Buhari can choose anyone to guard him — Tsav

Former Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav

A former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, tellsADELANI ADEPEGBA that only trusted security operatives should guard the President

Who should guard the president? Is it the Department of State Services, the police, the military or all of them together?

It’s a combination of them all. This is because you find in a number of situations that the Chief Security Officer is always an SSS officer. If there is no rivalry among the three, there should be no problem at all, but the problem we have in this country is that every security service is trying to prove that they are superior to others and this is why there is always conflict. President Muhammadu Buhari had been in the army and he is more comfortable with the army and that is why he may prefer the army because he is more comfortable with them. We hear a lot of stories of divided loyalty and about all manners of people that were recruited into the SSS like Niger Delta militants who passed through Asari Dokubo. Such people cannot be loyal to one person, they would be loyal to the person who brought them into the service.

The aide-de-camp to the President was alleged to have rejected 253 DSS personnel that were posted to the Villa. Do you think he has the authority to do this?

Yes, he has the authority. During the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, there was a lot of divided loyalty and they were spending a lot of money trying to please all the security agencies. During Jonathan’s tenure, many people that should have been arrested and interrogated like Asari Dokubo, appeared to be very very friendly with the Director-General of the SSS. Therefore, I think in the course of that, the ADC may not be comfortable with the SSS.

What is the security implication of the rivalry between the military and the DSS at the Villa?

It’s not good for the security of the country, it is not good for the security of the president, and it’s not good for the country generally. All of them should work together, they should help one another. In the country, we have the police, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Civil Defence, all trying to please different masters. There is also the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission also engaging in rivalry, everyone is trying to outdo the other, everybody is trying to show that “I am bigger than the others.” I think the government should try and do something about it.

Don’t you think the service chiefs or other top officers should have nipped the crisis in the bud before it became public knowledge?

Yes, I think so. I am sorry to mention this, but what about the service chiefs themselves? Are they loyal? They are not. Look at when Buhari was about to contest, when he asked for his certificate, the same constituency which he served and rose to the rank of Major-General, the same constituency, which was supposed to be the custodian of the certificate, said it was missing. Did they show loyalty to him? They have divided loyalty. This country has been polarised with politics and bastardised by corruption and that is the situation.

If you say the President doubts the loyalty of the military, why does he prefer them to protect him?

I said he is more comfortable with the military because he had served the military and he must have known a lot of these people whom he could trust.

Is the crisis not a sign that the presidential security is in disarray and needs to be reconfigured?

Ever since the time of late General Sani Abacha, there has been the Strike Force which they are still using. At that time, we were told that the Strike Force was going out to kill people outside the Villa, and was challenging other army units in the country. With that type of arrangement, the man heading it can cause crisis anytime.

Is this crisis not a sign of a larger problem in the national security architecture?

As I told you before, during Jonathan’s tenure, a lot of people were recruited into the security services, particularly the Niger Delta people who were attacking the nation’s economic base. Some of them were absorbed into the police, SSS and such people would pay loyalty to the person who brought them into service. That is why the President’s ADC is saying he is not comfortable with the SSS serving them. I think the government needs to reform the security service.

In other countries, the secret service is usually in charge of presidential security. Do you think the military still have any business protecting a democratically elected president?

Supposing the President is not comfortable with them, must they be imposed on him? No, that is the situation. The man is not comfortable with an arm of the security outfit, that is why he wants his own people. That is why sometimes, they bring officers for the president to select those he wants. The man has the right to select the people he has confidence in to protect him. During Jonathan’s time, he was surrounded by people from the Niger Delta, the people he trusted to protect him.

Many believe President Buhari rejected the DSS because he had problems with the service when he was contesting. Critics said he is being vindictive. Do you agree?

No, I don’t agree with that assumption. He has to choose the people he wants to protect him. There was a time, if you remember, when President Buhari said he would observe traffic light, many people advised him that it was risky and that it was not good for him. Therefore, some people must have advised him on whom to protect him and maybe that was why he yielded to their advice.

What international best practices should the security agencies adopt in protecting the President and his vice?

Once a President is elected, they should draft new security personnel and post them to the Villa until the President completes his tenure.

Only DSS should guard the president– Ejiofor

Former Director at the Department of State Services, Mr. Mike Ejiofor

A former director at the Department of State Services, Mr. Mike Ejiofor, tells BAYO AKINLOYE it is illegal and unconstitutional to replace the DSS operatives at the Presidential Villa with any other security agency

Which security agency is saddled with the responsibility of providing close body protection for President Muhammadu Buhari?

