Former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi was up to his old tricks of pretending to be an expert in governance during an Arise TV interview two days ago.

He said the Nigerian economy was on life support.  Poverty was on the increase.  People were leaving education with no work in their productive years.

Obi said his state is Number One in secondary education. These pictures taken last week of Girls Secondary School in Oba, Anambra State do not support his claims.

tmx21:
Ok. Let's tell that to the ministry of education to introduce the Constitution right from the Secondary School level.


Well, dont be suprised if this didn't even see the light of the day; those thieves wouldn't be happy seeing all citizens knowing their right.

Horus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1URIqBAqo8

How to Understand the 1999 Nigerian Constitution

This important episode breaks down the Nigerian Constitution in terms of citation and understanding

Several incidents in recent times have brought talk about the Nigerian constitution to the fore. There has been a lot noise about impeaching the Senate President Bukola Saraki. This has generated debate on what the framers of the Constitution mean by two-thirds of senators being required to impeach the Senate President.

On Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari suggested that individual rights and liberties, such as those enshrined in the Constitution, and the rule of law, should play a secondary role to national security and national interest. Buhari is a former military dictator, but Nigeria is now under constitutional rule and it is very likely that the overwhelming majority of literate Nigerians have not read the Constitution, or some of its most relevant provisions.

The Constitution’s “provisions shall have binding force on the authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. The country “shall not be governed, nor shall any persons or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”. This means the Constitution is a critical document for anyone that governs or resides in Nigeria as a citizen. Each political office holder swears to uphold the Constitution when they take the oath of office. Despite being the “bible” of governance in Nigeria, it is fair to say that more Nigerians know more about the bible or the quran than they do about the Constitution. The Nigerian Constitution should be part of the curriculum in schools, just like religious knowledge.

President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the Nigerian Bar Association's annual general conference in Abuja yesterday and had some quite disturbing things to say.

The president said: "Rule of Law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation’s security and national interest. Our apex court has had cause to adopt a position on this issue in this regard and it is now a matter of judicial recognition that; where national security and public interest are threatened or there is a likelihood of their being threatened, the individual rights of those allegedly responsible must take second place, in favour of the greater good of society".

This is quite interesting on a few fronts coming from a former military dictator who now claims he is a "reformed democrat".  For starters, the "rule of law" refers to "the restriction of the arbitrary exercise of power by subordinating it to well-defined and established laws".  Nigeria's constitution is the "supreme law of the land".  The first words of the first part of the constitution states:  "1. (1) This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on the authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(2) The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any persons or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

(3) If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void."

Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha's treachery in impoverishing his state through brazen looting has already been chronicled on numerous occasions by Naijiant.com.  But negotiating the roads of Owerri once the city experiences a spot of rain has become as treacherous as Okorocha's misrule, where drivers are constantly taking their lives in their hands on flooded streets without drainage, as they avoid debris, flotsam and jetsam.

These pictures were taken by our correspondent on Wednesday 22 August.

IbrahimDamola:
If you are serious, start making plans for lawal Daura and IGP Idris to also spend the rest of their lives in Kirikiri maximum prison incommunicado.

Several recent arrests and detentions of journalists and activists in Nigeria suggest a disturbing trend toward repression of freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday, 21 August. In one case, it was revealed that a journalist had been held incommunicado for nearly two years, and in another, an activist said he was tortured.

“Throwing reporters in jail for doing their job of informing the public sends a chilling message to journalists in Nigeria,” said Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Nigerian authorities need to end any harassment and ensure that members of the press can operate without fear.”

A few months ago, the popular American preacher TD Jakes came to the church I attend in London. Preaching on leadership and wealth, he said prayer is not leadership and not enough to make anyone rich. “If prayers were enough”, he said, “Nigeria would be one of the richest countries in the world”. Most people in the congregation clapped in agreement. Several weeks later, The Times of London wrote an editorial on the relationship between religion and wealth, in which it said: “A period of increasing religiosity in Nigeria heralded a period of falling wealth”. So, Nigeria has become a global case study of how a nation can be deeply religious and yet not prosperous. But where does the idea that religiosity leads to prosperity come from? And why has the causal relationship held in reverse for Nigeria?

