Yakowa: I am not governor for Xtians

Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa took the oath of office as governor of Kaduna State yesterday, with a pledge to serve as an impartial leader for people from all ethnic backgrounds and religious affiliations in the state.

“Please note that I am not a Christian Governor,” Yakowa said shortly after being sworn in to replace Alhaji Namadi Sambo, who assumed office as Vice-President on Wednesday.

Yakowa became the first Christian civilian governor of the state and also the first person to occupy the post from the minority, mainly Christian Southern Kaduna. There were reports of tension in the state since last week because some people were not comfortable with a Christian becoming governor of the state.

But speaking at the Hassan Usman Katsina House in Kaduna yesterday, Yakowa said: “I am governor for all, irrespective of religious or tribal affiliation. None of us has any reason to be afraid or to feel threatened. God gave us our great religions of Islam and Christianity so as to build a world of love.”

Yakowa, 62, was deputy governor of the state since 2005.

The oath of office and oath of allegiance were administered to him by state Chief Judge Rahila Cudjoe at about 2.48pm yesterday.

The governor said the fact that Nigeria has both Christians and Muslim should be considered a blessing and not seen as a threat.

“We must overcome fear,” he said “We must use the blocks of differences among us, whether they are those artificially erected by tribe, gender or faith, to build bridges of hope not walls of hatred. I implore you all to take my hand, take the hands of one another and together, we shall show the rest that Kaduna is really the heart of Nigeria,” he added.

Kaduna State has witnessed violent ethno-religious crisis in the past, though the state has been calm for many years now as a result of measures taken by previous administrations.

Yakowa, while affirming his commitment to zero tolerance to violence, said, “My administration shall remain relentless in our struggle towards sustaining peace, equity and justice. We shall be committed to ensuring that no citizen of this state feels threatened or discriminated against on grounds of his or her status in life, gender, class or any disability. Your security will remain our investment.”

The governor, who said peace and justice were the primary goals of his administration, pledged to use his experience to sustain the foundation his predecessor laid in the maintenance of peace in the state.

He pledged to continue with the 11-point agenda of his predecessor, saying there would be no break in the implementation process. “We shall pursue with vigour those areas that we can deliver on in the period of time that God has given to us. I want to assure the people of Kaduna State of my unflinching commitment to implementing these agenda which has served as the basis of the social contract between us and our good people, so as to reduce poverty and enthrone speedy socio-economic development of the state.”

He also urged the people of the state to continue to pray for the state and the country for accelerated development. He commended President Goodluck Jonathan for selecting his former boss as the Vice President.

The swearing in ceremony was attended by many prominent people, including former governor Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, former finance minister Esther Usman, top traditional rulers, deputy governors of Nassarawa and Plateau states, Senator Isaiah Balat and Alhaji Samaila Yakawada.

Notable politicians loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday joined the rebel People’s Democratic Party group, the PDP Reform Forum, which is working to upstage the leadership of the party ahead of next year’s elections.

Obasanjo’s men who attended the forum’s conference on electoral reform held in Abuja include former FCT minister Nasir el-Rufai, former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former presidential adviser Akin Osuntokun and former foreign affairs minister Ojo Maduekwe.

Their joining the rebellious group could energise the campaign for the dissolution of the PDP national working committee, until recently headed by Vincent Ogbulafor.

Maduekwe sneaked into the venue while the programme was starting. For his part, el-Rufai was hailed when his name was mentioned while Fani-Kayode assisted Prof. Femi Otubajo to anchor the programme. The former aviation minister called for a minute’s silence in honour of the late President Umaru Yar’adua.

The PDP Reform Forum was set up during the crisis that characterised the period of President Yar’adua’s illness and the ascension of Goodluck Jonathan as acting president.

Led by former speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Masari, the group is believed to be fronting for Jonathan in his quest to wrestle the PDP machinery from the apparent stranglehold of the governors, ahead of next year’s general elections.

Some of the Obasanjo men at the event are known to be interested in standing for elections next year. Fani-Kayode has already declared for governor in his home state.

For his part, el-Rufai has since his return to Nigeria early this month been canvassing support for Jonathan in the 2011 presidential poll.

Masari, who spoke at the event as chairman of the occasion in the absence of former Senate President Ken Nnamani, insisted that there was a need to have the right kind of leadership in the PDP ahead of the general elections so as to check the falling fortunes of the ruling party.

He said the forum was not aimed at dislodging any particular individual from his position, but said it was not acceptable for governors or local government chairmen to select candidates for elections.

“Let the people decide who will govern them. With what we have in PDP today, instead of the dog wagging the tail, it is the tail wagging the dog. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Delivering a lecture on the theme of the conference ‘Political Party Reform as a Sine-Qua-Non for Electoral Reform,’ former attorney-general of the federation Kanu Agabi said there was need for tolerance and internal democracy in the ruling party.

Agabi, who said parties were supposed to act as agents of change, noted that the responsibilities vested on all politicians by the nation’s founding fathers could not be discharged without objectivity and honesty.

He warned that if the infighting among PDP members continued, opposition parties would “have a feast on the PDP.”

“Our party has for some time now been characterised by intolerance. It mustn’t be so. We are in a lesson process. In dealing with one another, we have to be patient. However intelligent we may be, there must allowance for error. That is what this reform group is all about,” Agabi said.

