Protect The Rights Of Civilians – US Warns Nigerian Government

A top United States official had on Wednesday said that Nigeria must protect the rights of civilians and avoid any “heavy-handed” response as it moves against Islamist sect to enforce a state of emergency.

State Department spokesman, Patrick Ventrell said, “We call on Nigerian officials to ensure that Nigeria’s security forces protect civilians in any security response in a way that respects human rights and the rule of law.”

He also urged Nigerian authorities to investigate clashes between soldiers and Islamist gunmen last month in the town of Baga on Lake Chad where over 200 lives were lost to ensure that “those responsible are held accountable.”

It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan issued an emergency decree late Tuesday, acknowledging for the first time that Boko Haram militants had “taken over” parts of northern Borno state, the insurgents’ stronghold.

The Military then announced Wednesday that a “massive” troop deployment was under way.

“Washington is watching how the Nigerian authorities will handle the state of emergency”, Ventrell said.

“We have made it clear to the Nigerian government that its heavy-handed response to insecurity in northern Nigeria and the failure to address human rights violations will potentially affect our ability to provide security assistance going forward,” he added.

Jonathan said the Boko Haram violence, which has left thousands dead since 2009, can no longer be treated as “militancy or criminality.” The latest violence, including the brazen attacks in the northeast, amounted to “a declaration of war,” he said

Jonathan Aborts State Visit To Namibia Over Bama, Other Attacks.

President Goodluck Jonathan has aborted his state visit to Namibia to personally oversee efforts by security agencies to contain the new security challenge in Borno, Nassarawa and Benue states.

Renewed attacks in Borno, Nassarawa and Benue state recently led to the death of more than fifty security agents.

President Jonathan who was on a state visit to South Africa was expected to proceed on another state visit to Namibia in continuation of his investment drive across Africa.

But a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati yesterday said  “in view of recent developments at home in Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan has cut short his visit to South Africa and aborted his state visit to Namibia which was due to start Thursday.

According to Abati, the President is returning to Abuja immediately to personally oversee efforts by national security agencies to contain the fresh challenges to national security which have emerged this week in Borno, Plateau and Nassarawa States.

He said on arrival, the president will meet with the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and heads of national security services to review the security situation in the country.

Jonathan Ready To Forgo Second Term – Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday said President Goodluck Jonathan was ready to forget his ambition to run for second term in 2015 if the Senate passed its proposal for a single non-renewable six-year tenure into law.

Though Jonathan had made half-hearted denial of his ambition for another term in office, the body movements of the President and his loyalists had clearly shown that he was preparing to run in the 2015 general election.

But the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said the ambition to stage a return would be shelved if Senators decided in favour of a single term for the President and state governors.

Gulak who spoke to The PUNCH in Abuja said, “Nigerians will remember that it was President Jonathan that suggested an idea of a single term tenure from the beginning. So if the proposal becomes a law, the credit should go to the President.

“If it becomes a law and is enshrined in our constitution, the President and everybody will be bound by the provision of that law. Let us wait and see what happens.

“We are not seeing the move as a way of stopping President Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015. The law cannot be made because of one individual.

“When it takes effect, everybody will be bound by it.”

Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution had recommended non-renewable single six year tenure for the offices of President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies.

The Senate panel’s recommendation disqualifies Jonathan and incumbent governors from benefitting from the new arrangement if the recommendation becomes law.

In justifying the move, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, was quoted on Wednesday as saying that the development was the outcome of public hearings across the country.

If passed into law, Jonathan will not be eligible to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Gulak noted that the President should even be given credit for being the originator of the single-term proposal.

Jonathan had in 2011 suggested a single-term of seven years for elective offices to avoid the wrangling often associated with second-term bids.

In a related development, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, said on Wednesday that the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution would answer questions about the nature of Nigeria’s unity.

Tambuwal spoke at the opening of a retreat for members of the House AdHoc Committee on Constitution Review in Abuja.

The committee, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, organised the retreat to allow House members appraise the report of the People’s Public Sessions on the constitution and prepare them for the next stage of the review process.

