where is BIGB1

This is serious business

Finally the big boys were arrested this morning



http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=7583

KUDOS to YAR ADUA

Gani: An enigma missing in action
By Tony Amokeodo
Published: Tuesday, 1 Apr 2008
The story is often told of how former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, spoke glowingly of Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, comes across to him as one Nigerian with passion for justice and the growth of Nigeria. Ironically, Babangida’s regime remained one that perhaps sent the fiery lawyer to jail more than any other government. But the question many had asked Babangida is: If he is known to be passionate about the growth of Nigeria, why did his government take so much pleasure in keeping him out of circulation?

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Photo file
Chief Gani Fawehinmi

There is no doubt that Fawehinmi commands tremendous respect within the legal circle. The legal luminary is a social commentator that is so passionate in his reaction to national issues.

And his views on topical issues have assumed a wide dimension that reactions to any major issue are not complete until Fawehinmi adds his voice.

It is on record that Fawehinmi has a penchant for taking strong opposing views against his colleagues, including the Nigerian Bar Association when reacting to court judgments.

However, those who had monitored events in the country in the last half a year would say that Gani has been missing on the scene. The Senior Advocate has been unable to react to pressing national issues, as he is indisposed and receiving medical attention in a London Hospital.

Of course, Fawehinmi’s contributions would have added to the robust discuss on issues of national importance. What, for instance, would have been his disposition to the judgment of Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal which gave ruling in favour of President Umaru Yar’Adua as the winner of the 2007 presidential election? Or still, how would he have appraised the elevation of the chairman of the tribunal, Justice James Ogebe, to the Supreme Court while his assignment was yet to be completed?

How would Fawehinmi have reacted to the victory of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala at the tribunal in Oyo State or the confirmation of the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole as the winner of the Edo governorship poll?

Would Fawehinmi have seen former ministers, Prof Adenike Grange and Mr. Gabriel Aduku as victims of machinations by civil servants in the Ministry of Health or as mere rogues who went to government to feather their nests?

Asking those close to the lawyer to comment on what they have missed with his absence on the scene is like creating panic. One of the associates, who however, pleaded not to be named, expressed concern when our correspondent posed the question to him, saying, “ I hope nothing is wrong with Chief and I must say that I am not comfortable with the way you are asking me to capture his reactions to the ongoing national issues.”

The associate was reassured that nothing was wrong with the Senior Advocate except that Nigerians are missing his intellectual and robust reactions to matters of national interest.

If the associate was miffed by the question, it was reassuring to hear from another human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, that he was with Fawehinmi in London recently. If anything, Falana provided what Fawehinmi would have said had he been in Nigeria at the time of the verdict. He said, “I met Chief Fawehinmi while we discussed some of the national issues. But I must tell you right away that he was vehement in condemning the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that upheld the election of Yar’Adua on the grounds that the President has repeatedly condemned his own election and set up an electoral reform panel.

“He was extremely happy when news came to us that that the Election Petitions Tribunal in Edo State had declared that Mr. Adams Oshiomhole won the state governorship election”.

And when you speak of the unpredictability of the lawyer, the President, National Conscience Party, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, seems to be very conscious of that. Obayuwana would rather say that the best any associate of Fawehinmi can do is to embark on speculation as to the disposition of the lawyer to any issue. But then, he went ahead to say that Fawehinmi would have condemned the outcome of moves by the presidential candidate of the Action Congress, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his All Nigeria Peoples Party counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to void the election.

The Benin-based lawyer stated, “Gani is inimitable in many ways; one of which is that he chooses his words like no one else. Thus, no one can actually speak for him. At best, we engage in speculations.

“Regarding the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, Gani would have faulted the judgment and queried the elevation of technicality over the substantive matter. He would have highlighted the exhibition of double standard on the path of the tribunal.

“Why would the court apply the law strictly as it relates to depositions and not do the same concerning numerous violations of the Electoral Act, 2006?”

Talking of those who have interacted with Fawehinmi especially on the field of protests against anti-people policies, another lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, has been Fawehinmi’s soul-mate.

And he seemed to know what he would have done concerning the N300m scandal rocking the Ministry of Health.

He said, “Gani would have called for the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the sharing of the N300m unspent budget of the Ministry of Health and celebrate to the high heaven, the victory of Oshiomhole.”

A lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos, Mr. Wahab Shittu, said, “He would have been happy for the resignation of Prof Grange but he would have called for her prosecution and others involved in the scam”.

Head of Gani Fawehinmi’s Chambers, Mr. Adindu Ugwuzor, said of his boss, “He would have given a very intellectual, critical and incisive analysis of these issues and backed them up with statutory and authoritative cases.

“Regarding the power probe, people must realise that Chief Fawehinmi was the first person to say that Obasanjo is too corrupt and challenged in court all his corrupt practices.

“Chief also sent petitions to the Code of Conduct Bureau, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for proper investigation of Obasanjo’s eight years of civil rule.”

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, also worked in Fawehinmi’s chambers before setting up his chamber. Also known to be as fiery as his former boss, Keyamo said, “Of course, we all know that Gani is so passionate in his reaction to national issues. But I cannot comment or capture his thought on court judgments because Chief Fawehinmi, with due respect to him, has been unpredictable in recent times as regards the issue of analysing judgments and be on the side of the people.

“But that is not to say that he has deviated from his human rights activist and populist approach to national issues.

“One thing is sure about Gani, he would have condemned in strong terms, the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that upheld the election of Yar’Adua.

“I am sure that he would have identified the inconsistencies of the tribunal’s judgment, particularly the non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2006 and the massive rigging that characterised the poll.

