₦airaland Forum

rusep: President of Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria (CRC) Comrade Shehu Sani has described the Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna State, who died in a helicopter crash recently, as an appeaser and not much of an achiever.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust in Kaduna yesterday, Sani said the late governor could not achieve much for the ordinary man in the state as his stewardship could not be noted for the schools he built or the hospitals he constructed or the housing estate he built for the poor.

"Northern Kaduna wanted him to be a stooge while southern Kaduna wanted him to be an ethnic irredentist and a bigot. He spent the better part of his era pleasing and appeasing. He pleased traditional rulers, religious leaders and godfathers", he said.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201212240495.html

He said Yakowa when he was alive he wanted his kinsmen to see him as a champion of their interest and aspirations while he also wanted northern Kaduna to see him as a unifying figure, saying if he had committed himself to the interest of the common man, he could have achieved both.

"The late Governor Yakowa is gone; he was a man of peace; a man who aspired to be a governor for all, a Herculean task for a deeply divided society. A society divided along religious lines cannot make a hero from a man who tries to satisfy both sides. We live in a society where you must take side to make a meaning.

"Yakowa's place in history will continue to excite mixed reactions. A man of Yakowa's status is most likely to be loved and hated. He is loved by his kinsmen who see him as one of them and he will be hated by his kinsmen who think he should have done more. Yakowa is loved by those not his kinsmen who think he served all equitably and was hated by his same stock who think he lived for his kinsmen," he said.

Yakowa when alive, according to him, surrounded himself with jingoists, xenophobes, parasites and loyalists to the seat of power who alienated him from the reality and basic needs of the common man, saying they fanned the embers of discord between him and his deputy.

Yakowa was not noted for corruption or flamboyance. He was a simple and humble man and his family has also proven to be so but leadership requires more than that, he said.

The preoccupation of his government, he said, was peace and security, saying the state had suffered worse in that aspect as billions of tax payers money went into the endless pit of security yet "churches were targeted at ease and hundreds of Muslims living in Southern Kaduna were slaughtered in cold blood'. "He met a divided state and left a divided state," he lamented.

On the new governor, Sani said Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero said the new governor is more of a technocrat who operated behind the scene. "He was emasculated and strangled for the period he served as a deputy governor. We are hopeful that he will bring to office his energy, vitality and zeal as a young man and we are hopeful he will use his experience in private and public life to chart a cause for his himself," he said.

That part made more sense and alot realistic.Don't stop there,it cuts across atleast every northern state.Its either tribal or religious.If anyone pulls through quietly then he or she has played ball wella on both sides.Not focusing on the real issues of nation or state building.The poorman too, in his stupidity would put his religion or tribe or area as his emphasis.Due to selfish mindset which is not even a priority to his well being.You see a man fight for someone that is a known vision-less or useless individual to attain a position simply because he/she is from same religion or ethnicity.
Everyday i look at the average Nigerian and all i see is lack of love for himself and his generation.This is as a result of his decisions,time and again.When hosting VIP or choosing persons or projects that should serve them.

^^^^^^^

NORTH NORTH NORTH!!!!!

I can say that the enemies of the North and Nigeria will never rest until the North is totally silenced the way they want it.From propaganda to actions meant to induce response, divisive,destructive results etc that can give rise to issues.If true,why tell the world certain persons of interest are being monitored!!! I strongly feel this information is a panicking response to a fearful perception of the North.Not an actual action being rolled out or initiated.Simply because if the aim is to catch persons with there pants down,you would want it to be done in secrecy.Otherwise i feel making it public is to tell some people you are being watched.likely by government loyalist and you better remain loyal to our wishes or you may simply be in trouble.Meaning the security person begin to re-align and choose where and who they share information with.Bringing more apprehension and killing the brotherhood spirit in them.
The military which is the likely candidate for any such issues,Has always being under a watchful mechanism meant to prevent any anti government stance.Right from the era of coups.gradual but surely the match towards splitting the armed forces is gaining grounds.When this is finally accomplish,i doubt Nigeria can survive.For me they remain the last thread holding the average Nigerians together apart from the elite.

How Anenih, Alison-Madueke, Others Robbed Nigeria Of N234bn Meant For Road Construction-PREMIUM TIMES
Posted: December 22, 2012 - 17:54
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/how-anenih-alison-madueke-others-robbed-nigeria-n234bn-meant-road-construction-premium-tim

Anthony Anenih and Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke
By Ogala Emmanuel
Despite his indictment, Mr. Anenih has now been appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan to head the NPA board.

Tony Anenih, recently re-appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan to head the board of the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, does not have a clean past in managing public funds, a 2009 senate report said.

In December 2009, a damning report detailing how Mr. Anenih, a former works minister and then leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allegedly mismanaged billions of naira meant for the rehabilitation and construction of Nigerian roads, was listed for debate – for the third time in a row – by the Senate.

The transport probe report is filled with revelations of alleged serial malpractices, and shows how, in 10 years (1999 to 2009), through multiple contract inflation frauds, connivance between contractors and government officials, some N645 billion was spent on 4,752 kilometres of road; shortchanging the government to the tune of N49 million on each kilometre of road worked on, amounting to approximately N233 billion.

The report, produced by a senate ad-hoc committee on transportation, led by Heineken Lokpobiri, blamed Anenih and his successors in the ministry, for the poor state of Nigerian highways during the period and called for their prosecution.

