₦airaland Forum

Despite the provision of funds in the supplementary budget for Nigeria’s 50th independent anniversary, the Federal Government has sought N401.2m from major companies in the oil, telecommunications and other thriving sectors in the country.

Sources in government told our correspondent that letters soliciting the funds were sent out, initially, to 10 major firms asking them to contribute 124,500 Euros or N23.6m each. The number, according to the source, was increased to 17 when top government officials observed that some of the firms might refuse to make the donation.

The 124,500 Euros or (N23.6m) was described by the government as ‘initial contribution’ to a pool of funds to be used for the golden jubilee celebration.

The 10 firms in the first batch are Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, Chevron, Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited, Nigeria LNG Limited, Total E & P Nigeria Limited, Globacom Limited, MTN Nigeria, Dangote Group, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Limited and S.C.C Nigeria Limited.

Government had provided N10bn in a supplementary budget to take care of expenses for the event, but it was slashed to N6.37bn by the National Assembly following public criticisms.

Many Nigerians had noted that the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country did not justify an eleborate celebration.

The Director-General, Nigeria @ 50, Dr. B.K. Kaigama, was said to have met first with representatives of the companies before following up his discussion with them with the official letter.

In the letter obtained exclusively by our correspondent, Kaigama wrote, “I write to inform you that preparations for the celebration of Nigeria’s 50th Independent Anniversary have commenced in earnest and as part of the arrangements to promote Nigeria on the global stage during the milestone event, double-page special reports on Nigeria will be published in the International Herald Tribune .

“The reports which will appear in 10 editions of the newspaper will be a comprehensive global media campaign on Nigeria and its development effort.

“In consideration of the invaluable contributions of the private sector to the economic development of Nigeria, the private sector is being called upon to participate fully and collaborate effectively with the government towards the success of the celebration.

“In this connection, while the extent of the participation of the private sector is being worked out, 10 companies have been identified and are being tasked with the responsibility of shouldering the sponsorship of the said special reports in the IHT as their initial contribution.

“The cost of the double-page report is 124,500 Euros (N23.6m) per edition and each of the 10 companies will sponsor an edition.

“As part of the sponsorship deal, each sponsoring company will be allotted an advert strip at the bottom of each page.

“The contributions are to be paid to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation where the Organising Committee, Nigeria @ 50, is maintaining an account and from where payment to the publishers will be effected in accordance with the agreed payment schedule.

“While thanking you most immensely for partnering with government and for this initial contribution, please accept the best wishes for the National Organising Committee, Nigeria @ 50.”

A double spread (colour) in IHT, according to its website, ihtinfo.com, costs $219,481 or 171,963 Euros (N32.8m).

The cost of a double spread (black and white) in the newspaper is $182,761 or 143,193 Euros (N27.2m).

The costs are, however, likely to be inclusive of discounts, which the rate card does not indicate.

However, it was learnt that the companies, after weighing the financial implications of the letter on their operations, have not warmed up to the idea.

A source in one of the oil companies told our correspondent that oil firms, especially, were displeased that the government did not take into account, their other contributions to the economy before requesting the N23.6m from each of them.

“Our company for instance, is worried by the tone of the letter. The tone suggests that the 124,500 Euros was just an initial donation, implying that further demand might be made,” he said.

Another source at the meeting between Kaigama and the companies’ representatives, explained that a top official of an oil company asked why oil firms were more in number than other companies.

He said, “ The official raised a question on why corporations and multinationals like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and all the banks were left out of the pool for the contribution. Another person also questioned the rationale for placing the advert in a foreign newspaper.”

Our correspondent learnt, however, that most of the companies were inclined to make the donation because they feared declining might lead to loss of government business.

Another source in the committee told our correspondent that the reservation expressed by the oil firms made the government to request the same amount of money (N23.6m) from seven other companies.

The source , who did not want his name in print, however declined to give the names of the companies.

Kaigama could not be reached for comment as at 10.30p.m on Sunday.

When contacted on the telephone, the External Communications Manager, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Mr. Andrew Okeleke, said he was not aware of the existence of such a letter.

According to him, such issues are usually discussed at the executive level.

Two groups, the Conference of Nigeria Political Party and the Afenifere Renewal Group, have faulted the government’s request, saying it (government) has no clue about the reality on ground.

The National Chairman of the CNPP, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, in a telephone interview, said it was unfortunate that at a time when there was nothing to celebrate, the government and its officials were perfecting areas where they would siphon public funds.

He said, “We know that this appeal to multi-national organisations is motivated by the desire to get money from them and steal it.

“In order not to jeopardise their interest, some of these multi-national companies will comply with the appeal, but be rest assured that those requesting for this money will share it among themselves.

“We already know what will happen. In the first place, we have nothing worth celebrating because we did not utilise the opportunity we had in the last 50 years.”

While acknowledging also that there was nothing worth celebrating about the nation’s 50th independence, the National Publicity Secretary of ARG, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, called on Kaigama to withdraw the letter from the multinational companies.

He said, “Nigeria at 50 should be a moment for sober reflection on our many failures; missed opportunities and other attempt at nation building.

“To now go about begging multi-national companies after receiving a huge vote from the National Assembly shows that we have a government that is totally clueless and not in tune with reality. If there is any iota of integrity in this administration, that letter should be withdrawn.”

The Federal Government had two weeks ago kicked-off the Nigeria at 50, event, with the unveiling of ”countdown clock” by President Goodluck Jonathan.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100830445014

Jhalil Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, son of First Republic Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, yesterday relived how he escaped from the kidnappers’ den on Saturday. He was abducted in Abuja on Friday.

