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Reps In Rowdy Session Over Buhari’s June 12 Declaration …As Senate Directs INEC To Announce 1993 Polls Results
The House of Representatives was in commotion, yesterday, as members disagreed over President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to declare June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
While some lawmakers supported the move, others asked the president to rescind his decision.
Other lawmakers also kicked against the honour given to the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola.
Some lawmakers who also spoke on the issue said there was need to ensure the rule of law was followed regarding the matter, while others spoke in favour of the president’s decision.
Also, the Senate, yesterday, gave President Muhammadu Buhari three conditions for which the posthumous award he recently accorded late MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election would not be considered a Greek gift.
It would be recalled that Abiola contested the annulled poll under the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
This resolution followed an adopted order 42 and 52 raised by Senator Biodun Olujimi representing Ekiti South Senatorial District.
In her words, “Mr. President, my distinguished colleagues, I want to thank Mr. President for the feat he scored yesterday by posthumously honouring late MKO Abiola for winning the annulled 1993 presidential election.
“To make good his intentions, Mr. President should ensure the release and declaration of the annulled results of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Also, Abiola’s family should be paid reparations and all other entitlements due to him as former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And that Ambassador Babagana Kingibe should be recognised henceforth as former Vice President of Nigeria and be paid his accompanying entitlements.”
However, the lawmakers have agreed to the submission by the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, saying that for the award to be real, it must be backed by constitutional amendment.
The Senate similarly asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the results of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The Senate made the request, yesterday during plenary.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday declared June 12 to replace May 29 as Democracy Day, in honour of late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the election.
Buhari said that June 12 was more symbolic than May 29 and also conferred a posthumous GCFR title on Abiola.
A Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, yesterday, lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as the new Democracy Day and posthumously awarding Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
Mohammed maintained that Buhari’s recognition of Abiola at a time elections were close was “deceitful”.
Speaking with newsmen, the former lawmaker stressed that Buhari’s “sinister antics” was aimed at amassing votes from the South-West in 2019.
The fierce critic of the current administration said Buhari should be, “ashamed of himself” for waiting till 2018 before correcting a past “injustice.”
According to Mohammed, “This is deceitful politics, Buhari is doing that in anticipation of the forth coming election in 2019 but those who know him like I do will tell you that he has never respected or admired Abiola. So doing this now shows that he is so desperate and is prepared to do anything deceitful and dishonourable to motivate votes.
“Buhari has no other arithmetic because the bulk of the votes Abiola got did not come from the South West, they came from the North and the East, so he thinks this action is the master’s stroke that will win him the election but he is mistaken.
“Nigerians are smart enough to see through this deceitful antics, Buhari was one of those against Abiola. To confirm this deceit, he took a traitor of Abiola, Babangana Kingibe to honour him too.
“I don’t understand why anybody who was familiar with that election will honour Abiola and Kingibe, who is a traitor never known to be loyal to anybody than himself.
“As we speak, Kingibe is an employee of the Presidency and he is part of the cabal, so this is sinister because 2019 is around the corner.
“Buhari has been in power since 2015, he didn’t remember to rectify an injustice but only now that elections are coming that he remembered to do so, he should be ashamed of himself.”
Daughter of the late MKO Abiola, Mrs Hafsat Abiola-Costello hailed the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day by the Federal Government.
Abiola-Costello, in a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, said the declaration had ended the family’s long wait for government to recognise their father.
She described the declaration as succour and triumph of justice after 20 years of waiting.
She thanked Buhari for recognising their father at last, praying for “more days of triumph of justice over injustice”
Also, the leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said that the declaration though belated was a welcome development.
He, however, urged the government yields calls for the restructuring of the country as that was what June 12 stood for.
“Although belated, it is a welcome development, but we believe that the June 12 struggle stands for restructuring of the country and that is what we want the government to do”, he said.
Reacting to the new development, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, took to his Twitter page, noting that the greatest honour by Buhari would be to conduct free and fair elections even as he commended him.
“MKO Abiola is worthy to be honoured and we in Ekiti honoured him with a public holiday on June 12, 2017, we will do it again this year.
