[b]I am skeptical of all these responses promoting on so-called lawyer. I think if property is to be bought, the best people to consult are professionals in the field. And when it comes to distant purchase, it is wise to connect a professional here in Nigeria with another trusted person known to the buyer.

When I say professional, what i mean is that if you want to buy a house for instance, a Structural Engineer like me will need to be involved if not a Lawyer would not be able to distinguish between a house about to collapse and a structurally healthy building. This isn't determined by mere aesthetics. When it is purchase of landed property, a Town-planner/ Land surveyor will be needed or else you buy into a government acquisition with your hard earned oyibo money.

I always advise Nigerians in diaspora should link us with someone they sincerely trust who can be their eyes for checks and balances.

A lawyer will only be needed at the end to legally document the deal.

In conclusion, I've been helping many foreign-based Nigerians secure properties and even build houses to their taste. I am the MD of DAYSTAR SHELTER LTD, a consortium of Architects, Engineers, Builders and Surveyors.

For inquiries, call +234 8070809889 [/b]

Lagos —

[b]New Managing Directors (MDs) have been approved for Zenith Bank, Skye Bank, and United Bank for Africa (UBA), as named a few weeks ago by their boards.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) gave the nod on Tuesday for Godwin Emefiele to become Zenith MD; Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti (Skye), and Phillip Oduoza (UBA).

Emefiele replaces Jim Ovia, Durosinmi-Etti (Akinsola Akinfemiwa), and Oduoza (Tony Elumelu).

Ovia, Akinfemiwa, and Elumelu will retire on July 31, in accordance with the new CBN policy of a maximum 10-year tenure for bank Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).

The new bank chiefs, according to an industry source, were interviewed by officials of the CBN on Monday and were given letters of approval on Tuesday.

With 23-years of banking experience, Emefiele, a pioneer in Zenith's management, was appointed its Deputy Managing Director in 2001.

He currently oversees all its local subsidiaries, Treasury and Correspondent Banking, and Multilateral, Conglomerates, and Private Banking, in addition to direct supervision of the majority of branches in Lagos and the North.

Emefiele was previously Executive Director (Corporate Banking, Treasury, Financial Control and Strategic Planning).

He holds a Bachelor's degree and an MBA in finance both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Prior to his entry into banking, he taught finance, bank management, and insurance at the UNN and University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

He is an alumnus of Stanford University, Harvard and Wharton Graduate School of Business where he took courses in negotiation, service excellence, critical thinking, leading change, and strategy.

Oduoza, a graduate of civil engineering, also holds an MBA (finance) from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), aside being an alumnus of the advanced management programme of Harvard Business School, among other world class trainings.

His experience spans banking operations, relationship management, credit/marketing, technology implementation, risk management, lean banking methods and brand management.

Before this appointment, Oduoza was UBA Deputy Managing Director, overseeing Southern operations, the largest strategic business group.

Elumelu noted in a statement issued by the bank that "UBA has grown to be an African financial institution in a short period of time, redefining banking not just in Nigeria, but across Africa, (and) Phillip Oduoza, in conjunction with the extremely strong executive team that surrounds him, will play a determining role in delivering on the promises we have made to our customers, shareholders, and staff.

"His appointment, from an extremely able team, is also a tribute to UBA's longstanding commitment to nurturing talent and ensuring orderly succession planning."

Oduoza himself said he is "honoured to be called upon to fulfill the role of Group Chief Executive at this defining moment in the bank and indeed the Nigerian financial services industry.

"The UBA Group has a very clear strategic path, one that I was a part of; the team that defined it; and I look forward to playing my part in achieving those goals with determination, responsibility, and hard work."

Unlike the other two, Durosinmi-Etti, 47, a chartered accountant and fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA), United Kingdom, is not new to the job of bank MD/CEO.

He was first appointed to the post in July 2002, when he managed EIB International Bank until it fused along with others during the consolidation exercise to form Skye Bank in January 2006.

He graduated in economics from the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1982 and began his work experience as an audit trainee at Pricewaterhouse, from where he moved to Akintola Delloite.

