The planned deployment of NATO Patriot missiles along Turkey’s border with Syria could lead to a “world war” that would threaten Europe as well, Iran’s military chief of staff was quoted as saying on Saturday.
Turkey asked NATO for the Patriot system, designed to intercept aircraft or missiles, in November to help bolster its border security after repeated episodes of gunfire from war-torn Syria spilling into Turkish territory.
General Hassan Firouzabadi, the Iranian armed forces chief, said Iran wanted its neighbor Turkey to feel secure but called for NATO not to deploy the Patriots in its easternmost member state, which also borders Iran.
“Each one of these Patriots is a black mark on the world map, and is meant to cause a world war,” Firouzabadi said, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency. “They are making plans for a world war, and this is very dangerous for the future of humanity and for the future of Europe itself.”
Iran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the 21-month uprising against his rule and long a strategic adversary of Western powers who have given formal recognition to Syria’s opposition coalition.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta signed an order on Friday to send two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey along with American personnel to operate them, following similar steps by Germany and the Netherlands.
Iranian officials including parliament speaker Ali Larijani have previously said that installing the Patriot missiles would deepen instability in the Middle East, and the foreign ministry spokesman said they would only worsen the conflict in Syria.
Turkey has repeatedly scrambled jets along its border with Syria and responded in kind when shells and gunfire from the Syrian conflict have hit its territory, fanning fears that the civil war could inflame the wider region
Abia state will be benefitting N1.2 billion in 2012 under the conditional grants scheme of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Senior special Assistant to the president on MDG, Dr.Precious Gbeneol made this public while inaugurating projects executed under 2011 Millennium Development Goals Conditional Grant Scheme in Abia state.
She said that 607 million was spent in Abia in 2011, adding that her office funded 3 local governments –Obingwa, Ohafia and Ikwuano all of which received N200 million each to fund MDG projects.
According to her,the MDG office will be taking 4 additional local governments in Abia in 2012 –Arochukwu, Umunneochi,Ukwa East and Isiala Ngwa south and commended the governor for releasing the counterpart funding for the state promptly.
She further stated that N187million will be disbursed to the state under the conditional cash transfer, disclosing that Abia is among the 24 states to benefit from the sum of N5 billion released by the federal government.
The senior special Assistant thanked the wife of Abia state governor for helping to alleviate poverty among the people, pointing out that the major goal of the MDG is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger among the people.
She urged benefitting communities to protect and use the projects or get blacklisted. Speaking, Abia governor, Chief TA Orji said the projects were executed to have great impact on the people.
Chief Orji revealed that his administration built and equipped a total of 250 health centres from 2007 till date and built 10 solar powered boreholes.
He maintained that 46 primary health centres were equipped and 17 ambulances purchased in 2011, adding that over 200 communities can boast of using modern facilities in their health centres.
The Abia state chief executive stated that his administration believes in the provision of projects and programmes that impact on the poor segment of society and the underprivileged and thanked the senior special Assistant on MDG for approving 4 new local governments to benefit from the scheme.
He however requested for the inclusion of 4 more local governments from the state to benefit from the scheme.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has described the death of Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoeye Azazi and others in a helicopter crash as devastating, saying “I am still in shock.”
Reacting to news of the deaths, Governor Uduaghan said that it was a big blow to the country particularly given the caliber of all people involved.
According to him, these are deaths too many for Nigeria and Nigerians to bear noting that this saddening development called for prayers.
“This is so sad and painful. It is devastating not just to me as an individual, but to our collective being as a nation”, he stated.
Dr Uduaghan condoled the government and people of Kaduna state, the government and people of Bayelsa state, the families of the deceased and Nigerians over the fatalities.
He prayed God Almighty to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest.
South Korea imports of Iranian crude oil have increased 2.9 percent in November compared to a month ago despite West’s unilateral embargoes against Iran’s oil and financial sectors.
According to the data released by Korea Customs Service, Seoul purchased 814,797 metric tons, equivalent to 5.97 million barrels, of oil from Iran in November which indicated a 2.9-percent rise from October, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
South Korea halted crude purchases from Iran in August and September after its refiners lost insurance coverage on ships because of the sanctions imposed on Iran. However, Iran responded by using state-owned tankers to carry cargoes, a move that would allow South Korea to receive crude shipments without concerns over insurance guarantees.
