Corruption Perceptions Index-2010 was released yesterday by Transparency International (TI). Nigeria failed to achieve an improvement over last year.

In a scale of 0-10, Nigeria scored 2.4, the same as in 2009, and occupied 134th place among 178 countries featured in this year’s index.

Nigeria bagged the same score as Azarbaijan, Honduras, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo, Ukraine and Zimbabwe, all ranked in the 12th position from the bottom.

The downslide of one step from the 13th to the 12th position may not be significant because, in addition to the score of the country concerned, the ranking depends also on comparative performance of other countries and the number of countries included or excluded in the particular year.

“The results of this year’s CPI show again that corruption is a global problem that must be addressed in global policy reforms. It is commendable that the Group of 20 in pursuing financial reform has made strong commitments to transparency and integrity ahead of their November summit in Seoul,” said TI.

To address the scourge of corruption, TI pointed out that “the process of reform itself must be accelerated” and called “on the G20 to mandate greater government oversight and public transparency in all measures they take to reduce systemic risks and opportunities for corruption and fraud in the public as well as in the private sector”.

Transparency International (TI) is a leading international non-governmental organization addressing corruption. This includes, but is not limited to, political corruption. It is widely known for producing its annual Corruptions Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/17160.html

A Maiduguri High Court has sentenced an undergraduate, Ahmed Abatcha, to death by hanging for killing his friend, Bashir Alhaji Busami.




He was said to have stabbed his friend after which he ran over him with the deceased’s Mercedes Benz car.

Abatcha, who claimed to be a sociology student of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), was arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide and robbery punishable by death under section 221 and 298 of the Penal Code. He was said to have committed the offence on September 10, 2007.

The deceased father, who reported the matter at the G.R.A Police Station in Maiduguri, said his son, Busami travelled with his friend, Abatcha on the fateful day he met his untimely death in a very suspicious manner, adding that the family was troubled following Busami’s disappearance for six days. Subsequently, Abatcha was picked up by the police for questioning; an effort which the police claimed led into further investigation on the fate of Busami.

“But the police maintained that Abatcha could not give satisfactory explanation on the whereabouts of his friend when he was questioned. They said it was later discovered that he hit his friend, Busami on the head with spanner and cutlass after he had sedated him.” Wife of the deceased, Hadiza Bashir, also told the court during the trial that her late husband and his friend ate together. She said the two friends went out thereafter, noting that it was the last time she saw her husband. She added that Abatcha later came to their house without any satisfactory explanation on the where abouts of her husband.

Police also told the court that the wrist watch and shoes of the deceased were found with Abatcha at the time of his arrest. Also testifying, a witness, from Yobe State where the crime was reportedly committed, said he reported to the police when he saw a corpse in a farmland. The witness, a vice principal of a junior secondary school at DogonKuka village in Damagun Local Government Area of Yobe State, disclosed that he saw the corpse of the deceased on his way to his farm.

In his statement to the police, Abatcha admitted to have killed his friend. “I was heading towards Kano via Yobe and on my way to Potiskum town at a place called Damagun, Bashir woke up from the side effect of influence of the drug and I gave him water to drink but he could not. I then became guilty and in the state of confusion, I stopped.

“When Bashir opened the door of the vehicle and fell on the ground, he got up and started running into the bush, I followed him and stabbed him with a sharp knife I was holding in my hand and he removed the knife and wanted to attack me. He fell down and I quickly snatched the knife from him because he was weak. I then brought the car and ran over him.” He also confessed to be a member of a cult based in Lagos.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Pindar Haruna Ngadda said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Abatcha actually killed his friend Busami. She, therefore, sentenced him to death by hanging on the first count charge and life imprisonment on the second count charge.


http://odili.net/news/source/2010/oct/22/511.html

Confusion appears to be trailing the congress of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State with the Benji Udeozor-led executive describing it as unlawful. The Udeozor-led exco which was reinstated few weeks before the conduct of the congress said last Monday’s congress was illegal and contemptuous of an Abuja High court that affirmed it as the substantive state executive of the party in the state.

Also speaking on the issue, the legal adviser to the Udeozor executive, Mr. Chuks Okoye said, “Pursuant to section 85(2) and (4) of the 2010 Electoral Act and Article 12.40 of the constitution of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) 2009, as amended, the purported usurpation and unlawful exercise of the constitutional powers of the Anambra State Executive Committee with respect to the illegal conduct of congresses and screening of LGA Chairmanship and Councillorship aspirants is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect, whatsoever.”

It would be noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declined to monitor the congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State as required by law following court pronouncements on the reinstated State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party in the state.
The Secretary to the Commission, Abdullahi A. Kaugama, in a letter to the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, dated October 22, 2010, entitled: “Notification of PDP State Congress – Anambra State” said the commission would not monitor the congresses in view of the court orders restraining it on the matter.