Durosinmi-Etti forayed into banking in 1987, when he joined Nigeria-American Merchant Bank as Head (Accounts/Computer), and later Internal Control.

He left for Midas Merchant Bank in 1990 where he served as Head of Treasury, and later as Assistant General Manager (Money Market Division), before becoming Executive Director and CEO in 1995 at 32.

He joined Lagos Building Investment Company in 2001 as MD, from where he moved to EIB International as General Manager in April 2002, becoming MD/CEO after barely four months.

He currently oversees Skye Bank Group's corporate banking, investment banking, treasury, and development finance.[/b]

,

Eyiye at the emergency ward of General Hospital, Gwarimpa

.

[b]After an all night intimacy, call girl jumps from four-storey hotel to escape from insatiable clients. Adelani Adepegba and Fidelis Soriwei report.

In the world of a girl identified as Eyiye, one of the major things that count is money. And it does not matter if she has to exploit her body to get it. This she had been doing for sometime until last Monday when she encountered two friends who literally took her through the valley of the shadow of death, right in a hotel room in Abuja .

Eyiye, from Edo State was one of the hordes of girls who came to the Federal Capital Territory believing they could make ends meet by soliciting for patrons at roadsides for a fee.

Eyiye who claimed to be a student of an unnamed higher institution in the FCT was approached by Alphonsus Nnadi, 26, and Tony Agbo, 25, for an all night sexual intercourse on Sunday evening, and after negotiations, struck a bargain.

The friends agreed to pay her N8,000 and she went with them to the Capital Lake Hotel, Jabi, where they got a room on the third floor.

The two men descended on Eyiye and had their fill of intimacy, with each of them doing four rounds till day-break, according to their statements to the police. In the morning, the girl was tired and weak from the long night, but Agbo was not yet done with her as he allegedly insisted on having one more round, which Eyiye felt she could not endure. She protested that she was weak and hungry, but Agbo did not see that as a problem.

He offered to get her meat-pie and a drink. Nnadi, who was also tired from the exertions of the night, asked his friend to lock the room and go with the key “because the girl may sneak away with my expensive phone if I slept off.”

After Agbo had left to fetch the food, Eyiye asked Nnadi to get hot water from the bathroom to massage her raw private part. Immediately he left, she wrapped the thick bed blankets around herself and dived through the window to the ground, breaking her waist and sustaining other injuries. Hotel staff and sympathisers rushed to her aid and called in the police who assisted in taking her to the General Hospital, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Eyiye in an interview explained that she decided to take the risk of jumping from the third floor of the hotel when she heard Nnadi and Agbo discussing how to kill her and cut out her private part for rituals. She said they were speaking in “Rivers (State) language.” She complained that she was only paid N4000 instead of the N8000 they agreed to give her. “I decided to jump because they wanted to kill me for ritual. I heard one of then telling someone on the phone that I have the type of womanliness they were looking for,” she alleged.

Nnadi who hailed from Imo State had a different version of the incident when he spoke to our correspondents on Wednesday at the Life Camp Police Station where he and his friend were being detained. He explained that he and Agbo had a cordial evening with Eyiye when they took her to the room.

“I offered to get her a job if she would quit being a harshie (harlot) and I even allowed her to use my phone. If I was a ritualist, would I have done that? I believe it was because she heard me speaking on phone with a client about a real estate deal running to N45m. Maybe it was what the girl heard and she thought I was a ritual killer. I swear to God am a Christian, it is quite unfortunate that this happened, but I have no intention of using the girl for ritual,” he defended himself.

Agbo from Benue State, said what got him involved with Eyiye was his wet clothes which prevented him from going to work early. “I was sticking around waiting for my clothes to dry when I decided to have another round with her. It’s a lie that we wanted to kill her because I came back voluntarily when Nnadi called me on phone from the eatery when I went to get snacks for her when the police came after she had jumped out of the room. Am happy she didn‘t die because that would have been a different thing altogether,” he said.

