₦airaland Forum

norseman2: @Op, must u use d word "igbo rapper" if its dbanj or olamide will u use yoruba rapper? Idiottt

Politics was in the air yesterday at a landmark ceremony — the opening of a flyover — in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Action Congress of Nigeria (AC N) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who cut the tape to open the key facility, had a word for the duo of former Oyo State Governors Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala. Your gang-up against Governor Abiola Ajimobi will fail, he told them.
Ladoja, who is the leader of Accord party and Alao-Akala, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were former arch enemies, who have united to fight the Ajimobi administration.
“It (the alliance) will collapse like a pack of cards,” the former Lagos State Governor said as he inaugurated the Mokola Flyover built by the Ajimobi administration.
The bridge is expected to ease the traffic jam at the ever-busy Mokola axis of the city. It is the first to be built by any civilian administration in the state in the last 35 years.
Also inaugurated yesterday was the ultra-modern motor park at Podo with the capacity to accommodate 60 luxury buses and 311 mini-buses. It has a terminal building, shoppingmalls, restaurants, management office, vehicleservice points, a car wash, public toilets and boreholes.
The third project is a neighbourhood business complex at Scout Camp, Challenge, comprising760 open stalls, 384 lock-up shops, two blocks of warehouses, an administrative building, a large parking space and a canteen.
Tinubu said: “ I read recently that some of them were collaborating; the old enemies who drove themselves out of office with guns, cudgels, sticks and cutlasses. They say they want to collaborate again. Ah! they have failed because they will fail again . They were down before; they are down again.
“No matter what evil they put together, they will continue to collapse like a pack of cards. Lest they forget; we helped them before; let their conscience tell them. I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did what I had to do to protect the integrity, the character, the content of our democracy and the freedom of our people through him, but what did they pay back? Today, here we are. They left the office of the governor in shambles and they turned the statebackward and rotten.
“Now, the office is clean, free and you see rapid progress; you see a government that made the people the cornerstone of economic policy. You see civilisation in the Ajimobi administration. You see restoration; you see commitment and radical transformation and urban renewal.”
Tinubu contrasted the two years spent so far in office by Ajimobi with that of the two former governors, saying: “They even refused to paint the buildings in the secretariat where they worked. They were enemies of progress; they were enemies of change and they were enemies of the people,” he said.
At the ceremonies were the National Chairman of ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo). Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
Others were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, Chief Kola Daisi, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu and WEMABOD Chairman Dr. Adebayo .
Crowds of ordinary folks thronged the inaugurations held in three locations within the Ibadan metropolis. Many were singing and drumming to celebrate what they described as monumental achievements of the administration.
Okorocha praised his Oyo State counterpart for transforming the state, particularly Ibadan where he said he built one of his schools takingcare of indigent students.
Amosun congratulated the people of Oyo State for voting a “performer’’ as the governor, saying the result of their decision is the all-round transformation being witnessed in thestate.
Goodwill messages were also given by Mrs Orelope-Adefulire and the National President ofthe Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero, among others.
Ajimobi said the bridge was a dream come trueand a historical mileage in the state.
He berated the opposition whom he said embarked on a campaign of calumny since the day the construction of the bridge began. He urged them all to acknowledge excellence wherever they saw one.
The governor said: “I remember that on Thursday, December 22, 2011, when we flagged off the construction of this flyover, we provoked the unbelief and disdain of cynics and political opposition. To them, the construction of the bridge was akin to building the biblical Tower of Babel, with its impossible tendencies.
“Even when the bridge was being constructed, we became the butt of jokes of the opposition who, either out of mischief, naivety or their well-known cynicism, mocked the absence of an erect bridge, months after its flag-off. Unknown to them, the essential components ofthe bridge, being mostly pre-fabricated, were undergoing construction in the company’s yard.Now that the bridge has been completed, they have shifted their mischief to the cost of the project, choosing to ignore the comprehensive features of the project which, among others, include the upgrading of 1.2km long service roads and intersections, beautification of roundabout and space under the flyover, construction of new water mains, street lighting and the payment of compensation to the numerous property owners whose properties in this commercial centre of the city were affected.”

ABUJA — Justice Peter Kekemeke of an Abuja High Court has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to arrest the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, for disobeying a valid court order.
Justice Kekemeke directed that the EFCC boss and an operative of the anti-graft agency, Mr Friday Ebelo, should be apprehended and kept inprison custody within the next two weeks, except they apologize to a lawyer whose fundamental human rights were allegedly violated by the commission.
Meantime, EFCC, yesterday, vowed to appeal theruling.
We ‘ll appeal ruling — EFCC
Reacting to the order, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, who acknowledged that a copy of the order was served on the agency, said EFCC has perfected plans to get it vacated.
The court had on March 8 and December 5, 2012,ordered Lamorde to release the call-to-bar certificate of one Mr Innocent Onwu, apologize tohim through a national newspaper as well as payhim N50, 000 as compensation.
Onwu who is an Abuja-based lawyer had on October 31, 2011, initiated a fundamental rights enforcement proceeding after he was detained by the EFCC between June 27 and July 1, 2011 without order of court.
His detention was sequel to a petition by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, accusing him of complicity in fraud pertaining to a case he was investigating for a client.
Dissatisfied with the way he was allegedly manhandled by the commission, Onwu demanded N300 million as compensation for theunlawful search of his house and office and the trauma he suffered in the hands of the EFCC.
Besides, the lawyer, claimed his ailing mother was admitted at the Garki General Hospital on the day he was arrested by the EFCC, insisting that despite his passionate pleas, the commission refused to release him to attend to his mother, resulting to her death three days later.
The court had on June 4 and June 24 this year, dismissed two applications filed by the EFCC counsel, Mr James Onu, wherein he sought to void the contempt proceeding

