₦airaland Forum

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/rigging-electionll-not-be-possible-jonathan/

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President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday gave an assurance that nobody will rig the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

The President spoke at a grand finale of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rally held in Onitsha, the state commercial hub.

He warned that any party or candidate, no matter how popular or highly placed found to have indulged in any form of rigging or electoral malpractices would be dealt with accordingly.

Jonathan, who spoke yesterday at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha during the rally, declared: “Nobody will allow election rigging in Anambra State as the Federal Government, security agencies and Independent national Electoral Commission, INEC, have been positioned to carry out their duties without fear of favour.”.

Jonathan, who affirmed his support for PDP candidate in the election, Comrade Tony Nwoye, stated that the election would now afford Anambra State the opportunity to regain her rightful position in the political mainstream after the November 16 governorship election.

He also stated that Nwoye had shown some leadership attributes and called on the electorate to shun party affiliations and vote for a PDP candidate.

The President eulogized the enterprising attributes of Anambra people, even as he disclosed that although the state was one of the smallest in the country’s land mass, it was blessed with rich and enterprising people.

Earlier in his speech, the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, rhetorically asked why Anambra people should take the back seat in the country’s political scheme and urged the electorate to vote in Nwoye as he was poised to transform the state.

Also speaking, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio remarked that Anambra State should vote for Nwoye.

The state chairman of the PDP, Chief Ken Emeakayi assured that PDP would take over the state come March 17, 2014.

Prince Arthur Eze, a PDP financier and Hon. Anayo Nnebe, former Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, said Jonathan would not be foolish enough to abandon his biological child-PDP and go for his adopted child, another party.
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/rigging-electionll-not-be-possible-jonathan/

are you telling us the truth?

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/ig-disowns-dpo-i-didnt-order-disruption-of-g7-govs-meeting/

The Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has denied ever asking a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Nnanna Amah, to disrupt the meeting of seven aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja. He told the House of Representatives’ Committee on Police Affairs investigating the matter that he did not order anybody to storm the meeting of the governors.

The IG also denied allegations that he was partisan in the crisis rocking the PDP. The lawmakers had last week ordered Abubakar to appear before the committee over alleged partisanship of the police in the party.

The House in its resolution said the IG had to explain the role played by the DPO in charge of Asokoro, Abuja, in disrupting the meeting of the G7 governors at the Kano Lodge in the FCT The motion,raised by Hon. IdrisSaniKutigi (Niger,PDP), and entitled “Impunity and disregard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by the Nigerian police” was cosponsored by 60 other PDP members.

All the sponsors of the motion belonged to the PDP faction led by Abubakar Baraje. The motion was triggered by the alarm raised by the governors that their meeting was disrupted by police authorities.

At yesterday’s session, Mohammed said he could not have asked any of his officers to go after the G7 governors because his primary assignment was to maintain law and order in the country. “The DPO was not sent by anybody,” Abubakar said.

The police boss, however, explained that what transpired between the G7 governors and the DPO could not be termed disruption of meeting. He said that the DPO, as the officer in charge of the area, had the right to know what was going on in his domain. The IG said: “He is the DPO of the area; if anything happens he would be held responsible. He was doing his job.”

He stressed that the governors’ meeting continued after their short interaction with the DPO and wondered why the public was misled into believing that the meeting was disrupted. Chairman of the Committee, Hon. UsmanKumo (PDP-Gombe) said the police could not afford to be biased in the PDP crisis or any issue in the country.

He urged Abubakar to always think about the implication of his actions before taking it. DPO Amah had on Sunday November 3 invaded the meeting of the rebel governors.

Sunday’s disruption of the meeting of the G7 governors was the latest in the series of police invasion of the meetings of the aggrieved governors and the new PDP. About 30 minutes into the meeting, the DPO of Asokoro police station, entered the Kano Governor’s Lodge, claiming that he had instruction to stop the meeting.

When the governors apparently got wind that the DPO was outside, they asked him to be brought into the meeting hall. About 10 minutes after, the DPO, CSP Ama, left the meeting venue, after he was briefed about the private nature of the meeting.

