Africa's 2010 World Cup teams have been criticised for a lack of preparation and professionalism by Amos Adamu of the Caf and Fifa Executive Committees.

Algeria, Cameroon and Nigeria opened with defeats while Ivory Coast and hosts South Africa drew their games.

Ghana was the only African team to win their opening group game.

"Everybody thinks we have good players in Europe, and don't need to prepare," Adamu told the BBC's African sport programme Fast Track.

"But it's not the same thing playing for the national team where you have to blend players from different places."

South Africa became the first African nation to be awarded the World Cup in 2004 but Adamu has suggested that the teams did not take advantage of the notice period.

"Even if you give us 10 years to prepare, it will be the same because up till now many of these countries don't recognise professionalism in their preparations," he added.

"One of the problems we must get right here in Africa is that we need to plan ahead.

"Because if you don't plan ahead, you're planning to fail.

Nigerian Adamu had particularly harsh words for the Super Eagles who only appointed Swede Lars Lagerback at the end of February.

"The teams are so haphazardly put together," Adamu stated.

"With some countries like Nigeria, the coach does not know the players.

"He just met the players less than four weeks before the World Cup and the players are on their own."

http://www.gistboard.com/content/world-cup-2010-criticism-africas-world-cup-teams

A special World Cup court has sentenced a Nigerian man to three years in prison for being in possession of 30 stolen tickets in South Africa.

Kunle Benjamin was stopped in his car in the capital, Pretoria, when police noticed him driving "erratically".

"As the suspect was acting suspiciously police decided to search him and the 30 tickets were discovered," said police spokeswoman Sally de Beer.

More than 50 courts have been set up to deal with World Cup related crimes.

Mr Benjamin was unable to tell the court how he came to be in possession of the tickets, police say.

Fifa say they discovered the tickets had been bought by two men on the internet, but their addresses could not be verified.

"This is yet again an example of the effectiveness of having dedicated teams,  to deal with World Cup-related offences," said Ms de Beer.

Fifa has urged fans only to buy tickets from authorised outlets.


http://www.gistboard.com/content/nigerian-jailed-over-stolen-world-cup-tickets

Hundreds more children could die of lead poisoning in northern Nigeria, a decontamination expert says, but officials have downplayed the fears.

Some 163 people - mostly children - have died in recent weeks after villagers started digging for gold in areas with high concentrations of lead.

The top layer of soil in the worst affected village is to be excavated.

Twenty-five children from the village have been hospitalised with another 80 set for treatment in the coming days.

Richard Fuller, from the Blacksmith Institute, which is trying to clean up the villages, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that hundreds of children have tested with high levels of lead "that are likely to lead to them dying in the near future".

He said that children were more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults.

But Zamfara State Director of Public Health Sa'adu Idris told the BBC that such fears were wrong.

He said that only one clinical death from lead poisoning had been recorded over the past three weeks, with the other deaths occurring earlier on.

He also assured that the villages would be cleaned up within the next four weeks.

However, the operation to dig up the top 5cm (2in) of soil in the remote village of Yar'Gailma has been delayed until Tuesday because bad roads have delayed the heavy machinery, officials say.

The contaminated soil is to be replaced with clean earth.

The BBC's Haruna Shehu Tangaza in Zamfara State says that houses in the village will not be demolished - their floors are to be covered in cement to protect residents from lead poisoning.

Correspondents say the Zamfara state government is facing criticism that they were slow to notice the toxic pollution.

Last week, the spokesman for the local government denied to journalists that any lead poisoning had occurred at all.

Health authorities have set up two camps in the area to treat people who are suffering the symptoms of lead poisoning.

Some families are believed to have taken crushed rock ore into their homes.

In their attempts to extract gold, deadly amounts of lead were released - it is thought that soil containing lead deposits was dumped in water sources and in places where children played.

http://gistboard.com/content/nigeria-lead-poisoning-hundreds-could-die

Why don't you google it idiot

Due to lose immigration system in the country, findings have shown that over 30 percent of Ghanaians working in the United States of America came in with Nigerian passport.

These people who have lived in Nigeria for a period of time before coming to the US and could speak one local Nigerian language and use their English names to acquire the country’s international passport.

Speaking with BusinessDay in New York on Thursday, some Ghanaians who pleaded anonymity said they came to the US with Nigerian passport, stressing that they acquired it as a result of their long stay in the country. “We have lived in the country for a while and we have the right to claim Nigerian citizenship”, they stated.