“However, the greatest honour anyone can bestow on MKO Abiola is total respect for the rule of law and conduct of free, fair & credible elections,” Fayose wrote.
The Muslim group, in a statement by its Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said the recognition of June 12 as democracy has quenched their grievances towards the marking Democracy Day on May 29 by previous regimes, adding that celebration of democracy on May 29 was fraudulent and that June 12 was far more truly symbolic of Democracy in the Nigerian context.
Akintola further called on Buhari to also honour Ken Saro Wiwa even as he commended the tireless struggles of Gani Fawehinmi and other SANs, including Femi Falana and Beko Ransome Kuti.
“Yet like Oliver Twist, MURIC will ask for more from the father of this great nation, President Muhammadu Buhari. The declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day will definitely heal wounds and we appeal that another giant step should be taken to heal more wounds. We are referring to the case of Ken Saro Wiwa, the environmental activist of the Niger Delta. His case still hurts the Ogoni people in particular and the Niger Delta region in general.
“We in MURIC believe that the killing of Ken Saro Wiwa was extra-judicial, unlawful, illegitimate and unconstitutional. Ken was murdered in his prime before his appeal was due. His killing was one of the unwise and unpatriotic actions taken by the military to fuel the hatred of one Nigerian ethnic group for another. We appeal to Mr. President to review his case, grant him presidential pardon, compensate his family adequately and give him a posthumous award of no less a status than the one given Gani Fawehinmi.
But the Peoples Democratic Party said the national honour proposed to be conferred on the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993, Chief MKO Abiola, by President Muhammadu Buhari, smacks of hypocrisy and political desperation ahead of 2019 presidential election.
PDP said that President Buhari’s action merely sought to use the name and person of Abiola to gain a political capital and not out of genuine reverence and recognition for him.
In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, the party recalled that President Buhari, who was serving in the military administration of General Sani Abacha during the travails of Abiola, did not associate either by words or actions with the late winner of June 12election.
Ologbondiyan further stated that history did not record President Buhari as sympathetic to the Abiola’s family when his wife, Kudirat, was gruesomely murdered by the agents of a government which President Buhari served.
He said: “It is, therefore, a sign of political desperation for President Buhari to seek to use Chief Abiola’s name as a tool to sway Nigerians in less than twelve months to an election where he, (President Buhari) is seeking a second term.
“It is also shocking that the respectable grave of Abiola can be dishonoured by granting a posthumous award on him along with someone who denounced the June 12 mandate and preferred the company of his (Abiola’s) traducers”.
Buhari had last Wednesday announced that Democracy Day would henceforth be celebrated on June 12 of each year.
The president said after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth, June 12 would be celebrated as Democracy Day.
A statement signed by the president said for 18 years, Nigerians had been celebrating May 29 as Democracy Day, saying that was the date when for the second time in Nigeria’s history, an elected administration took over from a military government, adding that the first time was October 21, 1979.
“But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this administration, June 12th, 1993, was far more symbolic of democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29th or even the October 1st.
“June 12th, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most peaceful election since our independence. The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth, June 12th will be celebrated as Democracy Day. Therefore, government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land, GCFR, to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12th, 1993 cancelled elections.
“His running mate as Vice President, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, is also to be invested with a GCON. Furthermore, the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualisation of the June 12th elections and indeed for democracy in general, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, is to be awarded posthumously a GCON,” he said.
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We’re Working To Improve Quality Of Life Of Rivers People -Fubara …As Taraba Gov Inaugurates 6.55km Okania-Ogbogoro-Mgbaraja Roads Project
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to render quality service that will improve the quality of life of residents, and strengthen the platform to promote unity.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance at the Okania-Ogbogoro Road junction, venue of the inauguration of the 6.55km Okania-Ogbogoro-Mgbaraja (and Mgbuoba) Roads project in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, yesterday.
The road cuts across Okania community through Ogbogoro, and connects Port Harcourt Ring Road project under construction, and was inaugurated by the Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas.
Governor Fubara said that during the campaigns, he saw the roads in terrible condition, made a promise to fix them, and noted that that promise has been kept.
He emphasised that his administration will never be reckoned with abandoning of projects that it started, which is why he is particularly excited that the road has been fixed to ease the inconveniences suffered by the people.
