time electronic transmission of results.
“It is for this reason that we wish to leverage on the capacity of NIGCOMSAT to provide a wide range of telecommunication services. In particular, your broadband service offers a tremendous flexible bandwidth capacity that can be deployed almost anywhere and in a short period of time, including hard-to-reach and temporary locations.
“These are invaluable to the work of INEC. Working with you and in partnership with the NCC as well as the telecommunications operators, we believe the challenges to the seamless transmission of results are not insurmountable
“We are similarly aware that NIGCOMSAT has the capacity for Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting, multimedia, video streaming, Hotspot event services and indoor and outdoor electronic message displays. These services are invaluable to our work on voter education, sensitisation and mobilisation for elections…”
A new Igbo group has emerged to fight for the welfare and well- being of Igbo people through good governance laced with transparency ,probity and accountability.The group-The Igbo Patriots in a world press conference signed by the Coordinator- Obumneke Okafor and forwarded to BVI Channel 1 Newsonline advised the Assemblymen and the Governors of South Eastern States to enact anti grazing and cattle colony laws as a matter of urgency.The group which is non partisan announced that they are representing the interest of Ndigbo across the globe and has commenced the collection a million signatures of Ndigbo against Cattle Colony or Grazing Reserve and Call for Prohibition of Open Grazing in Alaigbo.
Igbo Patriots noted with great concern the abysmal performance of Ndigbo in the ongoing voters registration exercise as shown in the table below .
S/N ZONE REGISTERED FIGURE
1 SOUTH SOUTH 10,676,957
2 SOUTH EAST 8,146,833
3 SOUTH WEST 14,220,569
4 NORTH EAST 9,325,647
5 NORTH CENTRAL 11,157,988
6 NORTH WEST 18,033,850
The group called for change of altitude and advised Ndigbo to flood the INEC Voters Registration centers throughout Alaigbo as the efficacy of Voters Card is more effective than Bomb.Addressing the World press conference at Filbon Hotel in Enugu, the Coordinator of the Igbo group, Obumneke Okafor, noted, “PVC is the only legitimate weapon through which you can participate and influence the electoral process by electing true representatives who will understand the yearnings and aspirations of Ndigbo as a people.”Okafor who was flanked by his Secretary,Arthur Nwakanma, and five others, said,“Ndigbo should take time away from their shops, markets and offices, avail themselves of the opportunity and get registered and collect their PVC. It is your civic right to vote and be voted for. Do not sell your vote because your vote is your power. And ensure that you vote on all the elections and insist that votes are transparently counted,recorded and announced.
In a Concluding message,Rita Anigbogu,One of the Leaders of Igbo Patriots told BVI Channel 1 Online Reporter that the time of reckoning has come.She made it clear that the Igbo people will use the Power of Voters Card to remove any Politician that goes against the aspiration of Ndigbo and that efforts are on top gear to mobilize the masses against internal conspirators .
Clear signs that President Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential candidates in the 2019 general elections will walk on tight rope emerged yesterday, with the rejigging of election timetable by the National Assembly Conference Committee on Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The House of Representatives, had in its amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act, included Section 25(1) into the Act by reordering the sequence of the elections to start from that of the National Assembly, followed by governorship and state assemblies before the presidential election.
This is against the earlier sequence rolled out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year, putting presidential and National Assembly elections first before the governorship and state assembly elections.
In adopting the reordered sequence of election contained in the House of Representatives version of the Amended Electoral Act, the chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif, put it to voice votes of the 12 members present to which they all shouted ayes.
He said the bill did not in anyway violate provisions of Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowered INEC to fix dates and conduct elections.
He said the words empowering INEC to that effect were duplicated in the bill just as powers conferred on the National Assembly by Section 4 Sub-section 2 of the Constitution were exercised in relation to rescheduling of elections.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this bill with the inclusion of Section 25(1) which makes provision for sequence of election different from the one earlier rolled out by INEC has not in any way violated any provisions of the laws governing the operations of the electoral body,” he said.
Chairman of the House Committee on INEC, Edward Pwajok, said: “The sequence of election provision in the bill is not targeted at anybody but aimed at further given credibility to the electoral process by way of giving the electorates the opportunity to vote based on individual qualities of candidates vying for National Assembly seat.