He painted a stranger- than-fiction picture of how he walked into freedom in the dead of the night from the Mpape Hills in the Federal Capital Territory .

Although he is the National Chairman of Goodluck NAKOWA (Goodluck to all), a group urging President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2011 general election, Jhalil ruled out political motives in his abduction.

He rather described abduction as "a problem to be solved". Describing his experience as a "terrible but rewarding in some sense", Jhalil said: "My legs were completely worn-out due to long trekking. But when I got home Saturday night, I was overwhelmed by the kind of people I saw in my house."

Jhalil recalled that he was seized by four armed men in his office in Jabi, a suburb of Abuja around 5 pm on Friday.

His words: "I was just sitting in my office because somebody was supposed to see me around 4 pm . There were four other people with me in the office.

"I was seeing somebody off when the armed guys came in. They robbed everybody in my office. They took my wrist watch, took my wallet. They sent all those people to my wife’s shop after robbing them. They then told me that they came for me.

"They took me to their car where one of them holding a weapon was waiting. I asked where they were taking me to but instead of answering my question, they handed me a pair of dark goggles to wear. Once we were out, I couldn’t figure out where were going or where we were heading.

"As we continued, I sensed that we were ascending a hill because they accelerated the car. Once we were up the hill, they asked me to remove the goggles. We trekked through a river, after which they asked me to sit on a stone and made a fire for themselves. They took turn to smoke Indian hemp and continued to smoke heavily.

"They called my wife and asked me to speak with her. They then demanded N100 million ransom. But I told them I don’t have such money. They gave me an ultimatum to make the money available or I would die. I told them if it was time for me to go, so be it.

"They continued to smoke hemp and made contact with my wife again. I think my wife promised to fulfil their demand.

"But I discovered that they were careless with their weapons. Apart from smoking, they drank a lot of water. They left me with one of them. At a time the one they left to watch over me walked a bit away from me.

"When the time came, I went into the bush but when the person left to watch over me discovered that I was no longer there, he started combing and searching the bush. I noticed his movement and began to walk in the opposite direction. I was walking in the opposite direction to the position where I heard motorcycle sound. I trekked until I got to a house which had a generator.

"I went into the house and explained to the man what happened to me. And I requested for a phone to call my wife. But the service was poor but I continued until I got her. The man had a motorcycle and he took me on the motorbike. The road was rough and we tumbled a number of times. We got to a point where my wife directed me. And we stumbled on a police team. They grabbed me and put me in a waiting van."

Told that his story appeared to have contradicted that of the police that said he was rescued at gunpoint, Balewa said: "I would not know if there was a gun battle because two of the kidnappers left to get money from my wife and I did not know what happened between them and the police because the police set a trap for them."

Asked what was going through his mind while he was with the kidnappers, he said: "I was thinking of escaping but also very careful because they were more in number and had shot guns. I had to consider all these because if I was shot many times I would have lost a lot of blood before help would come. All the same, I was thinking of escaping."

"I also noticed that three of the kidnappers were basically speaking the same language. Only one appeared to come from a different stock. I noticed that they were always coming and going. But I set my mind on how to escape and when the time came, I made good use of the opportunity especially when they left me with one of them who was very careless with his weapon."

"I want to appreciate the President, the police and Nigerians in general for their efforts and solidarity with me. I want to say that I was not shaken by the event. I saw it as a problem that should be solved".



http://www.thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/11501.html

The Federal Government has warned that the cholera epidemic ravaging some states in the North may spread to other parts of the country.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who raised the fresh alarm on Friday in Abuja, warned that the entire country was at great risk. Chukwu spoke in his office while receiving infusion products donated by Juhel Nigeria Limited, an indigenous pharmaceuticals manufacturing company, to states affected by the disease.

The minister’s alarm followed reports that the epidemic had claimed 571 lives in seven states as at Thursday, up from 325 earlier reported. So far, at least 10,134 people are said to have been infected, out which Borno and Bauchi states recorded 2,617 and 2,417 cases respectively.

In Borno, 162 lives were lost in 18 local government areas while 81 persons died in seven council areas of Bauchi State.

The Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr. Mike Anibueze, who gave the latest figures at the briefing, however, contradicted the minister’s stance by saying the epidemic was showing a downward trend.

The chairman of Juhel, Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, said the donation was part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility, aimed at assisting victims of the disease.

Among the drugs donated were dextrose saline, dextrose in water (five per cent), normal saline, darrows solution and water for injection.

Thanking the company for the gesture, the minister noted that the cases recorded in some of the states, especially Bauchi, were as a result of person-person transmission.

“The North-East is the worst hit zone, for now. Out of the seven states, Bauchi and Borno are most affected and more people are dying; but we are getting things under control.

“I must warn that every state in Nigeria stands the risk of having cholera and that is why other states must be on their guard and take pre-emptive action,” he said.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100830474873

The Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, on Sunday said that former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubabar, would lose the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Abba-Aji, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said that the endorsement of Jonathan by the South-West PDP on Saturday had further strengthened Jonathan’s chances of winning the primaries.

He said, “It (South-West PDP‘s declaration) is heart-warming. It is expected, judging by the fact that South-West is a very enlightened section, if not the most enlightened, of the country.

“I am happy that the South-West has come behind the President. I was expecting it judging by the utterances of its leaders.”

The presidential aide restated that Jonathan‘s camp was not disturbed by Babangida’s decision to declare his presidential ambition on September 14 or 15.

