Federal Cabinet Is United- Foreign Minister
Obiora Ani, Abuja
Nigeria’s
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has dismissed
insinuations that members of the Executive Council of the
Federation were divided over the absence of President Umaru
Yar’Adua from the country.
His response was sequel to reports about a memo said to have
been presented to the Council of Ministers by the Minister of
Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili on the
need for the president to transmit a letter on his medical
vacation to the National Assembly during Wednesday's meeting.
There were news reports that the memo allegedly caused division
among the ministers.
Maduekwe said that the cabinet operates on democratic principles
and various views would normally be expressed, however he
remained confident that the Ministers would continue to speak
with one voice while addressing the nation’s challenges.
The minister expressed optimism that the current challenges
occasioned by the absence of the president would soon be over.
He said that everybody was concerned that Nigeria continued to
discharge its leadership responsibilities in Africa despite its
challenges.
Maduekwe urged Nigerians to always shun acts that could polarise
the nation because of the absence of the president.
Bill On Transition of Power
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives in Nigeria is working on
a Bill that will ensure a smooth transition of power from the
President to the Vice President as well as the state governors
to their Deputies in case of incapacitation or medical leave of
their principals.
The Bill proposed by a member, Ismaila Kau, followed the
controversy generated by the absence of President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua, who is attending to his health in Saudi Arabia.
After the debate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Dimeji Bankole later referred the bill to the House committee on
the review of the constitution for final treatment before
passage it into law.
State Governors Support Vice President
The Forum of State Governors in Nigeria says it will meet
with the National Assembly to request it to pass a resolution
that will formally recognise Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as
acting president.
Speaking at the end of an emergency meeting, Kwara state
Governor, and chairman of the Forum, Dr Bukola Saraki said the
governors were in total agreement with the position of the
constitution as it relates to the office of the President and
the Vice President.
He said the forum also identified with the judgment of the Court
and agreed that all arms of government continue to give full and
total support to the acting president until President Yar”Adua
returns to the country.
On the recent sectarian crisis in Jos, Plateau state, North
central Nigeria, the governors condemned in strong terms the
incident which they noted was not religious but ethnic and
political.
Dr Saraki said the governors resolved that, as chief security
officers of their respective states, there would be no future
occurrence of such crisis in any part of the country.
Additional Report from NAN