At the meeting were: the chairman of the new PDP, Abubakar Baraje, the governors of Niger, Rivers, Jigawa, Adamawa and Kano states, Babangida Aliyu, Rotimi Amaechi, Sule Lamido, Murtala Nyako and Rabiu Kwankwaso respectively; the party secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Kashim Imam, Senators Aisha Alassan, Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Adamu, Bukola Saraki, former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, Sam Sam Jaja, former governor of Ekiti, Chief Segun Oni and the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP, North West, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure.

The first sign of the war of attrition against the new PDP emerged on September 7, when the headquarters of the new PDP at Number 4, Oyi Street, Off Ibrahim Babangida Way, Maitama District, Abuja, was sealed off by the Police, following a court order.





http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/ig-disowns-dpo-i-didnt-order-disruption-of-g7-govs-meeting/

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/dbanj-tonto-dike-linked-in-sizzling-romance/
The entertainment world is one where virtually everything goes, so you can never say something is impossible in it, especially when it comes to romance.

And the latest ‘secret romance’ which has inevitably ‘seen the light of day’ is that of top musician D’Banj and top actress Tonto Dike.

Reports have it that the duo are so besotted with each other that Dike now sleeps in D’Banj’s state-of-the-art mansion so they can be closer together and easily available to each other.

The reports add that the relationship began when Dike approached D’Banj to do a song with him, and before you could say Jack Robinson, the two had fallen for each other instead.

While Dike has been linked with men that include Iyanya and Don Jazzy, D’Banj has been basically linked to Genevieve Nnaji who is reported not to be pleased with D’Banj’s latest romantic interest. Sources close to the duo however denied that there’s anything romantic between them



To read More, Click the link below............
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/dbanj-tonto-dike-linked-in-sizzling-romance/

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/should-you-endure-abuse-for-love/

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Don’t!

Nothing is worth dying for, most especially love. If he loves you, he’ll want you to live for him and the love you both profess to have for each other. It is funny but also heart rending that with so many deaths and injuries caused by domestic violence both women and men will still choose to stay with their partners.

Yes, men too. You will be surprised at what some men are going through. One of the reasons why so many people stay in an abusive relationship is because they believe that they love their partner so much that they are willing to forgive them.

Some others think that if they leave their partner, they will be nothing without them because of their low self esteem. Most people stay because they believe that person gives them everything they need. They also believe if they leave them or tell someone about what they are going through, they will lose everything their partner gives them. For them, the benefits outweigh the cost.

Whatever the scenario is, thinking along this line will be applying what I’ll call the costversus- benefits principle. And this principle is not new at all, especially in this part of the world. Another reason is what I’ll call the appeal-to-force principle.

Most people are so afraid that if they leave their partner, that person would find them and hurt them even more or maybe kill them. They also think that their partner would always be hunting them.

A lot of the times, people are afraid that if they move on, their partner may seriously hurt them with other forms of abuse apart from the physical abuse which may hurt them more, so they elect to stay.

In some cases either women or men choose to stay because they are afraid that their partner might hurt or kill their loved ones. So when making a decision they think of all the consequences that their decision might lead to in the future. What they don’t realise is that by hanging on in an abusive relationship they might end up losing their life. Another fact we have to look at is that most times people may not have enough resources to make the decision of leaving their partner.

They also might not know how to ask for help because they are so afraid. Some are even encouraged to stay within that abusive relationship because they don’t have people that are close to them that would take them in and help them. Some people are so afraid that they don’t talk to anyone so they never find out that there so many places and people you can talk to that are there to help you.

The ‘Change Principle’ is also a well known excuse that people, especially women use when making a decision in whether to leave or stay in an abusive relationship.

Most people believe that the abuse, whether physical, emotional or psychological that they are going through in a relationship is just a passing face that will pass away so they would never do anything about it.

By the way they act or talk about it, it becomes obvious when you see the person being abused, that he or she is in a denial state whereby he or she will believe that the abuser will change. Even when you try to help them out they won’t let you because they are so into that believe or denial state of being.

There are so many reasons why a person stays in an abusive relationship, but whatever those reasons are, domestic violence is wrong in every way possible and you shouldn’t let it happen. Whether you’re a teen or an adult you shouldn’t let anyone hurt you in anyway.

