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.”

Priyanka Chopra: Make it happen!

New Delhi, May 14 -- We all have dreams. No matter who you are and where you have come from, you have a dream. It could be for your job, your life, marriage, home, car, etc. there is always something that we dream about. But what I find most amazing is what little effort we make to turn our dreams into reality. I have come to realise that it is human tendency to find 15 reasons why things can't work, rather than look at finding the one way to make it work.
Over the years, through various interactions I have had with people via one-to-one chats, emails and now via social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, the most common question that has been put to me has always been, "How did you do it and what do I do to make it happen for me?" Different people had different dreams and they were sitting there, waiting for that one big opportunity to come or that one person to appear to make those dreams come true. That, in my opinion, is where the problem lies. Speaking from my own experience, if I just sat by, waiting for things to unfold, I wouldn't have been where I am today. Yes, I did have some key opportunities that opened the doors for me, but if I just sat by, nothing would have happened. I am a firm believer that opportunity knocks on everyone's door.
It is important to recognise the knock, open the door, invite the opportunity in to your life but what is most critical is how you take it forward. First and foremost, you need to make the decision of what you want to do. Spend some time to research it and see if it's really something you want to do. Then start making plans on how you can achieve your dream. Remember, nothing comes easy. On the path to success, you WILL face failure and you have to be prepared for that so that you will have the courage to carry on regardless.
The most important factor in all of this, is hard work. There is no replacement for it and it always, always yields results. I can hear the thoughts running through your head right now... "what about luck? Some people are just so lucky!"
I do agree that some people are luckier than others, but it's never a driving factor. A key factor in making dreams come true is the human will. I have learnt that if you put your mind to something, there is nothing that can stop you. So my advice to you all you dreamers... stop thinking and dreaming... step out and fight to make it a reality... You will never regret it!

CBN limits borrowing by bank’s directors to 1%

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has limit the amount a director or a “significant shareholder” in a bank can borrow from the bank to 1 percent.

This was contained in the new guidelines titled “Prudential guidelines for deposit money banks in Nigeria” and posted in the website of CBN yesterday.

The affected directors or shareholders can only borrow more than the above amount with the prior approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The guideline defined a significant shareholding as a holding of at least 5 percent (individually or in aggregate) of bank’s equity.

It said that the maximum credit to all insiders should not exceed 10 percent of share capital. The share capital shall be made up of paid up share capital and share premium.

According to the guidelines, insiders include directors, significant shareholders and employees. The term “director” includes director’s wife, husband, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter and their spouses.

It said that the provisions of this section supersede the provisions of circular BSD/9/2004 on large exposure and connected lending.

The guidelines also said that insider-related credits include transactions involving shareholders, employees, directors and their related interests.

Banks are required to present their disclosure in the financial statements by disclosing the aggregate amount of insider-related loans.

It said that advances and leases outstanding as at the financial year end should be separately stated in a note to the accounts and the non-performing component further analyzed by security, maturity, performance, provision, interest-in suspense and name of borrowers.

There are other provisions in the new guidelines.

CBN Director of Banking Supervision Samuel Oni said: “These prudential guidelines should be regarded as minimum requirements and licensed banks are encouraged to implement more stringent policies and practices to enhance mitigation of risks.”

EFCC begins Ibori’s extradition

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs. Farida Waziri has dispatched a team to Dubai to start the process of extraditing former governor of Delta state James Ibori after he was arrested by the International Police (Interpol) on Wednesday.

Mrs. Waziri confirmed to journalists in Abuja that, “It has been confirmed that Ibori was arrested by the Interpol.”

She said the commission had been exchanging intelligence with Interpol and Metropolitan Police, UK, after Ibori was declared wanted in Nigeria and failed to submit himself for interrogation over an alleged N44billion scam.

The former governor was however granted bail by a Dubai court after he was arraigned yesterday, his media aide Tony Eluemunor said in a statement.

Ibori was arrested by Interpol via a warrant of arrest issued by United Kingdom authorities and would soon be extradited to face charges of money laundering against him before a London court.

EFCC declared Ibori wanted in April for failure to explain his involvement in the alleged sales of shares owned by Delta State government to obtain N44billion loan from Intercontinental bank for his company, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited.

The anti-graft agency also secured a court warrant for his arrest and equally put him on a watch list.

