…vows to tackle kidnapping frontally
President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday bowed to public pressure when he withdrew four members nominated to serve on the board of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being card carrying members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Opposition Action Congress (AC) had during the week revealed that three nominees were card carrying members of the PDP. Zakari Anka contested the governorship of Zamfara on the platform of the PDP in 1999; Bagudu Mamman was a member of the board of trustees of the PDP.
The two others are Yakubu Shehu, who contested the Senatorial election in 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the PDP in Kaduna and he is chairman of PDP stakeholders in Giwa council area of Kaduna State and Eddy Nwatalari from Enugu State is also a card-carrying member of the PDP.
Jonathan announced at the 51st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP in Abuja that if he discovers any complaint against any of the other members, he would act accordingly to drop them. Jonathan said: “Let me also use the opportunity to brief our party members, of course, you have read in the newspapers that we have sent the list of INEC nominees (to the Senate).
“We presented the list of INEC commissioners that will replace the ones that their tenures have expired during the last council of states’ meeting. And I believe that immediately the Senate sits that will be the first document they will look at.
Jonathan
“But I did mention to members of the council of states the day I made the presentation to them that from that day till when the list will be screened if I hear any complaint about a particular person we are going to withdraw that person.
“If we follow media publications you will notice that they came with clear evidence of some people that are clear members of political parties. The constitution does not say that if you are a member of a political party, you should not be in INEC; no; that is very clear.
“In fact, the law emphasised that to be in INEC you must qualify to contest election in the House of Representatives and for you to contest election into the House of Representatives you must be a member of a political party. So, if you follow the law to the letter you can appoint people in political parties to be in INEC.
“Active members of political parties will feel, wrongly or rightly, that we will be biased, if today I make the acting chairman (of PDP) as the INEC chairman, they will say PDP has taken over the place but for that reason I promised Nigerians and the whole world that come 2011, we are going to conduct free and fair elections. For that reason any body that will be in INEC should be somebody that should be above board.
“People should have confidence in him because perception is one thing and reality is another. If they perceived that he will do the wrong thing even if he does the right thing and somebody fails election they will believe that he was manipulated out and for that reason those people that have been linked to have played key roles in political parties I am withdrawing them”.
President Jonathan also dwelt extensively on the security situation in the country, saying “the security of the country is worrisome especially kidnapping. I always say that in terms of petty crimes, there are some countries that are worse than Nigeria. Petty crimes like pocket picking and so on.
Now South Africa is hosting the whole world and all the dignitaries, soccer stars are there, nobody is complaining. But petty crimes for those of you who have been to South Africa or who read about South Africa is worst there than Nigeria. But no body is complaining about South Africa hosting the World Cup.
By Tunji Olawuni
President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday bowed to public pressure when he withdrew four members nominated to serve on the board of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being card carrying members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Opposition Action Congress (AC) had during the week revealed that three nominees were card carrying members of the PDP. Zakari Anka contested the governorship of Zamfara on the platform of the PDP in 1999; Bagudu Mamman was a member of the board of trustees of the PDP.
The two others are Yakubu Shehu, who contested the Senatorial election in 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the PDP in Kaduna and he is chairman of PDP stakeholders in Giwa council area of Kaduna State and Eddy Nwatalari from Enugu State is also a card-carrying member of the PDP.
Jonathan announced at the 51st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP in Abuja that if he discovers any complaint against any of the other members, he would act accordingly to drop them. Jonathan said: “Let me also use the opportunity to brief our party members, of course, you have read in the newspapers that we have sent the list of INEC nominees (to the Senate).
“We presented the list of INEC commissioners that will replace the ones that their tenures have expired during the last council of states’ meeting. And I believe that immediately the Senate sits that will be the first document they will look at.
Jonathan
“But I did mention to members of the council of states the day I made the presentation to them that from that day till when the list will be screened if I hear any complaint about a particular person we are going to withdraw that person.
“In fact, the law emphasised that to be in INEC you must qualify to contest election in the House of Representatives and for you to contest election into the House of Representatives you must be a member of a political party. So, if you follow the law to the letter you can appoint people in political parties to be in INEC.
“Active members of political parties will feel, wrongly or rightly, that we will be biased, if today I make the acting chairman (of PDP) as the INEC chairman, they will say PDP has taken over the place but for that reason I promised Nigerians and the whole world that come 2011, we are going to conduct free and fair elections. For that reason any body that will be in INEC should be somebody that should be above board.
“People should have confidence in him because perception is one thing and reality is another. If they perceived that he will do the wrong thing even if he does the right thing and somebody fails election they will believe that he was manipulated out and for that reason those people that have been linked to have played key roles in political parties I am withdrawing them”.
President Jonathan also dwelt extensively on the security situation in the country, saying “the security of the country is worrisome especially kidnapping. I always say that in terms of petty crimes, there are some countries that are worse than Nigeria. Petty crimes like pocket picking and so on.
Now South Africa is hosting the whole world and all the dignitaries, soccer stars are there, nobody is complaining. But petty crimes for those of you who have been to South Africa or who read about South Africa is worst there than Nigeria. But no body is complaining about South Africa hosting the World Cup.
By Tunji Olawuni
Comments
Post a Comment