People should value their life because that’s the most precious thing someone has and once it’s gone you would never get it back so why let someone ruin it for you. Because you love the person or because you’re scared of them doesn’t mean they have the right to hurt you.

There are so many people that are out there to help you, but they are not going to go look for you, it’s up to you to ask for help. My take as a man is that if he truly loves you, he won’t hurt you in any way. And if any kilt or kin or friend tells you to endure, ask that person if he or she values your being alive?


Run!

Recently, Nigeria was traumatised with the news about an ex-Skye Bank staff who was brutally murdered by her husband. It is such a pathetic story and there are many of such incidents which do not receive that much publicity.

The painful fact is that no matter how much we criticize and punish the husband who murdered his wife and no matter how much we come up with ideas of what the woman should have done to escape from her abusive husband; nothing can bring her back to life. We expect people to learn from the incident and avoid recurrences, right? But, is there any guarantee that women will on the basis of the sad incident (and other similar ones), leave their abusive partners? Is it okay for a woman to “hang in there” in the name of love?

Let us agree at this point that there are different types and degrees of abuse, and people suffer them in various combinations. Verbal abuse occurs when one person uses words and body language to inappropriately criticise another person. It makes the victim feel he/she is not worthy of love or respect, and that he/she lacks ability or talent.

Unfortunately, verbal abuse is not easily recognised as abuse, and therefore it can go on for extended periods, causing severe damage to the victim’s self-esteem and self-worth Psychological abuse (also known as mental abuse or emotional abuse) occurs when one person controls information available to another person so as to manipulate that person’s sense of reality. It often contains strong emotionally manipulative content designed to force the victim to comply with the abuser’s wishes.

It may be emotional abuse in this sense when it is designed to cause emotional pain to victims or to “mess with their heads” in attempts to gain compliance and counter any resistance.

Like verbal abuse, psychological abuse is often not recognised as abuse early on and can result in serious psychological after effects. Physical abuse occurs when one person uses physical pain or threat of physical force to intimidate another person.

It involves slaps, pushes, beating, punching, kicking, hair pulling, scratching, and real physical damage sufficient in some cases to require hospitalization. Sexual Abuse includes any sort of unwanted sexual contact perpetrated on a victim by an abuser.

It involves inappropriate touching with or without intercourse. Sexual abuse also occurs if one partner has agreed to a certain level of sexual activity and another level is forced upon her (or him) without prior explicit consent being given. Sexual abuse is often coupled with physical abuse (or threat of physical abuse) and emotional abuse. When the issue of abuse in relationships is discussed, the primary focus is physical and sexual abuse.

This is understandable because it is presumed that verbal abuse and psychological abuse can be tolerated, except in extreme (and rare) circumstances where the victim starts to lose his/her mind as to require rehabilitation. People argue that there is nothing like sexual abuse in marriage, and we shall address this issue in another edition. In the meantime, let us agree that there can be sexual abuse in marriage. Undoubtedly, love and abuse are two unrelated parallel lines which ordinarily should not meet.

So how do we explain the hateful and horrifying manner in which some people treat their partners? How much provocation can justify slaps, beatings and stab injuries?

More importantly, how safe can a woman be if she remains with a partner who constantly abuses her? Of course, it seems easier to advise a single woman to leave her boyfriend/ fiancé than it is to advise a married woman to leave her husband on account of abuse.

But is abuse part of the “worse” contained in marriage vows? And must the death referred to in “until death do us part” be caused by one’s spouse? In my opinion, no woman should stay in an abusive relationship in the name of love. Once a man starts to slap, beat, punch or push you, run for your life!

If he is just a boyfriend or fiancé, break up the relationship immediately and don’t look back. Even if it is just a few days to your wedding, just know that a broken engagement is better than a broken marriage/divorce.

Of course, he will come begging (in tears), promising to change. Do not be fooled. What is the guarantee that he will change? Don’t get me wrong, I believe in forgiveness and love. But wisdom tells you that if you break your leg from a fall caused by sitting on a faulty chair, you should not attempt to sit on the same chair again.

The greater challenge is where the abuse is by a spouse. I also don’t subscribe to divorce, so I will not be quick to tell a woman to file divorce papers on account of physical abuse.

