₦airaland Forum

Symphony007: you have'nt seen the massive power project going on around that area? Streaching down to eneka? Or you just love lying.

Na wa o, i never knew power project is now equivalent to having power supply at Rumuokoro. Pls just try to dispute me then i will snap darkness for you this night. #Sillyliars

Liars Liars Liars and stupid liars, there is no power for the past one week at Rumuokoro
:oLiars Liars Liars and stupid liars, there is no power for the past one week at Rumuokoro

chukwudi44: I ask again what makes you think the igbos will not fight back.Mind you it will not be the igbos alone this time but the generality of the SS/SE/MB

Am a christian and from the middle belt (kogite), Pls speak for your region and leave us alone. No time for sentiment

zegbeye: I am in total support of us sensitizing everyone and getting our people from the SS/SE and the middle belt that would align with the new nation ready for the last showdown against the far north

Which middle belt are you yapping about? Pls leave us out of this mess

Wow!!! It is finished,
so soon, no more saying Gej has built heaven on earth to deceive people, never foresaw you to resort to this your so called analysis. Definitely END TIME THINZ!!

FreeGlobe: Soludo should not allow these sadists kill his mandate. PDM is the next option, he needs to mobilize Atiku and the 9 governors. They can support him financially and otherwise. The massive outcry over Soludo's disqualification shows he has the people's mandate and this is his only shot. He should fold his sleeves, enter the field and get it. Peter Obi should be ready for a big shocker. RIP APGA

Mr man, I thought Amaechi is a sellout? U guys are the worst tribe here on earth #yeye dey smell

Insincere9gerian come and defend your OGA @ the top dats all

pls, smbody should tell us about the video and picture quality asap

physise: uwc try d mtn bis n i will tell u hw to make it unlimited

bro, pls also send to godson_favour@yahoo.com
thanks

THE face-off over the registration or otherwise of a Bombadier aircraft owned by the Rivers State government took a twist on Thursday with the Federal Government threatening to prosecute Rivers for forgery.

Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, said in a statement that the clearance documents used by the aircraft had been discovered to be forged, threatening that the state government would be prosecuted for the action which the minister said amounted to a violation of the nation’s aviation laws as well as other extant criminal laws of the land.

The statement issued on behalf of the minister by her Special Assistant, Media, Joe Obi, reads in part, “The presentation of false information or forged documentation to regulatory authorities in the processing of official approvals or permits is clearly a serious violation of the Civil Aviation Act, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and other extant criminal laws in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Upon conclusion of these internal investigations, the Ministry will take all necessary steps required by law.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Rivers State government to the development on Thursday failed as several calls made to both the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari; and Comunication for Transport, Mr. Tofolari George, were unaswered.

The aviation minister alleged that the flight clearance documents used by the aircraft might have been forged because Caverton Helicopters, whose name appeared on the clearance documents, had denied doing so in a letter to the Federal Government.

According to her, the NCAA had discovered that the aircraft was operating illegally within the Nigerian airspace.

Specifically, she said it was revealed that the aircraft did not have a valid flight clearance for its operations on April 26, 2013 when it was grounded in Akure as the last purported clearance obtained for the aircraft expired on April 2, 2013.

She said, “Upon further investigation, however, it also emerged that the last purported flight clearance (and indeed several flight clearances previously obtained for this aircraft) had been obtained using the name of Caverton Helicopters. A letter from Messrs Caverton Helicopters dated April 26, 2013 expressly disclaimed any knowledge of or involvement with the flight clearances previously obtained in its name for the said aircraft.

“The NCAA’s investigations specifically further revealed that the following flight clearances were obtained for the aircraft using the name of Caverton Helicopters: Flight Clearance for 04 – 06 January 2013; Flight Clearance for 23 – 27 January 2013; Flight Clearance for 28 March – 2 April 2013.

“In view of Caverton’s letter expressly denying its involvement with the said clearances applications, the Ministry has directed the NCAA to commence a full investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the false clearance applications.”

Oduah explained that the flight clearance process was a vital safety and security component of civil aviation worldwide.

She noted, “It requires the involvement of both the civil aviation authorities and the national security agencies before approval is given and full disclosure of the aircraft, passengers and crew must be provided as required by law. The security implication of this requirement is further emphasised where a foreign-registered aircraft (such as the current aircraft) is engaged in domestic flight operations. Failure to fully disclose or attempting to conceal the identities of passengers aboard an aircraft is considered a serious security breach both locally and internationally.

“On April 26, 2013, the said aircraft was refused start-up at Akure airport due to insufficient and improper documentation. Specifically, the pilot failed and/or refused to file a proper passenger manifest declaring the full identity of all passengers on the aircraft for the intended flight as mandatorily required by the regulatory authorities.”

Aviation lawyers who spoke on the matter on Thursday, under condition of anonymity, because of the sensitive nature of the matter, however said that if investigation concluded that the clerance documents were forged, the government could prosecute the American crew that flew the aircraft.