The report

The report shows that Nigeria’s public transportation sector, under the watch of Mr. Anenih and three others, was a cesspit of monumental corruption and fraud as contractors connived with government officials to defraud the country.

The report contains details of what its authors said was one of the nation’s largest portfolio of official scams at the time.
During its 20-day sitting in 2008, the ad-hoc committee said it scrutinised 532 written memoranda and listened to 248 presentations.

The committee said ministers and other senior officials of the ministries of transportation and Finance between 1999 and 2009 awarded multiple contracts for the same roads and paid for unapproved contracts.

According to the report, between 1999 and 2009, the ministry of transportation gave contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of 11, 591 km roads at a cost of N1.008 trillion – about N87 million per km.

During the same period, only 41 per cent of the roads were worked on, after close to 64 per cent of the contract value was paid.

In the 10-year period, work was done on only 4,752 kilometres of roads for N645.8 billion, at very high cost of N135.8 million per kilometre, defrauding the government N49 million on each kilometre.

“There was no commensurate value for funds expended on the roads from 1999 to 2009,” the committee said.

The committee said contractors, who were usually selected on questionable grounds, liaised with the leadership of the ministries and reduced the scope of awarded contracts without an equivalent scaling down on costs. In all cases, no one received any query from the internal audit.

The report said that under the reign of Tony Anenih, Adeseye Ogunlewe, Obafemi Anibaba and Cornelius Adebayo, road contracts were awarded depending only on estimates that were submitted by the bidding contractors, without prior design by the ministry.

The ministry also “fixed prices even before the roads were actually designed by the companies,” the report said.

The report detailed how about half – 46 per cent – of the companies that got jobs under Mr. Anenih and the three were not registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission at the time they were awarded contracts, against contract management rules.

It described the engineering representatives of the transport ministry as some of the most corrupt and lacking in technical expertise. “They granted clearances to the contractors when the jobs were far from finished,” the report said.

The current Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who – as minister of Transportation and Works – literally wept while inspecting the condition of the Benin-Ore road, was also indicted in the report.

The panel said Mrs. Alison-Madueke paid more than N1.2 billion into the private account of a company called Digital Toll Gates Limited, against the written advice of the Due Process Office.

Recommended for prosecution

The senators recommended that Tony Anenih, Adeseye Ogunlewe, Obafemi Anibaba and Cornelius Adebayo, who headed the transport ministry within that period, along with their Ministers of State and the Permanent Secretaries be prosecuted by the government for defrauding the nation.

The report also recommended the prosecution of Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who was the permanent secretary during the administration of all the ministers except Mr. Anenih’s. He was alleged to have crafted a means of splitting contracts into sizeable amounts to bring the values within the approving authority of his office. With this, projects with single appropriation were allegedly awarded by him separately sometimes to non-existing companies.

Swept under the carpet

That report was never considered on the floor of the senate.

The report, which took the ad hoc committee 18 months to produce, kept appearing on the senate’s order paper as a matter to be considered at the next plenary till February 2010 when it was again listed to be debated and adopted in March. That was its last listing before that senate session ended in June 2011.

Ayogu Eze, a member of the committee and spokesman for the senate at the time, said the report could have “skipped the minds of those in the Senate leadership” or, perhaps, the Rules and Business committee of the Senate failed to slate it for discussion.

The Rules and Business Committee schedules matters handed down to it by the Senate leadership for discussion.

Alloysius Etok, then chairman of the Rules and Business Committee explained at the time he could no longer schedule the probe report for debate because he got no green light from the then senate leadership, led by David Mark.

“I’m trying to prioritise them (issues to be discussed by the Senate) and again, they (the authors of the report) did not finish that job,” Mr. Etok said. “I was trying to weigh the options which I am still trying to talk to the leadership to see if we can now take the report in part. If the leadership agrees that we treat it in parts, then I will bring it up for the interest of the public and Nigerian people. If the leadership says we should wait till they bring the second part of the report, then I will wait.”

The report indicting Mr. Anenih was the first part of a larger investigation of alleged corruption in the transport sector since 1999 by the Lokpobiri led Senate ad-hoc committee.

The second part of the report, which lawmakers said detailed the misuse of the funds meant for the marine and air transport sector during that time, was never submitted.

Mr. Jonathan ignores indictment to reappoint Anenih

President Jonathan has now brushed aside that indictment hanging on Mr. Anenih’s neck, appointing him to head the board of the NPA. Critics say the appointment has once again underlined the president’s non-commitment to the war against corruption.

The presidency could not be reached to comment for this story. His spokespersons, Reuben Abati and Doyin Okupe, did not answer or return calls made to their telephones.

well in my own place its gotten worse.its either half current or complete blackout.This is in Abuja.Also i know some place PHCN is telling people they would start power supply shading.My office place is also having an unprecedented outage than before around wuse area.
I was also told over the radio that meter is suppose to be free.That it's simply walk in and get.My brother na big horrible lie.I carry my hand pay for meter 30K just to get after finally fighting for my right to have it for free or less after 1yr.I started paying a horrible price of 10K monthly flat rate for 2 rooms.so i decided from the maths paying flat or using a meter,which is cheaper.You bet is better i pay as i use cause that flat rate if i power everything down or suffer outage i go still pay.Being that i supplement with generator na heavy loss for me.
So if they told you only please don't always believe them.Na sometimes rumor of the highest order.Without doubt some places around claim improvement.but i don't think its new.Cause usually some how there are times in a year that power improves and then suddenly reverses later

GBAWE !!!!
He speaks with maturity and so much wisdom.He is got a complete understanding of the facts as they are and expresses sense in his tone and fariness in his position.

