₦airaland Forum

BARELY four days to the expected hand over to a new government, palpable tension has gripped Anambra State following deployment of 500 heavily – armed policemen to Awka, the state capital.

The policemen who have taken over government establishments in the city, yesterday, prevented some legislators and civil servants from carrying out their responsibilities.

But the state House of Assembly was able to swear-in Justice Umegbolu Nri-Ezeadi as the substantive Chief Judge of the state.

Judicial workers, including the chief registrar, Judges and lawyers were prevented from entering the court premises and were asked to go home as police cordoned off the dual carriage road leading to the state judiciary headquarters, House of Assembly, and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office.

There was, however, a minor face-off when police officers tried to prevent members of the State House of Assembly from entering the assembly complex but they resisted, insisting that their tenure had not ended.

However, a member representing Orumba North Constituency, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo Okom, who briefed newsmen, maintained that the policemen did not allow him into the complex, insisting that the action was unwarranted.

Chief registrar of the state, Mr. Michael Okonkwo said he was told by the police to leave for his home, whle chairman of the state Judiciary Staff Association, Mr. Basil Mbanefo notd that he was warned by policemen to stay clear of the state judiciary headquarters.

In another development, opposition in the state has alleged that the members of the state House of Assembly were given N1 million each to confirm Justice Nri-Ezeadi as the substantive chief judge and subsequently swear him in.

Meanwhile, the state government-elect Dr. Andy Uba, has announced a one-week fasting and prayer, which will start after the swearing-in ceremony.






http://www.champion-newspapers.com/saturday%20files/saturday%20%20articles/article_4.htm

let's see. Pls come in 100 days to count your prophesies

If Europe full paid back their Marshal Plan loans from US and Canada, who are we to say that we don't need genuine loans. That our banks, telecoms and likes Dangote to say that we do not need aid. Our debt cancellation came as an AID package even though Nigeria was not in HIPC list. So, folks we need to soft pedal on your patriotic zeal and acknowledge that we need AID

there is a big difference building a structure and constructing a river niger bridge. larger structures as in what? You only mentioned two projects with no bridge construction record.

No hands in Ige's death, say suspects


ABUJA—Alhaji Moshood Enefeni, the prime suspect paraded in the killing of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, yesterday publicly denied ever having a hand in it, saying he is being framed up by the government agent posing as witness in the murder case.

The other suspects paraded alongside the prime suspects by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Sunday Ehindero at the Force Headquarters, who include, Oluwatoyin Onafekon, Suraju Fatuka and Saidi Akande, all denied they knew anything about the gruesome murder of the nation’s former number one law officer.

Alhaji Moshood, who was apparently oblivious of the purpose of their mission to the IGP conference, the venue of the parade, stunned the audience when asked by the IGP, to give account of what he knew about Chief Ige’s murder said, “it is funny. It is like we are in the theatre of drama”.

But the Inspector General of Police revealed that the suspects planned with the driver of the late Head of state Mrs. Mariam Abacha in the cell to eliminate Chief Ige, after all enteritis to him to soft pedal on the trial of the prime suspects who is a drug baron failed.

According to Mr. Ehindero: “Let me start first by apologising for not being able to have this press conference on Thursday. Just as the air operators will say, it was due to operational reasons”.

“But I am happy that we are in better step now to review some of these cases. The reasons why yesterday I couldn’t get the press briefing was mainly because I want the evidence, part of the evidence to be there. And I believe it is here. In the other one too, I wanted the evidence. Because for police, it is not that goods were stolen, the evident is that who stole the goods”.

“If you go to court and say good was stolen, the court is not interest, it is interested who stole. And that was why we have to polish it, get some of the evidence and it is for you to judge. I want to say that it is only by divine providence that we have been able to have breakthrough in some of these cases. You remember last time when I briefed you; we started with the case of Hajia Rimi. Of course we found all those who committed the murder of the wife and they are now being tried”.

“Today I will address you on the case of the murder of Bola Ige. Now in relation to Bola Ige’s case, so many theories have been made. I want to say that there no case that is closed that is never opened. Every case is opened. And people who have useful information should come forward.

“Anybody who is also putting political theory, let him come forward with is political theory and give us evidence. The only thing we don’t accept here is metaphysic. You know metaphysic, babalawo, you know the law of evident doesn’t accept that. But if you have any other evidence, give us. But in as much as we have evidence that is admissible, we will present them”.

“Of course you are all aware about the murder of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, (SAN) on the 23rd of December 2001. Yes we said 2001, yes; some people have been taken to court, why are we still opening it? Of course when we have fresh evidence, we look at the case. And our own evidence is that we penetrated the prison and was able to find out what happened at that time in the prison yard.

“And we also gave one of those people who were in the prison when they hatched the whole idea of eliminating the Attorney General, because it did not accede to the request to mellow down into the case. First of all an attempt was made, they burgled the office in an attempt to find the case file. But they did not find the case file. They made enteritis to him; they sent people to him to beg him.