Boko Haram, the Nigerian jihadist group infamous for its bombings and abductions, is undergoing something of a makeover. A key faction that has the backing of so-called Islamic State has renounced its old blood-soaked ways and is trying instead to win hearts and minds in a new strategic twist to a nine-year insurgency that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

To be clear, Abubaker Shekau, the fearsome warlord made legendary by his ranting YouTube performances, has had no such change of heart.

He considers everyone residing outside the “Daulah” – the zone of territory he controls – are “unbelievers”, and therefore legitimate targets of indiscriminate murder. It was partly on this ideological point that the movement split in August 2016 – a schism marked by vicious internecine fighting and the assassination of senior commanders on both sides.

The new Boko Haram faction is led by Abu Mus'ab al-Barnawi and his military chief, Mamman Nur. They won the endorsement of IS, which dropped Shekau and picked al-Barnawi as the new “wali”, or governor, of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The harassment, arrest and illegal detention of Premium Times journalists and editors by men of the Nigerian police over a report they did concerning the invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS constitutes an assault on free press and stands condemned in the eyes of all Nigerians who cherish the ideals of liberty.

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) hereby joins Nigerians to condemn the assault and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Premium Times journalist, Samuel Ogundipe.

We insist that this repeated violation of personal liberty and thuggish behavior from the police, DSS and other security agencies which has become the hallmark of the Buhari/Osinbajo APC administration would be condoned no further.

For over a decade, Nigeria, like so many developing countries, has been granting a number of tax incentives to multinational companies in a bid to attract foreign direct investment. Proponents of the incentives argue that the measures are vital to the development of the economy, while critics point to the glaring lack of evidence supporting these claims. As the Tax Justice Network develops its Corporate Tax Haven Index, it asks: are tax incentives serving the people or a few individuals?

Recently there seems to be a move towards finding a middle ground between the proponents of tax incentives, usually the organised business sector, and the opponents, the civil society organisations and campaigners. In March 2018, at a meeting of civil society organisations organised by Action Aid Nigeria, there was a heated discussion on the role of tax incentives in the development of Nigeria. Although the meeting was intended for the third sector, it also had in attendance representation from the organised private sector and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). One of the aims of the meeting was to gauge the perception of stakeholders on the issue of tax incentives, to discuss and agree on certain issues, and to chart a course for further action.

Enugu:the Coal City of yesteryears.

Founded in 1909 by a team of geological explorers led by Sir Albert Kitson, Enugu was just like one of those “evil forests”, or at best, a farmland used by surrounding villages. It was the discovery of coal on top of Udi escarpment that attracted residents to the area.

Enugu or Enu-ugwu, which consists of two Igbo words – Enu (Top) and Ugwu (Hill), meaning ” Top of the Hill” or “Hill Top”, derived its name from a little village east of Ngwo Town, situated at the top of Udi Hills, where coal was discovered in 1909. It was then called ” Enu–ugwu Ngwo“. However, much of the European “Enugu”, which we all know today, lies at the foot of Udi-Awgu-Nsukka hills, surrounded by a stretched low hills, and sits at an altitude of 240 miles above sea level.

The main indigenous people of Enugu are Ogui Nike, who live in areas around Hotel Presidential, Obiagu, Ama-Igbo, Ihewuzi and Onu-Asata areas. Other groups include Awkunanaw people, who live mainly in Achara Layout and Uwani areas as well as the Enugwu Ngwo people who live on the hilltop, with their farmlands sprawling all over the valley. The discovery of coal deposit in their land gave rise to settlements around the foot of the hills, and as the population grew, the city expanded into the areas of other indigenous inhabitants. It was then called Enugwu-Ngwo, before it was changed to just Enugu.

The first immigrant settlers in Enugu was an exploitation team of coalminers under a British mining engineer named William John Leck. The team was accompanied by a gang of labourers led by Alfred Inoma from Onitsha. They all came in 1915. They were later joined by prisoners who were brought down from Udi to the coalmine. The prisoners built their own prison yard and set out to work in the mine.