@antivirus,if you believe GEj is the better than than all of them then i want to say all credit to Obj for putting him there and choosing a good leader based on your assumption.what ever GEj does with all respect he is not the best and definitely is yet to accomplish anything at this point in time compared to the past.So if Obj is not credited for GSM then he should be credited for atleast crowning GEJ a good leader by your standards!!!
Meanwhile if you look round you would see FG infrastructure that are decaying over time.But if you check there history in every government that ever existed in Nigeria something of national pride was accomplished.Its GEJ rather that remains without a huge project to point and say it happened during my time.
Check the histories of our major federal roads, institutions,Federal buildings, refineries,hospitals and educational structures that exist today. You will see the years of work one past government or the other can be credited for.Now coming to GEJ Forget maintaining someone agenda or rehabilitating former projects which project has he as a leader initiated and deployed to conclusion as deputy gov,gov,vice president & now president.That is befitting the likes of third mainland bridge Lagos or the federal universities that exist in or nation?
hat the past leaders as you want but some of them have built one thing or the other that holds greatness and someone like GEJ is only trying to maintain or repair today.They initiated,built and concluded it from idea to reality and not just maintaining it.

Very good move from the presidency/FGN.It would help solve employment issues and technology transfer. Atleast we have several Auto companies in Nigeria. we have Innosun Anambra,PAN kaduna,Anamco Enugu and Volks wagen Lagos. because alot of them were gradually fading away. With this they would revive them and employ more staff.Also the Toyota,Honda,Kia and Hyundai car manufacturers that refuse to base in Nigeria would be considering the need to compete by setting up plants in Nigeria.

^^^^

Calabar — Founder of Faith Builders Ministry, in Calabar, Cross River State, Rev. John Ene-Obong and two members of the church, have been allegedly killed over a land dispute.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201212200897.html

Rev. Ene-Obong, who was allegedly killed penultimate Monday by irate youths over a land dispute in Ikot Ene-Obong community of the metropolis, was said to have returned to Nigeria from Canada barely a week before his death.

The pastor was allegedly killed alongside two others, whose names were given as Effiong Koko-Ette and Victor Ene-Boco.

Investigations revealed that the disputed land belongs to the family of the slain pastor and the death was a reprisal attack over an earlier killing of one Eton, who was killed in the same farm land over allegation that he was responsible for the maiming of another man identified as Effiong.

Effiong, it was gathered, was a victim of the protracted land dispute and now lives with just one leg after several gun shots, which led to one of his legs being amputated.

A family source, who did not want his name in print, said the pastor went on an inspection visit in company of the two other victims, when the incident occurred.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Umoh, said investigations were ongoing, adding that six persons had been arrested in connection with the killings, while the principal suspect was at large.

He said, "The state Criminal Investigation Department had taken over the matter. Six persons have so far been arrested in connection with that killing. There is one principal suspect that is still at large. However, those arrested are still in our custody and we would not release them until investigations had been concluded."

For me i believe alot of things could have gone wrong.If i am allowed to have my way it will be advisable to get the Italian manufacturers of this chopper to come and explain the high rate of accident with there product and why the fatality rate is so high. Alot of machines are made to survive difficult scenario, especially military spec machines and also to reduce risk of fatality.Since i have being hearing this chopper crash in Nigeria,no one has ever made it out a life. Are we sure we are buying the right things for our military/security personnel.
Lets also include following
Human errors to include sabotage and negligence
Mechanical defects from manufacturer and if this can be improved.

http://www.thenewtimespress.com/node?page=38
^^^ read this too to follow trend of things going on in Benue.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012
http://bigglaww..com/2012/11/man-arraigned-for-attempting-to.html
Man Arraigned For Attempting To Assassinate Benue State Governor

Governor Gabriel Suswam
A man who allegedly attempted to assassinate Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State in Vandeikiya Local Government Area of the state, has been arraigned before a Makurdi Chief Margistrate’s Court. According to the First Information Report, FIR, the suspect, Wer Yima of Tse Yima Agba, Mbangul, Vandeikiya council, was on October 30 said to be armed with a locally made pistol and dressed in military camouflage when he attempted to assassinate the governor.



Reports say that he forced his way through along the direction of the governor at the palace of the Ter Kunav, where the governor was paying homage before he was arrested. Yima was also alleged to have criminally trespassed into the palace of the Ter Kunav before the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by Sgt Tor Geri, cornered him and took him to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further interrogation. He was charged with conspiracy, wearing dress used by public servants, unlawful possession of firearms, criminal trespass and attempt to commit culpable homicide. The trial Magistrate, Mrs Theresa Wergba, refused to take the accused's plea for want of jurisdiction and adjourned the case to December 7 for further hearing.

The Politically Motivated Assassination in Benue State of Celestine Tsehemba Agber
Posted: October 27, 2011 - 18:38
http://saharareporters.com/report/politically-motivated-assassination-benue-state-celestine-tsehemba-agber

By Akaa Kwagh Agber
If only he knew that the beads that he wore proudly on his neck and arm would single him out for mafia-style assassination, he would have avoided it like the plague.

