₦airaland Forum

PeeDaVinci:
and someone out there is still believing gej is not a dumbass

177. A person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if
(a) [size=14pt]he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth[/size];
(b) he has attained the age of thirty-five years;
(c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and
(d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.

182. (1) No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if -
(a) subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country;

Big B1:
I think it has been confirmed that[size=14pt] the faggott is an American[/size]. What an idiotttt and a typical example of why Nigeria is this screwed up.
These motherfkers step on the rule of law in the day time without any hesitation.
How can we move forward when folks like Ajimobi can not just simply obey the law?
What is the difference btw Ajimobi and a common area boy? Not much.

Now let us talk about what is on the ground.
Yes, Ajimobi screwed up, but that doesn't mean that Akala will just walk back to be the governor of Oyo state for the 2nd time. The mandate of the people of Oyo state must still be acknowledged. Hence, the spot still belongs to the AC N party. I believe the deputy governor will be moved up to be the governor while they look for a replacement for his original spot.

Ajimobi screwed up, AC N did not screwed up.


I honestly feel bad for all the great Nigerians that took their precious time out to campaign and support Ajimobi. I hope these folks are compensated for their priceless time and their pure dedication.

source: Nigeria 1999 constitution

Chapter III
Citizenship

25. (1) The following persons are citizens of Nigeria by birth-namely-
(a) every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence,
either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents belongs or
belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria;
Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Nigeria by virtue
of this section if neither of his parents nor any of his grandparents
was born in Nigeria.
(b) every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either
of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria;
and
(c) every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a
citizen of Nigeria.
(2) In this section, "the date of independence" means the 1st day of
October 1960.

26. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, a
person to whom the provisions of this section apply may be registered as a
citizen of Nigeria, if the President is satisfied that -
(a) he is a person of good character;
(b) he has shown a clear intention of his desire to be domiciled in
Nigeria; and
(c) he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Seventh
Schedule to this Constitution.
(2) the provisions of this section shall apply to-
(a) any woman who is or has been married to a citizen of Nigeria; or
(b) every person of full age and capacity born outside Nigeria any of
whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria.

27. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, any
person who is qualified in accordance with the provisions of this section
may apply to the President for the same of a certificate of naturalisation.
(2) No person shall be qualified to apply for the grant of a certificate
or naturalisation, unless he satisfies the President that -
(a) he is a person of full age and capacity;
(b) he is a person of good character;
(c) he has shown a clear intention of his desire to be domiciled in
Nigeria;
(d) he is, in the opinion of the Governor of the State where he is or
he proposes to be resident, acceptable to the local community in which
he is to live permanently, and has been assimilated into the way of
life of Nigerians in that part of the Federation;
(e) he is a person who has made or is capable of making useful
contribution to the advancement; progress and well-being of Nigeria;
(f) he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Seventh
Schedule to this Constitution; and
(g) he has, immediately preceding the date of his application, either-
(i) resided in Nigeria for a continuous period of fifteen years; or
(ii) resided in Nigeria continuously for a period of twelve months,
and during the period of twenty years immediately preceding that
period of twelve months has resided in Nigeria for periods amounting
in the aggregate to not less than fifteen years.

28. (1) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a person shall
forfeit forthwith his Nigerian citizenship if, not being a citizen of
Nigeria by birth, he acquires or retains the citizenship or nationality of a
country, other than Nigeria, of which he is not a citizen by birth.
(2) Any registration of a person as a citizen of Nigeria or the grant of a
certificate of naturalisation to a person who is a citizen of a country
other than Nigeria at the time of such registration or grant shall, if he
is not a citizen by birth of that other country, be conditional upon
effective renunciation of the citizenship or nationality of that other
country within a period of not more than five months from the date of such
registration or grant.

29. (1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his
Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for
the renunciation.
(2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of
this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who
made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria.
(3) The President may withhold the registration of any declaration made
under subsection (1) of this section if-
(a) the declaration is made during any war in which Nigeria is
physically involved; or
(b) in his opinion, it is otherwise contrary to public policy.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section.
(a) "full age" means the age of eighteen years and above;
(b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.

