An Igbo socio-political pressure group, Nzuko Umunna, has called on the Federal Government to extend the bail granted the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to the other pro-Biafra agitators incarcerated with him.

The group, in a statement jointly issued by the secretary, Paschal Mbanefo, and its Coordinator, Ngozi Odumuko, said it welcomed the “smooth perfection of the bail” granted Kanu despite its stringent condition.

It, however, appealed to the government that bail should also be extended to Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

The trio had been previously granted bail by the court.

The group commended the efforts of Kanu’s legal team “and all those who have been steadfast and supportive in the call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and his colleagues”.

The statement reads, “Nzuko Umunna salutes the timely response of the South East senators Caucus especially Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and also the two others who signed the bail bond for the release of Kanu, Tochukwu Uchendu, Jewish Chief High Priest, Immanuel-El Shalom Oka-Ben Madu. We appreciate the various groups and leaders who showed and have continued to show solidarity to Kanu and others in the course of this trial.”

Nzuko Umunna reiterated its earlier called for the unconditional release of the IPOB leader and his colleagues, insisting that the group would not renege until justice seems to have been done.

The group said, “We wish to reiterate our stand that the rights of Kanu and his colleagues must be respected and that the government should, as a matter of fact, look into the numerous issues that have given rise to the unprecedented upsurge in agitations in the South East part of the country instead of using brutal force to suppress peaceful protests.”

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com/2017/05/01/nnamdi-kanu-we-still-await-justice-nzuko-umunna/

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has named Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, as the honorary Governor of Biafra Republic.

This was contained in a statement released on Sunday, where IPOB thanked Fayose for his solidarity towards Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement was signed by the media and publicity secretary of the group, Comrade Emma Powerful.

“We also acknowledge the immense contributions of the honorary Biafran Gov. Ayodele Fayose who did what no South East or South South governor had the courage to do,” it read.

IPOB also commended former Aviation Ministers, Osita Chidoka and Femi Fani-Kayode, Professors Chukwuma Soludo and Pat Utomi, Senators Ike Ekweremadu and Enyinnaya Abaribe and others for their support in the release of Kanu.

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com/2017/05/01/ipob-names-fayose-honorary-governor-of-biafra-republic/

TheCabal:

The parents and students at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, have described as ‘unjust’ the suspension of undergraduates at the institution for not attending its Easter Youth Alive programme, Punch Metro reports.
According to them, the rules of their admission did not say it is compulsory for them to attend the programme organised by the faith-based institution.

A 400-level student told our correspondent on Wednesday that over 200 students were affected by the decision of the university.

He said, “We were going for the services in the morning and night and people were getting tired of them because we were also preparing for exams. So, the Vice-Chancellor got angry and ordered that those who missed the services be sanctioned.

“Some were suspended for four weeks and those who had missed eight services for the four days got a year.”

Another 300-level student said some of them had been prevented from sitting for exams and they had no means of protesting the sanction which he said was ‘unfair’.

“The mood in the school is really tense. Though students are not protesting, they are angry because you are preparing for an exam you’re not sure you will sit for it until the paper starts.

“They stopped me from sitting for a paper last week because I did not go for a service and I don’t know if I will be allowed in today either.”

A concerned parent, who took to a social media platform to register her displeasure, said the punishment, especially, for final year students was not commensurate with the offences committed.

She said the university’s management should consider the impact of their decisions on the future of the students, in addition to the financial consequences of an extra year on parents in a recession.

“Is there no better punishment to give to these students than suspension for a year? What culture are you trying to imbibe into them? When they are suspended, will they go home and become better people? What are the lecturers and counsellors in the school for? What are the various Bible studies or programmes in the school for?

“These students have barely two or three months before project defence and graduation, (they) have exams coming up and the school wakes up and decides to suspend them for a year? And what happens to the fees paid for the year? In this economic recession, parents should cough out close to a million naira again to pay fees?

“Are these programmes organised for just believers? Who did the church come for? Who did Jesus come for? Isn’t it the sinners? What if after every sin we commit, our Almighty Father in Heaven decides to suspend us from this Earth, where will we all be?”

However, another student in the institution told Punch Metro, that contrary to the news making the rounds, her mates were suspended for leaving the school’s premises without permission during the Easter programme.

According to her, some students who were caught in their hostels during the youth programme also failed the drug tests often conducted on undergraduates in the university.

She said, “It’s not just that they didn’t attend the programme, some failed the drug test while some went out without permission. It’s in the rules and we all know it, the reason why people are angry is that final year students will have an extra year.

The institution’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emmanuel Igban, said the university was well within its right to have taken the decision.

He said the students were also aware of the fact that church services were compulsory.

“Depending on the gravity of the offence, students are aware of the rule as contained in the student handbook which they signed to abide with. Chapel attendance is mandatory for all students. A student is expected to attend chapel; either the Tuesday or Thursday Chapel service and all other programmes as directed by the chaplaincy and university management.