“You will hear from them. How Bola Ige went to court because of this case. Because of the quantity of the hard drugs that was recovered then. Now they planed with the driver of Mariam Abacha in the cell that the best thing to do was to eliminate him. And how after the elimination, there was jubilation there in the prison. So we will hear from the horse’s mouth”. The dialogue:

IGP: Alhaji Moshood!

Alhaji Moshood Enefeni: Yes Sir

IGP: Are you in the prison in 2001?

Alhaji Moshood: Yes, I was in prison

IGP: for what offence?

Alhaji Moshood: For drug offence

IGP: What quantity of drug?

Alhaji Moshood: 60 kilogram of cocaine

IGP: Were you there as awaiting trial or you were there as a convict?

Alhaji Moshood: I was there as awaiting trial and also as a convict.

IGP: How many years sentence were you given?

Alhaji Moshood: Three years
IGP: When you were there in the prison and during the prosecution, did the Attorney General appear in court in your case?

Alhaji Moshood: Yes, the Attorney General appeared once. Before he was murdered, there were three adjournments that the late Attorney General did not appear. He did not appear about two or three times before he was murdered.

IGP: Did you know the driver of Mariam Abacha?

Alhaji Moshood: Yes, we were all in the prison there. We knew each other; we interacted with each other, because we are in the same beat.

IGP: OK. Where is one of our witnesses is, is he around?

At this stage, a man, fully-turbanned to the point of no identification appeared

Alhaji Moshood: (Laughs) This is funny. It is funny. It is funny to me.

IGP: Alhaji wants to talk. Alhaji what do you say, you said it is funny. I am in control, Alhaji make your comment. You said it is funny?

Alhaji Moshood: Yes, it is funny. It is like we in theatre making drama sir, because I have no hand in the killing of Chief Bola Ige.

IGP: No, no, we are not talking now. Wait, we have not reached that stage. Now this person, he is a witness. And we want you to talk. Look at this man, do you know him?

The Witness: Yes I know him.

IGP: How do you know him?

The Witness: We met in the prison. He (Alhaji) met me there.

IGP: He met you at the prison, who are the other people who were in prison with him?

The Witness: Tonika (Oluwatoyin Onafekan).

IGP: Tell us generally what was happening in the prison when Alhaji Moshood was there.

The Witness: In the prison, it was just like a free world. When you come newly, you will tell what brought you. So Alhaji Moshood imported almost 13 containers which contain cocaine. And almost nine or 10 containers have already moved before they caught him with three containers. The cocaine was concealed in the tin of geisha. So they first arrested the white man who was the pilot. So two of them were brought to the prison. Later, because all of us are staying in the same building inside the cell, sometimes, they held meeting with Tonika, who is the overall marshal.

IGP: Tonika, they said you are the overall marshal, were you there (prison) before them?

Tonika: What he is saying is a lie. He is just lying.

IGP: Wait, wait, he didn’t say anything. He said you are the marshal.

Tonika: How can I be a marshal? I am not a convict person. Convict person is the overall marshal. I was the provost of myself in the prison.

IGP: But how long were you in the cell before him?

Tonika: I don’t know him.

IGP: No, no, how long were you in the prison?

Tonika: I was there for seven years and four months in detention without trial or conviction.

IGP: How many years were you there before Alhaji Moshood came?

Tonika: Almost six years.

IGP: Sit down, you will talk, we will give you time to talk

IGP’s press statement

It is my pleasure to update you and the general public on the progress so far achieved in respect of protracted investigation into the murder of former Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. It is my belief that this briefing shall lay to rest the ghost of the appellation of “unresolved murder” and “unresolved assassination”.

MURDER OF CHIEF BOLA IGE SUSPECTS
1. Alhaji Moshood O. Enafeni
2. Oluwatoyin Onafekan
3. Suraju Faruka
4. Saidi Akande
5. Akeem at Large

*Chief Bola Ige SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation, was gruesomely murdered on 23rd December 2001 at his Bodija residence in Ibadan .


*Chief Ige had just returned from Lagos and his security guards had left to feed, leaving the house porous.


*Two armed men were said to have entered the room held everybody hostage; ransacked the room and carted away cash of 200,000 and some jewelleries.


*The assailants went upstairs and shot Chief Bola Ige on the left side of his chest.


*His murder attracted widespread condemnation and call for high profile investigation.


*Political motives, vengeance of drug barons and all sorts of insinuation were canvassed for the murder. The investigation was long, tortuous, and eventually stalled.

Fresh information


*However, six years later, sometimes in January, 2007, an informant walked into the police station and volunteered fresh line information.


*The informant deposed that between 2001 and 2002, while serving a prison term in Ikoyi prisons, he over heard his fellow cellmate, Alhaji Moshood Olatunji Enafeni, a convicted drug baron, solicited the help of one driver to Mariam Abach to kill Chief Bola Ige then Minister of Justice.