“The pilot in command is the sole person responsible for the safety and security of any flight, including its documentation. Maybe government can prosecute the American pilots that flew the plane. But I don’t think the government can go far with this because there is politics in the whole thing,” a reputable aviation lawyer told our correspondent.

The imbroglio over the Rivers State aircraft has generated a bitter controversy since it was briefly grounded in Akure last week with politics being read into the issue.

On Monday, the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State queried Governor Rotimi Amaechi over the matter. The governor said the query was “sad and laughable.”

On Tuesday, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Otelemaba Amachree, raised the alarm that the Felix Obuah-led PDP exco had perfected a plot to impeach Ameachi using the unsuspended five members of the House to carry out the impeachment and thus causing confusion in the state.

Twenty-seven, out of the 32 members of the Rivers assembly, had been suspended on Monday by the Obuah-led exco but a court on Tuesday revoked the suspension.

http://www.punchng.com/news/aircraft-fg-threatens-to-prosecute-rivers-for-forgery/

Meanwhile, i had been transfered to PH since last week, never set my eyes on electricty from PHCN till now . UMMMMMh!!!!!!!!!!! TEAM FRESH MESS ARE REALLY WORKING HARD FOR THEIR PAY

Sincere 9gerian: Now that power generation dropped due to temporary systemic collapse, the reasons were clearly identified. Hopefully, when those things are sorted out and power generation peaks agains, mischief makers will not attribute improvement in power supply to RISING WATER LEVEL at the dams.

Just to add that, power supply here has been awful in the last few days. It appears the 4days blackout announced by PHCN due to maintenance work on certain gas supply lines to some power plants affected more states than anticipated.
https://www.nairaland.com/1246344/lagos-ogun-ondo-experience-power-cut

Meanwhile, power was restored last night and has been on till this morning.

Let me state categorically that there's no need for HATERS to have a party over a temporary system failure that was announced by PHCN and expected
https://www.nairaland.com/1246344/lagos-ogun-ondo-experience-power-cut

Sincere 9gerian: The ACN/CPC internet rats, out of desperation for relevance, have now resorted to OUTRIGHT LIES.

Will the shameless moderators that moved the LIE to the front page also move this thread to the front page? Smh for LIARS

Insincere nigerian, are u now convinced that he cancelled his trip since ur oga at the top (Abati) said so?

gramci: It appears that lies promote traffic here.

you are the one lying my friend, Abati just confirmed it


Bill Gates Didn’t Cancel Visit Due To Alamieyeseigha’s Pardon – Presidency



The presidency has been reacting to report attributing the cancellation of Bill Gates’ visit to Nigeria to the controversy over state pardon given former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and some other Nigerians.

Gates visits the Bini Community Health Post, in Sokoto in February; the community is one of those combating the polio disease in Nigeria.

The Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, who spoke to journalists on the issue, said that he read the report in some sections of the media insinuating that Mr Gates has cancelled his planned visit to Nigeria because of the recent pardon granted some Nigerians.

He said President Jonathan is in touch with the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and that this report is not true and that it exists only in the imagination of the writers.

According to Mr Abati the foundation said that Mr Gates travels are often dependent on the schedules and availability of many other people and partners and that in this particular case, because these other people and partners will not be available at the time he is presently scheduled to visit Nigeria, they have to reschedule the visit.

They also said the rescheduling has nothing to do with politics and that it have nothing to do with any domestic situation in Nigeria.

According to the president’s spokesman, the foundation said that Mr Gates has visited Nigeria many times in the past and he will continue to visit the country because his focus is working with the Federal government and partners in Nigeria to eradicate polio.

He said, “Nigerians should note that President Jonathan and Mr Bill Gates have met several times in the past and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation is one of the major partners working with Nigerian government to ensure that polio is completely eradicated by 2015.

“What we will like to reassure people is that those who are always looking for opportunity to pull down the country should realise the fact that this country belongs to all of us and that nobody will gain anything by trying to pull down the country.

“Instead, Nigerians should do everything possible to promote their own country regardless of whatever differences that may exist among us: ethnic, religious, sectarian, whatever.”


http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/03/18/bill-gates-didnt-cancel-visit-due-to-alamieyeseighas-pardon-presidency/

Bayelsa State Government on Sunday proposed amnesty for repentant cultists in the state.

The government, in a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the plan was aimed at “carrying every dedicated and law abiding youth along in its new youth empowerment strategy”.

The statement, which was made available to our correspondent, said the scheme would be handled by the offices of the Special Adviser on Security and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on civil society.

The statement also advised the cultists to register their names and other details at the relevant offices.

The statement said, “This is part of government’s efforts at further extending the olive branch to supposed repentant members of cult groups in the state, who still indulge in criminality, especially in far-flung communities in the state to be reintegrated into the society.

“All cultists, who are genuinely willing to renounce their membership of various cult groups are advised to register their names and other relevant information about themselves at the office of the SSA on Civil Society.