Policemen at the station stated that preliminary investigation indicated that what transpired between the trio was a normal sexual transaction which however went awry.

For now, Eyiye is nursing her raw and bruised parts while her erstwhile lovers rue their misdeed.[/b]

You guys are attacking yourselves instead of attacking the issue at stake.

must he be president

.

[b]SOURCE PUNCH ON LINE
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s defection from the Action Congress and his rejection by some Peoples Democratic Party members clearly indicate that he still has many hurdles to cross, OLUSOLA FABIYI writes.

Former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar is not new to battles. He has fought scores of them. Luckily for him, he came out victorious in some while from others, he escaped with severe injuries. His battle over his indictment by a panel set up by the Federal Government prior to the conduct of the 2007 general elections was a clear case of one those he fought and came out triumphantly. After several days in numerous courts, he had his indictment nullified and was allowed to contest.

His brawl with his former boss, former president Olusegun Obasanjo, over the rumoured third term ambition of the latter was another fight from which he came out without any scar. However, many would say that it was this fight that sent him out of the Peoples Democratic Party, a party which he helped to found in 1998. That temporarily halted the ambition of the Turaki Adamawa as he had to pit his tent with the Action Congress.

Atiku and his supporters might have felt that there was no way he could realise his presidential ambition in the AC and that he had to return to the PDP. Before doing that, he resigned his membership of the AC, which rescued him from the jaws of the hawks within the PDP in 2007. In his April 6 resignation letter, which was addressed to the chairman of the party in Yelli Ward, Kojoli – Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State, he said he was quitting the party with immediate effect. While thanking the party for making him its presidential candidate in the 2007 presidential election, he said he was leaving the party with mixed feelings and that he had returned to the PDP where he said many of his friends and political associates are.

In his letter to the AC, he said, “No doubt, I owe a debt of gratitude to the leaders of AC for inviting me to be their presidential candidate in the 2007 presidential election, after I reluctantly left my party following my unjust expulsion. The circumstances of my exit from PDP are so well known to Nigerians. The values and ideals of the party were deliberately trampled upon by anti-democratic forces.”

Atiku, however, lamented that his efforts to help build a strong national opposition party were frustrated by “factionalisation, intrigues and divided loyalties to particular individuals.”

According to him, opposition parties need to enjoy broader national appeal and present superior democratic credentials such as internal democracy and tolerance of dissent. He regretted that the opposition lacked these credentials.

It was with this in mind that he probably came to the party’s headquarters to confer with its chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and other members of the party’s National Working Committee on April 13. Looking relaxed and confident that his return would help in realising his much-desired dream, Atiku said he was at the party secretariat to inform the officials that he was back as a member. According to him, “Yes it is my party, so I am back. I went to inform him (Ogbulafor) formally that I have returned to the party since last week.” When prodded further if he was nursing any presidential ambition, he remained evasive saying he should be allowed to “settle down first.”

But signs that all might not be well with his returning to “his party” surfaced few minutes after he left the PDP’s headquarters when Ogbulafor said the former VP’s fate would be decided by the party’s constitution. Ogbulafor said the constitution was clear on the fate of those just joining and those returning to the party either as a result of suspension or voluntary return after leaving. According to the party’s chairman, “This is a political party’s office and it is open to all Nigerians and like I said the umbrella is large enough to accommodate several Nigerians. If all Nigerians decide to join the PDP that is a pass mark to the party. Therefore, when the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, came to the office wishing to see me, we discussed on many issues regarding his coming back to the party; his intention and the rest of them. Why should I set term for him? The party has a constitution. In our constitution, if you are suspended you have a period of term to serve. If you are coming back, the constitution set such conditions for coming back. The party constitution has made that clear.”

Article Eight of the constitution stipulates on the eligibility for membership.

For those returning to the party, Article 8.9 also says “persons who desire to rejoin the party after leaving it shall, unless exempted by the National Working Committee, shall be placed on probation for a period of time not less than a year.