30. (1) The President may deprive a person, other than a person who is a
citizen of Nigeria by birth or by registration, of his citizenship, if he is
satisfied that such a person has, within a period of seven years after
becoming naturalised, been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less
than three years.
(2) The President shall deprive a person, other than a person who is
citizen of Nigeria by birth, of his citizenship, if he is satisfied from
the records of proceedings of a court of law or other tribunal or after
due inquiry in accordance with regulations made by him, that -
(a) the person has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal
towards the Federal Republic of Nigeria; or
(b) the person has, during any war in which Nigeria was engaged,
unlawfully traded with the enemy or been engaged in or associated with
any business that was in the opinion of the president carried on in
such a manner as to assist the enemy of Nigeria in that war, or
unlawfully communicated with such enemy to the detriment of or with
intent to cause damage to the interest of Nigeria.

31. For the purposes of this Chapter, a parent or grandparent of a person
shall be deemed to be a citizen of Nigeria if at the time of the birth of
that person such parent or grandparent would have possessed that status by
birth if he had been alive on the date of independence; and in this section,
"the date of independence" has the meaning assigned to it in section 25 (2)
of this Constitution.

ahidjo:
[size=14pt]And nobody knows the contents of the bill? Nigerian journalists are too d.umb for modern day journalism[/size]

Senate passes National Health Bill
On May 19, 2011 · In News

ABUJA— A day after a group of women protested at the National Assembly over the delay in the passage of the National Health Bill, the Senate, yesterday, passed the bill with President of the Senate, senator David Mark, insisting that the passage of the Bill had nothing to do with the protest.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, who presented the report yesterday explained that the delay in the passage of the Bill was occasioned by “Technical Difficulties.”


Women protesting against the apparent unwillingness of law makers to pass the Health Bill at the National Assembly premises, Abuja, Tuesday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan



Senator Mark explained that the bill was important to the nation and must be passed by the Senate, saying: “It is an important bill.

It is true that it has taken a while but we were able to pass it. Anything that has to with health has to pass through rigorous scrutiny. We did not pass the bill because people were protesting yesterday; we are only doing our work. The bill was slated in the order paper yesterday when they were protesting.”

While presenting the conference committee report on a Bill, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello said the delay of the passage was as a result of some technical problems.

She said: “Following differences in the two versions of the bill as passed by the two Houses of the National Assembly, a conference committee was constituted in the Senate on Thursday 7th May, 2009 and House on Thursday, 28 May, 2009 to harmonise the differences.

“The bill was thereafter passed in identical form by both Houses and transmitted to the Clerk of the National assembly for further action. This was not to be, as the Legal Department returned it (Bill) for what they considered to be enactment problem.”

She said the “House of Representatives at the instance of the Minister of Health made new inputs which were not in the version the Senate passed. The paragraphs added were eventually removed and moved back to the original version.”

She disclosed that because of the importance of the bill, the committee had to start work on the bill all over again because there was no rule that said one Senate could start where the other Senate ended.

The bill among others seek to define, streamline and provide a framework for standard and regulation of health services in the country; spell out rights and duties of healthcare providers, health workers, health agencies and users, and serve as a guide in the development, promotion and formulation of national health amongst others.

Women protesters threaten to go nude at National Assembly gate
By Emmanuel Ogala
May 19, 2011 01:00AM

Thousands of women protesting the delay in the passage of the National Health Bill were prevented from carrying their protest to the National Assembly protest grounds until they threatened to go nude at the assembly gate.

The women, some of whom were visibly angry, were not happy with what they said was the tardiness of the lawmakers over the passage of the Bill with days to the end of the session of the assembly, but they were stopped at the gates of the national assembly by police officers.

The women, though armed with only placards, were only let into the premises of the national assembly to use the protest ground after they threatened to go nude.

The protesting women, mostly members of the Federal Capital Territory Market Women Association and several other health pressure groups, said the lawmakers were dilly-dallying over the bill, whose passage would strengthen the primary healthcare system and reduce cost of medical care for rural dwellers.

Delay on variables
The protesters were later addressed at the protest ground by the Senate chairman on Health, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (PDP Ogun State) and Gyan Dantong (PDP Plateau State). They soothed the protesters with an assurance that work on the bill was in progress.

Mrs Obasanjo-Bello said the delay in passing the National Health Bill was due to the need to ensure that all necessary variables that will make it people oriented and especially beneficial to women and children, were added.

