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‘Supporting Sheriff, My Worst Mistake’ …Why We Changed Mind On Him – Fayose …Jonathan Denies Endorsement

Published

8 years ago

February 22, 2017

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says assisting Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff to the position of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is one of the worst decisions he has made in his political career.
Reacting to the development during an interview on Sunday Politics, which was aired on Channels Television, Wike said he regretted bringing Sheriff into the fold of PDP.
The governor said the PDP would file for a stay of execution on the appeal court’s decision, adding that afterwards, an appeal would be filed at the Supreme Court.
The governor said he was shocked by the ruling and maintained that Sheriff had no good intention for the opposition party.
“I do believe that even in life, even as human beings, there are times for setbacks and challenges. What has happened to us is a temporary setback,” he said.
“I will not support anything that has to do with Sheriff. I know that he doesn’t mean well for the party.
“He’s a mole in the party. His antecedents tell you that there are people behind who are not members of the party, who do not want PDP to exist.
“I’m not new in this game. Even the characters around him, they don’t augur well for the party.
“That is one of the worst political decisions I’ve ever taken. In life, when you take a decision and you realise that you made a mistake, in that decision you made, there is nothing stopping you from saying, ‘I’ve made a mistake, I think we can correct it’.
“Frankly, I have never regretted any decision I’ve taken than this decision. Politically, we have seen his conduct. It has shown that he does not mean well for the party. It will be difficult for me to work with him. That is clear. I don’t have that confidence that he can lead the party.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Ayo Fayose, has said that unforeseen circumstances that sprang up after some leaders of the party (including himself) asked Ali Modu Sheriff to lead the PDP made them to change their minds about Sheriff’s competence.
Fayose, who was a guest on FOCUS NIGERIA, a live political programme on AIT, said Nigerians should stop viewing them as leaders that refuse to respect the rule of law but should understand that in politics, nothing is sacrosanct.
He explained that in a democracy which is characterized by a fragile political situation, circumstances can change in a minute and cause one to rethink the position on a particular issue.
The governor explained that it was until later that they discovered Sheriff lacked the capacity to lead an all-inclusive party like the PDP that has a good spread across the country. Hence, it was necessary to replace him.
Fayose said that the national convention of the party that was scheduled to hold in Port-Harcourt last year would have produced a South-Westerner from among Bode George, Jimi Agbaje, or Prof. Adeniran as national chairman, which would have put the leadership crisis in the party to rest, had that convention not been thwarted by Sheriff and his cohorts.
He said the choice of a Southerner for the national chairmanship position of the party was a common-sense fact and morally right since the party has decided that a Northerner will fly its flag in 2019.
The governor insisted that, for posterity sake, some leaders of the PDP will appeal the ruling of the appellate court that affirmed Sheriff as the leader of the party. He said the removal of Sheriff will bring a lasting solution to the crisis in the party, which, according to him, will fizzle out soon.
He said: “In politics, what you say today; circumstances can change it tomorrow. The reason is this; a minute is too long in politics. So many things can happen in politics. Nothing changes the party but it is the individuals in the party that makes things happen..
“These days, nobody has the right to zone any office to a particular geopolitical zone. Zoning is not in the constitution, Zoning is just a gentleman’s agreement that leadership should be rotational.
“If President Jonathan had allowed somebody in the North to contest for presidency under the PDP, President Buhari would not have had a field day in the North. Zoning is just common sense and morally right but it is not in the constitution of the party or the constitution of Nigeria.
“There are three ingredients that produce tomorrow in politics. They are the people, the party, and the candidate. I want to tell you the people component is the most important. Makarfi has the people of the party behind him.
“The amount of stalwarts that turned-up for the Makarfi stakeholders meeting shows you where the people are in the party.
“The PDP was founded on some many interests – the minority, the majority, everybody – it is an all-inclusive party that has a good spread. It is like a sleeping lion. So, anybody that is playing to the gallery or playing games with us should remember that what goes around will come around.
“Again let me tell you Ali Modu Sheriff joined PDP after a while. He will not say he is a founding member of the PDP. We will not abandon PDP to Sheriff or anybody. We will take the whole matter to a logical conclusion for posterity sake.
“To bring lasting peace in the PDP, we do not want Sheriff in any capacity in the party. That is the long and short of the solution to the PDP leadership crisis.
“If you want to lead PDP, there are certain things that must be part of the leadership qualities you must show. I reiterate we do not want Sheriff as our leader. Makarfi is our national chairman.
“This crisis will fizzle away. Let us watch and see.”
In another development, leaders of the two major factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, commenced a public campaign to woo the support of the party base, with Governor Ayodele Fayose, saying Senator Ali Modu Sheriff prostrated before some governors to be made national chairman at the botched national convention in Port Harcourt.
The bid for support came as former President Goodluck Jonathan disclaimed Tuesday’s newspaper reports that he endorsed Senator Sheriff as national chairman when Sheriff team visited him, Monday. In repudiating the reports, Jonathan also disclosed that he also, Monday, received the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led executive and the Board of Trustees in his ongoing efforts to mediate in the crisis.
Senator Makarfi’s spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and Governor Ayodele Fayose, representing the Makarfi mainstream and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Deputy National Chairman, representing the Sheriff faction, were among the leading factional leaders who went on a circuit of the morning chat shows in Abuja, yesterday.
Protagonists on the side of the Makarfi executive reiterated their allegation of the involvement of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the crisis in the party, alleging a plot by the administration to kill opposition in the country. The assertion was dismissed, yesterday, evening by the APC which in a statement, denied any role in the crisis in the opposition party and also in the barricading, on Monday, of the International Conference Centre earlier slated for the meeting of the Makarfi group.
Meanwhile, media aide to Dr Jonathan, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, while noting that the former president was playing a mediatory role, said members of the Makarfi executive were also received by the former President on Monday.
He stated that Jonathan opened his doors to Sheriff upon his request, just as he had earlier done to the Makarfi-led caretaker committee members, adding that the former President was prepared to broker more talks until the issues in the leadership of the PDP were finally resolved. He said: “Indeed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the party’s Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.”
Eze emphasised that “as a peace-loving leader of the party, the former President’s interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nation’s democracy.”444