“The party must reform itself. It has no alternative. Your commitment to reform must be rigid. You must not relent. It is the conformists who must relent. PDP has a constitution, no one has the right to go outside that constitution in conducting the affairs of the party,” he added.

Former transportation minister Abiye Sekibo, who was giving an appraisal of the reform agenda of the forum, said the forum wanted to galvanise all PDP stakeholders to recognise the need to separate the party from the government and return to participatory democracy.

Former Imo State governor Achike Udenwa, who spoke on behalf of other former governors, said a letter has been sent to President Jonathan on the need for him to listen to the forum.

Others at the occasion include former education minister Mrs Chinwe Obaje,   Obasanjo’s former aide Prof. Julius Ihonbhere and former Senate President Adolphus Wabara.

Namadi meets Jonathan ahead today’s swearing-in

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 00:00

Governor Mohammed
Namadi Sambo

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with the Vice President designate, Kaduna State Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Namadi may be sworn-in as vice president today during or before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting following his confirmation yesterday by the two chambers of the National Assembly.

Soon after the confirmation, Namadi along with some state governors drove into the State House, Abuja at about 3:30pm and quickly went into the president’s office.

The governors were Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Gabriel Suswan of Benue State, Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Segun Oni of Ekiti State. After the meeting which lasted for about for 30  minutes, Namadi with the governors, emerged from the president’s office and assembled before the arrival of the visiting Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Later Jonathan joined them to receive Koroma and after the reception, the two presidents went into the office while Namadi and the governors drove out of the Villa. A statement by Jonathan’s spokesman Ima Niboro said while receiving Koroma in his office, Jonathan pledged to continue to work in close collaboration with other African governments to promote peace, stability, growth and development in the continent.

“Nothing will change in our brotherly relations with Sierra Leone and other African countries,” Jonathan assured Koroma who was accompanied by the Speaker of the Sierra-Leonean Parliament, Justice Abel Stronge, the Parliament’s Majority Leader, Mr. S.B. Dumbuya, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Paulo Conteh, the Minister of Interior, Mr. Dauda Camara and the Minister of Information Mr. Ibrahim Kargbo.

In his remarks, Koroma said that he had chosen to come personally to commiserate with President Jonathan, and also congratulate him on his assumption of office because of the enduring tradition of excellent brotherly relations between his country and Nigeria.

Jonathan also received a condolence message from the President of the World Bank, Mr. Robert B. Zoellick which was delivered by the Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Onno Ruhl.

Mohammed Namadi Sambo: From Sir Kashim to Aguda House

Governor of Kaduna State Mohammed Namadi Sambo, expected to be confirmed as Vice President today.

Two different approaches will be adopted by the National Assembly’s two chambers this morning for the confirmation of Kaduna State Governor Mohamed Namadi Sambo as nominee for Vice President of the Federal Republic.

While the House leadership said yesterday that Sambo will face the 360 members of the House of Representatives in a screening exercise that is the first of its kind in Nigeria’s democratic history, the Senate declared that he will not have to appear before it in person.

Jonathan had in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole dated 13th May, 2010 conveyed the nomination of Sambo as vice president. The House leadership met yesterday, during which it worked out modalities on how the screening exercise will be conducted.  

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Rep. Ita Enang (PDP, Akwa Ibom), chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, said, “We are ready and prepared to screen him. We will suspend order 7 of our rule book in order to allow him into the chamber because according to the rule only a member is allowed to enter into the hallowed chamber.

Members will be allowed to ask him questions. The number of those that will ask questions is the prerogative of the presiding officer.”  

The nomination is in accordance with the provisions of section 146 subsection 3 which gives the National Assembly the power to approve the nomination. The section states that, “Where the office of Vice-President becomes vacant (a) by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal in accordance with section 143 or 144 of this Constitution; (b) by his assumption of the office of President in accordance with subsection (1) of this section; or (c) for any other reason, the President shall nominate and with the approval of each House of the National Assembly, appoint a new Vice-President.

However, confirming the receipt of Namadi’s nomination letter from the President, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze (PDP, Enugu North) said the Constitution doesn’t require screening for the new Vice President.

He told Daily Trust on phone that “He is not going to appear for screening because what Section 146 of the Constitution requires is for us to approve his nomination. It is not like the case of ministers which requires us to confirm after screening them.”

Eze added, “I wish to confirm that the Senate has received the letter nominating Governor Namadi Sambo to the position of Vice President. In accordance with our rules, the letter will be read as an official correspondence from Mr. President in plenary on Tuesday May 18, 2010.” He said, “Thereafter, a time and date will be set when the Senate shall approve the nomination in accordance with section 146 sub-section 3 of the 1999 Constitution.”

Also speaking to Daily Trust on the matter, Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Information and Media Senator Anthony Manzo (PDP, Taraba North) said the nomination of Sambo is to be approved by Senate tomorrow.

He said, “He will not face screening as the case of ministers. After the letter is read by the Senate President then it will be listed on the order paper for Wednesday. We are looking at conducting the approval on Wednesday because you know there will be FEC meeting that day. This is the first time that the National Assembly is approving nomination of a vice president and it is going to be like approval of Special Advisers to the President. All that is required is for the letter to move the motion and then a question will be put by the Senate President for approval by senators.”

Manzo said the approval will be conducted by voice vote. “All that is needed is a simple majority just like in the confirmation of ministers. There will be no counting because it is not one of the matters that require two/thirds or four/fifth majority votes as contained in the Constitution.”