“On the payment of prescribed fees, a member on probation shall have the right to attend all meetings of the party but shall not be entitled to vote at such meetings.” Asked if the NWC members would not consider the Alex Ekwueme report, which preached reconciliation in Atiku’s case, he said “no.”

As if he was not reading the handwriting on the wall, Atiku on April 27 addressed a press conference in Abuja where he brandished his PDP membership card, with number 5438200, as an affirmation of his return to the party. He stressed that he had been duly registered by the PDP in his ward in Adamawa State contrary to report that he was denied registration. The ex-VP was in company with one Chief Smedan Teneke, who claimed to be the state chairman of the party, at the event.

Two days after the press conference, the Adamawa chapter of the PDP accused Atiku of flaunting fake party’s registration card. The party insisted that the former VP was yet to register with it as stipulated by the party’s constitution. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the recognised State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Umaru Kugama, said that those who claimed to be officials of the party during Atiku’s press conference were impostors. He also claimed that PDP members in the state did not want the former VP back in their fold after abandoning them for three years.

The chairman said he had evidence that Atiku and his associates were bent in re-joining the party to either take illegal control or destroy the party. Kugama said, “During his (Atiku’s) press conference two days ago, we saw him brandishing what he called his PDP registration card, which was purportedly issued to him at his ward, Yelli in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

“He also introduced three persons he identified as chairmen of PDP in his ward, local government and state. It is very unfortunate that the former vice president could stoop so low to the extent of consciously abetting impersonation; simply because he is desperate to return to the PDP and use it as a platform in achieving his objective of becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2011.

“As the chairman of the PDP in Adamawa State, I should like to call on Nigerians to disregard the claims made by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that he was registered at Yelli Ward. Atiku has not been re-registered in the party since he willingly left it three years ago heaping insults on all its leadership and the party itself and formed his Action Congress. You could recall that even recently he heaped insults on the leadership of the party and the nation under the leadership of the PDP. From all the evidence before us, Atiku and his associates are bent in re-joining the party in order to either take illegal control or destroy the party.”

To further worsen his case, the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, who confirmed Kugama as the authentic chairman of the party in Adamawa state, said that for the mere fact that Atiku visited the party’s headquarters was enough to say that he is back to the party. He said “If our party in Adamawa says that he is not registered, I will only plead with Atiku, our respected Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to please do the right thing by going back to ensure that he approaches the right people, not any faction of our party and ensure that he gets the necessary documents there. As far as we are concerned, Atiku or any other Nigerian is free to come back to the party but he must follow the due process.”

In all these, Atiku still insists that he has fulfilled all constitutional requirements for re-entry into the party, claiming that he has been duly registered by his Yelli Ward Chairman, Mr. Vitalis Njobdi (a.k.a. Kosa). He added that any other person claiming to be the chairman of the party in his ward is fake. Did the likes of former Minister of External Affairs and a chieftain of AC, Chief Tom Ikimi, envisage these encumbrances before refusing to return to the PDP? If they did, then Atiku and his associates, like Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Senator Ben Obi, Chief Dapo Sarumi, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, Chief Dubem Onyia and Chief Titi Ajanaku did not. However, only time will tell who will laugh last. [/b]

Mohammed Namadi Sambo is the Vice President-designate of Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was appointed Vice President on 12th May 2010. Pending confirmation by both houses of the National Assembly, he would assume office. An architect by training, Sambo is an alumnus of the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.[1]

When Governor Arch Mohammed Namadi Sambo assumed office at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House (Government House May 29, 2007) Kaduna, the administration came in with the priority goal of running a government that is dedicated to the service of collective interests of the State as necessitated by the peculiar socio political and economic environment. Namadi’s 11 point Agenda for the state is an epoch vision, principled and guided by matching words with action. Governor Arch Namadi Sambo has continued to run an open and responsive government. He has been exhibiting the principles of fairness, social justice, and equity and has always ensured sound financial management, transparency and the guarantee of efficiency and good governance. Apart from the enormous support being rendered to the Security Agencies in the state, the administration has created Operation Yaki to rapidly respond to security and maintenance of peace all around the metropolis and environs in the state.