“We have worked on this bill night and day so that healthcare in Nigeria can be adequately funded; the conference committee of the National Assembly has met over the bill and by tomorrow the work would have been done, leaving the rest for bureaucracy and executive,” Mrs Obasanjo-Bello said.

Felicia Sani, chairperson of the FCT Market Women Association, however, rejected Mrs Obasanjo-Bello’s assurances.

In her response on behalf of the protesters, she threatened they would stage a repeat protest if, by next week, the harmonised bill has not been passed.

Mrs Sani told the senators that the National Health Bill confers key benefits on the weak Nigerian Health System and will contribute towards accelerating the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

She added that the bill will be most beneficial to women and children who cannot afford to travel overseas for medical checkups and treatment, unlike the families of the lawmakers.

Written by Odidison Omankhanlen, Lagos Wednesday, 18 May 2011

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, passed a bill to create a sovereign wealth fund, paving the way for the assent by President Goodluck Jonathan in the next few days. Only last week, the upper legislative chamber, Senate, passed the bill.

According to the lawmakers, the process should be straightforward as the lower house of parliament made no major amendments.

The fund is meant to replace excess crude account (ECA), a pillar of International Monetary Fund (IMF) backed reforms launched in 2003 into which the OPEC member nation currently saves any oil revenue above a benchmark price set each year in the budget.

Critics of the ECA said there was no clear legal basis on which to determine how the windfall oil savings in the account should be shared between the tiers of government; federal, state and local, leading to constant political wrangling.

The account contained more than $20 billion when the late President Umaru Yar'Adua came to power in 2007 but by the end of last year, it held less than $1 billion. The savings recovered again to around $6.9 billion by April due to high oil prices.

Nigeria is one of only three OPEC member states not to have a sovereign wealth fund. Finance Minister Olusegun Aganga has said the wealth fund would provide a firmer legal basis to ringfence the country's savings.

•Say Nigeria not ripe for it

Written by Kolawole Daniel, Abuja Wednesday, 18 May 2011

THE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, moved against the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) new policy statement pegging deposit and withdrawal of money by bank customers at N150,000 per transaction for individual and N1 million for corporate body in a day.

To this end, the House directed the Federal Government to ask the CBN to suspend the policy, because Nigeria is not ready for such a policy, noting that if the policy will stand, necessary enlightenment programme should be embarked upon by the CBN.

The House’s objection to the CBN policy was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Jumoke Thomas-Okoya condemning the apex bank’s move, saying Nigeria’s economy is not ripe for such a policy.

Honourable Okoya had said while moving her motion that, “if this implementation is successful, small-scale businesses will automatically collapse, agro-allied businesses will remain stagnant, thereby making the banking sector to completely suffer patronage.

“I urge the executive to stop this policy or alternatively, raise the bar to a reasonable sum. Cattle sellers should be put into consideration, pretty traders, butchers market women, among others.

“When people refuse to patronise banks crime will be on the increase and some of us will suffer,” she said.

Renewed agitations on zoning has vindicated me - IBB •Says Nigeria’ll be doomed without zoning

Written by Idowu Samuel, Abuja Monday, 16 May 2011

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, at the weekend, said he had finally been vindicated on his position on zoning of national political offices, moreso by the renewed controversy over zoning of national political offices less than a month after the general election in country.

He said his clamour for zoning of federal powers had finally been vindicated by recent events as, according to him, failure of the powers that be in Nigeria to heed his suggestion on zoning had started creating a backlash through renewed agitations on zoning among the country’s ethnic groups.

He, however, denied a news report associating him with interest in the chairmanship position of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the report as untrue.

The former military president said he found it unbelievable that those who had been kicking against zoning had suddenly turned beneficiaries of the concept within a short period of time.

He said, “If those who shouted hoax over the issue of zoning in the PDP yesterday, (saying as it were, that the party’s constitution should be jettisoned), are now made to be beneficiaries of zoning in the party today, then we all are doomed as a nation.”

There had been heated controversy on the issue of zoning of the office of Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker, the PDP national chairman, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Deputy Senate President and that of the House of Representatives by the National Caucus of PDP.

