By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The People’s Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) has pledged to support the Federal Government to address insecurity and restore peace in troubled areas of the country.

The Chairman of the Forum and Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said this while briefing newsmen at the end of the forum’s first physical meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

Tambuwal said that the PDP governors agreed to support the federal government initiatives in ensuring that whatever would re-establish peace in Nigeria, be it discussion, negotiations or kinetic approach.

This is a very productive meeting that review the situation of the country, the security challenges in the country.

“As governors of the PDP, we have agreed and resolved to continue to work with the federal government with the sole aim of reestablishing peace in troubled areas of the federation.

“We must not play politics with security and we must all work together to ensure that we bring back peace in our land.

“So we have agreed to continue to work with the federal government in that regard.”

Tambuwal said that the forum however appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to support state governments in the discharge of their mandates.

“We are appealing to Mr President to reconsider certain measures by bringing more succour and relief to the people of Nigeria.

“He should support state governments in the discharge of their mandate, by making available resources to the States.

“This is important so that we can execute our mandate and ensure that we engender good governance and good condition of living in our respective states throughout the country.”

On PDP, Tambuwal commended the National Working Committee (NWC) initiative for constituting the National Reconciliation Committee to reconcile aggrieved members of the party across the country.

“We have received interim report from that committee. They are doing very well and we are encouraging them to continue in that regard.

“The governor’s forum is going to back their efforts strongly so that we can possibly bring back those members of our party who have left out of anger and certain situations.”

Tambuwal also said that no member of the forum was contemplating of leaving PDP for another party.

“As you can see, most if not all of the governors of the PDP attended this meeting.

“This a very clear statement that no governor of PDP is contemplating leaving the party for any other party.

“We are brothers and we have committed ourselves to the party and to ensure that we continue to deliver on our mandate to the people of our respective states.”

Tambuwal said that the governors also agreed to work together with the NWC of the party to continue with what they started.

On e-registration of members of the party, Tambuwal said the governors appealed to the NWC to immediately set up machinery in motion to actualise it.

He also disclosed that the forum set up three committees on finance, legal matters and legislative interface.

The committee on finance is being led by the forum’s Deputy Chairman and Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River; legislative matters by the governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, and that of legal matters, led by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers.

On the protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress on alleged plans to move minimum wage from executive to concurrent list, Tambuwal described the accusation by the NLC as misplaced.

He said that no governor advocated for that.

Former Senate President and Chairman, PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Sen. Bukola Saraki, speaking to journalists after the meeting, said the committee briefed the governors on its efforts to reunite the party.

“We briefed them on efforts we have made so far, what we have been able to achieve, our strategy, and how we are going to work together,” he said.

He said that the committee efforts was already yielding positive results.

“We had stakeholders that were not ready working together. Now they’re working together, they are meeting.

“We have states where we have differences. People now are coming together.”

Also in attendance were governors of Abia, Delta, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Benue, Zamfara states and deputy governor of Adamawa. (NAN)

By Femi Ogunshola

The Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria on Wednesday submitted a memo to the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of 1999 constitution.

Etsu Nupe, Dr Abubakar Yahaya, who led the delegation of the council said that traditional rulers must be given constitutional role in the country.

He said that traditional rulers were better place in handling communal clashes in view of security challenges facing the country.

He added that there was need to accommodate traditional rulers by giving them the needed constitutional backing, adding that such would help to maintain the requisite peace in the country.

He said that the traditional rulers hoped that those in charge of the review of the 1999 constitution would acknowledge their roles and give them constitutional recognition.

“The council of traditional rulers had deliberated in so many sittings and came out with a prescribe status that should be allocated to its members.

“We are advocating membership at the council of state as well as local government councils.

“We want to establish a national council of traditional rulers of Nigeria to be embedded in our constitution,” he said.

Mr Ahmed Wase, chairman of the committee on the review of 1999 constitution and the Deputy Speaker of the House, however, quarried the absence of representatives of South West traditional rulers.

He said that the memo presented showed that Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu Ode and others did not sign the memo.

Wase pleaded with the traditional rulers to work with harmony so that those who had not signed would sign.

Wase assured that the committee was conscious of their role as traditional rulers, adding that he believed the traditional rulers had a role to play in stabilising the polity.

“I belief that you have a role to play in keeping us united as a country and in keeping the government functioning and providing adequate security in your domain,” he said. (NAN)

By Naomi Sharang

The National Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) says it has no plans to merge with any group or political party to form the proposed Mega Party ahead of 2023 poll.

Mr Falalu Bello, National Chairman, PRP said this when he spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Bello, the party is not merging with any group.

“We are not. That is not to say that we have not been invited. About 10 days ago, their secretary got across to me and advised me of the fact that we are invited to belong to the committee.