.

this news gladdens my heart.
SHAME ON DAVID MARK, AYOGU EZE AND JOY I[b]MUD[/b]I

[b]punch

Alphonsus Igbeke

The Court of Appeal in Enugu on Wednesday ordered the Senate President, David Mark, to inaugurate Chief Alphonsus Igbeke of the All Nigeria Peoples Party as the senator representing Anambra North senatorial district.

The appellate court also dismissed the two applications of Joy Emodi of the Peoples Democratic Party, on the grounds that it lacked merit.

In an unanimous decision read by the chairman of the five-man panel, Justice Sulaiman Galadima, the appellate court reaffirmed its earlier judgment that Igbeke should be allowed to take his seat in the Senate without further delay.

The appellate court added that the Independent National Electoral Commission had already complied with its earlier judgment by issuing him a Certificate of Return.

The court’s verdict was sequel to two applications by Emodi, challenging its nullification of her election as the senator representing Anambra North senatoral zone.

The PDP candidate had sought for an order to set aside the said judgment delivered on March 25; as she claimed that the judgment was passed without taking into consideration the previous verdict of the same court on February 10, 2009 upholding her election.

She also asked the court to refer the matter to the Supreme Court, for it to examine constitutional issues raised by the two judgments; or in the alternative, the Appeal Court should look at the judgments for a review and interpretation.

But Justice Galadima held that the first appeal, which concerned Jessie Balonwu of the Labour Party against Emodi and others was dismissed becaue of the failure of the petitioner (Balonwu) to join the presiding officers who were considered as parties in the matter.

He noted that the second appeal by Igbeke was considered on its merit, and all the issues resolved in his favour; as he was not a party to the first appeal decided by the court.

He said, “There must be a substantial cause of law and that the issue for reference must have arisen from proceedings of court and must affect the determination of the issue; unless the issue of reference is not tenable.

“Since the issues involved in this case are not capable of more than one interpretation, the application for reference is therefore refused and dismissed by the court.

“From the foregoing, it is clear that the court only had the opportunity to pronounce on the merit of the second petition by Igbeke. The court resolved all the issues in his favour and set aside the decision of the lower tribunal.

“The court held that the appellant polled majority of the votes and ought to have been returned. The court ordered the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return issued to the first respondent (Emodi) and that a fresh Certificate of Return be issued to the appellant (Igbeke) as senator representing Anambra North.”





“That judgment cannot be set aside. It is a judgment determined on its merit. The ground of this application is not enough to set it aside. The judgment is not a nullity. The orders being sought by this applications having failed, they are hereby dismissed.”

Another member of the panel, Justice Olu Ariwola, pointed that the Court lacked the power to review its judgment.

Ariwola said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the applications by the PDP candidate lack merit, and is hereby dismissed.”[/b]

.

Please who has any confirmation?

Babangida arrived at the Ogbe Stadium, venue of the event in a Toyota Coaster bus in company with Oshiomhole; Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), who represented Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

imagine!

wining and dinning with Babangida

Why should Tinubu and the rest who claim to be progressives run from the evil genius?

Babangida is not ashamed of himself.

[b]IBB: Soyinka, Tinubu, others boycott Oshiomhole’s rally

By Friday Olokor and Mudiagha Affe, Published:PUNCH Friday, 30 Apr 2010

Ibrahim Babangida

The inauguration of the “One man, One vote” rally by the Edo State Government was almost marred on Thursday as a Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and leaders of the Action Congress shunned the event.

The AC leaders were the National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; a former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the National Publicity Secretary of the AC , Alhaji Layi Mohammed; the party’s governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and his Osun State counterpart, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola.

They were said to have arrived at the Benin Airport for the event only to be disappointed at the VIP lounge, having watched on television, the array of political heavyweights from the Peoples Democratic Party, including a former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, and the President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark, listed as invitees.

Soyinka and the AC leaders immediately flew back to Lagos in two chartered flights.

