The
House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Mohammed Abubakar, to quiz ex-militant, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, over his
latest comment that there would be no peace in Nigeria if President Goodluck
Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015.
House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Mohammed Abubakar, to quiz ex-militant, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, over his
latest comment that there would be no peace in Nigeria if President Goodluck
Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015.
In a separate statement, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu
also asked security agencies to arrest Dokubo-Asari for alleged treasonable
offence.
also asked security agencies to arrest Dokubo-Asari for alleged treasonable
offence.
In a resolution in Abuja, the federal lawmakers said
Dokubo-Asari’s statement was “capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria.”
Dokubo-Asari’s statement was “capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria.”
Dokubo-Asari is the Leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer
Force.
Force.
Dokubo-Asari threat came on the heels of a similar statement
credited to the Presidential Adviser on Amnesty, Mr. Kingsley Kuku.
credited to the Presidential Adviser on Amnesty, Mr. Kingsley Kuku.
Both Dokubo-Asari and Kuku are Jonathan’s kinsmen from the
South-South zone of the country.
South-South zone of the country.
The Reps said the police authorities should interrogate both men
to clarify their statements.
to clarify their statements.
The House resolution also mandated its Joint Committee on Police
Affairs/Internal Security to investigate the matter and produce a report.
Affairs/Internal Security to investigate the matter and produce a report.
A member from Kano State, Mr. Ali Madaki, had drawn the
attention of the House to Dokubo-Asari’s comment under matters of urgent public
importance.
attention of the House to Dokubo-Asari’s comment under matters of urgent public
importance.
Madaki called on the Federal Government to “check the utterances
of some Nigerians capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria,” citing
Dokubo-Asari and Kuku’s statements as examples.
of some Nigerians capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria,” citing
Dokubo-Asari and Kuku’s statements as examples.
He noted that the threat and the reference to the 2015
presidential poll could heat up the polity, “thereby causing unnecessary tension
and anxiety in this country.”
presidential poll could heat up the polity, “thereby causing unnecessary tension
and anxiety in this country.”
The motion was not debated at the Tuesday’s session presided
over by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, but lawmakers endorsed the motion in a
unanimous voice vote.
over by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, but lawmakers endorsed the motion in a
unanimous voice vote.
Dokubo-Asari, while addressing journalists in Abuja, had
threatened that the country would not know peace if Jonathan was not
re-elected.
threatened that the country would not know peace if Jonathan was not
re-elected.
He was also quoted as saying that militancy and struggle for
control of oil and gas resources in the Niger-Delta region would be re-ignited
after the Jonathan presidency.
control of oil and gas resources in the Niger-Delta region would be re-ignited
after the Jonathan presidency.
According to him, the relative peace in the region is due to the
fact that Jonathan is the President and not the amnesty declared by the late
President Umaru Yar’Adua.
fact that Jonathan is the President and not the amnesty declared by the late
President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Dokubo-Asari had said, “I called this briefing because of events
that are unfolding in the polity.
that are unfolding in the polity.
“Recently, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta,
Mr. Kingsley Kuku, made a statement in the United States of America, that the
peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta will not be guaranteed if President
Goodluck Jonathan is not returned as President of Nigeria in 2015.
Mr. Kingsley Kuku, made a statement in the United States of America, that the
peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta will not be guaranteed if President
Goodluck Jonathan is not returned as President of Nigeria in 2015.
“This statement has been supported by several groups from the
region.
region.
“Also, the statement has been attracting reactions from several
quarters, expectedly from the Action Congress of Nigeria and others.
quarters, expectedly from the Action Congress of Nigeria and others.
“I want to go on to say that, there will be no peace, not only
in the Niger Delta, but everywhere if Goodluck Jonathan is not president by
2015, except God takes his life, which we don’t pray for.
in the Niger Delta, but everywhere if Goodluck Jonathan is not president by
2015, except God takes his life, which we don’t pray for.
“Jonathan has uninterruptible eight years of two terms to be
president, according to the Nigeria constitution.
president, according to the Nigeria constitution.
“We must have our uninterrupted eight years of two tenure, I am
not in support of any amendment of the constitution that will reduce the eight
years of two tenure that Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be president of Nigeria.”
not in support of any amendment of the constitution that will reduce the eight
years of two tenure that Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be president of Nigeria.”
While receiving members of the House of Representatives
Committee on Education, led by Honourable Aminu Sule, who visited him in Minna,
Aliyu described the statement credited to Asari Dokubo as “unfortunate and
inciting,” saying “by now the security agencies should have arrested him for
treason”.
Committee on Education, led by Honourable Aminu Sule, who visited him in Minna,
Aliyu described the statement credited to Asari Dokubo as “unfortunate and
inciting,” saying “by now the security agencies should have arrested him for
treason”.
He said, “You don’t win election by frightening people and even
if you win, the victory will be pyrrhic”.
if you win, the victory will be pyrrhic”.
While asking politicians to advise their supporters to watch
their tongues, the Niger State governor said some statements were capable of
causing disunity in the country.
their tongues, the Niger State governor said some statements were capable of
causing disunity in the country.
“We should bring discipline to our politics; we should be a
nation of rules, so that our country would move forward,” he said.
nation of rules, so that our country would move forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kuku on Tuesday denied reports quoting him as having
said that there would be violence in the country if Jonathan was not re-elected
in 2015.
said that there would be violence in the country if Jonathan was not re-elected
in 2015.
Kuku said that the statement he made at the American Department
of State was wrongly reported by a section of the media.
of State was wrongly reported by a section of the media.
The President’s aide said that he made a call on Nigerians to
give yet another opportunity to the President to continue in office to ensure
implementation of agreements reached between the leaders of the Niger Delta ex-
militants and the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that offered them amnesty.
give yet another opportunity to the President to continue in office to ensure
implementation of agreements reached between the leaders of the Niger Delta ex-
militants and the late President Umaru Yar’Adua that offered them amnesty.
He said that the Yar’Adua administration repeatedly assured the
leaders of the various militant groups in the region that the government would
take a conscious step to develop the Niger Delta.
leaders of the various militant groups in the region that the government would
take a conscious step to develop the Niger Delta.
That promise, according to him, has not been fulfilled.
Source: Punch
