APC defers state congresses for security council meeting

The All Progressives Congress on Sunday announced the postponement of its state congresses earlier scheduled for Wednesday.

The party said this was to allow its governors attend the rescheduled expanded National Security Council meeting, fixed for that day by President Goodluck Jonathan to discuss the security challenges in the country.

Jonathan, who on Sunday assured Nigerians that Boko Haram would not succeed in breaking up Nigeria,  had rescheduled the meeting when none of the APC governors showed up for it.

The APC, in a statement by its   Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the congresses would now hold on Saturday, April 26.

It added that the action was a demonstration of its desire to be a part of all genuine efforts by the government to end the insurgency in the country.

The party also said the decision emanated from its strong belief that bi-partisanship must replace the crass partisanship of the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party if the security crisis in the country was to be overcome.

The APC   reiterated its earlier warning to the Presidency and the PDP not to politicise Nigeria’s security.

The statement partly read “Cunningly edging out the APC governors from Thursday’s meeting of the expanded National Security Council is a bad strategy because, despite belonging to the opposition, our governors are not any less of stakeholders in the issue of our nation’s security than the governors of the PDP or its satellite parties.

“As a matter of fact, three of the states worst hit by the ongoing insurgency are being presided over by APC governors, hence they are indispensable to any serious effort aimed at ending the security conundrum.

“We wonder what the governors of the PDP, Labour Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance could have discussed with the President at Thursday’s surreptitious meeting that they did not want APC governors to know about.”

The party claimed that every trick was employed by the Federal Governement and the PDP to give the APC governors the impression that the meeting had been called off, only for those who believed they were the “real stakeholders’ to go ahead with the meeting.”

It equally alleged that attempts were made to deceive Nigerians into believing that the APC governors shunned the meeting.

“Unfortunately for the deceivers, truth- as always – has prevailed and they have fallen on their own swords” the APC said.

Meanwhile ,  Jonathan   has assured Nigerians that  the violence being unleashed on the nation by Boko Haram would end. He gave the assurance after a special three-hour service at the Aso Villa Chapel located inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja to celebrate Easter, a period used to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The President was accompanied to the service by his mother, Eunice, and other top government officials. His wife, Patience, was conspicuously absent.

Last year, he attended the Easter church service at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Lagos while he celebrated the last Christmas Day at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Abuja.  Jonathan attended the New Year service at the Catholic Church’s Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria at Area 3, Garki, Abuja.

Last Monday’s bombing of a bus station in Nyanya, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory, sent jitters down the spine of Abuja residents who felt that another attack might take place during the Easter celebration.

The situation forced the police high command to issue an advisory notice, urging residents to take precautionary measures such as reducing the number of vehicles at worship centres.

Security was beefed up in many churches across the FCT during the Easter service.

Despite the palpable tension in the country however, Jonathan has assured Nigerians the violence being unleashed on the nation by Boko Haram would end.

Receiving a delegation of Abuja residents led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed, he said just like Jesus Christ told his disciples that they would face tribulations, Nigeria was currently passing through trials.

The President however said despite the trials, Nigeria had hope.

He said, “Easter is the most important ceremony in Christian faith. Without his resurrection, our faith would have been in vain. His resurrection gives us hope.

“Just like Christ told the people when he was alive that in the world, you will have tribulations but there is hope for you. Today we are marking his resurrection.

“As a nation, we are having tribulations but surely, Nigeria has hope. Surely, we will overcome these tribulations.

“Even those who think that this country will divide, those who think the country will be divided into North, South, East and West, are making a mistake. Boko Haram will not disintegrate this country.

“Most of you are aware that when Nyanya was bombed. Nigerians from all religions and tribes participated in the evacuation of people who were injured even before security personnel arrived. People donated more blood than is required.

“That shows that no criminal group funded within or outside this country can separate us. No criminal group will disintegrate this country.

“Boko Haram will come and go. We are working very hard, we are changing our approaches, God willing we will end Boko Haram.”

While thanking Nigerians for their prayers, Jonathan promised that his administration would continue to work for the development of the country.

He recalled the stampeded during the recruitment exercise by the Nigerian Immigration Service and promised again that the Federal Government was determined to  end unemployment.

Jonathan urged the remaining two tiers of government – states and local governments – to complement Federal Government’s efforts to proffer solutions to the country’s problems rather than trading blame.

“States are semi autonomous. The President does not control the states and local governments’ resources. Governors and local government chairmen control their resources. If all of us work in concert, we will solve most of our problems instead of trading blame. Government is one. God willing, we will get to where we want to be,” the President declared.

Earlier, Muhammed had told the President that the delegation was in the Presidential Villa in continuation of the tradition of celebrating with him.

The minister, who prayed that the season would bring love and happiness to Nigerians, led some members of the delegation to present a giant greeting card to the President.

Earlier at the service held inside the Aso Villa Chapel, the Chaplain to the President, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, in his sermon titled “Let’s Celebrate,” said Easter was a season to celebrate the risen Jesus Christ who he described as the hope and joy of the world.

Onwuzurumba said nothing in the world today could give one hope, except Jesus Christ.

He observed that to be the President was not a child’s play, saying any President not chosen by God might collapse under the weight of leadership.

He said, “To be a   President is not a small boys’ job. It is not a child’s play. It is not something you desire, it is something God gives. If you look for it, you may not get it, you will collapse under it.”

“When God gives you, He empowers you. Go and ask Obama what he is going through.”

Onwuzurumba took a swipe at the Nigerian media who he accused of not seeing anything good.

“Nothing gives you hope in the mass media today. No wonder many young people commit suicide,” he said.

The wife of the chaplain took the first reading of the service from Leviticus 23:9-14 while the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Kennedy-Okpara read the second lesson from 1 Corinthians 15:9-14.

The service featured a special choir rendition titled, “Mighty God.”

The service was attended by the Minister of Youth, Boni Haruna; his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Edem Duke; the  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali; members of the National Assembly and top government officials.

Source:Punch Nigeria