The letter reads in full: “We refer to your letter of notification of your party’s congresses in Anambra State scheduled for 21st, 23rd and 25th October, 2010.
“This is to inform you that the Commission is in receipt of copy of judgment in Suit No CV/12/09 between Benji Udeozor & ors Vs PDP & ors and an exparte order in suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/657/10 Between Mr Benji Udeozor & ors Vs PDP and ors (copy each attached) which respectively declare that the plaintiffs ‘were wrongly removed from office and entitled to their expired term’ and restrain the commission from ‘recognizing, acting or doing any act whatsoever to include for general election, any candidate who may emerge from any primary except that which is conducted by the plaintiffs pending the final determination of the motion before the court.’

“Accordingly, the Commission would not monitor the congresses having regard to the said orders of the court.”
Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of an Abuja High Court had earlier reinstated the sacked Anambra PDP SEC with an order that the State Chairman of the party,Udeozor and his executive members be allowed to complete their tenure.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had dissolved the executive and set up a caretaker committee to conduct ward, local government and state congresses in Anambra.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had restrained the INEC and PDP from recognizing the Anambra State Caretaker Committee set up by the party.
In an interim order, Justice Ibrahim Auta also restrained Messrs. Emma Nweze and Hon. Emma Mbamalu, who were Chairman and Secretary of the committee respectively, from running, operating or conducting the affairs of the party pending the determination of a suit filed against them.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/oct/27/national-27-10-2010-0012.htm

Four persons have been feared dead and others injured during a gun duel between robbers and policemen.

The policemen attacked the robbers when they attempted to invade a new generation bank in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

It was gathered that two of the robbers were killed during a crossfire with the police. One of the robbers was reportedly arrested.

But two other persons - an elderly man and a young girl, whose identities were yet to be established - reportedly died from stray bullets.

The robbers had allegedly robbed in Awa, Ijebu North Local Government Area, before attempting to rob the bank on Folagbade Street.

The police were said to have deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed near the bank to repel the robbers.

Sources said the robbers fired at the APC, shattering its windscreen and deflating its front tyres.

During the gun battle, the robbers, who came in two buses marked (Lagos) XS 969 GGE and BM 672 EPE, attempted to escape through Oke-Owa, the road leading to the old toll gate on Ore-Benin Expressway.

The gun duel lasted over 20 minutes.

It was gathered that the robbers snatched five vehicles with which they attempted to escape.

An eyewitness told The Nation on phone that the Area Command office of the Police on Igbeba, Ijebu–Ode, was filled with curious residents who wanted to catch a glimpse of the two dead robbers and their arrested colleague.

Two months ago, robbers raided the Ijebu-Ode branch of another new generation bank and reportedly stole over N30 million. The bank has since remained under lock and key.

Police Commissioner Musa Daura told reporters he was trying to reach Ijebu-Ode Area Command for details.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/17151.html

Plateau State is on the boil again. No fewer than seven lives have been lost and many others injured in fresh violence. Security has been tightened.

Six people believed to be members of the same family were killed in a pre-dawn attack yesterday in Rawhinku, a remote village in Bassa local government area. The attacks according to sources, was carried out by unknown gunmen suspected by the villagers to be Fulani herdsmen.

On Sunday night, two young men were injured after being attacked while a clash between Berom farmers and Fulani headsmen last week in Jos South resulted in one death and injuries to two women.

The two victims of the Sunday night attacks are in critical condition at the intensive care unit of the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Jos.

Spokesman of the Military Special Joint Task Force (JTF) on Jos crises Lt. Col. Kingsley Umoh confirmed the kilings in Rawhinku. He said: “Six people were killed in similar murders in Mazah and Dogo Nahawa”.

According to Umoh, “three others sustained injuries”. He said the “three who have been receiving treatment in a local clinic in Bassa, have been transferred to a “bigger hospital in Jos “.

Col. Umoh said the JTF “received a distressed call one hour after the Rawhinku attack.”

He regretted that it took one hour for his men to access the village because of the poor state of the road, adding that by the time they got there it was no longer possible to do anything about the killings other than to put in measures to prevent a recurrence.

Plateau State Police Command spokesman ASP Muhammed Lerama said: “Two young men, Nuhu Magaji and Tochukwu Iwebuke, both residents of Angwa Soya, Jos North Local Government Area, were allegedly attacked while returning to their homes after attending a concert at the Jos trade fair by yet to be identified men”

One of the victims Iwebuke said: “I went to the Trade Fair and as I was coming back around 9 to 10pm, a group of Hausa boys came to me, they did not talk to me. All of a sudden, they started stabbing me with knife, one of them stabbed me in the back, another one stabbed me on my face.

“When I realised that they will kill me if I wait, I started running towards the nearest location where the military Task Force is stationed. They pursued me but left when they noticed I was running towards the JTF.”

Magaji, who was stabbed in the head, was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Jos due to severe head injuries and was promptly operated.

Mrs. Hila Samuel, the Chief Nursing Officer of the BUTH told The Nation that “the victims are responding to treatment”

The police denied that the attacks were as a result of poor security situation at the Trade Fair. “These attacks were not carried out at the venue of the trade fair, they happened when the victims had left the premises of the Trade Fair.