According to reports, South Korea purchased 9.4 percent, or about 87 million barrels, of all its oil imports from Iran last year.
At the beginning of 2012, the US and the European Union imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors with the goal of preventing other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran.
The illegal US-engineered sanctions were imposed based on the unfounded accusation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Iran strongly rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Not a few great and ably placed personalities of Abia extraction have at different times and fora acknowledged the complete absence of building cranes at any construction site close to Abia State, until the gubernatorial stewardship of Sir T.A. Orji. It was a sad reality that starred Abia in the face for over a decade whether during the military or democratic dispensation. With the passage of time, Abians were completely aghast to discover the magnitude of deep-seated executive grandstanding typified by poorly finished road and similar construction works.
I have had cause to variously infer that Sir T.A. Orji is an innocent victim of accumulated and misplaced aggression, occasioned by the people’s angst over decades of infrastructural neglect and decay before his Davidic intervention. Bottled up anger were at the verge of exploding destructively, before the Governor strategically intervened to liberate his people from political gulag and unbridled executive insensitivity, which in the past cascaded over the state like a life threatening dark cloud. The desired breath of fresh air was heralded with the liberation of peoples lives held captive by kidnappers and armed robbers.
The celebrated victory of government over the challenge of security became the latitude, which encouraged growth and a healthy race for the re-branding of Abia State. It evidently brought out the best in Sir T.A Orji as he constantly rode on each mile-stone to triumphantly establish another.
From a hollow state, lacking in identity and the necessities of life Governor T.A. Orji has stimulated a very healthy sectoral growth in Abia State. Development cannot take place in a vacuum, the plat form like the Governor is doing must be provided. It was this understanding that earlier gave rise to the synergy with Millennium Development Goals which in one fell swoop produced over 210 Health Centers situated in all the nooks and crannies of Abia State. Frankly speaking if the Health Center initiative of Governor T.A. Orji did little to arouse the curiosity of Abians, the incredible icing of Abia State Specialist Hospital jolted them and Diagnostic Center delivered in association with Me-cure Health Services, India. Abians whose mind were conditioned to patiently tolerate what they perceived was going to be another misrule, suddenly realized that this Governor could be the Moses, prepared and equipped to lead the people out of Egypt. Abia state Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Center has not only been extended in terms of annex, but has become a reliable one stop shop for diagnosing and treating complicated health situations like liver, kidney, eye and other allied cases.
Scarcely had the people finished dealing with the hospital amazement than the governor stepped up activities in other sectors.
The International conference centre, projected to seat over 3500 people and which some Abians thought was going to be a fleecing conduit, will be commissioned in a couple of months from now. A speculative tourist boom in that regard has given rise to a healthy race in the location of quality hotels and guesthouses in the state capital. Abia Hotels is being up-graded to a 3 Star Hotel to compete effectively in that sector. It is closely followed with workers secretariat, which can stand shoulder to shoulder with others in any part of the world. As earlier on else where acknowledged, the hollow past of Abia is so deep that self-seeking administrators governed the state from the property of late Emeka Omerua which he graciously allowed the state to occupy. I have always wondered aloud each time I sojourned in the thought of wanting to know why successive Governors and Military administrators did not think it befitting to drive the construction of a modern Government House in Umuahia, until a man who knows how to engrave his name in gold came on board. As widely held in Ibo land, you need not kill more than one lion before you are called “Lion killer.” With the reality of a new government House, Abians can testify that the Governor is poised to kill a thousand and one lions. Chronic critics are ridding themselves of that toga having enlisted in the bandwagon of helping the Governor to move the state forward,
Many Abians are oblivious of a brand new layout in Umuahia, which is playing host to these new structures. I have always attributed this ignorance to the reason behind the torrents of vituperations which government suffered in the past. Critics who have had cause to visit the new Umuahia layout have had cause to eat their misguided utterances. They have always discovered that besides the on-going workers Secretariat, International Conference Centre and New-Government House, a shouting distance away will reveal the reconstructed Abia State House of Assembly. A little walk around the expansive premises will also reveal the on-going 28 rooms Constituency offices being driven by the government of Sir, T.A Orji.
