₦airaland Forum

Thursday, 28 January 2010 12:46 Guardian Quote: "The current first lady, Turai Yar'Adua, believed to be satisfied with the win-win situation that allows her husband to complete his tenure and still decide on who succeeds him in the event of his own inability to do a second term, is reportedly rooting for one of her sons-in-law, who are also governors: Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State.

But choosing from these two is reportedly not without its own controversy.

"Each, according to sources, has supporters among the ruling elite, though Yuguda's cause is reportedly being championed by the business elite, represented in the caucus by an industrialist from the North with considerable influence in the Yar'Adua administration.

Interestingly, Yuguda reportedly has a marital relationship with the industrialist. Indeed he is said to be step-father to some of his children, including two daughters he gave out in marriage in a fanfare last year".

The Guardian

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article02//indexn2_html?pdate=280110&ptitle=PDP%202011%20presidential%20pick%20soon%20in%20new%20plan%20to%20end%20Yar%27Adua%20debacle

Against this background, a caucus of some governors, party leaders, the leadership of the national legislature and some private businessmen, is now seeking another way out by working to move the PDP convention forward, effectively adopting some form of electoral process reform, where a presidential candidate may soon be picked ahead of the presidential election which on its part too may be brought forward. The aim here is to fast-track politicking with a view to diverting attention from governance. This move is predicated on the belief that even if the on-going pressure forces Yar'Adua's return, his condition could still be such as would make it impossible for him to be overtly active. Such a situation, of course, would engender renewed clamour for his removal since he would be seen as still incapacitated.

But with a new candidate in the wings, in the promoters' reckoning, attention may indeed shift to the next presidency and people may worry less about the inactivity of the moment. "With the prospect of another president coming, the hope is that people will worry less about what is happening to the incumbent."

Even this, however, is not without a problem. There is still the herculean task of convincing members of the so-called kitchen cabinet to buy into this wholesale. And, of course, the question: Who would be the candidate?

The current first lady, Turai Yar'Adua, believed to be satisfied with the win-win situation that allows her husband to complete his tenure and still decide on who succeeds him in the event of his own inability to do a second term, is reportedly rooting for one of her sons-in-law, who are also governors: Alhaji Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State. But choosing from these two is reportedly not without its own controversy.

Each, according to sources, has supporters among the ruling elite, though Yuguda's cause is reportedly being championed by the business elite, represented in the caucus by an industrialist from the North with considerable influence in the Yar'Adua administration.

Interestingly, Yuguda reportedly has a marital relationship with the industrialist. Indeed he is said to be step-father to some of his children, including two daughters he gave out in marriage in a fanfare last year.

The Guardian also learnt yesterday that presidential and gubernatorial elections might be brought forward to November this year instead of the scheduled 2011.

This is however subject to the National Assembly giving its seal to the move, which is part of the political permutation to keep Yar'Adua in office. The remaining period, till the May 29 handover date will be used for resolving electoral disputes.

The architects of this scheme are optimistic that Nigerian will buy into it since there have been agitations that all electoral disputes should be resolved before the inauguration date.

On November 24, 2009, Yar'Adua was admitted to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was not the first time he was travelling for medical reasons, but early this month, anxiety began to mount as to why it was taking the President so long to return.

http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2752:turai-wants-her-son-in-law-to-succeed-yaradua&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=67

NO WAY FOR THE POOR CITIZENS IN NAIJA, THE OIL MONEY IS FOR OUR LEADERS POCKET, FOOLISH LOOTERS,,,,,,
GOD WILL ONE DAY SEE US THROUGH, WITH THIS BAD LEADERS, THE EVIL & CORRUPED GANG OF LEADERS

no good news dat comes out nigeria, our leaders re out there fighting for their sealfish intrest
na waaaaaaaaaaaa for naija, GOD HELP US

A London High Court has grated a worldwide mareva injunction against the assets of sacked Group Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Mr. Erastus Akingbola, his wife and nominees in the sun of £83m.

The injunction granted on Monday by Hon Justice Blair of the High Court of Justice in London was based on claim No 2009, Folio 1680 filed by Intercontinental Bank, and is an extension of an earlier order granted on December 23, 2009 for the sum of £11m.

Akingbola, who has been living in London after his ouster last August by the Central Bank of Nigeria, for nearly running the bank aground, has until February 12 to apply to set aside the injuction, sources close to the proceedings said on Wednesday.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had on December 31, 2009 frozen N346bn and £11m in six Nigerian and UK banks allegedly belonging to the former bank chief.

Justice Tijani Abubakar also placed an interim forfeiture order on Akingbola‘s alleged assets and choice properties in Lagos, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Accra, Ghana.

The six banks in which the said amount was domiciled and frozen include Intercontinental Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc; Zenith Bank Plc; Skye Bank Plc; Fidelity Bank Plc and Intercontinental Bank (UK) Limited.

The judge also granted the application of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for a mareva injunction to temporarily freeze Akingbola‘s assets all over the world.

But the judge granted a reprieve to the embattled former bank MD saying that he should be allowed access to N1. 4m per month as living expenses and retention of legal advisers being equivalent to his lost take- home pay as the CEO of the bank.