“However, we will not leave any stone unturned in arresting the perpetrators and prevent such attacks by deploying more security agents to patrol the areas.”

Although the JTF could not confirm if some houses were torched, a victim, Yero Abari, said two houses were burnt, one being his family house. He said two members of his family were killed. Those killed, he said, were women and children who were hacked to death by unknown persons.

The latest attacks are coming after several secret murders that have allegedly been going on in the state in the last two weeks. Though no arrest has been made by the JTF, our reporter gathered that members of the Rinwanku community since the dawn attack have launched a manhunt for the attackers.

The manhunt by members of the community was said to have resulted in the community arresting one of the attackers who was said to have missed his way. The suspect, after interrogation, was said to have confessed that he knew where the other attackers were hiding.

The suspect was taken to the Rukuba road police outpost. President of the Irigwe Development Association, Hon. Philip Alli, said the pre-dawn attack on his people was “premeditated since the killers knew that the area was just one kilometre from Rukuba barracks.”

Senator Gyang Dantong representing Plateau North Senatorial district condemned the killings and the damage to farms.

He urged the security operatives to intensify efforts in tracking down perpetrators of this heinous crime.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/17161.html

Security agents have intercepted 15 containers of dangerous weapons illegally imported into the country.
Daily Sun gathered that the illicit cargo, which contained rocket launchers, mortar bombs, small light arms and ammunition, were impounded at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The containers had a Bill of Laden indicating that the contents were building materials, but a search by the State Security Service (SSS) officials revealed they were arms and ammunition.

Confirming the discovery, Assistant Director, Public Relations of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar did not disclose if any arrest had been made. She said a thorough investigation had begun with a view to unraveling those behind the illegal importation.

A police source also confirmed that the 15 containers were laden with mortar bombs, AK 47 rifles and ammunition.
The source said immediately the containers were discovered, all relevant agencies were informed.
As at press time, a combined team of Army, Navy, Police, SSS, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and Customs Service were still inspecting the containers.

Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo and the Commissioner of Police in-charge of Anti-Bomb Unit, Mr. Chris Olakpe were also at the port. The area had been cordoned off while operatives were still inspecting the containers.
A senior police officer said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim had ordered that the Lagos State command, Anti Bomb Unit and the Port Police command should remain at the scene till further directives.

When Daily Sun visited the scene, the Nigerian Navy were seen moving in equipment to the scene to secure the cargo.
Also, the Federal and Lagos State fire fighters were moving in fire equipment to the scene for safety.
The senior police officer, who spoke to Daily Sun said for security reasons, the source of the arms and ammunition was being kept under wraps so as not to mar investigations.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/oct/27/national-27-10-2010-001.htm

HIS THE MAN.

NA WHO KILL AM, NEXT WORLD IS COMING WHO WILL BE THE NEXT?

Contrary to a recent claim by the leadership of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) Daily Sun can authoritatively confirm that there is indeed a N417 million scandal presently rocking the programme to its very foundation.
According to documents available to Daily Sun, the money, which has variously been alleged as either missing or stolen, which NAPEP incurred as it tried to cut corners and side track its original promoters in a bid to take the business off them.
At the centre of the raging scandal is the procurement and distribution of the now popular Keke NAPEP (tricycles).

NAPEP which was established in 2001 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo with an executive fiat is the primary agency charged with the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring all poverty eradication activities nationwide. However, the agency in the last few weeks has been involved in various forms of financial scandals that point accusing fingers at its leadership.

According to the findings of an internally constituted committee believed to have been recently set up by the leadership of NAPEP under the National Coordinator, Dr. Magnus Kpakol, NAPEP had amassed a staggering debt of N417m through unpaid debts owed to it by Keke Operators and Riders Association of Nigeria (KORAN).
This, according to the investigation, was shocking, since the initial arrangement for the sale of the tricycles was based on a pre-payment arrangement that did not give rise for any debt.

According to finding which have also gone as for as the National Assembly, a few insiders within NAPEP, in a secret more to edge out a company originally given the right to import and distribute the poverty eradication tricycles had over looked the laid down procedure for its procurement and sale, and in the process brought a whopping N417 million debt on NAPEP.
Things have become so muddled up that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been brought into the matter.
Among the things the commission is set to unravel is why the licencee of the Keke NAPEP, Autobalm Techniques Limited, which originally floated the idea and actually won the contract to supply the tricycles sudden failed to supply the third tranche after promptly supplying and disbursing the first two batches.

It also wants to know how the contractor could get such a huge job without a formal contract from the federal government. EFCC also desires to authenticate an existing contract said to have been signed on behalf of NAPEP by Kpakol but which the National Coordinator is alleged to have repudiate. There is also a subtle move to unearth how all these relate to the security factionalisation of KORAN, the alleged threat of the Customs to auction the Keke tricycles which have since been trapped at the ports since the controversy began.

Although the Kpakol leadership had initially denied the debts, it still went ahead to constitute the high powered committee to find ways of retrieving the debts.
The committee discovered that KORAN had been supplied a total of 3,190 by the contractor amounting to N802,042,719.50 less insurance, training and handling charges. However, KORAN had remitted a total of N475,519,500 which unfortunately could not be proved because it lacked any evidences of remittances to NAPEP. Also, KORAN could not produce a draft or cheque for the balance sum of N326,523,219.50 claiming to the committee that they had problems with their bankers.

