Leadership (Abuja)
Chuks Ohuegbe
9 May 2008
Ambassadors and high commissioners resident in Abuja have petitioned the Federal Government over security threats to their lives and property, as they declared that their residences are being visited by armed robbers on a daily basis.
The envoys who held an interactive session yesterday with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Prince Vincent Ogbulafor also complained that their official residences always experience power outage and often times no supply of pipe-borne water to their residences.
These were the highpoints of complaints laid before the national chairman of the PDP by the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed P. Bayoh while giving a vote of thanks at the occasion.
His words: "Mr. national chairman we want to bring it to your notice so that you can pass it on to the president, that we are being visited by armed robbers on daily basis. For days, our residences are thrown into total darkness and the water do not flow".
The Sierra-Leonean envoy also complained that land allocations given to the various embassies were revoked by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) and sought their restoration.
Finally, the envoy also spoke on the need for them to be having direct dialogue with President Umar Musa Yar'Adua.
He remarked that they are like the umbilical cord linking their respective countries with Nigeria, stressing that Nigeria would have the world at her feet if the authorities liaise very well with the envoys.
Baffled by the revelations, the national chairman, Prince Ogbulafor promised to summon the minister of the FCT, Dr. Modibbo Umar to his office to address the development.
"As we leave here, we are going to summon the FCT minister with immediate effect to discuss this problem of land, water, security and I assure you that in the next one week, you will see a difference", Ogbulafor assured.
In his own comment, the national secretary of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje said that most of the suggestions raised would go a long way in helping the government through the party in cementing Nigeria's bilateral relations.
The interactive session with the ambassadors and high commissioners is the first the party would be organising since its formation in 1998.
Ogbulafor in his opening remarks, said that his opening has entered a new phase that needs the participation of both the local and international community especially their representatives in the country.
While soliciting cordial relationship between their countries and Nigeria, the PDP national chairman stressed the need for the countries to make the issuance of their visas to Nigerians seeking to visit their countries less cumbersome.
Responding to the question by the ambassador of Greece, the national organising secretary of the PDP, Chief Uche Sekondus said that the Yar'Adua government is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that peace returns to Niger-Delta.
He said that what the youths of the zone are presently embarking on bothers on criminality, noting that it has passed the realm of agitation.
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