“This equally applies to cult members in higher institutions of learning in the State. The period of registration is between Wednesday, 20th of March and Friday, 5th of April, 2013, excluding weekends.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/bayelsa-proposes-amnesty-for-cultists/

@mod, front page pls

The Nigerian President repeated pardons for already pardoned people.

In what appears a desperate and hurried move by President Goodluck Jonathan to justify the pardon of his former boss and ex-convict, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the president introduced names of other Nigerians who had been pardoned by previous governments.

When the Nigeria Council of State met on Tuesday, the president read out a list of some convicted Nigerians whom he would want pardoned.

Sources at the meeting said top on the list read by the president was Mr. Alamieyeseigha, and that “it was clear to all of us that he (Mr. Alamieyeseigha) was the target of the pardon.”

Evidence has now shown that at least three other names pardoned by Mr. Jonathan and the Council had been pardoned by an earlier government.

Repeated names

Among those pardoned by the president are three former Army officers accused of coup plotting: Oladipo Diya, a former Chief of General Staff; Major-General Abdulkareem Adisa; and Major Fadipe.

The three men had been pardoned earlier by the Abdusalam Abubakar administration. The retired soldiers accused of coup plotting by late Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, were pardoned by Mr. Abubakar and gazetted on March 4, 1999.

How the presidency, with its retinue of aides and assistants, missed these calls to question the efficiency of the president.

Sources say the names, like others were so hurriedly done, to justify Mr. Alamieyeseigha’s pardon; thus leaving room for errors.

Find scanned copies of gazetted documents showing trio had been pardoned by Mr. Abubakar.



Clemency1-001

Clemency 4-001

Clemency 3-003

Clemency 3-002

Clemency 2-001

More details later…

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/124752-to-justify-alamieyeseigha-pardon-jonathan-commits-factual-blunders.html

YEYE dey smell

March 14, 2013 by John Alechenu, Fedelis Soriwei, Olusola Fabiyi, Olalekan Adetayo, Success Nwogu and Ihuoma Chiedozie 151 Comments
Alamieyeseigha

There was anger at the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Wednesday over the decision of the National Council of State to pardon some very important persons convicted of corruption and other offences.

Some officials of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, wondered the kind of message the Federal Government, controlled by the party, is sending to Nigerians with the action.

The party officials were particularly angry that a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Dipreye Alamieyeseigha was among the beneficiaries.

They queried the rationale used by the President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the party’s national leader, in presenting the list of the people to the Council for pardon.

The former governor was convicted of corruption after undergoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission under the leadership of its former chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Jonathan was Alamieseigha’s deputy when the latter was governor of Bayelsa State.

Apart from the former governor, others people who were listed as beneficiaries of the pardon were Gen. Oladipo Diya, who was the Chief of General Staff during the reign of military dictator, Gen Sani Abacha; former Managing Director of the Bank of the North, Mr. Shettima Bulama, who was also convicted of fraud; and former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, the late Gen Musa Yar’Adua.

Also said to have received the pardon was the former Works Minister, the late Maj.-Gen Abdulkareem Adisa, who was found culpable in the alleged coup that landed Diya in prison.

A member of the PDP National Working Committee, who spoke with one of our correspondents, said the party was surprised “when news filtered on Tuesday about the government action.”

He, however, said he and his colleagues thought it was a “rumour” since no government official commented on it on Wednesday.

While he said the party was not bothered about the pardon granted the former military officers, he said their inclusion in the list was just to give the government action some “touch of morality.”

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the NWC had yet to debate it and that the party also heard of the action through the media.

Metuh said, “I can tell you truthfully that the National Working Committee has not discussed this issue. As other Nigerians, we have read the decision of the Federal Government and we have been informed about the decision of the Federal Government through the media. For now, the party has no comment on this matter.”

Meanwhile, opposition political parties, civil rights groups, lawyers as well as the organised labour particularly condemned the pardon granted to Alamieyeseigha.

They also frowned on the statements credited to the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe.

Okupe was quoted as saying the President had “no apologies” for exercising his constitutional powers of granting the pardon.

National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, Rotimi Fashakin, said, “For as long as Okupe has this appointment, we should not expect anything better.

“Nobody should be surprised at the way Okupe has decided to go about this. He can only work in an environment where there is so much sheer impunity.

“He has been a man that thrives in working with bosses who operate with impunity. He cannot work where there is true democratic governance.”

Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders through its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, said the pardon to Alamieyeseigha was another proof that the present administration was corrupt.

The group said, “President Goodluck Jonathan is proving every Nigerian right by the hour that he is not only rudderless, but corrupt to the teeth.

“It is unthinkable that a presidential pardon could be handed a common thief like Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who bled his state’s coffers white during his tenure as the governor because such pardon is only given for political offence not criminal.”

President General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, said the decision was a setback to the nation’s campaign against corruption.

He said granting state pardon to convicted felons, who committed acts against the state, was not in the interest of this administration and the country.