Mohammed, who confirmed the development in an interview with our correspondent in Benin, explained that they were duly invited to the occasion by Oshiomhole, adding that as a governor elected on the platform of the AC, they had arrived in Benin to support him to strengthen democracy.

He explained that they decided to return to Lagos because they did not want to be seen to be in support of Babangida’s presidential ambition.

Mohammed expressed surprise that Mark, who frustrated the recommendations of Justice Muhammadu Uwais committee report on electoral reform, was made chairman of the occasion. Mark was however absent.

Babangida arrived at the Ogbe Stadium, venue of the event in a Toyota Coaster bus in company with Oshiomhole; Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), who represented Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

When contacted, the Edo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Anselm Ojezua, said the state government could not have persuaded the AC chieftains and Soyinka to stay back since it had no control over them.

He said, “Since the AC chieftains are not under the control of the state government, there is no way we could control them.

”The position of the state government is that we provided a forum wherein all concerned will be involved. It was supposed to be an all-inclusive affair rather than exclusive. I am not in a position to tell you why they shunned the event, they should tell you.

”The invitation of the people mentioned, even in the capacity in which they participated, in my opinion, was to reflect that situation and ensure that everybody who was involved in the process was represented. That is the position that nobody is left out.”

Even though the AC chieftains and Soyinka shunned the rally, Babangida did not escape attacks as speaker after speaker attacked him for annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential election adjudged to be the freest in the country.

A former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress and current Secretary-General of Organisation of Africa Trade Union, Mr. Hassan Summonu, set the pace for the anti- Babangida campaign when he appealed to Nigerians to never again allow any free and fair elections to be annulled in the country again.

According to him, whoever annulled the June 12 election was the cause of the problem Nigeria was passing through today.

Other speaker that condemned Babangida were the President of Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; and a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

While Okei-Odumakin stressed that Nigerians needed a public apology for the annulment of June 12 election, Keyamo said “we protest the presence of Babangida at this rally.”

Babangida, who did not speak at the event, later told journalists at the Benin Airport that, “Those who spoke were entitled to their rights because the beauty of democracy is that you agree to disagree.”

In his speech, Jonathan commended Oshiomhole for organising the rally, stating that it was an important contribution in the ongoing debate by all patriots for credible elections in the country.

He said, “Any society or country must not close the vital valves of its democratic space. For where there is no opportunity for one man, one vote, there will be no accountability and correspondingly no responsibility.”

In his speech, Oshiomhole explained that the rally was non-partisan, but a forum of Nigerians who appreciated the need to deepen democracy through credible election based on “One man, One vote.”

He stated that in democracy, two elements were critical – the people and voters are king, and that whoever holds office does so at the mercy of the electorate.

Oshiomhole, who praised Jonathan for demonstrating neutrality during the re-rerun election in Etsako Central and Anambra state governorship elections, urged youths to resist being used as thugs during elections.

Many other speakers expressed support for “One man, One vote” with former old Kaduna state Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, raising the alarm that the likelihood of credible elections in Nigeria was slim in spite of the Uwai committee report.[/b]

source-punch

On IBB’s goal for Presidency in 2011 By Hafsat Abiola, Published: Tuesday, 27 Apr 2010



[b]
On IBB’s goal for Presidency in 2011



I first heard about IBB‘s declaration of intent to run for the position of President of Nigeria while in Jakarta attending the World Movement for Democracy‘s 6th Assembly. Since then, many people on social networks like Facebook have been asking me to join one or other campaign opposing IBB‘s bid to run. So far, I haven‘t done so. Principally because I think all citizens in a democratic country have a right to seek any office in the land. Indeed, this principle was precisely what both my parents gave their lives to defend.



However, as a concerned Nigerian, I would like to register my reservations about his declaration. Nigeria is a long story of stalled potential. So rich in human and other resources, it should be the jewel on the continent‘s crown. Yet, here we are, divided across ethnic nations, religion and class, poorer now than we were at independence.



The challenge of moving the country forward is daunting, indeed, and the single leadership currency that stands between failure and success is not past experience, nor capacity, but trust. Nigerian people must trust whoever steps forward to lead them.



