Oritsejafor backs Jonathan on crash probe

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor

National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has said the association is in support of the probe panel to unravel what led to the helicopter crash that killed late Kaduna State governor, Patrick Yakowa, and ex-National Security Adviser, Owoye Azazi, and others.

He however charged that the probe should not be treated like others before it, where actions were not taken.

Represented by National General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, on condolence visit to Kaduna Government House, Oritsejafor said: “We support the Federal Government for setting up a panel of investigation.

“We support it and we are looking forward to the report. But we have heard of panels of investigation being set up and reports submitted in the country; we hope and that pray that the Federal Government releases the report of this one and take action”.

Oritsejafor said: “It is not just setting up the panel, we want an outcome of the panel.

“So, CAN is solidly behind the Federal Government in doing this, and we are calling on the Federal Government that if the report is submitted, it should please act on the report”.

He continued: “We were shocked; if there is anything more than shock, we will use that word. We were not prepared for it.

“We are here representing our National President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who is out of the country at this very moment.

“He has asked to come to greet the family and the people of Kaduna State, to tell them that it is only God who can comport us.

“So, to the family, we want to say, our God is able and He will comfort them. To the people of Kaduna State, the Lord gave us Yakowa, the Lord has taken Yakowa.

“We welcome the new governor and promise to pray with him, so that the Lord will give him success.

“We are so happy to hear that he is going follow the footsteps of the late governor. We pray that the Lord will help him to do exactly what he has said.

“We enjoyed a lot of cooperation with Yakowa, we enjoyed watching him doing what he did during the short time he was governor of Kaduna State.

“We pray that the same relationship will be extended to the new governor”.



source:daily independent

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Rain of tears as Yakowa’s body arrives in Kaduna

WITH the arrival of former Governor Patrick Yakowa’s body in Kaduna yesterday, the grim reality of his death was fully felt.

The city was thrown into mourning as the AirForce aircraft carrying the body — and the late Yakowa’s friend Dauda Tsoho’s — touched down at the Kaduna Airport in a golden casket draped in the green-white-green national colours.

The body was conveyed from the airport through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Byepass to the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, accompanied by the widow and three of their children — all clad in black dresses.

The airport was filled with sympathisers. Many wept profusely as the plane hovered before landing.

The huge crowd defied the security barricades and rushed on to the tarmac as the casket was being brought down from the plane to catch a glimpse of it.

Women fellowship groups and church societies were praying and singing choruses at the airport and when the casket was brought out of the aircraft, they burst into tears.

While handing over Yakowa’s remains to Governor Multhar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, the leader of the Bayelsa State government delegation and Deputy Governor John Jonah said the government yesterday held a valedictory executive session in memory of the late governor who he described as a bridge builder. He urged the people to support Yero to enable him carry on with the foundation laid by the late Yakowa.

Yero praised the government and people of Bayelsa State for their prayers. He assured the people that he would continue with the foundation laid by the late Yakowa for the sustenance of peace, unity and progress in the state.

The Arch bishop of Kaduna Diocese of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Mathew Ndagoso, Bishop George Dodo of Zaria Diocese and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah prayed.

A Valedictory Executive Council meeting will hold today (Wednesday) at the Government House by 10am. The wake-keep will hold at the Government House later in the day by 3pm

The body is expected to leave St. Gerald Catholic Hospital on Thursday for the Fadan Kagoma, for the interment after a funeral mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Fadan Kagoma.

The bodies of Yakowa and his friend, Dauda Tsoho, arrived in Kaduna yesterday aboard a Nigeria AirForce cargo plane at about 2.45 pm. They were received by Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero and the widow, Amina Patrick Yakowa.

The bodies were accompanied by former Governor of Bayelsa State and other top government officials.

Others at the airport to receive the bodies were Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Bukola Saraki, family members and top government officials.

The bodies were later conveyed in a St. Gerard Hospital ambulance and driven in a motorcade through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western bypass to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital where they were deposited in the mortuary.

Senate President David Mark and his wife later joined the others at the hospital from where they proceeded to the Government House to see Yakowa’s family.

Senator Nenadi Esther Usman and the Southern Kaduna People in the United States said yesterday that the death of Yakowa has robbed the state of a bridge-builder and a unifier.



source:thenationonlineng

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Helicopter Crash - ANPP Urges Thorough Probe

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)  has asked the authorities of the Nigerian Navy to carry out a quick and conclusive investigation into last Saturday’s helicopter tragedy that claimed six lives in Bayelsa State including the Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

ANPP’s charge came just as the book launch meant to galvanise the views of opposition political parties on a common manifesto  for the 2015 general election got postponed as a mark of honour to the victims of the plane crash.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the party said investigating the cause of the crash will help to restore confidence in the masses and also blaze the trail for aviation operations’ best practices in the country.

The party said it received the news of the crash of the naval helicopter which killed Yakowa and the former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi (rtd) and four others, with deep shock and concern.

“At this distressing hour for the bereaved families, there could be nothing more comforting to them than a thorough investigation into the cause or causes of the accident, and the unraveling of the mystery behind the Navy Agusta helicopter crash and other plane crashes in the country. As human beings it will go a long way in giving them vent for their pain and a sense of equanimity that such disaster would not happen again,” it said.

The ANPP described the death of the governor and the former NSA as a great loss to the whole nation, and a sad statement on the nation’s air transport.

“We join the good people of Kaduna State, Bayelsa State, andthe family and friends of the deceased to mourn at this hour of sorrow. This is indeed a sad moment for Nigeria,” he added.

Last Saturday’s unfortunate incident has also taken its toll on several important events billed for the week as members of the opposition parties have cancelled two key events that would have brought them together to chat a common cause.

Following the death of the Kaduna State Governor in the helicopter crash, the leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), said he had postponed his birthday anniversary earlier scheduled for yesterday.

In the same vein, organisers of a book launch on  the prospects for  a common manifesto of the Nigerian opposition political parties announced a cancellation of the event in honour of the victims of the crash.

The author of the book whose launch was to have provided an platform for the convergence of the opposition party leaders in Abuja, Mr. Salihu Muhammed Lukman, told THISDAY yesterday that the event has been shift to January 15, 2013 in keeping with the mood of the nation.

“We have to respect the memory of the victims of the last Saturday’s helicopter crash.  On account of the death of Governor Yakowa, we just cannot go on with the event. We have postponed it till January 15, next year,” he said.


source:thisday

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