While William Leck and the White men who came with him settled at Hill Top, Alfred Inoma and his group settled at a place known after him, called Ugwu Alfred. Alfred Inoma died very early, but William Leck lived in Enugu until his retirement in 1942.

It was the discovery of coal in Enugu in 1909 that led to the founding of the city of Port Harcourt in 1912, which was to serve as an outlet for the shipment of coal overseas. The town was named after a one-time British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Lewis Viscount Harcourt.

Soon after the opening of the coalmine in 1915, the Colliery Management embarked on massive recruitment of labourers to work the coalfields. It was also the same year that the first shipment of coal from Enugu to the United Kingdom was made.

The influx of workers in Enugu to work the coalfields led to the establishment of “Colliery Villages” to give shelter to these immigrants. That was how places like Coal Camp and Iva Valley came into existence.

In 1917, Enugu was declared a Second Class Township under the Colonial Order in Council No. 19 of 1917, along with Udi, which was declared a Third Class Township. Accordingly, a Township Advisory Board (TAB), consisting of Mr. J G Lawson, acting District Officer; Mr. J S Hayes, Colliery Manager; Mr. A B Milliken, Assistant Engineer; Mr. E C Braithwaite, Medical Officer; and Mr. W Reeder, Senior Superintendent of Prisons, was set up to take care of the political administration of the town.

In 1929, the Colonial Government gave approval that the administrative headquarters of Southern Provinces of Nigeria which then comprised of Onitsha, Ogoja, Owerri, Calabar, Ijebu, Oyo, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, as well as the Mandated of the Cameroon, be moved from Lagos to Enugu.

Enugu remained the Capital of Southern Provinces until 1939, when the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. W G A Ormsby-Gore, in a memo dated September 17, 1937, approved the splitting of Southern Provinces into Eastern and Western Provinces with capitals at Enugu and Ibadan respectively.

Enugu was also capital of Eastern Region, capital of the sovereign Republic of Biafra, capital of East Central State, capital of Anambra State, and now, capital of Enugu State.

Among those who held forte in Enugu and from there presided over the affairs of the people entrusted into their care were Professor Eyo Ita, Leader of Government Business (1952 to 1954); Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Premier (1954 to 1959); Dr. Michael Okpara and Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam, Premier and Governor respectively, (1959 to 1966); Colonel/General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor, Eastern Region/Republic of Biafra (1966 to 1970).

Others were Mr. Mr. Anthony Ukpabi Asika, Administrator, (1967 to 1975); Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu, Military Governor, (July 1975 to October 1975); Colonel John Atom Kpera, Military Governor, (1975 to 1978); Colonel Datti Sadiq Abubakar, Military Governor, (1978 to 1979); Chief Jim Nwobodo, Governor, 1979 to 1983); and Chief Christian Onoh, Governor, (October 1983 to December 1983).

There were also Navy Captain Allison Madueke, Military Governor, (1984 to 1985); Group Captain Emeka Omeruah, (1985 to 1987); Colonel Robert Akonobi, Military Governor, (1987 to 1990); Colonel Herbert Obi Eze, Military Governor, (1990 to 1992); Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Governor, (1992 to 1993); Navy Captain Temison Ejoor, Military Governor, (1993 to 1994); Colonel Lucky Mike Torey, Military Governor, (1994 to 1996); Colonel Sule Ahman, Military Governor, (1996 to 1998); and Navy Captain Benson Agbaje (1998 to 1999).

The rest were Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, Governor, (1999 to 2007); Barrister Sullivan Chime, Governor, (2007 to 2015): and Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor, (2015 to date). Each and everyone of them had contributed one way or the other in changing the face of Enugu.

yarimo:
Nigerians are in support of impeachment of SARAKI as Senate President

Ever since Senate President Bukola Saraki defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – from where he had joined the APC in 2014 – new APC Chairman Adams Oshiomhole has fired off threats about impeaching the former Kwara State governor almost everyday.