Babangida said he found it painful to arrive at a conclusion that the calibre and quality of those who have emerged to hold political offices at the highest level in Nigeria were not strong enough, stating pointedly, “the nation may just have to wait for another generation to get things right.”

Babangida said he had not altered his view on zoning, and did not intend doing so, just as he expressed shock about “Nigerians’ ingenuous capacity to make a 360-degree U-turn on the issue of zoning”.

He said, “when the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum raised concerns over the zoning formula of the PDP and the deliberate disobedience of that constitutional provision, some Nigerians called the body all manner of names. While some argued that zoning should be discarded and merit should be the subsisting criteria, the voice of those who stressed the importance of zoning was lost in the maddening crowd. After the elections, the music has suddenly changed and the chorus is now zoning, zoning, zoning and zoning. How time heals.”

In a statement issued on his behalf by his media consultant, Kazeem Sule Afegbua, Babangida said he was of the view that that those who aspire to lead Nigeria at different levels of government must come out with certain qualities that will portray them as patriotic and nationalistic.

He accused the antagonists of zoning of hypocrisy, averring, “there will be no hope for the country if those who double-speak are made to preside over certain levels of government in the name of dubious politicking and zoning which they never believed in.”

He added, “the character indices of our leaders must be known at different times and levels. Their elements must be visible and patriotic. Their conduct must be above pecuniary interest. And above all, their desperation must be checked within the ambit of law.

“What manner of supposed leaders are we nurturing? What character of leaders are we building? How do we want the world to perceive us as a people? Those who advertise hypocrisy and self-righteous indignation cannot by any stretch of imagination be allowed to occupy positions in the name of zoning.

“General Babangida’s position on zoning has not wavered. As a product of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, with different tribes and tongues, he believes in the efficacy of zoning as a stabilising instrument of political engagement. Those who shy away from such incontrovertible political requirement to put paid to all cries of marginalisation cannot simply wake up overnight to be beneficiaries of what they never believed in. In a democracy, we should learn to play by the rules no matter how painful it might be and no matter whose ox is gored.

And lastly, General IBB does not have any interest in the chairmanship of the PDP Board of Trustees, whether now or in the foreseeable future,the statement added.

Beaf:
Maybe she could become the first female VP or even President. The SGF post is even closer to the President than the VP one.

Rossikk:
Don't mind the guy. He is talking out of ignorance. Fact is Nigeria has some of the best trained military personnel anywhere in the world. These officers attend elite training institutes across the globe and pass with flying colours before being allowed to command any military facilities. I am personally related to a naval officer who has attended courses in top military institutes in Britain, the USA, and Germany. Same as ALL his colleagues. Tomorrow if some mishap befalls his vessel at sea, some goat that barely passed WAEC will come on Nairaland to say ''he never attended any naval school''.

alex101:
Chei! Ndigbo ana me' kenne unu! Chukwu gozie ri ayi niche' di e' gwu

  At a time like this, I feel we have been massively short changed by not having our own country YET. We Igbo are known to venture where no nigerian will venture- this is what sets us apart from these nigerians,,,,we're light years ahead of these folks in this regard. Anywhere the nigerian factor is not at play, my brothers/sisters of the great Igbo race, I can confidently report to you all that we tower above our adversaries,,,,,INFACT, there is no competition, NONE
  As one whose job takes him places, I can report to you all that I met with our brothers of Igbo extraction in Angola, Gabon, Ivory coast, Kenya, DR-Congo,
Congo-brazzaville, RSA, Namibia, Ecuador, Jamaica et.al. and they are doing what we as a people are known for- carving a niche in business for their respective selves I remember the bed and breakfast lodge I stayed at, in Quito, was/is owned by our Igbo brother and his lovely Igbo wife.
 May this our brother and others like him in china continue to prosper, AMEN! May Igbo businesses in the homeland (Innonso and others) continue to grow against all odds. Finally and most importantly, may the SUN RISE AGAIN IN THE LAND OF THE EAST, AMEN

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:22 PM on 14th May 2011
A British construction worker was feared kidnapped by Al Qaeda terrorists after being seized in Nigeria following a gun battle.

The man was captured along with an Italian colleague in their lodge in the northwestern town of Birnin-Kebbi.