Unfortunately, trust is an elusive quality even in the best of times, emanating from an individual‘s ability to do what he or she says.



Considered in this manner, no other public figure suffers from a greater deficit of trust than IBB. We could speak about so many reasons for this deficit, but let us focus on one: June 12, 1993. On that day, millions of people lined up to cast their vote because they trusted their head of state who had organised the elections, who had promised to step aside for a democratic government based on the results. These millions saw the elections annulled, their votes set aside. Till today, IBB has given no credible explanation for failing to do what he said, for letting Nigerians down.



In 2011, Nigeria‘s next president will promise to meet the country‘s challenges. So much of his or her success will depend on the people believing what is said. After all, it is the people that must carry out the policies designed to realise his objectives. If they do not believe, they will subvert even the best of plans.



Who believes someone who has a record of not doing what he says? Who believes someone who does not take responsibility for his own actions? Who will sacrifice current gratification because this same leader now promises that the future would be better, if we only wait? However much IBB may wish things to be different, under the shadow of his past actions, he will only be seen as a continuation of all that is wrong.



Should IBB wish to be taken seriously, before even conceiving a campaign, he should seek to close his credibility gap. ‘Maradona,‘ ‘evil genius,‘ and all these other epithets point to qualities of a liar, a dupe, a fraud. That persona may have been an asset in the context of a military dictatorship but in the quest for a leader that can move Nigeria forward, it is a liability. Whatever his camp may say, until this credibility gap is closed, average Nigerians listening to IBB will do so with a smirk, understanding that as he has not cleaned his hands, he need not be taken seriously.



Ultimately, as the country marks its 50th anniversary, the next election gives Nigeria a chance to turn the corner. Since independence, our country and its peoples have endured one failed promise, one experience of inadequate leadership after another. Perhaps it is time that out of love for our one and only country we vote for a leader we can trust. This will not guarantee success. But without such a leader, failure is assured.



Abiola-Costello is the daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola.[/b]

[b]Saharareporters has learned that Maurice Iwu, the embattled chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has authorized a plan by his family and other US-based hirelings to organize a protest against Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s acting president who arrives the US tomorrow, and President Barack Obama. Our sources disclosed that Iwu, who has a long history of fraud, has been infuriated since learning that Jonathan is dead set against renewing him as INEC chair.

“He’s not taking his impending sack lightly, and he has decided to take the fight to the US,” said one of our sources who is in Iwu’s circles.

Our sources revealed that the protests are being organized by Iwu’s children in the Maryland area as well as some associates who have benefited from Iwu’s corrupt largesse since he assumed office five years ago as INEC chairman.

“Some of the protesters will carry placards condemning Jonathan’s decision to remove Iwu while others will criticize the Obama administration for openly demanding Iwu’s ouster,” said one source. He added that Iwu instructed that the demonstrators try to speak to the US media and to emphasize that “Obama should not interfere in the internal affairs of Nigeria.”

Over the last five weeks, Iwu has launched an extensive campaign in a bid to retain his seat as head of the electoral commission. A senior INEC source told Saharareporters that Iwu “is disdainful of the idea that a majority of Nigerians as well as the US, the UK and the EU would want to see him step aside.” The source added that Iwu’s campaign to retain his post is being financed by some politicians propelled into office by Iwu’s fraudulent electoral methods. “Professor Iwu enjoys the support of the powerful but amorphous organization of Nigerian state governors known as ‘Governors Forum’ as well as many members of the National Assembly that he helped rigged into office in 2007. Most of Iwu’s campaign budget has come from Governor Ohakim [of Imo] who fears that his reelection will become impossible if Iwu leaves INEC,” added the source.

Two weeks ago, former Biafran leader Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu drew sharp criticism when he canvassed support for Iwu’s re-appointment as INEC chair. Ojukwu, who is leader of APGA, based his support on the conduct of the February 6 2010 governorship election in Anambra which he described as exemplary. Incumbent Governor Peter Obi of APGA was declared winner of the election.