The judiciary has also benefited from the Governors season of projects in Abia State. A new and gigantic Umuahia High Court is almost completed and same is being replicated in Aba. The Government of Sir T.A. Orji had earlier built a new and modernized office block at Ministry of Justice even as old Magistrate Court Umuahia is under-going reconstruction.
Broadcasting Corporation, the mouthpiece of Abia State is also a beneficiary of government project initiative. This intervention when completed will usher the station into the League of digitalized broadcasters. Shop rite, a household name in chain stores has mobilized to site; Old garki for the construction of a shopping mall in Umuahia.
It is part of the positive feedback from the reality of Ohiya 132 KVA power station, which re-defined the socio-economic configuration of the State capital. Government-Geometric Power synergy due for commissioning in February 2013 will extend this illumination to Aba metropolis for business revivals and other ambitious projects. That this government matches words with action, played out recently, during the relocation of Umuahia Industrial market to Umudike. Umuahia ultra modern market is poised to follow suit as Ubani is gearing up to permanently host the new market. The housing drive of Abia state under Governor T.A. Orji is looking up.
The elitist Amaokwe-Ugba Housing Estate has been delivered, awaiting the almost completed Ahia-eke Housing Estate. The organized private sector is also sharing in this aspiration and its parading blue-chip players like Aso-property, and Juno-Hermes who have since flagged off their housing projects.
Time and space will fail me to talk about the on-going re-construction of 16 roads in Aba but suffice to say that it’s a practical way of demonstrating the Governors desire to re-engineer Aba.
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that the kidnap and eventual release of her mother will not deter her from pushing forward with national economic reforms.
The Ogwashi-Uku palace, in Delta State erupted in joy on Friday following the return of the Queen, Professor Kanene Okonjo, who was kidnapped last Sunday.
Police said that a motorcycle took the woman to the palace early Friday morning after she regained her freedom from the kidnappers. A palace source and the police, however, said no ransom was paid to secure her release.
Dr (Mrs) Okonjo-Iweala, who was responding to several posts on Tweeter on Friday afternoon, replied those hinting that she would soft-pedal on the fight against subsidy scammers and her push for further reforms of the economy.
Some of the tweets read: ‘I just realised what NOI (Ngozi Okonjo Iweala) is up against. It must be a tough, lonely world to be in this government.’ Another tweet noted ‘Anyway, now they have successful struck fear into her heart. I won’t blame her for treading carefully now’.
Others questioned the source of the alleged ransom paid for the release while some insinuated that the kidnap was meant to stop the minister in her reforms, especially in the management of the fuel subsidy.
The minister, who is also on twitter, however, responded sharply: “Far from being afraid, I have been made stronger by this experience. I refuse to be intimidated.”`
But addressing journalists on Friday, in Asaba, the state Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, said the leader of Prof Okonjo’s kidnappers, identified as Nwose Nwanze, a native of Asaba, was killed while four others were arrested. The police gave their names as Hard drug, Tsetsefly, Tipperboy and Bright.
The two vehicles used in the abduction of the old woman, a Volkswagen Golf with registration number ASB 697 AA and bus with registration number KPP 64XA with inscription ‘Missionary’, God Delight City Church International, were recovered.
The police boss said that the kingpin was shot as he attempted to scale the fence in their hideout in Asaba, and later died at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.
According to him, the notorious kidnap chief was once arrested and charged to court for the kidnap and murder of Obilink, a petroleum magnate in Asaba, and later released.
Aduba said nobody accompanied Professor Okonjo on the motorcycle to the palace and the rider was unknown.
Security at the palace was further tightened on Friday as journalists were barred from talking to the octogenarian. There are indications, however, that she may have relocated to Abuja to have proper rest.
Meanwhile, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala has reacted to the release of her mother.
According to a statement by Paul Nwabuiko, the Special Adviser to the minister, the queen’s release put an end to what the release called “a very difficult period.”
The statement reads: “I can confirm that Professor (Mrs) Kamene Okonjo, wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Professor Chukuka Okonjo, and mother of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was released this morning, five days after her abduction.