The public sessions were held across the federation on November 10, 2012, where Nigerians voted on a 43-item template on sections of the constitution they desired amendments.

Tambuwal acknowledged that Nigeria was facing many challenges, which had forced the citizens to ask questions on the nature of the country’s union and assured that the fears expressed by the people would be addressed by the new constitution envisaged.

He said, “As you well know, our country today faces many challenges and some of our people have been asking questions about the very nature of our union.

“We hope eventually to provide Nigerians with a constitution that will answer some of these questions and further cement our hard fought unity.”

The Speaker claimed that reactions from Nigerians since the House publicly tendered the report of the People’s Public Sessions on April 18 suggested that they had confidence in the National Assembly to do a thorough representation of their views in the constitution.

However, he warned the committee members against cutting corners or attempting to impose their own views on the people in the course of appraising the report.

“So far, you have all shown remarkable patriotism but I must again emphasise the need for your work to be free of all personal bias.

“You must work only on data provided by the nationwide public hearing and your conclusion should reflect the aggregate opinion of fellow Nigerians”, the speaker stated.

But the deputy speaker said, “The results of the Peoples Public Sessions as unveiled by the House would be subjected to proper legislative action as required by the Standing Orders of the House and by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

“There are no short-cuts. This retreat will give members of the committee acting on behalf of the entire House the opportunity to brainstorm on the language of the amendments where consensus has been reached.

“It is pertinent to note that the National Assembly is one. For this process to work, the House and Senate Constitution Review Committees must work together to propose the same bills and vote on the same issues.

“The Senate and the House of Representatives must an reach agreement before any section of the constitution is amended. Indeed, two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly must agree (as well).”

Is That A Swelling On The Cheek Of Enugu Governor, Sullivan Chime?

President Goodluck Jonathan arrived to commission a church in Enugu state on Tuesday. The church reportedly built by the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu had ailing governor, Sullivan Chime welcoming Mr. Jonathan at the airport.

An important photo taken of Mr. Chime's face swollen on the right cheek tells that the governor's cancer might be making an aggressive comeback.

Power Goes Off As Jonathan Delivers Easter Message In Church.

This is the ultimate embodiment of the present situation of electricity in Nigeria; the power company took lights as the President delivered his Easter speech in church. Change we need!

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO RUN FOR AU CHAIRPERSON

President Jonathan

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan could enter the race for chairman of the African Union, after Gambiapulled out of the running this week, a source close to Jonathan said on Saturday.
Leaders would choose a new chairman for the 54-member pan-African body in a secret ballot at the African Union summit opening on Sunday.

The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are campaigning for Jonathan to run for the position, which has been occupied by the President of Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, for the past year.
"Quite a number of African leaders have been approaching him and encouraging him to be the candidate for the next chairman of the African Union," said the source, who spoke of the condition of anonymity.
"If it is the consensus of (ECOWAS) that he should run for the chairmanship of the African Union, I doubt if he will be able to tell his colleagues that he will not listen to them," he added.
Diplomatic sources had earlier said Gambian President Yahya Jammeh or Benin's leader Boni Yayi were likely rivals for the post, which changes every year and is offered to different regions in Africa on a rotational basis.
However, the source confirmed that Gambiawas no longer vying for the spot, which is largely ceremonial, adding that Benin may not run either, leaving Nigeria as the sole candidate for chairman of the union.
ECOWAS leaders were meeting on the margins of the AU summit in Addis Ababa Saturday to decide whether they will formally recommend Jonathan for the spot.
The next chairman would come from the west African region to replace Obiang, whose election was condemned by rights group over his poor rights record at home.
Elections for the key post of chairperson Commission of the African Union will also take place at the summit, with the incumbent Jean Ping taking on Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa's former foreign affairs minister.
Both sides say they are optimistic ahead of the secret ballot slated for Monday, with sources close to Gabonese-born Jean Ping say he is confident of his re-election.
Ping has the support of much of French-speaking West and Central Africa while Dlamini-Zuma is backed by the Southern African Development Community.
South Africasaid Saturday it was optimistic that its powerful candidate could unseat AU head Jean Ping.