---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lawal Ishaq <lawalishaq_66@yahoo.com>
Date: 7 October 2010 10:04
Subject: [NaijaObserver] Abuja bombings: Jonathan recants
To: Naija Politiks <NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com>, Observer yahoogroups <NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com>
The President Goodluck Jonathan/ Namadi Sambo Campaign Organisation declared, yesterday, that the President did not absolve the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) of culpability in the Independence Day bomb blasts that rocked Abuja, killing 12 people and injuring over 36 others.
Instead, what the President meant, according to the Director, Media and Publicity of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mr. Sully Abu, was that Nigerians should not hide under the name of any organisation to cover a heinous crime as typified by the deadly bombings.
Abu in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, condemned the politicisation of the comments of the President by his political opponents, arguing that "when President Goodluck Jonathan, during a visit to the National Hospital to commiserate with victims of the bombing, said the terrorist act should not merely be ascribed to MEND, what he was simply saying was that nobody should use the name of any organisation to cover up a heinous crime."
This appears to be a subtle move to give the president a soft-landing as he has come under wide criticisms for hsi earlier comments.
Peoples Daily recalls that the President had, while speaking at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament's International Colloquium last Saturday, dismissed claims by MEND that it was responsible for the bombings.
His words: "the name of MEND was only used. I grew up in the Niger Delta, so nobody can claim to know the Niger Delta better than myself, because I am from the Niger Delta. I know the person behind the attack and the person sponsoring it. They are terrorists and not MEND."
Speaking at another forum, last Sunday, president Jonathan further insisted that, "it is a small terrorist group that resides outside Nigeria that was paid by some people within to perpetrate the dastardly act. We are on their trail and I promise Nigerians that the matter will be investigated to the last, and until everybody that is connected is brought to book, we will not rest. Government will no longer condone this culture of impunity.
"There was a statement purported to have been written by MEND, but investigations show that members of MEND have said they don't know about it. Anybody who thinks that he can come under the cover of the Niger Delta struggle to perpetrate violence and criminality, your time is over. We will no longer tolerate it, we will not accept it, the security agents are on their trail, and Nigerians will soon know the actors behind this evil."
Ironically, the Jonathan/Sambo campaign organisation claimed yesterday that even by the above comments, the President was not absolving MEND or any other group of blame or culpability in the blasts.
The campaign organisation, however, admitted that the first time the President spoke on the bombings was at the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, "where, he had pointed out that a heinous crime had been committed against the country and innocent lives had been lost.
The campaign statement reads in part: "He thus considered it a gratuitous insult for anyone to claim that it was done by MEND, or had anything to do with the Niger Delta. This is even more so, he said, since government was in touch with the leadership of MEND (all of whom had renounced violence) and they all agreed that the organisation had nothing to do with the blasts.
"The President sought to put the correct emphasis on the urgent need to get to the bottom of that sordid act of terror and to unearth the perpetrators, because after all, anyone can hide under the umbrella of MEND or any other organisation or body for that matter, to cover up acts of malfeasance."
According to the statement, Nigerians must do away with the rather lazy approach of explaining away criminal activity by blaming armed robbers or assassins as if such categorisation takes away from the severity of the offence.
Such an approach, it said, has somehow affected the investigation of some high-profile murders committed in the country in recent memory, including the murder of such prominent citizens as the late Dele Giwa, Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige, Marshal Harry and A. K. Dikibo.
Commenting on the claims of Henry Okah, currently standing trial in South Africa over bombing, the Jonathan campaign organisation stated that if Okah, who was granted pardon under the amnesty programme initiated by late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua, has committed a crime and is in anyway linked to the bombing of October 1, he would be brought to justice.
It went on: "No amount of obfuscation and diversionary tactics will prevent the full investigation of that crime against our fatherland on October 1. For those who insist that there was a rush to judgement on the part of the President on this matter, it bears restating that what he sought to do was to reassure Nigerians that the perpetrators would found, a process which could be hampered by a rather casual attribution of the violence to MEND.
"As President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, it is his bounding duty to speak out in times of danger in order to reassure the populace of the government's commitment to their safety and well being. This is the practice wherever you have a responsible government that is committed to the welfare of its people," it added.
However, the organisation warned Alhaji Lawal Kaita and other politicians promising to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan, to be ready to keep a date with the law, insisting that "we are, after all, a country governed by laws, and the laws of treason are very clear in this regard."