“On whether it would be assented to or not by the President as far as we are concerned remains in the realm of conjuncture for now, but if such eventually happens, we will know how to cross the bridge,” he said.
A member of the committee, Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West), said: “Contrary to reports and comments by some Nigerians on the reordered sequence of elections, the National Assembly has not overlapped its boundaries.”
The sequence of election adopted by the 8th National Assembly was earlier proposed by the 4th National Assembly in the 2002 Electoral Bill before it was amended by merging Presidential and National Assembly elections together.
Meanwhile, Buhari formally wrote to the National Assembly informing it of his rejection of three bills recently forwarded to him for assent.
In the letter dated January 25, 2018, and addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, but read by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, Buhari listed the rejected bills to include Police Procurement Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2017; Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria Bill, 2017; and Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Bill, 2017.
Buhari wrote: “On Police Procurement Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2017, this due to lack of clarity regarding the manner of disbursement of funds, as well as constitutional issues regarding the powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds allocated to the 36 state governments and 774 local governments, which conflict with Sections 80-82, and 120-122 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“On Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria Bill, 2017, this is due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of ‘public management’ that this bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institute from practicing.
“On the Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Bill, 2017, this is due to lack of clarity on the scope of the profession of ‘social work’ that this bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the Institute from practicing.”
Abuja – Maverick showbiz maestro and activist,Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy, on Saturday gave out his first daughter, Adaeze Oputa in marriage to Mr Metu Anu, both from Imo Sate. Charly Boy Gives Daughter, Adaeze Hand In Marriage in Abuja The duo tied the knot at a traditional wedding held at the Bride father’s home, situated on CharlyBoy Boulevard in Gwarimpa, Abuja. The marriage rite was followed by a grand reception at the popular Evelyn Event Centre,which hosted celebrities both from within and outside the entertainment Industry. Government functionaries and heads of organisations, including a former minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, were in attendance. Veteran Nollywood actors Francis Duru and Nkem Owoh were the Masters of Ceremony. In a chat on the sideline, CharlyBoy expressed delight and wished the young couple a happy married life. “It is a thing of joy and pride for a father to see his daughter get married, and I wish them well as they begin a new journey together. “I advise them to build friendship and deeper love for each other as husband and wife,” he said. (NAN)
Controversy as another letter has been reported to have emanated from the camp of former Military President, Ibrahim Babaginda, saying that he denounced his initial letter where he said that President Muhammadu Buhari should not contest for 2019 election saying that ‘the next election in 2019 therefore presents us a unique opportunity to reinvent the will and provoke fresh leadership that would immediately begin the process of healing the wounds in the land and ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of the people are realized in building and sustaining national cohesion and consensus.
Former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida during prayers to mark his 75th birthday celebration at the Hilltop, Minna, Niger State ‘I pray the Almighty Allah grant us the gift of good life to witness that glorious dawn in 2019. Amen. I have not written an open letter to the President, I have just shared my thoughts with fellow compatriots on the need to enthrone younger blood into the mainstream of our political leadership starting from 2019.’
But in the new letter Babangida denounced the initial letter saying that it is untrue, it is in its entirety, an inaccurate representation of his view of the state of our dear Nation.
Below is the new letter:
My attention has been drawn to a report making rounds especially online in which I was quoted as advising Nigerians not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the coming 2019 election. Not only is the said statement untrue, it is in its entirety, an inaccurate representation of my view of the state of our dear Nation. As a former President and an elder statesman, I have existing communication channels through which I reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari on topical issues of national importance, should there be the need so to do.
The media, both online or mainstream and indeed the unsuspecting public are advised to disregard such false reports.
Thank you and God Bless you all.
Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd) (GCON) Former Military President, Federal Republic of Nigeria Hilltop Mansion Minna, Niger state. 4th February 2018. You may also like:
Former military president Ibrahim Babangida has asked Nigerians to co-operate with President Muhammadu Buhari until his tenure ends — but vote for a new generation of leaders in 2019.
In a press statement released on Sunday by Kassim Afegbua, his spokesman, Babangida said it was time to sacrifice “personal ambition” for the “national interest”.