The internal committee said it also rejected moves by KORAN to re-negotiate and schedule payment of the balance sum, which it wanted extended till December, 2010 based on invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to NAPEP. However, further investigations shocked the committee as they found out that a facility they thought was KORAN’s was actually owned by a company called Trimidan Limited believed to have been founded by an executive member of KORAN. Meanwhile, the picture of Kpakol was boldly displayed within the premises.
The committee also observed that the company was currently assembling Keke tricycles painted in National colours and tagged Keke NAPEP but of which NAPEP officials did not know about.

So with the exception of Kpakol’s presence in the company, no NAPEP official was aware of this new company, an act which the committee described as “criminal act of impersonation”.

The committee also alleged that this private company was using government subsidy to produce tricycles and then selling beyond the government recommended price intended to alleviate poverty. The committee rounded up its report by indicating to Kpakol the clash of interest by KORAN headed by someone who had incorporated a company and set up an office to do the same thing that NAPEP was doing through KORAN.

The EFCC is also to unravel how NAPEP leadership extended the credit lines to a private firm, contrary to the structured arrangement as provided in the initial agreement with KORAN that, every lifting of product must be accompanied with a bank guarantee, covering the “fixed and firm value” of their requisition.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on National Planning Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is also said to have thrown the searchlight on NAPEP recently.

The committee is accusing the body of lacking monitoring and evaluation despite the provision of N1.850bn to it for that function. The Committee led by Senator Zaynab Kure also discovered that NAPEP in its submissions provided fake names and unverifiable addresses. It also noted that NAPEP skewed its own funds totaling N7.265bn in favour of private banks to the disadvantage of NAPEP itself and poor Nigerians for which the funds were meant.

The committee seemed to believe that there was a deliberate move to create a business for some people out of NAPEP, while edging out the original proponents of the idea. It noted: NAPEP was a creation of an Executive fiat with no legal backing whatsoever to regulate its activities” and had used “unserious threats of litigation and termination of contract on the contractor ‘Autobahn Techniques’ causing unnecessary confusion and delays towards the completion of contracts given; while most of the Keke NAPEP allocated to states were diverted to the open market and even displayed for sale in some cities at exorbitant prices of N390,000 to N410,000 per unit.”
Curiously, however, the committee in its recommendation, merely drew the attention of Kpakol to the anomalies, without suggesting punishment or actions to be taken.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Due to a production mix-up, a part of the unedited version of this story was published yesterday.
The error is regretted.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/oct/26/national-26-10-2010-002.htm

Thairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo is under fire. Governors are plotting his removal from office.

Their grouse with Nwodo, who is barely four-month old in office, is over his alleged unilateral decision to dissolve State Executive Committees in eight states. Most of the PDP governors are angry with Nwodo for allegedly attempting to hijack party structures in their states with a view to denying them second term tickets.

It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan had tried twice to intervene in the feud. His attempts were unsuccessful.

There are 28 PDP governors in the country out of whom 23 are eligible for re-election.

But the governors have remained divided on the 2011 presidential ambition of President Jonathan leaving the party to be suspicious of ‘disloyal elements’ among them.

It was learnt that while the party leadership is still looking for an excuse to get at ‘disloyal governors,’ an opportunity came when The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ordered repeat congresses in eight states.

The states are Oyo, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Anambra and Plateau.

In deference to electoral umpire, the PDP in a September 30, 2010 letter to INEC chair Prof. Attahiru Jega said the party was ready to repeat the congresses in the eight states.

“We refer to your letter dated September 27, 2010.

“In compliance with Section 85(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act and the commission’s observations in the correspondence attached, we write to notify you of the repeat state chapter congresses in Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Oyo and Plateau states.

“The congresses in the eight states are scheduled to hold as follows: Ward (October 21); LGA (October 23) and State (October 25). Your support and cooperation are needed.”

The letter was signed by PDP National Secretary Alhaji Kawu Barage.

But the acceptance of fresh congresses in the eight states has caused anxiety among some of the governors and PDP leaders.

The governors are insisting that there is no crisis in any of the eight states to have warranted fresh congresses.

It was gathered that Delta State had secured a court injunction to restrain the PDP National Headquarters from conducting fresh congresses in the state and dissolving the State Executive Committee.

Also, three of the governors (Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Jonah Jang (Plateau), and Ibrahim Idris (Kogi) on Friday protested to Prof. Jega.

In order to forestall further court actions after the governors’ meeting with Jega, Nwodo on Saturday ordered the dissolution of the Enugu State Executive Committee.

Findings revealed that the governors are not taking it lightly as they see the dissolution of Enugu Executive Committee as “the icing of the cake” on their plot.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The governors are disenchanted with Nwodo as he wants to take control of the party machinery in the states to install some favoured members as either party executives or candidates for 2011 poll.

