Hon Akinlaja Foresees Emergence of Two Strong Political Parties

Hon Joseph Akinlaja

Stakeholders in the polity are already reacting to the aftermath of Nigeria Governors' Forum election which held on May 24th 2013; one of them is Hon Joseph Iranola Akinlaja, deputy national chairman of Labour Party. 

According to Hon Akinlaja, the post-NGF election will create a platform for alignment of forces based on personalities and issues not strictly on party affiliations which could technically lead to emergence of two strong and formidable political parties in the country.

The federal lawmaker said: "What is going on now in the political clime to me is alignment of forces based on personalities and issues not strictly on party affiliations. Therefore, if properly developed, it will lead to the emergence of Two strong POLITICAL PARTIES and one or two other smaller parties for possible democratic alliances which will be very good for democratic practice(s) in Nigeria". Akinlaja affirmed.

Hon. Joseph Iranola Akinlaja is currently representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency. Before he delved into active politics he was a labour leader of note. He rose to the position of deputy national president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Secretary General of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG. After that, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD an affiliate of NUPENG) made him their Grand Patron/Technical Consultant. He is currently national deputy chairman of Labour Party and deputy chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, and member of other key committees.

Chinese firm to run airports

In an April 4 memo to President Goodluck Jonathan titled “Proposed management structure for international airports and perishable terminal in Nigeria,” Mrs Oduah made the case for the Chinese takeover.

In another memo, also of April 4, the minister informed the Presidency about the registration of “Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited” as Nigeria’s national carrier.

The minister identified Fraport AG Airport Services Worldwide (“FRAPORT”) a Chinese firm, which it described as a reputable international airport operator, as the preferred contractor.

But, according to sources, due process was not followed before “Madam Minister unilaterally decided to give the job to Fraport AG”.

The memo said that the Ministry of Aviation has already entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FRAPORT for potential cooperation in airport operations, management and development of airport related services.

The minister noted that the ministry worked on the extensive remodeling and reconstruction of 11 domestic and international.

“In addition to the on-going airport remodeling and reconstruction, Government recently entered into agreement with Chinese investors for the construction of state-of-the-art terminals at the four major international airports in Nigeria.”

The MoU, according to the minister, was signed because of the need “to guarantee the proper maintenance of the remodelled and new airport terminals and facilities to the highest international standards, in order to safeguard government’s investments in the airport infrastructure as well as ensure the sustainability of government’s effort at transforming the sector.”

Besides the ministry’s MoU with FRAPORT “for potential cooperation in airport operations, management and development of airport related services, FARPORT is to consider training Federal Airports Authorit of Nigeria (FAAN) employees “to deepen local capacity and ensure on-the-job transfer of management expertise in a through and sustainable manner.

The memo said: “It is proposed that FRAPORT will provide its services in collaboration with local private companies to further ensure the effective transfer of their specialist management skills, work ethics and technology to capable Nigerians firms.

“It is also proposed that FRAPORT will receive management fees as a negotiated percentage of revenue derived from the airports and terminals under management. All other terms of their engagement will be contained in a carefully negotiated management contract, with the expectation that in the not too distant future our local Nigerian companies and expertly re-trained FAAN staff will eventually take over management of our airport facilities to same international standards set by FRAPORT.”

The memo on registration of a national carrier is titled “implementing the establishment of a Nigeria national carrier (passenger and cargo).”

Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited is described as the vehicle for realising the dreams and aspirations of the Nigerian people for establishing a national carrier.”

The memo said its shares are held in trust.

Among other benefits, it said that Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited would ensure sustainable transparency, good corporate governance and accountability in running a national carrier.

These, it said, would eliminate the factors that led to the demise of Nigerian Airways and arrest the dominance of foreign airlines on Nigerian routes and its attendant capital flight, estimated at over N300 billion per annum.

It said that Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited would enable Nigeria reciprocal equitably on the BASA routes, enhance the development of Abuja/Lagos as regional air transport hubs and strengthen the Nigerian aviation sector to play the expected pivotal role in national economic development.

It said that Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited would create up to 100,000 additional direct and indirect jobs and enhance the rapid development of national aerotropolis projects.

It said that the ministry had engaged renowned consultants PriceWaterhouseCoopers to work with identified private sector investors, with a mandate of ensuring the launch of Nigeria 1 Aviation Limited not later than the third quarter of 2013.

“I am pleased to report that the Federal Ministry of Aviation is on track to achieve the projected launch date” it said.

Source: The Nation

Reuben Abati loses mum

With a heavy heart and gratitude to God Almighty, the Abati family of Kemta-Okebode, Abeokuta announces the passing away of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Madam Maria Taiwo Abati who passed into glory today, aged 81.

Mama Abati, a devout Christian, a very kind and loving person was born on 7th August 1931. She was born into the family of late Pa Samuel Jobo Arowotadina and Late Madam Elizabeth Efundunke Arowotadina of Ijemo, Abeokuta. She was a trader at Kuto Market for many years. She was popularly known and addressed as Mama Adunni or Mama Sunday.

She is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren including Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Robert Abati, a Geologist with Dangote Cement, Mr Ralph Abati, a banker with Fidelity Bank Plc and Mr Lanre Abati, an Economist & Chartered Accountant. She is also survived by her twin sister, Madam Victoria Kehinde Olude.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Reuben Abati

For the family

May 23, 2013

Hon Akinlaja Extols the Virtues of Governor Mimiko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fRFVOhpw5w&feature=youtu.be

Abuse of Social Media: A Call for Caution

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Social media is a term used to collectively describe a set of tools that foster interaction, discussion and community, allowing people to build relationships and share information. Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication. It is easy to confuse social media with social news because we often refer to members of the news as "the media." Adding to the mix is the fact that a social news site is also a social media site because it falls into that broader category.