It is thought Islamist fighters could be behind the incident because it took place in an area where such attacks are rare and no ransom has been sought.
The gates to Birnin-Kebbi: A British construction worker was feared kidnapped from the town after a gun battle with suspected al Qaeda militants
The state of Kebbi is hundreds of miles from the gangster-ridden, oil-rich south, where kidnappings are much more common.

The captors wounded one person who tried to prevent the attack.

The state of Kebbi, where the men were seized, is close to the Niger border where al Qaeda terrorists have carried out kidnappings in the past.

More, Al Qaeda's hardmen: New York terror suspect is wannabe model who worked as MAKE-UP salesman at Saks (and his co-conspirator has a record for kicking a poodle)
Navy SEAL's helmet cam DID film whole Bin Laden raid: Extraordinary blow-by-blow details of terror chief's final moments

Kebbi state police commissioner Adamu Hassan said the police and army had cordoned off the town in the hope that the hostages were still there.
The security services in neighbouring states and in Niger Republic were also on the alert.

The men had been in their apartment when a 'horde of gunmen' stormed the apartment, Mr Hassan said.

One Nigerian engineer was shot and wounded, but a German colleague managed to escape by scaling a fence.

'One person who attempted to rescue the victims was shot and is in hospital,' Mr Hassan said.

A large amount of cash in the apartment was not taken, the policeman added.

The men worked for Italian building company B.Stabilini and were building a bank nearby.
Rebel forces: Most kidnappings of foreign workers had previously taken place in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where armed groups had carried out a minor insurgency
Hundreds of oil workers were kidnapped during years of militant attacks in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta hundreds miles away in the southeast, but such attacks are relatively rare in the north.

Hostages in the Niger Delta were generally quickly released after payment of a ransom.

Some previous kidnappings of foreign workers in other parts of Nigeria have resulted from disputes over wages and working conditions for local staff.

While kidnappings are rare in Nigeria's mostly-Muslim north, several foreigners have been seized over the border in Niger.

Birnin-Kebbi is about 165 miles from the capital of neighbouring Niger, where two French hostages were kidnapped in January.

And last month Al Qaeda’s North Africa demanded £85million for the return of four French hostages captured in Niger.

Security sources say there is some evidence to suggest contact between Boko Haram, a radical Islamist sect in Nigeria's remote northeast, and Al Qaeda in the Maghreb.

But there has been no published evidence of any al Qaeda presence in northwestern Nigeria.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387068/British-construction-worker-feared-kidnapped-al-Qaeda-terrorists-gun-battle-Nigeria.html#ixzz1MLPRB2KU

ekt_bear:
True. But neither will the ACN. May require two years in court, but they won't quit.

MShittu:
The PDP and other parties are beginning to see the ACN as a real threat.

By Citizen Reports
A chieftain of the ACN in Benue Charles Ayede was this evening gunned down by suspected assassins. Ayeded and the Benue ACN governorship candidate in the just concluded elections, Professor Steve Ugbah were on their way to Makurdi. The shooting also injured one of Professor Ugbah’s strong supporter, Mr Adaa Maagbe.

Assailants opened fire on the team near Kadarko in Nasawara state, 25 minutes away from Makurdi the Benue state capital.

Eyewitness reports said Ayede and Mr Maagbe were riding ahead of Prof. Ugbah when the assassins accosted and killed Ayede. Mr Ayede died on the spot, while Maagbe got shot in the hand. Mr Maagbe ran into the bush when their car came to a stop and immediately told Prof Ugbah to make a detour back to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. From the nature of the attack, it was clear the assailants were out to kill Prof. Ugbah.

It is widely believed that the ACN candidate clearly defeated Governor Gabriel Suswam in the April 26th Gubernatorial elections, but Suswam characteristically connived with cahoots David Mark, the current Nigerian Senate president and dubious Independent National Electoral Commission officials led by Nasir Ayinlara to declare the election in the governor’s favour of Suswam. The scale of rigging by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Benue election was so widespread that political observers noted it would not take tribunal judges more than a few days to toss Governor Suswam out of power.

Early in the week, the ACN Chairman in Benue, Comrade Abba Yaro was physically attacked by PDP thugs who visited him to demand that he turn in all the evidence the party had against the PDP to them. Abba Yaro is still receiving treatment for machete cuts at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

Also, last week a lawyer on the Action Congress of Nigeria legal team in the state had gone to one of the local governments to gather evidence for use at the tribunal and no sooner had he returned than it was discovered he had been poisoned. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in Makurdi run by the one of the Governor’s strong supporters. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival .

Since indicating interest for the office of Governor in 2007, no fewer than 5 high profile persons in Benue have succumbed to suspicious deaths believed to the handiwork of Suswam and his deadly gangs. In 2007, a former Minister of Police Affairs under Obasanjo, Mr Stephen Ibn Akiga was poisoned to death after declaring interest in running for governor. He was Obasanjo’s preferred candidate for that position in Benue State. His death believed to be masterminded by Suswam, paved the way for his emergence as PDP candidate in 2007.

In 2009, a fiery priest whom had preached about the governor’s swine fraud for which he (Suswam) was reportedly arrested for in the USA was attacked and killed by thugs loyal to the governor. Last year, Mr Jonathan Biam, an ANPP candidate and formidable challenger to Suswam’s re-election bid, died under mysterious circumstances shortly after picking up his form to run for the governorship race.

The attempt on Professor Steve ugbah’s life today was aimed ending his formidable resolve to upturn the governor’s “victory” at the tribunal.

Governor Suswam has intense fear for election petitions tribunals and tries very hard avoid any form of electoral judicial scrutiny. In 2003 after losing his reelection bid to the House of Reps to late Mahmud Akiga, he used physical inducements for Mahmud to withdraw the case against him. Elder brother to Mahmud, Stephen Akiga, whom Suswam later poisoned to death, prevailed on his younger brother to give up the case.

In 2007, Senator Daniel Saror of the ANPP again loudly defeated Gabriel Suswam at the governorship polls, but Maurice Iwu fraudulently awarded victory to the former congressman. Saror, sure of his mandate had dragged the governor to court, until veiled threats from a corrupt Tiv Monarch, Tor Tiv Akawe Torkula, got Saror to pull out of the case.

Terver Kakih, governor Suswam’s challenger in the 2011 PDP primaries had been beaten too and almost killed on the same road where the assassins struck today. Mr. Kakih dragged the governor to court for certificate forgery. The case is ongoing.

Critics say it is the fear of yet another elections petitions tribunal that has gotten the Benue governor to put his gang of killers back on the road again.

By Citizen Reports

A chieftain of the ACN in Benue Charles Ayede was this evening gunned down by suspected assassins. Ayeded and the Benue ACN governorship candidate in the just concluded elections, Professor Steve Ugbah were on their way to Makurdi. The shooting also injured one of Professor Ugbah’s strong supporter, Mr Adaa Maagbe.

Assailants opened fire on the team near Kadarko in Nasawara state, 25 minutes away from Makurdi the Benue state capital.

Eyewitness reports said Ayede and Mr Maagbe were riding ahead of Prof. Ugbah when the assassins accosted and killed Ayede. Mr Ayede died on the spot, while Maagbe got shot in the hand. Mr Maagbe ran into the bush when their car came to a stop and immediately told Prof Ugbah to make a detour back to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. From the nature of the attack, it was clear the assailants were out to kill Prof. Ugbah.

It is widely believed that the ACN candidate clearly defeated Governor Gabriel Suswam in the April 26th Gubernatorial elections, but Suswam characteristically connived with cahoots David Mark, the current Nigerian Senate president and dubious Independent National Electoral Commission officials led by Nasir Ayinlara to declare the election in the governor’s favour of Suswam. The scale of rigging by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Benue election was so widespread that political observers noted it would not take tribunal judges more than a few days to toss Governor Suswam out of power.

Early in the week, the ACN Chairman in Benue, Comrade Abba Yaro was physically attacked by PDP thugs who visited him to demand that he turn in all the evidence the party had against the PDP to them. Abba Yaro is still receiving treatment for machete cuts at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

Also, last week a lawyer on the Action Congress of Nigeria legal team in the state had gone to one of the local governments to gather evidence for use at the tribunal and no sooner had he returned than it was discovered he had been poisoned. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in Makurdi run by the one of the Governor’s strong supporters. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival .

Since indicating interest for the office of Governor in 2007, no fewer than 5 high profile persons in Benue have succumbed to suspicious deaths believed to the handiwork of Suswam and his deadly gangs. In 2007, a former Minister of Police Affairs under Obasanjo, Mr Stephen Ibn Akiga was poisoned to death after declaring interest in running for governor. He was Obasanjo’s preferred candidate for that position in Benue State. His death believed to be masterminded by Suswam, paved the way for his emergence as PDP candidate in 2007.

In 2009, a fiery priest whom had preached about the governor’s swine fraud for which he (Suswam) was reportedly arrested for in the USA was attacked and killed by thugs loyal to the governor. Last year, Mr Jonathan Biam, an ANPP candidate and formidable challenger to Suswam’s re-election bid, died under mysterious circumstances shortly after picking up his form to run for the governorship race.

The attempt on Professor Steve ugbah’s life today was aimed ending his formidable resolve to upturn the governor’s “victory” at the tribunal.

Governor Suswam has intense fear for election petitions tribunals and tries very hard avoid any form of electoral judicial scrutiny. In 2003 after losing his reelection bid to the House of Reps to late Mahmud Akiga, he used physical inducements for Mahmud to withdraw the case against him. Elder brother to Mahmud, Stephen Akiga, whom Suswam later poisoned to death, prevailed on his younger brother to give up the case.

In 2007, Senator Daniel Saror of the ANPP again loudly defeated Gabriel Suswam at the governorship polls, but Maurice Iwu fraudulently awarded victory to the former congressman. Saror, sure of his mandate had dragged the governor to court, until veiled threats from a corrupt Tiv Monarch, Tor Tiv Akawe Torkula, got Saror to pull out of the case.

Terver Kakih, governor Suswam’s challenger in the 2011 PDP primaries had been beaten too and almost killed on the same road where the assassins struck today. Mr. Kakih dragged the governor to court for certificate forgery. The case is ongoing.

Critics say it is the fear of yet another elections petitions tribunal that has gotten the Benue governor to put his gang of killers back on the road again.

High_Chief:
Not a new thing. MKO Abiola was denied of his mandate and nothing happened, he was even jailed and SSS recorded his s3x tape while forkin his wife in jail. As if that is not enough his ranting wife Kudirat was pumped with lead bullets rite there in Lagos and nothing happened, so if you guys are used to accepting a slap and turning d other side of your cheek we fight for our right and we are known for that.

EzeUche_:
We, the Igbos of the SE are not amused by Jonathan's actions so far. A region that gave him the bulk of his votes and a people who are found all across Nigeria that voted for him in large numbers.

Let me say it again, We are not amused. We do not want any ministerial position, in which he can discard us at any time.

It is either the Speaker position, which we earned through our votes or Jonathan has shown that he has used us for our votes. It is a simple as that. And many of my brothers would agree.

https://everyjoe.com/files/2008/09/we-are-not-amused.gif

Chyz*:
Never called you a name. Go back and reread what I posted. Your comment of having our cake and eating it makes no sense. SS and SE are two different zones. That is what I was trying to get across to you.

Chyz*:
How is the SE in Anyway having their cake and eating it? Try to make sense. SGF is best suitable for those who did not perform well, the SW. It will keep them on their feet and make them work harder.

High_Chief:
This man keeps giving me reasons to love him. It will be very unfair if the Senate President is not zoned to SE

Written by Jacob Segun Olatunji, Abuja Tuesday, 10 May 2011

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government have been called upon to bestow the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) honour.

A human rights group, Vanguard for the Protection of Journalists and Sanctity of Elections in Africa (VAPAJOSEA), made the call on Sunday, while reacting to the outcome of the supplementary election in Imo State, which was won by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

Addressing newsmen at the Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki 2, Abuja secretariat of the organisation, the Executive Director of VAPAJOSEA, Bonaventure Melah, said the INEC chairman had done Nigeria proud and restored its pride among the comity of nations and should, therefore, be given the honour due to him by the Federal Government.

“No Nigerian has, since the nation gained independence in 1960, exhibited the courage and patriotism with which Professor Jega prosecuted the 2011 general election.

“While most Nigerian elite would have seen the appointment to the exalted position as an opportunity to enrich themselves and generations of their families, Professor Jega shunned the material trappings of his office and refused to compromise.