* Chief Ige was personally prosecuting the NDLEA celebrated case of importation of 13 containers of hard drug in 2001 involving Alhaji Enafeni.


*When all attempts to bribe Chief Ige failed, Alhaji Enafeni hatched a plan to hire assassins to eliminate Chief Ige on 23rd December 2001. That when the news of the death reached the prisons, Alhaji Enafeni celebrated wildly.


*Four suspects above were arrested and quizzed.


*Alhaji Moshood Enafeni, from Ikorodu in Lagos , had worked with Nigeria Ports Authority and left for France in 1979; worked with French Ports Authority.


*He was arrested in 2001 for importing 13 containers of hard drugs into Nigeria , the largest single haul by the NDLEA. He was charged to court and convicted.


*Chief Bola Ige personally vetted the case file and prosecuted the case himself. He refused all inducements and appeals from prominent South West traditional rulers.

Police findings

The accounts of the Chief financier of the assassination plot, Alhaji Moshood Enafeni, are being investigated in order to further establish the case. The vehicle used for the operation was burnt and the thrown into the bush around Lagos Ibadan Expressway.
The death of Chief Bola Ige could therefore be said to be, for now, be drug-related until contrary evidence is received.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f126052007.html

so they have not been involved in any bridge project of this magnitude. The reason why I am saying this is that Onitsha Owerri road was awarded to this type of faceless company (CCC) These are Nigerians fronting to use whitemen to get FG contracts. It looks like they do not have any track record on bridge construction. Most civil engineering firms in Naija can undertake a structural project like Ecumenical centre but not River Niger Bridge construction.

Laudate

Eeyaah, this thing dey pain you well, well.   Last time I checked, adconline had the intelligence & capability to respond to questions directed to him, by others. Wetin come be your own? Abi you don do change of name to adconline? The reply I gave to adconline is still valid.


I wonder why you dabble into double standard in your postings. If it was cool for you to re-echo Wesylan’s sentiments ( oh may bad!!  Maybe she has a “low IQ” or her spokesman ) since it now the basis to agree with someone's position. Donzman was merely stressing his points which concurred with mine.  This has always been the tradition of this forum. The same thing you accused Donzman of doing, you ended up doing. Why do you argue this way? You also wanted us to believe you with un-statistical data even though you are not in the know to know better than El Rufai.  Even though it may not be glaring to you, you sound like someone who is ready to distort history in order to make Igbos look like villains. I have not been able to see equality of thoughts in your posts. Its either that My Rufai's facts were incorrect or that 68% is the same thing as 32%. We are here to critically examine his statement not reinvent new rules in order to score some cheap tribal points. I hate it when Nigerians pretend that tribalism does not exist, even though its entrenched in our system. We elect presidents on tribal affiliations. I dare say that I do not know any point of yours that is valid and begging for answers. I would have responded in my way. Donzman  and I are very different in our postings. Sometimes we need to regurgitate our thoughts before posting ok.

I would also want you to respond to my previous post.

Nigeria is one even though it took your kinsmen 47 years to figure out that another man who is not of their tribe should occupy the presidency.

Any reason for this act?


As per victim mentality, a comparison is based on two or more known conditions. Igbos know what Awo’s 20 pounds could achieve in a short period of time.  Igbos have shaken hands beyond river Niger. They have far more invested and diversified in Nigeria than any other tribes. We don’t have to continuously talk about one Nigeria. Show me. Don’t invest in Abuja, because it’s the headquarters for national allocation. Don’t invest in PH because there is oil. Go to Umuahia, Potiskum,Zaki Biam, Gboko  etc and invest if you really believe in oneness of Nigeria.  Some folks have not done anything beyond their enclaves and they will be one to shout one Nigeria. Let one Nigeria start today. Let other folks match Igbo’s efforts in developing every nook and cranny in Nigeria. This will make alamajuris in Wusasa Junction to remember that his kinsmen have investments all over Naija, maybe they will be destroyed if they incite people to destroy Igbo’s investments.

Can you tell me why some folks like you cannot put their oney where their mouth is  ie  detribalized ONE NIGERIA

where are their major projects in Naija

@big 1
May God bless Nigeria.

I would think that we are dreaming .In democracy there is a stock taking process – called election- when all politicians give account of their leadership to their electorates on  the basis they will be  elected or relected to continue their good work, but this very ingredient is lacking . Can Nigerians really vote out Yar’dua if he performs woefully in his first tenure? NO because Nigerians did not vote for him. There is no consequence for his inactions, so the status quo remains. The only thing that makes politicians to deliver to their electorates is voting power. This has been replaced with rigging power to create a political equation that a politician in Nigeria is mightier than 3 million voters. eg. Andy Uba Vs Anambra people.

If this did not make any meaning to you, then I need to write in Shakespearean lexicons

Maybe we forgot that debt cancellation came as an aid package. I dont know if we really undestand the full meaning of what we are saying.

EU parliament wants aid to Nigeria stopped until fresh polls
ADVOCATES of fresh elections in Nigeria have secured a strong ally in the European Parliament.

