Monday, September 08, 2014

Northern Nigerian Elders Seek Trial Over Allegations of Support for Boko Haram
Damage from Boko Haram bombing of Abuja in June 2014.
Written by Adamu Abuh (Abuja), Lawrence Njoku (Enugu), Ali Garba (Bauchi) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri)
Nigerian Guardian

Ango-Abdullahi‘We owe nobody apology,’ APC tells Ohanaeze youths

Maiduguri NBA disowns leader over ultimatum to govt

CALLS for the investigation and prosecution of the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), and former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, over their alleged complicity in the Boko Haram insurgency are growing stronger, with the Northern Elders Forum now joining the fray.

   Secretary of the forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, told newsmen in Bauchi Monday that President Goodluck Jonathan was keeping silent over the revelation by the Australian, Dr Stephen Davis, who claimed to have been engaged by the Federal Government.

   However, “the Northern Elders Forum expects a full investigation and prosecution of these and many other persons supporting the Boko Haram insurgency at any stage in its life,” Abdullahi said.

   “This is one development that will not be swept under the carpet, and the silence of the President on this matter is likely to be construed as full acceptance of all the disturbing allegations made by Dr. Davies.”

   Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has restated its call on President Goodluck Jonathan to invite the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Sheriff and Ihejirika over their alleged role in the sponsorship of the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram.

   This followed the threat by the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to brand the APC as “anti-Igbo” should it fail to apologise to the body within 48 hours over the party’s inference, by that call for Ihejirika’s prosecution, that the former COAS was culpable.

   Maintaining its stand on Ihejirika’s alleged culpability, the APC’s statement yesterday from its South East Zonal Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, read in part: “Let’s ask, has Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths ever asked President Jonathan why our dear brother, Gen. Ihejirika, was sacked in controversial circumstances in January 2014? It is an issue for another day.”

   The party said it owed no one any apology over its stand on the issue because the party is pan-Nigeria while its objective is the welfare and security of every Nigerian, adding that the party, “in league with other Nigerian patriots, was of the candid view that unraveling the masterminds, sponsors, allies and sympathizers of Boko Haram was a sure way to stamp out the insurgency.”

   Meanwhile, the Maiduguri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has disclaimed its chairman’s 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to prosecute Sheriff and Ihejirika over their alleged complicity in the insurgency in North-Eastern Nigeria.

   The condemnation and disclaim were disclosed at a news conference in Maiduguri yesterday by Audu Hassan Mohammed and 60 other members, who contended that any valid press conference on any national issue must be sanctioned by the congress.

   “By the tradition, convention, practice and precedent and the bye-law of our branch, whenever a press conference is to be addressed, a congress meeting has to sanction it. But same was not the case this time,” Mohammed said of last Friday’s press conference addressed by their branch chairman, Abdulwasiu Alfa, which asked the Federal Government to prosecute Sheriff and Ihejirika.

   According to him, the issues addressed by the Alfa-led group at the news conference were “politically inclined,” with intent to drag the body into the political crisis afflicting the state and the entire country.

   “As a matter of fact, our chairman ought not to have taken this decision without authenticating facts,” he continued. “As it now turns out, the said Dr Stephen Davis has been denounced by his alleged employer, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, during a recent press conference.

   “The Federal Government’s denouncing of Dr. Davis has ridiculed the leadership of NBA Maiduguri. Therefore, we advice that henceforth, facts should be verified and authenticated before going public, and we shall maintain our long existing tradition and convention by complying with our bye-law before addressing any press conference.”

   He further advised the leadership of legal profession and the NBA to concentrate more on issues bordering on “rights abuses and other humanitarian crises” and to render pro-bono services to the under-privileged members of society rather than delve into the political arena to overheat the polity.

   “We pray that may God brings succor to our dear state and expose the real perpetrators of the heinous crime against humanity,” he added. “We also strongly call on the government at all levels to intensify protection of lives and property of citizens.”

   Nevertheless, the party’s statement read: “APC, in the best tradition of democracy, is requesting President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good offices to invite the ICC to first investigate and secondly prosecute Senator Sheriff, Gen. Ihejirika or any person found culpable, simple and short.

   “The APC South East wishes to reassure Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing and Ndigbo in general that All Progressives Congress is Pan-Nigeria and not anti-Igbo. Our goal is the welfare and security of every Nigerian, and we intend to build an egalitarian society, where it is everybody according his needs and to the best according to his talent.

   “Secondly, for the avoidance of doubt, what our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, called for is that President Jonathan invites the ICC to investigate and prosecute Sherif and Ihejirika consequent upon the allegation by the Federal Government negotiator, Rev. Dr Stephen Davis. Nigeria is signatory to ICC and seems Boko Haram has overwhelmed Mr. President.

   “This is what our great party is patriotically demanding, and we sincerely reassure Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing that we mean well. We have no apology to tender to anybody.”

   Discountenancing government’s position that Davis was not its negotiator, the party continued: “Mrs. Marilyn Ogar is spokesperson of the Department of Security Service, she is not Dr Reuben Abati or Mr. Labaran Maku - presidential spokesman and Federal Government spokesman respectively.

   “To say that her statements recently were more or less unprofessional and less than transparent is food for thought for Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths and their co-travelers.

   “In sum, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths should be reticent, careful and diligent to avoid unwittingly putting all our eggs in one basket, hence joining the Ndigbo-Chop-Sand band of politicians, whose only interest is like that of she-goat, the advancement of the nuclear family and no other goat.”

   The northern elders also faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for involving the military in election process in the country, adding that the agency was very slow in ensuring comprehensive voter registration throughout the country and in ensuring even compliance with electoral laws and regulations.

   “We note that from recently conducted elections in the country, the tendency of bias and misuse of security agencies is still a major concern, if we are to avoid conflicts before or after the 2015 election. The forum calls for complete removal of military personnel from the electoral process,” Abdullahi said.

   According to him, relevant agencies and political parties are not doing enough in terms of mobilising and educating the civil society towards active participation in the 2015 elections.

   He added: “The forum appeals to all Nigerians to support a reorganised and better equipped military to defend our fatherland. We will support far-reaching measures that need to be undertaken by the President.

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