“The Okonjo family is full of thanks to the Almighty (God) for this happy
development. The family is also highly appreciative of the support and encouragement of President Goodluck Jonathan; the country’s security services for their excellent operations; governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Peter Obi of Anambra, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and other governors as well other friends and well wishers within and outside government, for their prayers and encouragement during a very difficult period.”
There was also wild jubilation yesterday at Obomkpa town in Aniocha Local Government Area of the state, when news filtered in that Professor Kamene Okonjo had been released by her abductors.
Obomkpa is the maternal home of the Finance Minister.
The traditional ruler of Obomkpa, Obi Jonathan Nsuebo II was visibly happy about the development.
The state Chairman of the state’s Local Government Service Commission, Chief (Mrs) Patience Okwuofu, who hails from Obomkpa, also expressed gratitude to God for the matriarch’s freedom
It is not in
doubt that the clock is ticking away on the tenure of the incumbent governor of
Anambra State of Nigeria and the end game is on. It is not a dream that Obi
dreams to pick his successor and not a figment of anyone’s imagination that the
voters in Anambra State, backed by the principle of democracy do not desire it
so. It is not a piece of propaganda that
Obi is has pushing this personal view of his which he is entitled to with all
the fibre in his muscles and all the armoury in his arsenal including ,trust me
,Anambra State funds.
But do the
people want to zone the chief executive position in a homogenous and
mono-lingual state like Anambra? Practically; on the street and beer parlours,
in sponsored and neutral discourses the answers are mixed. Some emphatically
say yes. In this category is the governor? Others say no. In this group is the
usual army of gubernatorial hopefuls who happen to fall outside the zone unilaterally favoured by Obi to take the first slot in the presumed zoning? Even
many politicians in Obi’s choice zone who cannot aspire in 2014 are I this
group because time calculations will not favour their political future. Yet
others say that Anambra will decide when they meet for the purpose. Three views
on the streets and their numerous variants, yet many more sown in the hearts of
those who speak only when the table is decorated.
On Monday this
week, November 26,the mouthpiece of Anambra State Government- Anambra State
Broadcasting Service (ABS) in a news
commentary read throughout news commentary yesterday , which claimed that
Anambra has agreed to propose ‘zoning of the office of governor across the
three senatorial Zones ,starting from Anambra North Zone’ to the national
Assembly for inclusion in the federal constitution. But according to ABS ‘ a
few greedy and disgruntled politicians in the state are sabotaging that
agreement’
We shall yet
return to this commentary which largely triggered of this highly procrastinated
piece ;its deductions and assumptions; and the larger implications for
democracy in Anambra State and Nigeria.
To
understand the issues in the zoning discourse let us trace the issue from the
root. In the aftermath of a 1994/95 constitutional conference organised by the
nation got bitten by the zoning bug. This followed a, proposal introduced and
made popular by Dr Alex Ekwueme, speaking from the blueprint presented by
Mkpoko Igbo, itself a product of the Igbo Intelligensia organisation Aka Ikenga. The proposal was for the
rotation of the office of the President around six geo-political zones, drawn
out on the basis of a mix of voting patterns in the country’s previous elections,
linguistic/ethnic blocs and sociological factors.
The proposal
met with a stout resistance form the group led by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua ad
largely supported by the north which was in the thick of their hegemony. So
stiff was their opposition that they raised voices to shout down Ekwueme on the
dais. It took the physical intervention of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who
was co-chairman of the well-prepared South –East delegation, to secure an
audience for Ekwueme to espouse the subject.
Ikemba who had to remain standing challenging the ring-leaders of the
shouting match to make a whimper .Of course the argument was to continue
outside the plenary.
Eventually,
those who sought and failed to shout the motion down went back and built a
consensus to defeat the view on the floor of the conference. But it was
contained in the minority report sent in by Ekwueme, which made sense to
Abacha, himself coming from a ‘marginalised’ group in the north.
So Nigeria
informally recognised six zones and started applying it in their lives. Yet,
not having had any opportunity between then and this month to discuss the
making of their constitution as a people, it had to wait for this year for the
people to vote yes to its inclusion in the federal constitution.