He said, ”We are not disturbed. IBB is a former President. Let him come and test his popularity. Abubakar is a former vice-president; let him also come and test his popularity . If they lose, they and their supporters will come behind Jonathan.

”The Board of Trustees , the National Working Committee, and National Executive Committee of the PDP have said that the President can run. In effect, the President is the official candidate of the party. Others could contest because of the internal democracy in the party. Let them contest, they will lose.”

Abba-Aji spoke as indications emerged in Abuja that the Babangida camp had panicked over the South-West PDP‘s endorsement of Jonathan.

A source close to the ex-military ruler said that members of his inner caucus were taken by surprise by the way all the five governors of the party in the zone endorsed Jonathan.

He said that Babangida was surprised that the governors — Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Mr. Segun Oni (Ekiti) and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) — agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to support Jonathan.

The source, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said the former military dictator had thought that at least two of the governors would break rank with the rest and support his aspiration.

He said, “Following the decision of the people of the South-West to back Jonathan, there is a serious problem in the camp of Babangida at the moment.

“The camp had thought that at least two governors from the zone will support him.

“I think he knows that the people of the region are still not happy with the way he annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election which eventually led to the demise of its winner, Chief M.K.O Abiola. But he never thought that those who are close to him among the governors would not back him.”

The other South-West PDP leaders that attended the meeting that endorsed Jonathan’s bid were the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole; the National Vice- Chairman (South-West), Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo;and a former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

Others were the Senate Leader, Mr. Teslim Folarin; Bankole’s predecessor, Mrs. Olubunmi Etteh; speakers of all the state houses of assembly in the zone; and other lawmakers from the zone in the National Assembly.

Others at the meeting held at the State Parliament Building also, were a former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu; the Senate Leader, Mr. Teslim Folarin; Bankole’s predecessor, Mrs. Olubunmi Etteh; speakers of all the state houses of assembly in the zone; and other lawmakers from the zone.

Reading an eight-point communiqué to journalists at the end of the meeting, Oladipo said the decision to back Jonathan for the 2011 poll had been taken after a critical assessment of all the presidential aspirants of the party.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100830461764

The National Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Network Group, Hon. Larry Onah, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his interest in the 2011 presidential race.

He described the President as a man of the people, adding that he also has what it takes to take the country to the next level.

Onah said that the group decided to campaign for Dr Jonathan in the national interest.
He said:” Jonathan is a man of the people. His achievements and attributes convey good examples of leadership that Nigerians are yearning for. We should all support him for a better democracy and even development in our country’’.

The coordinator hailed the President’s efforts aimed at ensuring that the vote counts in 201, stressing that the appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega as the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) attested to his commitment to credible polls. Onah shed light on the zoning arrangement of the ruling party which was entrenched in its constitution, pointing out that it would not stop the President from joining the race.

He explained that he shared the same ticket with his former boss, the late President Yar’Adua.
Onah said: ‘’Zoning has not been removed from the PDP Constitution, but that should not stop our President from contesting next year. The party has said that since Goodluck Jonathan had run with late President Yar’Adua as the Vice President, he can still run.’

He urged Nigerians to cast and defend their votes next year without fear of molestation.
Onah said that Nigerians are hopeful that the exercise would proceed smootly now that funds have been approved for INEC for voters registration.



http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/politics/11442.html

big_bug_ben:
Harzan & Oladayo: what u said is quite true. But i gallantly subscribe to d deal dat proportionaly or inversely, there is a success secret attached to boarding the hostel esp as a 100l students cos they are new to G.P & dat's d time they can grab d zeal for success.

@big_bug_ben  I can't find a correlation between boarding the hostel and G.P ??

Riot5000:
JUST ANOTHER WORTHLESS NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY CHURNING OUT HOODLUMS who go on to graduate with degrees in ARMED ROBBERY and KIDNAPPING, with no other job offers after graduation.
If they fail as robbers and kidnappers, they become politicians and legislooters.

This is what JAMB turns people into after several unfruitful efforts to become a student. Try Again Later

I have been in UKBA detention for one month now and I think it is about time I put down my experiences here.

First and foremost, I was arrested justly; I overstayed my visa and used another person's identity to secure employment. Whilst I know people might scream at this and say I broke the law, it should however be known that the majority of us illegal immigrants who work in the UK under other people's identities are not rogues. We came in this country in search of greener pastures and wish to regularize our stay but for the hard and difficult measures put in place by the UK government to make regularization difficult for us. Many of us then resign to fate. We engage in working, making money and going home at some point to either regularize from the home country, having made the money we would need for such from here or to go home and settle finally.

I fall into the former, I would, of course, love to regularize my stay, I am still a young man, under 34, why would I live the rest of my stay here in everyday at the behest of the authorities. I want to be a part of this society, I want to contribute my quota and pay taxes, I trained as a Theologian in a British school and I would love to use my knowledge to set up a charity that will do this society good. But then I have to survive; I cannot go back to Nigeria now because firstly, there is no money to do so and secondly the country at the moment is not organized. Pockets of ethnic violence here and there, lack of adequate security, the educational system in shambles and so on are part of the reasons I can't go back. I have not mentioned the fact that going back without some form of “wealth” is also a danger to me. If I belong to the rich class, then I can wriggle and bribe my way through the system, stepping on the head of others to get whatever I want. But that would make me look as bad as those who exploit the poor, making them flee to such nations as the UK for refuge. However, I do not have that kind of wealth and influence, so going back is not a wise thing to do, at least not now.