Late Celestine Agber, an ACN Chieftain and staunch supporter was a man well endowed with business acumen and a good dose of human relations. He used his acumen to succeed where others failed. Defying the attractions of urban life, Agber chose to live and do business in Ugbah, the Local Government headquarters of Logo in Benue State. He set up a micro-finance operation which became the epicenter of all commercial activities in Ugbah.

His assimilation and adaptation to life in Ugbah garnered him the respect and clout of the locals. He truly liked his adopted home, and gave his all for Ugbah. Although he hails from Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, Agber invested hugely in agriculture, property and micro-finance loans that benefitted citizens of Ugbah.

In 2007 he supported Gov. Gabriel Torwua Suswam and this won him the governor's personal recognition and admiration. Suswam's failure to develop Ugbah his own local government headquarters but instead adorned his nearby village of Gaambe with the good things of life brought friction between Gaambe and Ugondo, where Agber resided.

In 2011 when Prof. Ugbah, an Ugondo man joined the race for governor, naturally most Ugondo people queued up behind him. Agber who had resided in Ugondo for over three decades had no choice but to follow the lead of his Ugondo hosts. This was the beginning of his troubles with the government in power.

The ACN firmly took advantage of Suswam's failure and soon the message of change spread like wild fire throughout Benue State. Logo, the home of both PDP and ACN candidates became the epicenter of political activity. ACN developed a traditional style of leadership and even evolved a hierarchical structure akin to the Tiv traditional culture, represented by beads.

Following the structure, Agber was a natural choice to head the party activities. He became the de-facto Tor Party or Chief of ACN politics in Ugbah. This singular act attracted the ire of the traditional ruler of Logo, a consummate politician and PDP stalwart himself, who complained bitterly of the desecration of the traditional institution and clear usurpation of his traditional authority. Agber's financial standing gave him a clear advantage over the traditional ruler as he often held court and resolved thorny issues to the admiration of locals.

As the traditional ruler of Logo became restive, government house also became concerned about the soaring fortunes of ACN propelled by late Agber's political and business activities. When the traditional ruler complained to the paramount ruler the Tor Tiv, the Tor Tiv asked him to seek audience with the state governor and explain the details to him. He finally secured a meeting with the state governor who directed Conrad Wergba, Benue's death merchant and commissioner for Information. Conrad took charge of monitoring, planning and reporting to the Governor. A killer squad of young thugs was organized and funded by government house. In the meeting chaired by Conrad, it was agreed that Agber's business be rattled in a way that would provoke him to react.

In the days leading up to the execution, some of the young men went to government house Makurdi and returned with hard currencies, and went on a spending spree. A concerned citizen alerted the DPO to question the young men to explain their sudden wealth, only for the DPO to call him and hand him hundred dollar bill. The DPO confided in this concerned citizen that the boys gave him 200 USD.

A week later the same group were invited to Makurdi and later returned with another cache of cash and beer flooded Ugbah town all night. The next day, the boys gave the DPO a cash gift of two hundred thousand naira, out of which he gave the concerned citizen 50 thousand naira. When he asked again, the DPO asked him simply to be a cheerful receiver.

A few days passed and Agber's tipping truck was set on fire by the group in broad daylight and although the culprits were identified, the police failed to make any arrests.

The thugs warned Agber to relocate to his local government to avoid being sent back in a casket. Worried by the threats and the failure of the police to arrest the culprits, Agber went to the police to lodge a report that would be his "farewell address" to the police.

On October 13, Agber and his visiting relative were shot dead by "unknown" gunmen. The town was awoken by shouts from Agber’s home. Neighbors who rushed to offer help only came to find the duo in a pool of blood.

These are the names of Gov. Suswam’s high executioner, Commissioner Conrad Wergba’s killer squad involved in the murder of Celestine Agber and his cousin:

1. Tersoo Ambakya

2. Terzulum Nase

3. Gberindyer

4. Donald Akwer

5. Alhaji Orndiir

6. Joe B

7. Terwase Akume

8. Teryange Akume

9. Gwa Ukar

10. Sam Jiji

11. Terwase Chikor

Azazi, Yakowa Tragedy: Crashed Navy Helicopter Had ‘Engine Failure’ After 10 Trips
Posted: December 16, 2012 - 20:37
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/azazi-yakowa-tragedy-crashed-navy-helicopter-had-%E2%80%98engine-failure%E2%80%99-after-10-trips

By SaharaReporters, New York
The Nigeria navy executive Agusta 109E helicopter, which crashed yesterday killing Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa, former NSA Andrew Owoye Azazi and four others, had engine failure, naval sources have said.

SaharaReporters learned that the pilot of the helicopter communicated with the control tower in Port Harcourt to report the problem before it crashed to the ground and caught fire. The chopper belonged to the Nigeria navy, but it had been placed at the exclusive service of the president in the Niger Delta region.

The navy has had three Agusta 109E helicopters. In 2007, one of them crashed due to bad weather as it approached the Owerri airport in the night, accompanying INEC election materials. Four persons died in the crash.

The other two, NN07 and NN08, which actively worked the Bayelsa airspace yesterday, were commissioned in 2009.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the choppers had been placed almost exclusively at the service of President Goodluck Jonathan and his cronies, which is the reason why they were deployed to carry VIPs to and from the Port Harcourt International Airport for a private burial event of presidential aide Oronto Douglas that had no official value.

Prior to yesterday's deadly flight, the naval choppers also carried VIPs to the funeral of President Jonathan's brother, Meni, less than two weeks ago.