The parliament, in a resolution yesterday, urged the European Union (EU) to withhold all financial aid to the country until fresh elections are held.

In adopting the resolution, the parliament noted the report of EU observers on the April elections, which alleged widespread rigging in favour of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The EU believes that the elections fell short of basic standards and can not be considered credible, free and fair, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) yesterday.

The EU has planned nearly ? 500 million over the last five years for different projects in Nigeria, most of them focused on good governance, health, water supply and sanitation.

"EU aid to Nigeria should not be given to federal or state structures until new, credible elections have been held," the European Parliament said in a non-binding resolution. Such resolutions are often issued to pressure EU member states and the executive Commission in Brussels.

EU observers had earlier challenged the credibility of elections, even before the final results were announced.

Amid mounting opposition calls for the cancellation of the elections held April 14 and 21, chief EU observer Max van den Berg said the polls had "fallen far short" of basic international standards.

He had added: "The elections have not lived up to the hopes and expectations of the Nigerian people, for the process cannot be considered to be credible."

Van den Berg's team said at least 200 people were killed in "unacceptable" election-related violence during the two polls, with victims including police and some candidates.

It added: "The continuing and widespread use of thugs by a number of political parties created a significant degree of fear and intimidation."

The main opposition candidates, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former military ruler Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, both criticised the poll as unfair and undemocratic.

"I have already rejected the elections," said Abubakar, demanding a re-run, adding: "They have no alternative other than to cancel them altogether.

"What we have seen clearly proves our fears that it is the worst election ever seen," Abubakar added.

His verdict was backed up by Nigeria's largest election monitoring group, which slammed the government's handling of the elections.

"The election was a charade," Innocent Chukwuma, head of the transition monitoring group, told reporters.

"We, therefore, reject it and call for its cancellation," Chukwuma said, demanding a re-run within three months.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article02/250507

stop calling her your friend when she slept with 6 men. You are one of her assistant boyfriends. Kapich

Global forum, presidential aides disagree over Nigeria's polls
From Laolu Akande, New York


WIDESPREAD international criticisms of last month's elections in Nigeria took a new turn at the weekend in the United States (U.S.), where two presidential aides strongly disagreed with local and foreign observers at a post-election forum in Washington DC.