His statement is coming on the heels of a similar intervention by former president Olusegun Obasanjo who asked Buhari not to seek re-election.
Babangida, who overthrew Buhari in 1985 and ruled till 1993, said: “In the fullness of our present realities, we need to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29th, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country. While offering this advice, I speak as a stakeholder, former president, concerned Nigerian and a patriot who desires to see new paradigms in our shared commitment to get this country running.
“While saying this also, I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation, when personal ambition should not override national interest. This is the time for us to reinvent the will and tap into the resourcefulness of the younger generation, stimulate their entrepreneurial initiatives and provoke a conduce environment to grow national economy both at the micro and macro levels.”
He said the 2019 elections offer “a unique opportunity for Nigerians”.
“The next election in 2019 therefore presents us a unique opportunity to reinvent the will and provoke fresh leadership that would immediately begin the process of healing the wounds in the land and ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of the people are realized in building and sustaining national cohesion and consensus,” he said.
Babangida expressed worries about the state of the nation, pointing out incessant clashes and killings across the country.
“In the past few months also, I have taken time to reflect on a number of issues plaguing the country. I get frightened by their dimensions. I get worried by their colourations. I get perplexed by their gory themes. From Southern Kaduna to Taraba state, from Benue state to Rivers, from Edo state to Zamfara, it has been a theatre of blood with cake of crimson. In Dansadau in Zamfara state recently, North-West of Nigeria, over 200 souls were wasted for no justifiable reason. The pogrom in Benue state has left me wondering if truly this is the same country some of us fought to keep together,” he said.
“I am alarmed by the amount of blood-letting across the land. Nigeria is now being described as a land where blood flows like river, where tears have refused to dry up. Almost on a daily basis, we are both mourning and grieving, and often times left helpless by the sophistication of crimes. The Boko Haram challenge has remained unabated even though there has been commendable effort by government to maximally downgrade them. I will professionally advise that the battle be taken to the inner fortress of Sambisa Forest rather than responding to the insurgents’ ambushes from time to time.”
President Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida
THE FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT
TOWARDS A NATIONAL REBIRTH
In the past few months and weeks, I have played host to many concerned Nigerians who have continued to express legitimate and patriotic worry about the state of affairs in the country. Some of them have continued to agonize about the turn of events and expressly worried why we have not gotten our leadership compass right as a country with so much potential and opportunity for all. Some, out of frustration, have elected to interrogate the leadership question and wondered aloud why it has taken this long from independence till date to discover the right model on account of our peculiarities. At 57, we are still a nation in search of the right leadership to contend with the dynamics of a 21st century Nigeria.
Having been privileged to preside over this great country, interacted with all categories of persons, dissected all shades of opinions, understudied different ethnic groupings; I can rightfully conclude that our strength lies in our diversity. But exploring and exploiting that diversity as a huge potential has remained a hard nut to crack, not because we have not made efforts, but building a consensus on any national issue often has to go through the incinerator of those diverse ethnic configurations. Opinions in Nigeria are not limited to the borders of the political elite; in fact, every Nigerian no matter how young or old, has an opinion on any national issue. And it is the function of discerning leadership to understand these elemental undercurrents in the discharge of state responsibilities.
WHERE WE ARE
There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is at a major crossroads at this moment in its history; the choices we are going to make as a nation regarding the leadership question of this country and the vision for our political, economic and religious future will be largely determined by the nature or kind of change that we pursue, the kind of change that we need and the kind of change that we get. A lot depends on our roles both as followers and leaders in our political undertakings. As we proceed to find the right thesis that would resolve the leadership question, we must bear in mind a formula that could engender national development and the undiluted commitment of our leaders to a resurgence of the moral and ethical foundations that brought us to where we are as a pluralistic and multi-ethnic society.
Nigeria, before now, has been on the one hand our dear native land, where tribes and tongues may differ but in brotherhood we stand, and on the other hand a nation that continues to struggle with itself and in every way stumbling and willful in its quest to become a modern state, starting from the first republic till date. With our huge investments in the African emancipation movements and the various contributions that were made by our leadership to extricate South Africa from colonial grip, Nigeria became the giant of Africa during that period. But having gone through leadership failures, we no longer possess the sobriety to claim that status. And we all are guilty.