But I also will not tell her to remain in her matrimonial home and love her husband “until death do them part”. So, should love keep you stuck to an abusive partner? Not closely

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/should-you-endure-abuse-for-love/

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/my-performance-has-become-hot-potato-for-my-critics-fayemi/

On October 16, Dr. Kayode Fayemi clocked three years in the saddle as Ekiti State governor. For him, he has justified the mandate given to him. In this interview with AYODELE OJO, he speaks on his performance, the N20 billion bond, second term ambition, national conference and South-West regional integration. Excerpts:

What are you doing differently from the path your predecessors took?

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/my-performance-has-become-hot-potato-for-my-critics-fayemi/

Well, I think the idea of putting the people first in all that we do is one major thing we are doing differently. This idea of putting the people first reflects in all our policies and forms, the crux of our development agenda.

Talk about the social security scheme for the elderly citizens, where elderly citizens without any form of livelihood are paid N5,000 monthly, or the free health care that is targeted at the most vulnerable members of the society – children under five, elderly citizens above 65 years, physically challenged people and pregnant women.

Even our community empowerment programme where we provide grants in aid to every community to undertake a particular developmental project of their choice is as a result of putting the people first.

You will recall too that every year, we go round the various communities across the 16 local government areas of the state to get the people’s input into the budgets of the following year. All these are geared towards doing development with the people and making them critical stakeholders in everything government is doing.

The result of this is the huge confidence the people now have in government as opposed to the apathy and despondency of yester years. There is no denying the fact, this government came to power by the grace of God and the massive support of the people.

Specifically, what are your visions for Ekiti and to what extent have you realised these in the last three years?

Our main vision is to make poverty and diseases history in Ekiti, and so far we can boldly say that we are in the right direction and there are evidences that our people are gradually escaping from the pangs of poverty and disease.

Today, Ekiti has the highest life expectancy in the country; it has the lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate; Ekiti has the highest school enrolment in the country. And you know through the N5,000 monthly stipends we pay to the elderly citizens, our elderly citizens are actually living above the $1 per day poverty line.

Because the N5,000 is actually more than a dollar per day. Again the money helps to develop the local economy of the various communities because the beneficiaries would spend the money in their communities. The various empowerment programmes for the youths, women and physically challenged have also impacted positively on the lives of the people and the state is better for it.

What sort of interventions have you made in critical sectors of the state: education, health, tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, job creation etc?

Our eight-point agenda was designed to cover all the vital areas and we have touched all these aspects in the last three years. Through tourism development, we are repositioning the state as number one destination of choice for people looking for leisure. Our intervention has led to the creation of employment opportunities for the youths. It is also generating income for the state. In agriculture, our intervention especially in the creation of the Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development (YCAD) has redefined farming.

We now have a crop of young, educated people in commercial agriculture. Many international companies and organisations are also partnering with us. We have been able to provide employment opportunities for over 17,000 youths through various programmes. The job creation agency is saddled with the task of exploring avenues and programmes that will provide jobs for our youths.

The combination of the sincerity and transparency of the government coupled with the trust which the people now repose in the administration has attracted over N10 billion private sector investments to the state in the last three years.

In specific terms, have the reforms you undertook in the education sector started yielding results –WAEC/NECO, test for teachers and others? What is the performance of the state in the public examination?

Yes, it is gratifying to note that the various policies put in place in the education sector are now yielding dividends. Now our teachers and students are better motivated and are putting in their very best. The 2013 WAEC result where the state recorded about 70 per cent pass rate is a reflection of the work that has gone into our education sector. This is a remarkable improvement from the 2012 result where the state recorded 12 per cent pass rate.

The state university also for the first time recorded 100 per cent accreditation from the National Universities Commission, NUC. When we merged the three universities, our intention was to have a state-owned university that will be properly funded and better managed. Ekiti teachers are also winning laurels in different competitions.

Ekiti is on the 35th in the federal allocation sharing; how are you coping with low revenue against the developmental projects?

By being creative and prudent in the management of the little resources.

What have you done to improve the revenue profile of the state?

By blocking the various loopholes and introducing e-payment for all government transactions. We have been able to increase the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, from N109 million in 2010 to N600 million monthly.