They said some of them worked as teachers, hairdressers, artisans, and in many other professions before coming to the US, stressing that they had to do that because it was easier to obtain Nigerian passport. “However, with the rising rate of corruption and drop in Nigeria’s image internationally most of us who are already US citizens have dropped Nigerian passport. We have gone back to acquire Ghanaians passport”, they stated.

According to them, what prompted their massive change in citizenship from Nigeria was the recent recognition which Barrack Obama has given to Ghana after he was sworn in as the president of the United States of America. They lamented the deteriorating state of the country, stressing that Nigerians should learn from Ghana especially in their style of leadership, free and fair election and consistence in power supply.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/30-ghanaians-working-us-nigerian-passport

A London court today issued five year sentences each to two Nigerian women on corruption charges linked to former Delta State governor, James Ibori.

A Southwark Crown Court in London handed down the sentences on Christine Ibie-Ibori and Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo, said to be the sister and mistress respectively of James Ibori, for money laundering.

A third accused person, Bimpe Pogoson, who was Ibori’s Personal Assistant, was discharged and acquitted by the jury. Ibori's sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, was found guilty of 9 counts of money laundering and mortgage fraud.

[url]http://www.gistboard.com/content/ibori%E2%80%99s-sister-mistress-get-five-years-jail-london[/url]

AN aggrieved family of four has dragged Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited to an Ikeja High Court for breach of contract of carriage, embarrassment and psychological torture it caused them in 2008.
The family and claimant, Chief Anthony Anaeto, Managing Director of Cappa Holdings Limited and Runns Oil and Gas Services Limited, his wife, Mrs. Matha Anaeto who were to travel on Business Class with their two daughters on Economy on the Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos –London–Baltimore (USA) – Lagos two summers ago are claiming general damages of N20 million for failure of the airline to fly them back to Lagos.
Although the defendant, Virgin Atlantic had contracted and arranged for the claimants to board a British Airways flight from Baltimore, USA back and direct to Lagos, Nigeria, there was an error in the booking computerisation system on the part of the airline.
The airline admits the error as a discrepancy in their booking of tickets leading to the British Airways not finding the family’s name in the computer system.
Mr. Aramide Adeogun, counsel to Chief Anaeto told the court presided over by Justice Ishola that his client had on July 31, 2008 through the agent of the defendant, Messrs PASSAGEGOLD TRAVEL AGENCY LIMITED purchased four tickets for him and his family in the sum of N2, 145,430 which were booked with a secured confirmation from the defendant.
Adeogun averred that the flight tickets were okayed for departure and return and everything for the journey seemed fine as they arrived Baltimore USA without any incidence.
He stated that they had completed all they had to do in United States and were trying to make their way back to Lagos. On the return date, they presented their ticket to officials of BA at Baltimore Airport USA who then cleared them and placed them in its VIP lounge preparatory to boarding.
However, after a few minutes, officials of BA called on them to come to its Customer Desk where, to their uttermost shock, they were told that the information received via its network with Virgin Atlantic indicated that the said tickets had not been paid for and as such they could no longer travel nor board the plane.
“All these happenings were made in the full glare of the public and being well known public figures, they suffered humiliation, embarrassment and ridicule to the extent that a Nigerian traveler who knew the claimant as a person of means thought that the situation as explained by BA officials were correct and he offered to lend them money to pay for their tickets. All efforts by Sir Anaeto to have issues resolved on that day failed as no official of Virgin Atlantic in Nigeria could be contacted save the said travel agency.”
Adeogun further told the court, that it was after his client was able to speak to the Managing Director of the Agency, Mrs. Josephine Anyanwu who was later able to speak with officials of the airline.
Despite this, they were not able to sort out the issues with BA officials and having spent a large chunk of monies for shopping and other things believing they were homebound, they had a tough time hauling back their luggage out of the aircraft.
The stress and embarrassment was so much that the 2nd claimant, Mrs. Anaeto broke down in tears.
Adeogun further disclosed that, it took the defendant three days to resolve the issues through the MD of the agency and they ascribed the mix-up to an administrative error. They thereafter flew the claimants to the UK and still could not get a flight for them back to Lagos until two days after.
In the course of all this brouhaha, the 1st claimant, Sir Anaeto who is a very busy business executive missed vital business appointments and consequently lost income that ought to have generated for his company, he lamented.

http://gistboard.com/content/family-sues-virgin-atlantic-n20-million-damages-over-breach-carriage

THE will of late Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, has been seen by the Saturday Tribune and this is authoritative.