Esele said the President had a responsibility to disclose the information which he relied upon to grant presidential pardon to the affected persons.

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Mile Ahamba, Chief Awa Kalu and Mallam Yusuf Ali, also spoke on the pardon.

While, Ahamba and Ali noted that the action was not proper, they expressed reservations at its timing.

According to Ahamba, the decision to pardon the former governor has cast doubts over the seriousness of the anti-corruption campaign.

Ali said the pardon granted Alamiesiegha contradicted the spirit of the Federal Government’s war against corruption.

Kalu said the development was in order, as long as Jonathan exercised his powers lawfully.

He said, “It is not a question of whether it is proper; it is a question of whether the President had exercised his powers in a lawful manner in granting pardon, not just to Alamieyeseigha, but to the other persons concerned.

“If that power has been exercised in a lawful manner, I am afraid nobody can question it

http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-groups-others-condemn-alamieyeseighas-pardon/

LOBATAN!!!!

Nigeria's government has pardoned a key ally of President Goodluck Jonathan who was convicted of stealing millions of dollars.

Ex-Bayelsa state Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha had been pardoned because he had been "remorseful", presidential adviser Doyin Okupe said.

Opposition activists said the decision is a major blow to efforts to curb corruption in Nigeria.

He was released in 2007, two days after receiving a two-year sentence.

The decision was taken because he had already served two years in prison since his arrest.

He was first arrested in the UK in 2005 on money-laundering charges, but jumped bail.
'Irresponsible decision'

Officials said Mr Alamieyeseigha fled the UK disguised in women's clothing, a claim he has consistently denied.

He was later arrested in Nigeria and became the first ex-governor to be convicted of corruption.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

There's no law against the granting of pardons to any criminal”

Doyin Okupe Presidential adviser

Under Nigeria's federal system, governors wield huge powers and control budgets larger than those of many neighbouring countries.

Mr Okupe told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that the Council of States, a group headed by Mr Jonathan, had pardoned Mr Alamieyeseigha.

"He was tried, jailed and dispossessed of his property. He has been remorseful," Mr Okupe said.

"There's no law against the granting of pardons to any criminal."

BBC Nigeria analyst Fidelis Mbah says Mr Alamieyeseigha is now free to run for political office again, and could bolster Mr Jonathan's chances of winning another term in elections due in 2015.

Mr Alamieyeseigha remains influential in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where many people believe his trial was political, he says.

The ex-governor will be expected to rally support for Mr Jonathan in the region, where the president's support has fallen, he adds.

When Mr Alamieyeseigha was the governor of Bayelsa, Mr Jonathan was his deputy.

Prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer Bamidele Aturu said the government would "live to regret the irresponsible decision", Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper reports.

"In my view, it is better to fling open the gates of all our prisons and ask all the inmates to walk out into the warm embrace of their relatives than pardon those who force otherwise decent Nigerians to take to crime as a way of life," Mr Aturu is quoted as saying.

Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria's former anti-corruption chief and leader of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party, said the pardon was the "the final nail" in the coffin for fighting corruption in the country, Associated Press news agency reports.

Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer, but critics say widespread corruption has meant that its wealth has not been used to improve living standards in a country where most people are poor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21769047

A group under the aegis of Anti-Corruption Network on Saturday issued a 14- day ultimatum to the House of Representatives to begin investigation into the alleged corruption made against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godson Orubebe.

The civil rights group also threatened legal action should the House refuse to act on it.

It will be recalled that the House of Representatives had on November 29, 2012 ordered an investigation into a “multibillion naira” mansion allegedly belong to Orubebe.

The property, located at Mabushi in the Federal Capital Territory, was said to have been built for the minister by a construction firm, SETRACO.

The committees on Anti- Corruption, Drugs/Narcotics/ Financial Crimes and Justice were directed to conduct the investigation within 21 days and produce a report.

However, in a statement issued by the Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network, Mr. Dino Melaye, the group regretted that almost four months after the expiration of the timeframe for the commencement of investigation; nothing had been done, fueling speculations that the legislators may have been compromised.

“We are surprised that despite all evidence and exposition of the corruption perpetrated by Diezani Alison Madueke and Godson Orubebe, Ministers of Petroleum Resources and Niger Delta Affairs respectively, it is a shame that these two and many more still sit comfortably every Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council Meetings under the watchful eyes of an unperturbed President Goodluck Jonathan.

“We recall that the House of Representatives over four months ago passed a resolution to investigate the corruption charges on Godson Orubebe. The House went further to set up a Committee to probe these corruption allegations against him. Surprisingly, the said Committees- Petroleum Downstream and Anti-Corruption in the House are yet to either sit or invite Orubebe.

“We see this as a serious compromise against the spirit of that resolution as deposited in the vote and proceedings of the House. We are therefore calling on the House of Representatives and indeed, the Committees to, within 14 days invite Orubebe and other stakeholders in this matter or face a legal action from the Anti-Corruption Network.