Since the Fourth Republic began in 1999, it has been the statutory obligation of the State Security Service to protect the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the best practice all over the world. Therefore, the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari is to be protected at the inner ring by the Department of State Services operatives. I premised that view on the fact that the DSS was established by the Nigerian law to specifically handle the security of the country’s president who at this material point in time is President Buhari. It is not by a wish or executive fiat that one can change a statutory responsibility or function of the DSS without recourse to reversing the law. Section 2(I )(ii) of Instrument No.SSS 1 of May 23, 1999 made pursuant to Section 6 of the National Security Agencies Decree of 1986, which has been re-enacted as Section 6 of NSA Act CAP N74 LFN 2004, takes care of this matter.

Could there have been some ambiguities somewhere as regards which agency should provide bodyguard protection for the President?

This is a situation that should never have occurred in the first place. It is quite pathetic that there was an alleged inter-agency rivalry as to who should guard the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The crisis should not have arisen in the first place because the roles of various security agencies guarding the president of this country are clearly spelt out; same thing with their beats. It is not a matter left for the discretion of anybody –not even the President. It is the DSS’ statutory duty or oversight to protect not just the president but also the vice president, the senate president, deputy senate president, the speaker, deputy speaker, governors, deputy governors and other top government functionaries including their families.

But some have argued that this so-called statutory duty of the DSS can be performed by any of the other security agencies. Don’t you think so?

Anyone saying that any of the security agencies in the country apart from the DSS, is saddled with the statutory duty to provide close protection or security for the president and other very important personalities in government, does not know what he is saying and the person is ignorant of the law. Let me provide a little bit of education on that. In providing adequate security for the president and other top government officials, there are three rings of protection. The first ring of protection is the outer ring protection. This outer ring is manned by the military. Then, you have the middle ring. This middle ring protection is manned by the combination of the Nigeria Police and the military. And you have the last ring, which is the inner ring. The inner ring is manned by the Department of State Services. Let me clearly point out here that the overall protection of the president is not the exclusive responsibility of the DSS. Such protection requires the coordination of other security institutions in the country to ensure maximum safety. But be that as it may, the close body protection of the Nigerian president is the exclusive responsibility of the DSS. The inner circle is manned by the DSS operatives. Neither the police nor the military are charged with the responsibility of providing close body protection. While all the other security agencies are also saddled with the responsibility of providing security for the president and other top government officials, the DSS operatives are charged with the body guard protection.

President Buhari, having been a top security personnel and a military Head of State before is expected to know these things too. Do you think he’s lost confidence in the DSS?

I believe the purported directive that the DSS operatives at the Presidential Villa should be relocated to another part of the villa outside of their traditional beat would not have come from the President himself. I am sure that must have been the handiwork of his aides who might have some scores to settle with the DSS. And this is uncalled-for. This is a matter of national security which goes beyond settling old political scores. Nevertheless, this can be understood against the backdrop of the roles various security agencies had played during the last administration. You remember the bellicose situation between former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the then Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu; the tear-gassing of lawmakers in the House of Representatives during the Aminu Tambuwal era; the deployment of military in Osun State governorship election and a similar incident in Ekiti State. You also remember the raiding of the All Progressives Congress’ data centre by the security operatives.

We must however understand that there is a thin line between professionalism and partisanship –the state security agencies have to be loyal to the person in government though not at the detriment of national security. Loyalty is very vital. All these are perceptions. The security agencies will have to strike a balance in ensuring that at no time is national security put at risk. Even during the Peoples Democratic Party’s rule at the centre, there were DSS operatives who were sympathetic to the cause of the APC. What I expect the Presidency or the Federal Government to do, if it suspects the loyalty of the agency, is to probe the agency to see if its leadership has been compromised to the point of becoming a national risk. It is at this point necessary actions can be taken but in accordance with the law establishing the DSS.

Are you saying it is illegal to assign the statutory role of the DSS to any other security agency in the country?

It is not only illegal, it is also unconstitutional. Why do that? Everyone’s responsibilities are clearly spelt out. This is not about politics. It is true that the appointments of security chiefs are political but this should in no way hinder the performance of statutory duties of security institutions in the country. It will be unhealthy to play politics with national security, especially the safety and protection of the President. Buhari’s aide-de-camp, Lt.-Col. Lawal Abubakar, does not have the authority to give directives to the DSS operatives as to where their beat should be.

Buhari fires CSO over supremacy battle with ADC

Abdulrahman Mani

Our correspondent learnt on Saturday that his redeployment was one of the sweeping changes being carried out by the acting Director-General of the Department of State Service, Mr. Lawan Daura, on the order of the President.President Muhammadu Buhari has fired his Chief Security Officer, Mr. Abdulrahman Mani, for engaging in a supremacy battle with the Aide-de-Camp to the President, Lt.-Col. Lawal Abubakar.