Whilst I admit that working illegally in a country without the permission of the authorities is wrong, I would love to refer the UK authorities to the fact that they are partly to blame for refusing to admit us, also that there are things they can do to make us regularize our stay as “illegals.” I am not asking for amnesty, but would it not be better for them to ask us to come forward and put in place a working system that would enable us normalize? It is to their advantage that this is done, many people who work underground would be able to come out, register for schemes and pay their taxes, the govt would be more accountable to the people as they will have accurate numbers, the general paranoia in the minds of the Caucasian public about illegal immigrants being some hideous creature lurking around in the corner will be laid to rest as they will see that we are flesh and blood like them, racism would be reduced. The untold truth is there is still some high level of racism in this country and it needs to be addressed.

Every country has got its immigration rules, and the UK should not be an exception. Of course they have a right to determine who stays in their country and who do not. It is not in my place as a foreign born immigrant to determine that, it is for the authorities of the land I am going into to determine. However, it is expected of western governments to be sensible in their mode of carrying out immigration issues. Immigration was a big issue during the last election and I must say it became such partly because of the perceived failure of the past Labour government to get a grip of immigration issues in the UK. And also because of the mis-education and misconception of the natives about these issues. At the turn of the new millennium several countries from the former soviet block joined the EU and this opened the door for thousands if not millions of Eastern Europeans to flood into the UK. Of course as expected, this has put a strain on the limited resources available in this small Island and the normal reaction would be for people to start screaming for a tighter immigration control. The sad thing however is that instead of addressing the root cause of the problem – the EU influx- the populace started pointing fingers at non-EU immigrants, ironically the large chink of illegal immigrants come from this group. Labour played by the rules and arrested those that they could, but the government in power has now launched an assault against anybody who they perceive should not be living in the UK, and assault I say and in many ways one that has no regard for their own rules, our human rights.

My Bail and the Judge was wrong!
I was brought here on the 27th of July. Had my bail hearing 3 weeks after and the first blow I got was the immigration judge saying that I had overstayed for 7 and a half years when in essence I was in Nigeria 7 and half years ago. The bail briefing prepared by the home office started my immigration history from the first application I made to come into the UK, an application made and withdrawn 7 and a half years ago. This was clearly stated in the Bail Summary for the judge to read. It is however alarming that a judge, a learned Judge not in some remote African nation but in Great Britain would decide that I had overstayed in the UK not for 5 years that my Visa clearly stated but for 7 and half years. He based his refusing me bail on this erroneous calculation and of course, I could not appeal it. Where does this leave the courts as being the last hope of the common man? If a judge in the UK could do this right, then what hope do I have from judges in Nigeria where this nation wants to push me back into? Why are we not allowed to appeal against the decisions of bail hearings, why?

The Home office in the bail summary also forgot as it were to include the fact that in December 2004, I was issued with a 2-year multiple visa by the British High Commission in Lagos and that having left the country when my first Visa expired, I then came in again on the 2-year multiple visit visa. They stated in my bail summary that I did not return home after my first visa issued in June 2004 expired, but there are stamps on my passport that indicated I did and also when I returned to the UK in February 2005, went through immigration, my passport was stamped at entry. I was counted in! Of course I overstayed, no argument about that and they are right in wanting to remove me, but does immigration rules allow them to tell lies in formal documents about overstayers, foreign non-white European overstayers? Is there no other authority that can call them to order when they make such blunders such as leaving out correct information from such an important document as a bail summary?

How can Theresa May, Nick Clegg and their boss David Cameron prove to people like me that in a bid to remove overstayers from the UK, they are not infringing on our basic right when departments under them write blatant lies about us? How can they prove to the world that this government is not racist? How? What right have they to criticize Nick Griffin's BNP when under their own nose activities that can best be described as racist are being carried out by their officials? Whilst here in detention I have seen the case of a young man who has a valid visa from the Home Office, but yet was brought here because as they stated his visa does not reflect on their system, but according to this young man, he just got his leave to remain extended until 2013. He has been removed of course to Nigeria. A plus to Ms May, Messrs Cameron and Clegg. Whilst it is not my intention to be political or attack this government, after all what right has an overstayer to talk in mighty Britain, I must however say I don't expect anything less from a white male dominated government. Of course Labour blew it regarding their immigration policies but this government is treading on worse grounds now, infringing on people's rights just to show the general public that they are working for them.

At Oakington Immigration Reception Centre here, the security company G4S is responsible for guarding us detainees and I find it very odd that of the over 100 officers working here, just one, I mean just one lady is black (and she is mixed race at that, nothing against mixed race people too), just two are Asians and another two from eastern Europe and one of Maltese Descent. The rest of course are proudly 'indigenous' British. In comparison, the population of inmates here is about 60% Asian, 20% black and others constitute the rest.

What explanation does the Home Office for these obvious acts omission - an Immigration Centre populated by mostly Asians and African Caribbean peoples but is guarded mainly by white people in a Britain that prides itself as a nation of racial equality even in the workplace? I am not in the British Police, but I think I know what institutional racism is from here and it is a shame that it is practiced right under the nose of the Home Office.



http://www.saharareporters.com/article/my-experiences-uk-immigration-detention-camp

Fresh indications have emerged that Nigerians who lost over N150bn to illegal fund managers may never get it back, SUNDAY PUNCH investigations have revealed.

The amount was allegedly channelled through about 450 fund managers, who promised their clients high returns on investment during the nation‘s banking consolidation exercise, which ended in October 2007. The Central Bank of Nigeria, under the superintendence of its former governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, kick-started the consolidation in 2004.