‘The situation in the eight states has reached a point that the governors are poised for battle to the finish. These eight governors are fully enjoying the backing of their colleagues who also have an axe to grind with Nwodo since he told them not to bring money to his house or discuss party matters with him at home.

“Discussions are on among the governors in order to join issues publicly against Nwodo.”

It was gathered that the dissolution of Enugu SEC is now “one of the strong points of the governors against Nwodo.”

A member of the Governors Forum said: “Since Nwodo is claiming that the Enugu State Executive Committee that gave him a waiver to rejoin PDP and eventually become National Chairman is illegal and should be dissolved, he has no basis staying in office too.

“By simple legal interpretation, all actions of the dissolved Enugu SEC were illegal including the waiver given to Nwodo to return to PDP.

“It is trite in law that INEC should also ask Nwodo to follow due procedure by seeking fresh mandate from PDP members, through National Convention, to become the National Chairman of the party.

“Some party members will also petition INEC to advise PDP to follow due process in electing its National Chairman. Nwodo is saying that congresses were inconclusive in eight states, he should tell INEC whether he was elected or not by party members as National Chairman.”

Nwodo had on April 15, 2009 written to the Chairman of the dissolved Enugu State Executive Committee, Chief Vita Abba, for a waiver.

Nwodo said in the letter: “Following my return to our great party and the historic reception accorded me, among others on the occasion of the PDP Southeast Zonal Rally in Enugu on Tuesday, 14th April 2009 by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, and the party membership, I most humbly apply for the grant of a waiver in my favour in respect of the subsisting two-year mandatory uninterrupted membership span before anyone may get elected or appointed into any party or public offices.

“I make this request in furtherance of the magnanimous assurance contained in the official address of the National Chairman of the party to the effect that returnees shall be granted waivers to enjoy all the rights and privileges due to our party members in keeping with the adopted recommendations of the Ekwueme Peace and Reconciliation Committee.”

It was learnt that the President had intervened twice in the row between Nwodo and some governors, especially the eight governors in question.

An NWC member said: “The President had brokered peace twice but it failed. After a session of the National Economic Council, the President once asked the eight governors to stay behind to resolve the crisis over congresses in their states.

“At another meeting, the parley ended up with a lot of arguments without any concrete resolution.

“Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo called all the governors and Nwodo to a meeting since they are all friends of Jonathan and ready to support Jonathan’s 2011 ambition.

“They eventually agreed that the legal team of PDP would meet with that of INEC to find a meeting point. But INEC was not prepared for any such meeting as it refused to attend the session as scheduled. So, the issue remained deadlocked.”

Meanwhile, members of the National Working Committee were yesterday divided over the manner adopted by the National Chairman to dissolve the Enugu State Executive Committee (SEC) of the PDP.

They claimed that the NWC met last Monday and no decision was taken to dissolve the SEC of any of the eight states where INEC asked for repeat congresses.

Some NWC members, who spoke in confidence, faulted Nwodo for personalising the matter because his Special Adviser is not the spokesman of the party and should not have issued the statement on the dissolution.

Another highly-placed source in the party, however, added: “Some NWC members are being deceptive. The National Chairman of the PDP was away in the US with President Goodluck Jonathan when the NWC took the decision to dissolve the State Executive Committees in eight states.

But, the SA (Media), Mr. Ike Abonyi, said: “I don’t want to take up issues with anybody because I work for the National Chairman and I take instructions from him.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/17059.html

A 16-year-old Nigerian boy has been shot dead in east London.
Samuel Adelagun died from a bullet wound to the chest, a post-mortem examination has revealed.

Reports say Samuel of Newham, was shot in the upper left chest early on Saturday and died at the scene in Chesterton Road, Plaistow. London police officers think two balaclava-clad gunmen opened fire on a group of four youths, aged 15 and 16, from behind.

Police also found a boy of 15 who was shot in the abdomen. He was in a stable condition in hospital, as at press time. Also, no-one has yet been arrested, as at press time. The Metropolitan Police said 16 teenagers had been killed in London this year. Five of them were shot.

Police said both the victims of the Plaistow shooting, which happened at about 0320 BST, were known to them. Detectives from the Met’s Trident unit, which tackles gun-related crime within the black community, are investigating the death. The shooting took place in parkland at the junction of Upper Road and Chesterton Road. It is not known if the suspects arrived or departed from the area in a vehicle, but the gunmen were dressed in black and wore balaclavas, police said.

Det Ch Insp John Mackenzie said: “A number of shots were discharged and the youths dispersed. “They then got together again outside Chesterton Road.” He said the teenagers had knocked on the door of a house whose owners “provided some shelter as Good Samaritans”.

“The mother [of the deceased] is very distraught as you would expect. It is a traumatic and violent way for a loved one to go.” Tributes have been left at the scene by several people. One read: “To Sammy, one of the realist young bucks. Gone but never forgotten. 100% love. Liam.” Another message read: “RIP Sammy.