‘I also know that Gani would have applauded the victory of Adams Oshiomhole because the development is a confirmation of what the people of Edo State want.

“Regarding the N300m scam and the resignation of the health ministers, Gani would have immediately called for the arrest and prosecution Grange and everybody that is involved in the show of shame.”

An enigma that he is, Fawehinmi is believed in many circles to have been a major pain in the neck of successive administrations in the country. Even those who do not agree with his positions on some issues still recognise his ability to sting where the interests of the downtrodden are concerned.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200804010325196

A South African village is demanding that a bridge be built across a crocodile-infested river to stop children swimming it to get to school.

Students as young as seven have been making the crossing for two months since the community's boat was stolen.

"There are about 70 households on that side of the river but there are no buses and no-one owns a car," a Kwazulu-Natal local councillor said.

To cross safely would require a 20km (12 miles) detour to get to the school.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7316081.stm

Africa is a jungle for real

Damn, this is sad if the source is correct on point.

The government should be responsible for providing water. They can charge a subscription fee and that will be optional, if you want good clean water then it will be your choice to pay of go to the KONGA

African ministers are meeting in Tunis this week to discuss ways of providing clean and sufficient supply of water to the continent.

300 million people lack access to safe drinking water in Africa. The debate over how to best supply water often centres on whether water is a commodity to be sold for profit, or if it should be free for all.

The World Bank believes that the introduction of the private sector in some African countries can help ease the continent's water crisis. But critics says that when water is privatised, the poor suffer as tariffs go up. Others argue that when the private sector gets involved, the water supply improves.


http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4527&edition=2&ttl=20080331174010


Pretty soon they will start talking of privatising air

it is appalling how the media spin doctors are still talking about Obamas pastor and are not questioning Clintons credibility on this issue. how can she be trust worthy when she blatantly lied on tape.?

Sen. Hillary Clinton has told of dangerous arrival in Bosnia in 1996 under sniper fire

Video footage of arrival shows Clinton and daughter walking calmly from plane

Clinton recounted story in effort to show her foreign policy experience

Obama campaign says Clinton has "exaggerated her role" in foreign policy .

The bias media are not focusing on this lies caught on tape.  they are still talking about Obamas pastor.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/25/campaign.wrap/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

What are you guys commending yar Adua for? What about all the ex- governors that were indicted? how many conviction has this administration gotten?

Who are they fooling. I wont waste mt time commending

Big B1:

(One on one with IBB) IBB HITS OBJ

.

Babangida, in an exclusive interview with Saturday Sun at his Hilltop mansion in Minna said nothing would have stopped him from giving Nigeria her first nuclear power station if he had a quarter of the billions of dollars squandered on NEPA and the IPP project by the last administration.

The Minna-born General who was also linked with the push of the G-2I group within the PDP to force some reform in the party also spoke extensively on the state of the PDP, how Ogbulafor can succeed, and his resolve to rest his own presidential ambition to ensure that President Umaru Yar’Adua succeeds in office. It is vintage IBB. Excerpts:




http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link=%22http://www.sunnewsonline.com/%22

Why is this useless toothless general kissing ass now? trying to butter yar Adua to prevent his investigation is the only coconclusion can draw from his speech.

Mr toothless general, how many people were investigated during your regime?

How many conviction did we registered during your regime?

How much did we gain in revenue from GULF oil?

Until you can answer this questions, please shut the Bleep up.

I will check it out later. lol

Yurk you guys are nasty. lol

@yommys01 looking at your profile it states that you've only posted 26 post on this forum, so that MAKES YOU A JJC

Please learn how to respect premier members. holla back

@Germannig you are such a fool for insinuating such an allegation. why are you people calling for someone to be jail without any indictment? was he convicted of any crime? was due process not followed as we are learning everyday with the investigative panel?

Stop jumping into conclusion my fellow Nigerians, the media are giving us false information on the investigative panel. One can only be jailed after been convicted of a crime. The is democratic government not a totalitarian regime.

A small girl walks-in while her father is dressing in the bedroom.

She looks at his privates and points at his person and asks "Dad what's that thing between your legs?" Dad replies "I don't know".

She goes to kitchen and finds her mum "Mum what is that long thing between dad's legs?" The mum instead of explaining things to her she replies "I don't know"

A week later when the mum was coming from work the little girl runs to her and says "Mum you refused to tell me the name of that thing between dad's legs. I have finally figured it out on my own. IT'S A TOOTHBRUSH".

The mum laughs then asks her "How do u know that?"

The girl explains ", when I came back from pre-school this morning I saw the maid kneeling in front of dad,
brushing her teeth with dad's toothbrush and sure enough there was TOOTHPASTE in her mouth

Jakumo if your source is Punch, then you need a good dose of sugar with that story to make it real.

No body will touch Abdulsalami he is one of IBBs old boys, they are protected. Yar A Slow will keep smiling. Hausa people always stick together

Do you think Florida and Michigan election should be taken into account in deciding who the democratic nominee should be, even though it was agreed upon and conceptual that no candidate will campaign in those two states?

Will this give Hillary an advantage since she went outside the agreement and was the only candidate on the ballots in both states?

Is this a legal way of stopping OBAMA or a Blackman from getting to the white house again?

I call it conspiracy theory to stop Obama.

Big B1:

If you're smart, if you know how to keep your distance from the demons, if you're generous, and not loud (like MAMAJAMA), I think money could be very friendly and absolutely will make you smile everyday.

BIGB1 is this why your toothless father IBB AKA looter smiles all the time?

when will this people stop with all this litigations?