NEWS

 

Fresh Abuja Accord: We’ll Accept Outcome Of Poll – Jonathan, Buhari

                                                                                                                                                                 

The two leading presidential candidates in Saturday’s presidential poll, President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have signed another peace accord, with a promise to abide by the outcome of tomorrow’s presidential election.
The new peace pact signed by the duo yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, was a renewal of the agreement they signed alongside other presidential candidates on January 14, 2015, tagged the Abuja Accord.
LEADERSHIP had reported yesterday that the president had expressed his readiness to meet and sign another peace accord with Buhari to further emphasize his total commitment to a violence-free poll on Saturday.
After signing the fresh peace accord under the supervision of the National Peace Committee on 2015 Elections chaired by former head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar yesterday, Jonathan and Buhari shook hands and embraced each other at the venue just like they did in January.
In the renewed accord, the two candidates reassured Nigerians and the international community of their commitment to ensure violence-free presidential poll on Saturday.
The accord entitled, “Renewal of Our Pledges to Peaceful Elections”, the duo also pledged to respect the outcome of free, fair and credible elections, just as they asked their supporters to refrain from violence and acts that could jeopardise their collective vision of free, fair and credible polls.
In the accord read out by Bishop Hassan Kukah, Jonathan and Buhari further implored INEC and the security agencies to make sure they adhered strictly to their constitutional roles.
Kukah read out the accord: “You may recall that on 14th January, 2015, both of us, long with nine other party leaders, signed what has now come to be known as the Abuja Accord. The substance of that accord was our commitment to free, fair and credible elections in our dear country.
“In the accord, we agreed to, among other things, run an issues-based campaign and pledged that our electoral campaigns will not involve any religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and all agents acting in our names.
“Now that the campaigns have come to an end, we met today to renew our pledge for peaceful elections. We therefore call on all fellow citizens of our dear country, and our part supporters, to refrain from violence or any acts that may in any way jeopardise our collective vision of a free, fair and credible election.”
The pact was signed by Jonathan, Buhari and Abdusalami Abubakar.
Speaking after the fresh accord was signed, Abdulsalami said his committee had been working round the clock to assist political parties and Nigerians to ensure peace and harmony before, during and after the elections.
“I want to thank both party chairmen for the support received in trying to send this message of peace. I’m happy both parties, the contestants, are committed to free and fair elections, free of violence,” he said.
IGP Redeploys 6 DIGs, 5 AIGs, 6 CPs for Election Duty
…Swaps Rivers and Anambra CPs
Barely 24 hours to the 2015 general election, inspector-general of police Suleiman Abba has carried out a major redeployment of top police officers as part of measures to ensure a violence-free poll.
The latest redeployment sees the former Rivers State CP Dan Bature swapping with his Anambra State counterpart, CP Hosea Karma.
The redeployment was made known yesterday in a statement signed by Force spokesman, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, and made available to LEADERSHIP.
He explained that the reshuffle was done for period of the elections.
The redeployed officers include DIG Dan’Azumi Doma, coordinator of South East Zone; DIG Mamman Tsafe, coordinator South South Zone; DIG Hashimu Argungu, coordinator South West Zone; DIG Christopher Katso, coordinator North West Zone, and DIG Hilary Opara, coordinator North East Zone.
DIG Adeola Adeniji is coordinator of North Central Zone; AIG Kalafite Adeyemi, is assistant coordinator, South West Zone; AIG Bala Magaji Nasarawa, assistant coordinator, North Central Zone; AIG Adisa Bolanta, assistant coordinator, North West Zone; AIG Usman Gwary, AIG Federal Operations (FEDOPS), Abuja, and AIG Mark Idakwo, AIG Zone 9, Umuahia.
The IGP also ordered the redeployment of the following commissioners of police to commands indicated for the period of the elections. CP Hosea Karma, Rivers State Command; CP Adamu Mohammed, Anambra State Command; CP Dan Bature, Enugu State Command; CP Usman Abdullahi, Katsina State Command; CP Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, Benue State Command, and CP Hyacinth Dagala, Department of Operations (DOPs), FHQ, Abuja.
The IGP directed all officers to exhibit the highest level of personal and professional conduct in the discharge of their duties.
Meanwhile the FCT commissioner of police, CP Wilson Inalegwu, restated the preparedness of the command to ensure peaceful and seamless conduct of the elections in the six area councils of the FCT.
Inalegwu gave the assurance in a statement signed by the FCT command’s spokesman, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, in which the CP reiterated the IGP’s directive on the enforcement of ban on human and vehicular movement as well as the restriction on private and voluntary security operatives from polling units with their uniforms.
Court Restrains COAS, Others From Arresting Tinubu
Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted an interim injunction restraining the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and his agents from arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
According to the judge, the order will be effective pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by Tinubu seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
Justice Tsoho also barred the COAS and his agents from further laying siege on Tinubu’s home situated at number 26, Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi.
The court further restrained the military or its agents from preventing him from participating in the 2015 general elections.
The case has been adjourned till March 31 for further hearing.
Court Restrains FG From Removing Jega
Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday retrained the federal government and its agents from removing the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, from office.
Justice Yunusa also ordered government, its privies and agents to stay action on the removal of the INEC boss pending the determination of the motion on notice filed before him by the Independent Democratic Party (IDP) and the Action Alliance (AA).
The court future adjourned the case till April 23rd,2015, for report of compliance.
The two political parties had in a motion ex parte, dated March 24, prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining the president or any of his agents from taking steps to review, regulate or jettison the procedure and guidelines provided by INEC for the conduct of the 2015 general elections in the country pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
The parties also prayed for an order of interim injection directing President Goodluck Jonathan or any of his agents to cause the removal of Jega except in compliance with section 157(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, pending the conclusion of the case.
They further requested an order of interim injunction restraining President Jonathan or any other persons or their agents from tampering, and/or obstructing the INEC boss from discharging his function as he deems fit in compliance with the 1999 constitution pending the conclusion of the case.
The defendants on the matter are the attorney-general of the f ederation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), and INEC.
The case was adjourned to April 23.
Ondo Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi Dump PDP For APC
The deputy governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared for All Progressives Congress (APC).
Olanusi became the deputy governor of the state in 2009 under the platform of Labour Party before he defected to the PDP alongside the governor in October 2014. He said he was dumping the party because in the last six years, the governor marginalised and totally excluded him from the government they both laboured to build.
“In the unfolding development in our country today, and in Ondo State in particular, it is increasingly clear that I need to chart a new course for the majority of my followers who look up to me for direction and leadership, and who watched helplessly in the last six years the untold marginalisation and total exclusion from the government they laboured to put in place.
“While still in place as the democratically deputy governor of Ondo State, I have decided to lead my teeming supporters and well-wishers in the state into APC where we can find fairness, justice, equity and democratic liberty to which majority of our kith and kin in Yorubaland belong,” he stated.
However, the state government through the commissioner for information, Hon Kayode Akinmade, said the governor received the news of the defection of his deputy in good faith and wished him well in his new party.
Akinmade said although the news came as a surprise to government, he acknowledged the deputy governor’s right to determine his political affiliation.
Meanwhile, the APC, Ondo State chapter, through its chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, described the defection as right step in the right direction.

“We know the deputy governor is a very dexterous politician and at all times he can take a very courageous decision when the need arises. We know his antecedents. We are not surprised, therefore, that he is taking this decision at this very critical period,” Kekemeke said.