The judge also ordered that the interim order would be in force, pending the trial of the ex-bank chief.

He added that the court order should be served on Akingbola through a courier service, DHL, at his known residence at No 26, Chester Terrace, London, England NW14ND.

The EFCC had filed three ex-parte applications in which the anti-graft agency urged the court to freeze the bank accounts and forfeit the assets of the ex-bank chief.

The EFCC had claimed that its investigation revealed that Akingbola had allegedly perpetrated serious economic and financial crimes including money laundering, theft, capital market manipulation, tax fraud, obtaining money through false pretences, criminal granting of loans and facilities, insider abuse, insider trading and abuse of office.

It added that further investigation of the amount involved was N346bn and 11 pounds sterling, saying that Akingbola absconded and had been declared wanted.

The agency also alleged that Akingbola and his associates were trying to remove assets from Nigeria, adding that he had attempted to move N2bn out of the country after he was declared wanted.

Ajayi also told the court that Akingbola moved 10million pound sterling out of Nigeria.

Justice Abubakar subsequently ordered the seizures.

The schedule of the seized properties include: property at Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; Amazing Grace Plaza, Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos; No. 2, Bedwell Road, Ikoyi; No. 26 Chester Terrace, London, England, NW1 4ND; No. 65 Gove-End Road, London NW8 9NH, England, No. 8 Connaught Street, London W2 2AH, England; properties in Accra, and Dubai (suspected to be owned directly or indirectly by Dr. Erastus B.O. Akingbola).

The court also seized his shares in 11 companies, as well as a number of luxury car

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201001284233884

Written by Shola Adekola

Thirty-three Nigerians were on Wednesday deported to Nigeria from the United States.

The deportees were brought into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard an American chartered plane marked N738MA.

The aircraft landed at the airport 1.00 p.m . and the Nigerians were escorted by 14 Americans.

According to an immigration source, out of the 33 deported, 29 were males while the remaining were females.

Some of the deportees, according to the immigration source, committed more than one offence.

While five of the deportees ran into trouble over passport issues, 28 were deported for having expired and fake travel documents.

Six ran foul of immigration offences, five were deported over drug cases, just as 22 had police cases in the US.

The deportees were received at the Lagos airport by Nigerian immigration officials, NDLEA, police and other law enforcement agents.

Those with drug offences were handed over to the NDLEA for interrogation while those with immigration related offences were taken into the custody of the immigration.


http://www.nigeriannews.com/

Police find Ohu's phone, others


Ring leader at large, says Onovo
From John Abba-Ogbodo, Abuja
A MAJOR breakthrough has been recorded in the investigations into the circumstances behind the assassination of former Assistant News editor of The Guardian, Bayo Ohu as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ogbonna Onovo yesterday disclosed that three principal suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder while the late Ohu's mobile phone and his personal computer taken away by the killers have been recovered from one of the arrested suspects.

Ohu was murdered on September 20, 2009 at his residence in Lagos, with the death drawing a worldwide condemnation, while the police was tasked to for once, resolve a high profile murder case in the country.

Onovo, at the first monthly meeting with Commissioners of Police held in Abuja, revealed that the leader of the group according to confessional statements made by the arrested suspects, is still at large, but promised that the police will do everything possible within its powers to track him down.

His words: "We did mention here during our last conference that some of those who killed Bayo Ohu, yes, , some progress has been made. The CP Lagos has informed me that three principal suspects have been arrested and that they made confessional statements and that the handset and laptop of the deceased was recovered from them. And that the police are still looking for just one of them who is the ring leader. So we will compile that case file and forward it to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice and thereafter we will prosecute".

He said that the police were working assiduously to decode some programmes on the laptop with a view to opening and reading some of the documents stored on the computer by the late journalist and with a view to getting better insight into the possible reasons why he was murdered.

The main suspect, according to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Marvel Akpoyibo, who was mandated by the IGP to give further insight into the case, has fled Lagos and is suspected to have put together another criminal gang in one of the states in the country.

However, the man who actually pulled the trigger on Ohu, he said, was among the three suspects arrested.

Akpoyibo said: "When Ohu was killed, the expectation of everyone was that the police should automatically, overnight arrest the killers, prosecute them that day and sentence them that day. Some of us have not come to terms with the fact that cases of that nature require diligent, very professional handling. So we were quiet about what we were doing. We didn't want to spill the beans otherwise those we are looking for will escape.

So we kept the progress we were making close to our chest exclusively until we succeeded in getting the three principal suspects including the one who actually shot the man to death. They all made confessional statements and we recovered the handset of the deceased that we used to trace these other hoodlums and then a few days ago, we were able to pick up one of the laptops they robbed from the house of Ohu that day.

"We are still trying to decode it to see whether we will see some of the traces of some of his files in the laptop. We are making a very steady progress and we are very hopeful that the principal suspect, one of the ring leaders who is at large, we understand he has left his state to go and form another gang elsewhere. We want to get this guy and bring all of them to book. All we are asking for is just some patience so that we don't destroy what we are chasing".