In the will, it was revealed that the late lawyer and human rights activist had a child, Aishat, from a woman, whom he gave just a plot of land out of the large estate he left behind.


According to the will,  Aishat was the child of a third woman in Gani’s life, whose name his gave as Miss Bushiral Alabi.


Gani had only indicated in the will thus: “My child by Miss Bushiral Alabi is Miss Aishat Fawehinmi” and went on in No 8(d) of the document to say one plot out of the six plots of land he owned at Fagun Estate in Ondo town be given to her.


Other children that would share in the plots of land at Fagun Estate include a daughter of Gani’s first wife, Mrs. Rufukatu Fashipe (two plots); a son of his second wife, Mr. Saheed Fawehinmi (two plots) and the grandson of his late sister, Alhaja Ninilola Akinwande (one plot). 


Aishat’s mother, Bushirat, is to receive “a once for all assistance” of a sum not exceeding N1 million to enable her start a new life by trading or any other business and ‘remarry.’


“Once she is given that money, she must vacate the flat she occupies within two years of my death or if she is found pregnant by another man, whichever is earlier”, Gani had said in his will.


In the will left behind by late Lagos lawyer, houses and landed properties at Plot 9A and 9B at Ademola Close, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, comprising six houses and a gate house went to the deceased’s first wife, Ganiat; his first son, Mohammed and six other children from same mother.


He, however, gave strict instruction that the houses and the landed properties must not be sold in the life time of their mother and Mohammed, adding: “In view of the disability, Mr. Mohammed Fewehinmi, my eldest child and son, can choose where he may wish to live in any of the houses or any part of the houses in the premises except the small bungalow at the back of the premises which I built for my late mother.”


Consequently, the houses and landed properties at 28, Sabiu Ajose Crescent, Surulere, Lagos, comprising a bungalow with old boy’s quarters was bequeathed to his second wife, Abike and her six children namely, Rabiat, Aminat, Rukayat, Yusuf, Kamal and Taju. 


The second wife and her children are also to lay claim to Plot 138, Block 11 in Ondo State Housing Corporation Estate, Ijapo, Akure, comprising three bungalows.


Other relations of the late human rights lawyer and Nigerians generally also benefitted from the large estate and properties he left behind, and especially from Gani Fawehinmi Trust Account which he instructed should be created. This has been found to be in consonance with Gani’s philosophy and his large heartedness towards the down- trodden.


For instance, Gani directed that his large expanse of landed properties at Ugbo Ijebu, Off Okopa Road, Ondo, measuring 7.801 hectares should be sold at very good price by his Trustee and the proceeds be paid into Gani Fawehinmi Trust Account.

[url]http://gistboard.com/content/z-gani%E2%80%99s-will-made-lifetime-provisions-first-son-love-child[/url]

Catholic bishops in Nigeria , under the aegis of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have expressed their sympathy for Archbishop John Burke of the Benin Archdiocese over what they termed unsubstantiated sexual allegation levelled against him.

They said that such an unfounded allegation has created confusion not only among the lay faithful but also the entire people of Nigeria.
Addressing newsmen yesterday at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha , the President of CBCN, Archbishop Felix Alaba Job stated that Burke was still one of them because he only resigned from his administrative post as Archbishop of Benin and not as a priest or a bishop.

Flanked by Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja , Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha , Archbishop Ukpo of Calabar and Bishop Michael Okoro of Abakaliki, Job contended that the enemies were always out to destroy a house of God.
Okeke, in his own reaction, echoed Job’s response and advised Nigerians to shun rumour mongering and false information.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/alleged-unholy-sex-catholic-bishops-back-burke

A Lagos High Court has freed Chief Executive Officer of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Mr. Femi Otedola from a N5.8 billion suit instituted by Bank PHB against his firm over credit facilities.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Kazeem Alogba of the Lagos High Court, sitting in Igbosere on Wednesday, struck out Otedola’s name from the suit on the ground that he cannot be personally bound as the president of Zenon and the loan facility granted is on behalf of the firm not himself.
“In line with Sections 65 and 60 of the Company and Allied Matters Act, the second defendant’s (Otedola’s) co-operation is an act of the company. He cannot be personally bound as the president/chief executive officer and alter ego of the first defendant (Zenon).

“The facility granted is on behalf of first defendant. Nothing in the statement of claim shows that second defendant acted in his personal capacity. No wrong doing has been leveled against second defendant personally in statement of claim. No cause of action has been shown to make him a party in the suit.

