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Jonathan explodes! *Tinubu, Akpabio, judiciary messing up Nigeria!
Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian President, on Saturday bemoaned the state of affairs in the country, warning against the consequences of impunity and brazen level of abuse of power, which he said had taken root in the three arms of government – executive, legislature and judiciary.
Specifically, the ex-President, whose record as the first to willingly accept defeat in an election he was a candidate shot him into global limelight as a democrat, warned that a situation in which the independence of the judiciary had suffered brazen attacks and compromise would never make progress.
Speaking as the Chairman of this year’s edition of Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday, Jonathan cited examples with the current crisis in Rivers State, where President Bola Tinubu imposed a State of Emergency and dismantled the democratic structure in the state as part of wrongdoings by those holding the levers of power in the country.
Not only that there was a groundswell of protest in many informed quarters against the move by the President, but many Nigerians also cried foul at the handling of the issue by the National Assembly, where the pronouncement was endorsed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Railing against the development, Jonathan accused all those involved of not playing by the rules, saying that they not all knew the steps they were taking were wrong, but actually knew the right steps to take but deliberately doing the opposite, a situation he said would not augur well for Nigeria.
Hear him: “What is happening to Nigeria today, regarding what is happening in Rivers State is like an Indian proverb that says that if somebody is really sleeping, you can easily wake up that person, but if the person is pretending to be asleep, you find it difficult to wake that person. The key actors in Nigeria from the executive to the legislature and the judiciary, they know the correct thing to do, but they’re refusing to do it. They’re pretending to sleep. And waking that person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing.
“There is a clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, clear abuse of privileges, cutting across the three arms of government, from the executive through the parliament, through the judiciary. I always plead with our people that whatever we do affects everybody. And sometimes we do things and we think that it doesn’t affect us.
“I’ve been a President before and even out of office, people still get to me. Why is that our passport is not valued that much? Why is that Nigerians are not given the type of treatment we’re supposed to receive at international airports? Sometimes you think it is because of Yahoo Boys or 419ners. It is not only them. Yes, they’re part of the problem, but whatever happens in a country – decisions that are taken by the executive arm of government – decisions by the parliament – judicial positions, affect everybody.
“For example, no businessman can bring his money to invest in a country where the judiciary is compromised, where a government functionary can dictate to judges what judgement they’ll give. No man brings his money to invest in such a country because you’re taking a big risk. So, whatever we do, affects everybody.
“If we must build a nation for our children and grandchildren, no matter how painful it is, we must strive to do what is right. It may cost us, but we must endeavour and pay the price to insist on doing what is right. Whether you’re holding executive office as a President, a Minister or a Governor, Special Adviser, whether you’re holding an office in the parliament as Senate or Reps, whether you’re a judicial officer, at the High Court or Appellate Court, you must strive to do what is right – if we must try to build a nation that our children will be proud of.”
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has suggested implementing legislation requiring government personnel to utilize Nigerian carriers for overseas travel where available.
The proposal was presented on Sunday at a ceremonial departure event for Air Peace’s first direct service between Abuja and London Heathrow Airport.
READ ALSO: Mind your business! Jonathan tells Keyamo, Odinkalu
Benjamin Kalu, who serves as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Air Peace’s Chairman Allen Onyema attended the ceremony at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The minister revealed plans for legislation called the Fly Nigerian Act, expressing confidence that it would receive parliamentary approval through Kalu’s support.
Under the proposed framework, government employees traveling internationally would be obligated to book with Nigerian carriers operating their intended routes.
The requirement would only be waived when no domestic airline services the destination, Keyamo clarified.
The minister referenced similar policies implemented globally, citing American and Indian aviation preference laws as examples, and stressed Nigeria’s need to support its national carriers similarly.
He outlined the practical application: before any government representative—whether legislators, ministers, or agency directors—books international travel, they must first verify whether a Nigerian airline operates that route and prioritize it accordingly.
Keyamo confirmed the ministry’s dedication to advancing this legislation through the approval process.
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South-East in the National Assembly have issued a warning that they may withdraw from the party’s upcoming national convention if the National Woman Leader position is reassigned from their region.
The PDP convention is scheduled to hold on November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
However, growing discord has emerged within the party as the South-East caucus in the House of Representatives maintains that the woman leader role must continue to belong to their zone.