Akpoyibo, though, did not name the new state of residence of the gang leader but assured that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with him.

The IG while commenting on the recent killing of the 2007 governorship candidate of the Action Congress in Ogun State, Dipo Dina said that the Federal Government has given the police marching orders to deploy all resources to make sure that the perpetrators are brought to book within the shortest possible time.

On Jos crisis, the IG said: "Well I am aware that those arrested in the other crises were all charged to court and it is on record. But I think what happened to them is that in a democracy you are innocent until you are proven guilty. So ours is to ensure we arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them. We don't persecute, we prosecute them. So if we go to court and they are not found guilty and they are released then you wouldn't blame us for it. But I want to say that the others were actually charged to court and this time the government has made it clear that any body that either remotely, covertly or overtly participated in the crisis or engendered the crisis, promoted the crisis in any way, we will apprehend, investigate and prosecute him. We intend to carry out that order to the letter. Yes, 138 suspects were brought into Abuja two days ago and investigation has commenced in earnest."

Onovo who cautioned members of the force on the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State said: "I want you to be aware that the whole nation is watching us. Let us prove the pundits wrong this time. Those who say that the police are the reasons or the Police Force can make or mar elections, those who claim that the ineffectiveness of the Police Force is the factor that create election violence in this country, let us prove them wrong by ensuring that Anambra State elections would be hitch-free and the voter would be able to perform his civic duty."


Tools

waooo is this yaradua skeleton or wat?

Yobo: I am medically fit
Posted: 2010-01-27 16:45

Joseph Yobo has told KickOffNigeria.com that he is 'medically fit' and would be ready to play if selected by Nigeria coach Shuaibu Amodu for Thursday's semifinal clash against Ghana.

"I spoke to the doctors and the initial diagnosis was that I would be out for between 10 days and two weeks. Fortunately, the injury was just a strain and not as bad as we thought.

"Today is my 11th day and I have been running for the past few days. Medically, I am fit and ready to play," Yobo told KickOffNigeria.com on Wednesday afternoon.

He added that he may not play as a precautionary measure.

"Maybe the coaches might want me to rest just to be on the safe side, but we will see by tomorrow," he said.

Yobo pulled up in pain after 53 minutes of Nigeria's second game against Benin Republic on January 16 and was actually expected to be back in time for the semifinals.

Nigeria play Ghana on Thursday in Luanda. The game comes up by 17h00 Nigeria time.


Colin Udoh

Jan 27, 9:46 AM EST


Nigeria cabinet: Absent leader capable of ruling




Advertisement


Multimedia
Death Row Art
Nigerians honor Emir of Kano
Traditional Boxers Face Off in "Dambe"
Kegbara Dere's Fire


Latest News from Nigeria
Nigeria cabinet: Absent leader capable of ruling



Buy AP Photo Reprints



Your Questions Answered

Ask AP: Firearms in Finland, auditing the Fed



ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Nigeria's attorney general says the cabinet has ruled that the president's two-month hospitalization does not warrant his removal.

The cabinet's decision Wednesday comes days after the high court ordered the body to rule on President Umaru Yar'Adua's medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

The attorney general said the cabinet decided that Yar'Adua's long absence over a kidney and heart ailment does not leave him incapacitated.

Nigeria's senate also decreed Wednesday that Yar'Adua should formally declare a "medical vacation." No officials would discuss what might happen next.

A Nigerian court is also considering three lawsuits that aim to force the federal government to allow the vice president to take over.

© 2010 The Associated

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_NIGERIA_PRESIDENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-01-27-09-46-29

Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:07pm GMT  Print | Single Page[-] Text [+]
ABUJA, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Nigeria's cabinet unanimously resolved on Wednesday that President Umaru Yar'Adua was not incapable of discharging the functions of his office despite a two-month absence for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

"The medical treatment outside the country does not constitute incapacity to warrant or commence the process of the removal of the president from office," the Federal Executive Council said in a statement read by Justice Minister and Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa. (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com/ ) (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Louise Ireland

http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFLDE60Q1V420100127?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=nigeriaNews&rpc=401

Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:07pm GMT Print | Single Page[-] Text [+]
ABUJA, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Nigeria's cabinet unanimously resolved on Wednesday that President Umaru Yar'Adua was not incapable of discharging the functions of his office despite a two-month absence for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

"The medical treatment outside the country does not constitute incapacity to warrant or commence the process of the removal of the president from office," the Federal Executive Council said in a statement read by Justice Minister and Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa. (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com/ ) (Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Louise Ireland

ABUJA, NIGERIA Jan 27 2010 14:53

0 comments | Post your comment ARTICLE TOOLS
Add to Clippings
Email to friend
Print



MAP




Nigeria's Senate said on Wednesday President Umaru Yar'Adua, who has been in Saudi Arabia receiving medical treatment for two months, should formally notify Parliament about his absence in line with the Constitution.

Yar'Adua has been in a clinic in Jeddah since late November receiving treatment for a heart condition but has not formally transferred power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, triggering debate over the legality of government decisions.