“We also use this opportunity to once again tell Mr. President that the continuous stay as Ministers of both Alison- Madueke and Orubebe, is not only a disgrace to the government and people of Nigeria but also a confirmation that Mr. President condoles corruption,” he said.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/graft-melaye-gives-reps-14-day-ultimatum-to-probe-orubebe/

Also, Alhaji Jibrin Bala Jos, a former political Adviser to Niger State governor, during the Second Republic, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, “If government can give amnesty to militants in Rivers State then I don’t see why they cannot give to the Boko Haram sect. I don’t think it is the right thing to do, it is a miscalculation.”

According to him, the Federal Government did not need to identify the Boko Haram members in order to grant them pardon, as long as there are people and elders in the state that know, insisting that now was the right time to consider reconciliation for peace to reign.

“Another reason the Federal Government should consider to put to an end the challenges caused by their activities, he noted, was that the amount of funds spent on security was telling on the nations’ economy, adding that rather than treating the effect of Boko Haram, we should consider treating the cause by digging deep down.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/how-boko-haram-can-get-amnesty-yakassai-kaita-others/

desperate PDP BH

Also, Alhaji Jibrin Bala Jos, a former political Adviser to Niger State governor, during the Second Republic, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, “If government can give amnesty to militants in Rivers State then I don’t see why they cannot give to the Boko Haram sect. I don’t think it is the right thing to do, it is a miscalculation.”

According to him, the Federal Government did not need to identify the Boko Haram members in order to grant them pardon, as long as there are people and elders in the state that know, insisting that now was the right time to consider reconciliation for peace to reign.

“Another reason the Federal Government should consider to put to an end the challenges caused by their activities, he noted, was that the amount of funds spent on security was telling on the nations’ economy, adding that rather than treating the effect of Boko Haram, we should consider treating the cause by digging deep down.”

As the declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan foreclosing amnesty for Boko Haram sect members over their failure to embrace dialogue continues to generate mixed reactions in the North, some leaders of the region have agreed with the position of President Goodluck Jonathan that it would be difficult to grant state pardon to a faceless group.

The leaders, who spoke in an interview with our correspondent in reaction to the President’s declaration in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, include ex-President Shehu Shagari’s Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, and onetime governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita.

They all agreed that amnesty to the sect was inevitable if the raging gun conflict fostered by them would come to an end, but insisted that there must be physical contact between the government and the sect leadership that would pave the way for dialogue, leading to possible amnesty.

Alhaji Yakasai said in as much as he believed in dilalogue as the only way out of this problem, Boko Haram sect should show willingness to embrace dialogue while the government should also grab such opportunity for the stability of the country.

His words: “Government cannot grant amnesty to a faceless group because for dialogue to take place, there must be contact between the two, as was the case in Niger Delta during the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s tenure.

“The Niger Delta militants showed up and demonstrated readiness to dialogue with the government and this action paved way for the amnesty granted them.

I expect the Boko Haram group to embrace dialogue if the government shows willingness in that direction.” On the request that the President should order the withdrawal of the military from the streets of Maiduguri, Yakasai insisted that it was only the governor of the state who can make such request in writing since he demanded the deployment of troops in his state when the police were overwhelmed by the militants.

“Since the governor of that state requested the Federal Government’s intervention with troop deployment, he should be the one to reverse the situation and also be ready to solely and wholly bear the consequences of his action,” Yakasai stated. He added that it was obvious that all over the world the police are not trained to combat terrorism.

“It is the job of the military; therefore, if he wants the soldiers out of the street, the governor should make a formal request.” In the view of Lili Gabari, Kano City Counselor in 1953, “We believe that dialogue is the only way out and we pray fervently that sooner or later, we would be vindicated but to grant amnesty to a faceless group is not foreseeable.

There must be a round table discussion that will open up opportunities for both parties to weigh certain options arising from such dialogue but I believe we need dialogue to end this madness tearing the region apart,” he explained.

Former Kaduna Governor, Kaita, in his brief telephone chat said northern leaders would continue to pray for God’s intervention in this matter so that the pride of the region would be restored and amnesty granted the sect with positive dialogue.

However, Chairman of the 2011 post-violence election, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, said he had never been in support of dialoguing with criminals, especially when they are not doing the right thing.

He urged President Jonathan to be consistent and do to the members of the Boko Haram what the late President Umaru Yar’Adua did to the Niger Delta youths by granting them amnesty that turned out positively at the end during his tenure.

According to him, “I was never comfortable with dialoguing with criminals when the Federal Government decided to dialogue with the Niger Delta militants, but government took the risk and did so. It arranged for their economic empowerment and it turned out positively.

“Therefore, what happened with the Niger Delta militants should be repeated. It will be better for government to also give amnesty to this people, since they are ready for amnesty, whether faceless or not to defuse the present danger we find ourselves in view of what happened in the Niger Delta.”

Lemu cited the United States of America and the battle with the Al Quaeda group that it has not been able to defeat, adding that from what is happening, the Boko Haram sect is everywhere, especially with the support they get from even politicians in the country.