Mr. Akin Osuntokun and Mr. Uba Sani, both presidency officials, responded to criticisms from the participants, most of whom had critical comments about the elections.
Also at the forum, a distinguished and veteran American scholar on Nigerian politics, Dr. John Paden, expressed concern that the country was sliding to a one-party state going by the declared results of the elections. He added that it is important for the international community and all concerned to "really monitor the next phase" of legal petitions arising from the elections.
Although they were not invited as speakers, Sani and Osuntokun took advantage of the question-and- answer session to respond to the criticisms of the election. But they were routinely interrupted by the largely critical audience made up of Nigerians and non-Nigerians, including diplomats from other countries based in the U.S.
The panel of observers included Mrs. Ayo Obe of the National Democratic Institute in Abuja, Robert Lawrence of the International Republican Institute and Paden of the George Mason University in Washington DC.
They all said that the election results were clearly unreliable given that all the surveys conducted prior to the exercise showed a close presidential race between the forerunners. It was therefore astonishing that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be credited with 70 per cent victory.
It was after that first session that Osuntokun, the President's Political Adviser, got up from the crowd and introduced himself. He declared that it was wrong to assume that the Federal Government had not conceded some of the problems of the election, adding however that the disagreement was over the magnitude being ascribed to them.
To Osuntokun, any analysis of Nigeria's political system must not lose sight of the fact that democracy has continued to take root.
According to him, there is no perfect election in the world, including the U.S. which, citing the controversial Florida polls of 2000. Osuntokun said even President George W. Bush's election for his second term was also marred with irregularities.
A dramatic turn ensued however immediately after Osuntokun spoke when another member of the audience from Ekiti State, U.S.-based professional and democracy activist Paul Olatoye, narrated how voting was going on peacefully in his town of Oke-Imesi, where Osuntokun also hails from.
Olatoye pointedly accused Osuntokun of being one of the "election-riggers of Nigeria."
He said that people in the town were voting peacefully for the rerun elections in Ekiti State, "until people like Osuntokun came around 1.00 p.m. with armoured vehicles and soldiers, scaring people away so that they could rig the results."
Olatoye said that the Nigerian case could not be compared with Florida because in Florida, security agencies were not used to scare voters.
His words: "What took place in Oke-Imesi was a small Somalia, and Akin Osuntokun and co. were the warlords."
After the conference, however, both Osuntokun and Olatoye embraced.
Reacting to Osuntokun later, Ayo Obe said that the Federal Government 's mantra of "no election is perfect" was insufficient, arguing that the problem in the last election went beyond mere "shortcomings" as was being claimed. She recalled that as a lawyer she was involved in the election that Obasanjo organised in 1979, which was determined on the issue of two-thirds of states and not on controversy over rigging.
The former president of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) concluded that there was "so little subtlety about crockery" in last month's elections.
There was also an exchange between the former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark and Sani, Nigeria's presidential spokesman.
Clark, criticising the election, had stated that the commonality between Nigeria and Canada was that "the federation needs to prove its worth to its parts and not by trickery". He also said political parties needed to offer real and legitimate development to the nation other than jobs to its members, lamenting that all the PDP does is to organise elections.
But Sani disclosed that at a recent breakfast meeting with President Obasanjo, the Canadian Prime Minister had agreed that the rigging that took place last month in Nigeria was on all sides and not just a PDP affair.
Sani said that President Obasanjo has no power to remove the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, who has been accused of presiding over Nigeria's worst polls ever.
According to the presidential spokesman, it is only the National Assembly that can remove the electoral commission's boss. He criticised many critical commentators of the elections as being insincere.
Both Osuntokun and Sani spoke from the floor and attempts by them to prolong their speeches were cut short by the moderators.
On his part, the IRI representative Robert Lawrence, said: "Nigeria's cousins in Mali and Mauritania managed their elections better."
To give Nigeria credit for this election, he said, would be like asking people to celebrate because a football team showed up at a match, and not on how they played.
While responding to a question from the audience on how the international community should respond to the inauguration that may follow the much disputed elections, Paden said that the most the new administration could get at this time may be "de facto recognition" and not de jure or lawful recognition.
Paden recalled that he witnessed the Kano model of elections in 2003 where young people moved around with cans of petrol ready to burn down any police station if their votes were upturned.
At the second session, the dramatic disclosure persisted with TMG chairman Innocent Chukwuma, The Guardian Editorial Board Chairman, Dr. Rueben Abati and AC Ekiti gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, speaking.
Fayemi detailed accounts of rigging which were recorded and contained in his 2,000-page election petition, and again publicly referred to Osuntokun as having personally participated in the events of election day. According to him, the PDP was losing in several localities until Osuntokun showed up, and then by coincidence, things began to change.
Fayemi also revealed that the PDP used Government House as its operational base for its electioneering activities even though it was occupied by a supposedly non-partisan sole administrator.
Other speakers at the event included Clark, Nigeria's Ambassador George Obiozor, and Sani, among others. Obiozor said Nigeria should be commended for the first civilian-to- civilian transfer in its 47-year history. He added that things were not as bad in Nigeria when compared to other African countries where if you lose elections, "you have to flee over the border."
Commenting at the forum, Emma Ogebe, a Special Legal Consultant on Nigeria in the U.S., said: "It's not about PDP and AC (Action Congress). It is about Nigeria and her ability to sit at the global table and offer to broker peace for anyone with credibility. Even (Umaru) Yar'Adua won't want to inherit a diminished Presidency. Just look at the Bush presidency as an illustration of how perceived crisis of credibility at home can spill over into the international stage. Why would anyone want to ride an accident motor that can knock engine at anytime instead of patiently waiting for a brand-new vehicle that has full manufacturers' guarantee for a long journey?"
The event, which drew a full capacity of the venue at Woodrow Wilson Centre in DC, was the fourth conference in a series on Nigeria. It was co-sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Northwestern University African Studies Programme

ASABA — THE construction of the much-awaited second River Niger bridge was yesterday flagged off by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The N58.6 billion bridge which is expected to be completed between three and half years is to be built under public-private partnership with the Gitto Group providing 60 per cent of the fund, Federal Government 20 per cent while the Anambra and Delta State Governments would contribute 10 per cent each towards the project.

President Obasanjo attributed the delay in the take off of the project to the search for a legal framework for such public-private sector partnership in the development of the nation’s infrastructure, noting that the second Niger Bridge was the second in the series of such Public/Private partnership in road infrastructure undertaken by his government, the first being the one linking Kogi and Nassarawa states.

He said that “where the bridge connects two states like this and like the one we just carried out between Kogi and Nassarawa, the equity will be the private sector 60 per cent, Federal Government 20 per cent and each of the two states 10 per cent. So, we are going to look for ways of doing this type of thing more and more. We cannot expect government to provide all the infrastructures that we need for a fast developing country.

“The private sector coming in and what is important is to encourage private sector to come in to ensure that their investment is secured


NB

Why did it take OBJ's government up to the last week of his tenure to award to this mega contract to this unknown Gitto Company? It could have been left for Yar'dua's government. I hope Soludo is not being used to loot our reserves the way Abubakar did. Why can’t this government do something that will be exemplary?

Big B

It feels great to see that people are finally coming together, Yar'Adua is getting love from everywhere and it is clear that Nigerians are ready to move forward.
I just pray and hope that this new administration will change direction and do what is right by serving the citizens of Nigeria effectively and efficiently.