"The Senate urged the president , to formally notify the National Assembly of his medical vacation pursuant to section 145 of the 1999 Constitution," Senate president David Mark said, following two days of closed-door debate.

Article 145 states that whenever the president submits a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to perform his duties, the vice-president takes over as acting president until he writes again to the contrary. -- Reuters


http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-01-27-nigeria-senate-calls-on-president-to-clarify-absence?

Shehu Abubakar
26 January 2010

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email|Print|Comment(1)
Share:
Allegations of inflation of contract sums, abuse of due process and corrupt practices in the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in the Ministry of Transport under its Minister, Alhaji Ibrahim Isa Bio has divided the ranks of the members of the NRC board and is now causing friction among top officials of the Corporation.

Some officials of the Corporation that spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity lamented that the recommendation they gave to government as professionals and operational staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation that the nations' railway system could be rehabilitated with the sum of only N2 billion were unjustly discarded and thrown away.

Some of the Corporation's engineers and technical staff said they gave government a factual and realistic estimate of N2 billion as the actual cost for the total rehabilitation of the entire existing railway system but were surprised to discover that the amount for the rehabilitation of the sector had been inflated to N24 billion even when nothing new had been added to what was recommended by them. They noted that the inflated N22 billion could have been saved by government and injected into some other useful ventures if government had adhered to their professional advice.

"We are staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation. We are the operators, the engineers, the technical and professional staff of the Corporation. We suffered several years of neglect and joblessness. Now that the government has shown seriousness in rehabilitating the railway sector, we said only N2 billion is needed for the total rehabilitation. We gave them list of what is required for the rehabilitation and how to go about the execution of the project. Unfortunately, the N2 billion estimate we gave to the government has now been inflated to N24 billion. Apart from the inflation of the contract sum, no part of the job captured in our recommendation has been added.

"We are worried because when government finally spend N24 billion where ordinarily N2 billion could have done the job, it will not be interested in addressing staff welfare and other financial demands.

This N24 billion the present administration is spending in the rehabilitation of the old tracks could have been used in laying new tracks for the country. We are concerned at the over 1,000 percent inflation of the contract sum. We have also been watching the controversies surrounding the award of the contracts that led the ministry having several cases pending before the EFCC," the source added.

A member of the railway board, who also pleaded anonymity, said the abuse of due process in the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the nations' railway was discussed by the railway board at its meeting of December 29, 2009 in Abuja. "By right, the board suppose to deliberate and agree on any railway contract before it recommend to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) through the Minister for approval. But unfortunately, the meeting of the board was summoned on December 29, 2009 by 10am to deliberate on the contract for the rehabilitation of the Jebba to Kano railway line that was to be awarded to Costain West Africa that same day by 4pm.

"It has already been decided and invitations were already distributed invited people to witness the signing of the contract by 4pm that day before we were asked to come for a meeting by 10am the same day to agree on what has already been decided.

There was no record anywhere indicating that Costain West Africa ever handled any railway project in the past. In any case, the board suppose to meet, deliberate and agree on who should be recommended for the contract and not for us to adopt the decisions of the minister. We were still at the meeting that day when the minister sent a bus to convey us to Transcorp hotel to witness the signing ceremony. That is not how it is suppose to be," the source said.

But the Minister, Ibrahim Isa Bio said, "We want to make sure Nigerians enjoy railway services. The challenges are enormous, people call us names. People who are use to the old order of doing things, they want used to continue that way.

We are not of particular interest to a particular contractor, to a particular sector, to a particular group, but what is of particular interest to this administration is delivery. If you are able to deliver or you have the ability to deliver, we would work together.

"Initially, it was the conception of both the Nigerian Railway Corporation that about two billion will be able to do this rehabilitation. But when we got Consultants from UK and the US to do proper condition assessment, it has tripled or even quadrupled. Because the thing has migrated from N2 billion to about N24 billion.

Mr President being a committed President has accepted to embark and therefore, he has captured the additional requirement in the supplementary budget which has been signed. I want to once again, thank Mr President for his commitment to once again revive the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

On the alleged disagreements between the ministry and prospective contractors and staff of the ministry on the issue of contracts that led to making complaints of some fraudulent acts, the minister said, "I would like to decline any comment on that for now because my ministry has made a lot of complains to the EFCC and they are investigating. It will be prejudicial now to say anything on that." He commended the railway board for cooperating with the ministry in ensuring that the railway projects are executed as planned.

Relevant Links
West Africa
Nigeria
Transport
Business
Commenting, Chairman of Costain West Africa, Mr Kola Karim said, "Costain West Africa is 62 years old in Nigeria. The rejuvenation of this company started 4 and half years ago. Today, you find the strength in our company. When you talk about rail, i will confirm this to the Nigerian people; the only new rail job that has been completed in this country is been done at the Lagos and Port-Harcourt ports and that was done and completed by Costain West Africa Plc. It is important i assure you that Costain West African is Nigerian, powered by Nigerians and driven by the best of technical skills and ability. So, I assure you that when we put our name to it, we get it done.