Iwu’s war chest and ferocious campaign have been countered by widespread demonstrations against him. “Mr. Iwu’s departure would be one signal from the Jonathan administration of a commitment to credible polls in 2011,” a State Department official told Saharareporters today.

Investigation by Saharareporters revealed that Iwu’s reputation for fraud long predated his appointment into INEC. He used a fake bachelor’s degree to gain admission into Bradford University in London where he studied pharmacology. In 1993, Iwu stole $45,000 that was mistakenly credited to his account with CITIBANK. When the bank discovered the mistake, Iwu claimed he withdrew and spent the money because he thought it came from some research grants he had applied for. Iwu did not fully repay CITIBANK until his appointment as INEC chair. Iwu’s most startling fraud was when he claimed he had invented a cure for the dreaded Ebola virus. Based on the false claim, the US government gave him a huge research grant that ran into more than $4 million. “The sad part of the scam is that Iwu’s lab never produced even a soup,” said a US scientist knowledgeable about the issue.

Earlier today, aides to Jonathan told Saharareporters that the acting president “has no plans to renew Iwu’s tenure when it expires in June. A US source also corroborated the assertion, telling our reporter that Washington was confident that “Mr. Iwu will definitely be let go.”

A source in Abuja told Saharareporters that Jonathan decided not to fire Iwu arbitrarily “so that Professor Iwu’s friends in the [Nigerian] Senate would not have cause to give a hard time to Iwu’s replacement.” Our sources said Jonathan has vetted several candidates and already settled on Iwu’s replacement.

Jonathan is scheduled to arrive the US tomorrow on a four-day working visit that would include a meeting on Sunday with President Obama as well as a series of other meetings, speeches and engagements.

The US trip is the first since his appointment as Acting President.[/b]

I think the visit of Dr.Goodluck to White House will give us goodluck

Source: Punch
http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201003225475742

The tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Maurice Iwu, may not be extended if feelers that emanated from the Presidency in Abuja on Sunday turn out to be true.



A Presidency source told our correspondent on the telephone that Iwu’s fate had been sealed as four prominent Nigerians had been shortlisted as his likely successors.



The source, who said that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to enthrone a credible electoral process, named a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), as one of the four men.



The others are a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Attahiru Jega; the Director of Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim; and the President of Transparency Nigeria, an arm of Transparency International, Maj-Gen. Ishola Williams (rtd.).



He added that it was an open secret that Iwu‘s supervision of the electoral body had continued to attract condemnations.



The source said, “I can authoritatively tell you that the Presidency has made up its mind on Iwu. Since his five-year tenure will expire in June, the Presidency has decided to shop for a credible replacement.



“Please note that the four shortlisted candidates are men of proven integrity and I can tell you that the Acting President will have no difficulty in chosing one of them for the post.



“There is no way the Presidency will be insensitive to the criticism of Nigerians over the tenure of INEC boss and pretend that all is well with the leadership of the electoral body. Don‘t forget that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the present INEC is not competent to organise election is still binding until it is set aside by a higher court.”



Agbakoba, a prominent lawyer from the South-East and and human rights activist, is well respected in the civil society, having founded the Civil Liberties Organisation during military rule.



Jega played a pivotal role in the fight to ensure that the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida-led military government improved the welfare of university teachers.



Williams is respected for his contributions to the country’s war against corruption, while Ibrahim, the director the non-governmental organisation, the CDD, had also made impact on the civil society community.



Also, Williams, Agbakoba, Jega and Ibrahim were members of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais-led 22-member Electoral Reform Committee.



President Umaru Yar‘ Adua had inaugurated the committee to review the electoral system and ensure that subsequent elections met international standards. The panel had submitted its report to Yar’Adua before he went to Saudi Arabia for treatment of Acute Pericarditis late last year.



Though efforts made to reach Agbakoba was unsuccessful as at press time, one of his lawyers, Mr. Norrison Quakers, told our correspondent that he (Agbakoba) would soon react to the issue.