But in 1998,
Ekwueme’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) inserted a watered-down version of the zoning arrangement in the
party’s constitution, making it a two-dash arrangement between North and South
Nigeria, with many in it’s ranks, including the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi opposing it. Even that party-inspired zoning
manifesto faced its biggest challenge when President Umar Yar’Adua, took ill
and eventually died, as there was clear reluctance to hand over power to his
then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan. And of course the constitution had the
legal answers, but not the political.
Many argue
that that is the origin of the emergence of the political Boko Haraam, which
differs largely form the original one led by late Yusuf in 2009. A comment in
that regard by the former Security Adviser to the President cost him his job,
but the plausiblility was not lost on Nigerians. And now with Abubakar Atiku
beginning the political rounds in target of 2015 and Jonathan playing the
ostrich game, the zoning issue is far from settled even now that it is outside the
constitution. So it cannot be said to have succeeded.
I hold a
personal view that if we wish to draw the right lessons from the PDP experiment
which we cannot wish away, any zoning we introduce at the federal level should
work out a unique arrangement that separates the ticket of the President from
his Vice, in order to succeed. We must not copy every American way because we
are using the presidential system of government.
For the
zonig to succeed,learning from our experience,
we may need six Vice Presidents,with the First Vce President,who is next to the
president in succession coming from the former’s zone. That way if for any
reason ,the president is unable to continue in office, dies or is removed, the
power remains in his zone.Beyod this, the exact duration that ower should stay
in one zone has to be defined.ut accept of reject this proposal, we should
define the number of years for which an office should be defined. As a country
we are lucky that Yar’Adua died a natural death or things could have been
worse. But we must foresee all kinds of possibilities in the future and provide
for them.
My
deliberate copious reference to zoning as currently being experimented by a
party ,with great challenges is to underscore that for zoning at the national
level ,it is still a learning curve with a
lot of work ahead, because we are trying to impose it on a democratic
model copied from those who have evr allowed such concept as zoning to play any
role in their polity. Hence any issue regarding the subject has to be
approached with care at every level,
irrespective of current sentiments in some quarters in Anambra State.
Sentiments
by their very nature are transient. If Atiku Abubakar, a surviving pillar of the Yar’Adua group had foreseen that one
day Nigeria would have a president outside the north, while the latter would be seeking to recapture power, he would
have lent full support to the Ekwueme proposal in the conference and perhaps
joined forces to see it promulgated into the constitution. But hell no. They
kicked it down. Gladly Atiku has made a volte-face only because he alive to so
do.
Likewise sentiments
for one particular senatorial zone to produce the governor are not criminal,
but it may no be in the air in the next ten years. Yet it takes gargantum
national consensus to amend the constitution, which does not happen all the
time. So it is possible that some politicians could tie up the hands of Anambra
Development with a bad policy for the next 50 years, just to take care of their
interest in less than a year.Should we continue the match to centralise power,
when one one popular hand, we are seeking to devolve same to the zones/states
in the same amendment?
I would have
continued to insist that we distance ourselves from zoning, as I did in the past,
but t , appears to be a necessary evil
at the national level to contain our differences and fears, which led us into a
needless civil war, in the course of nation building, but there is so much to
do to run that system without problems. But in my view, it is needless to talk
about zoning at all in states like Anambbra who speak the same language and
share the same culture.
And this
brings us to the issue of Anambra agreeing to insert the zoning of offices amongst
senatorial zones. The facts as I know them do not support this assertion. The
matter was not discussed.
First, the
meeting of November 11, 2012 held at the Women Development Centre Awka, was a
meeting convened by Gov. Obi to respond to a specific template drawn up by the
National Assembly highlighting blanket questions on broad issues of amendment
to the constitution. With respect to the zoning of executive offices, that
template asked the question: ‘Do you
think the constitution should be amended to insert the zoning of the presidency
between the six geo-political zones for presidency and the three senatorial
zones for governor’.
The NASS, at
least as reflected in their template, did not envisage that different answers
could be given for the two offices. The House of Representatives constituency
sessions held the day before on November 10, most of the constituents in the 11
federal constituencies in Anambra State in their wisdom separated the question
into two parts and most voted for zoning at the national level, rejecting it at
the state level. These reports were not read in Awka, where Gov. Obi who
virtually chose all the delegates and whose personal views on the matter were
already in the public domain posed the
questions together. So it is actually incorrect to say that Anambra has voted
for zoning of governorship position. My understanding based on the reasons adduced
above is that the governor is letting his personal view on the issue override
that of the people. He also tried to do that on the issue of autonomy for the
State Houses of Assembly and Local governments, but it was easier to stop him
because there was no double –barrel question. He even deliberately omitted
vital questions like whether INEC should conduct all elections in the country.