"One very important portion of this job that Nigerians should know is that the civil part of this job is huge. There is a portion of it called the Akere Bridge which connects the Southern part of Nigeria to the Northern portion in Niger state."

na waaaaaa for ur leaders, and corruption, this have eating all of the deep;

No provision in constitution for handover to Jonathan — Maduekwe
By Simon Utebor with agency report, Published: Tuesday, 26 Jan 2010




Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe


The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has added a new dimension to the controversy over the failure of ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua to make Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan an acting President.

ojo maduekwe again, no waa for this people,

He told journalists at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States that the 1999 Constitution did not mandate the President to do so under the ‘current circumstances of his absence’ from Nigeria.

The minister spoke just as Nigerians in the US also held their own version of ‘Enough is Enough’ rally coordinated in Nigeria by the Save Nigeria Group on Friday.

Maduekwe was reacting to a Federal High Court, Abuja ruling on Friday that the Federal Executive Council must make the health status of Yar’Adua public within 14 days.

Saying that the constitution puts a burden on the FEC, he assured that with the court’s ruling, FEC would likely “look at the issue.”

“We’ll cross the bridge when we get there,” Maduekwe said, adding that “FEC has the capacity to perform its role.”

Empowered Newswire, a US-based Nigerian news agency, quoted him as saying that when the FEC met earlier on the issue, Nigerians were already clamouring for Jonathan to be made acting President even when the situation (Yar’Adua’s health) was not as it is now.

The minister, who reaffirmed that he had not spoken with Yar’Adua since he travelled on November 23, 2009, assured Nigerians that, “As soon as the doctors recommend that he does not have to be 100 per cent well, he‘ll be back.”

Maduekwe, who reminded the journalists that he was part of the team that drafted the 1999 Constitution, observed that there was nothing in the document that mandated Yar’Adua to hand over to the vice-president in the circumstances of his absence.

He said, “Democracy is about laws and constitutions.

“President Yar’Adua will put Nigeria ahead of his personal interest, if the national interest so dictates.”

According to the minister, it was the decision of the FEC previously that the President should not be stampeded to do what the constitution did not mandate him to do even if it is desirable.

He called on Nigerians to respect the office of the President and the personal privacy of his family.

He said it was expected that if the FEC saw evidence (on the president‘s health) it will act to recommend a handover.”

Among the many questions Maduekwe fielded on Yar’Adua was one testy exchange between him and Saharareporters‘ Omoyele Sowore, who had questioned the minister‘s mandate since t he had said he had not seen Yar’Adua since late November.

In turn Maduekwe called Omoyele ‘miserable’ and refused to answer his question.

In his riposte, Omoyele returned back that the Minister himself was miserable and that he was illegally operating.

He asked Maduekwe to respond since he called the conference.

The minister later said, ”I am not committing any illegality because I have not been removed

The protesters led by the Nigerian Democratic Liberty Forum, NDLF, gathered right in front of the Nigerian House demanding the outright resignation of the President.

NDLF Executive Director Bukola Oreofe explained that “it is insulting for a cabal to hold the whole country hostage. If the president had to be away, he should handover the Jonathan Goodluck.”

There were strong indications on Sunday that the Presidency had imported two life support machines for use by ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, preparatory, apparently, to his planned return later this week.

A very reliable source in the aviation sector disclosed to our correspondents that the equipment arrived in the country from Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The source, who declined to be named due to the security implication of his disclosure, explained that one of the machines was for dialysis while the other would be for managing Yar’Adua’s heart-related condition.

Our correspondents gathered that the machines were as big as those of Coca Cola vending machines.

According to him, the arrival of the machines came exactly two days after two of the President’s children (a male and a female) and a grand child arrived from Saudi Arabia in a smaller chartered aircraft.

Investigations revealed on Sunday that the children that arrived on the special flight on Thursday night were Musa and his sister Nafisat who is married to the Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda. The President’s grandchild that was also on the flight is said to be Nafisat’s baby.

Yar’Adua has seven children from Turai (five females and two males) and two from his second wife, Hauwa.

It was gathered that the charter services aircraft which brought the President’s family could not bring the life-support equipment as planned, due to the huge size of the expensive machines.

Our source said, “A bigger aircraft had to be arranged to fly the machines to Nigeria because the one that brought the children back to Nigeria was small.”

The small aircraft, our correspondents learnt, belongs to a foreign airline that has a Nigerian as its chairman.

The aviation source said the chairman of the airline gave an instruction on Thursday that a plane should be sent to Jeddah to bring in the President’s advance party and the life-support equipment on Thursday.

He said, “The equipment are the size of Coca-Cola vending machines. One is a dialysis machine for the President’s use. They were too large for the charter aircraft. Then it was decided that the President’s children be flown back on Thursday while a bigger aircraft was sent to bring the machines to Nigeria.

“It looks to me that they were sending the equipment to Nigeria to set up in the Presidential villa so that they can cater to the special needs of the President here in Nigeria.”

Another impeccable source disclosed on Sunday that with the importation of the life-support machines, it was likely that Yar’Adua might be flown back to Nigeria any moment from now.