“This is in spite of several attempts by desperate and corrupt politicians to influence him and members of his commission. The process and outcome of the election, which most people in the world have described as the best in the nation’s history, was made possible because of his courage, transparency and neutrality.

“He has, therefore, become both a national hero and an inspiration to the youth and generations yet unborn,” Bonaventure said.

On the Imo State supple-mentary election, which was concluded on Saturday, Bonaventure said the result was a true reflection of the sentiments, wishes and aspirations of Imo people, who, by all indications, were tired of the administration of Governor Ikedi Ohakim.

“The decision of INEC to conduct supplementary elections in both Anambra Central Senatorial Zone and some Local Governments in Imo State was in the best interest of the people. Where doubts exist, an unbiased umpire would call for a repeat. As in Anambra Central and Imo State, the will of the people eventually prevailed over power of incumbency, desperation and money. The outcome of the two scenarios goes to show that Nigerians believed in the electoral process which Jega superintended. That was why in each of the cases, the people went back to the polling boots and spoke louder with their votes.

“Above all else, what I think Jega has helped the nation to achieve is that elected public officers would henceforth make deliberate efforts to work for the good of the people knowing fully well that, with their votes, the people would throw them out of their offices if they abuse the opportunities, if they fail to deliver quality service, as was the case in Imo State,” Bonaventure concluded.

Ileke-IdI:
Oh okay, so it's by vote not by the president's decision.

Then what is Onahaeze talking about? Asking for the position because of the SS/SE's magic numbers? Talking about they want nothing less? If the position is given to the SE based on the desire of Ndigbo, things will not go right from there. We'll know that there's putrid air coming in from a crack in the wall.  

If the North backs SW and SW backs themselves (duh), with OBJ's influence, there's no doubt the SW will get it. Although I dont like to count my chicks before they hatch.

But will ACN support PDP?

Obiagu1:
If the SE PDP members move to APGA, PDP cannot produce the Speaker any more because they are not outright majority.

A new alliance will be formed and that alliance will produce the Speaker.

Ileke-IdI:
hmmm interesting.
You forgot to answer this question tho : Will the final decision be based on who supports who? Will the North supporting SW as senate president solidify the position to SW'ners?

Ileke-IdI:
No prob, Ghanaian men still rox

Oh I see.

So if the North backs SW as the Speaker, who wins? Is the final decision based on who supports who?

Obiagu1:
It's the same thing you'll not still understand. [size=14pt]As the President, he became the leader of the party and with his hatred of the Igbo[/size], he schemed and schemed to get us out of the main stream but we remained with PDP hoping for a change. Now that OBJ is no longer the President, he still influences PDP and GEJ. Was he not the person that banged his fist on the table while campaigning for the SW to retain the position of the Speaker? Without him, who is powerful enough in the SW to influence the PDP?

OBJ is the most powerful person in PDP, take it or leave it. His power can only be reduced if he has a problem with GEJ but being a clever man, he will avoid that and GEJ will always respect him and do his wish.

Ileke-IdI:
I'm not speaking in terms of social or regional unity, but political unity.

No region can survive by itself, so an alliance must be formed with another group. Of course, North will expect the SW to scratch their back in return on a later date.

If the North does support the SW, who will get it at the end?

Explain the bolded a lil more, please.

Obiagu1:
If this happens, I need no soothsayer to tell me what will happen in the SW in 2015. ACN evaporates like AD and there comes another party formed by Fashola, FCN (Fashola Company of Nigeria), and every Yoruba will shout, thank goodness, another messiah has come to save the Yoruba people.

Ileke-IdI:
I do not encourage this union. God forbid!
Unless the North is ready to change it's standards (i.e education, cease unnecessary killing, female empowerment, cease the Arabic ish etc).
If NIgeria wants to break apart, it'd be harder if a union between these two regions is established.


I see a union between the SW/NC or Middle belt/ N sha.

enyojo:
THE REASON WHY 2011 LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED IS BECAUSE OF LATE PREPARATIONS BY THE ASPIRANTS, PARTIES AND INEC.
THE ELECTORATES IN GHANA KNOW THEIR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES 2 YEARS BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTIONS. SO IF ASPIRANTS BEGIN TO EMERGE NOW, I DON'T THINK IT IS A BAD IDEA.