I'll love to see the following to improve:
1. High standard medical accessibility for all
2. Free education for all
3. Infrastructure improvement through out the country
4. Effective strategy to rectify corruption
5. Providing job opportunities.
6. Stabilizing economy and introducing effective strategy to monitor cost of necessity commodities
7. Constant water supply (must be divided into 4 parts and privatized)
8. Constant power supply (must be divided into 4 parts and privatized)
9. Creating business friendly environment for the investors and promoting privatization at a larger scale.
10. Finally, improving our image through out the world.


May God bless Nigeria.

I would think that we are dreaming .In democracy there is stock taking process – called election- when all politicians give account of their leadership to their electorates on the basis they will be elected or relected to continue their good work, but this very ingredient is lacking . Can Nigerians really vote out Yar’dua if he performs woefully in his first tenure? NO because Nigerians did not vote for him. There is no consequence for his inactions, so the status quo remains. The only thing that makes politicians to deliver to their electorates is voting power. This has been replaced with rigging power to create a political equation that a politician in Nigeria is mightier than 3 million voters. eg. Andy Uba Vs Anambra people.

majama

ABEG tell them, like I've said what has anyone gain from his wealth if not for his books? how many philanthropy organization or award did he sponsor. A MAN MUHAMMAD GAMBO said OBJ government was worse than ABACHAs. If I recalled this GAMBO WAS THE IGP IN IBB REGIME A MINISTER under Abacha. what some people will eat will let them sell their soul

This is shear ignorance and rascality of thought. If it were not for books I wonder what you would have been doing.

Laudate@
Kindly provide proof to show that a piece of land was sold for 10,000 before IBB moved to Aso Rock! What year exactly are you referring to? Land was allocated to all states in Abuja not just northern states, so what is your point? And how did you arrive at 68% of the land being allocated to northern states? Please cite your source. If Mr. Adamu was qualified to own land in Abuja and was granted such land, who told you that Mr. Coker was NOT also granted land, if he was qualified for it, like Mr. Adamu? Do you have proof of such occurences? I know several non-northerners who were allocated land directly by the governement in Abuja, so kindly stop trying to make out as if the Igbo were denied land in Abuja, simply on grounds of their ethnicity!

Yes, those who paid their hard earned money are facing revocation and demolition, both Igbo & non-Igbo alike. Enough of this victim mentality, please!

Thanks donzman for telling Mr laudate to re-read the post before posting. According to him, Nigeria is one even though it took his kinsmen 47 years to figure that another man who is not of their tribe should occupy the presidency. Please let's get to back to the topic. I want to engage in a constructive analysis, not by asking to me produce evidence that what Mr Rufai said could be taken to the bank.


As per victim mentality, a comparison is based on two or more known conditions. Igbos know what Awo’s 20 pounds could achieve in a short period of time.  Igbos have shaken hands beyond river Niger. They have far more invested and diversified in Nigeria than any other tribes. We don’t have to continuously talk about one Nigeria. Show me. Don’t invest in Abuja, because it’s the headquarters for national allocation. Don’t invest in PH because there is oil. Go to Umuahia, Potiskum,Zaki Biam, Gboko  etc and invest if you really believe in oneness of Nigeria.  Some folks have not done anything beyond their enclaves and they will be one to shout one Nigeria. Let one Nigeria start today. Let other folks match Igbo’s efforts in developing every nook and cranny in Nigeria. This will make alamajuris in Wusasa Junction to remember that his kinsmen have investments all over Naija, maybe they will be destroyed if they incite people to destroy Igbo’s investments.

Yeah the captain should be prosecuted , but India should return the money to Nigerian government .
Only if the captain provides a verifiable source of his money

It’s our lack of decency that will make someone to carry such amount of money. We think that we are above the law. Didn’t Andy Uba and OBJ do the same thing in the US. Nigerian elites are lawless people, so they see law as a mere piece of legal document meant for the weak.

He should rot in jail. This is the kind of diplomats we produce. A diplomat who does not understand the law of his host country.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705230433846

@laudate

When was land in Abuja sold for 10,000 naira please to only northerners? Kindly get your facts right. Secondly, the houses of people from other tribes were also demolished, not just those of the Igbo.

A plot of land was sold at about 10, 000 before IBB moved to Aso Rock. But your post still did not address my concerns. Why were northerners allocated with 68% of Abuja land? What were the criteria for allocation? If Mr Adamu qualified to own a piece of land why Mr Coker wasn’t allowed the same privilege? Did you not see the lopsidedness in allocation since the rest of Nigeria was left with 32%.

Do you know that some Igbos would not have paid millions for their properties if the land was equally distributed? So part of their allocation was allocated to north and they had to repurchase them from first land owners- northerners. That’s my point.

As per demolition, I am of the opinion that FG is culpable since they sold and approved development for real estate developers. I was saying that people who were favoured by Naija nepotism made more money without any sweat, and never faced any revocation or demolition. Now folks who paid their hard earned money are facing revocation and demolition.

Martin Plaut
BBC News, eastern DR Congo



Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops have traded in gold and sold weapons to Congolese militia groups they were meant to disarm, the BBC has learnt.
These militia groups were guilty of some of the worst human rights abuses during the Democratic Republic of Congo's long civil war.

