2015: 10 govs threaten to dump PDP

ABUJA — A major setback to the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan is looming, as no fewer than 10 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have served notice of their intention to leave the party ahead of the 2015 election.

The governors, according to competent sources, have already communicated their decision to jump ship, to President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the leader of the PDP.

It remained unclear, however, at press time if the aggrieved governors were moving over to the newly-registered All Progressives Congress, APC, or working to float their own party with a view to presenting one of their colleagues as a presidential candidate in the next election.

But Vanguard gathered authoritatively that the five governors of Sokoto, Niger, Adamawa, Kano and Jigawa, were among those ready to dump the party. An impeccable source told Vanguard that the five governors communicated their threat to quit the party to President Jonathan when he summoned them for a peace parley last week.

It was learnt that the Rivers State Governor, who was also at the Villa penultimate Friday for talks with the President, confirmed to the President that he was aware of the threat by his colleagues to jettison PDP as a result of the way he, Amaechi was being treated by the Presidency and the party.

The source explained that the meeting between Amaechi and the President was facilitated by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd)who reasoned that the escalating political crisis in Rivers State and the raging security challenges in the North, if not checked could trigger a national upheaval.

“It is true that the NSA’s office facilitated the meeting, which enabled Amaechi to meet with the President last Friday but there was a snag because the governor refused to open up to Jonathan on his grievances with the party and the Presidency,” a governor familiar with the meeting, said.

“What he told the President was that he was not fighting for himself and that there were other governors who were angry over the way he (Amaechi) was being humiliated and harassed by forces close to the Presidency for no just cause.

What Amaechi told Jonathan

“Governor Amaechi told the President that there were indeed 10 governors who were so upset that they were ready to quit the PDP because of the persistent attacks on him and his administration,” the governor said.

Amaechi was said to have assured the President that he was ready to support him and work for him if the other governors, who were aggrieved over his treatment in the hands of government agencies, decide to work with Jonathan. President Jonathan was said to have been taken aback by the decision of the 10 governors to dump PDP, when five northern governors, who met him a day after Amaechi’s meeting with him, repeated what the governor had told him.

One of the governors, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that they were ready to meet the President again before taking a final decision on whether to leave the party for the opposition or float their own party.

Asked to comment on what the grievances of the group were, the governor said they were angry over attempts by the Presidency to weaken the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, since Amaechi courageously contested and won the last election by defeating Governor David Jang of Plateau State by 19 votes to 16 votes.

The governor said they were also opposed to the move by the Presidency to cause unnecessary chaos in Rivers State so as to drive away the elected governor because of his unsubstantiated political ambition.

Despite being taken aback by the action of the governors, the Presidency last week described the aggrieved governors as agents of the opposition in the ruling PDP and warned them to desist from continuing to engage in acts capable of heating up the polity and distracting Mr. President from delivering on his promises to Nigerians.

The Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, who made the allegation, said the governors were arrogating to themselves roles not assigned to them by either the President as the leader of the party or the party leadership.

“I can tell you that the five governors do not mean well for the party and the country. They are acting the script of some elements bent on distracting Mr. President and causing confusion where none should exist in the country.

“A discernible pattern from what the five governors are doing is that their grandstanding is not about a genuine concern to put things right in the country as they claim but how to bring down President Jonathan so that one of them can step in.

“But what I can assure them is that they are bound to fail woefully because Nigerians know that they don’t have any genuine concern for the country,” the political aide had said.

ASUU, FG fail to agree on contentious issues

ABUJA -THE hope for the re-opening of universities in the shortest possible time was dashed Thursday after the Federal Government constituted committee chaired by the Benue State Governor, Hon. Gabriel Suswan in a meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, failed to agree on the contentious issues.

There were expectations that ASUU could call off the strike after the meeting as the National President of the union Dr. Nasir Fagge had previously said that calling off the strike was dependent upon what the Federal government would place on the table in respect of the implementation of the 2009 agreement.

Speaking to Vanguard on the outcome of the meeting, Dr. Fagge said, “Well it was inaugural meeting, so naturally nothing much was achieved. It is just that the chairman (Governor Gabriel Suswan) told us how he wants to carry out the assignment.

“And then he said that he thinks we should have a sub-committee that will liaise with TETFund and National Planning Commission to get more information on the technical report that was submitted by the Needs Assessment Committee and on the basis of that, projects will be identified and will now look for the funding.”