Buhari had appointed Daura to replace Mr. Ita Ekpeyong during the week at the peak of the crisis between the DSS and the military especially as it concerns the President’s protection.

It would be recalled that Abubakar had earlier issued a memo redeploying DSS officials from 10 beats that they had hitherto been manning inside the Presidential Villa.

He had explained that the decision to strip the DSS officials of their traditional roles was part of efforts to enhance general security within the villa.

But in a rejoinder dated June 26, the former CSO directed the DSS officials to disregard the ADC’s order. Mani had argued that the duties being performed by DSS personnel in the Presidential Villa are backed by relevant statues and gazetted instruments.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that Mani who was redeployed to Ebonyi State had since been replaced with Mr. Bashir Abubakar.

Abubakar was said to be, until his new appointment, an Assistant Director in the Bayelsa State Command of the DSS.

Also affected in the shake-up, it was learnt, is the Administrative Officer in the Presidential Villa Widi Liman.

The AO who was earlier appointed by Buhari was said to have been redeployed to the Oyo State Command of the service.

It was further learnt that the new DSS boss had also ordered the reversal of some promotions carried out in the service during the last days of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Those who benefited from the exercise nationwide were said to have been allegedly promoted by the last administration for their loyalty.

A source said about 30 out of the about 100 beneficiaries of the “arbitrary and undeserving promotion” were from the Presidential Villa.

“The new DG is putting things right. More decisions may follow,” a source told our correspondent.

The source however said a decision had not been taken on who will replace the AO.

He also said a decision was still being awaited on the fate of the DSS bodyguards who served under Jonathan and were posted out en mass recently.

Appointments: Uproar as Buhari favours Northerners

President Muhammadu Buhari

They said the appointments were lopsided and not in the best interest of the country.Nigerians especially those from the Southern part of the country on Friday, expressed concern over the appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari is from Katsina State, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, are from Kwara and Bauchi states respectively. The judiciary is led by Justice Mahmud Mohammed from Taraba State.

Of the nine appointments made by Buhari so far, eight are from the North, while one is from the South. The appointments are: Director-General of the State Services, Lawal Daura, Katsina State; Acting Chairman, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari, Jigawa State; Director, the Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Mordecai Danteni Baba Ladan; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Kano State.

Others are the State Chief of Protocol, Mallam Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure; Aide De Camp, Lt.-Col. Muhammed Lawal Abubakar, Kano State; Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu; and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, South-West.

The appointments, however, drew the ire of Nigerians who asked Buhari to respect the country’s principle of federal character.

Already, the Internet, particularly the social media and blogs, are agog with reactions and counter-reactions on the matter.

A commentator named Daamazing, on Nairaland, Nigeria’s largest discussion forum, accused Buhari of appointing only Northerners into key positions announced so far.

The enraged citizen said in pidgin, “After all your mumu promises, one thing you’ve not achieved, na to dey appoint all the people for your family tree, dey do tourism up and down. (After all your promises, you’ve not achieved anything. All you have done is to appoint your kinsmen and travel all around the world).”

Another commentator identified simply as Augster, said, “Buhari, don’t let those who voted for you down because your appointment of only Northerners into top positions is baffling us.”

SenseiX, another Nairaland commentator, said it was wrong for Buhari to have brought Daura, the acting DSS DG, from retirement to head the agency when there were qualified persons from other regions of the country still in service.

He said, “He ignored the entire senior cadre of the agency- from Bassey Eteng to the least- simply because they are Southerners. Even if he wanted to pick a a Northerner, he should have picked from the service rather than a 62-year-old retiree, whose only qualification is being Buhari’s kinsman, who was in the DSS. When former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Ekpenyong, he was already a Director of Operations, same for Gadzama, who was appointed by Umaru Yar’Adua.”

As of the time of filing this report, the story- Buhari sacks DG DSS, service chiefs may go- had been read by 30,722 Nigerians on the PUNCH website, some of who expressed anger over the development.

A reader named as Ify, said, “In as much as I do not subscribe to ethnic sentiments, I am sensitive to the malaise of ethnic distrust in the country. A wise leader would therefore, thread cautiously around this landmine. We must patiently navigate our way out of ethnic bias.

“Let me also point out that Nigeria’s strength is derived from her diversity, therefore, any government that wishes to succeed must draw from our diversity, and not limit itself to the talents from one region alone.”

Another reader, Omoyooba, said, “In a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Nigeria, it is insensitive of him to be making appointments made up of Northern Muslims. What of the Christians and the Southerners? President Muhammadu Buhari should know that former President Goodluck Jonathan started with greater goodwill than this in 2011 and he ran it aground in four years. Buhari should not make the same mistake. Nigeria belongs to everybody.”

On Facebook, Fidelis Anumole-Oparaku, who was apparently disappointed with the situation, said the President’s ministerial appointments would not be much better.