We have experimented with Parliamentary and Presidential systems of government amid military interregnum at various times of our national history. We have made some progress, but not good enough to situate us on the pedestal we so desirously crave for. It is little wonder therefore that we need to deliberately provoke systems and models that will put paid to this recycling leadership experimentation to embrace new generational leadership evolution with the essential attributes of responsive, responsible and proactive leadership configuration to confront the several challenges that we presently face.
In 2019 and beyond, we should come to a national consensus that we need new breed leadership with requisite capacity to manage our diversities and jump-start a process of launching the country on the super highway of technology-driven leadership in line with the dynamics of modern governance. It is short of saying enough of this analogue system. Let’s give way for digital leadership orientation with all the trappings of consultative, constructive, communicative, interactive and utility-driven approach where everyone has a role to play in the process of enthroning accountability and transparency in governance.
I am particularly enamored that Nigerians are becoming more and more conscious of their rights; and their ability to speak truth to power and interrogate those elected to represent them without fear of arrest and harassment. These are part of the ennobling principles of representative democracy. As citizens in a democracy, it is our civic responsibility to demand accountability and transparency. Our elected leaders owe us that simple but remarkable accountability creed. Whenever we criticize them, it is not that we do not like their guts; it is just that as stakeholders in the political economy of the country, we also carry certain responsibilities.
In the past few months also, I have taken time to reflect on a number of issues plaguing the country. I get frightened by their dimensions. I get worried by their colourations. I get perplexed by their gory themes. From Southern Kaduna to Taraba state, from Benue state to Rivers, from Edo state to Zamfara, it has been a theatre of blood with cake of crimson. In Dansadau in Zamfara state recently, North-West of Nigeria, over 200 souls were wasted for no justifiable reason. The pogrom in Benue state has left me wondering if truly this is the same country some of us fought to keep together. I am alarmed by the amount of blood-letting across the land. Nigeria is now being described as a land where blood flows like river, where tears have refused to dry up. Almost on a daily basis, we are both mourning and grieving, and often times left helpless by the sophistication of crimes. The Boko Haram challenge has remained unabated even though there has been commendable effort by government to maximally downgrade them. I will professionally advise that the battle be taken to the inner fortress of Sambisa Forest rather than responding to the insurgents’ ambushes from time to time.
THINKING ALOUD
In the fullness of our present realities, we need to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29th, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country. While offering this advice, I speak as a stakeholder, former president, concerned Nigerian and a patriot who desires to see new paradigms in our shared commitment to get this country running. While saying this also, I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation, when personal ambition should not override national interest. This is the time for us to reinvent the will and tap into the resourcefulness of the younger generation, stimulate their entrepreneurial initiatives and provoke a conduce environment to grow national economy both at the micro and macro levels.
Contemporary leadership has to be proactive and not reactive. It must factor in citizens’ participation. Its language of discourse must be persuasive not agitated and abusive. It must give room for confidence building. It must build consensus and form aggregate opinion on any issue to reflect the wishes of the people across the country. It must gauge the mood of the country at every point in time in order to send the right message. It must share in their aspirations and give them cause to have confidence in the system. Modern leadership is not just about “fighting” corruption, it is about plugging the leakages and building systems that will militate against corruption. Accountability in leadership should flow from copious examples. It goes beyond mere sloganeering. My support for a new breed leadership derives from the understanding that it will show a marked departure from recycled leadership to creating new paradigms that will breathe fresh air into our present polluted leadership actuality.
My intervention in the governance process of Nigeria wasn’t an accident of history. Even as a military government, we had a clear-cut policy agenda on what we needed to achieve. We recruited some of the best brains and introduced policies that remain some of the best in our effort to re-engineer our polity and nation. We saw the future of Nigeria but lack of continuity in government and of policies killed some of our intentions and initiatives. Even though we did not provide answers to all the developmental challenges that confronted us as at that time, we were not short of taking decisions whenever the need arose.