Secondly, as
we continue to deepen our democracy and strive to true federalism, it is
pertinent to point out that the federal constitution cannot decide on a zoning
policy for the states. There are states like Benue and Delta, Platueu, Cross
River and Rivers that harbour up to five ethnic/linguistic groups, and
certainly their on-the-ground response to the issue of zoning need not be identical
to Anambra, which is homogenous. Why then should the constitution of each state
not decide whether they should zone offices and define the conditions .Who syas
zoning must be on the basis of senatorial zones? Are senatorial zones not administrative
lines created by INEC for purposes of conducting elections? Will those lines
remain the same if more states are created as the South –East desires and
deserves? So why should we form a thesis and present its anti-thesis in the
same document?
Thirdlly, it
is almost like a return to the era of military government for a governor to
arise and choose the zone to begin in an assumed zoning arrangement without the
people themselves sitting together to negotiate and agree on the schedule, the
term due to each zone and what the state must do in case they come across bad
or inept leadership. To do that is to leave crisis as a recipe because we shall
inherit unresolved issues in a state that is not known to sit down around the
table and resolve issues when they break, but rather prefer unfortunately to
petition outsiders to decide their matter. It is needless to emphasise that
those who should decide on a matter like this should have the mandate of those
they represent. They have to be elected, with only a few expert appointments to
enrich the discussion.
Fourth and
finally, the language deployed by ABS which ought to speak for Anambra, not Obi
is amazing. Why would politicians in pursuit of their inalienable right to
aspire to be governors be described as ‘disgruntled elements’. Why should these
persons give up their aspiration in exchange for nothing and not based on the
outcome of any negotiation? Is that
Peter Obi’s understanding of democracy? Many have argued that the latest chorus
being sang by Obi and his supporters is simply to appoint a successor who would
cover up his tracks and such people whose confidence he has as close associates
today come form Anambra North Senatorial zone, namely Obaze, who has been
discredited by his own party, Oseloka Obaze, Dubem’s elder brother who
currently serves as secretary to the state government, Paul Odenigbo, his
immediate predecessor and surprisingly
Stella Oduah ,Minister of Aviation.
The
corollary to this trend of thought is that there are very competent candidates
in other zones who Obi would rather not wish to succeed him, irrespective of
how popular they may be and therefore finds in ‘the campaign promise I made in
2010’ a convenient platform to play the game of exclusion. Do not ask me if Obi
has any right to promise any zone governorship of Anambra State.
Nothing in
my essay should be seen as excluding the right of the governor to groom a
probable successor, which the people must vote into office if he (Obi) convinces
them that his legacy as a governor of Anambra state is worth continuing and
that better alternatives are not waiting elsewhere. That is the essence of our
democracy which we need to protect with all the blood in our veins.
My take is
that Obi should invest all the energy being used to preach an unbroached,undiscussed
and unagreed zoning mandate into the inevitable, desirable and deserving
efforts to get Anambra State to discuss their political future, broker consensus on all essential issues-not
necessarily on zoning alone- and translate the agreements into ‘The
Constitution of Anambra State of Nigeria’.
This one-man
zoning project may not be as easy as waking up one day and changing the ‘Home for
All ‘slogan of the state to ‘Light of the Nation’. Don’t get me wrong, Indeed
we are the light of the nation. We can be as many more things as we want,
except that in our democracy and all democracies the process is as important,
if not more important than the outcome.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Dr Owen Ozue
6 Oraeto Street
Nnewi
Anambra State
oozue@yahoo.com
Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, – The New Governor of Kaduna State
With the damning news of helicopter crash off the creeks of Bayelsa State – resulting to the sudden death of the Governor of Kaduna State, Sir Patrick Yakowa on Sunday December 15, 2012 – fear has taken over the social ambiance of the northern state of Kaduna. This is as the death of the Christian governor is to pave way for the leadership baton to be passed over to a Muslim deputy, Alhaji Ramalan.
Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that the deputy governor will be sworn-in as the substantive governor of Kaduna State at 10am tomorrow morning [December 16, 2012] at the Kaduna State government house.
Already, the aides to the late governor of Kaduna have been asked to assemble at the government house on the evening of the crash [at 9pm] to prepare the process of handing over to the new leadership under Ramalan. The competent source who spoke to our correspondent revealed that the atmosphere at the government house was solemn for the aides of the late governor – and somewhat celebratory on the part of the deputy governor’s aides and associates. Nonetheless, the hand over process is reported to have begun at the Kaduna State government house. A source inside the government house fears that the transfer process may not go smoothly owing to the frigid relationship between the late office of the governor and the deputy governor.
So far, the aides to the late governor have answered to the call to present themselves at the government house – and have conducted themselves civilly.
Meanwhile, our source pointed to the immediate actions following the break of the news that the State governor has died – as indicative of the fear that may have overcome the residents of Kaduna State. The noticed that the store fronts in Kaduna metropolis – without urging – closed their stores before 5pm and abandoned the streets for their respective home. “It was like an unannounced curfew“, said the source – who also observed a gradual increase in security presence across the Kaduna metropolis.
Kaduna State has served a hot bed for religious violence between Muslims and native Christians. Over 456 lives have been reported lost to the religious violence prompted by the insurgency of the Islamic terrorist group, the Boko Haram. The Christian resident of Kaduna – primarily in southern Kaduna – have shown it ability to respond to the Boko Haram inspired violence – with more violence. For this, the security operatives are worried.
Late Governor Yakowa was the first Christian Governor in Kaduna State – a Muslim dominated State.
–
The Secretary to the Kaduna state government, Lawal Samaila Abdullah gave the official confirmation of the death of the State governor. In his words, “The death has occurred of his Excellency, the governor of Kaduna state sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (con). He died in a navy helicopter on his way to Port Harcourt from Bayelsa state. Other details & the burial arrangements will be announced later.”
–
Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa was born December 1, 1948. He was appointed Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Nigeria in July 2005, and returned as Deputy Governor in the April 2007 elections. He was sworn in as Governor on 20 May 2010, replacing former governor Namadi Sambo who had been sworn in as Vice President the day before. Yakowa successfully ran for election as Kaduna Governor in the 26 April 2011 polls.
He was born in Fadan Kagoma, Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State. He attended St. Mary’s Secondary School, Fadan Kaje and St. John College, Kaduna, and then was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated with a B. Sc (Social Sciences) in June 1972.
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Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was the former finance commissioner under the administration of Namadi Sambo. He was elevated to the post of Deputy Governor following Sambo’s accession to the position of vice president of Nigeria. He was born on May 21, 1968 in Agwan Kaura in Zaria City of Kaduna state, Alhaji Yero had his early education at LEA Primary School, Kaura 1974-1980; Government Secondary school ikara, 1980-1985; Government Secondary school, Zaria 1985-1986 before obtaining a Diploma in Banking from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
When Yakowa appointed Ramalan to the post of deputy governor, he had this to say of Ramalan – ” Yerois a fine gentleman with whom we have been working closely for the past three years in the State Executive Council. I have confidence in him and believe that we shall together, under the guidance of God, steer the affairs of Kaduna State to greater heights.”
The Bayelsa State Government wishes to condole with the family, people and Government of Kaduna State over the ill-fated helicopter crash that claimed the life of His Excellency, Patrick Yakowa, while returning from a funeral ceremony of the father to the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation, Late Pa Douglas at Tombi area of Okoroba Community, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State at about 16:00 hours on the 15th of December, 2012.
The Bayelsa State Government also wish to condole with the family of the immediate past National Security Adviser and the Chairman of Bayelsa State Post Flood Management Committee, General Andrew Owoye Azazi (Rtd) who was among the passengers on board the ill-fated helicopter crash.
Our heartfelt condolences also go to the families of the personal security aides to both Chief Yakowa and General Azazi .
The vacuum created by the demise of these notable personalities will be difficult to fill noting their contributions to the growth of not only their respective states but the Country as a whole.