In a related development, Senate President David Mark yesterday, expressed disaffection with prominent Nigerians over the undue politicisation of the twin car bombings on Independence Day.
Senator Mark, who expressed his displeasure when the Senate debated and passed a motion on the bomb blasts that was sponsored by Senator Anthony Manzo and 36 other Senators, described the actions of those who have politicised the bombings, as unwarranted and unbefitting of their status as elder statesmen.
His words: "I was a bit worried that this motion could degenerate, especially against the backdrop of the way some elder statesmen are politicising the incident. It's unfortunate that highly respected elder statesmen could politicise this matter for their selfish interest, not minding that the security and unity of the country is threatened.
"This is not the time for us to go on a sentiment ride, all the perpetrators, including the security officials, who shirked their responsibilities must be adequately punished. I identify with those who urged that perpetrators and anybody connected with it must be adequately punished," Senator Mark added.
Mark commended the Senators for debating the bombing incident with maturity as statesmen and not along parochial lines, disclosing that the Senate would fasttrack the passage of the anti-terrorism bill.
In passing the motion, the Senate, condemned the bombings, commiserated with families of the dead and injured, and observed a minute silence in memory of the dead.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna state chapter, yesterday also condemned the politicisation of the situation, noting that the controversy would further cause confusion in the country.
The body advised the government and politicians to behave responsibly in resolving the bombing saga and face the challenges of development, adding that "the government vis-à-vis security agencies should, as a matter of national interest, find the root of the matter and unravel the true picture behind the act, devoid of any political interests."
A statement signed by the CAN Secretary in the state, Rev. Joseph Hayab, lamented that the controversy rather than addressing how to protect Nigerians, was instead threatening the peace, harmony and stability of the country.
The CAN statements reads: "Our concern is simple; Nigerians deserve nothing but responsible leadership to be led by upright Nigerians; irrespective of religion, region, ethnic or any political inclination. Nigerians have suffered enough not on the basis of their diversities, but on the basis of failed leadership.
"And so, a political feud, disagreement or trivialities in a political party should not be made to be a cause of national calamity and tragedy as we begin to suspect, going by the throwing of invectives from both sides of the camps struggling for the political soul of Nigeria, and setting the tone for an unforeseen anarchy and confusion in the country.
"If this is the kind of politics that will herald the 2011 elections, then Nigerians have a source of worry and concern to be vigilant and critical of those marshalling political intricacies of all kinds."
Nigerians, Rev. Hayab said, should not be used as political guinea pigs, asserting that the "people of Nigeria deserve nothing at this critical time of half a century after our independence but responsible leadership and a credible electoral process."
However, President Jonathan while reacting to the seven-day ultimatum issued him by the Northern Political Leaders' Forum (NPLF), led by former Finance Minister, Malam Adamu Ciroma, said he will not resign, and that calls for his impeachment were unjustified.
"It is too harsh for the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders' Forum to ask me to resign. I want Adamu Ciroma to retract the statement," Jonathan, who spoke to State House correspondents through the Director-General of his Campaign Organisation, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, said.
The President added that it was either Ciroma was misquoted or he made the statement in anger, and described the call as "unfortunate."
"I was amazed at the wordings of Adamu Ciroma's statement. Either our dear elder brother, Malam Adamu Ciroma, who is very well-known, very well loved by Nigerians, was misquoted or somehow he said it in anger," he asserted
He stated that his reaction to MEND's claim was in the best interest of Nigerians, saying that when a thing of such magnitude happens, in the process of which Nigerians died, it was fair for a country's leader to come out and make a statement.
Jonathan remarked that the leadership of Nigeria was so important and cannot be toyed with on the altar of politics, adding that, "in any case, all these people talking are either contesting for the primaries like him or they want to lead us finally."
"If you want to lead, you must be prepared to listen; you must be prepared to respect whoever is your leader at that time. We have a President, even though I am an aspirant, but I should be respected. We have seen how American politics is played; we have watched them with keen interest. Things don't degenerate into personal attacks. The question of asking me to resign if it is true, I think should be retracted," he added.
On the issue of impeachment, the president said he has not done anything to warrant his impeachment, adding that there are basic things required by the legislature to impeach the President, so the issue of impeachment again, to me, is misplaced.
"We do not want the government to be derailed in trying to find out the truth of this matter. So the question of impeachment, to me, is also misplaced," he added.