“My initial reaction when I heard of Ibori’s arrest was that of excitement, and surprise too. Surprise because somebody said he had gone to Ghana. Some people also said he is still somewhere in Delta, some say in his Village in Warri. My mind never went to Dubai. But the Met police have a relationship with Dubai police. They told me that if he is in Dubai they will get him that it will be easier to track him down .If he had gone to places like China or Japan, and then it would have been difficult. I was very excited.

“EFCC is prepared to prosecute him without leaving any loose end. Before, we declared him wanted, of course to arraign him. We have some charges and we have witnesses and we are prepared on our side.”

Ogbulafor may quit today

Embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Vincent Ogbulafor is expected to quit his post anytime today following the withdrawal of support from the PDP governors who caved in to pressure from President Goodluck Jonathan and advised Ogbulafor to resign, Daily Trust learnt yesterday. Already, his aides had cleared the chairman’s personal effects from his office at the PDP’s Wadata Plaza national secretariat and Ogbulafor did not report for work yesterday.  

Efforts to reach Ogbulafor’s Assistant on Media and Public Relations Chijioke Adindu to confirm the authenticity of the reports proved abortive.   

The National Chairman was not at the secretariat up till 6:30 p.m when our reporter left the Wadata Plaza. However, PDP National Secretary Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje in an interview with reporters over the development could neither confirm nor deny the resignation reports.   

Baraje, who said he could only confirm whether the story was true or not after some hours, stated that Ogbulafor was still consulting other stakeholders from his zone as a result of the Southeast governors’ demand on  him that he should resign.   

He said the Southeast governors’ request was taken seriously because of the PDP tradition and unwritten law that governors are leaders of the party in the states.   

Baraje, who noted that Ogbulafor had not been convicted as a result of the ongoing corruption trial, also said the only snag was the request by his zone which he is representing that he should resign.   

Baraje said: “The national chairman of a party like PDP cannot resign without you hearing. I cannot confirm that to you now but maybe in the next few hours I will be able to confirm yes or no.”   

He added: “On a serious note, it is no longer news that three governors from the eastern states asked him to resign as a result of the case in court and you know the process of electing our chairman and various members of the executive party.   

“They come from the zone before; they are now elected through national convention. So he has to go on consultation with his zone and presently he is doing a lot of consultations around from his zone and the outcome of the consultation is what will tell us whether he is going to resign or not.   

“That is why I tell you that presently I cannot confirm and I know that before the end of the day, definitely you will know the outcome of his consultation, today (yesterday). Definitely you will know the outcome of the consultation.” Commenting on the reports that all the PDP governors had ordered Ogbulafor to resign, he replied: “that is not true and I won’t say more than that.”   

He dismissed the knowledge of the insinuation that President Goodluck Jonathan was behind the move to oust the party’s National Chairman.   

When asked to give the process involved in the resignation of the national chairman, the party scribe reacted: “the process is very clear in the Constitution.  If he resigns, then there is a vacancy and the constitution says that if there is a vacancy he hands over to the deputy national chairman pending the appointment of a new chairman from that same zone and the appointment will also have to be confirmed by the executive committee of the party.   

“The process is that he will resign, handover to the deputy and the deputy will hold forth and the letter will have to be presented to the deputy who will present it to the National Executive Committee (NEC) and at the same time approved.”   

In a separate interview, PDP National Legal Adviser Chief Olusola Oke said he was not aware if Ogbulafor had resigned or not but noted that an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) is likely to hold today if he tenders a resignation letter, to look at the letter in order to enable them accept or forward it to National Executive Committee (NEC).   

Oke, who explained that the issue of one month notice of resignation was not mandatory, stated that such issue required consultations with other party leaders apart from the NWC.   

While dismissing the insinuation that any eventual resignation of Ogbulafor would affect the party’s zoning formula, the National Legal Adviser said any replacement would come from the Southeast geo-political zone in line with the PDP Constitution.   

He said the NEC would meet to ratify anybody chosen to replace Ogbulafor should he decide to resign.   

“At the moment as far as we are concerned until 2011 when a call to any revisit of the zoning will arise. The chairmanship, if Ogbulafor resigns, will still have to come from the southeast,” he said.

Daily Trust could not reach PDP’s spokesman Professor Rufai Alkali for comments. However, another source said the NWC members met with Ogbulafor on Wednesday but the meeting ended inconclusively because “the other executives could not tell him what to do in the light of the governors’ demand. He has to go and make his own consultations.” The source confirmed that the latest trouble for the chairman began on Tuesday when President Goodluck Jonathan told the South Eastern PDP governors that he could not work with Ogbulafor on moral grounds because he is standing trial in court over alleged fraud.