The Islamic scholar added: “Initially, the Federal Government agreed to dialogue with this people, and now that they are asking for amnesty, it should be given to them. Remember the US, and the Al Quaeda.

US has not been able to defeat them till today because of the connection they have, so also Boko Haram is everywhere, plus the support they get from politicians.”

Also, Alhaji Jibrin Bala Jos, a former political Adviser to Niger State governor, during the Second Republic, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, “If government can give amnesty to militants in Rivers State then I don’t see why they cannot give to the Boko Haram sect. I don’t think it is the right thing to do, it is a miscalculation.”

According to him, the Federal Government did not need to identify the Boko Haram members in order to grant them pardon, as long as there are people and elders in the state that know, insisting that now was the right time to consider reconciliation for peace to reign.

“Another reason the Federal Government should consider to put to an end the challenges caused by their activities, he noted, was that the amount of funds spent on security was telling on the nations’ economy, adding that rather than treating the effect of Boko Haram, we should consider treating the cause by digging deep down.”

However, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, sees the refusal of President Jonathan differently.

He said, “To be honest, I reason with Mr. President. The Niger Delta militants identified themselves before they were granted amnesty.”

He queried, “How can you give amnesty to somebody you don’t know? Let’s tell ourselves the truth. We want to know what their mission is so that we can discuss and leave in peace. I queue behind Jonathan that they are ghosts, and their sponsors.”

Vatsa stressed that as the situation stands now, even the soldiers fighting them are fighting enemies they don’t know, arguing that, “we are eating and sleeping with our enemies”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/how-boko-haram-can-get-amnesty-yakassai-kaita-others/

THERE is a groundswell of advocacy in Southwest Nigeria, where some Yoruba leaders are compiling figures and facts to support claims that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has embarked on a deliberate and systematic maneuvering to under-represent the zone in political appointments, as well as in the federal bureaucracy. They have cited instances and situations, where there is a noticeable lopsidedness against persons of Yoruba origin, who are either sacked and replaced by people of other geo-political and ethnic origin, or they are denied promotion into leadership positions in key federal establishments.

Fredrick Fasehun, founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Yinka Odumakin, spokesman for Afenifere, Kunle Olajide, publicity secretary of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) among others are convinced that someone is out there working against the interest of the Yoruba.

Fasehun and Olajide said they have taken the issue to Jonathan, who promised to look into it, but has not. They said the attitude of Mr. President and his body language shows palpable reluctance and that is why they too are mounting a campaign with facts.

They also claim that Jonathan, who benefitted immensely from the Southwest in the 2011 presidential election, should not be the one to plot against the zone.

However, chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Richard Akinijde has accused those championing the issue of Yoruba marginalization as those who are reading the history of the country upside down.

According to him, the Yoruba has benefitted immensely from the earliest times and is still way ahead of other zones.

He said: “Going memory lane, the Yoruba have produced four Chief Justices of Nigeria and they were; Sir Adetokunbo Ademola; the longest serving Chief Justice in the history of Nigeria, Dr. Teslim Olawale Elias, Justice Fatai William and Justice Sowemimo. You had Lagos as the capital of Nigeria, there is the Murtala Mohammed Internal Airport, the biggest in Africa; located in Lagos, a Yoruba city; also it houses the biggest international sea port in Africa.”

“The Yoruba nation has excellently succeeded in taking its rightful place in Nigeria. Let me also quickly advise that we should not divide Nigeria into tribes. We are not a country of tribes, we are one country. And in that context, the Yoruba have fulfilled their destiny more than any other group in the history of Nigeria. Anybody who says the Yoruba are devalued or marginalised, must be reading things upside down.

But Fasehun disagrees.

“The Southwest is noted to have supported Goodluck Jonathan and we voted for him massively across party lines. And in electoral contest, when you have won the contest, you look back and pay back. The President enjoys the support of the Yorubas and he knows it. He spoke to individual Yoruba leaders, expressing his appreciation, but when he constituted his cabinet and various other parastatals, the Yoruba people were not in reckoning.

“The Yoruba people constitute about 28 percent of the population of Nigeria, so if you are sharing anything, at least, twenty eight percent should accrue to them; but it turned out the Yoruba people did not even get half of it. We noticed it and some of these things are not just group punishment, individuals also suffer it. And we took note of this and the Yoruba leaders got together, discussed it earlier and sought to meet the President.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115744:yoruba-leaders-recount-jonathans-sins&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Photo: Dr. Oby Ezekwesili,

The Presidency may have moved against former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, over her allegations that the Federal Government under the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan squandered the over $67 billion left by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, with the arrest of a consultant to the Ministry, Tom Chiahemen, publisher of National Accord.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arrested Chiahemen on Wednesday over his role in the advertisements placed by the Ministry of Education while Ezekwesili held sway as Minister.