He said, “Because he lacks the power to do so with ministerial appointments, he will likely give key positions to Northern Muslims, then the soft ones will be given to Northern Christians and the South.”

Like the online community, prominent groups in the South-West – Afenifere, Yoruba Unity Forum and the Movement for Oodua Republic – said this kind of lopsided appointments had never happened in the political history of the country.

While describing the President’s actions as worrisome, the YUF Secretary-General, Senator Anthony Adefuye, warned that the earlier the situation was reversed, the better, adding that the YUF would not expect the North to marginalise the South.

He said, “The fact that the President, Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are from the North is worrisome. There is no way the North can take all the principal offices and leave the deputy to us. It has never happened before and the earlier it is reverted, the better.

“There is no way that can continue because the South is not subordinate to the North. The think tank committee of the YUF will meet soon to look at the issue and see how it affects the Yoruba people. However, the development is a wrong signal that must be corrected.”

While calling on Southerners to be patient and watch events unfold, Adefuye said no region could be a subordinate of the other.

“What is more worrisome is that the immediate past INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, handed over to a Southerner but the Presidency changed it to a Northerner. We are watching and waiting to see what comes out of this new government.”

Adefuye added, “Southerners are always careful and concerned not to marginalise the North. Therefore, I will not expect the North to marginalise the South now that the Presidency is shifted to the region.”

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the group was watching the President’s actions and taking note of them.

Odumakin, who spoke with one of our correspondents on Friday, said, “We have taken a position in Afenifere to watch the President’s actions before we begin to make comments. By the time we have a clearer picture of what is happening in the first 100 days of the President in office, we are certainly going to make a comprehensive statement.”

Also, the leader of MOR, Mr. George Akinola, said the country was heading towards total conflict should the situation continue.

He said, “The country has already been divided along religious lines. The fault lines are there and will always be there. This will continue until a time when one way or the other a conference or a referendum happens. There is no option that is not on the table but at least we will prefer the path of peace.”

Representing the interest of the South-Eastern people, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, asked the President to respect the principle of federal character in his appointments.

Enwo-Igariwey said, “We expect the President to recognise other nationalities that make up Nigeria. Elections are over, it is time for governance. We expect that the principle of federal character, which is constitutional, should be respected.

“It is important that in making his appointments, the President should recognise that there are six geo-political zones in the country and it is imperative that he carries all of them along in the spirit of nation building and as a statesman.”

The Igbo World Union and the Ohanaeze Youth Council described the President’s actions as a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

The OYC National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said, “Buhari should not abuse his privileged position as the President of Nigeria for the moment. He should not forget our federal system but reflect the federal character in his appointments.

“We are warning him to drop the Northern agenda and govern Nigeria in line with the constitution which he sworn to protect. We will hold him by his statement that ‘he is for nobody and for everybody ‘ except he now wants to tell us that he is the President of the North alone.”

According to Isiguzoro, Buhari’s actions demonstrate that he came to power to reverse the positive steps made by Jonathan, who gave consideration to Nigeria’s ethnic plurality in his appointments.

“Jonathan appointed Northerners as his National Security Adviser, Defence Minister, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff etc. But so far, Buhari has shown us that he has no regard for other parts of the country.”

In his reaction, the President-General of Igbo World Union, Dr. Mishak Nnanta, asked the President not to succumb to any ill- advice from individuals with parochial interest.

The National President of Njiko Igbo Forum, Reverend Okechukwu Obioha, warned Buhari against running what he described as a “Northern government.”

Obioha expressed the fear that the trend, if left unchecked, could destroy the country.

He said, “Buhari is simply running a Northern government. He is making his appointments as if he is angry with other sections of the country. The appointments are lopsided in favour of the North and that is not acceptable.”

APC state chairmen visit Saraki, preach party’s supremacy

About 30 state  chairmen of the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC, late yesterday paid a seeming solidarity visit to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki  during which they still told him to ensure that the party supremacy was  respected at the National Assembly.

Their visit seemed  to add to the support Saraki was gathering as President of the Senate. Their message was clear. Respect party supremacy and you enjoy our support. Saraki has pledged to do that and added that he has always being a loyal party man. He appears to be consolidating.

The chairmen, under the aegis of Forum of APC State Chairmen, who paid a courtesy visit to the Senate President,said they came to harp on the need for all party members to respect the supremacy of the party.

But the meeting of the state APC chairmen, led by Alhaji Umar Dogowa, Kano State APC chairman, was boycotted by the party’s chairmen in the South West just as Benue APC chairman stayed away.

“We implore  you to, as a matter of urgency, uphold the supremacy of our party and not just to uphold it,to also preach to others to also uphold the supremacy of our party,”Mr Dogowa said.