GROWING INSECURITY ON OUR HANDS
The unchecked activities of the herdsmen have continued to raise doubt on the capacity of this government to handle with dispatch, security concerns that continue to threaten our dear nation; suicide bombings, kidnappings, armed banditry, ethnic clashes and other divisive tendencies. We need to bring different actors to the roundtable. Government must generate platform to interact and dialogue on the issues with a view to finding permanent solutions to the crises. The festering nature of this crisis is an inelegant testimony to the sharp divisions and polarizations that exist across the country. For example, this is not the first time herdsmen engage in pastoral nomadism but the anger in the land is suggestive of the absence of mutual love and togetherness that once defined our nationality. We must collectively rise up to the occasion and do something urgently to arrest this drift. If left unchecked, it portends danger to our collective existence as one nation bound by common destiny; and may snowball into another internecine warfare that would not be good for nation-building.
We have to reorient the minds of the herdsmen or gun-men to embrace ranching as a new and modern way to herd cattle. We also need to expand the capacity of the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, the Navy and Air Force to provide the necessary security for all. We need to catch up with modern sophistication in crime detection and crime fighting. Due to the peculiarity of our country, we must begin community policing to close the gaps that presently exist in our policing system. We cannot continue to use old methods and expect new results. We just have to constructively engage the people from time to time through platforms that would help them ventilate their opinions and viewpoints.
THE CHANGE MANTRA
When the ruling party campaigned with the change mantra, I had thought they would device new methods, provoke new initiatives and proffer new ways to addressing some of our developmental problems. By now, in line with her manifesto, one would have thought that the APC will give fillip to the idea of devolution of powers and tinker with processes that would strengthen and reform the various sectors of the economy. Like I did state in my previous statement late last year, devolution of power or restructuring is an idea whose time has come if we must be honest with ourselves. We need to critically address the issue and take informed positions based on the expectations of the people on how to make the union work better. Political parties should not exploit this as a decoy to woo voters because election time is here. We need to begin the process of restructuring both in the letter and spirit of it.
For example, I still cannot reconcile why my state government would not be allowed to fix the Minna-Suleja road, simply because it is called Federal Government road, or why state governments cannot run their own policing system to support the Federal Police. We are still experiencing huge infrastructural deficit across the country and one had thought the APC-led Federal Government would behave differently from their counterparts in previous administrations. I am hesitant to ask; where is the promised change?
LOOKING AHEAD
At this point of our national history, we must take some rather useful decisions that would lead to real development and promote peaceful co-existence among all the nationalities. We must be unanimous in what we desire for our country; new generation leadership, result-driven leadership, sound political foundation, demonetization of our politics, enhanced internal democracy, elimination of impunity in our politics, inclusiveness in decision-making, and promotion of citizens’ participation in our democratic process. The search for that new breed leadership must start now as we prepare for 2019 election.
I get worried when politicians visit to inform me about their aspirations and what you hear in terms of budgetary allocations for electoral contest does not cover voters’ education but very ridiculous sub-heads. A typical aspirant in Nigeria draws up budget to cover INEC, Police, Army and men and officers of the Civil Defense, instead of talking of voters’ education, mobilization and sensitization. Even where benchmarks are set for electoral expenditure, monitoring and compliance are always difficult to adhere to. We truly need to reform the political system. And we must deliberately get fresh hands involved for improved participation.
We need new ways and new approaches in our political order. We need a national rebirth. We need a rebranded Nigeria and rebranded politics. It is not so much for the people, but for the institutions that are put in place to promote our political engagements. We must strengthen the one man one vote mantra. It is often ridiculous for me when people use smaller countries in our West Africa sub-region as handy references of how democracy should be. It beggars our giant of Africa status.
The next election in 2019 therefore presents us a unique opportunity to reinvent the will and provoke fresh leadership that would immediately begin the process of healing the wounds in the land and ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of the people are realized in building and sustaining national cohesion and consensus. I pray the Almighty Allah grant us the gift of good life to witness that glorious dawn in 2019. Amen. I have not written an open letter to the President, I have just shared my thoughts with fellow compatriots on the need to enthrone younger blood into the mainstream of our political leadership starting from 2019.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday revealed why he decided to write a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Following his scathing letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has revealed he wrote Buhari out of his deep concern for the situation in the country.