Politicians insisting that the North must produce the next President come 2011, yesterday came under the hammer of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who stated that the advocates had no moral justification to pursue their agitation.
Lamido also insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family must defend the Goodluck/Sambo ticket, which is a fallout of their hard-earned 2007 electoral victory.

Speaking yesterday when he received the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation in his office in Dutse, the governor explained that the proponents of the Northern presidency never supported their own in office, noting that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was among the best ever leaders Nigeria produced, but faced serious opposition from the region.

“What is that thing you called northerner more than Yar’Adua. We had him, Nigerians believed in him, he restored the confidence of governance because Nigerians saw in him a very honourable person and yet, it is us here who were undermining him. And God took him away, so when you are talking about a northerner, which northerner are you talking about,” he queried.

According to him, the ranting and the noise about northern presidency is myopic thinking and hypocritical of the northern politicians, who do not wish the region well.
The same people kept fighting him up to the Supreme Court, so the crisis was purely a northern crisis; it was a northerner fighting a northerner from his own home state, in Katsina,” he declared.

“God gave you a northerner, you didn’t support him, what else do you want? We have to be very honest.
Lamido explained that the Jonathan/Sambo ticket was part of the PDP victory of 2007 and therefore, Nigerians must defend that fortune and the victory, saying no one should use any primordial sentiment to deny Nigerians the best.

“So to me, what I see in Jonathan/Sambo is a PDP victory of 2007, a PDP fortune which we must defend,” said the governor, pointing out that politics of ethnicity or religion is very dangerous to the survival of the country as one indivisible nation.
He said for the country to grow and prosper, there must be internal cohesion, noting that the North or South politics must be discarded if the country was to move to the next level.

“We shall not allow this kind of division; the North, South, Christian, etc. and other debates. It is dangerous for us. First, we need to come together because if we do not unite, there is no way that Nigeria can grow.
Lamido frowned at the agitators of the northern presidency, who he said abandoned the party (PDP) in 2007, fought it up to the Supreme Court and now because of their personal interest, they were calling for a northern presidency.
Those talking of the North, where were they in 2007, even those who were in the PDP in 1999, by 2007, they had abandoned it and now out of double standard they are making.”

Earlier, the Director-General of the organisation, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, had commiserated with the people through their governor over the flooding that ravaged some parts of the state recently.
He also lauded the governor for numerous developmental projects which he said were exemplary on how business of governance should be conducted.

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From all indications, the battle line is drawn for the political soul of Zamfara State in 2011 between Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi and his predecessor, Alhaji Ahmed Sani Yerima, now a senator. Ironically, the duo had maintained a buoyant relationship between 1999 and 2007 when Yerima piloted the affairs of the state as governor with Shinkafi as his deputy. They were elected on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)

Whereas most of the deputy governors had a running battle with their principals, sometimes resulting in impeachments, Yerima’s relationship with Shinkafi was a sweet- heart affair. Whereas many of Shinkafi colleagues cried of marginalization, having been reduced to ‘spare tyres’ by their bosses, he was given the added responsibility of running the Ministry of Agriculture as commissioner.

Yerima eventually anointed Shinkafi as successor and deployed the awesome incumbency machinery to his favour. So, Shinkafi’s electoral success could not have been otherwise. And with the victory, he became the first deputy governor in the country under this political dispensation to succeed his principal without rancour. This made President Goodluck Jonathan to describe Shinkafi as the luckiest deputy governor in the Fourth Republic.

However, the tale began to twist shortly after Shinkafi began to steer the affairs of the state. It began as a rumour that the romance was over between the godfather and his godson. Initially, both camps pretended as if all was well. But eventually, the matter spilled out of control, spiraling into a dirty public spat. It was like attempting to cover a pregnancy with the hand. Soon, blistering attacks began to fly from all sides.

While the supporters of one savaged the other for his actions or inactions in government, those on the opposite side smeared the other, spreading all kinds of bile about him. All has not been the same ever since, and it is doubtful if Zamfara State will ever regain its political equilibrum. Source disclose that the ‘war’ broke out because of Yerima’s intention to remain in the driving seat even after Shinkafi had taken over as governor.

Short of calling Yerima a ‘control freak’, Ahmed Ahmed, a public affairs analyst said: “There is no doubt that Yerima facilitated Shinkafi’s election; one can even refer to the governor as his protégé. But the problem was that he did not know where to draw a line or he failed to realise that power had shifted to his former deputy. So, he was acting as if he was still in charge. Naturally, Shinkafi wanted to be his own man.

Though he appeared pliable, which made for wrongful judgment of his character, the truth of the matter is that he felt that he could not afford to remain under Yerima’s shadows. In a nutshell, Shinkafi’s attempt to assert himself was interpreted as an act of betrayal of trust or confidence. One thing led to another and the once chummy relationship broke down, perhaps irretrievably”.

It was gathered that the conflict degenerated further when Shinkafi sacked the Yerima ‘boys’ in his government. The governor took the decision as a way of consolidating his hold on power. He replaced the sacked Yerima boys with his own people, people whose loyalty he could trust. Further still, Shinkafi reportedly revoked some contracts awarded by his predecessor to show him where power truly resides at the moment. It was also learnt that Shinkafi could have taken more damaging measures against his former boss but for the fact that the latter allegedly made him to sign major contracts exceeding N50 million during the former dispensation.