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Tinubu committed to unlocking Nigeria’s potential – Shettima

Published

8 hours ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.

Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.

He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.

The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.

“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.

” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”

He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.

According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.

Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.

“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”

The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.

” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.

The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.

Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.

” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.

“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”

Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.

“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.

“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.

Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.

The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.

He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.

Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.

He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.

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FG To Seize Retirees’ Property Over Unpaid Housing Loans

Published

7 days ago

April 25, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.

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FG Begins Induction For New Permanent Secretaries, Accountant-General

Published

7 days ago

April 25, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
“The expectations are high, and the responsibility is immense. But with commitment and teamwork, we can deliver a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred public service.
“This final lap of FCSSIP 25 calls for urgency, accountability, and strategic focus. You must translate vision into measurable results,” she stated.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, described the programme as a strategic investment in leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
The sessions featured expert-led discussions, simulations, and strategic briefings facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including Engr. Suleiman Adamu, former Minister of Water Resources; Dr. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice; Alh. Yusuf Addy, retired Federal Director; Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Amb. Mustapha Lawal Suleiman, Mr. Adesola Olusade, and Dr. Ifeoma Anagbogu, all retired Permanent Secretaries.
Participants include Dr. Obi Emeka Vitalis, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi, Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, Dr. Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma, Dr. Umobong Emanso Okop, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen, Mrs. Oyekunle N. Patience, Dr. Kalba U. Danjuma, Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Mr. Onwusoro I. Maduka, Dr. Usman Salihu Aminu, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, Mr. Ndiomu Ebiogeh Philip, Dr. Anuma N. Ogbonnaya, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olaninre, and Mr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, alongside the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi.
The induction programme will feature sessions on public sector leadership, policy delivery, ethics in service, digital transformation, and performance management.