Mon 17 March 2014

Page 1

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Monday, March 17, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,863

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Jonathan empowers new panel to dialogue with Boko Haram From Madu Onuorah and Emeka Anuforo, Abuja RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan has constituted an eight-member committee to work outside the public view towards negotiating for ceasefire, amnesty and demobilisation of members

of Boko Haram. The constitution of the panel is one of the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North headed by Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru

Tanimu Turaki (SAN). The Kabiru Turaki-led committee had while submitting its report to President Jonathan in Abuja on November 5, 2013 recommended, among others, the setting up of an advisory committee on continuous dialogues that will have

powers to advise the President on all matters related to dialogue and resolution or crisis. It also recommended the setting up of a Victims Support Fund for casualties of insurgency to be administered by a new agency established specifically to assist the victims.

Presidency sources told The Guardian that President Jonathan, in opting for multi-faceted approach towards solving the problem of insecurity, especially in the North-East, empowered the panel to immediately begin work towards possible amnesty and disarmament

of

the insurgents. Though the name Boko Haram was not specifically mentioned in one of the letters of appointment to the panel members sighted by The Guardian, copious reference was made to ‘insurgencies’ and ‘North.’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Kudos, knocks as national conference begins today By Nnamdi Inyama ODAY, what may go down T in history as one of the landmark achievements of the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Administration, the National Conference, will be inaugurated by the President himself. This is coming about fiveand-half months after he approved the membership and terms of reference of an Advisory Committee on National Dialogue headed by Dr. Femi Okurounmu. That the inauguration is taking place can be interpreted to mean that, despite protests, some of them quite loud, the Federal Government intends to push the National Conference through, hoping fervently that in the end, it would turn out to have CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Outrage trails death of Immigration job seekers –Page 5 Obiano takes over as Anambra gov today –Page 7

Chief of Staff to Delta State Governor, Dr. Festus Okubor, representing Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (right); President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia; Dr. Ifeanyi Monye and her husband, Chairman, Governing Council of Africa Institute for Public Policy, Prof. Sylvester Monye, during the commissioning of the institute in Onicha-Ugbo, Delta State. PHOTO: JACOB GBOGIDI

How Badeh’s fears sparked Gusau’s resignation rumour From Madu Onuorah, Abuja Bureau Chief

facts have emerged FlastonRESH the events leading to week’s rumoured resignation of Minister of DeAliyu Lt.-Gen. fence, Mohammed Gusau, and how

the ‘crisis’ was resolved. Sources told The Guardian that the row was over the command and structure of the Nigerian military and the suspicion by Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, that Gusau may be planning to

• Feud resolved deal directly with the Service Chiefs – Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Tobiah Jonah Minimah (Army), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (Navy) and Air Marshal Adeola Amosu (Air Force) and give

them operational directives. So, instead of seeing the Minister of Defence and clearing his doubts, he (Air Chief Marshal Badeh) “broke protocol” and openly, in the presence of witnesses, said no to his immediate supervi-

sor and the President’s political representative in the ministry. Badeh had allegedly told Gusau in the presence of Minister of State for Defence, Chief Musiliu Obanikoro and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji

Aliyu Isma’ila, that he can’t dictate to him or the Service Chiefs on the operations of the military, a comment that was seen as “procedurally rude.” The comment was interpreted by Gusau as “insubCONTINUED ON PAGE 2


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