Indeed, no fewer than 600,000 people fell for the alleged untidy transactions.

Unfortunately, it would be difficult for the complainants to get their money back as most of the fund managers have got court injunctions to lift the freezing orders placed on their bank accounts by the Investment and Securites Tribunal.

A member of the inter-agency sub-committee of the Financial Services Regulatory Committee that investigated the complaints against the fund managers said that the committee‘s hands were tied because of the court orders.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said that it would have been possible for the victims to get their money back if the accounts of the fund managers were still frozen.

He said, ”Immediately they got these court orders, they removed all the money they had in their bank accounts. If this money was still intact, it would have been possible to pay back the complainants.”

The source said that investigations by the committee showed that some of the court injunctions were not genuine.

”It is even sadder that these fund managers exploited the judiciary to deny people their hard earned money. We later discovered that some of the court injunctions they submitted to the banks were not genuine,” he said.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the inter-agency committee set up in 2008 to investigate the companies, had representatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Corporate Affairs Commission and the Nigeria police.

The committee, which submitted its interim report recently, noted that though many of the 450 fund managers were registered by the CAC, a good number of them were not licensed to operate as fund managers.

The SEC had laid the ground work for the committee‘s work when it placed an advertorial on Feb. 18, 2008 in major Nigerian newspapers, including The PUNCH, calling on investors who were yet to receive their share certificates and surplus money to report to its office.

Parts of the advert read, ”To all investors in the Nigerian capital market who have not received their share certificates and surplus monies in respect of all public offers that closed on or before Oct. 31, 2007 are hereby advised to forward their complaints in writing to the Director-General of SEC.

”Please note that any public company found to have violated the commission‘s rules and regulations relating to the despatch of share certificates and return/surplus monies will have its listed securities suspended indefinitely from trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.”

Soon after the advert was published, no fewer than 600,000 Nigerians thronged the office of the SEC and the committee with their claims totalling N150bn.

Those who patronised the illegal fund managers did not, however, know that the advert was not meant for them. But it became an eye-opener, as it provided an avenue for them to realise that they had been swindled.

Among the companies linked to the alleged scam were Nospetco Oil and Gas Limited, Art Mater &Co. Limited, Cyber International Limited and Fortune Access Interlinks Network.

The source said, ”Then, it was a merry period and there was a lot of excitement in the stock market. If the fund managers had stuck to a few customers, they might have been able to manage the situation but they took on more than they could chew.

”Most of them did not have the human resources and financial capability to manage the situation. They were just collecting money from people until they became overwhelmed and unfortunately, the stock market crashed.”

However, a financial analyst, Abimbola Adeseyoju, said, ”All that money did not disappear and it is still within the system. It is a case of some fraudulent people collecting money from unsuspecting Nigerians and investing it in their personal business. Even when these fund managers paid interests, it was from the money of other investors.

”It is called the ‘Ponzi scheme‘ – a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned.”

Adeseyoju, who is the Chief Executive Officer of DataPro Ltd., noted that the action contributed to the recession in the economy.

He noted, ”Apart from the fact that this fraud affected the integrity of financial institutions negatively, it also crippled businesses.

”Some people sold their properties to invest in the offers that promised interests that even the CBN could not pay.”

When contacted on the telephone, the chairman of the inter-agency committee, Mr. M.A. Adegbite, was not willing to comment on his committee‘s findings.

”We have submitted our final report to the CBN and I know that a press statement has been issued to that effect. I cannot make any further comments,” he said.

The spokesman of the NDIC, Mala Hadi Birchi, also declined to make comments. He said that the NDIC could not make individual comments because it was a collective investigation. The report of the committee, he added, was representative of each of the agencies involved.

However, the head, media and publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission was part of the investigations. He said, ”Apart from the inter-agency committee report, we are presently prosecuting 50 of such cases and I can tell you that each of them has an average of N500m claims against it. Those 50 companies are also on the list of the committee‘s report. We are prosecuting them based on the complaints we received from the public. We have not received a request to prosecute companies on committee‘s list.”

The head, Media Relations at SEC, Mr. Lanre Oloyi, also confirmed that SEC was a part of the inter-agency committee that came up with the report. He said, ”SEC is a member of the inter-agency committee and I‘m aware of the report.

”As a commission, we always advise people to be careful of the fund managers they patronise.

”People should always check who they are investing their money with. If you are not sure, just come to the SEC before giving your money to anybody.”

The Head, Corporate Affairs of the CBN, Mr. Muhammed Abdullahi, in an earlier statement said that the inter-agency committee had mapped out strategies to address the menace in a comprehensive and sustainable manner through enhanced public communication, the use of court appointed liquidators and intensive surveillance by law enforcement agencies.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008294222821

THE Akwa Ibom State Government has raised alarm over what it described as "high level desperation by the opposition group" in the state to bring the state governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, at logger heads with prominent indigenes of the state and the presidency.

The government said the governor’s phone number 08075707070, was being used through cloning, to send text messages that they have been sent by the state governor to either assassinate or kidnap them.

The move, government said, is "intended to create fear among the people and paint a picture of insecurity in the state as we move closer to 2011, which is the election year.

"They have tried all other antics and it has refused to work for them and that is why they have decided to go a step further in their insatiable wish to discredit the governor by cloning his mobile telephone line and using it to send text messages purportedly from the governor.