At the time of the crash, the helicopter had reportedly done 10 shuttle trips between Port Harcourt and the burial place of Mr. Douglas's father in Okoroba. Landing and taking off from the soccer field of a decrepit local school in the town.

The flight was reportedly the last one, but the engine failed some ten minutes after takeoff, leading to the fatal crash.

President Jonathan, who had earlier attended an overnight “Holy Ghost Congress” at the Redeemed Church of God on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway then issued a terse statement which revealed the names of crash victims and the usual promise that a probe of the crash will be conducted.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jonathan has ordered two new luxury helicopters from the same manufacturer, AgustaWestland, the Anglo-Italian helicopter company based in Italy. The two AW 101 VIP helicopters will cost Nigeria $40 million. In 2010, Mr. Jonathan ordered three presidential jets as soon as he took office.

PehaKaso: HYPOCRITE

^^^^HATER!!!

nagoma: You are wrong. Although Yakowa's election was heavily rigged on basis of religious manipulation by PDP he has over the last 2 years achieved acceptance by all people's of kaduna state. Yakowa was a likable person with more sincerity than most. He was naturally polite to young and old and to all and sundry . We muslims and christians in the north will miss a great Nigeria and a northerner. The southerners will continue in their tactics of dividing the north.

^^^^Gbam +1m

Discordia: Its amusing how some dumb people here are trying to say they were killed by Muslims.
Are you Sad and angry because they died OR..
Are you Sad and angry because the governor will apparently be replaced by his MUSLIM Deputy?

you dey mind this our kind of fanatic and extremist of xtians wey full country!!!

murtalaa: When yakowa was running for governor of kaduna, we the northern muslims were understandably against him due the fear of the unknown. The jos saga has constantly preyed on our mind and we see yakowa as possibly playing the divisive politics of jonah jang. Yakowa proved us all wrong. He showed sincerity of purpose and was impartial to both muslims and christians. He was to us muslims what makarfi was to christians. Yakowa will be truly missed. Please join me in wishing this great man a peaceful eternal rest.

^^^^ You spoke my mind!!! RIP Yakowa a man of peace and unity

Hope say they never cut Asari annual allowance o!

Anonymous donors besiege CPC •As party rethinks merger
Written by Olawale Rasheed- Abuja Monday, 10 December 2012 00:00 font size Print Email 4 comments
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The battle for 2015 presidency may have taken a new dimension as there are credible reports that opposition party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has been receiving anonymous donors in the last few months.

This is coming as the CPC is reported to be reconsidering its original merger agenda with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)with a new plan to pursue fusion with All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP).

Checks showed that the CPC, in recent weeks, had been receiving offer of support and assistance towards the party‘s preparation for 2015, even as it was gathered that General Muhammadu Buhari has instructed that no unknown donation should be accepted.

It was gathered further that some of those unidentified donors had capitalised on the recent demise of the General‘s first daughter to throng the Kaduna residence of the politician and offer partnership and support for the next general election.

A CPC chieftain in Abuja told the Nigerian Tribune that the party had been receiving unsolicited support and pledges from some top zonal and regional figures, who are not members of the party.

“It is strange but we are receiving pledges from influential figures who choose not to be identified. Many of them said they don’t want their names mentioned or listed in connection to funding the party,” the party chief, who is very close to the party secretariat, said.

The source hinted that the party, at a point, had to stop receiving such donations and pledges, adding that “many of those donors simply said they want to identify with the party ahead of 2015.

“Let me say that they are not our members and we did not ask them for money. We are also careful not to fall into the hands of PDP agents,” the source said.

The party chief had let the cat out of the bag when he hinted that the CPC is planning a nationwide biometric database registration of its members with its presidential hopeful, General Muhammadu Buhari, said to be the arrowhead of the registration project.

Asked how the party will fund the registration to cover CPC members across the country, the party chief confirmed that funding will not be a problem as “the party, of late, has new circles of supporters.

“Funding is not likely to be our problems in 2015. So many sympathisers, so many people, seeking alternative to PDP are reaching us secretly. But we are also afraid of being set up by pro-PDP agents,” the source said.

Contacted for comments on the reports of anonymous donations, the national publicity secretary of the CPC, Mr Rotimi Fashakin, neither confirmed nor denied the reports, but added that “the funding of the party is within the ambit of relevant laws.

“Nigerians are free to donate to political parties and if they are doing that for CPC, we are happy. We are the underdog and what you are questioning me about is showing you trends among the populace.”

Meanwhile, all may not be well with the planned grand coalition between the CPC and the ACN as the latest report indicated that the CPC is refocusing on the ANPP for relationship.

“We are having a new thought. ANPP has sizeable presence in the North with three states under its control. We think we should unite the main opposition parties in the North before reaching out to the South,” a party chief involved in the negotiation told the Nigerian Tribune.

The ANPP is said to have nominated former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, as its contact person, with insiders hinting that the two parties had the potential of stopping the PDP in 2015.

The spokesman of the CPC, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that the party is still interested in a merger with the ACN, but added that the CPC is yet to name its committee for the merger meetings with the Bisi Akande-led ACN.

It is, however, not clear whether the change of merger plan by the CPC has anything to do with ongoing moves by major opposition actors in northern Nigerian to forge a common front against the PDP in 2015.