The source said, “The President’s wife and his Chief Security Officer, Mr. Yusuf Tilde, got an assurance from the Saudi doctors that the President could continue his treatment and recuperation in Nigeria, if they could install the same type of life-support machines that are keeping him alive in Jeddah.

“A different set of the same machines have been installed in the Presidential plane in Jeddah which is expected to fly the President in this week.”

A presidency source also confirmed that a presidential jet was still in Saudi Arabia awaiting the discharge of the President.

A national daily had reported on Sunday that Saudi authorities had come under pressure to facilitate the discharge of the President because of the implications of his continued stay and the power vacuum created in its wake.

Yar’Adua left Nigeria 63 days ago for treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah.

He is said to be suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the outer membrane of the heart.

Medical experts say that the ailment is a common complication of kidney failure, which could have occurred due to an infection.

THE PUNCH had reported exclusively on January 11, 2010 that Yar’Adua had been placed on life support since December 24 when his health worsened.

Our correspondents had gathered that he was transferred in the last week of December from the Intensive Care Unit of King Faisal Hospital to one of the supporting wards in the Royal Suite, after he suffered “multiple organ failure.”

A source had said then, “The President was moved from the ICU of the hospital on the night of Thursday, December 24 to the supporting ward of the hospital in Jeddah where he has been on life support since.”

When contacted on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Chief Polycarp Nwite, said he was not competent to speak on what the machines would be used for.

“I am a political adviser to the President, I am not his medical adviser. Why don’t you contact his medical adviser?” he said.

Efforts to reach the President’s advisers on Media and Economy, Messrs Segun Adeniyi and Tanimu Yakubu, proved abortive, as neither picked our correspondents’ calls nor responded to text messages sent to their mobile phones.

However, a cardio-thoracic surgeon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olayiwola Ogunleye, who reacted to the latest development, said that it would be difficult for any person on life-support to govern effectively.

He said, “Such facilities are in LUTH and Lagoon Hospital. The problem is that anybody on life-support cannot face rigorous tasks. For example, he cannot breathe without the aid of a ventilator.

“If he is on dialysis machine, he will have to do dialysis at least three times in a week. On each occasion, he can spend between three and 12 hours on dialysis. Such a person cannot do too much.”

But the National Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association said that if such facilities had been brought into the country, they must be for the advancement of the health care in the country.

“I am just hearing that. I really doubt if such equipment can be brought for the President alone. If they have been brought, they must be for the advancement of the healthcare in Nigeria generally.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201001254344640

this firewood presdo-- na waaaaaaaa oooooooooooooooooooooo, for naija

If Nigerians were of the belief that the leadership vacuum in Aso Rock started on November 23, 2009, when Umaru Yar'Adua went on medical vacation to Saudi Arabia, then Ojo Maduekwe's recent interview on BBC is proof that we have been under a collective delusion. For those who missed the 30 minutes interview of our Foreign Minister aired on January 21, 2010 edition of Hardtalk, Ojo Madueke's responses are revealing, proving that the Giant of Africa has been experiencing a leadership vacuum since May 27, 2007.

On behalf of 140 million Nigerians, excluding those who have benefited from the leadership vacuum, I want to thank all those who ensured that Umaru Yar'Adua did not transmit a written notice to the National Assembly regarding his medical vacation to allow Jonathan Goodluck to act as President.

Apart from enabling us separate the wheat from the tares in the ranks of our political leaders, the saga has exposed the real powers energizing the Umaru Yar'Adua presidency proving that Nigerians have been under the firm grip of unelected appointees and aides of Umaru Yar’Adua.

This is the mode of operation of the Yar'Adua government since May 2007 as declared by Ojo Maduekwe: "The important thing is to understand the President's policies, his vision, his goals and once that is understood, and he believes that this Foreign Minister knows what those visions are, he expects the Foreign Minister to know what to do".

As to what the vision of Yar'Adua Government is on Nigeria-United States bilateral ties, Ojo Maduekwe did not refer to any policy document but chose to recall the statement made by Umaru Yar’Adua when he was in the Oval office at the invitation of the then American president, George Bush Jnr.

The vision is supposedly that of a strong solidarity with the United States at all times and also a commitment to fighting global terrorism and it is on this basis that Nigeria’s response to the Farouk Umar Abdul-Mutallab saga has been formulated without the need to have recourse to the President.

This is happening in a Presidential system of government where the executive powers of the Federation are vested in the President and exercised by him directly and through delegation by the members of the Executive Council of the Federation made up of the Vice-President and Ministers of Government.

Ojo Madueke's statement is evidence of abdication of executive powers to unelected appointees and probably explains why the 7 Point Agenda of the Yar'Adua Government has yet to get off the launching pad despite the trillions of Naira pumped into Ministries, Departments and Agencies in nearly 3 years.

It also explains why the members of the Executive Council of the Federation and aides of Umaru Yar'Adua are amused at the demands of Nigerians over the assumed leadership vacuum that has existed since November 23, 2009 because to them, leadership vacuum has always been the norm.

