Osinbajo, Jonathan Annan, others storm Abeokuta for Obasanjo’s library commissioning

Acting President Osinbajo and other dignitaries at the event on Saturday. Photo: Ernest Nwokolo

An armada of security operatives from the Nigerian Army, Department of State Security Service (DSS), police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and security dogs keep vigil at the sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State, as over 12 serving and past African presidents, governors and ambassadors among others surged into the facility for its inauguration on Saturday morning.

The two gates leading to the OOPL were manned by armed security personnel and fierce looking German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) while dignitaries were thoroughly screened by operatives from the police’s Explosives and Ordinance Division (EOD).

The security personnel faced herculean task screening the VIPs who were eager to take part in the inauguration of the first presidential library in Africa while military helicopters hovered in the area, scanning the OOPL environment for any security threat.

Those that attended the event were – Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, President Helen Johnson- Sirleaf of Liberia, former President Goodluck Jonathan, ex- United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Koffi Annan, ex- Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

Others were – foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, two former governors of the state, Olusegun Osoba  and Otunba Gbenga Daniel and their Delta State counterpart, Emmanuel Uduaghan.

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AU chairman calls Buhari, wishes him quick recovery Share 0 Tweet 0 AU chairman calls Buhari, wishes him quick recovery

Conde

The Chairman of the African Union, President Alpha Conde, on Friday called President Muhammadu Buhari on the telephone to wish him speedy recovery from his ailment.

A statement issued by the presidential media aide, Femi Adesina, said Conde called Buhari on the telephone on “to wish him good health and speedy recovery.”

The statement issued on Saturday quoted the Guinean leader as saying that he called President Buhari on behalf of leaders of AU member countries.

Conde reportedly assured his Nigerian counterpart that all African leaders stand with him in prayers “at a time like this.”

The statement reads: “While thanking Conde for the telephone call, Buhari used the opportunity to congratulate him on his recent election as AU Chairperson during the 28th Ordinary Summit of the continental body in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017.”

“President Buhari, who could not attend the AU Summit, wished his Guinean counterpart a successful tenure.

“He also expressed confidence that Africa will witness improved political stability, security and economic growth during Conde’s tenure.”

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Make sacrifices for PDP – Governor Dickson tells party leaders

The Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) standing Committee on Reconciliation, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has appealed to party leaders to make sacrifices to revive the party.

Dickson, who is the Governor of Bayelsa State, said his committee had started embarking on a wide consultation with party leaders/critical stakeholders across board, to build consensus and confidence in the party before holding an all-inclusive unity national convention, to save the party from disintegration.

A statement signed by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Francis Agbo, quoted the governor to have made the remarks shortly after the meeting of his committee at the weekend, in Abuja.

According to the governor, “party leaders all over the world make sacrifices to consolidate the political system.”

He stresse that PDP leaders cannot do otherwise.

He therefore, asked party leaders to urgently bury their differences and work for the rediscovery of the party.

While stressing that the PDP was the only political party capable of accommodating all shades of interests in the country, Governor Dickson argued that “a political party is like a horse that can go to war only when it is strong!”

“I am appealing to all party leaders, critical stakeholders and members across the country to close ranks in the overall interest of our great party.

“Let the revival of our great party be of paramount interest to all and sundry, for we can only further our political interests in a strong political platform. We have the potentials to revive the party but we can only do this if we subsume our divergent interests under the umbrella”, Dickson said.

He said Nigerians were waiting for the PDP to bounce back and play the role of a virile opposition party.

While noting that an amicable political solution was the best option for the lingering leadership crisis in the party, Governor Dickson averred that the upcoming convention of the party will be a litmust test with which to gauge the seriousness of party leaders towards reviving the party.He warned that anything short of this will be a disservice to the people and the founding fathers of the party!

The Governor declared that his committee’s preliminary findings indicated that the consultations were yielding dividends as stakeholders were meeting and looking forward to an all-inclusive national convention, which he averred was “in the interest of our fledgling democracy!‎”

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Falana condemns arrest, parade of Peace Corps Commandant

Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has condemned the recent arrest and parading of Mr Dickson Akor, the National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria, by the Nigerian Police.

Falana spoke with newsmen on Saturday in Abuja after securing the release of Akor from police custody.

The police in a combined operation with the Depart of State Services and the Nigerian Army on Feb. 28, raided the headquarters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria in Abuja.
During the operation, they arrested Akor and 48 other members of the corps.
A statement issued by the Police Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said intelligence reports showed that the Peace Corps and other similar groups were acquiring weapons and conducting covert trainings in different locations across the country.
In the statement, Moshood said such action violated a 2013 gazette of the Federal Government that banned such groups.
Falana, who described police invasion of the headquarters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria as illegal and unconstitutional, said that the organisation was not operating illegally.
He said, “generally, the parade of criminal suspects in the country by the Police is illegal.
“In this case, apart from the registration of its trustees under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, there are two judgments of the Federal High Court restraining the police from harassing and intimidating members of the organization.’’
The human rights lawyer said that he was also negotiating for the re-opening of the office of the Peace Corps of Nigeria.
“They must be allowed to operate under the law and we will get to that state where the police will appreciate that Nigeria is under-policed.
“We need volunteers, young men and women who should be organised by the state to handle those duties that will not require the intervention of the Police,’’ he said.
The human rights lawyer emphasised that crime like terrorism, herdsmen attack, armed robbery and kidnapping thrive in the country because the country is under-policed.
“As at 2011, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided to engage the services of 380,000 police personnel, between then and now, only 10, 000 are being employed.
“There is no way you can police about 180 million people with barely 380, 000 police personnel out of which about 120, 000 are guiding the elite and corporate bodies in the country.
“I thought the police should have embraced a body like the Peace Corps of Nigeria to make their job easier because the Nigerian Police operates under very difficult situations.
“Most communities are not policed, so herdsmen move into farms and kill people.
“Nigerians have not developed a litigation culture of challenging the killing of every citizen either directly or indirectly for which the government can be blamed,’’ Falana said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Assembly on Nov. 24, 2016 passed a bill, which gives approval for the establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps as an agency under the Ministry of Interior.
The Nigerian Peace Corps Bill seeks to empower, develop and provide gainful employment for the youths. (NAN)

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