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http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/887-anonymous-donors-besiege-cpc-%E2%80%A2as-party-rethinks-merger

malele: EVEN IF IT WAS HIM THAT POSTED IT, CANT U REBUKE HIM,INSTEAD U SUPPORTED HIM

^^^^ LMAO! so much for wayo media management after severe blunder.Follow follow syndrome!! Attack or support before thinking! The Igbo way is coming out.You train your mind to always do things like this na with time you have people who hardly think but go on the support or defensive by instinct to any tribalism issue.Typically of the Igbos.

Court throws out $12.4bn oil windfall suit

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Written by TUNDE OYESINA- ABUJA
Friday, 30 November 2012

IBB


A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday finally dismissed the suit on the controversial $12.4 billion oil windfall recorded by Nigeria under the leadership of retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida between 1988 and 1994.

Six civil society groups, led by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 had approached the court seeking to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), to disclose how the $12.4 billion oil windfall money that accrued to the Federal Government between 1988 and 1994 under the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida was spent.

In his judgment,the presiding judge,Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that the Registered Trustees of Socio - Economic and Accountability Project, SERAP, and two other rights and development based NGOs seeking for the publication of the Okigbo Panel Report, failed to proof the existence of anything like a consolidated and special accounts in the Central Bank of Nigeria where the oil windfall was alegedly paid into and that they also failed to proof how their fundamental rights were infringed upon by the dedicated and special accounts said to be existing at the CBN.

He also held that the suit was statute-barred, as it was not filed within the statutory 12 months period after the Okigbo panel report was produced and further held that SERAP failed to tender the Okigbo panel report in exhibit but only relied on uncertified photocopies from a magazine report on the contents of the Okigbo panel report.

Justice Kolawole held that that documents tendered by the plaintiffs were of no value to the court.

He consequently dismissed the suit.

The court however praised the courage and dedication of SERAP in instituting the matter calling the group a serious minded organisation desirous of ridding Nigeria of all forms of corruption.

He also made no order as to cost. The plaintiffs had asked the court for “an order of mandamus compelling the respondents, individually and/or collectively, to publish detailed statement of account relating to the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994, and to publish in major national newspapers a copy of the statement of account.”

It is recalled that in 1994, the Federal Government constituted the Pius Okigbo Panel with a mandate to investigate the activities of the CBN and recommend measures for the re-organisation of the apex bank.

In the course of its assignment, the Okigbo Panel reportedly uncovered that about $12.4 billion that was reserved in the ‘Dedicated and Special Accounts’, was depleted to $200 million by June 1994.

Consequent upon the alleged mismanagement of the said $12.4 billion by the then military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, the investigative Panel, recommended an immediate discontinuance of the said ‘Dedicated and Special Accounts’.

The plaintiffs further pleaded the court to order the respondents to not only prosecute anyone indicted by the report, but to also recoup the money from them and return same to the national treasury.

Two separate preliminary objections were raised against the suit by both the AGF and the CBN, the respondents pleaded the court to dismiss the suit on the premise that the plaintiffs were bereft of the locus-standi to approach the court for such reliefs as sought by them.

Minimum Wage: Plateau Assembly Threatens To Impeach Jang

Fri, 30/11/2012 - 4:17am | ACHOR ABIMAJE and DONGVEL MAMAIKO News Politics



The Industrial dispute between the Plateau state government and the state chapter of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) over the refusal of the state government to fully implement the N18, 000.00 minimum wage is about to reach a boiling point.

There were indications, yesterday, that the State Governor Jonah Jang might soon be served with an impeachment notice if he failed to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

Rising from a plenary session presided over by the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, John Clerk Dabwan, members condemned in strong terms the high handedness being demonstrated by the Governor in handling the dispute in the state. Members of the House, in separate remarks, described as undemocratic the way and manner Governor Jang was handling the matter, and stressed that, the “No Work No Pay” declared by governor has never been implemented in any part of the world and wondered why the governor still insisted on it.

According to the law makers, they had, at several fora pleaded with the governor to temper justice with mercy considering the fact that since workers were first offenders, they should be forgiven and their entitlements paid considering the trauma their families were going through as a result of non-payment of salaries for the past seven months; but the governor seem not to be willing to shift ground.

In addition, the lawmakers were worried that even with the intervention of some elders including the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) the matter was not yet resolved.

http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/41385/2012/11/30/minimum_wage_plateau_assembly_threatens_impeach_jang.html

[quote author=Negro_Ntns]Inna Lillahi wa Inna Illahi Rajiun. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.[/quote]

Some how i know say Obj will not take this quietly.He has a track record of firing back when under attack of any sort!!!! He go so insult person mama!!!

I’m not ashamed to own a plane- Oritsejafor - Says I had no idea how the jet came about

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Sunday, 25 November 2012


Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, spoke with PASCHAL OKEKE shortly after the celebration of his 40 years in ministration. The cleric explained some knotty issues, particularly those relating to his new jet. Excerpts:

RATHER than preaching repentance, it is prosperity that most clerics preach these days. Why is it so?
First of all, let me say that the Apostle Paul said ‘I have preached the entire gospel.’ The gospel is a complete thing; it is for the spirit, the mind and for the body.

But what has happened through the years is that in every dispensation, there are certain emphases that become stronger than others, and such emphases do not reduce the former, but add to them. For example, Martin Luther King was the one who started becoming inquisitive about the scripture and began to go into the Bible to see the reality of how the word of God changes a human being’s life and he began to do that. But as time went on, you got to the Baptist.