According to Chiahemen, the ICPC officials were of the view that Cattigan Communications, a company which he had interest in, could be one of the companies used as a conduit pipe for siphoning government funds and “they told me pointedly that it was possible the whole advert jamboree during the tenure of Dr. Ezekwesili as Education Minister could be a hoax”.

The latest development seems to be a way to get back at Ezekwesili, who had ‘ridiculed’ the Presidency by trying to open the Pandora’s Box.

Ezekwesili was not to go away with that bold statement unchallenged. From the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor to Ministers and Special Advisers to the Presidency, Ezekwesili got verbal lashes which she also replied.

In a statement made available to newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, Chiahemen stated: “Following several telephone calls I received from colleagues, friends and family members, including visits to my office and home, I wish to confirm that I was invited, arrested and detained for over seven hours by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at its headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. I was also asked to report back at 10 a.m. today (Thursday) and was kept for over three hours before a lawyer-friend arrived to sign my bail forms. From 10 a.m. when I arrived at the Commission’s headquarters on Wednesday to honour the written invitation, I was not allowed to leave the ICPC until 5:12 p.m.

“In summary, I would say that I was questioned over the advertisements placed in several Nigerian newspapers by the Federal Ministry of Education during the tenure of Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, between August 2006 and May 2007. The ICPC had, in a letter dated March 4, 2013 (with reference No. ICPC/CH/FIU.2/126 and addressed to me, said it was investigating ‘allegations that bordered on the violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.’ It added that pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, I was required to appear before the undersigned (Adedayo A. Kayode, Head, Financial Investigation Unit) on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at the ICPC headquarters, Abuja by 10.00 hours.

“I arrived the ICPC headquarters a few minutes to 10 a.m. and spent a few minutes at the reception carrying out all the procedures including surrendering of my telephone handsets, before I was shown the office of Mr. A. A. Kayode. I was handed over to one female official of the unit who took me into a tiny room with a big table surrounded by about four chairs.”

That was when the quiz commenced.

“Without any preamble, she asked me to say all I knew and/or did with the Federal Ministry of Education between 2006 and 2007 while I was a staff of Independent Newspapers Limited. I explained to her that a company in which I owned majority shares, Cattigan Communications Limited, was appointed in August 2006 by the Federal Ministry of Education to handle media buying and placements (of advertisements) for the Ministry. In that capacity, I explained to the ICPC official, Cattigan Communications Ltd was expected to handle the placement/payment of all public notices, announcements and other publicity/promotions materials from the Ministry for public/broadcast in the approved national dailies and electronic stations.

“I went further to recall that in the print media, which Cattigan Communications Ltd handled mostly, various advertisements running into almost N30 million were placed and paid for by the Federal Ministry of Education.

“I explained to the lady the circumstances that led to the appointment of Cattigan Communications Ltd to handle media buying/placements during the Education Sector Reform Programme of the Ezekwesili/Obasanjo administration. I told her that the company was nominated and presented to the Ministry by correspondents of the various national media organisations covering the education sector, under the umbrella organisation, Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN).

“After listening to my explanations, she said she believed my story because it tallied with the findings by the ICPC investigators. She told me they had been to the Independent Newspapers, my former place of work, and all that. She however asked if I had any documentary evidence to prove that my company was appointed by the Ministry to handle the job and whether there were any receipts to back up payments that were made to Cattigan Communications Ltd. I told her if I searched my house, I could still locate the letter appointing Cattigan Communications Ltd and other receipts/acknowledgements of the payments. I was then given 10 minutes to produce the above documents from my house, which is not far away from ICPC headquarters.

“To my utter surprise, when I presented the original copy of the said letter dated August 24, 2006 and other documents, the ICPC officials changed their posture. First, they excused me from the interrogation room for about 10 minutes, during which the lady and three others went over my documents and discussed inaudibly among themselves.

“When I was invited back into the interrogation room, I was handed an entirely different form which indicated that I was under arrest. I sought to know if I could call in my lawyer to guide and bail me, but they chorused: ‘no,’ that they don’t allow lawyers to bail people. Then I asked them to explain why I was under arrest.

“To my bemusement, the lady said I lied because the letter dated August 24, 2006 appointing Cattigan Communications Limited to handle advert placements for the Ministry was looking newer and neater than the letter sent to me only three days ago (March 4, 2013) by the ICPC. They all argued and insisted that there was no way a letter issued in 2006 could look so new. I only swore and stood by my word that the letter was indeed given to me by the Ministry in 2006 and that I was touching or bringing it out from the file for the first time, as there had been no need to touch it before now.

