₦airaland Forum

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday said that he would embrace former President Olusegun Obasanjo if  both met.

“I will embrace him (Obasanjo) if he walks to the airport now,’’ Babangida said when reporters asked what he would do if Obasanjo walked into him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Libyan Rebels have taken full control of Gadhafi's compound and the man who ruled the country with iron fists for 42 years is still no where to be found. The rebels are however celebrating this remarkable achievement right inside the fortress that used to be Gadhafi's seat of power.

Fierce fighting erupted around Moammar Gadhafi’s main military compound in Tripoli on Tuesday, hours after the Libyan leader’s son and heir apparent turned up free to thwart Libyan rebel claims he had been captured and rally supporters.

The surprise appearance of Seif al-Islam energized regime loyalists and underlined the potential for Gadhafi, whose whereabouts remain unknown, to strike back even as his grip on power seemed to be slipping fast.

Street battles between pro-Gadhafi troops and rebels were reported in several parts of the city, and the mood turned from one of euphoria to confusion and fear a day after opposition fighters swept into the capital with relative ease, claiming to have most of it under their control.

Thick clouds of gray and white smoke filled the Tripoli sky as heavy gunfire and explosions shook several districts of the city of 2 million people.

NATO warned the situation in Tripoli remains very dangerous and promised the alliance will continue bombing forces loyal to the 69-year-old Libyan leader if they keep fighting.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday called on the three tiers of government to work in harmony and place economic issues on the front burner of their administrations.

The president made the call while inaugurating the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

NEC is the highest statutory economic decision making body of the government under the chairmanship of the vice-president with the 36 state governors and the minister of the Federal Capital Territory as members.

Other members of council are the Attorney-General of the Federation, the chief economic adviser to the president, the National Planning minister, the governor of Central bank of Nigeria and the minister of Finance.

The president said the economy of the country must be made a topmost priority by all levels of government.

A U.S.- based Nigerian attorney, Oby Aniagoh, says the Obama administration’s new immigration policy on deportation is a positive sign that will renew the hope of thousands of illegal African immigrants.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Aug. 18, announced that many illegal immigrants who were facing deportation but had no criminal record, would be allowed to stay in the country.

The new rule will allow illegal immigrants without criminal records to apply for a work permit from the Homeland Security Department.

Under the new policy, some 300,000 deportation cases pending in the U.S. Immigration Court will now be reviewed.

Aniagoh, an Atlanta-based Immigration Attorney, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there were approximately 10,000 Nigerians on deportation/removal proceedings in the U.S.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday, broke his silence on some allegations recently levelled against him, concerning the privatisation programme, saying he was ready to defend his role in the exercise.

He said that former military ruler, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s criticism of the handling of the energy project during his (Obasanjo’s) tenure was not well thought out.

Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta after the visit of a U.S. team that came on a visit to the Obasanjo Presidential Library.

Obasanjo recently came under intense criticisms for his role in the privatisation programme, currently being investigated by a Senate Ad-hoc Committee.

Babangida had on the eve of his 70th birthday anniversary on Aug. 16, blamed Obasanjo for the prevailing poor power supply in the country, accusing him of wasting a whopping $16 billion on electricity without achieving any result.

A Nigerian, Ms Bola Akande, has emerged the First African to be appointed the City Administrator of Brentwood in the state of Missouri, U.S.

Akande beat 40 other contenders to clinch the appointment.

City officials said in a statement that she had a 19-year track record of serving large, mid-size and small municipalities.

Akande’s first task since assuming office this month would be to prepare the 2012 budget for the City of Brentwood.

Her other duties include co-ordination of federal and state governments’ programmes for Brentwood as well as the work of elected officials of the city.

She will also establish and initiate city policies and serve as its accounting officer.

Archbishop of Lagos has condemned the verbal war between  two former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.

He said that the inflammatory comments were unexpected from men of their calibre

This is contained in statement issued by the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu.

Okogie said such public outburst by the two former leaders were uncomplimentary and demeaning and capable of heating up an
already charged polity.

He stated: “I was quite shocked to read on the pages of newspapers the rather unruly comments credited to each of the men.

“It is quite unfortunate and scandalous that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida have decided to wash their dirty linens in the public.

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday said it had arrested an illegal oil bunkering vessel carrying 441, 953 litres of crude oil.

Commodore Jerry Unoarumhi, Commanding Officer NNS Pathfinder, Rivers, made this known to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

He said that a navy offshore patrol team, FOB FORMOSA, made the arrest while on routine patrol off the Nun River around the Brass area of Bayelsa.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech will be sidelined for three to four weeks after suffering a knee ligament injury in training, manager Andre Villas-Boas told a news conference on Thursday.

Cech fell awkwardly during Wednesday’s session and Chelsea will be hoping he returns in time for the Premier League trip to champions Manchester United on Sept. 18.

Cech appears certain to miss the Czech Republic’s Euro 2012 Group I qualifier tie in Scotland on Sept. 3.

Villas-Boas said: “Petr Cech yesterday suffered a medial ligament injury and will be out for three to four weeks.

The INEC on Thursday in Abuja deregistered seven political parties for not winning any political seat at the April general elections.

Prof. Attihiru Jega, the Commission’s Chairman, announced this at a news conference, adding that the action was in accordance with the provision of the Electoral Act.

“In pursuant to the provision of section 78 sub-section 72 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, INEC hereby
de-registers the following political parties: Democratic Alternative, National Democratic Council, National Action Council, Masses Movement of Nigeria, Nigerian People`s Congress, Nigerian Element Progressive Party and National Unity Party.’’