Meanwhile social news is not the same thing as social media anymore than a banana is the same thing as fruit. A banana is a type of fruit, but fruit can also be grapes, pineapples, or lemons. And while social news is social media, social networking and wikis are also social media. Few of such examples are Blogs (posting articles), Facebook, LinkedIn (networking), Twitter (networking), YouTube, Flickr (photos & video) to mention a view.

Think of abuse, for some reasons politicians come to mind. They are one breed which has brutally been punished by social media. Mudslinging has got a new medium, and people are venting all their wrath and anger by blasting off tweet after tweet, mocking every aspect of these servants of society.

In a related development, internet abuse involves the use of the internet in an abusive manner. It consists of threats and harassment, viruses, spamming, port scanning, hacking, denial-of-service attack (DoS attack), and copyright infringement. One may argue that there must be some measures expected to be put in place by the government to check the abuse of use of social media, but it is also imperative to note that the privacy of the users is also important especially those involved with decent and other activities that are not nefarious. What a dilemma?

Recently the House of Representatives, detailed its committees on Information Communication Technology, Justice and Anti-corruption to investigate the alleged award of over $ 40 million internet spying contract to a foreign company to monitor computers and internet activities of over 45 millions Nigerians on the web by the Federal Government. To this end, the House urged the Federal Government to suspend all action with regards to the contract pending the outcome of its investigations.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance raised by Honourable Ibrahim Gusau, entitled: “A motion for the need to investigate the alleged over $40 million surveillance contract awarded by Federal Government to a foreign firm.” The mover of the motion equally maintained that reports had it that the contract was awarded secretly and in wanton disregard of due process, fiscal responsibility act, and Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007.

According to him, “the award of the contract has violated the basic privacy provision in Chapter 4, Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The contract under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security may not be the answer to the glaring security challenges of today’s Nigeria.” He noted that if the alleged contract was allowed the right to private and family life enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended would have been violated and breached.

Former military President (Gen. rtd) Ibrahim Babangida once said, “Most importantly, nothing has happened to change my conviction that freedom and the love of liberty remain the essential defining attributes of our national character as a people.”   He is indeed spot on.

However, this age of digital media, coupled with the current unfortunate security challenges facing Nigeria, has given rise to unqualified authors and social commentators. Only with a mobile device or personal computer supported with internet facility, people now own ‘newsrooms’. We all can spread news, pictures, stories, comments and reactions using our blogs and social media platforms. The downside is that more often, misguided and unethical practices replace the informed code of conduct that guides the noble media profession.  It is just too obvious that some people cannot handle with maturity, the freedom and limitless platform presented by digital media since there is no control or checks put in place.

These destructive ideas include contempt of religions, discrediting religions, provoking racial, communal, religious, ideological and regional commotion, spreading biased rumours, malignantly distorting facts, libelling, defamation, cursing, fabricating accusations as well as insults etc. Nigerians must learn to embrace call for paradigm shift to foster decency in the internet community. If there are no defined regulations or checks, internet users can also regulate themselves too, within the confines of propriety and maturity.

Nigerian government may not have succeeded in the task to scrutinize abuse of social media, or control on the use of internet facilities in the country for many known reasons at the moment, but other countries of the world have been somewhat tough on their citizens who may wish to subscribe to social media, though such harsh measure are still faced with many criticisms.

A claim by countries like China and middle-east Asian countries was that due to ‘privacy issues’ and ‘objectionable content’ most social websites have to be proscribed in their territory. For example Facebook is banned in countries like China, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and UAE. Similarly, YouTube is banned in many countries primarily including Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan, China, and Indonesia. So also Twitter is banned in UAE and China.

It came as a surprise that the famous blogging platform is banned in Ethiopia, Pakistan and China. Wikipedia an open source encyclopedia is as well banned in countries like China, Iran, and Pakistan. China blocks almost all top websites including Google (often), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Orkut, Technorati, Vimeo and many others. China filter-out such sites to allow its own cyber industry to flourish and challenge the western giants.

Written By Mr. EMMANUEL AJIBULU

Dino Melaye Extolls Jonathan's Decision on State of Emergency Declaration

 

A former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, a public critic of the ills of the Jonathan administration, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for declaring a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States.

The social media-savvy ex-lawmaker made his position known on his twitter handle.

“I congratulate Mr. President on the declaration of the state of emergency in 3 states, particularly his respect for the constitution in this regard,” he said, referring to the president’s announcement that the existing democratic structures in place in the affected states would not be suspended during the emergency declaration.

God bless Nigeria.

Full Text of President Goodluck Jonathan's Address on Declaration of State of Emergency in Borno Yobe & Adamawa

The full text of the President’s address

“ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR ON THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BORNO, YOBE AND ADAMAWA STATES IN ORDER TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER, PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE AFFECTED STATES OF THE FEDERATION

MAY 14, 2013

Dear compatriots,

1.  It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.  These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

2.  The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

3. The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

4.  Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

5.   These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

6.  They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

7.  Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

8.  We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

9.  Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

10. While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

11. We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

12. Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

13.  Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

14. This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

15. The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

16. I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

17. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

18. Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

19. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

20. I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.