The source however said, “That was the reason the President gave, but it was not true. It was not his real reason. This alleged offence was committed more than 10 years ago, and no one thought it fit to prosecute him until now. The President’s real reason is 2011, period. He wants to remove the chairman so that he can grab control of the party, change the power rotation formula and rig his way to the nomination. That’s all.”

Why Sambo’s nomination is delayed

Kaduna State Governor Mohamed Namadi Sambo’s nomination as Vice President of the Federal Republic was not sent to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday because the National Governors’ Forum requested for time to lobby members of the National Assembly and ensure a hitch-free confirmation process, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja last night.

Late in the afternoon and well into the night yesterday, Governor Namadi Sambo and several of his colleagues were seen paying visits to the houses of Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, House Speaker Oladimeji Bankole as well as House Deputy Speaker Usman Bayero Nafada.  Among governors sighted in the entourage were Dr. Bukola Saraki, governor of Kwara State and chairman of the National Governors’ Forum; Governors Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto and Gabriel Suswam of Benue.

The bone of contention, Daily Trust learnt, was the insistence by National Assembly members that a legislator, as opposed to a state governor, should be selected as the new vice president. Earlier in the week, both the Senate and House Northern Caucuses endorsed former Kaduna State governor Senator Ahmed Mohamed Makarfi for the job. Governor Sambo’s subsequent nomination by Jonathan infuriated some legislators because of his ongoing political conflict in Kaduna State with Makarfi, the man who anointed him as governor in 2007.

Sambo’s name was supposed to be sent to both houses of the national Assembly yesterday, but up until they rose from their sittings, no letter from the President was read on the floor. This set many tongues wagging as to whether Jonathan may have had a change of mind. However, Daily Trust learnt that during Jonathan’s late night meeting with the governors on Wednesday, the issue of possible complications in the confirmation process came up. While all the governors were confident that Sambo will be confirmed given his humble disposition good track record in office and non-controversial nature, it was also agreed that there was the need to pacify the legislators before his name was forwarded to them.

Yet another source told Daily Trust that after visiting the Assembly leaders, all the governors will use this weekend to work on MPs from their states in order to smoothen Sambo’s path to easy confirmation when his name is forwarded to the National Assembly on Monday next week.

Meanwhile, there was jubilation at the Kaduna Government House yesterday as hundreds of politicians and women from across the state’s 23 local government areas converged there to rejoice with the wife of the governor, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, over the reported nomination of her husband as the vice president.

They danced and chanted; “Allah Ya bamu,” meaning, “God has given us” in Hausa. The men also shouted Governor Sambo’s political war cry, “Daram, Dam, sai Abuja!”

Members of the state executive council were also sighted at a parlour where Hajiya Amina Sambo was receiving the well-wishers. She was seen beaming with smiles and greeting the visitors. Wife of the Kaduna State Deputy Governor Mrs. Amina Patrick Yakowa, who is billed to succeed her as state First Lady, assisted Sambo’s wife to receive visitors.

A well-wisher, Mrs Karimat Isang, said the elevation was worth celebrating as it was a surprise to the people of the state. She commended President Goodluck Jonathan for picking Governor Namadi Sambo, saying he would never regret his choice.

She said, “Good things happen to people who have good intentions, even when they don’t struggle for it. God chose Namadi because he has a good heart for Kaduna State and Nigeria in general. He is very proactive when he wants to do things.’’

Mrs Florence Aya, a former member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, said Governor Sambo’s elevation was purely the work of God. “He is a man who has capabilities, who has the interest of the masses at heart. God will use him to transform this country for the benefit of the masses. I wish him and the president well as they pilot the affairs of our country,’’ she said.

Kaduna state’s Commissioner for Information Mr Sa’idu Adamu also told NAN in Kaduna yesterday that Sambo’s nomination was the outcome of the president’s meeting with state governors in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said Governor Sambo returned to Kaduna early yesterday after attending the meeting to receive the president who was on a one-day visit to Kaduna to mark the Nigeria Airforce Day.

Born on Aug. 2, 1954, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Sambo started his education in 1959 in Kaduna before proceeding to ABU, Zaria in 1972 where he qualified as an architect in 1976.

He was elected governor on the platform of the PDP in 2007.