Speaking at the occasion Senator Saraki assured that despite fear of their defection from the party being expressed in some quarters,he had no intention of ditching the party.

The Senate President insisted that no matter the circumstance he finds himself,he would remain a loyal party man.

Saraki,while insisting that he was committed to party supremacy,said there was no alternative to the APC.

He assured the states party chairmen of his commitment to the party, saying “we will leave up to expectations of Nigerians from us, we shall deliver on the promises made and surely demonstrate our commitment to the party by not abandoning it in anyway”

He added by declaring that the 8th National Assembly under his leadership, shall cooperate fully with President Muhammadu Buhari in the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

“There is no alternative, Buhari must succeed”, he declared. A total of 28 APC States Chairmen including the party ‘s Chairman in FCT, Abuja, attended the meeting.

My husband’ll improve your conditions, Aisha Buhari assures Nigerians

Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, on Friday assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari will do everything possible to improve their living conditions.

She therefore asked them to give the President all the needed support to succeed.

Mrs. Buhari spoke during the traditional breaking of Ramadan fast she organised for the less privileged inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

She said, “I want to assure you that my husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, will do everything possible to improve the living conditions of every citizen.

“I also want to acknowledge your contributions in various fields to the socio-economic development which are very important to the survival of our nation.

“You know that the nation is passing through a transition, therefore, there is need for all to support this government to succeed.”

While acknowledging that her husband won the March 28 Presidential election through team work, the President’s wife appealed that the team work should continue.

She said Buhari could not do it alone, hence the call for support.

“We won the election through team work. Let the team work continue. The President cannot do it alone, he needs your support. Please support him,” she appealed.

Mrs. Buhari said she decided to organise the event to show love because both the privileged and the less privileged are all one in God’s sight.

She also lauded the peaceful conducts of Nigerians before and after the last elections, saying their behaviours were commdendable.

She urged them to continue in the same spirit because peace is required for the progress of the country.

Mrs. Buhari was joined at the brief event by wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha; wife of the Nassarawa State Governor, Mrs. Tanko Al-Makura: wife of the former governor of Rivers State, Mrs. Judith Amaechi; former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; and a former member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa among others.

APC set for frank talks as Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, others meet today

The All Progressives Congress (APC) vowed yesterday to emerge strong from its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting after its post-election crisis.

The crisis, which has split the party’s leaders, erupted after the June 9 election of principal officers at the National Assembly.

Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara emerged against the party’s wish.

The party endorsed Senator Ahmed Lawan for Senate and Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker.

“We are set for the meeting which will address some issues. We are expecting the President, our governors and leaders in the National Assembly. The NEC will properly constitute the Board of Trustees (BOT) of APC because we want all our organs to function effectively.

“We are in the process of reconciliation; we will definitely put our house in order and emerge stronger,” National Secretary Mai Buni said yesterday, adding:

“Politics is sometimes like that. You know our party is the first story of a successful merger of major parties in the country; we were also the first opposition party to dislodge a sitting government; and this is the first time an opposition party is having majority in the National Assembly. You should expect some teething problems but we will reconcile and reunite all.”

Buni said one of the key parts of the agenda is on “ensuring that everybody respects the party.”

There was anxiety last night that the meeting could make or break the APC in view of the “volatile nature” of the agenda.

The warring groups in the National Assembly engaged in marathon consultations and intensified the lobbying of NEC members.

Ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, however, set the tone for the meeting by pleading with APC leaders to “shift ground and move to the centre”.

He said the blame game targeted at individuals was an unnecessary diversion of energies at the expense of the urgency of the mission of the party.

Those expected at the session are President Muhammadu Buhari, all APC governors, Senate President  Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, members of the National Working Committee and some principal officers. It will be the first meeting in which the Presidency will be present with Saraki and Dogara in attendance.

On the agenda are the journey so far by the Buhari administration, the crisis in the National Assembly and the way out; the constitution of the party’s Board of Trustees; and how to enhance party supremacy in managing challenges.

A source in the party said the session would be devoted to “frank talks” on the crisis in the National Assembly over the election of Saraki, Dogara and some principal officers.

The source said National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun will make a detailed presentation on the crisis in the National Assembly, the extent of intervention by the party, mediation by President Buhari and the way out of the logjam.

The source said: “We are set for a NEC session of frank talks because the crisis in the National Assembly has overshadowed our mission for the nation. We promised change and Nigerians are becoming weary with what is happening.

“Our governors and leaders are really disturbed about the trend of things. Now, we have a golden opportunity to tell ourselves the home truths and resolve the impasse. We are hopeful that we will reconcile and reunite at the end of the day.”