Speaking on Thursday at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oke Ilewo area of Abeokuta, shortly after the Coalition for Nigeria Movement was inaugurated in Ogun State,
Obasanjo said he was surprised that many Nigerians were worried that he had exchanged pleasantries with President Buhari at the African Unity summit at Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, few days after he wrote the open letter to him (Buhari).
He noted that he never condemned the Buhari-led administration in totality, as he explained he gave him commendation in areas where it had performed well.
Obasanjo, however, spoke in parable, hinting that big masquerades have taken the centre stage, and the small masquerades must quit the stage.
He said,:-
Quote
Last week, I issued a statement which I did not do lightly or frivolously but out of deep concern for the situation of our country.
“I wonder why some Nigerians were worried why I had to pay respect to the Nigerian President at Addis Ababa. That’s my own upbringing as a well-born and bred Yoruba boy.
“That doesn’t mean that what I have said about the President, which I did not say out of bitterness and hatred. It is evidence that the President has performed, in some areas, good enough.
” In other areas not good and a proper advice which he may take and he may not take.
“I didn’t do that out of malice or out of ‘bad belle’; I did it out of my respect for that office and my interest and I hope in your interest and the interest of Buhari in Nigeria.
The Secretary-General
January 15, 2018
United Nations
New York
Sir,
APPLICATION FOR UN DECLARATION OF MIDDLE-BELT AS REPUBLIC Of TAKURUKU
On behalf of the leadership of Sovereign Republic of Takuruku Movement and good citizens, we hereby solicit for United Nations’ (UN) declaration and support of the international community to the Middle-Belt region as an independent country out of Nigeria. The Republic of Takuruku is a country built on the foundation of the fear of God and truly democratic.
The secession of the Middle-Belt out of Nigeria has become imperative for the following reasons:
In Nigeria, Tiv are the most cheated people and taken for granted despite the fact that they are the 4th largest ethnic group in a nation of 250 tribes.
The people have sacrificed more than other tribes in the struggles to keep Nigeria as one indivisible sovereign nation, and have contributed more to the socio-economic and political development of the country without reward, rather the people are been annihilated, denied of their inalienable rights and known only when it is time to douse crisis.
Before the advent of oil boom in Nigeria, agriculture was the main source of foreign exchange and the Tiv were the major contributors of the agric produce for export without demand for any resource control or derivation on the income as it is being done today by the Niger-Delta indigenes, who insists on getting 13 percent oil derivation monthly.
The income from the Tiv sweat was used for development of the country with little federal presence in the Middle-Belt particularly Tiv land compared with the Northern states that have everything; talk of the tap running with water, good express roads, qualitative heath care and educational facilities, name them; while roads in the Middle-Belt region have become death traps and the hospitals mere consulting clinics.
The Native Authority ( NAs) created by the British colonial masters, for the North they have multiplied into more than ten states mainly occupied by the Hausa/Fulani while the NAs in the Middle-Belt region have been merge into few states and the Tiv scattered in some of the states with other hostile tribes who have been molesting them on the deception by the Fulani terrorists that they should join allied forces with them to wipe out the Tiv on earth and share their land given to them by the all mighty God as their Canaan.
The massacre of Nigerians by the Fulani terrorists dated back to 1804, when Othman Danfodio declared Jihad against the people. After that incident, over the years there has been carnage on Tiv nation across Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states.
Fulani have deceived Tiv’s neighbors like Jukun, Kuteb, Arago and the rest of other members of the Kwararafa confraternity to form allied forces and annihilate the Tiv and occupy their land.
One begins to wonder if the Tiv nation is not part of Nigeria as nobody cares about the heinous attack on them with impunity by the Fulani marauders; killing children, pregnant women and unborn babies, the old, raping of wives and daughters, and destruction of property.
When the Federal Government that enters into social contract with the people to protect their lives and property turn blind eyes to a group of people that has chosen to be lawless in all its dealing such as the Fulani trade union, called Miyeti Allah Kauta Hore, despite their earlier threat to cause insurrection in the Middle-Belt valley. After the fulfillment of the threat they, in various press outings, came boldly to accept responsibility of the barbaric and inhuman acts.
