The Nation July 29, 2011

Page 1

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Sultan speaks on Boko Haram

•Aregbesola gets exco •Mimiko disbands team NEWS

Pages 5&7

NEWS

Page 3

•Who is who in Osun Executive Council

•‘Military force is no solution’

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VOL. 6, NO. 1836 FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011

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Jonathan: I ‘ll go in 2015 When we got to know that people were ‘holding meetings, we said ‘no, no, no, clarify this’. Nobody should hold meetings about elongation of tenure; it has nothing to do with elongation of tenure. The tenure of Goodluck Jonathan and Namadi Sambo will end on 29th May, 2015. That is the constitution. So, it has nothing to do with that. But, the clarification that came out rather compounded the whole story.

Single term not to prolong my tenure, President tells PDP

T

HE President fought back yesterday on the single tenure controversy, saying it is not his idea. He said the idea came as a resolution of an inter party body, which was prepared for the Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee. The proposal, announced by presidential spokesman Dr Reuben Abati, has been heavily criticised by opposition parties and rights groups. But, speaking at the 56th National Executive Com-

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

mittee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan said the information on the proposal leaked to the press during consultation. According to him, the single term idea emanated from the recommendations of the inter-party committee, excluding the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), constituted by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, which he chaired. Besides, he said he had not

INSIDE

•ACN legislators to shun proposal •Labour will battle single term •‘Nigerians ‘ve final say on tenure PAGE 2 amendment’ consulted the PDP leadership or the National Assembly on the proposal. He insisted that the idea would reduce acrimony and election cost. “It (single tenure) has nothing to do with the four-year presidency that Nigerians have given to us. We just

wanted to clarify it and I think we need to mention that it was not my idea. It was the idea of the committee that I chaired. Majority of the members of the committee believe it is the best option,” Jonathan said. He said the idea was not meant to elongate his tenure

as the opposition are wont to make Nigerians believe. Jonathan said: “There is a brief comment I want to make on this so-called single tenure. I wouldn’t have loved to, but probably, it is becoming so topical in the newspapers. Most of the newspapers carried (published) it today and when things happen, they do take them to different directions. “Since we are meeting here as the NEC of the party, it is probably proper to clarify some of these issues so that it will not be misunderstood. The rumour came in; it is me

that asked some few people whether a single tenure will be a better option than a double tenure. “Before I take any decision, I ask people. But, that is not the end of consultation. It is a major chain. So, before I can even send such a bill to the National Assembly, I will consult with the governors because any constitutional amendment involves the states and if they are not on the same page with you, there is no way such an amendment can Continued on page 2

Fresh crisis as NJC sets up new panel B

•Justice Katsina-Alu

ARELY 24 hours after receiving a report on the crisis in the Judiciary, the National Judicial Council (NJC) may have ignited another fire. A panel to review the findings of Justice Umaru Abdullahi’s FactFinding Panel, which examined the feud between the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius KatsinaAlu and the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami, has been set up. The Abdullahi Panel cleared both the CJN and the PCA of all the alle-

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

gations against them. But, some members of the NJC insisted that another panel, headed by the President of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, be asked to make specific recommendations on the findings of the panel. Some members of the Council, it

Panel’s report on PAGES 58&59

was learnt, opposed the constitution of Auta’s Panel because it is “awkward” in the judiciary for a junior officer to decide the fate of his superiors. It was also gathered that the fears over Auta’s Panel followed alleged lopsidedness in the composition of the NJC. A source in the Council said: “What Umaru Abdullahi’s Fact-Finding Panel wanted was a reconciliation of both the CJN and Salami so that the judiciary can move forward. “But some members of the NJC wanted outright sanction against

Salami, which is an abuse of the reunification spirit of what Abdullahi’s Panel did. Their plot is to ensure that Salami is either removed or compulsorily retired along with Katsina-Alu. “They have raised Auta’s Panel when they know that in the judiciary a junior officer cannot decide the fate of his seniors. Why will the President of the Federal High Court now determine the fate of the CJN and the President of the Court of appeal? “Politics and desperation have crept Continued on page 2

•POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P23 •SOCIETY P29 •AGRIC P36 •BRAND P49


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