NASS Rift: I’m Under Pressure, Attacks – Oyegun

The crisis rocking the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new dimension yesterday with its national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, admitting publicly that he was under pressure and severe attacks by people he described as lacking in conscience and humanity over the fallout of the election of the leadership of the 8th National Assembly.

Oyegun, who spoke while granting audience to a delegation of the South-East/South-South Professionals of Nigeria led by Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, who had come on a solidarity visit at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, said he is however not losing his sleep over the allegation of bribe-taking against him, adding that the only annoying aspect of it was that there is a calculated attempt to rubbish his hard-earned reputation built over the years.

“I am under pressure and under very severe attack. So, I cannot say I do not appreciate your coming here to show solidarity. The time is perfect because I need all the broad shoulders that I can lean on and it cannot be better than when your support come from your own very backyard. It means my own people appreciate me, my own people accept me, and my own people understand what is going on and are ready publicly to identify with me, my fate and my fortune.

“The one that annoys me, it doesn’t pain me, it just annoys me is the attempt to rubbish 75 solid years of a character that I have put together. They said ‘no he was taking gratification’; gratification for what purpose? The only people, who can say that, are people who don’t know my background and who don’t know my history.

“I was just over 30 when I started joining teams that were buying aircrafts both from Holland and finally from Boeing in Seattle on the West Coast of the US. That could not corrupt me. I was on the board of the railways, the NPA, ECN which brought ECN and Niger Dam together to become the defunct NEPA and the rest, if these did not make me corrupt, how can I at 76 take money from who to do what?” Oyegu said.

He further alleged that there was “very scurrilous campaigns” against his person in the media apparently referring to a widely publicised letter written to the party leadership early in the week by his immediate predecessor in office, Chief Bisi Akande, who is a close ally of APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“So, it’s annoying, it is dirty, it is crude, it is unbecoming and it can only be people who are totally devoid of conscience and any level of humanity that can do things of that nature. It doesn’t make me lose sleep because I have a God that is so protective of me, that the people who have done these things will eventually eat their own words, I have no doubt at all about that in my mind.

“We know in politics there is a lot of mud in it but this goes beyond mud and it’s absolutely unethical and absolutely unbecoming. There is nothing that they have not said and the issue is when at the end of the day you ask ‘what has the man done?’ In one of their reports they said the present structure cannot win us elections in 2019. God Lord! You haven’t even finished with 2015; you are already talking of 2019.

“Then they said there is a conspiracy of the Northern elite or whatever against the people of the South-West, am I from the North? Am I the one organising them against the South-West?” he added.

Oyegun went down memory lane revealing that out of love for the country and democracy and against the continuation of military rule, he was exiled for four years during which his economic base was “totally obliterated” to the extent that when he came back to the country, he was carrying a “begging bowl” but he refused to peddle influence or enrich himself through corrupt means.

“Obasanjo is a very close friend, even with that near penury, nobody saw it on my face; I did not, throughout his whole eight years, enter Aso Rock. That is the kind of person I am, so when they said ‘you are taking money from a senator’; to do what? I am not a senator, I cannot vote, I cannot by being chairman pronounce him as Senate President or Senate Leader or as anything. So, what is he giving me money for?

“So, am saying these just to let you know that what you are doing today, you doing it on a very solid ground. You have a brother who will not cheapen himself and who will not let you down,” Oyegun said.

Meanwhile, tension is brewing over the scheduled meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party slated for 10am today as warring factions in the National Assembly leadership tussle may not want to shift grounds in order to achieve an amicable resolution of the current impasse, which has polarised the party.

APC, Buhari And The National Assembly Challenge

A month after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, APC, government, Nigerians have continued to clamor for the actualisation of the much promised change by the party despite the crises rocking its leadership.

Although, a month might be too short to assess a government that has four years to spend, the steps so far taken by the party in the election of leaders to run the affairs of the National Assembly leaves much to be desired.

A major crisis blew open in the APC when its members openly disobeyed the party by aligning with the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as senate president while in the House of Representatives; Yakubu Dogara became the speaker as against Femi Gbajabiamila, the preferred choice of the APC.

Political analysts are of the view that what transpired in the National Assembly was a big blow to the APC which might eventually prevent the party from achieving much while in government.

They saw the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the senate president as not only an embarrassment to the party that produced him but an action that could spell doom for the nation which calls for urgent attention at least for the sake of our younger generations and the yet unborn ones because what it connotes is that you can get whatever you desire not minding due process or integrity.

To me that is the highest level of irresponsibility, insincerity and disloyalty. It is absolutely condemnable.

Indeed, what should Nigerians expect from a party that could not put its house in order? From what has transpired on the floor of the National Assembly so far, Nigerians should not expect much from the APC government.

But the despondent won’t last long as the PDP will soon be back in power.