“I strike out the name of the second defendant. He is a misjoined party in the suit,” the court ruled.
Further hearing in the matter has been fixed for June 7, 2010. Bank PHB had instituted the suit in respect of credit facilities granted Zenon between 2007 and 2008 in a bid to recover a N5.8billion debt it claimed Zenon owed.

Defendants in the suit had included Zenon; Zenon’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Otedola; African Petroleum (AP) Plc; Afribank Registrars and; Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/n58b-debt-court-frees-otedola

It just means that every sim can will be traced back to the owner. I guess there will be an increase in sim cards and phones being stolen due to Identity theft.

komekn:

Just one question how is it to be enforced

Probably only registered sim cards will be allowed access to the networks.

It should be the sim cards.

Members of the Senate today expressed support for the proposed bill to enforce compulsory registration of mobile phones by subscribers in the country, just as the bill scaled through the second reading.

George Sekibo, sponsor of the bill explained that the proposed legislation was aimed at providing security conditions for subscription and compelling all mobile phone service providers to register all their subscribers across the country in order to check abuses and criminality perpetrated by anonymous phone line users.

Sekibo noted that the bill when passed into law would check the perpetuation of fraud and other criminal tendencies done via mobile phones adding that it was introduced in the Senate after a series of consultations among stakeholders.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/senate-passes-bill-registration-mobile-phones

Amnesty International is calling for the fair retrial of seven Nigerian nationals, convicted by a court in Equatorial Guinea for their alleged involvement in an attempted coup. Last Month, a court in the capital, Malabo, sentenced the six men and one woman to 12 years' imprisonment each, on the charges of attempting to assassinate President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo during an alleged attack on the presidential palace last year.

The Equatorial Guinea government blamed 'MEND' for the attack. The seven Nigerians were Marck Etim Marck, Eyoh Okon Ikara, Eyon Kun Jhon, Effiong Matew, Okokon Iyanam (aka Mintay), Isangadighi and Ekaette Eyo Okon, a woman, were tried between 17 and 22 March 2010 by the Tribunal de Apelación de Malabo (Malabo Court of Appeal).

According to reports the accused Nigerians pleaded 'not guilty' and claimed to be fishermen and traders who had been lost at sea and had drifted into Equatorial Guinea waters where they were arrested by the navy.


A Nigerian woman also detained at sea has since died in custody. Amnesty International is appealing to the Equatorial Guinean authorities to take action to make sure these men receive a fair trial," said Tawanda Hondora, Deputy Africa Director at Amnesty International.

[url]http://www.gistboard.com/content/equatorial-guinea-coup-amnesty-demands-retrial-7-convicted-“mend”-members[/url]

LAGOS—SECOND national operator, Globacom, might have decided to pull out its operations from Ghana.
Vanguard gathered that the decision might not be unconnected with allegations of sabotage and several challenges from some local Ghanaian interests that did not want the company’s nationwide plan to take off.

A source close to the company said that some of the challenges the company faced since it was awarded a GSM licence by the National Communications Authority, NCA, included an encroachment on the frequency allocated to it by the NCA, as well as repeated and organised sabotage of its billboards and the delay in securing approval for the swift deployment of its infrastructures like base stations.

Vanguard gathered that while the company was working at achieving a fast roll-out of its network in the Ghanaian market, some forces had been deliberately working to cripple its operations and prevent it from rolling out as planned.

It was also gathered that part of the decisions to pull out of Ghana was the company’s feeling that its infrastructures in the country were not getting adequate protection from the law enforcement agencies.

However, Vanguard gathered that Globacom had not served the government of Ghana any notice yet but would do that soonest.

http://gistboard.com/content/glo-shuts-down-ghanaian-operations

What  the hell is going on Thisday newspaper claim that  Dangote told them he was interested.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=174027

Abi the other parties don warn am lol.

Multi-billionaire industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is considering buying 16 per cent stake in English Premier League club, Arsenal.

The stake is said to be worth £96 million (about N25 billion) as the battle for the takeover of the elite football club appears set for a grand finale.

Dangote confirmed to THISDAY last night that he was “seriously considering” investing in the club. He has already registered his interest with Blackstone, the American finance house contracted by Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith, Arsenal’s fourth-largest shareholder who wants to sell her stake worth about £96 million.She expects the sale will fetch her around £160 million.

Dangote told THISDAY that his interest had been in the making “for a while”, while his relationship and support for Arsenal dates back “a long time”. “It started in 1980 when I forged a relationship with Mr David Dein, former vice-chairman of the board of Arsenal,” he said, explaining that Dein sold him his first consignment of sugar at the time.