The Governor said, “What we are doing here today is very simple: Promise made, promise fulfilled. I told you that whatever we are going to start, we are not going to leave it halfway. So, we have come here this afternoon to fulfill that promise.
“I am so excited, and I am so happy. I am leaving here with so much joy that we have done something that has so much impact, and importance in the lives of our people. So, I feel very fulfilled. Government is about the people. Government is knowing, understanding and seeing what you can do to make life easy for your people.
“We understand the situation of this road. Fortunately, I have a few friends who also live around here. So, there is nothing you will say that I don’t know. As a government, we will continue to do those things we know will make life easy for you.”
The Governor thanked members of the communities in the area for their support to his administration, and also for cooperating with the contractor to ensure completion of the project.
He assured the people that their request for the rehabilitation of the Community Secondary School and Health Centre, will be looked at and addressed immediately, saying, “Our government is a government that takes the interest of our people very seriously.
“There is no government without the people. It is only the people that keep the government going. So, what we will continue to do is to make sure that the problems and interest of our people are top on our list,” he assured.
Performing the inauguration, Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, said roads are not just physical infrastructure but represent a commitment to facilitate ease of transportation, boost local commercial activities and improve quality of lives for the people of Rivers State.
Dr Kefas noted that Governor Fubara has provided the people good roads, and like other good roads, it will serve as an artery of development, further connecting communities, enhancing access to essential services while unlocking economic potentials.
He said, “By completing this project, Your Excellency has, once again, demonstrated the transformative impact of visionary leadership. When I was coming in with the Governor on a ride, I saw the joy, the happiness of the voiceless people who were abandoned and neglected in this area, coming out to wave and welcome us.
“It wasn’t a hired crowd. Everybody, those who couldn’t make it to this place, in front of their homes, they were waving at us, and I was telling the Governor: this is all about good governance. He listened to the people, and solved their problems. So, it shows that he is doing the right thing, and I want to thank you, my brother, for what you are doing for the good people, especially the poor people even in difficult times.”
Governor Kefas further said: “As we celebrate this milestone, I am reminded of the importance of collaboration and shared vision among us as Governors. Together, we can inspire our people, improve their lives, and create lasting legacies in our respective states.”
Providing the project description, the State Commissioner for Works, Barrister Elloka Tasie-Amadi, recalled that when it was flagged-off in May, 2024, the project was for a 5km stretch but was extended in October, to include Mgbaraja axis, increasing the length to 6.55km, explaining that the 10.3 meter wide, and 5km of drains road, has now linked Apara Kingdom to Nkpor Kingdom.
In his address, Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Amb Chijioke Ihunwo, described the road as a very significant route that was abandoned for years until Governor Fubara intervened and fixed it, promising that Obio/Akpor people will not take the gestures of the State Government under Governor Fubara for granted.
Speaking on behalf of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the firm that handled the project, Eric Shen, said they are happy to be part of the infrastructure development strides of Governor Fubara, stating that though the rains posed significant challenge, they have delivered quality road network to serve the connectivity needs of the people.
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We’ll Implement Judicial Commission’s Report On Arson, Killings -Fubara …Says Such Violence Must Stop In Rivers
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured of implementing the recommendations of the report submitted to him by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Arson, Killings, and Wanton Destruction of Property at some local government council headquarters on or around Monday, October 7, 2024.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance when the seven-member commission, led by the Chairman, Justice Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri, submitted four volumes of reports of their investigation and recommendations to him at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The Governor declared that his administration will neither tolerate nor allow such level of violence in the State anymore because it is not profitable or productive.
He said, “We are not going to be part of any system that would encourage any destruction in this State. And for that reason, we had to inaugurate this commission, so that this commission should look into the remote and immediate causes of this problem.
“And I believe that the recommendations of this commission, with the help of God and the support of everyone, we will make sure that we implement the recommendations.”
Governor Fubara said: “We are going to take it to the next stage. The report will be presented to the Executive Council, and there, we will surely come out with the White Paper and with the White Paper. I can assure you, we are going to follow it to the end.
“Nobody is above the law, including me. So, provided what we are doing is within the confines of the law, we will do it with the help of every one.”