Already, the party cannot be wished away in the National Assembly now while the five PDP governors that left to team up with the APC will soon find their way back to the party.

Although, selfish interests among politicians are now so rampant that they defect from one political party to the other in pursuant of nothing but their personal agendas which doesn’t align with international best practice, but as our democratic culture takes firm root, it is expected that ideology rather than personal interest would define the behaviour of politicians.

Individual members must be ready to bury or forfeit his or her interest for that of the party and ensure that at the end of the day, the result becomes shared victory or loss as the case may be. Unfortunately, we have seen a situation where the interest of an individual over-rides that of his party; where the party which successfully produced the President, majority of state governors, majority of members of the National Assembly as well as other elected seats was ganged up against by its minority members and relegated to the lowest repute thereby constituting the leadership of the National Assembly in connivance with members of the opposition party.

From what has happened in the National Assembly, it is laughable, if the president would be able to perform effectively working with such a senate president.

Without mincing words, it is obvious that the action and inactions that eventually led to the emergence of the leaders of the National Assembly most especially that of the senate president lacks patriotism.

While former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would have loved to continue as the nation’s president, which was his personal interest, but the interest of the electorate, which we can call national interest, is for the government to change. Therefore, the interest of the people (national interest) superseded that of Goodluck Jonathan (personal interest) and he quickly threw in the towel.

As our democracy advances, our hope is that party politics and party supremacy would be the dominating principles that would guide the behaviours and actions of members. In that case, every member should see the interest of his or her political party which was instrumental to his or her victory first and above his or her own personal interest. Party loyalty should never be compromised for any reasons.

— Awoyale, a PDP Chieftain and President-General of Orisun Igbomina, a socio-cultural group in Kwara State.

8 Words You Should Never Use To Describe Yourself

Do you use cheesy clichés, overblown superlatives, or breathless adjectives to describe yourself in your social media profiles and marketing materials? Do you write things about yourself you would never actually have the nerve to say?Inc.com suggests some words that are great when other people use them to describe you but you should never use to describe yourself, along with a few other words that everyone seems to use.

“Innovative”                                                                                                                                                                                            Most companies claim to be innovative. Most people claim to be innovative. Most are, however, not innovative. And that’s OK, because innovation isn’t a requirement for success. (You don’t have to be new; you just have to be better.)         And if you are innovative, don’t say it. Prove it. Describe the products you’ve developed. Describe the processes you’ve transformed. Give us something real so your innovation is unspoken but evident, which is always the best kind of innovative to be.                                                                                                                                                                                  

 “World-class”                                                                                                                                                                                        Usain Bolt: world-class sprinter with the Olympic medals to prove it. Serena Williams: world-class tennis player. But what is a world-class professional or company? Who defines “world-class”? In your case: probably just you.

“Driven”                                                                                                                                                                                                 Maybe you’re data driven. (Wow, you try to objectively think through decisions?) Or maybe you’re customer driven. (Wow, you try to please the people that pay you?). Or maybe you’re just plain old driven. No matter what the form, driven is like “motivated.” Or “inspired.” It’s filler. Stop using it.

 “Responsible”                                                                                                                                                                           “Responsible” cuts two ways. You can be responsible (but, one hopes, isn’t everyone?) or you can be responsible for (which is just a boring way of saying that you did something). If you’re in social media marketing, don’t say you’re “responsible for social campaigns”; say you grew conversions by 40 per cent using social channels. “Responsible” is a great example of passive language begging to become active. Don’t tell us what you’re responsible for. Tell us what you’ve done. Achievements are always more impressive.

 “Global provider”                                                                                                                                                                                    The majority of businesses can sell goods or services worldwide; the ones that can’t are fairly obvious. Only use “global provider” if that capability is not assumed or obvious; otherwise, you just sound like a small company trying to appear big.

 “Passionate”                                                                                                                                                                                                 I know many people disagree, but if you say you’re incredibly passionate about, oh, incorporating elegant design aesthetics into everyday objects, then you sound over the top. The same is true if you’re passionate about developing long-term customer solutions. Try the word focus, concentration, or specialisation instead. Or try love, as in, “I love incorporating an elegant design aesthetic in everyday objects.”

 “Unique”                                                                                                                                                                                           Fingerprints are unique. You are unique but your business probably isn’t. That’s fine, because customers don’t care about unique; they care about “better.” Show you’re better than the competition, and in the minds of your customers you will be unique without ever having said so.

 “Collaborative”                                                                                                                                                                                           You won’t just decide what’s right for me and force me to buy it? Wow. If your process is designed to take my input and feedback, tell me how that works. Describe the process. Don’t claim we’ll work together; describe how we’ll work together.