“Provision is made for signing of attendance and students are expected to be on their seats at least 15 minutes prior to service. Excuse from chapel requires permission from the office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

“Absence from chapel and Sunday services and other university Assembly (services) attract penalty ranging from letter of warning, suspension to advice to withdraw.”

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com/2017/04/27/covenant-university-suspends-students-for-missing-easter-programme/

A coalition of civil society groups, yesterday, faulted the bail conditions granted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, stating that they amount to denial of bail.

The group, in a statement in Abuja, argued that it was imperative that these bail conditions be varied or in the alternative, Kanu should be freed unconditionally to attend to his health, adding that this would be in the overall interest of the criminal justice system and the reputation of Nigeria as a democratic society.

The statement was signed by Mr. Eze Onyekpere, Centre for Social Justice; Mr. Sam Amadi; Mr. Benedict Ezeagu, Save Nigeria Group; Princewill Akpakpan, Lawyers of Conscience; Mr. Okere Nnamdi, Kingdom Human Rights Foundation; and Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, Civil Liberties Organisation.

Others are: Chris Nwadigo, Peoples Rights Organisation; Dede Uzor, Campaign for Democracy; and Matthew Edaghese, Access to Rights Initiative.

According to them, the court was reported to have stated that the only reason why Kanu is being allowed to go on bail was because of ill health; and wondered why the same court make it impossible for the bail to be enjoyed.

They said: “While we admit that the exercise of discretion and the conditions attached to bail may vary from case to case, it must be situated within the context of constitutionalism, legality, the facts of the case and follow judicial precedent.”

The group noted that the excessive and very stringent bail conditions amounted to denial of bail, stating that the first condition that Kanu must not be in a crowd of more than 10 persons is an impossible condition to fulfill.

According to them, the implication is that he can no longer go to a church or a place of worship, market place, restaurant, among others, adding that he will violate this condition if his immediate nuclear and extended families who will welcome him number more than ten.

“This will likely happen as he is stepping out of the prison yard. Pray, what purpose does this condition serve?” the group wondered.

They further stated that asking for a surety who is a senior and highly placed Igbo person such as a senator begs the question, why they queried the rationale for a surety of Igbo ethnic nationality?

They said, “Under what law or which section of the constitution did the judge derive the authorisation for this? When did the ethnic origin of an accused person or surety become relevant for the accused being admitted to bail? Thus, in the event Mr. Kanu finds Nigerians that are not of Igbo ethnic extraction as sureties, they would therefore not qualify.

“And if Mr. Kanu cannot get a senator to stand surety for him, he will not be allowed to go and attend to his health? How many senators, in these days of the anti-corruption drive will agree to post a bail bond for N100 million without making themselves vulnerable to being pulled over by the anti-corruption agencies?

“It therefore seems that in restricting one of the sureties to be a senator of Igbo ethnic nationality, Mr. Kanu has contrary to section 42 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), been subjected in the practical application of the law to disabilities and restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups and places of origin are not made subject to. There is no precedent for this aspect of the ruling.”

Continuing, the group said, “The condition that a prominent Jewish leader should be the second surety is very far-fetched. The fact that Mr. Kanu claimed that Judaism is his religion cannot be the justification for asking him to present a non Nigerian to stand as his surety. Thus, Mr. Kanu needs a person of Jewish nationality to free him to attend to his health! We are not convinced that this condition is permissible under our Constitution and laws. Imagine Mr. Kanu meets this demand and there is a default, how can the court get access to the surety if he travels back to his country?

“To ask Mr. Kanu not to address rallies or grant media interviews is an extreme measure which apparently serves no purpose. This is a violation of fundamental human rights entrenched in Chapter Four of the Constitution. Even while in detention, he has not been restricted from having contact with the media.”

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com/2017/04/27/civil-societies-fault-nnamdi-kanus-bail-conditions/

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and other northern leaders, have identified leadership failure at all levels as the bane of Nigeria’s progress and growth.

They said that if the nation would make progress, there is need for the present leaders in the country to shun ethnicity, corruption and religious bigotry.

The Arewa leaders, including former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Justice Mamman Nasir (rtd), Malam Adamu Fika, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), who gathered at a summit organised by Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation at the Sardauna Memorial Hall yesterday, x-rayed the problem of insecurity, economic decay and lack of good governance that continued to trail Nigeria.

Gowon, represented by former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Malam Adamu Fika, said: “Poor leadership led to pervading poverty, lack of education, poor health services, lack of justice and heightened ethno-religious friction.”

“No matter the resources available to a government, if the leadership discipline and commitment to accountability and services is lacking, no meaningful social or economic transformation can take place.”

Besides, elder statesman, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule also admonished the nation’s leaders over the present economic woes of Nigeria, saying that they must imbibe the legacies of the First Republican leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Tafawa Balewa and others if they would transform the country.

Also, Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion, urged Nigerians to exhibit the spirit of patriotism to national course. He said that the present administration was moving the nation out of economic, social and political hopelessness.

cc: lalasticlala

SOURCE: http://www.thekalabaris.com/2017/04/26/leadership-failure-bane-of-nigerias-progress-growth-gowon/