The deep animosity between former president, General Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida was today blown full scale as OBJ has responded to the allegation by IBB that his eight years reign as a civilian president is nothing but a failure by referring to IBB as a fool at 70.

OBJ said this at his residence in Ota when prompted by press men to respond to IBB’s allegations.

This further generated into some kind of allegations and counter allegations as the IBB team responded that a man who was accused by his son of Inbreeding can not refer to IBB as a fool. IBB claims that Nigerians know who the real fool is.

The Ministry of Youth Development is to partner with selected ministries to create jobs for the 68 million confirmed jobless Nigerian youths.

Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, the Minister of Youth Development, made this known on Thursday in Abuja when he visited Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He said the collaboration was necessary to save the future of the country.

He explained that for his ministry to address the challenges posed by youth unemployment, there was the need to explore opportunities and create the platform that would assist the Nigerian youth to secure jobs and become independent.

He said that reason underscored the need for a strong partnership between his ministry and that of agriculture.

“The 68 million population of Nigerian youths is three times the population of Ghana, the next most populous country in West Africa.

“God forbid, if anything happens to this huge population of people, the entire West Africa is in trouble.

Another El Classico ended with the usual controversy resulting in red cards for players from both teams and Barcelona winning the game.

The match finished with a mass brawl on the touchline as tempers boiled over after substitute Cesc Fabregas, making his debut, was hacked down by Marcelo and the Brazilian defender, Mesut Ozil of Real and Barca’s David Villa were all sent off.

While this was happening, Murinho  was caught on camera poking the eye of a Barcelona bench staff and immediately walking away as though he had done nothing wrong.

Lionel Messi volleyed the winner as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 in a fiery Spanish Super Cup second-leg on Wednesday to secure a 5-4 aggregate victory after three players were sent off near the end.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the newly sworn-in Minister of Finance, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and other professionals in his cabinet pulled from the Diaspora will not be paid in foreign currencies.

The President disclosed this in his remarks on Wednesday shortly after the swearing-in of Okonjo-Iweala as Finance Minister in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“Let me also thank other ministers brought in from the Diaspora, we know it is quite challenging to move from developed countries to Nigeria.

“The question sometimes asked, and I know for Ngozi it is embarrassing, is that when she accepted to serve, it was in the media that she gave conditions to be paid in dollars.

“Let me formally announce to Nigerians that she accepted to serve just like any other minister and indeed others who came from the Diaspora have not asked us for dollar salary.

“They are going to receive salary and allowances like others in the cabinet. They are coming to serve the country and are not coming because of their personal aggrandisement,’’ he said.

Mr Dipo Ayeni, the Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, has said that Mr Michael Obi, the father of Nigerian international and Chelsea of England midfielder, Mikel Obi, was missing and “not abducted’’. “Nobody has reported any case of abduction to the police.

The report we have received is that of someone missing,’’ Ayeni told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Tuesday. “The Police Command is gathering relevant information that will give a positive clue about the whereabouts of the old man,” Ayeni added. He said there was no clue yet on the whereabouts of the man, noting that the Police Command was “working hard to ensure that he is found alive, hale and hearty”.

Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, on Tuesday said the proposed single term for the President and Governors will not solve political problems of the country.
Babangida made the remark in Minna while exchanging views with the members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Niger Council as part of events to mark his 70th birthday slated for Wednesday.

“I do not believe a single tenure of six years will solve our problems and I had argued my position with friends on many occasions in the past and even now. “

He said the proposal for single term had been canvassed by previous administrations and that Nigerians ditched the parliamentary system for presidential system of governance.

Babangida said it was time Nigeria made the presidential system of government to work.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, has said that fighting corruption was a dangerous undertaking, likening it to holding a tiger by the tail.


Waziri, who made the statement on Monday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on alleged moves to relieve her of her job as reported by a section of the media, described the report as baseless and insisted that she would continue to fight corruption.

Prof. Folusho Okunmade, the Country Representative of the bank, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that the bank’s disposition followed the Federal Government’s request for its assistance in providing employment opportunities for the youth.

Okunmade said the World Bank had asked the Federal Government to work out a programme outline preparatory to the take-off of the scheme.

He said Nigeria and the World Bank had agreed on the approach to unemployment reduction in the country.

According to the country representative, the Federal Government and the World Bank will ensure that the programme becomes useful to the youth in their quest for self-employment.

Brig. Gen. Hassan Umaru, Commander, Military Special Task Force (STF) on security in Plateau, says law
and order have been restored in Heipang, near Jos where unknown attackers killed eight persons on
Sunday night.

He told newsmen in Jos on Monday that when the STF heard of the attack, troops were immediately
deployed to the area to repel the atta.ck, but that in the process, the vigilantes on the spot opened fire on
them.

“In retaliation, one of the vigilantes was shot. He later died on the way to the hospital, and his remains
have been deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) mortuary,” he said. Umaru explained that the youths in the area later staged violent protests demanding the withdrawal of the
STF troops.

He alleged that the protesting youths attacked the military vehicles and ransacked the troops’
accommodations. “To avoid more casualties, our troops have been withdrawn to Maraban-Jama’a, Jos,” he added.

KWARA State is set to join the list of oil-producing states in the country following the discovery of crude oil in Ara Orin in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Ahmed said the discovery was first highlighted by a farmer who discovered crude oil sprouting from his farm and seven other adjoining sites and alerted the state government.

Providing further clarification, he said geologists from the state Ministry of Industry and Solid Minerals were subsequently directed to confirm whether the substance was indeed crude oil and if so, identify the blend.

According to the governor, the ministry officials did not only confirm the substance as crude oil but identified the blend as Bonny Light, a high-grade of crude oil preferred by European and American refineries due to its unique properties, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr Muyideen Akorede.