M. Lawal Ishaq Esq.,
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From: Lawal Ishaq <lawalishaq_66@yahoo.com>
Date: 7 October 2010 10:04
Subject: [NaijaObserver] Abuja bombings: Jonathan recants
To: Naija Politiks <NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com>, Observer yahoogroups <NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com>
Abuja bombings: Jonathan recants
- Says I won't resign
- As Mark condemns politicisation of incidents
By Henry Omunu, Yusuf Ozi-Usman and Sekyen Dadik, Kaduna
The President Goodluck Jonathan/ Namadi Sambo Campaign Organisation declared, yesterday, that the President did not absolve the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) of culpability in the Independence Day bomb blasts that rocked Abuja, killing 12 people and injuring over 36 others.
Instead, what the President meant, according to the Director, Media and Publicity of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mr. Sully Abu, was that Nigerians should not hide under the name of any organisation to cover a heinous crime as typified by the deadly bombings.
Abu in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, condemned the politicisation of the comments of the President by his political opponents, arguing that "when President Goodluck Jonathan, during a visit to the National Hospital to commiserate with victims of the bombing, said the terrorist act should not merely be ascribed to MEND, what he was simply saying was that nobody should use the name of any organisation to cover up a heinous crime."
This appears to be a subtle move to give the president a soft-landing as he has come under wide criticisms for hsi earlier comments.
Peoples Daily recalls that the President had, while speaking at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament's International Colloquium last Saturday, dismissed claims by MEND that it was responsible for the bombings.
His words: "the name of MEND was only used. I grew up in the Niger Delta, so nobody can claim to know the Niger Delta better than myself, because I am from the Niger Delta. I know the person behind the attack and the person sponsoring it. They are terrorists and not MEND."
Speaking at another forum, last Sunday, president Jonathan further insisted that, "it is a small terrorist group that resides outside Nigeria that was paid by some people within to perpetrate the dastardly act. We are on their trail and I promise Nigerians that the matter will be investigated to the last, and until everybody that is connected is brought to book, we will not rest. Government will no longer condone this culture of impunity.
"There was a statement purported to have been written by MEND, but investigations show that members of MEND have said they don't know about it. Anybody who thinks that he can come under the cover of the Niger Delta struggle to perpetrate violence and criminality, your time is over. We will no longer tolerate it, we will not accept it, the security agents are on their trail, and Nigerians will soon know the actors behind this evil."
Ironically, the Jonathan/Sambo campaign organisation claimed yesterday that even by the above comments, the President was not absolving MEND or any other group of blame or culpability in the blasts.
The campaign organisation, however, admitted that the first time the President spoke on the bombings was at the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, "where, he had pointed out that a heinous crime had been committed against the country and innocent lives had been lost.
The campaign statement reads in part: "He thus considered it a gratuitous insult for anyone to claim that it was done by MEND, or had anything to do with the Niger Delta. This is even more so, he said, since government was in touch with the leadership of MEND (all of whom had renounced violence) and they all agreed that the organisation had nothing to do with the blasts.
"The President sought to put the correct emphasis on the urgent need to get to the bottom of that sordid act of terror and to unearth the perpetrators, because after all, anyone can hide under the umbrella of MEND or any other organisation or body for that matter, to cover up acts of malfeasance."
According to the statement, Nigerians must do away with the rather lazy approach of explaining away criminal activity by blaming armed robbers or assassins as if such categorisation takes away from the severity of the offence.
Such an approach, it said, has somehow affected the investigation of some high-profile murders committed in the country in recent memory, including the murder of such prominent citizens as the late Dele Giwa, Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige, Marshal Harry and A. K. Dikibo.
Commenting on the claims of Henry Okah, currently standing trial in South Africa over bombing, the Jonathan campaign organisation stated that if Okah, who was granted pardon under the amnesty programme initiated by late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua, has committed a crime and is in anyway linked to the bombing of October 1, he would be brought to justice.
It went on: "No amount of obfuscation and diversionary tactics will prevent the full investigation of that crime against our fatherland on October 1. For those who insist that there was a rush to judgement on the part of the President on this matter, it bears restating that what he sought to do was to reassure Nigerians that the perpetrators would found, a process which could be hampered by a rather casual attribution of the violence to MEND.
"As President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, it is his bounding duty to speak out in times of danger in order to reassure the populace of the government's commitment to their safety and well being. This is the practice wherever you have a responsible government that is committed to the welfare of its people," it added.
However, the organisation warned Alhaji Lawal Kaita and other politicians promising to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan, to be ready to keep a date with the law, insisting that "we are, after all, a country governed by laws, and the laws of treason are very clear in this regard."