No wonder the most important agenda for the ministers and aides is the yearly ritual of getting their budgets approved by the National Assembly, a negotiated process that provides legal backing to the looting of public funds because they are the ones calling the shots.

Through the hindsight we are getting from Ojo Madueke's bare all interview, we were obviously deluded to have believed that Rilwan Babalola would achieve the goal of the Yar'Adua Government of providing 6000 Megawatts of electricity power by December 31, 2009.

We are even more deluded if we believe that Rilwan Lukman who chose to defy Jonathan Goodluck and travelled overseas during the Christmas holidays while Nigerians were locked in the firm grip of petrol scarcity, will do anything to address a situation that is now accepted as the norm in Nigeria.

With Umaru Yar'Adua continuing as president we would be insane to believe that other than the efficiency of the Revenue Commission in monthly sharing of revenue to the three tiers of government and the quarterly release of budgeted funds to MDAs, that any progress will be made at all.

At least we now know why these unelected appointees are fighting tooth and nail to prevent Jonathan Goodluck from becoming acting president and using both the National Assembly and the Federal Judiciary as defense strategies to maintain the leadership vacuum.

They do not want to be answerable to anyone; not least an acting president that wants to exercise the executive powers of the Federation and have an effective evaluation and monitoring system in place regarding target timelines and deliverables.

In this season of harvest, the tares and the wheat are now in full bloom and are easily distinguishable to enable us harvest them separately so that these tares who are in the Presidency, Executive Council, National Assembly, the Governors Forum and National Executives of PDP can be weeded out

http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2714:that-ojo-madueke-interview-part-1&catid=62:kingsley-omose&Itemid=87

plz before u crucified him ojo maduekwe read through this== thanks

-H-O-CK-E-R: Strange Shrine Found In Osun - Leader Says It’s A Church. Members Worship Only At Night - Founder’s Skeleton, Many Skulls Found

Written by Tunde Oyekola

A replica of Okija shrine was yesterday discovered at Ido-Osun in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State. The traditional ruler of the town, Oba Aderemi Adedapo Sapoyoro and policemen led the people of the town to the shrine discovered on the parcel of land on the Ido-Osun Airport.

The policemen forced the shrine open where the skeleton of the supposed founder was recovered.

Several skulls and human parts were also recovered in the shrine.

The name of the founder of the shrine was given as Jacob Adebayo Oladele.

The current leader of the shrine, Ms. Oluwaloni Oladele, claimed that the place was a church and that they worshipped God. She added that the founder of the church was their Jesus Christ, claiming that he transformed and would soon re-appear.

She gave the name of the church as Millennium Gospel Mission (MGM). According to her, members of the group do not worship in the day but in the night. She gave the name of the founder as Jacob Adebayo Oladele.

No fewer than 15 members of the sect were arrested by the police in connection with the incident.

The people of the community had complained to Oba Adedapo who later invited the leader of the group to his palace for interrogation.

Ms. Oladele said further that the founder of the group was their own Jesus Christ, adding that people come to the place from across the country to receive blessings.

While speaking, Oba Adedapo said that the land where the group was using as shrine belonged to government and that they took no permission from him.

He said that his subjects that were using the place to farm had been driven away by the group who allegedly created fears in the minds of people by issuing a warning to the people of the community to steer clear of the area.

wonder's shall never end oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo in my country, in the name of church

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Yar'Adua May Return Next Week


Court Orders Probe Of President's Health

, Declares FEC Unconstitutional

Nigeria Drifting Towards Failed State, Says Akinjide
By Muyiwa Adeyemi, Abiodun Fanoro, Lagos and Lemmy Ugbagbe, Abuja

BARRING any last minute change of plan, the ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua will arrive the country next week, even as the move is said to be against the advice of his doctors.

A competent source revealed last night that some members of his kitchen cabinet referred to as "hardliners" have concluded plans to bring him back to the country to defuse tension.

President Yar'Adua had in the last 61 days been receiving treatment in a Saudi Hospital, though there were unconfirmed reports that he might have left the King Fasaid Specialist Hospital in Jeddah.

The source also revealed that to convince his doctors that he would continue his medication in Nigeria, a giant construction company (name withheld) has been hired to build an Intensive Care Unit with life support machine in Aso Rock, Abuja.

It was gathered that the plan of this 'hardliners' is being coordinated by the President's wife Turai, who the source said "comes to Nigeria every other week to see to the lobbying of the members of the National Assembly not to allow debate that can make them pass any resolution that will mandate Yar'Adua to transmit any letter making Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President or call for his impeachment.

The source revealed that about N28 billion might have been spent in the last 60 days to maintain the status quo.

An inside source also disclosed that Economic Commission for West African State (ECOWAS) would, in the upper week meet in Abuja without Yar'Adua as its current chairman. "ECOWAS and African Union (AU) heads of state are said to be uncomfortable anytime Yar'Adua attends their meetings because of fear that he could collapse as a result of his frail look," the source said.

Meanwhile, fresh controversy has been thrown up in the legal circles as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Abutu yesterday declared as unconstitutional the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and its purported resolution in favour of Yar'Adua's ability to continue in office.