According to the commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, "we also have it on good authority that they are planning to use that same number to send anti- presidency messages around the nation in-order to paint the governor as anti establishment governor, which is far from the truth. That is why we are alerting the public on the plans."

"Having failed in their numerous attempts to paint the Godswill Akpabio-led administration in bad light, the opposition have gone into the criminal act of cloning the governor’s telephone number 08075707070, which they have been using to send death threats and kidnap messages to prominent indigenes of the state in order to give the impression that Governor Akpabio was behind the spate of kidnapping and politically motivated assassinations in the state".




http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news-update/11390.html

An Ikorodu, Lagos State-based landlord is telling the police all he knows about the rape of a three-year-old girl, who happens to be the grand daughter of his tenant, writes TOYOSI OGUNSEYE

Daddy Ruka do (raped) me. He bought N20 puff-puff (pastry) for me and took me to the next house where he slept with me,” Lola (surname withheld), who is just over three, says in a clear voice.

Daddy Ruka, whose real name is Adewale Ibrahim, has denied the allegation. However, Lola in the presence of the 47-year-old grandfather repeated her statement to the consternation of everyone present. This was the conversation SUNDAY PUNCH had with her in Yoruba language:

SUNDAY PUNCH: What is your name?

Lola: Lola.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Do you know this man (pointing at Baba Ruka).

Lola: Yes.

SUNDAY PUNCH: What is his name?

Lola: Daddy Ruka.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Where do you know him?

Lola: Grandma’s house.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Does Daddy Ruka buy juice for you? (Lola loves orange juice).

Lola: No.

SUNDAY PUNCH: What does Daddy Ruka buy for you?

Lola: Puff-Puff.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Is it the puff-puff that is sold for N5?

Lola: No, N20 puff-puff.

SUNDAY PUNCH: After Daddy Ruka bought puff-puff for you, what did he do to you?

Lola: Daddy Ruka do me (had sex with me).

SUNDAY PUNCH: Where did Daddy Ruka have sex with you?

Lola: In Iya Fatai‘s house (which is beside her grandmother‘s house).

SUNDAY PUNCH: When did Daddy Ruka have sex with you?

Lola: Yesterday.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Who did you tell that Daddy Ruka had sex with you?

Lola: My mummy.

The little girl, who is in nursery one, was in her paternal grandmother‘s house at No. 1, Ayegbami Street, Ijede, Ikorodu on Aug. 21, 2010 when the incident happened. Lola’s mother, Aina Olayiwola, says that she used to take Lola to her grandmother‘s house after everyday, especially after school hours because she has a small shop she goes to everyday.

She says, “Lola has been going to her granny‘s house since she started school. I have a business centre that I run to make ends meet because my husband is still a student at a higher institution.

“She stays with my mother-in-law and when I close my shop, I go there to pick her. I was very comfortable with the environment because there are many children in the compound that my daughter can play with even though my mother-in-law is quite strict.”

The 23-year-old mother of two says that she got to know what allegedly transpired between Ibrahim and her daughter on Aug. 22 when Lola narrated her ordeal without any prompting.

Aina says, “I got to know about it on Sunday, Aug. 22. After dinner, I was laying the bed for my two children to sleep when Lola, who is my first child, told me that Baba Ruka raped her.

“I wasn‘t discussing anything with her when she told me this. She was silent and suddenly told me what Baba Ruka did to her. I was shocked by her statement. Then I asked her when it happened and she said it happened the previous day.

“Because she is a little girl, if you ask when it happened now, she will say ‘yesterday‘ because she does not know dates. I screamed and took her to my mother-in-law‘s place. I told her what happened. She was equally shocked.

“Grandma checked my daughter‘s private part and discovered that Lola had no hymen. We took her to a private hospital that night and the doctor on duty confirmed that my daughter was no longer a virgin.

“I was dazed. My mother-in-law couldn‘t stop screaming. We went to the Ijede Police Station and we were advised to go the General Hospital for another medical report.”

The report from the General Hospital, Ijede, Ikorodu reads, “Foul odour emanating from the private part and hymen is broken.”

Ibrahim, who is the son of the owner of the house where Lola‘s grandmother lives, denies raping the girl.

He says, “I don‘t know what the girl is talking about. Look at me, I am a tall man. If you ask me to bring my private organ out, I will. How can I be sleeping with a small girl? Her grandmother is one of my tenants.

“A day before I was accused of this crime, I had a misunderstanding with Lola‘s grandmother because she was in the habit of cooking along the passage. When I got back from work that Saturday, I met her cooking in the passage and I was really angry with her because I had warned her so many times to desist from it.

“Officials from the inspection unit of our local government had earlier warned us to desist from such acts. This was the reason for the quarrel we had and the next day, she said that I raped her grand child.”

The suspect, who has three wives, seven children and three grandchildren denies buying puff-puff or any food item for the little girl.

He says, “I have never bought anything for Lola. I know her just like I know all the children in the compound. Everyone knows that Lola‘s grandma is a strict woman that does not allow her grandchildren play with just anybody.

“When I go out in the morning, I come back late in the evening. I used to drive a taxi but I now work in a Japanese company. There are so many children in my compound and Lola plays with them, including my children.

“In fact, Lola has never entered my house. I don‘t know why she is mentioning my name. I don‘t go to the place (Iya Fatai‘s house) she said I took her to. I did not do it.

“They are telling lies against me. I have never been accused of this type of thing in my life. I also don‘t have a criminal record. I will never do such to a little child.”

It was also learnt that the suspect ran away on sighting policemen that came to arrest him after a report was made at the Ijede station.