The reason we call them the Baptist is that their founders laid a lot of emphasis on water baptism, not because they did not believe that you needed to accept Christ and be saved to go to heaven; what happened was that the founders had the revelation and understanding very deeply and convincingly in water baptism.

So, they emphasised that, but did not remove the other part of repentance. Now, what we have today, when some of us gave our lives to Christ, there was a deep emphasis on salvation; that is accepting Christ and working in the knowledge of Christ.

Now, revelation is progressive; it now went on that there have been people who have, through inspiration and study of the word, started having more understanding in the area of prosperity. So, they started emphasising prosperity. The problem is that there are those who preach and almost their whole emphasis will be prosperity and I think that is not good.

I believe that there should be a balance; I do not believe that you should not preach prosperity, but I do not believe that you should preach prosperity and neglect the preaching of salvation, because we are still going to heaven at the end of everything. We must leave this world; this world cannot be a permanent place.

Even if you live very long, according to the scripture, probably, it will not be more than 120 years, and if you leave, where are you going? So, there is still that part of it and the need to emphasise salvation, knowing Christ and going to heaven.

You have been on the pulpit for 40 years. How did you get the divine call and what was it like?
My mother prayed to have a male child and told God ‘if You give me a male child, I will give him back to You.’ That was my mother’s payer. Then, she was attending the First Baptist Church in Lagos State when she made this prayer and that was how I was conceived and born.

Now, I was not aware of this prayer, just like my mother forgot about the prayer, a normal thing a human being would. When you get what you want, you forget about the places you went, the vows and commitments you made and you walk away.

So, I grew up, went my own way and lived my own life and got into a lot of vices and things that were not right. I have told people that if there was any bad thing that anybody could do in this world, I did it, because I was involved in everything that was bad. Far from that, I remember one day, I was walking along Marina in

Lagos at about 9.00 p.m., then Marina was Marina, because there are a lot of changes now, and I felt very sad.

I could not explain the reason; tears started running down my cheeks and I prayed. You know, you live on the wrong side for a while and even the worst human being you see today, no matter how bad they look, they still have soft spots. I spoke to God, and said ‘God if you are God, do something and change my life, I am tired of this kind of life.’

Three months later, I returned home to Sapele in Delta State, because my mother was there, and it was there, one night, that somebody gave me a flier to a crusade. I did not think that I would be one of those that would be given a flier to a church programme, because I was not that kind. But I went to the crusade and I heard the word of God preached by the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa and that word penetrated my heart. For the first time, something touched me and that was the night I made up mind that I ought to serve God.

So, when the alter call was made, I went out and gave my life to Christ and my life changed by 360 degrees.

It is difficult to comprehend, because I gave my life to Christ today and the next day, I bought a Bible and began to preach.

It was as if I lost my mind, but I think what must have happened is that the prayer my mother made before I was born came to a reality, because God does not forget, but you may forget.

God just took what belongs to Him, because the very next day, I started preaching. I went to the market place and bought a tambourine and played it.

A lot of people gathered and I started preaching, but, people gathered first of all because they knew me and secondly, they thought I was crazy.

But I continued preaching. I made alter call and people came out to give their lives to Christ. The rest is history.

Why is it that Nigerian pastors flourish, while members of their congregation languish in poverty?
Well, let me begin like this; because this is a major issue, especially now that I have just been presented with a gift of a private jet. Let me say that every pastor that is a pastor must be conscious of the people he pastors; it is very important.

I can tell you that as a pastor for 40 years, if you talk to people that are genuinely my members, they will tell you the kind of pastor that I am. A young man is in Cyprus, he just resumed school about a month ago.

He had been trying to go to the university for three years, and I did not know. But one day, after the church service, one lady who is one of our pastors broug-ht him to me.

He fell down and wept, grabbing my legs. He showed me all his papers, saying that he had tried to get into the university in Nigeria, but it never worked. He finally got an admission in Cyprus. I paid all the fees, ticket and everything; he has gone to school now. How many people will know that? We have done that to a number of people.

Over the years, we have sponsored countless number of people to universities and polytechnics and most of them have come to share their testimonies in excitement. And their parents have come to thank me, but I did not know them from Adam. Every 25 December, I organise a big thing here. We call it poverty alleviation. I gave out, last 25 December, about eight brand new cars to people, irrespective of their denomination or religion, which means nothing to me. What qualifies you is that you are a human being. I gave out 20 tricycles, about 100 sewing machines and about 100 grinding machines.

You need to see the excitement; how people were crying. Some of these people are still coming to give testimonies; some are now married with children and are living fine. When I see them, I feel so good. We have an orphanage here. As we speak, an American couple has gotten in touch with me that they want to come and adopt a child in our orphanage.

We have a clinic that, hopefully, one day, will be developed into a full-blown hospital. People go there and pay a token to be attended to.

When it was announced that you got a jet as a gift, a pastor in London was quoted as saying most pastors were living on the struggle of the people, enjoying prosperity while the people that attend their churches are suffering. What is your opinion about that?
Most pastors that talk like this are mischievous; they have what is disturbing them and the reasons. Some of them are bitter about something and they are not telling the full story of what is making them bitter; they have problems. They have all kinds of situations in their lives. As I said, a good pastor must be concerned about his people. We have buses and other means that we use to carry people. There is a woman in this church. When she came to this church, she only had two blouses, a wrapper and a pair of slippers. She worshipped with us here for a few years, and it was announced that they wanted to give people business in her community and they mentioned her name. They offered her a job of about N40 million and I do not think that at that time, she had ever seen N10, 000 before. She went to our micro-finance bank, which my wife runs without earning N1. All our directors there do not earn N1 and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said they ought to earn something by all means.