The Chief Judge held that the FEC was unknown to the country's 1999 Constitution and as such lacked the competence to reach a resolution on the vexed issue of the 'absentee' President's ability to perform his presidential duties.

Delivering his judgement in the suit instituted by former Minority leader in the House of Representatives, Farouk Adamu Aliyu and Sani Hussaini Garun Gabbas, challenging Yar'Adua's absence without handing over to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, Abutu said under the provision of Section 144 of the Constitution, the only body that can competently decide on the capacity or otherwise of the President to perform his function is the Executive Council of the Federation.

He also held that the court could take over the exclusive duty of the Executive Council of the Federation as spelt out by Section 144 of the 1999 constitution and therefore declined the Plaintiffs' prayer to that effect.

Abutu held that the excerpt of the resolution of the Federal Executive Council meeting annexed to an affidavit by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) did not help his case because "the Federal Executive Council is not known to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

The defendants had "annexed to the counter affidavit excerpt of Wednesday December 9, 2009, text of the resolution of their 46 meetings,"(where it) "took notice of the call of the people for President Yar'Adua to resign council having viewed all the facts on then resolved unanimously that there was no basis for the call and that President Yar'Adua was fit."

Consequently, Abutu ordered the Executive Council of the Federation to within 14 days pass a resolution on whether or not, having regards to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's absence since November 23, last year, he is capable of discharging his executive functions.

He also held: "I can not give an order directing the Vice President to begin to perform the functions of office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, since he has been performing such functions".

Reacting to the verdict, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) said he would study it even as he pledged that he would comply with it.

Plaintiffs' counsel, Bamidele Aturu expressed happiness at the outcome of the case, saying it was victory for democracy.

Specifically, the plaintiffs through their counsel Bamidale Aturu, went to Court seeking the following declarations among others:


A declaration that the absence of the President from the country and from his statutory duties and functions for medical treatment since the 23rd day of November, 2009 in a Saudi Arabia hospital outside the purview of section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 constitutes permanent incapacity within the meaning and intendment of section 146 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

A declaration that it is unlawful and unconstitutional for the President indefinitely to exercise or purport to exercise the powers of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from a hospital outside the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A declaration that the indefinite absence of the President from Nigeria since 23 November 2009 without notifying the National Assembly or authorizing the transfer of the exercise of the powers of the office of the President to the Vice-President is compatible with the oath of allegiance and oath for the due execution of the duties of his office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution by virtue of Section 149 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

A declaration that the non-consideration by the Executive Council of the Federation for the purpose of passing or rejecting as resolution proposal as to whether or not the President suffers permanent incapacity as a result of his absence from his statutory duties and functions since the 23rd of November, 2009 for medical treatment is a flagrant violation of the spirit and letters of section 144 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and an indefensible breach of their oath of allegiance and oath for the due execution of the duties of his office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution by virtue of section 149 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999", among others.
Elder statesman and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) has expressed fear that Nigeria is progressively moving towards becoming a failed state.

Akinjide is of the view that the present constitutional crisis precipitated by the continued absence of president Yar'Adua and his refusal to hand over power to his vice, among others, are problems pushing the country to the precipice.

The elder statesman however lauded former President Olusegun Obasanjo's un-equivocal advice to President Yar'Adua to resign if he knew his health could not enable him to perform functions of his office.

His words: "I read in the print media, the view expressed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, telling President Yar'Adua point blank to resign if his health could no longer cope with the demands of his office. I believe Obasanjo has said it all. I want to say categorically that Obasanjo's view reflects and represents the view of the over-whelming majority of rational, patriotic and objective Nigerians"

The former minister, however, absolved Obasanjo of any blame in the emergence of Yar'Adua as president.

According to him, Obasanjo must have sought and relied on expert advice before throwing up Yar'Adua for the presidency.

The blame, according to him, should go to whoever gave the medical advice that Yar'Adua was fit to rule: "I think something was wrong with the medical advice Obasanjo was given. (Though) I am not competent to comment on that because I was not an insider, but whosoever gave the medical advice saying that Yar'Adua was fit to perform the functions of his office, has contributed immensely to the present crisis. During the campaign (in 2007), it was an open secret that when Yar'Adua was campaigning in Ado-Ekiti, he collapsed, which shows clearly he could not cope with the stress of his office," Akinjide said, arguing that Nigerians have the right to know the medical record of the president and the true state of his present health.

"We now have a nation without a leader; we now have a boat without a captain, we now have an army without a general. I will not say that is a failed state, but we are steadily moving towards that."

The legal luminary identified bad leadership, corruption and absence of an efficient constitution as some other problems impeding good governance and also causing it to drift towards a failed state status.

While casting aspersion on the zoning formula in the emergence of the country's president, the former minister declared that what the country needed was a committed and patriotic leader irrespective of where he or she hailed from who would fix the country.

He noted that the time had come for the emergence of such a patriotic and selfless leader who would help restore the dignity of the country, restore its values and the image which had been badly battered.



Tools

seriously fashola is an a good example to other governors, he deserves more than dat of award, fashola for president coming = 2011