READ ALSO: Northern PDP leaders endorse Kabiru Turaki for party chairmanship
Rep. Ikenga-Imo Ugochinyere, spokesperson of the South-East PDP caucus in the House, announced this position in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He indicated that the legislators will release an official disclaimer regarding the Ibadan convention should they verify that the role has been reassigned to another region.
According to Ugochinyere, the lawmakers are ready to defend the political rights of the region, stressing that any move to strip the South-East of the woman leader position would amount to a deliberate insult.
He said, “We don’t want to see PDP suffer more setbacks; still, we will stick to our position at the Ibadan convention if, in the next few weeks, what we are hearing is confirmed.”
The representative cautioned that no elected official from the South-East would continue their PDP membership should this arrangement proceed. He noted there remains adequate time for party leadership to address this grievance before candidate screening commences.
Ugochinyere clarified that the previous zoning formula, which designated Enugu State to provide the woman leader, became void after Governor Peter Mbah’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He noted that this defection also impacted Mbah’s selection for the woman leader role, who has similarly moved to the APC.
The PDP Spokesman accused certain elements within the party of plotting to shift the position to the South-South, warning that such a move would provoke anger across the South-East.
“However, confirmed information is filtering in that some people are trying to move that woman leader position out of the South-East to the South-South,” he said.
The South-East caucus reached out to PDP leaders across the South, including Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, requesting their support in ensuring the role stays within their zone.
Ugochinyere described any attempt to take the position away as “an insult” to the South-East and a move that could further divide the party.
Furthermore, he warned that a boycott by South-East lawmakers could intensify the existing turmoil within the PDP and discourage members from attending the Ibadan convention.
Fear swept through the Orile-Iganmu neighborhood of Lagos on Sunday following a gas explosion that tore through part of the Orisunmibare Market, off Baale Street, consuming numerous shops in intense flames.
While the incident claimed no lives, the blaze that ignited approximately 2:13 p.m. destroyed merchandise valued at millions of naira and caused traders and local residents to flee for their lives.
Authorities traced the source of the explosion to a gas retail establishment that reportedly stored numerous cylinders of different capacities.
READ ALSO: Deadly petrol tanker explosion rocks Abeokuta–Sagamu expressway
An eyewitness, identified simply as Ejem, who narrowly escaped, recounted: “I was inside when it happened. Around us here, there are three filling stations — one is the MRS filling station opposite my street; another is a gas company behind my street; and then there’s a man who has a very big shop where he sells gas.
They said one of the boys at the shop was pressing his phone when the explosion occurred.
The fire spread quickly because part of the nearby market also had shops where people used camp gas for cooking.”
Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, verified the event, noting that personnel arrived swiftly and successfully managed the emergency.
“No lives were lost, except for one person who sustained a minor hand injury,” she said.
In a related development, firefighting teams addressed a separate emergency involving a 33,000-litre petrol tanker along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, close to the Berger Car Depot.
The tanker, bearing registration number AAB-942YC, discharged its cargo following a collision with a Mercedes-Benz Jeep (plate number LSR 606HX) and seven additional stationary vehicles on display for purchase.
According to Adeseye, “Prompt intervention by the Ajegunle and Ijegun-Egba Fire Crews prevented the spill from escalating into another disaster. The remaining fuel has been safely transferred to another tanker, while recovery of damaged vehicles is ongoing.”
Additionally, the Fire Service conducted a rescue operation for an individual trapped within an underground drainage system along Ikorodu Road, near Idiroko Bus Stop, inward Maryland, Anthony Village, on Saturday afternoon.
Adeseye reported that the emergency call came in at 12:24 p.m., prompting immediate dispatch of the Ilupeju Fire Station to the location.
“Upon arrival, responders discovered that a male adult, about 55 years old, had accidentally fallen into a manhole. Our rescue personnel immediately initiated a confined-space rescue operation using specialized equipment, and after sustained effort, the victim was recovered alive and handed over to the Police from Anthony Division for further action,” she stated.
The operation, which continued until 3:41 p.m., concluded successfully with the area properly secured.
Adeseye emphasized the agency’s dedication to safeguarding lives and property throughout Lagos, highlighting that despite handling multiple emergencies over 48 hours, “all incidents were efficiently contained without any loss of life.”
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