She went to my wife and said she needed to borrow some money. She was asked how much she needed and she said N40 million and my wife told her that she needed to open an account and asked her how much she had and she said N2,000. She told her to open an account with it and my wife went around and sourced for money, because at the time, we did not have such an amount of money in our account. She was loaned the money.

She did her business and in less than six months, she paid back. Now, she is one of the richest women in this town. She bought me an incredible car some years ago. The point is that people do not understand that all these things happen. Coming to the issue of the jet, I had no idea of it. It is true that people like us have got to a point where we need to have a means of movement that will help us.

I have talked about my trip to Indonesia in September. I had to get to Jakarta and stayed at the airport for five hours to wait for my flight to go to the very city where I was going to preach. I was only to preach for two hours. I flew from Nigeria to Dubai, changed flight and flew into Jakarta and then stayed five hours in the airport to catch a flight to get to where I was going. When I got there, I preached two hours and got a flight to get back to Jakarta for another number of hours I cannot tell and then, flew into Dubai and back to Lagos. It took me four days to make a journey to preach for two hours.

I am a human being and I am not getting younger every day. The acting General Secretary of CAN is aware of this. His father died in Ikot Ekpene in Uyo. I had all kinds of engagements and I had to be there. I had to preach in Lagos on Friday, because the burial was Saturday and I had to preach in Warri on Sunday and at the end of the day, there was no flight. They said we came too late for the flight that would have taken me, and I spent N3.5 million to charter a plane that took me to Uyo, waited for me as I stayed with them for some time, and brought me to Warri. I paid N3.5 million.

Sometime ago, there was a young pastor in Port Harcourt. His church built a new building and they had been on me for almost a year. I gave them a date to go and dedicate this church and suddenly, there was this flood. You know that the road between here and Port Harcourt is gone. So, here I was; I had made a commitment. I had to go. If you want to go round, it will take about 10 to 12 hours to get from Warri to Port Harcourt. Then, I had to preach in Warri and I had to preach in Abuja. So, finally, I was able to find my way to Port Harcourt from Lagos, but it was on a Saturday. So, there was no road to get to Warri, and I had to get to Warri that Saturday so as to be able to preach on Sunday. I usually preach in two services on Sunday. You know what I finally did? I chattered a helicopter that cost me N2million; just to drop by at Warri. As they alighted me here, I cannot tell you the way I felt; that I had to part with N2 million. But I had promised the young pastor. If I said I would not go, would it be right? I can go on and on.

So, sometimes, my schedule is so complicated. For example, we finished this programme on 18, and on 19, Foursquare was dedicating its new headquarters building and I was the spiritual father of the day. Foursquare had been trying to get me for the past five years and I had not been able to go. So, Monday 19, I had to be there. On 20, I went to Port Harcourt to preach. On 21, I would fly back to Lagos to preach. On the 22 I preached in Abuja. On 23, I preached in Onitsha. On the 24, I was back in Abuja on Saturday because I knew I would be preaching today in Abuja.

So, before I will get back to Warri, it will be 26. How do I cope with these movements? Do you see what I am saying?
I did not even know that I was going to get a jet. I had said this to journalist who interviewed me in Port Harcourt.
I explained some of these things that it is not every preacher that owns a plane that is bad. I started explaining my own kind of schedule. Now, with this plane, it changes everything for me, because now, I can move. I can even go and come back home and go the next day. I can move and it is a little bit more convenient for me. I suspect that a lot of these other preachers have planes today for the same reason.

My congregation understands my movement and the pains I go through and the pains they go through for not seeing me most of the time. They are troubled; they do not like it. People buy planes, but I cannot afford it. I do not have that kind of money. So, it is people who want to assist me, I do not know the people themselves, but I know that there is a committee. I had no idea how the jet came about. So, this is my story about the plane and I am not ashamed to own a plane. I think it is a necessity and not a luxury.

O Boy! see money with the level of suffering/hunger it will not take long for people to begin give names and information o!I think this is a nice move from the FG. Its better than the JTF harassment.People may over look the risk involved and volunteer information so they can start there new life as millionaires.
Good one!!! More details on this persons.Like photos and all that.

the kind thing happened in Nsukka where some students took refuge in a station for a nite and they ended up missing.I don't know the status of the case but an officer was suspected of handing them over for rituals. This another typical case.I will seriously advice people not to consider stations as safe areas o! Some police na bad ass criminals.

234GT: Absolute nonsense.

^^^^ Am speechless!!!! You simply put it right.

Gaiden k: Any one who would not kill an "infidel" in the name of your god is considered an unbeliever,do u want me to educate you on ur barbaric belief u hornless COW,those kids where killed for a cause their father believed in,you are still alive cos ur a coward to ur conviction,that's if u have any,malooo

^^^^That's not found in my beloved faith of Islam.probably you are mistaken like alot of ignorant fools out there and assuming your in-depth ignorance of the faith could help you vent your anger at criminals.Go and know before you spew lies.No amount of deceit can amount to the truth or change the facts.You talk as if you know anything about a faith you hate and clearly stink of fraud about facts.