Dangote began watching Arsenal’s matches as Dein’s guest and remained a firm supporter of the club.
“That is when I developed an interest in Arsenal, and when the opportunity presented itself to acquire a stake in the club, I went for it,” he said.

If Dangote’s bid is successful, he could become a major factor in the cold takeover war between American billionaire, Stan Kroenke, and Uzbek oligarch, Alisher Usmanov – the two biggest investors in the company.
Kroenke currently owns 29.9 per cent of the club while Usmanov owns 26 per cent. Under UK rules, any investor who hits the 29.99 per cent threshold will be obliged to launch a formal takeover bid and buy out the other shareholders


http://gistboard.com/content/dangote-moves-buy-16-stake-arsenal

ALTHOUGH Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to the President, Mr. Cairo Ojuogboh had recanted that President Goodluck Jonathan would contest the 2011 presidential election, the issue has continued to attract comments from prominent Nigerians and groups.
Also at the centre of the growing debate is the rotation of the Presidency of Nigeria between the North and South.
Those who reacted to the twin-issues at the weekend, cited the merit and danger of zoning and Jonathan’s entering the race.         
Ojuogboh had on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, told journalists at the National Assembly, Abuja, that Jonathan would vie for the office on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but later issued a statement that he only expressed a personal opinion and did not get the mandate of the Nigerian leader to do so.
The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS) at the weekend said Jonathan could run but must first ensure that his doing so would not be at the risk of failing to deliver on his promises on electoral reforms, achieve stable power supply, accelerate the anti-corruption war; and promotion of justice and development in the Niger Delta region.
After a three-hour meeting of UNDEDSS national delegates, the group’s President, Prof. Pat Utomi, said: “The very notion that any region of Nigeria, or any political party, can ascribe to themselves the exclusive right to national leadership of a democratic and united Nigeria, in this 21st century, boggles the mind and cannot be allowed to exist.
“The right of President Jonathan, or any other bona fide citizen of Nigeria that wishes to run for any elective office, is guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution,” and “no one should attempt to subvert the constitution by using the long-played-out spectre of putative national insecurity as an excuse to attempt to scare away people interested in voting, or being voted for, as stipulated by the grundnorm of this troubled country. Enough is enough!”
UNDEDSS’ Secretary, Mr. Tony Iprinye Uranta, warned that “any attempt by any person, or group of persons, to prevent Jonathan from exercising his constitutional rights, as he may so decide to exercise them, including running for any elective office, will be resisted by the people of Nigeria, employing every channel and tools available to them to so resist!”
Uranta, however, cautioned Jonathan to “remember he is under scrutiny by Nigerians, and indeed the world, and to ensure that service to the people of Nigeria supersedes any personal political ambitions and other interests.”
Buta former Education Minister, Tunde Adeniran, has urged Jonathan to disregard those prodding him to contest the 2011 presidential election. Instead, he said the President should use the opportunity to fix the myriads of Nigeria’s problems.
In an interaction with journalists at a forum organized by an Abuja-based The Summit Newspapers, Adeniran berated those denying the existence of a pact within the PDP that power must rotate between the North and South until such a time that Nigeria stabilises democratically before any Nigeria could aspire to rule the country.
Adeniran, who also spoke on other national issues and the indiscipline within the PDP, expressed the hope that with the current leadership being provided  by the President, Nigeria’s dreams of experiencing a true democracy would be realised.
Adeniran, a one time Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, said contrary to comments in some quarters that there was no agreement on zoning in the PDP, said there was in deed a pact to that effect.
He said: “But with regard to the policy of the party with regard to believe that motivated why people came together, we came together as a party because we believe in justice, equity, fairness and we believe in Nigeria. In an attempt to work out modalities for ensuring that we arrive at those goals, those core values we believe in, that is where this zoning if you put it that way came.
“We felt that there was no way, particularly those of us from the South-West felt that justice has been done, that we cannot have a federation in which power will be the sole preserve of a section of the country, and in discussing and negotiating, we were able to get people of the like minds and the party members were conscious of the fact that stability of this country, and in deed the future of democracy  will have to factor in the need for participation, to broaden the base of participation among the various segments of the people and to also ensure that access to power is open to everybody.
“This was why the party decided that look, what we call some understanding was reached. Most of the meetings we held at the early period, the issue came up and there was this common agreement that indeed, power must always shift, until such a time where we will have stabilised and anybody from any part of the country can come up at any time and vie for the position of the presidency and of course, at the state level to.”
A group under the platform of Jonathan Youth Vanguard, which claims to have members from the 36 states of the federation, says Jonathan should join the race.
At a press conference held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, the convener of the group, Turner George, said saw the emergence of Jonathan as president as pre-ordained by God and so were determined to help him form an effective political platform that would provide him the necessary support to contest the election.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/controversy-rages-over-zoning-jonathan-2011-race

Nigeria's office of the International Police (INTERPOL), has formally notified security and immigration agencies that Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been removed from its security watch list, following the withdrawal of the charges against him by the Nigerian government.