Apart from Shinkafi’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an action that threw the Yerima camp into raging fury and confusion, another action of the governor, which took the crisis to a crescendo was that he shoved Yerima’s brother, Bello Mohammed Sani, off his emirship stool. Until his removal recently, Bello, an erstwhile director with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was the emir of Bakura.

Similarly, Shinkafi is believed to be behind the recent furore over Yerima’s baby bride. Sources maintained that he was behind the sustained media bashing of his former boss. The intention was to diminish the former governor in the eyes of the public. It was mission accomplished. Even as the bridge of their relationship burns, Yerima insisted that he is not to blame. Hear him: “We served together for eight years. In those times, I condoned lots of his excesses not because I didn’t want to take action against him, but because in life one has to learn to accommodate different views, different people and different opinions.

I believe the governor (Shinkafi) is being misled by some of his aides who stand to benefit from the situation. Some of the people want contracts, others want to get political patronage by being members of House of Representatives or Senate and others simply feel that they can only be relevant if Yerima and Shinkafi continue to quarrel. That is why they keep misadvising the governor. So, it all boils down to what some people will gain”.

Shinkafi offered different perspectives to the feud saying: “I don’t think I have any problem with him (Yerima). Since my election, I have heard and read various things said and written about my relationship with him. I consider him an important part of my household. Everybody knows how we started this journey together. As far as I know, I have no problem with him, and I think he knows that. Since the so-called crises began, never have I issued any statement condemning him or saying uncharitable things about him.

As a Muslim, I always wish all my brothers well. In fact, Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said no one is a true believer until he loves unto his brother what he loves unto himself. So, I always wish him well. But from his public utterances, we can conclude that his views are quite different from mine. The funny thing about Zamfara is that whatever one does, it becomes a public knowledge. If I hold a meeting with my cabinet or people, I know it gets back to him and the same applies to him. All the things he does or says privately regarding our administration somehow finds their way back to us.

“Last year, countless petitions were written to EFCC alleging financial impropriety by the government, it all came to pass and just recently, another petition was sent to ICPC alleging that about 10 of my commissioners mismanaged state funds. The source of that petition, unfortunately, is linked to him. So putting all these issues together, we came to conclusion that perhaps it is the work we are doing for the people of the state that is being challenged. But no one will distract us and we remain firm in our determination to move our state forward.” All efforts by notable personalities, including the Emir of Zamfara, Dr Attahiru Ahmad Mohammed, Emir of Zauzau, Dr Shehu Idris and Dr Ahmad Mahmud Gummi to make the duo seek the path of reconciliation has achieved no meaningful result.

And as the duo flex muscles, their supporters sometimes engage in violent confrontations in Gusau, the state capital and other towns. As the 2011 elections draw closer, the gladiators are scheming and aligning forces with a view to proving who is the bigger masquerade. And it promises to be a tough battle, one where the winner takes all. Both camps are already boasting of victory. According to Yerima, “Shinkafi is on his own in this matter and I am assuring you that we are going to regain our mandate fully by Allah’s grace. Governor Shinkafi has come to the end of his political career because of his decision to join a party that would finish him and dump him. He will surely regret”. To buttress his position, Yerima said that Zamfara people have demonstrated over the years that they love ANPP, adding that they will show that love again in 2011.

On the other hand, the secretary of PDP in Zamfara, Alhaji Musa Zubairu, remains optimistic that his party will retain the control of the state come 2011.Insisting that there is no vacancy in Government House, Gusau, Zubairu maintained that Hon Abdulaziz Yari, who the ANPP is presenting as its gubernatorial candidate is not a match for Shinkafi.

Zubairu said: “We do not feel threatened. Instead, we will go home and sleep. I don’t think he is the messiah the ANPP needs to salvage the party. In fact, ANPP has no credible candidate to contest with Gov Shinkafi”.
Interestingly, Shinkafi and Yari are in-laws. So, it will be a battle of in-laws. An old political warhorse, Yari is a long time associate of Yerima. He was, at various times, the Zamfara state secretary and chairman of ANPP.
Yari, who represents Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is already feeling the heat of the battle to come. Not long ago, he was indicted by the state House of Assembly over alleged failure to execute certain contracts awarded to him by the state government under Yerima’s leadership.

Yari, however, denied that he shortchanged the government, averring: “From their conduct, I think the conclusion reached by the committee was biased and aimed at tarnishing our reputation. So the entire exercise was mischievous, misguided and full of lies. As politicians, we all know where this thing is headed”.
Of course, more sparks will fly in the days ahead.

Factors that will shape 2011
The persona of the gladiators will count in the governorship contest in Zamfara State. To be sure, Yerima commands large following in the Farming is our Pride state. Whenever he is in town, people troop out, singing his praises. The former governor’s popularity derives mainly from his philanthropic disposition. He is said to render help to the needy in a manner that endears him to the public.

