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Tag: jerry gana

  • Nigeria will never break up – Jerry Gana

    Former Minister of Information and Culture, Prof Jerry Gana, has said that despite what Nigeria is going through, the nation will not disintegrate.

    Gana said this on Thursday while delivering the convocation lecture at the Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.

    The lecture had the title, ‘Building a culture of academic excellence in Nigerian universities.’

    At the event, the former minister called on the Federal Government to review beneficiaries of TETFUND, saying that exclusion of private tertiary institutions in its disbursement was not ideal.

    He said, “I don’t believe in the notion that this country will break up. Nigeria will never break up. This is an idea of God and he will uphold the country. Nigeria is one of the most powerful countries of the world, that’s why the devil is fighting us. All we need is sustainable policies and leadership that will lead the country aright and I see God bringing that about soon in the country.

    “There are many Nigerians who are passionate and believe in the country. There are many experts that the country is blessed with and they will soon take charge of the country.”

    Gana said that the efforts of stakeholders to address the problems of the People Democratic Party and reconcile those who were aggrieved was a good thing for Nigeria, adding that the party was capable of solving some of the nation’s problems.

    He said, “I am a politician. I appreciate the PDP and I am sure we shall use the party to solve Nigeria’s problem and the rest will be history.”

    The former minister stated that there was the need to transform the administration, the setting up and operation of universities in country.

    According to him, the Federal Government and the university community must maintain optimum and continuous excellent performance in educating the minds of millions of young Nigerians who pass through tertiary institutions to build an enviable country.

  • Biafra Republic: Jerry Gana dissociates self, says ‘I’m in love with Nigeria’

    Former Minister of Information, Ambassador Jerry Gana, has dissociated himself from Benjamin Onwuka of the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF) who appointed him as Minister in his secessionist Federation.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Onwuka had announced an interim ‎government to run the affairs of Biafra, in which Gana was appointed Minister of Transport.

    However, Gana in a press release signed and issued by his Special Assistant [Political], Adakole Ijogi, said he was too much in love with the Federal Republic of Nigeria to contemplate allegiance to any other nation, real or imaginary.

    The statement reads: “We received with utter dismay and incongruity the recent press release and media report purportedly appointing Prof. Jerry Gana, CON as Minister in the cabinet of a certain Biafra Zionist Federation by one Barr. Benjamin Onwuka.

    “Prof. Jerry Gana, wishes to resolutely dissociate himself from both the so-called Biafra Zionist Federation and its activities. Prof. Gana remains very loyal and firmly committed to the integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigerian.

    “We wish to re-state very clearly that, Prof. Gana, and our people, are too much in love with the Federal Republic of Nigeria to contemplate allegiance to any other nation, real or imaginary.

    “While he appreciates the strong desires of some compatriots for greater inclusion, fairness, justice, and equitable development, Prof. Gana remains strongly of the view that a transformed, balanced and united Federal Republic of Nigeria is a far better and sustainable solution than dis-integration into small nation-states.”

    Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has concluded plans to invite Gana and some other prominent Nigerians for questioning over their purported appointment into the interim Biafra Cabinet.

  • Middle belt won’t join North if Nigeria divides – Jerry Gana

    Middle belt won’t join North if Nigeria divides – Jerry Gana

    Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana has told Northerners preaching division that the Middle Belt minorities will not follow them if Nigeria breaks up.

    Gana said this while delivering a sermon at the St. Matthew’s Church, Maitama, Diocese of Abuja (Anglican Communion), in Abuja on Sunday.

    Gana, who is also the current National President of the Middle Belt Forum, blasted Northern youths over the ultimatum given to Igbos to leave their region.

    Gana said, “They think when it comes to break-up, we will go along with the North. We have already told them that if they allow this country to break up, we are not going with the North. We are staying where we are. So, just take notice. If it comes to that, we will tell you that you are Arewa and we are ‘Middle-Belters.’

    “We love Nigeria and it was changed to a federal system because of the minorities so that we can have a place. So, we love Nigeria but in the unlikely event that people want to go their way, the Arewa in the Sahel will go. But we will remain here in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    He also lambasted a former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University and the spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, for supporting the quit notice issued by the northern youths.

    He added, “One of them, who also spoke is a former vice-chancellor. I thank God he didn’t sign my certificate. My own was signed by Prof. Ishaya Audu. How can a man of that stature, of that status, of that level of leadership, says he supports the youths in Kaduna to give to other legitimate citizens, an order to go? Who are you? Who says that?

    “In this country, there are no second-class citizens. We are all first class. We are all sons and daughters of this land and that was why I decided to call a conference of all the minorities from 14 states and we had to state in clear words that the quit notice was totally unconstitutional. This is our home.”

    He suggested that the Federal Government accepts restructuring in order to solve agitations in the country.

    The ex-minister said, “In a democracy, dialogue is the language, consultation is the way. Two cannot work together unless they agree. So, there needs to be dialogue and mutual respect.

    “Anywhere you have diversity of ethnicity or religion in the world, the type of system that works is federalism. And that is the way. And each one must build his federal system the way it suits him. It cannot be imposed; it cannot be engineered in favour of one person.”

  • Mega party: PDP will not change its name – Jerry Gana

    The Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not change its registered name for a mega party, Prof. Jerry Gana, has said.

    Gana, who chairs the PDP Strategic Review and Inter-party Affairs Committee, made statement on Thursday in Abuja in an interview with journalists.
    Gana said that the party’s relationship with other political parties would be based on principle and cleared ‎guidelines.

    He said: “on the progress of the alliance, I will not like to give details of what is being recommended, but the PDP is desirous of attracting all lovers of democracy across the country as we move forward.

    “There are details I cannot divulge at the moment because the committee’s recommendations will be passed on to the party leadership. It will not be wise to disclose the details before we submit the report.

    “On the issue of mega party, we are not yet aware of PDP involvement, but all we can say is that the party wants to relate with lovers of democracy in all the parties.

    “We have a syndicate committee working on this chaired by former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu. “They are to give us the guidelines for any re-alignment plan and the number of parties that are willing to join us.

    “Our engagement will be based on principle and cleared ‎guidelines. “PDP is the only party that can be found in every ward, it is the only party that has not changed its name, and we are not going to change the name of our party.

    ’’ Gana said that the committee, which was broken into 11 syndicates, would come up with recommendations that would help to re-position and strengthen the party. He called on lovers of democracy in the country to rise up against what he described as `degeneration of democratic and electoral process gained during PDP administration.’

    “Democracy in Nigeria is under threat and we must rise and defend democracy, because that is the best form of government for humanity now.

    “This is not the age for military rule or autocracy. “In democracy, there must be freedom of voters to choose freely, peacefully, in a free and fair election that is credible,’’ he said.

    He said that the PDP condemned in strong terms the current degeneration of electoral process with violence being brought into political arena as witnessed in Rivers.

    Gana said that the committee would reconvene in the middle of January 2017 to continue on its deliberations. The committee, inaugurated on Nov. 8 by Makarfi was given three months to submit its report.