The trading went on in 2005. A UN investigative team sent to gather evidence was obstructed and threatened.

The team's report was buried by the UN itself to "avoid political fallout".

These events took place in and around the mining town of Mongbwalu, in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Pakistani battalion of the UN peacekeeping mission deployed there in 2005 and helped bring peace to an area that had previously seen bitter fighting between the Lendu and Hema ethnic groups.

Locals welcomed them, but the lure of the rich alluvial gold mines proved too much to resist for some, recalls the head of the miners' association, Liki Likambo.

"I saw a UN Pakistani soldier who came to buy gold in one of the gold negotiators here in Mongbwalu. I was there in the shop. I saw it with my own eyes."

Deals

Soon the Pakistani officers were doing deals directly with the FNI militia.


Evarista Anjasubu - a local businessman said he had known of transactions between Pakistani officers and two of the most notorious militia leaders called Kung Fu and Dragon who controlled the gold mines.

"They were already friends. I knew well. It was gold that was the basis of their friendship. So the gold extracted from the mines went directly to the Pakistanis. They used to meet in the UN camp in Mongbwalu, in a thatched house."

As the trade developed the Pakistani officers brought in the Congolese army and then Indian traders from Kenya.

Richard Ndilu, in charge of immigration at Mongbwalu airstrip, became suspicious in late 2005 when an Indian businessman arrived there and went to stay at the camp of the Pakistani peacekeepers.

Scandal

Alerted to this illegal trade by her officials, the District Commissioner of Ituri, Petronille Vaweka, went to Bunia airport to intercept a plane from Mongbwalu.

I was there in the shop. I saw it with my own eyes
Miners' association head Liki Likambo

She said her way was blocked by Congolese army officers, who refused to allow her to inspect the cargo.

"I knew they had gold because the price of gold increased when the Indians went to Mongwalu," she said.

"When we wanted to verify what was inside the plane the pilot refused to allow us to enter the plane - me who was the chief, he refused! It was a big scandal."

When the UN was alerted to the allegations of gold trading by Human Rights Watch in late 2005, they instituted a major investigation by the Office for Internal Oversight Services.

What they uncovered was even more explosive.

Rearming

This is from a witness statement given to the UN by a Congolese officer engaged in the disarming of the militia in the nearby town of Nizi:


"The officer expressed his regrets over the malpractices of a Pakistani battalion under the auspices of Major Zanfar. He revealed the arms surrendered by ex-combatants were secretly returned to them by Major Zanfar thereby compromising the work they had collectively done earlier.

"Repeatedly he saw militia who had been disarmed one day, but the next day would become re-armed again. The information he could obtain was always the same, that it would be the Pakistani battalion giving arms back to the militia."

This evidence was backed up by an interpreter working with the Pakistani battalion at Mongbwalu.

On arriving at the Officer's Mess, the interpreter found two militia leaders - known as Kung Fu and Dragon.

The interpreter said that the first question from Major Ali was to Kung Fu - asking him: 'What about the weapons I gave you? What about the weapons Monuc gave you?'

Stand-off

A UN investigation team arrived in Mongbwalu in August 2006.

At first the Pakistani battalion there cooperated with them. But when they attempted to seize a computer with apparently incriminating documents on it a stand-off ensued.

The Pakistanis surrounded the UN police accompanying the investigators with barbed wire and put two armoured personnel carriers outside their living quarters at a nearby Christian mission.

Thoroughly intimidated, the investigators were airlifted out of Mongbwalu.

The Pakistani troops are replaced every six months and the BBC investigation concerns events that took place prior to the deployment of the current Pakistani battalion.

When we put the allegations of weapons trading to the head of the UN in Congo, Ambassador William Swing, he denied emphatically that any weapons have been handed by his troops to the militia.

"This I can categorically deny. What we have done is just the opposite. We have demobilised more than 20,000. We have taken in caches of arms. We have destroyed arms. We have done public burnings of these arms. And there is absolutely nothing to that allegation."

He says that the investigation into gold trading has yet to be completed.

The UN in New York has refused to explain what took place or why, nearly two years after the allegations first surfaced, the Congolese people have no idea what action - if any - has been taken to discipline the Pakistani soldiers concerned.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6681457.stm

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200705230433846


Nigerian diplomat arrested with $2.2m
Adeyeye Joseph


A Nigerian diplomat, Captain G.A. Ojedokun, has been arrested by intelligence officers at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India, for being in possession of $2.27m.

Ojedokun, who is the Defence Attache at the Nigerian High Commission in India, was about to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Lagos on Monday night when an X-ray scanner revealed that there were stacks of cash in his bag.

According to the Indo-Asian News Service, a subsequent search on him also revealed that he had more money.

The total sum, which was in $100 bills, was seized from him.

Ojedokun, who reportedly volunteered a statement under oath, was interrogated and detained briefly before being allowed to continue with his journey on Tuesday.