This is the highest degree of exhibition of sense of irresponsibility and Nebuchadnezzaric character. The Sultan of Sokoto that usually vehemently condemns attack on Fulani herdsmen and their cows keeps mute anytime his subject massacre Tiv people without any provocation.
Even though the Nigerian law prohibits the unlawful possession and carrying of arms by the citizens, the Fulani herdsmen continue to bear most sophisticated weapons such as AK47 and used them at will to kill innocent farmers without the Federal Government or law enforcement agencies raising eyebrows, since the perpetrators of the genocide on the people of Middle-Belt are not arrested and prosecuted.
In addition, the Federal Government has provided security for the herders and their cows that are not paying tax, using the tax payer’s money but none for the farmers who have been paying tax. The Federal Government has also made a policy to create cattle colonies by forcefully taking away 100 hectares of land from indigenes in the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory Abuja. What an injustice?
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state in his effort to bring lasting solution to ensure peace and development, enacted the Anti-Open Grazing and Ranching Establishment Law, accepted as world standard practice, has been arrogantly resisted by the terrorists who have fulfilled their threat to invade the Benue valley where they have killed over 100 persons, wounded others and caused untold destruction of property.
What else can a reliable friend do to harmoniously co-exist with a friend? In all these good friendly gesture by the Tiv to the Fulani, they have insisted on truncating the law of triangle boundary in relationship with the Tiv by attempts to forcefully Islamize them or take away their land. According to the Fulani, the vegetation of the Benue valley is more nutritious for their cows, valued more than human beings.
Basically, the law stipulates that no one should set boundary for anybody but allow people to set it for themselves so that they can take responsibility for their freedom and face the consequences that follows. Even God the creator of heaven and earth has given liberty to mankind to worship Him or the devil. The choice is yours not forgetting the perfect will of the Lord, which leads to eternal life and His permissive will, to destruction.
The people, particularly the Tiv have passed through many unpalatable historical experiences in the hands of the Sokoto caliphate despite their show of solidarity support to their suppossed Fulani, to acquire political power in control of the entire Nigeria but it is not enough for them and the only pay back to the Tiv is to annihilate them and occupy their land, which according to them, has vegetation with more nutrient for their cows. Such a display of greed and avarice!
Now, besides the series of dehumanized acts against the Tiv by the Arewa oligarchs who claim to be their historic friend (Abokin Kura) over the years, the same Hausa/Fulani set the Tiv people against Biafra (Igbo people) during the civil war of 1967-1970 and now Tiv and Ibo have become enemies.
The Tiv had supported the Sokoto caliphate to acquire political power but they are unable to manage it for the interest of the totality of Nigerians rather they have become more Nigerians than others and oppressors of the masses.
The Tiv people have been placed between the blue sea and the devil as they have no friend in the Arewa and Biafra political blocs. The fear is with the agitation for breakaway of the federating units of Nigeria.
For instance, if the Ibo realized their dream of having Biafra republic, other minority tribes in the Middle-belt region especially the Tiv definitely cannot go with them because of their antecedence of hatred and lack of accommodation for them, caused by the Hausa/Fulani who deceived the northern minorities to gang up against the Ibo who are today celebrating the nemesis against the Tiv by saying Ntoo! Meaning, serves them right, because of the pogrom of Tiv by the Fulani terrorists (Chenaka ba ka sen na gida ba) meaning, the house ant that does not know it’s roommate.
On the other hand, the dominance, marginalization and religious intolerance of the Hausa/Fulani is not palatable to the Middle-Belt nationalities who are predominantly Christians.
The Arewas pretend to be generous when they needed support but after success they dump their supporters while the Biafrans refer to anybody in the Middle-belt as Hausa and treat the person as enemy, unaware that there are other tribes in the region and the Ibo seems to be too selfish for comfort.
From the above analogy, the Middle-belt minorities will prefer to resort to the foundation already laid by Senator Joseph Tarka of blessed memory for them when he led the agitation for independence of the Middle-belt region to go to where they will be celebrated.