For instance, when he read about a journalist with Daily Trust newspapers, who needed about N3 million for kidney transplant, he quickly dispatched one of his commissioners to the patient with the amount required for the treatment. Indeed, on the streets of Gusau and elsewhere, the ordinary folks say sweet things about him and his people-oriented programmes while in office.

On the other hand, a source said, “Shinkafi has been busy consolidating his seemingly fragile position by reaching out to relevant stakeholders, including the state and local government party executives, party members in the National and the state House of Assembly as well as party elders.”

It is, indeed, a credit to his power of persuasion that he was able to convert the ANPP dominated House of Assembly to PDP members. Again, Shinkafi has proved that he is not battle shy. Since the ‘war’ broke out between him and Yerima, he has acquitted himself pretty well, delivering powerful punches occasionally. He is said to be a strategist who is always ahead of his opponents in terms of shrewdness, resources and man management.
There are other factors that would determine where the pendulum would swing in 2011:

Inter and intra party issues
It will be a straight fight between the PDP and the ANPP because other parties in the state can be described as paperweights. Prior to Shinkafi’s defection to the PDP, it was running way behind the ANPP. But the political equation in the state has changed.

With the realignment of offices coupled with the power of incumbency, the PDP is now standing firmly. However, the party can hardly be described as a united family. Even before the coming of Shinkafi and his men, the PDP was factionalized. His arrival compounded the problem as various entrenched interests contended for the soul of the party. To calm frayed nerves and open the window of reconciliation, Shinkafi appointed top members of the two factions into his cabinet.

Yet, the PDP leaking umbrella has refused to patch up. The two major factions are led by Shinkafi, and former National Security Adviser (NSA) and PDP presidential aspirant, Maj Gen Mohammed Aliyu Gusau (retd). Shinkafi is said to be in the bad books of Gusau because the governor is supporting the presidential aspiration of his father in-law, former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) rather than his brother.

To show that he is sold on the IBB presidency project, Shinkafi was present at the Eagle Square Abuja, when IBB formally declared his ambition. Ironically, Shinkafi was said to have earlier assured President Goodluck Jonathan that he would support his presidential bid. So, all things considered, the intrigues in Zamfara PDP will heighten in the days ahead.

For the ANPP, the defection of Shinkafi and a host of its members nearly left it prostrate. Acknowledging the effect of the defection, a chieftain of the ANPP, Hon Bello Muhammad Mutawalle, said: “I have to admit that the calibre of politicians that defected with the governor has no doubt left the ANPP depleted and some of you analysts are of the opinion that the party may take some time before it will recover. It is a fact that many of our colleagues joined the PDP, but what you have to realise is that the people are still with us. Our core supporters are still in ANPP and that gives us lots of joy.

Because all government functionaries followed the governor into his new party does not mean we have gone into extinction. I am confident our party will reclaim Zamfara. The love and affection shown to the party by the people of the state are pointers to where the pendulum will swing come 2011.”
Again, some elders of ANPP are not favourably disposed to what they term the dictatorial tendencies of the leadership. They faulted Yerima’s leadership style, which they claim contributed to the departure of Shinkafi and his associates. As the two leading parties perfect their strategies, other smaller ones such as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) are making in-roads in the Zamfara political landscape. Either of them may spring surprises in 2011 but the chances are extremely remote.
Religion

Religion interfaces with politics in Zamfara State, hence one cannot be mentioned without the other. Taking cognizance of this, the ANPP has made an issue out of the way and manner the PDP government has been implementing the sharia legal system introduced by Yerima. According to the party, the incumbent is lethargic in the implementation of the Islamic legal code.

The position of the party was expressed by the former Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, who repeatedly said: “What have they done to move sharia forward since they came to power in 2007? It is unfortunate that the government that came into power promising to uplift the people through religiously–inspired programmes has abandoned such promises for some things else. In the ANPP, we strongly believe in ‘our religion, our people’ slogan and we will sell it to our people at any given opportunity.”

Investigation revealed that in the past, ANPP blended politics with religion so successfully that it convinced rural folks to believe that political affiliation is synonymous with religious leaning. Members of the PDP, which opposed the introduction of sharia by Yerima were branded infidels.

However, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Barrister Armiya’u Bukkuyum, said that the implementation of sharia has not been compromised in any way by the present administration. He said: “I strongly deny claims that we are failing (in sharia implementation) in the state. The sharia was established by law, and since we came, no section of that law has been repealed or modified. Rather, we have provided more funds and logistics support to all agencies implementing the code in the state.” Maintaining that God is their witness and that Zamfara people are aware of government’s efforts to protect their faith, Bukkuyum surmised that, on the contrary, the operational agencies of the legal code had been expanded even as funding increased.

Performance
The people of Zamfara may likely compare the performance of the Yerima administration with the incumbent in choosing who gets their votes in 2011. Such being the case, the Shinkafi government could be vulnerable because it is accused of initiating grandiose projects without completing them.

Both camps are, however, claiming to have performed better in office. All things considered, the 2011election in Zamfara will be keenly contested.

•Next Week: The Sokoto tug of war

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