NORTHERN REPS CAN'T DICTATE TO ACTING PRESIDENT

A member of the Presidential Sub-committee on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of former militants in the Niger Delta, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, has berated the northern caucus in the House of Representatives for threatening the Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged plans to reshuffle the Executive Council of the Federation (ECF).

Dr Koripamo-Agary, who spoke to Sunday Sun on the telephone, said the Reps cannot dictate to Jonathan over who to work with.

Last Thursday, Daily Sun had exclusively reported that the caucus resolved at a meeting in Abuja that it would withdraw its support for the Acting President if he dissolves the cabinet.

According to the report, the lawmakers threatened that Jonathan would 'face hell' if he sacked any Minister from the ECF. But the retired Permanent Secretary cautioned against exerting undue pressure on Jonathan by any section of the country, saying the warning by the Reps could trigger tension in the country.

According to her, as the man now in charge of the affairs of the country, the Acting President had the prerogative to choose his own team if he deemed it fit to do so. 'The Acting President should be allowed to steer the ship of the country and people should not try to exert unnecessary pressure on him. The northern caucus in the House of Representatives cannot tell the Acting President who to retain or drop if he decides to reshuffle or dissolve the cabinet. It is overzealousness on their part to have issued that kind of threat, which has the potential of heightening tension in the country,' she said.

On the progress so far made by the sub-committees on rehabilitation of the ex-militants, the former head of media and publicity of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty said they were doing everything possible to maintain peace in the Niger Delta.

She said the former militants would soon begin the next phase of their rehabilitation programme, which includes training in various skills.