How we misfired in APC — Timi Frank, Dep Publicity scribe

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank is a leading light in the party. In this interview monitored on the African Independent Television (AIT) live current affairs programme, FOCUS NIGERIA, he spoke on issues flowing from the crisis that arose from the squabble for positions in the National Assembly. Excerpts:

APC should be grateful to the PDP for still having the Senate Presidency

They (PDP) could have nominated themselves to be Senate President and Deputy Senate President; and you cannot take that from them.

We should thank PDP for what they did, for being democratic. They know they are not the ruling party, so they respected themselves by making sure an APC Senate President emerged. They unanimously gave their support to Saraki as we only had about seven or eight APC Senators in the Senate as at that time.

I see no reason anybody should blame Saraki for what has happened. We should be happy that he was there to at least save the situation at that time. If he wasn’t there, the situation could have been different.

What and who took 51 Senators to the International Conference Centre?

The question we should be asking is: Who asked 51 Senators to go to the International Conference Centre? What did they go there to do? I don’t know who called for that meeting, as a party man. We should not blame Saraki for becoming Senate President. We should put the blame on the party and whosoever that called that meeting. Has the President come out to tell Nigerians that ‘I called for a meeting and Senator Saraki wasn’t there?’ Even the President wasn’t at the International Conference Centre. Why did you expect Saraki to be there?

Everybody is saying the President called (for a meeting), the President called; okay, who gave the directive for the meeting. So, this is the big question, a very critical question we should be asking.

What must have dragged 51 Senators to the International Conference Centre? They should be asking themselves what took them there?

No deal between Saraki and PDP

To my best of knowledge, this is a contest between two political leaders in the same party. Both of them were banking on the support of PDP Senators because APC Senators alone could not have made on of themselves Senate President. What happened was a victory for democracy, a victory for the people. You can’t take it away. The Senate or House (of Representatives) is an independent House. These people decide on what they want. They go for what they are comfortable with.

On Ekweremadu’s emergence

On the issue of how Ekweremadu emerged as the Deputy Senate President, for God’s sake, PDP felt that, well, we have been able to give them the Senate Presidency unanimously. We are not trying to be greedy. We are trying to respect democracy.

One of the APC Senators that was present contested alongside Ekweremadu and lost. Not that they just asked Ekweremadu to be the Deputy Senate President. No! It was live on TV. PDP was more in number, so, they voted for their own. At the end of the day, Ekweremadu emerged as the Deputy President of the Senate.

Upset with my party

I am upset. My party caused the downfall, why we lost the Deputy Senate Presidency. How I wish all the Senators were there, there is no way we wouldn’t have got the Deputy Senate Presidency.

Don’t blame Ekweremadu

•Frank: Nobody should blame Saraki for what has happened

We don’t need to be blaming Ekweremadu and so forth. If it were anybody from my party or even myself, I would take advantage of the situation that was on ground.

Today, the man is Deputy Senate President to Saraki. But he is just a Deputy Senate President. What can he do to frustrate my party? There is nothing he can do because we have an active Senate President.

So, my party should live with it. They can also come up with whatever strategy they feel like. But, Ekweremadu didn’t just put himself there. My party caused it. So, we should accept the defeat.

Imposition and bias for one candidate against the other

I think we should not have gotten involved in the whole drama in the first place. Saraki is a member of the APC. Senator Lawan is a member of the APC. Everyone involved is a member of the APC. No one is more loyal to the party than the other. But as a party, we have not done well. We treated Dogara and Saraki as if they were half-casts of the party.

Principal officers 

This whole internal crises, the party leadership caused it. In the process of trying to take sides, we misfired. The party zoned the Senate Leader to the North East. Fine! But the party should have left it at that, not saying a particular person has to be this. As soon as the party zoned the office, the party should have left it for the zone to come up with the candidate. Like Ahmad Lawan, if the party had not gone ahead to stick out his name, maybe they would have gone ahead to say, Senator Ahmad lost the Senate President, let us leave this for him.   But again, the party provoked the people of that zone by writing names.

What Nigerians are trying to say is this: the issue of godfatherism is gone. The issue of saying this must happen is gone. The independence of the House and Senate is what we need. There is no way Saraki could have read the party’s letter. The majority voice in that zone had already written to say this is whom we want. The party must accept failure at this point in time and build from the mistakes we have made.

Party supremacy

I agree that party supremacy has come to stay. But again, since party supremacy is now the issue of the day, I expect the national leadership to write the list of ministers and their portfolios and give to the President to announce. The State party chairmen must write the names of the Commissioners and SAs and give to the State Governors to announce. That way, we will know that party supremacy has come to stay. Not just to enforce it on Senate and House of Reps. Otherwise they should allow the Senate to be. They should also allow the House to be.