The notification was signed by its deputy commissioner of police, Nwodibo Ekechukwu, and addressed to the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Department of State Services. It directed that the notice be brought to the attention of the officers in the named agencies.

"I refer to the watch-listing of the above named person watch-listed for some specific acts. The charges against him have been withdrawn. The watch-listing has accordingly been cancelled," Mr Ekechukwu, in the notice, titled ‘Re-Watchlisting: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (M)', said.

Mr. Ribadu, who was removed from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which he headed from 2003 to 2007, under controversial circumstances, escaped from the country and was subsequently declared wanted by the Nigeria police on November 20, 2009, after being accused of not declaring his assets as the chairman of the ant-graft agency.

Denied charges

Mr Ribadu, who was later taken before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, has consistently denied the charges brought against him.

"I assert that there is no substance to this case; that my assets were declared. How could I have been confirmed for my position in 2003 if I did not submit an asset declaration form to the Senate, as all officers needing Senate confirmation are obligated to do?" Mr Ribadu said in an interview with NEXT last year. He said the charges were trumped up to smear his name and persecute him for crossing some influential people while in office.

The charges against him were dropped by the federal government last month and he is expected to return to Nigeria soon and resume office as an adviser to Goodluck Jonathan on anti-corruption.

Attempts to speak with Mr Ribadu, were unsuccessful at press time. But one of his friends said the de-listing is another positive development in the government's effort to right the wrongs done to the former police officer.

"Mr Ribadu considers this as a vindication of his repeated statements that his past travails were a result of political machinations and he sees this as another effort to enable him return to further contribute to the development of a country he loves dearly," said his lawyer, Femi Falana.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/ribadu-no-longer-wanted-man

Eagles gaffer, Lars Lagerback, said moments after their send forth party that he was tired of the many questions and apprehensions about Argentina, one of their group opponents they play on June 12.

“Why is everybody talking about Argentina or Messi?”, he asked in an unfriendly tone. “They (Argentina) should be afraid of the Eagles. They should be afraid that I am coming with the Eagles to play against them. They are under pressure and jittery,  not us”, the Swede said.

He informed that he beat Argentina during Korea/Japan 1-0 and also beat Eagles 2-1 in the World Cup.

“I am in a better position to know the teams and their players. They should worry about me and Eagles. There is no doubt that they have very quality players just like the Eagles. You have good players but it appears you don’t believe in them. Not to worry. I have a team and I am not bothered about Argentina or any team. They should be the ones to worry about the Eagles”, Lagerback emphasised

Nigeria is in the same group with the South American powerhouse, including Korea and Greece.

[url]http://www.gistboard.com/content/argentina-should-worry-about-us-%E2%80%93-lagerback[/url]

The Polish Ambassador to Nigeria has been summoned by the Nigerian government for consultation on the circumstances that led to the brutal murder of a Nigerian in Poland by Polish police.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja Monday expressed shock at the ‘wanton killing of a Nigerian citizen without established culpability’ which the Ministry said ‘demonstrates a highhandedness
on the part of the Polish police’.

The statement, which was signed by Mr Ozo Nwobu, Head of the Public Communications Department of the Ministry, called on the Polish authorities to begin an ‘immediate and full enquiry into the shooting to death of the Nigerian citizen and the reported harassment of many other Nigerians
resident in Poland.

The text of the full statement reads: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has learnt with deep shock, the tragic shooting to death of a Nigerian in Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday 23rd May, 2010.

“The news of the incident which was conveyed in a report by our mission in Warsaw revealed that the Nigerian was shot to death by the Polish police in an open market place in Warsaw called the Russian Market. The report also indicates that Polish authorities, for undisclosed reasons, also arrested some Nigerians in Warsaw in the aftermath of the shooting.

http://www.gistboard.com/content/polish-envoy-summoned-over-killing-nigerian-poland

Nigerian footballers and athletes involved in age-group competitions are to be tested to determine their age.

Accusations of age cheating have blighted Nigeria's success at youth level in recent years.