Oshiomhole, whom Saraki accused of behaving like a “rain-beaten chicken” said that Saraki must resign or be “legally impeached”. There is even a claim from Saraki sources that the siege of the National Assembly by Nigeria’s secret police on 7 August was masterminded by Oshiomhole and was allegedly an attempt to bus in anti-Saraki senators, once the Senate chamber was secured by the security agents, to impeach the senate president.  All this was going on while the National Assembly was on recess.

Oshiomhole and the APC have denied all involvement, but he continues to threaten Saraki with impeachment.  When Saraki with House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara cancelled the reconvening of the National Assembly from recess yesterday, it fuelled rumours on social media that the move was to stop his impending impeachment.

But despite the sound and fury from Oshiomhole and his many supporters, impeaching Saraki “legally” is near impossible.  This is simply because the APC do not have the numbers required.

Responding to news that Nigeria’s Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has ordered an immediate overhaul of the country’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria Osai Ojigho said:

“This is an overdue yet hugely important move by Acting President Osinbajo. The growing outcry over the brutality of Nigeria’s notorious SARS police unit has finally got the attention of the country’s authorities."

The fishermen of Lake Chad must sail in secret, forced to evade both Boko Haram jihadists and Nigeria's military in a desperate dance that has strangled livelihoods and caused scarcity of a once-staple food.

While in the past boats slid across the vast waters unhindered, sustaining a vibrant fishing industry in northeastern Nigeria, years of bloody Boko Haram militancy has deeply scarred the region.

And despite a brief return to stability earlier this year, the fishermen have become ensnared in a fresh Nigerian army counterinsurgency operation against the jihadists in and around the lake launched in May.

Activists are concerned that Veolia, the company linked with the Flint, Michigan water crisis, is on the shortlist to manage two-thirds of water system in Lagos, Nigeria, where many children die from water-borne diseases.

"I feel Veolia is a snake, and they slithered over to Lagos to try to increase their profit margins," Nayyirah Shariff, director at Flint Rising activist group, told BuzzFeed News. "They have a history of poisoning black communities in the US, and they should not be poisoning the largest African city on the continent."

Since fleeing his home in Nigeria’s Borno State six years ago, retired civil servant Iddrisu Ibrahim Halilu has fought tirelessly on behalf of those who, like him, have been displaced by violence meted out by Boko Haram.

Halilu, 62, is the health coordinator of a camp in the Durumi district of Abuja where some 3,000 people have made a temporary home. In all, the Boko Haram insurgency has claimed more than 20,000 lives and uprooted some 2.4 million people.

Armed masked men from Nigeria’s Gestapo aka the Department of State Services (DSS) surrounded the gates of the National Assembly today, preventing staff and legislators – who were mainly on recess – from gaining entrance. Some legislators tried to force their way in and rumours flew around social media about the intentions of the security agents.

Later in the afternoon, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo announced through his media spokesman that the boss of the DSS, Lawal Daura, was sacked for this show of force and apparent illegal act. President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in London on “vacation”.

Naijiant.com spoke this evening to a source close to Senate President Bukola Saraki and governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to get to the bottom of what looked like a crisis.

newjosboy:
By miracles. I mean turning his staff to snakes (kicks to goals) and by sending the 12 plagues to the Pharaoh(not relenting and keeping form).

It’s a new beginning at Chelsea, the Maurizio Sarri era. As with the previous dispensations, optimism is high. While faithful crave an attractive, productive brand, the players battle for relevance. Some may have lost the contest before the season even begins.

Antonio Conte’s time in West London was brief but memorable. He feuded on two fronts, with the club itself over transfer targets and former Blues boss Jose Mourinho over... what was it again? Between battles, he revolutionised the English game. With a three-man backline, the Blues swept everyone aside in the Italian's first season. It was so effective, rivals quickly adapted the tactic to their squads.

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) source has revealed to Naijiant.com how Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was interrogated on Tuesday about his huge property portfolio, spanning Abuja, Enugu, Dubai, the United States and London.