Your critics are always pointing at the issue of the bond obtained by your administration, saying you are plunging the state into debt. How far is this true?

I don’t think the issue is about my critics not seeing what we have done the way you are seeing it. As a matter of fact, I think they are seeing it. And it has become a political hot potato for them. Their challenge is: What are we going to use to campaign against this man? Since there is nothing to use to campaign against him, and since we are politicians, there must be something.

Yes, we may not have anything to take to EFCC or ICPC about him, but we must find something against him. And the best they could find is the bond. Yes, we went to the bond market. It was public information. We took N20 billion bond in December 2011 – about 23 months ago and the projects that we said we were going to use the bond for were specific. They were identified.

If you look at the bond book, they are listed there. The 10 projects were listed. You can just google Nigerian Stock Exchange website or the Security and Exchange Commission, you can access the information there. We took N20 billion, we were going to do roads; we were going to revive our moribund brick factory in Ire; we were going to re-develop Ikogosi; we were going to build a Government House; you can see it on the top as you drive around Ekiti and you will see what we are doing there. There is not a single project that we took bond for that is not being implemented.

So, the issue is not that we took bond, the issue is whether we have worked with the bond. Lagos State that makes N20 billion from internally generated revenue every month has bond of about N250 billion. These are facts that you can check. Akwa Ibom, Rivers have N300 billion bond. And why do you want to go for bond?

Simple; it is better structured. It has a lower interest rate of about 14.5 per cent as against straight loan where you pay as much as 22.5 per cent interest. So, bond works out better for us over a long period.

Otherwise how are we going to do any development in this part? Yes, we have increased the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, in Ekiti from about N109 million to N600 million but that is just a scratch. Or is it the N3 billion from Abuja that is going to give us all these things that you have said we have done?

So, when the election comes we would have that debate about bond and anybody who wants to come with a superior argument would also table it. And what is our track record? The last government that ever did anything in this state that you can refer to as concrete – evidence based legacy was the Adebayo government. Adebayo government took a N4 billion bond in 2002; Ekiti House in Abuja that was built in 2002 for N700 million; we have just done revaluation, and the Ekiti House is now worth N4.7 billion.

So these are trade offs. It’s even wiser to take the bond to develop, because Ekiti people are not going to say to me that because money does not come from Abuja, I would not work.

It is an excuse for inaction. They are not interested in that. Didn’t I know that the money was limited before I became governor? When I was running, haven’t I thought through how I was going to get money? We took N20 billion in December 2011 as at today, as I speak to you we have paid N9 billion out of that because it is ISPO; it is deducted automatically from our FAAC account. The second issue for me, which I think ought to interest our colleagues is: Are there obligations that this state had that are not being met because we have taken bond? Are we owing salaries?

Things that were not done when we didn’t take bond under Fayose and Oni administrations, we are doing now – social security, housing loan, car loan – these were things that were not there before and we have increased salary. When I became governor, the salary in this state was N7,500 minimum wage, we took it to N13,500 and now N19,300 and we have not had a corresponding increase in the FAAC allocation to Ekiti. These are calculations that can be easily done, but for mischief makers they would just sell all sorts of silly things about us. Yes, we know he is working but he borrowed money.

Why are you having disagreement with public servants in the state? Civil servants and teachers carry on as if they have scores to settle with your government. What are the real issues and what are your efforts address them?

The government is loved by Ekiti workers, forget whatever some politicians are trying to say. Workers in Ekiti State have never had it so good under any government. The few people fanning the embers of disunity are those who had benefited from the rot of the past.

Some of your critics see you as not being concerned about their personal infrastructure; I mean giving out money to people like some of your predecessors.

We take care of the personal infrastructure of the citizens through the various empowerment programmes for the youths, women and elderly citizens. Through this we put money in their pockets. What we do not do is throw money to them on the road. But our empowerment programme brings in more money and support to them than the few naira notes that some people would throw at them from the windows of their cars.

There is the complaint that your administration does not patronise local contractors, thus bringing about capital flight and not in line with your poverty alleviation stance. How will you react to this?

