The Sacked Ministers Are Our Nominees, Sympathisers – New PDP FEATURED The Kawu Baraje-led factional new Peoples Democratic Party Friday lamented the sack of some Ministers by President Goodluck Jonathan and alleged that those affected were sympathetic to or nominated by them. A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze said the sack of the ministers was an act of vendetta since their removal stemmed from their being nominated by members of their party. This is as Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has advised people of his State to take the sack of the immediate Minister of Education, Professor Rukayya Ahmed Rufa’I as part of the constitutional responsibilities of President Goodluck Jonathan and not an act of vendetta. Eze said “We are aware that these Ministers had been under surveillance and denied the necessary tools to work with – in short, they were programmed to fail immediately they were indentified with us. Sadly, these innocent Ministers have been sacked while the most corrupt Ministers, whose atrocious activities are well known to Nigerians, are retained. “The most pitiable case of these sacked ministers is that of our mother, the Minister of Housing, Ms Ama Pepple, whose crime was approaching Mr. President to plead with him, even kneeling down to beg him to forgive Governor. Amaechi for whatever sins he is assumed to have committed against him”, the New PDP claimed. He assured that “They have nothing to be ashamed of; their fate is in the hands of God and their future is very bright. Therefore, rather than being sad, they should count themselves lucky for being part of the struggle to salvage our party and country from the hands of opportunists who are using a political party which they do not know how it was formed to torment and haunt the founders of the party and their supporters. The faction appealed to all former Heads of State, Religious Leaders, Royal Fathers, Civil Society Activists and all men of goodwill to intervene before the country was plunged into anarchy. “This Country belongs to all of us and we can no longer sit and watch an over ambitious cabal intoxicated by power brazenly inflict needless pain on us on a daily basis”. “We urge our supporters to continue to exercise patience and avoid the temptation to meet force with force so as not to play into the hands of our enemies. We also urge all Nigerians to intensify prayers for God to touch the hearts of our leaders so that these dark days of General Abacha during which people are haunted for expressing their views may be cut short”, the statement add. Meanwhile more theories have continued to circulate as to the real reasons behind the sack of nine ministers last Wednesday with a minister in attendance who pleaded anonymity saying it was aimed at opening talks with some people from the zones affected. The Ministers, especially those considered to be performing well on their portfolios, were mostly from states where President Jonathan seemed to be having issues with the PDP leadership. THISDAY gathered that the removal may have been a bait to induce direct talks between the local PDP leadership and the Presidency. This negates speculations that the ministers were axed as a sign of the worsening crises in the PDP. “Definitely, the Governors would still be asked to nominate ministerial appointees,” a source told THISDAY adding that “I am sure these Governors would do so, even if their candidate does not get chosen. And if their candidate does not get chosen, its more trouble for the President who is actually trying to resolve the crises within the PDP.”. Giving the advise yesterday, during a rousing welcome that attracted multitude of Jigawa State indigenes and residents to the Ahmadu Bello Triangle venue of the welcome reception held for her, the state governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido said, rather the state is thankful to President Goodluck Jonathan for giving her the chance to serve the government and the for the “sack too, we thank him.” He maintained that the President has not erred in anyway by dropping Rukayya and that other dimensions should not be introduced to the development. “It is the constitution that gives him the mandate to appoint and sack minister. And again, whatever has a beginning must have a end. She has been there as the first and longest serving female Minister of Education, so we have no grudge against anybody. We love anybody that loves us. To our conviction, anyone who says he loves you will not be your enemy. “We have no hatred against anybody; we believe that God who gives power is the one that says it is no more. We are not into politics to witch hunt anybody. “Jigawa is a state with two ministers and it is because of the importance he (the President) attaches to the state”, he said.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 07:49:44 +0000