Now the country's sports minister says MRI tests must be carried out make sure no-one is over age.

"All athletes representing Nigeria at any youth tournament [must] undergo the MRI bone scan tests," a government spokesman told the BBC.

"Any association or federation that [fails to impose] this new directive will be severely sanctioned."

"It is not just football that has suffered from these accusations but other sports as well - Nigerians are honest people and we should prove that."

Football's world governing body Fifa introduced MRI scans to check the ages of players at the recent Under-17 World Cup, which took place in Nigeria.

But they have not implemented the tests at Under-20 level because the results are less easily interpreted at that age.

Nigeria have won the Fifa Under-17 World Cup three times - 1985, 1993 and 2007 - but there have been frequent questions over the ages of some of the players representing the country.

Meanwhile, more than US$4.6 million will be paid to Nigeria's World Cup team if they reach the final of the tournament.

Players could earn up to US$138,000 each in allowances, appearance fees and win bonuses should they go all the way in South Africa, according to the country's football federation.

Nigeria face Argentina, South Korea and Greece in Group B in South Africa.

http://gistboard.com/content/nigeria-plans-crack-down-age-cheats

Nigeria captain Nwankwo Kanu has been offered a new contract by his financially striken club Portsmouth.

The FA Cup runners-up, who have been relegated from the English Premier League and are tens of millions of pounds in debt, say they want to retain a "firm base" for the future.

England star David James is among those who have also been offered a new deal.

But Aruna Dindane and Hassan Yebda will return to their previous clubs after the expiry of their loan deals.

"The football club can confirm it has offered new contracts to influential first-team FA Cup heroes David James, Kanu, Hermann Hreidarsson and Ricardo Rocha," a Portsmouth statement said.

"It's hoped the popular quartet will bring a wealth of experience and strength to the Blues' side as they seek to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking."

Kanu has made more than 120 appearances for Pompey, including coming on as a substitute in the FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea.

The 33-year-old is preparing to lead Nigeria at the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.

Ivory Coast's Dindane will return to his French club Lens, whilst Hassan Yebda of Algeria is to go back to Benfica of Portugal.

http://gistboard.com/content/relegated-portsmouth-offer-nigerias-kanu-new-deal

The rage for the discontinuation of the zoning arrangement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the beginning of the democratic dispensation is on. From different divides of the country, views on this subject differ. In the North, the biggest concern after the death of President Musa Yar’Adua is what will happen to the remaining four years of the rotation arrangement. In this interview, the National Vice-Chairman ( North West ) of the PDP, Alhaji Danladi Sankara, insists that the North will produce the next PDP presidential candidate.

Presidential zoning
The true position is that the candidate of the PDP for 2011 election would emerge from the North. That is the official policy statement of the party and it will remain so. The founding fathers of the PDP saw and appreciated the great wisdom in rotating the Presidency between the North and South for the sake of peace, unity and stability of the nation and the sustenance of its democracy. It was also meant to give every section of the Nigerian nation the desired sense of belonging and equal opportunity to participate in political leadership at the highest level.

The zoning of the presidency between the North and South is one of the unique policies that has made the PDP the most attractive political party. The entrenchment of that policy is what has kept the nation united, stabilized the political system to the point that we have been able to sustain democracy for the longest period since Nigeria attained political independence in 1960 to date.
Let me seize this opportunity to re-affirm that the PDP stands firmly by its policy of producing the party’s presidential candidate from the North for the sake of the 2011 election. We have not changed the policy and it stands.

Unconstitutional rotation
Those you said are kicking against the retention of the Presidency in the North from 2011 to 2015 are either ignorant or have chosen to be mischief-makers. Agreed there is no specific provision in the Nigerian Constitution and the Constitution of the PDP for the rotational presidency, that reality does not erase the fact that the agreement to that effect even though unwritten, is subsistent and cannot be wished away under any guise or pretences. Let me hasten to explain that zoning is conventional tradition of the PDP.

It is not meant to be permanent, especially as it affects the office of President. It has to be operated full circle between the North and South till when democracy is fully and effectively appreciated and entrenched before the system could be thrown open. Now, let me clarify your question. It was on the basis of the PDP policy that former President, General Olusgeun Obasanjo, received massive support and got elected in 1999, and was re-elected in 2003, making clear two terms of eight years. And it was in keeping faith with the PDP zoning policy that the late Yar’Adua was elected president in 2007. He did not even complete the first term of four years before he died. Then, how do you even waste your time to think of throwing the contest open when the North still has another term of four years Presidency that is supposed to end by 2015? That is the fundamental question we should answer before any other thing.