Ibrahim, who is a Muslim, denies this. He says, ”I did not run away. I only went to the house of another elderly neighbour to tell him what was happening before going to the police station.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Frank Mba, says that there is no doubt that the little girl was raped.

“We have sufficient proof that she was raped. For a little girl of her age, she has also remained consistent with her statement. It was what she told her parents that she told the doctors and the police at Ijede.

“She repeated the same thing in my office. She is also consistent with her account of where the rape took place. A little girl will find it challenging to tell consistent lies.

“So, the rape is not a doubt. However, the suspect has also refuted touching the girl and that poses a challenge for us because we need to know who defiled a little girl.

“Rape cannot take place if there is no contact. That is why we want to know the people the little girl had contact with regularly. It is a fresh case and we will have to continue our investigations,” Mba said.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100829432279

Until President Goodluck Jonathan declares his interest to run for presidency in the 2011 general elections, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, has said Ndigbo have not made known their position on whether to support the incumbent president for the race or not.

Nnamani in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH said that Ndigbo would give their support to a presidential aspirant who could offer them better terms adding, ”How can you support a man who has not declared his interest to run for office?”

He said, ”Jonathan has not told Ndigbo that he will run for office and they cannot support what they do not know. Ndigbo will support someone who has shown interest to contest the presidency and who has the best terms for them. We will weigh what he has for Ndigbo with what other candidates are offering.”

On what he thinks the Ndigbo‘s expectations from the president are, Nnamani said, ”I don‘t know. When we get to the bridge, we will cross it.

“It is premature to comment on individuals who have not indicated their interest to run. And it is not just about running but telling the people the programmes that they are running on given our situation.”

Also, the former senator noted that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party is yet to provide the desired leadership despite its over 10 years in power.

He said, ”PDP has been in power since 1999 and it is important that it tells Nigerians what it has done since 1999 and what it intends to do in the next four years. It is not just enough to tell Nigerians to have hope; hope on what programme?

”I think that it is very unfortunate that about six months to the elections, we are still talking about who will run and who will not run instead of talking about manifestoes and what programmes are there for the people.

“By now we should have a program of action and not who should run or not run or about zoning. Any individual should by now have a clear programme of action of what he will do for the people.”

Nnamani‘s comment is in consonance with the resolution reached recently by the forum of South-East governors over support for President Jonathan‘s declaration to run for president in 2011 elections.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State who spoke for the forum of South-East governors as its chairman had said, ”We will support for presidency, a candidate with the best programme that will address the imbalance in the country and marginalisation of the South-East.

”Until he [Jonathan] makes his intention known - we will declare our support for a particular candidate when all the aspirants have declared their interest.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008294292429

STRATEGY sessions on how to plot an effective game-changer in the north’s quest to ensure that the region produces the nation’s next President in 2011 has now shifted to Saudi Arabia, authoritative sources have disclosed.

Some serving and former governors, ex-ministers, retired federal bureaucrats and a few others have scheduled their strategy meetings to take place during Umra, the lesser hajj so that they can ensure a change in the direction of Arewa’s opinion on the 2011 presidency by the end of Ramadan.

According to sources in Kaduna and Abuja, the meetings will definitely take place "before the last 10 days of Umra as things are expected to be hectic by then."

One of the meeting rooms at the plush Makkah Hilton Hotel, close to the Holy Haram mosque and the Kaaba, in the heart of Mecca, is the likely venue of the meeting.

There are indications that their plans may threaten the ambitions of the known presidential aspirants from the north as the meeting is believed to be aimed at considering other options, including the likely nomination of a serving governor or any other acceptable politician from the north to be supported as Arewa consensus presidential candidate.

Already, General Ibrahim Babangida, whose supporters, effective mobilization at the last Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF)’s recent NEC meeting in Kaduna led to the body’s decision to back the People Democracy Party’s position on zoning, have high hopes of securing Arewa endorsement of Babangida as a consensus candidate.

"The resolution compromised ACF’s position on partisan issues; ACF chairman, General IBM Haruna awas not part of it and chairman of ACF’s Board of Trustees, General Jerry Useni, too was not inclined that way but their deputies and others prevailed in ensuring ACF’s endorsement for the zoning idea.

"Saraki has not been too fit these days and the Babangida people could not make use of the Northern Union to project their agenda optimally. They had to use some other pan-Arewa platforms while their associates in the south work on strategies for winning support in southern states.

"However, after adopting the PDP’s position, it will be interesting to see if ACF can call members of the Buhari group that now logically feels suspicious about some people’s susceptibility to manipulations from the Babangida camp," one of the sources said.

Former Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, Gombe State governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and his Kano State counterpart, Ahmed Shekarau, along with former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, are believed to be among those expected to participate in the meeting’s effort to find a new direction and a nationally acceptable candidate.

"The strategy session may not make definite conclusions as such but the primary objective is to find meeting grounds on how to move the north and the entire nation forward by returning as a power bloc to really influence the direction of who gets the Arewa nod for 2011 presidency," the source stated.



http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/11400.html

Heartland coach Samson Siasia says his players must shoot constantly at goal if they hope to win Sunday‘s (today) crucial Group B CAF Champions League match against Egypt‘s Ismaily at the Dan Anyiam, Stadium, Owerri.

The Naze Millionaires presently sit at the bottom of their group with a point from three games and must win today‘s game to stand a chance of advancing to the knockout stage of the competition.