On the promise he made that after the meeting the union would take a stand depending on what the government would place on the table, he said, “There is no change any way because the meeting today is just considering one aspect of the agreement, which is funding.

“So what we did today was to have an inaugural meeting on funding and our members nation wide said nothing short of implementation of all aspects of the agreement will make them call off the strike, so like I said whatever meeting we are invited, we will go and give our members information.

“ like I said today’s meeting was an inaugural meeting nothing much was achieved there order than how to go and implementing the Needs Assessment Report which is an aspect of funding aspect of the agreement, so we will wait and see whatever government decides to do with the agreement, we are there.”

AL-MUSTAPHA VISITS IZALA LEADER

AL-MUSTAPHA VISITS IZALA LEADER

Former chief security officer to General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha had visited the national leader of Jama’atul Izalatil Bidi’a Wa’iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau in Abuja.

Al-Mustapha, who was imprisoned for over 14 years over alleged murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, was recently discharged and acquitted by Court of Appeal in Lagos. 
Receiving the former CSO in the sect’s office in Abuja on Wednesday Sheikh Lau expressed delight over the visit even as he admonished Al- Mustapha to accept whatever almighty Allah has destined upon him.
In his remarks, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha thanked the almighty Allah for regaining his freedom from the unimaginable torture he had gone through while in different prisons in the country.
He then disclosed his decision to pay such a visit to the office of the sect which he said was due to the reported prayer contribution by the group during his days of incarceration and to show his appreciation
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REVIEWING THE ALMAJIRI EDUCATION PROJECT (II)

REVIEWING THE ALMAJIRI EDUCATION PROJECT (II)

Reading the first part of this article, a colleague wondered why we still have not been able to rid our streets of almajirai and reform almajiri education. I cited a document that is a road map for tackling the issue.

The comprehensive communiqué released at the end of the one day symposium on almajiri education organised in Sokoto on June 18 2013 should be a reference document for all stake holders who are genuinely interested in addressing the issue. The event was organised by the Usman Danfodio University UDU Consultancy Services and Sokoto State Ministry of Religious Affairs. Participants observed that the almajiri system of education is popular with Muslim communities and it is one of the oldest forms of acquiring knowledge in Northern Nigeria and in some West African countries.
Participants traced the historical aspect of the problem and observed that the destructive activities of the colonialists remain the root cause of the Almajiri problem in Nigeria. The colonialists undermined, neglected and subverted the traditional educational system in the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Unfortunately, the post-colonial Nigerian State continued on the same track when governments displayed incapacity to control, reform or integrate the system for national development.
The symposium also observed that the persistence of Almajirci can be attributed to structural factors such as poor and inadequate funding of educational sector, absence of political will to address the problem and economic pressures on scarce resources exacerbated by mass rural poverty.

Almajiri system could also be attributed to the high spiritual need for Qur’anic education among the people.  Other factors that fuel it are the decline in farming activities in the rural areas during the dry season when people migrate to the cities for livelihood cirani and loss of glory of the certificated secondary school leavers who do not secure jobs to motivate others.
The flexibility and cheapness of the Almajiri school system and its economic benefits derived from menial jobs in urban centres also makes it attractive to rural dwellers. However, the integration of Qur’anic education with modern education systems was noted as a bold and practical reform action by the government and participants noted the Federal Government’s efforts in increasing access for Almajirai through its current Almajiri Education Programme. This falls within the framework of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004, which guarantees the provision of free, compulsory and universal basic education to every child of primary and junior secondary age. It also provides opportunities for skills’ acquisition. However participants noted that the Challenges of the implementation of the Almajiri Integrated Education System are many, and revolve around non availability of relevant curriculum in schools; inadequacy of well trained and qualified teachers; poor funding; inadequate infrastructure for learning; poor sanitation and shelter; lack of adequate sensitisation and mobilisation of critical stakeholders; poor monitoring and evaluation; lack of conducive learning environment; and rejection of the programme by some Malams/proprietors, among others.
The phenomenon of almajirci is a complex one and participants observed that the magnitude of the problems associated with the Almajirci system of education is such that no one State can single-handedly tackle the problems. Indeed the Northern Governors’ Forum had jointly sought to address the issue using the experiences of various states’ almajiri initiatives as point of reference. The symposium reviewed the various projects designed to address almajiri education and recommended as follows:
There is need for the expansion of the Almajiri education system to the rural areas to curtail the incessant migration of Almajirai from rural to urban areas. In a bid to mainstream the Almajiri school system into the conventional formal education and to reduce the attraction of street-begging, the number of Almajiri schools that have been established in various states should be increased and sufficiently funded. One of the criticisms of the mode of implementation of almajiri system of education is the limited consultation with critical stakeholders. Participants therefore recommended that integration of the Almajiri education into the general educational system, should involve wide consultation with key stakeholders, including the Malams/proprietors and parents in the conception and implementation of all Almajiri educational programmes. Facilitation from these stakeholders is not only important but a necessary requirement for the actualisation of the programme.
In his presentation, one of the organisers of the event Professor Gidado Tahir hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the almajiri child as a critical stakeholder.
He said ‘the Almajiri child must be positively engaged by the school.  His master teacher has to be part of the decision loop and needs to be supported in any little way as to add some value to what he does with the children.  It is foolhardy to expect quick results.  After all this institution has been around for hundreds of years and it will take a lot longer time to modify it.’
Participants therefore broadened the list of assignments for stakeholders. A role was identified for the major tertiary institutions in the country which should be involved in the design of the programme curricular and in the monitoring of its implementation.  Coordination was also identified as a major activity and participants recommended that ‘there is the need to include and coordinate the efforts of the Federal and State agencies such as Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Universal Basic Education Boards and National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Arabic and Islamic Education Boards as well as State Ministries of Education and Religious Affairs in all Almajiri education programmes, especially in the areas of recruitment and deployment of well-trained teachers, monitoring and regulation of the programme.’’