“And I said let me have a formal invitation and what they stand for. I will go to my National Executive Committee, brief them, get their mandate for me or any other person to represent the party.

“The party do not belong to me. PRP has its own leadership.

“I have seen other political parties join; are these political parties being grouped on the basis of ideology, on the basis of what they believe in. If it is on the basis of this, then we will examine it and come to a conclusion as a party, in the absence of that, we will decline to participate,” he said.

The chairman said there was need for the government to rejig the security architecture of the nation to address current security challenges in the country.

“We are are grossly under-policed. We need to massively recruit additional police in the country,” Falalu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a group of politicians had unveiled plans for a Mega Party ahead of 2023 poll, towards restling power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

By Justina Auta

A Youths Group, under the auspices of Nigerian Youths Movement for Tinubu (NYMT), on Tuesday urged the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Bola Tinubu to join the 2023 presidential race.

Alhaji Mukhtar Mukhtar, Director General, NYMT, while addressing the media in Abuja said the legacies and ideologies of Tinubu clearly portrayed him as a National Leader, who was a rallying point for progressives in the country.

Mukhtar, represented by the group’s North West coordinator, Malam Mustapha Abdrahman,, called on the two-time governor of Lagos state to use his experience in fostering unity, peace and progress in the country and contest for the position of president in 2023 general election.

“Over the years, Tinubu has been a vanguard of true federalism and national integration even as he pays attention to the development of our dear nation.

” He is a pacesetter, a mentor, nation builder, a unifier and de-tribalised politician,” he said.

According to him, if Tinubu join the presidential race it will enable him consolidate what President Muhammadu Buhari has done and is still doing in the country.

“Asiwaju possess undeniable passion for Nigeria. He is consummate democrat and a progressive to a core.

” A political phenomenon, an astute administrator and successful businessman who has within his political sojourn become the political colossal in Nigeria.

“It is in our quest for the progress of Nigeria as a nation that we have called on an outstanding personality in person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to vie for the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Also, Sen. Abu Ibrahim, who represented Katsina South in the 8th National Assembly extolled the qualities of Tinubu and his contributions towards the growth of APC.

Ibrahim, represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed-Ibrahim said Nigerian youths will support the National Leader of the APC if he decide to contest for presidency in the next general election.

He, therefore, stressed the need for Nigerians to unite and support credible representatives to lead the country.

Also, General Secretary, NYMT, Mr Olugbenga Pius, said that the group was made up of various representatives of youths associations who were after the peace and progress of the country, hence will mobilise Nigerians to support Tinubu, if he decide to join the race.

“We the leaders of various youth groups and volunteers pledge to ramp up efforts to fully implement strategies and Platforms for Actions, should Tinubu decide to run for presidency in 2023 general elections,” he said.

By Deborah Coker

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta said on Tuesday that the South South zone would continue to remain strong and united in the quest by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reclaim power in 2023.

Okowa, who is the Chairman PDP Governor’s Forum, South South, said this in his opening remarks at the party’s South South Zonal Congress in Port Harcourt.

He said that the zonal leadership would be positioned to help the party to reclaim power at the centre in 2023.

According to Okowa, when the PDP South South speaks, we speak with one voice.

“That has been the strength of our party, and we will continue to thank God and continue to build on the gains of the past.

“We will continue to be a voice in the zone in national politics and continue to work in unity.”

He pledged that the governors in the zone would continue to work in close relationship with the South South zonal leadership as well as the state chapters.

He added that the strength in the unity of the party would take the party to a higher level.

“We are hopeful because our nation was better under PDP and the party would reposition the country if it comes back to power,” he said.

Similarly, Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers said that the party in the South South raised the hope of the party to return to the centre come 2023.

He noted that this had been the case since 1999, and called for the orderly conduct of the exercise to show that the party was more committed and waiting to take over power in 2023.

He assured delegates that measures were put in place to forestall any hitch or rancour during the exercise.

In his address of welcome, the Caretaker Committee National Vice Chairman South South, Chief Dan Orbih, said his committee was abreast of the challenges the zone was faced with.

Orbih, the party’s unopposed candidate for the position of National Vice Chairman, South South, added that if given the opportunity to steer the affairs of the party in the zone, the incoming leadership was more than ready to surmount the challenges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 12 positions were being contested for including the National Vice Chairman (Zonal Chairman), Zonal Secretary, and Zonal Financial Secretary.

Other positions were Zonal Treasurer, Zonal Organising Secretary, Zonal Publicity Secretary, Zonal Legal Adviser, Zonal Auditor, Zonal Women Leader, Zonal Youth Leader, Zonal ex officio as well as National ex officio.