In a related development, Senate President David Mark yesterday, expressed disaffection with prominent Nigerians over the undue politicisation of the twin car bombings on Independence Day.
Senator Mark, who expressed his displeasure when the Senate debated and passed a motion on the bomb blasts that was sponsored by Senator Anthony Manzo and 36 other Senators, described the actions of those who have politicised the bombings, as unwarranted and unbefitting of their status as elder statesmen.
His words: "I was a bit worried that this motion could degenerate, especially against the backdrop of the way some elder statesmen are politicising the incident. It's unfortunate that highly respected elder statesmen could politicise this matter for their selfish interest, not minding that the security and unity of the country is threatened.
"This is not the time for us to go on a sentiment ride, all the perpetrators, including the security officials, who shirked their responsibilities must be adequately punished. I identify with those who urged that perpetrators and anybody connected with it must be adequately punished," Senator Mark added.
Mark commended the Senators for debating the bombing incident with maturity as statesmen and not along parochial lines, disclosing that the Senate would fasttrack the passage of the anti-terrorism bill.
In passing the motion, the Senate, condemned the bombings, commiserated with families of the dead and injured, and observed a minute silence in memory of the dead.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna state chapter, yesterday also condemned the politicisation of the situation, noting that the controversy would further cause confusion in the country.
The body advised the government and politicians to behave responsibly in resolving the bombing saga and face the challenges of development, adding that "the government vis-à-vis security agencies should, as a matter of national interest, find the root of the matter and unravel the true picture behind the act, devoid of any political interests."
A statement signed by the CAN Secretary in the state, Rev. Joseph Hayab, lamented that the controversy rather than addressing how to protect Nigerians, was instead threatening the peace, harmony and stability of the country.
The CAN statements reads: "Our concern is simple; Nigerians deserve nothing but responsible leadership to be led by upright Nigerians; irrespective of religion, region, ethnic or any political inclination. Nigerians have suffered enough not on the basis of their diversities, but on the basis of failed leadership.
"And so, a political feud, disagreement or trivialities in a political party should not be made to be a cause of national calamity and tragedy as we begin to suspect, going by the throwing of invectives from both sides of the camps struggling for the political soul of Nigeria, and setting the tone for an unforeseen anarchy and confusion in the country.
"If this is the kind of politics that will herald the 2011 elections, then Nigerians have a source of worry and concern to be vigilant and critical of those marshalling political intricacies of all kinds."
Nigerians, Rev. Hayab said, should not be used as political guinea pigs, asserting that the "people of Nigeria deserve nothing at this critical time of half a century after our independence but responsible leadership and a credible electoral process."
However, President Jonathan while reacting to the seven-day ultimatum issued him by the Northern Political Leaders' Forum (NPLF), led by former Finance Minister, Malam Adamu Ciroma, said he will not resign, and that calls for his impeachment were unjustified.
"It is too harsh for the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders' Forum to ask me to resign. I want Adamu Ciroma to retract the statement," Jonathan, who spoke to State House correspondents through the Director-General of his Campaign Organisation, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, said.
The President added that it was either Ciroma was misquoted or he made the statement in anger, and described the call as "unfortunate."
"I was amazed at the wordings of Adamu Ciroma's statement. Either our dear elder brother, Malam Adamu Ciroma, who is very well-known, very well loved by Nigerians, was misquoted or somehow he said it in anger," he asserted
He stated that his reaction to MEND's claim was in the best interest of Nigerians, saying that when a thing of such magnitude happens, in the process of which Nigerians died, it was fair for a country's leader to come out and make a statement.
Jonathan remarked that the leadership of Nigeria was so important and cannot be toyed with on the altar of politics, adding that, "in any case, all these people talking are either contesting for the primaries like him or they want to lead us finally."
"If you want to lead, you must be prepared to listen; you must be prepared to respect whoever is your leader at that time. We have a President, even though I am an aspirant, but I should be respected. We have seen how American politics is played; we have watched them with keen interest. Things don't degenerate into personal attacks. The question of asking me to resign if it is true, I think should be retracted," he added.
On the issue of impeachment, the president said he has not done anything to warrant his impeachment, adding that there are basic things required by the legislature to impeach the President, so the issue of impeachment again, to me, is misplaced.
"We do not want the government to be derailed in trying to find out the truth of this matter. So the question of impeachment, to me, is also misplaced," he added.
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