The symposium also recommended that emphasis should be given to the role parents could play in curtailing the menace of street-begging.
To ensure sustainability of the integration initiative, participants underscored the need for synergy among the three tiers of government in the funding of the programme. In addition, the focus of the integration should be, first, on the empowerment and training of the Malams/proprietors of the Almajiri schools.  Poverty has always been cited as a key reason for parents giving their children to itinerant malams and participants urged that the structural problem of abject poverty and other socio-economic ills should be addressed through the introduction and sustenance of empowerment schemes for parents, youth, women and other vulnerable groups. Those who have been supporting were commended. They include development partners such as United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN), Northern Education Initiative/ United States Agency for International Development (NEI/USAID), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA)
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2015: APC Chieftains Visit IBB In Minna

Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are presently in a closed-door meeting with former military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at his Hilltop residence in Minna.

Details later!

Tukur apologises to 5 Northern governors

ABUJA — THE National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday, pleaded with the five governors from the north elected on the platform of the party, saying that there was no way he could have condemned them for visiting President Goodluck Jonathan on trouble-shooting mission.

Tukur’s conciliatory’s position on the governors came a few hours after Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, registered All Progressives Congress as a political party.

Tukur in a statement, yesterday by his aide, Shuaibu-Gara Gombe, said he was in total support of the governors’ visits to President Goodluck Jonathan, former presidents, ex-heads of state   and other Nigerians, who can contribute to reconciling aggrieved members of the party.

The governors are Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State; Babangida Aliyu, Niger; Murtala Nyako, Adamawa; Sule Lamido, Jigawa and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto.

PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur

The PDP National Chairman’s endorsement of the governors’ actions and activities was also coming barely 24 hours after Tukur, Tuesday, tongue lashed the governors, warning them to show decorum, humility and respect.

It will be recalled that Tukur had said in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Oliver Okpala, Tuesday, that as governors and leaders, they must desist from any action that could truncate the nation’s democracy.

He had also urged them to respect his age as an elder and bluntly told the governors that they must embrace peace and stop dramatising the country’s few problems against the backdrop that it could send wrong signal to Nigerians and the international community.

According to Okpala’s statement, Bamanga Tukur warned them against what he termed unguided utterances, adding that their calls were causing unnecessary political tension and overheating the polity, stressing that as leaders, they were expected to show respect to him as an elder.

Disowning the statement by Tukur’s Media Assistant, PDP’s Acting National Secretary, Dr. Charles Akitoye, said that the thoughts of Okpala do not in any way represent the actions of Bamanga Tukur.

Akitoye said: “In addition to the earlier statement by Ahmed Gara, on behalf of the National Chairman, denouncing the release by Mr. Oliver Okpala, the Media Assistant to our respected National Chairman, the National Secretariat of PDP hereby reaffirm that the press release do not represent the thoughts and, even actions of the Chairman.”

on the visit of the five Governors to some political leaders-especially in view of his ever persistent role to achieve lasting peace and progress for the party which himself and others nursed from infancy.’’