“Their second complaint was that I wrote two different letters to the Minister of Education on the same day (January 23, 2007) claiming two different sums of money (N33,395,734.20 and N19,501,327.95). My explanation was that the second letter was only a follow-up on the first letter to adjust the number of pages that were to be placed in newspapers with the available funds, in cheque form. I told the ICPC officials that the first letter had proposed a total of 125 pages of adverts to be placed in 12 different national dailies (The Punch, Daily Independent, Daily Champion, THISDAY, Daily Sun, The Guardian, The Nation, Leadership, Daily Trust, New Age and New Nigerian) at the cost of N32,348,195.13 plus VAT of N1,047,539.07), totalling N33,395,734.20. The second letter also dated 23/1/2007 was written in response to the need to reduce the number of pages of adverts and the number of newspapers to publish the adverts within the sum of N20 million that was readily available to the Task Team to use for the payment of adverts at the time. This second letter was asking the Minister for the release of the sum of N19,501,327.95 (as against the earlier letter that was requesting for N33,395,734.20).”

Also, according to the publisher, the issue of receipts and invoices used in the transaction also came up. “The ICPC wanted me to show evidence that the N28.2 million that the Federal Ministry of Education paid to Cattigan Communications was paid to the various newspapers listed.

“They again wanted me to prove that the newspapers said to have been paid the various sums of money actually published the adverts for the Ministry. I told the ICPC officials that I had collected both the tear sheets (pages of newspapers showing the adverts) and receipts from the various newspapers and handed them over to the Ministry’s Task Team led, then, by Dr. Okey Ikechukwu.

“One of the ICPC officials did ask me how much of the money went to Dr. Ikechukwu and I said as far as the adverts placed in the print media were concerned, each of the correspondents was required to forfeit one per cent of their commission to Cattigan Communications to settle the bank’s COT, while each correspondent, who was a member of ECAN, contributed five per cent of their commission to the treasurer of the association.

“The ICPC officials were of the view that Cattigan Communications could be one of the companies used as a conduit pipe for siphoning government funds and they told me pointedly that it was possible the whole advert jamboree during the tenure of Dr. Ezekwesili as Education Minister could be a hoax.”

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/03/presidency-moves-against-ezekwesili/

Advocate sam: @tund. Thanks. D dealer is offering me 4 600k with fake custom paper n 680k 4 original custom paper. So I prefer original custom paper. Thanks once again.

pls how do u differentiate fake custom paper and original custom paper?

gogodaye: Good day. Bunmayo123. You don't need to work yourself up in a frenzy as you've just gotten yourself a sturdy car for a ride. On the issue of availability of VW spares. you don't need to panic as I can assure the spares are available & affordable too. maintenance cost on the average as I spend a little between #3000-#3500 for basic oil &oil filter servicing' etc. on the car being low I'll advice you change your tyre size. Mine came with 195/60 R14 86H and I changed them to 185/70 R14 88H. cheers.

Thanks bro

gogodaye: Good day. please I'll appreciate if you could help out on my car's VIN check. Here is the VIN No: WVWZZZ1HZSW090407. The car is a Volkswagen Vento 1994 model salon car with FWD automatic gear transmission. Also I've equally noticed that the car makes a sharp squirling noise whilst its engine is running & it is stationary, whenever the steering wheel is turned fully either way. Please what could be responsible for this notice? Cheers & do have a wonderful xmas and new year holiday celebrations.

pls wat is the cost of maintenance like and the fuel consumption?

hello genius siena, just bought VW Vento 96, 1.8 auto transmission but no AC. is it advisable to work Ac in the Car? Also, the car is very low to the ground, wat can i do to raise it up? is it fuel efficient? and what is the cost of maintenance like? are the parts readily available in nigeria? pls reply asap. thanks

PointB: I wonder why FG dillu-dally on such critical infrastructure such as East-West Road, and of course the Second Niger bridge, especially in view of the fact that critical support base use this road.

i thought the 40 man laptops rate this govt the best?lmaoooooo!

Sincere 9gerian: A careful analysis of all those who ABUSE, CURSE and INSULT Mr president on this forum and other fora will CONFIRM that these were THE SAME persons who FIERCELY OPPOSED Mr president during the 2011 elections. Some persons in the opposition camp,including some of the 12million Nigerians that voted for opposition candidates in the 2011 elections, have refused to accept the humiliating DEFEAT they suffered in that election. These SORE LOSERS, have refused to accept the FACT that 2011 elections had been WON and LOST. They have carried the BATTLE and WAR pre-2011 elections into post-2011 era. Other countries unite immediately AFTER any election for the purpose of NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT but the we dont see that in Nigeria.
Ladies and gentlemen, permit to reiterate for the uptenth time and for the benefit of those who are still living in DENIAL, that the 2011 elections had been WON and LOST.
The 2011 elections had been WON and LOST...
The 2011 elections had been WON and LOST...
The 2011 elections had been WON and LOST...
The 2011 elections had been WON and LOST...
2011 Election is OVER. Pls can we UNITE for NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
I didn't support Buhari during the 2011 elections, but I cant imagine myself engaging in abuses, insults, BAD-BELLEISM and MISCHIEF had Buhari won that election.
Shame on all SORE LOSERS!!

you sound more like Okupe the attack dog that reason with his anus. stop defending jonathan on necessaryly. i didn't just voted for jonathan, but campaigned for him without any motivation from anybody. so deal with my criticism