[url]http://www.gistboard.com/content/presidency-remains-north-%E2%80%93sankara-pdp-national-vice-chairman-north-west[/url]

Nigeria’s Super Eagles stand to pocket a massive N700 million (about $ 4.6 million) in allowances, appearance fees and win bonuses should they go all the way at next month's World Cup as skipper Nwankwo Kanu has predicted.
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has already proposed to the players a qualification bonus of 25% of the $8 million Nigeria will receive for featuring in the first round of the 2010 World Cup.

In addition, NFF has now projected it would also spend about N700 million in daily allowances, appearance fees and match bonuses if the Eagles reach the World Cup finals. For instance, each of the 23 players who make the final cut for the tournament will be entitled to a daily allowance of $200. A month's stay in South Africa would, therefore, mean that a player would receive $6,000 alone in daily allowances.


http://www.gistboard.com/content/eagles-pocket-n700m-allowances-bonuses

‘’Yes, we have good news.  I was just talking to Nigerian Ambassador to Dubai , Ambassador Yuguda. It has been confirmed that Ibori was arrested by the Interpol. We have been exchanging interaction with the Interpol and the Metroplitan  police since we declared him wanted. International warrant of arrest was also issued. Yesterday, he was arrested and he is undergoing interrogation with them there in Dubai . The man in charge of his case in the UK has dispatched detectives to Dubai to start the process. We are consulting here also.  You heard me say I will discuss with the NSA the next line of action,  whether our officers would go to Dubai or whether the MET. police would want to take him to start trial there. We also have our cases against him here pending. That is the good news.

On why did EFCC did not declare Ibori wanted much earlier, she said ‘this was a man, before I came, he had this case pending, he was arrested and detained in Kaduna prison for two months. He was going to court in Kaduna . He filed a motion that the case be transferred to Asaba. They argued the issue of jurisdiction; that as a Delta state governor for eight years, the jurisdiction should be in Delta state.

He won and the case was transferred to Delta State . He was going to court, so there was no need to declare him wanted. But based on fresh petition and more evidence that we got through the Metropolitan police and the petitions and also the Central Bank of Nigeria , CBN, we decided to do another investigation. It never crossed my mind that somebody who is already standing trial and who had been to prison, could jump bail. He was a former governor; he filed the motion moving the case to Delta state as he wanted. He went there and the case was quashed, we appealed. I never thought the man would run away. ‘’

http://gistboard.com/content/i-never-thought-ibori-would-run-away-dubai-says-farida-waziri

A pall of uncertainty still surrounds the nomination of a candidate to occupy the seat of Vice President, with odds yesterday mounting against Kaduna State Governor, Muhammad Namadi Sambo who was endorsed by the Governors’ Forum for the job.

The Northern governors and a select members of the Governors’ Forum had risen from a late night meeting on Wednesday with a resolution to propose Sambo, an architect as deputy to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sambo’s name was expected to have been forwarded to the National Assembly on Thursday for approval but Daily Sun gathered that the choice had thrown up some clogs, which had to be cleared.
From the governor’s Kaduna home-front protests were said to have begun to well up against his nomination.

The protests arose from the fact that if Sambo vacates the governor’s seat, his deputy, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa automatically becomes governor. Some interested parties in the state are believed to be uncomfortable to have Yakowa, a Christian from the Southern Kaduna, Jema’a Local Government Area as governor. No southern Kaduna native had ever been governor in the state.

The parties, it was further gathered, had been making consultations to ensure that the status quo remained in the state.

http://gistboard.com/content/new-vp-stalemate-odds-against-sambo

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs. Farida Waziri has dispatched a team to Dubai to start the process of extraditing former governor of Delta state James Ibori after he was arrested by the International Police (Interpol) on Wednesday.

Mrs. Waziri confirmed to journalists in Abuja that, “It has been confirmed that Ibori was arrested by the Interpol.”

She said the commission had been exchanging intelligence with Interpol and Metropolitan Police, UK, after Ibori was declared wanted in Nigeria and failed to submit himself for interrogation over an alleged N44billion scam.

The former governor was however granted bail by a Dubai court after he was arraigned yesterday, his media aide Tony Eluemunor said in a statement.

Ibori was arrested by Interpol via a warrant of arrest issued by United Kingdom authorities and would soon be extradited to face charges of money laundering against him before a London court.

[url]http://gistboard.com/content/efcc-begins-ibori%E2%80%99s-extradition[/url]