Ahmed Shuaibu-Gara Gombe who noted that the PDP National Chairman has totally rejected the statement by Okpala, however described them as embarrassing and counterproductive

He said, ‘’I am directed by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur(Tafidan Adamawa) to completely deny a press statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Prince Oliver Okpala which was circulated to Media Organisations recently making uncomplimentary remarks about some Northern Governors.

‘’The National Chairman who is currently in Saudi Arabia found the Statement not only embarrassing, but counter productive no matter the intention of the Media Assistant.

‘’The National Chairman was infuriated particularly when the media Assistant singled out 5 Northern Governors who were invited by Mr. President for consultations in Abuja recently.

‘’Between the National Chairman and these Governors, there is a mutual respect up till this moment and they never asked the President to remove the National Chairman as a condition for peace. It was only the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako who is promoting the Agenda of removing the National Chairman which is understandable and they never discussed this with the President.

‘’As a matter of fact, the National Chairman is happy that the Governors are indeed helping his reconciliation efforts particularly their meeting with the President which Amaechi’s face-off with the President was the main issue and substantial progress was made by the Governors and the president in fence mending. There is no way the Chairman could have condemned the Northern Governors talk less of accusing them of overheating the polity as contained in the statement of the Media Assistant.

‘’The National Chairman, therefore wish to re-emphasise his support for any initiative towards reconciliation by party members regardless of who is promoting it.

‘’The Consultative efforts of the 5 Governors took precedent before the newly established reconciliation Committee of the party, therefore it is unthinkable for the Media Assistant to have condemned the Northern governors of not utilizing the reconciliation Committee as a medium or Channel to table their Grievances.

‘’The National Chairman also wish to unequivocally state that he has not resigned as is not ready to resign as Chairman of the party as reported in some section of the press.

‘’Finally, the National Chairman is hereby once again saying that the press Statement by the Media Assistant is regrettable and does not contain his thoughts or his position on the 5 Northern Governors and asked all those who feel embarrassed to over look the overzealousness of his Media Assistant.’’

ASUU strike: Bear with us, FG tells students, parents

The Federal Government has expressed admitted worry at the distortion in school calendar as a result of the on going strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities saying that it is committed to the speedy resolution of the crisis for the sake of Nigerian students.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku told state House correspondents at the end of  Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting that government was committed to “serious negotiations” with the university lecturers.

The Minister appealed to the students and parents to bear with government and show more understanding as efforts are being made to resolve the contending issues very soon.

“The federal government has been far more worried than you think concerning the strike in tertiary institutions, because of the disruption of the school calendar and so government is concerned and very worried and since the onset of the strike government has been negotiating with ASUU through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Ministry of Education.

“As at today we know that this negotiations are going on and it is our expectation that this strike will not get more protracted and that an understanding will be reached soon enough to enable our students return back to school. Government is very worried and concerned every time the school calendar is disrupted, it has its cost to the nation, particularly the idle time our children spend at home can lead to alot of social difficulties.

“We don’t want school calendars to be disrupted and a lot of series of discussions have been going on and we believe we should record some progress soon enough for these schools to open and the Minister of Labour and education will be giving quarter briefing on the progress of these negotiation and I know that it has never cease.

“So we are appealing to our people particularly parents and children of this nation to bear with us, to show more understanding and we pray that this type of strike will not re-occur, because the public school system suffers a lot of damage with the perennial strikes. The universities have been relatively stable since the advent of this Administration. The outraged strikes that we inherited we have tried to resolve them, and if you notice in the last two years there has not been a lot of strikes until this unfortunate one and I believe we will overcome it and in the end both parties will appreciate the need to keep the school calendar stable for the progress of our country. So government is working hard to ensure we reach an agreement to resolve this problem so that or schools can re-open” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council Wednesday approved a contract of N2.99 billion for the rehabilitation/construction of the Calabar-Ugep section of the Katsina-Ala/Ogoja/Ugep/Calabar road.

The earlier section of the road which is already 80 per cent complete, was awarded for N4.6 billion, thus bringing the total contract sum for the entire road to N7.5 billion

Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda, explained that the contractor, Piccolo Brunelli, which handled the first phase, was asked to continue with the extension since it was already on site and had done a very good job.

Yuguda recalled that “the first phase of the project aimed at addressing the heavily distressed sections of the road while other sections not captured in the original contract scope of works would be addressed when funds became available.

“This is to ensure that government and the public get the full benefits of the investment made on the roads in terms of improvement of the level of service” he said.