Again, this is another propaganda by some individuals. One thing you cannot take away from this administration is the transparency and accountability principles. Every contract is publicised and a competitive bidding process precede every contract. And if a local contractor with track records makes a bid, he will get it. I have some names of local contractors handling some projects in the state as we speak. And some of them are doing excellently well.

Already, we are in election year?

Are we? 2014 is my election year.

We are less than a year to your election. I just want to find out if governance will not suffer as you approach the electioneering period?

Government is not just about the governor and I think that is something we have to get away from. We still have an authoritarian mindset in Nigeria because of our military past. I’m one governor who is on the road a lot and governance does not suffer when I’m not in Ado-Ekiti. So, the fact that I’m on the road should not mean government is suffering.

I’m spending the entire November, for example, as I normally do every year, touring the communities because we do that in preparation for the budget. So, I’m spending 30 days in November going roundabout 150 communities in Ekiti.

So, does that mean government will suffer because I’m not sitting in this office (Governor’s Office)? That is governance for me. That is what government is! When I’m with the people I’m governing.

Then you are also campaigning?

I’m not campaigning. I’m preparing for budget 2014. But you know this is not the first time I’m doing this. I do it every November. So, you cannot associate it with campaign. I’m not campaigning.

There has been quite a number of endorsements from different groups and individuals within and outside your party. Now, the question is: Would you run?

Yes, I will.

When elected for another tenure, where do you intend to take Ekiti to?

We have a greater plan for Ekiti. That is consolidating on the various development and opening up new frontiers of development.

Will you give yourself a pass mark in terms of performance in the last three years?

We have done our best. We have actualised over 70 per cent of what we promised the people of Ekiti State. And we are prepared to do much more in the remaining year by the grace of God.

What should the people of the state expect from you in the next one year?

More development. Greater participation of the people in governance.

The opposition has expressed fears over the Peace Corps you have introduced in Ekiti, saying it was designed as a parallel police force. Why the initiative?

Somebody has asked me recently why are we starting the Peace Corps; is it a back way of starting a state police? And the answer is no. Our Peace Corps is largely community based. Of course, I’m an unapologetic federalist.

People know my views about multilevel policing. I don’t talk about state police, I talk about multi-level policing, which does not rule out federal police, but it makes a distinction between their roles.

There are crimes that are federal and there are state based crimes and it should be clear as to who takes responsibility for what crime. In every federal setting I know around the world this is what happens, and I don’t see any reason why ours should be different. It is interesting times in Ekiti State.

There seems to be an upsurge of political violence in the state as against the relative peace in the state before now? What is responsible for this?

You know we politicians are attention seekers by the nature of the business we are in and that is part of the problems. If you are a politician and you want to impress your political leaders or masters in Abuja, you want to give them the impression that you are the one in charge and you go to Abuja and the people say to you: but there is nothing happening, the place is peaceful there is no problem in Ekiti, how do you think you are going to challenge this man if the place is this quiet?

Then, you will begin to look for opportunities to create crisis or to foment trouble and I think that is what we have noticed in the last couple of months here. But I am determined to ensure that we have a peaceful state even if it means bending over backwards to bring in all of the people to agree to a code of conduct – a code of ethics that binds us.

Maybe, we would call all our elders in Ekiti, so that it is not seen to be partisan or the governor dictating his position to them. But I would like to think that majority of our politicians are interested in peace.

You know this was a state of one week one trouble. How else do you want to explain a state that had six governors in seven years? How do you explain that? We have had too many problems here.

That already tells you the instability we had. When we had the pension law for former governors, it was only two people that qualified; Niyi Adebayo and Paul Alabi, because they were the only people – governor and deputy governor that completed their tenures of office.
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/my-performance-has-become-hot-potato-for-my-critics-fayemi/

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/privatisation-66-firms-bid-for-10-nipp-power-plants/ The Federal Government has said that 66 companies have submitted bid papers for the purchase of the 10 gasfired generation companies developed under National Integrated Power Projects, NIPP. Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPH, Mr. James Olotu, disclosed this at the opening of the proposals yesterday in Abuja. He said that 4,500MW of electricity would be added to the national grid when the companies come on stream.