Officials told the IANS that the seizure was the biggest airport cash haul ever in India.

They said Ojedokun, who pleaded diplomatic immunity, had claimed that the bag contained clothes.

The Director-General of India’s Income Tax (Investigations) Unit, Mr. S.S. Khan, told the IANS that Ojedokun had admitted that the money belonged to him.

“He (the envoy) claimed that it was his money that was withdrawn from a bank, but that is unconvincing. For now, we have seized the money and we are proceeding with our investigation,” Khan said.

An official of the Enforcement Directorate explained that the Defence Attache was released because “we have no power to keep him in custody as he enjoys diplomatic immunity.”

The official, however, said, “We have our ways of finding out what this money was for. Obviously, he was carrying so much money that it was bound to cause suspicion.”

He said that Ojedokun had said that he had about $1.5m in his check-in baggage before a count proved otherwise.

Indian Foreign Ministry officials told the Agence France Presse that they had informed the Presidency of the incident.

The officials also doused speculations that the money could have been linked to the kidnapping of two Indians in the Niger Delta by suspected militants recently.

They claimed that all the checks conducted showed that this was not the case.

IANS said it contacted the Nigerian High Commission in India but that officials declined to comment on the incident.

Indian authorities were on Tuesday said to be investigating whether there is a connection between Nigerian diplomatic officials and an alleged Nigerian drug syndicate operating in the country.

They were also said to be looking into claims that the money was ‘protection money’ paid by Indian companies in N

I thought they paraded one JJC who later said that he was paid by Omisore- Hon Senator. You would think that OBJ is smarter than average naija until he opens his mouth.

I wanted someone to ask these questions. Why did 19 northern states control over 68% of Abuja land. On what basis were they allocated with such properties? People are here rejoicing that Igbos own 75% of ABuja land. Why would Igbos continuously pay for their freedom in Naija. A plot of land was sold to northern govts at about N10, 000 and they in turn sold to Igbos @ about 5-10 million Naira per plot and we are here glorifying that Igbos have arrived. Northerners made millions without any sweat and Igbos toiled and borrowed money from banks to develop their properties so that the FCT will not revoke their C of Os.

Finally, the same government that sold and approved those areas for development came back and said that they were built on sewage systems bla blah. I wonder how much that was paid to these Igbo investors. By the way northerners have taken their money to the banks and Igbos are bearing the blunt of developing their plots and at the same facing FCT on demolition.

PDP gives Nnamani 48-hr ultimatum, To reaffirm loyalty or face severe sanctions
The PDP has given the Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, a 48-hour ultimatum to reaffirm his loyalty to the party or risk severe sanctions.
Nnamani was reported to have criticised the conduct and outcome of the April polls in addition to undermining the party.
But briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja after PDP’s NEC meeting, the party’s National Secretary, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said that Nnamani would be summoned to clear himself of the allegations within 48 hours or face disciplinary actions.
Maduekwe explained that if Nnamani failed to give satisfactory defence or refused to honour the invitation, the disciplinary committee would make necessary recommendations for ratification by the party’s NEC.
According to him, the new PDP has resolved to entrench discipline and party loyalty in the next dispensation, saying: “We have no sacred cows. Nnamani’s case is a litmus test for entrenching discipline and loyalty.’’
He stressed that the new PDP valued quality membership above size, announcing that henceforth, only members with up-to-date dues would be qualified for elective positions and appointments into public offices.
The party scribe said that a mandatory and regular deduction of five per cent would be made from the salary of elected and appointed members, while others would pay their regular dues to fund party activities.
Maduekwe also said that the party would computerise its membership register and provide all eligible members with a “survivor kit”, consisting the country’s constitution, party constitution, code of conduct and bond, among others.
While commending President Olusegun Obasanjo for his leadership qualities, the party advised the opposition to also do their homework and stop unconstructive criticisms against the ruling PDP.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting is the last to be attended by Obasanjo as a sitting President and it marked the second anniversary of the party’s NEC.


http://www.triumphnewspapers.com/pdp235207.html#

why dont post your resume for us to see maybe we will pay more attention to you

We cannot make Yar'dua work for us since he We did not elect him. He is not beholding to Nigerians. If we did vote for him, why did he not embark on a national tour to thank people who "voted' for him, instead he came to US lobbying to be given attention by Bush.

He will end up the way OBJ first tenure went. Obj was beholding to likes of Anenih, Sanusi, Adamu Ciroma, Danjuma,Ikimi,Iyorchu Ayu, Afolabi and co. Nothing was achieved.

If Yar'dua was soo popular in Nigeria, why did he get involved in rigging, cos I see no reason why I should cheat in a final exam that I would smash. Rigging shows lack of confidence that he not could have won. Chavez is portrayed as evil in the west, but he is soo popular that he always wins in a landslide victory.

mckren

In all sincerity, adconline. Tell me who won the presidential electons

In all honesty was there really a presidential election?