That is why the independence of the sovereign Republic of Takuruku for the people of Middle-Belt, Nigeria has become necessary, since no one love them in Nigeria.
Having looked at the situation from the physical side, let us take a view of the spiritual perspective.
Akin to the Jews who were massively killed during the holocaust by the Nazi Germany,now the Jews have an independent nation of Israel, the tide has changed in favour of the victims of the Fulani carnage now that they have reconciled with their God. As a reward for the Tiv who have made their path right with God He has forgiven their transgression for derailing from the original plan of God for them during their migration into the Middle-Belt valley.
According to the prophecy of Archbishop Yimam Orkwar, God has pardoned, given them comfort and taken over the battle of the Middle-Belt people and has transferred their afflictions to their enemies, in Isaiah 40:2, 51and 52:1- 2.
For the oppressors of the people of Middle-belt, they were cautioned not to celebrate their atrocities against the people but expect shame ahead. With the calamity upon the people of Middle-Belt, God has not abandoned his people as the nature of God is when He uses someone to punish His people He turns back to use them and punish the enemy, like He used Ai to punish Israel and later empowered Israel to destroy them.
God in His love and mercy has heard the cry and seen the tears of Benue people as a memorial and has forgiven them. But to their enemies, all the atrocities committed against the Middle-Belt people will return back to them and their future generations a thousandfolds, according to Act 4:23-25.
The wrath of God is going to consume the tormentors of the Benue people particularly the Fulani and their cattle, and the wealth of the heathen transferred to them and makes the enemies their slaves.
The people across Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue state have been consoled to note that God seated on His throne is laughing at the stupidity of their enemies for attacking them without committing any offence to anybody but because the Lord has given the people fertile land as their Canaan, the enemies have conspired and because of grid and envy are trying to take away what does not belong to them.
For example, Paul and his team suffered for no crime but for the gospel and God saw them through. The people have been urged to trust in God at this critical time and they will never be disappointed as He will stand for them and the atrocities against them will backfire to their oppressors in Jesus name.
Takuruku Republic is a dream which time has come as the people, particularly the children of Tiv are now sharing in the suffering with Jesus Christ, which is not in vain but they will also surely share in the comfort of Christ, who is now seated at the right hand of God who is the source of comfort.
The Lord has rewarded the people with the gift of Plateau,Nasarawa,Benue,Taraba and Cross River states as SOVEREIGN REPUBLI OF TAKURUKU, with a viable economy, which is their Canaan with a well defined boundary with international community, Cameroon.
However, in order to sustain the victory, the people have been admonished to continue to pray, praise and worship, and thank to God for the pardon and bringing them back to fellowship together with Him on earth and eternity. Unlike their oppressors, God has given them comfort to make their neighbours comfortable too, according to 2 Corinthians 1:1-12.
Prophet Ortindi Torough Baka
Leader, Sovereign Republic Of Takuruku Movement And President/founder of Awoken Gospel Culture International
#LetsContinue
Founder and leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, has described the Igbo as foolish.
The MASSOB founder insisted that Igbo may not become Nigeria’s president because they only fight for their pocket.
Uwazurike recalled how Igbo was pushed aside after forming the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 1999.
He insisted that anyone calling for the unity of Nigeria does not mean well for the already troubled nation.
His words, “Remember, it was the Igbo man that formed this PDP but they snatched it from him. Then, it was clear that an Igbo man would be the President of Nigeria. But in Jos, it was the Igbo who robbed themselves of that opportunity. The Igbo at that political event in Jos started speaking Hausa.
“The Igbo started sponsoring (Olusegun) Obasanjo against (Alex) Ekwueme; giving N100 million and all that to another tribe to emerge. Let me tell you, the Igbo tribe is the most foolish tribe I have ever seen in the world.
“While the Yoruba embraced unity, the Igbo man was the person speaking Hausa in Jos; the Igbo man was the one donating money against his own brother in Jos to another candidate.
“Is that a wise tribe? Then, who should I apologise to for using the word ‘foolish?’ Then what have we achieved from the PDP? For how many years have the Yoruba people used the PDP? Eight years! Now, when it was the turn of the South-East, they sent it to South-South.”