“Sixty-six companies bidded and 66 bids were opened today, there were no immediate disqualification. “One of the reasons for immediate disqualification would be that one of the important items was not there. But most of them met the primary requirements. So, we will now go to the proper evaluation stage,” he said. Olotu added that the bid process would be completed by November 23, 2013, and completion of the sale expected in January next year.

He explained that the parameters for evaluation would be the competence of the companies to operate and manage the power plants; financial capability to actually invest and that the consortium is such that would not break up along the line. Olotu stated that the bidders would be evaluated and scored, adding that any bidders who scored below 75 per cent would not make it to the financial bidding stage.

According him, each bidder is required to have a minimum of $100m (N16bn) net worth for one asset to ensure their financial capability. He said the bid exercise would produce only one winner per asset after stringent evaluation of the companies’ financial and technical competence. Olotu said the shortlisted bidders would be announced at the end of the technical appraisal, which might take two weeks.

The NDPH boss noted that the evaluation process of the bid would be in three parts, including compliance, technical and financial bid evaluation of the companies to ensure that the country would not be short-changed by the eventual winners of the bids. Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, commended the bidders that beat the deadline for the submission of the bid proposals by 5p.m. on Friday. Nebo assured that transparency and accountability would be maintained throughout the bid processes.

Security personnel from the State Security Service, SSS, the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as the World Bank, USAID and other organisations witnessed the public opening of the proposals. He urged the companies that would eventually emerge successful to ensure they play by the rules of the transaction.

The plants include Omotosho II Power Station (NIPP) Omotosho Simple cycle gas turbine 450 MW; Sapele Power Station (NIPP) Sapele Simple cycle gas turbine 450 MW; Omoku Power Station Omoku Simple cycle gas turbine 150 MW; Olorunsogo II Power Station, Geregu I Power Station, Geregu Kogi State Simple cycle gas turbine 414 MW, Calabar Power Station and Egbema Power Station. National Mirror gathered that three companies bidded for the Alaoji Power plant; four for Egbema, Ogorode eight; Omoku eight; Gbarain eight; Omotoso 13; Calabar six; Benin four and Olorunsogo five.

Meanwhile, the power shortage being experienced in all parts of the nation may continue following the inability of stakeholders to complete the maintenance of the facility to supply gas to Afam VI power plant. The maintenance of the facility, which caused electricity supply to drop by as much as 400 megawatts, was scheduled for completion last Saturday. But investigations yesterday showed that the rehabilitation had not been completed.

A senior official of Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, who did not want his name mentioned, said: “We are still trying to fix the problem. It may take a little while. “A team of engineers are working day and night to solve the problem. Certainly, it would be completed in the coming weeks.”

A top official of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, said the power generation had not improved because of the inability of Shell to complete maintenance of the facility. He said: “As soon as the maintenance is completed, more gas would be supplied to boost power supply in the nation.”

However, the reports showed that the operations of other stations, including Egbin, Kainji and Sapele, were crippled because of some challenges. President, National Union of Electricity Employers, NUEE, Mr. Mansur Musa, told National Mirror that the sector presently lacked sufficient technical personnel to carry out maintenance.

He said: “The Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, sacked about 60 per cent of them before the handover of the GENCOs and DISCOs to the private investors. “This clearly explains why many GENCOs and DISCOs do not have adequate experienced engineers to carry out maintenance of facilities whenever problems occur in recent times.”http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/privatisation-66-firms-bid-for-10-nipp-power-plants/

Sheriff, popularly known as Big Sheff, is an hip-hop artiste and the son of two renowned traditional music artistes; Queen Salawa Abeni and General Kollington Ayinla. He is also brother to Candy, CEO TV reality show ‘Opolo Orin’. This chain of music inspirations and an encounter with American hip hop star, Rick Ross aka Rozay, has influenced the young final year student of Leadcity University, Oyo State.

Big Sheff, a Lagos state born who hails from Kwara state, has decided to step into the shoes of his mum and dad– but in his own case, he will be delving into the hip-hop world coupled with new development around his musical personality. He is now proudly known as Big Sheff aka ‘Young Ross’ courtesy of award winning U.S hip hop artiste Rick Ross.