Nigerian farmers are under attack, so why don't we hear about it?

We've heard a lot lately about white South African farmers being killed in farm murders. But another group of African farmers are being killed in far greater numbers and we've barely heard a whimper.

What would you think if you heard that there was a group of people, all belonging to one religion, who were being savagely attacked by another group so that they were forced out of their homes?

If whole villages were being destroyed, churches burnt to the ground and hundreds of people including women and children murdered? If the region's government was doing little to intervene?

FOLYKAZE:


So it is all about BMC and party politics. It is not about objectivity, rationality and sensitization? Common dude, the media don't drive on misinformation to become acceptable.

For your info, I am based in Ore. Power is supplied from Osogbo through 11 and 33 Kva line. Those connected to the old line have constant 5-10hrs power supply everyday. And those connected to the 33kv line have about 15-20hr power supply everyday. All the villages and communities between Ondo Town and Ore (Odigbo, Ajue, Omifon and the likes have 24 hrs supply because they are less populated there. The 33kv passes through Show boy express to Iroju area. There are lot of industries along this line, very populated and cost of living high but they have regular supply. The only area that is not connect is Ogbe, olowo and lafe. These areas are not in Ore. They are farm zones populated by Ikale and its in Irele LGA though have a very close proximity to Ore. Also, the new sites and kajola ojurin are not connected yet. Anyone living in Ore even residence of Iroju, Gboguntesu and Show axis cuz like there stays for over 15hrs every day.

In Okitipupa, Ese Odo and Irele LGA,there have been no supply there for years. And the current government is making endless effort to conect them to Omotosho grid. There are power poles in place that passes through Ode-Aye to Okitipupa.

The only time had issue in Ore is last year during the raining season when some supply poles got damaged by the trees that fell on it. And it took the engineers about three weeks to fix it. Another case is this year when a truck load ram and damage more than 10 poles. The driver settled the Power Engineers and it was fixed within a week or two. So where in hell did you find non supply of power for three years? Do you even live in Ore?

And I need to ask you...which part of Ore-Benin exprrss does the protest took place? Cuz yesterday, there was nothing like protest around Ondo junction, Adolak axis or Frankel axis. So tell us where the protest took place exactly.

FOLYKAZE:
Why are you bloggers like this? Posting false information just to draw traffic to your useless blog. This is not how Linda Ikeji and Seun Osewa did it. Publishing fake info dies more damage to the reputation of your blog. I think your blog should be blacklisted.

I am based in Ore. And for that yeye blogger info there has been power supply in the town and even in remote settlements like forever. The only town that has issue is Okitipupa and axis. Ore as I am typing have their power intact. OP should look for another lie

• Armed bandits hold sway in rural parts of Zamfara state
• At least 371 people killed since January and dozens of villages sacked

Insecurity is escalating in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state, with daily killings and kidnappings by armed bandits leaving villagers in constant fear of attack, Amnesty International said today.

Thousands of people have been displaced by a conflict which began in 2012 as a result of clashes between farmers and herders.

kayusely70:
Ore Is in ondo state, stop posting falsehood.

Thousands of residents of Ore in Ondo State staged what was reportedly a violent protest from 10am today about what a witness at the scene described as "the non-connection of electricity for six years to their community".  Protesters held a rally in the town barricading roads demanding from the power companies: "Bring back our light".

There's a lot of drama going on in Imo State as governor Rochas Okorocha, who completes his second term next year tries to install his son-in-law Uche Nwosu as his replacement.  This move has put the governor at loggerheads with his deputy Eze Madumere, who also has his eyes on the state's top job.

Okorocha yesterday engineered an alleged impeachment of his deputy using loyalists in the House of Assembly. This was despite a court order secured by Madumere to halt proceedings.  The governor has since appointed the Head of the state's civil service as his deputy.  But it has been reported that judges in the state have refused to swear-in the new deputy because they don't want to be seen to be disobeying a court order.

As all this drama was going down, a source close to Okorocha has informed Naijiant.com that Madumere had no business being a deputy governor in the first place.