You can defect, PDP dares rebel govs

The Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said it would not compel any of its members to remain within its fold.

It said while it would prefer to dialogue with the aggrieved members to resolve any outstanding issues, it recognised that there was no compulsion in political party membership.

The party was reacting to a threat by some of the governors to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress if the crisis within the party persisted.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, told our correspondent over the telephone that the party was a democratic institution made up of individuals who chose to be members on their own free will.

He said, “We want them to remain in the party. We will want to work with them and resolve our issues; but we are in a democracy and in a democracy membership of a party is a choice freely made.”

Metuh however declined further comments when asked to speak on the state of the peace process which was suspended on October 7, 2013.

Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako had on Wednesday hinted that he and his six other aggrieved colleagues might defect to the rival APC unless the Tukur-led executive of the party changed its ways.

He told a delegation of APC stalwarts who paid him a courtesy visit in his residence that he admired the party’s structure and the focus of governors under its platform.

Nyako was quoted by his Director of Press, Ahmad Sajo, as saying he abhorred the injustice and impunity that were going on in the PDP.

The governor said, “These are the reasons (injustice and impunity) why we may have to dump the PDP, if they will not change their ways.

PUNCH

Jonathan orders NIMC to register all Nigerians by Dec, 2014

October 18, 2013 | Filed under: News Update | Posted by: Administrator

By BEN AGANDE
ABUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan has issued ultimatum to the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, to register all Nigerians by the end of next year.
Launching the enrolment exercise for the issuance of the National Identification Number, NIN, yesterday, President Jonathan said the National Identification Number will go a long way in enhancing the work of security agencies in the country.
According to President Jonathan, “Nigeria cannot be an exception to the global trend towards Identity Management and Centralised National Identity Database, adding that there is already a growing quest for specific databases and identity verification by several government institutions and private sector organisations in our country.

“The growing identity verification needs, therefore calls for harmonization and integration of identity databases and development of a universal service infrastructure. To achieve this goal, the National Identity Management Commission should ensure that by December 31, 2014, all persons eligible for registration as provided for in Section 16 of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Act No. 23, of 2007 are enrolled into the National Identity Database.
“By this same date, all government agencies requiring identity verification and authentication services or involved in data capture activities must align their activities with a view to switching over to the NIMC infrastructure.”
The President said “If the work of law enforcement officers is to be enhanced; if consumer credit is to be accessible; if we are to reduce cost of managing the Naira cash component currently estimated at N192billion per annum; if we are to reduce the amount of currency in circulation; if we are to achieve a multiple pronged approach to fight against corruption; and if we are to introduce social security, then we must, first and foremost, establish and verify appropriately, the identities of individuals.”
The President added: “An ascendable and flexible system that provides for expansion and upgrading in line with technological advances, is a necessary infrastructure that we must be equipped with, to meet our contemporary goals in building our Nation.
“The Management of NIMC must now drive this important project with all the seriousness it deserves. We must move deftly to discount time lost so far, for failure is not an option. I am aware of the challenges facing the Commission, especially in recent times, not least from public cynicism and unfavourable perception of the identity sector, stemming from the wasted efforts of the past.
“If the slogan – ‘Enrol Once And Be Identified For Life’ is to be achieved, the process and progress must remain irreversible. I commend the Management and Staff of NIMC, for the articulation of this catch-phrase. I also commend you for clarifying the differences between the National Identification Number, NIN, and the National Identity Card, a multipurpose Card.”
“Even though both card and number are important components of the National Identity Management System, NIMS, it is important that there’s continued education about their varied applications.”
The President expressed optimism that the assets and experience of the exercise will boost the work of the National Population Commission, NPC, towards the proposed 2016 biometric census.
He said: “As we recalibrate our efforts, we must avoid the pitfalls of the past, and stay focused on achieving results. This explains why I had set up a committee chaired by the Vice President, to fashion the modalities required to institute a central demographic database. The committee has recommended that the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, and the National Population Commission, NPC, despite their separate obligations, work more closely, to complement each other and help deliver urgently a comprehensive centralized national database.”
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