The change in Big Sheff ’s name began after Maybach Music’s head honcho, Rick Ross visited Nigeria in August to headline the St. EVE’s Summer Jam Fest in Lagos. Sheff was billed to perform at the concert because of the resemblance he shares with the rap star, but he was also lucky to get acquainted with RR and given the opportunity to feature in Rozay’s controversial “Hold Me Back” video shot in Nigeria.

“It was actually Rick Ross’ publicist that saw me first and then went to tell him that he just saw someone that shares a striking resemblance with him. Rozay asked the organisers about me and I was introduced to him; the organisers said “this is our own Rick Ross” and he laughed. We shook hands and to my surprise he said “no, Young Ross sounds better”, and that was how he held on to the name Big Sheff explained. “That is what I call myself normally, Big Sheff aka Young Ross”.

Shedding more light on his family’s influence in pursuing a music career, the young entertainer has enjoyed support from his parents and he also reveals they do not have a problem with hip hop –his preferred music genre. “My parents are indifferent to the style I choose; my mum just appreciates all kinds of musicians”, Sheff said.

Apart from the family’s music history and background, Sheff is additionally surrounded by people ‘through whose minds music flows’. This is one of the reasons why Sheff is promising music lovers to look out for him in 2013. The promising ‘do it all’ artiste, who flaunts his flair for different genres of music is working on the remix of one of his mum’s hit track. He is also signed under “Candiva Signature Empire”, the record label run by his sister, Candy.

Asked what kind of music collaborations his connection with Rozay may bring, he said “we swapped contacts; his manager and I are in constant touch so I guess the relationship would grow but I’m not limiting myself to just Rick Ross”.

Sheff was a witness to the shooting of Rick Ross’s ‘Hold me Back’ video in Nigeria. Based on his direct involvement in the controversial music video in which he featured, he shared his view on criticism by Nigerians against the content.

“My take on the video is neutral because I had already seen the American version which was also shot in their ghetto. Hence, I was excited when I heard that he wanted to shoot a video for the same song in Nigeria so I didn’t read any negative meaning to it and I wouldn’t have even if I wasn’t in the video.

“Sincerely, he wanted to visit the ghetto and he was taken to Sura Market on Lagos Island. It’s not as if he handpicked that location and it definitely wasn’t planned because even the organisers weren’t aware, they just directed the drivers to Sura Market the minute he asked for a ghetto, He was also very friendly with the kid’s because he initially wanted to visit the orphanage”.

Big Sheff has his eye big on the music industry but he doesn’t want to limit himself to just one opportunity. “I want to rather grab my music dreams with both hands”. Already, with his three singles In a minute, Kini tolo bumi and Ema lo binu being enjoyed by fans, he is taking his time to release an album as he reasoned –“I am not going to rush it”.
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/im-not-limiting-myself-to-rick-ross-sheff/

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, disclosed yesterday that it might reverse its decision to deregister the 28 political parties if ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this yesterday at the Stakeholders’ Validation Conference of the commission’s 2012 – 2015 strategic plan in Abuja.

Jega also said that the agitation for the creation of special polling units for the physically-challenged would not be realistic before the 2015 general elections due to inadequate funds.

The chairman, who urged the stakeholders to join hands with the commission to ensure free and fair general elections in 2015, said since the deregistration of 28 political parties was an issue already in the court, “the commission as a lawabiding entity would wait patiently for the court order.”

According to him, there is room for any political party that meets up with the legal requirements to be properly registered.

Jega said the stakeholders parley was to review the draft strategic plan document, as well as action plan, which INEC drafted, following the most elaborate consultative process ever undertaken by the commission.

He said although “poverty in the society seriously affects the conduct of free, fair and credible election,” the five-year strategic plan was to improve voter education, training and research.

According to him, it is also to provide electoral operation system and infrastructure to support the delivery of a free and fair credible election and to re-organise and reposition INEC for sustained conduct of a free and fair poll.

Jega added that the issue of colluding to rig the election by INEC staff, police and politicians would be properly handled. He added that stealing of electoral mandates remained an issue that would be properly resolved even before the swearing-in of any candidate.

One of the consultants to INEC, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, noted the importance of the strategic plan which he said would enhance leadership at all levels of the commission.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/inec-may-reverse-deregistration-of-parties-jega/