Officials of the Sports ministry and the Nigeria football Federation(NFF) have reportedly turned their back on Super Eagles coach,Stephen Keshi,following Nigeria’s elimination from the FIFA Confederations Cup.
The bone of contention is believed to be Keshi’s insistence,on inviting certain players to the national team,which they perceive as “very personal” plans by him.
“When Keshi came on board the general agreement was to build a team afresh which was the right thing to do having missed one African Nations Cup, but we have passed through long enough period and by every reason should have reached a much higher level than we are now,” an official of the National Sports Commission told The Punch.
“We are still experimenting for only one reason and that is purely because of what the coach is doing. Keshi appears to be encouraging certain players for purely personal reasons. Take the Confederations Cup as a typical example and you will understand that many of those listed in the team had no business being there. You cannot say you are exposing players to the detriment of the country; players that have not even reached the level of African Nations Cup were instead thrown in to play against world champions Spain.”
“We are no longer fooled on this matter and we have to take more interest in the players that represent Nigeria. This is a national team and not a private team. He has to get the Nigerians we know are in better state to feature for Eagles rather feature players nobody knows the clubs they are playing for.”
In your opinion,are the players Keshi invited to the Super Eagles questionable?

Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Chief Mike Okeke Umeh,has called on Super Eagles coach,Stephen Keshi to reconsider his stance over the invitation of certain players to the national team.
Umeh was of the opinion that players like OsazeOdemwingie would have offered more to the Super Eagles attack at the FIFA Confederations Cup,where Nigeria got eliminated in the group stages of the competition.
“We played well but our attack failed us. Keshi need to get stronger boys and we have them. I don’t know why he has refused to bring in Osaze,” Umeh told Vanguard Sports.
The NFF Vice President added that the football federation has always given Keshi and his technical crew,the freedom to work,but stressed that they will work in tandem with the technical committee of the NFF.
“Yes, we have always given him freedom to operate, but he must work closely with the technical committee.”
“It is clear he took a young squad to the Confederations Cup. The young players, particularly the home based players need to be introduced gradually. They need to be polished. You saw how Mikel played. He played very well because he is a big boy who was playing among his contemporaries. He has played in the biggestleague and is experienced like the Spanish and Uruguayan players. That is why Keshi must do a rethink on the likes of Osaze and other experienced Nigerian players,” he added.

akpomeme: 7:31pm
It is on record that Ameachi does not know his age that is why he chose childrens' day as his birthday date....

akpomeme: Infact, now that I know that Ameach's birthday is on the 27th of May, I will fix mine for the same day to see who will have more adverts on daily papers...

akpomeme: Because governors were part of the invited guests, they Ameachi, trivalized the event by quickly inviting various governors for a NGF meeting at the same time a scheduled event was suppose to hold. While this does not affect the President's event in any form or shape, but the NGF people have gone to town with a different news.

A governor told our correspondent last night that the Governor’s Forum meetings are held once a month on the eve of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

He said there was no need to meet “until it is time, which is now”. Those calling meetings every week are those looking for legitimacy,” he said. You can read more from this link if don't know.
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/jonathan-amaechi-in-battle-to-host-governors/

9jadelta: nnaji still the best power minister ever. Like i always say, this nebo is a failure

TGlobe: akwa ibom, abia, enugu, cross river, ebonyi,bayelsa, anambra

The battle for the control of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) resumed yesterday, with elected Chairman Rotimi Amaechi summoning a meeting of members for tomorrow in Abuja.

In what was seen by observers as an apparent bid to frustrate the meeting, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday invited all governors for what a source termed as a “curious” dinner.

The timing of the presidential dinner coincides with the NGF meeting’s time. The agenda remained unclear, as at press time last night. But there was the suspicion that it was meant to break the rank of the 19 governors who re-elected Amaechi.

But the Amaechi group has vowed to go ahead with the NGF meeting instead of the “emergency” presidential dinner.

This is the first meeting Amaechi is calling after last month’s disputed NGF election.

Amaechi won 19 votes to beat Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who got 16 votes. Yobe State Goveror Ibrahim Gaidam abstained from voting.

But Jang has continued to lay claim to the chairmanship, claiming that he won because Northern governors chose him as their consensus candidate. He has the backing of the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Jang, who has rented an office in Abuja for his faction of the NGF, last Monday called a meeting. Only 16 governors attended.