Governor Fubara recalled how, before 2014, a group of persons had ran wide recklessly in the State, burning down court buildings.
He noted that it is such persons, who had recently surfaced with their destructive tendencies, and have extended the violence to local government councils, killing people and destroying government property.
Governor Fubara wondered why somebody will spend so much money to build a structure intended to last as legacy of the administration but would eventually be part of its destruction in the name of politics.
Governor Fubara clarified that he has never been part of such destructive politics that continue to set the State backwards and frustrate progressive development strides.
Governor Fubara said: “I make bold to say it, I have never been and will never be a party to anything that will bring shame, disgrace, destruction to our dear State.
“It is our State. If it is well with us, it will be well with everybody. As a matter of fact, why should I encourage destruction, when I know that when you finish spoiling things, you still need money to rebuild them.
“I am an accountant, I know the importance of how we can manage money. Rather than spoil, you should use that money to do a new thing for the State.”
Governor Fubara vowed: “So, I am going to ensure that we put a stop to that level of violence or such unreasonable violence. I call it unreasonable violence because it doesn’t mean anything in politics.
“Politics is a business of interest. There is no permanent friend, no permanent enemy. Some persons who were not even in our support, today, they are here following us because their interest is the most important thing.
“Likewise tomorrow, if the interest changes, they will also go their different ways. So, why burn down the house?”
Governor Fubara thanked members of the commission for being bold, focused, and accomplishing their task with determination in the face of physical and legal threats.
In her presentation, Chairman of the seven-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri, said they had put their findings into four volumes, including the recommendations.
Justice Minakiri explained: “We have here four volumes of the report. We have the memoranda, which is the memoranda we got after we made our publications.
“We also have the exhibits that came with the memoranda. We have the proceedings and the records. At the end of the day, we came up with the main report.”
Justice Minakiri advised that the recommendations of the report should be studied and implemented so that people can be deterred from such callous acts and the sought-after peace secured for the State.
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We Are Eager To Showcase The Best Of Rivers State -Fubara …Declares Federation Of Public Service Games Open
The Rivers State Government says it is committed to providing a memorable experience for all delegates participating in the Federation of Public Service Games(FEPSGA) hosted by the State Government.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara stated this during the opening Ceremony of the 43rd Edition, Public Service Games, titled ”Simplified Rivers 2024″, at Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, last Sunday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said “Our hospitality is renowned and we are eager to showcase the best of Rivers State. From top-notch facilities to a secure environment, we have everything in place to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience for all participants.”
Governor Fubara said to ensure the success of the games his Administration has put in place comprehensive plans and preparations with four venues approved for the events which include the Sharks Stadium, Alfred Diette -Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt Club and the University of Port Harcourt.
The State Chief Executive urged participants to remember that the true spirit of FEPSGA goes beyond winning medals, stressing that it is about building bridges of friendship, fostering a sense of community and celebrating our diversity.
According to him, we envision a public service that is more productive, more efficient and more effective, a future where public servants are empowered to deliver exceptional results driven by a culture of excellence, innovation and teamwork.
The Governor reiterated that while a healthy mind and body are essential for high productivity, regular physical activity boosts our mood, increases energy levels and enhances our cognitive function. We are eager to showcase the best of Rivers State. From top-notch facilities to a secure environment.
In her address Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who spoke through Dr.(Mrs) Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Interior Commended Governor Fubara for hosting this year’s event, and for his dedication to promoting sports and fostering unity in the country.
She noted that the event which serves as a platform for furthering unity, camaraderie and sportsmanship amongst public servants, was a celebration of their shared commitment to excellence, resilience and service to the nation.
Also speaking the National President of the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), Comrade Amaebi Aloku, said Rivers State got the nod to host the annual event because the Federation was pleased with the vision of Governor Fubara in identifying with the needs of the Civil Servants in the State, in terms of their welfare and being one of the first State to implement the new minimum wage and even taking it above what was approved by the national.
Earlier the Head of Service Rivers State, Dr George Nwaeke had welcomed all participants to the State and expressed gratitude to the Governor for approving and making available the resources to host the games, noting that it was an opportunity to interact with all Civil Servants across the nation.