A Press Officer of the NGF Secretariat, Chidimma Onyenalim, in a notice of the meeting yesterday, said: “There will be a meeting of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday 26th June, 2013. Time: 8.00pm prompt. Venue: Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, No. 5 Justice Mohammed Bello Street, Asokoro, Abuja.”

The agenda of the meeting: Chairman’s brief on NGF in the news, fresh and subsisting litigations; visit to the NGF secretariat, update on Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), Excess Crude Account (ECA) and Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), update on State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) and other issues.

The meeting will also deliberate on polio eradication initiative: Structuring a programme to address emerging challenges, Post election disagreements, NGF and its partners, NGF strategy plan 2013-2015 and AOB.

A governor told our correspondent last night that the Governor’s Forum meetings are held once a month on the eve of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

He said there was no need to meet “until it is time, which is now”. Those calling meetings every week are those looking for legitimacy,” he said.

The NGF meeting will precede the NEC meeting on Thursday.

Following a likely boycott by some governors branding Jang as their leader, some pro-Amaechi governors, who went on official trip abroad, have been recalled.

Another governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “This is our major meeting after the election of the NGF chairman, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and we will make sure that all of us are there to prove that we are standing by Amaechi.

“As a matter of fact, some G-19 members scheduled to travel abroad have suspended it. And those currently overseas for investment drive have been recalled. For instance, Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido is expected to fly into the country tomorrow to be part of the meeting.

“The sacrifice we are making underscores our agitation for untainted democracy, not only at the NGF level, but in all facets of our national life.”

Another governor said: “When they heard that the authentic NGF meeting would hold, all the 36 governors have been invited to the Presidential Villa for a curious dinner. The dinner is fixed for the same time we are expected to start the NGF session. No governor can really say the motive of the dinner.

“Well, we prefer the NGF meeting to a dinner. The Presidency is trying to use the dinner to divide the Forum. We know the other 16 governors following Jang may opt for the dinner but we will prefer to go hungry to protect the nation’s democracy than go for food.”

To the governor, the Presidency is being jittery that the Amaechi group will have the majority of the NGF members at our meeting. The design is to deplete our ranks with dinner but it will not work,” he said.

“Well, we see the NGF meeting convened by Amaechi as our normal session on a monthly basis before the meeting of the NEC. Until the Presidency meddled in the affairs of the NGF, we used to meet normally once in a month,” he said.

Asked whether the NGF meeting could disrupted by forces opposed to Amaechi, the governor replied: “We do not envisage that; they won’t go to such a ridiculous level. But if they do so, Nigerians will now know their intention.

“You know they have been sponsoring some suits against the authentic NGF but they cannot go far. All the 19 governors backing Amaechi will be in Abuja on Wednesday.”

triploc: its time to be autonomous from these northern hegemony, the north have failed and we therefore refuse to be under them, they only remember we are from the north when its election season and abandon us after election. dont call us ''north central'' we are the ''Middle belt'' just as we have always being...... Kogi, plateau, Nassarawa, Niger, Abuja et al Like this post if you are in solidarity with us

Aro Okigbo: "7time"
"always be incharge"

Are you PEJ's son?

Vexed by the increasing rate of sexual attacks against young girls and boys by adults and the lack of concerted commitment on the part of the Nigerian Government to check the ugly trend, a development-inclined Non-Governmental Organisation has called on the wife of the country’s President to devote more time to battle this menace which has become a hydra-headed monster.
Making the call in a statement issued in the country’s capital, Abuja, the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) counseled First Lady Patience Jonathan to stay out of local politics involving her state of birth –River – and rather work to become an international icon in the fight against rape of Nigerian youngsters.
The statement jointly endorsed by HURIWA National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Director of Media Affairs, Miss Zainab Yusuf, charged Dame Jonathan and wives of governors of the 36 states as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to embrace the fight against rape as an urgent national mandate. The rights group also tasked the nation’s judiciary and thehierarchy of the National Assembly to consolidate the extant laws against rape; ensure that police operatives are trained to tackle the menace and to ensure quick justice delivery in cases of rape.
HURIWA regretted that police operatives acrossthe country are either ill-trained to investigate serial cases of rape and therefore undermine prosecution of offenders or the offices of the Federal Attorney-General and state Attorneys-General have failed to follow through prosecution of rape cases across board. It therefore appealed to the wife of the President “to show greater interest in fighting the menace of rape and ensure that the Federal Government declares a national state of emergency on rape and sexual violations of youngsters by Nigerian adult sexual predators.”
“We call on our dear First Lady to play less of politics in River State and to elevate the campaign against rape to a higher pedestal because of the frequency and severity of these crimes against humanity,” HURIWA said.
“We expect the wife of the President to use hernational and international clout and visibility towage relentless advocacy against rape of innocent Nigerian girls/boys and to compel relevant agencies to fight sexual offences and trafficking in persons for sexual slavery,” the group added.