Siasia said, ”We‘ve been unlucky in our previous games because we have played very well so far and I have told the attackers to always take their chances. They should take decisions to shoot immediately at goals when least expected and work for each other too during the match on Sunday.

With team work we can achieve a positive result. Once we start winning the confidence we will continue to improve,” Siasia said.

The former Nigeria striker expressed happiness over the form of his players saying Heartland would ensure they earn the maximum points.

He said, ”The players are responding very well to our trainings and I am very happy about this. The situation we are now is that we have to win the two home matches. I have told the players that the only way for us to still remain in the competition is to win our two home matches and I am confident that the boys would do just that.

”The government of Imo State has been wonderful, they have done virtually everything for us to get going in the competition but it is left for the players to start responding by scoring the needed goals. We have been playing quite well in all our matches but failed to score goals and if you don‘t score goals you don‘t win matches.”

The 1994 African Nations Cup winner added, ”The attack has been our major problem in the team. But right now I think it is looking better and hopefully the goals would come against Ismaily on Sunday.

”The problem is that most of the players that scored for the team in last year‘s CAF Champions League are no longer with the team. We have not replaced them but we will still do with the ones we have right now.”

The match, which will be officiated by Tunisian officials Bennaceur Kacem (referee), Hassani Bechir (assistant referee 1) and Saadallah Chokr (assistant referee 2), kicks off at 3pm.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008293184334

Political appointees have been directed to pay five percent of their basic salaries to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) throughout their stay in office.

Just last week, defaulting appointees were reminded of their dues when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, sent a terse letter to all ministers demanding the payment of the dues.

Citing a section of the PDP constitution as his backing, Mr Ahmed instructed federal ministers to act as collectors and to deposit the collected funds into the party's account at Unity Bank.

", all party men and women elected or appointed at the instance of the PDP, including ambassadors and board chairmen at the federal level, are required to contribute five percent of their basic allowances or remuneration to the party. The directive is effective from the day they are appointed," Mr Ahmed said in the memo, exclusively obtained by NEXT.

This letter has allegedly been endorsed by relevant ministers and passed on to all or most heads of parastatals.

Paying their dues

Sources who spoke to NEXT said all political appointees have to pay the levy, whether or not they belong to the PDP. Others conceded that they have been paying the dues and expressed no alarm at PDP's demand.

In some instances, the percentage is taken from the source and the appointee need not make a trip to the bank. It is not clear how many ministers and top-level government officials make these payments, but according to the SGF, the ministers must not only serve as collectors but as petty accountants. The ministers are to forward duplicate copies of all payments made to Mr Ahmed's office.

"Thereafter, you are required to forward a copy of payments made in this regard to my office for information," he instructed, adding that "all monthly contributions subsequently collected should also be treated in the same manner."

The PDP vs the people

Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, condemned Mr Ahmed, accusing him of abusing his office to pursue his political affiliations.

"Should the structure and institutions of government be converted into a PDP funding institution?" one source asked.

"This means that only people who will dance to their tunes of 5 percent will be appointed into political office, whether or not they are qualified."

Kayode Ajulo, an Abuja-based attorney, believes that Mr Ahmed should be relieved of his duties for abuse of office. He said that for him to use the instrument of government to "fan the interest of a political party is absurd."

"The office of the SGF is totally different from the person of Yayale Ahmed. The office of the SGF has its own operating manual, and writing memos for political parties is not one of it," said Mr. Ajulo.

Mr. Ajulo said that the party should apologise to Nigerians and return the money they have collected to the coffers of the government. He also called for the resignation or the sack of the SGF within seven days.

"Any sensible and reasonable president would ensure that this is redressed," he said.

Another lawyer and human rights activist, Obo Effanga, believes it is a breach of public office for the SGF, who is a public servant, to use state apparatus to collect contributions and remit them to a private and non-state institution, such as a political party.

Mr. Effanga said the PDP was at liberty to decide how much it wants to levy its members who may be in government, but Mr Ahmed is working for the country, not the party.

"I don't care what responsibility his party gives him, as far as he is the SGF, his responsibility is based on the oath of office and oath of allegiance he took.

"The office he holds demands him to be neutral and do good to all Nigerians. Will the SGF be right to set up a scheme to ensure that staff under him pay and remit zakat and tithes to their respective religious bodies, in fulfilment of their religious obligations, which the constitution allows them? Certainly not, for those are private matters, not state matters. It would be surprising if the president was unaware of this," he said.

Drumming up funds

National publicity secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, said though paying the dues was not wrong, it should have been done by the party itself.

"It is a problem. I see the SGF just as a minister and will it be right for a minister to ask all his board members to contribute their dues? It should have been the party doing that, not the SGF."

While it is not certain that appointees who do not belong to the PDP are required to pay the levy, an official who claims he does not belong to any political party said he received the memo nonetheless.

The source accused the PDP of desperately trying to raise funds for the 2011 elections.

"Are they becoming this desperate or is the SGF's office now an extension of Wadata house?" he asked.

All of our efforts to contact Mr. Ahmed for his response to our findings were not successful, that is until just a few minutes before we went to press. We then asked him why he wrote and sent the Memo. He said he considers himself a politician and since the party constitution says members should pay 5%, he merely wrote to remind them of their obligation. "If the ANPP asked me to remind its appointees, I will do that for them," he said.

Mr Ahmed however said that all payments will be done through the party.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5611962-146/government_officials_pay_tithes_to_pdp.csp

zoraro:
4. After been arrested she decided to call the Chief Security Officer Government House and the Divisional Traffic Officer which were not witnesses to the incident or do they have the power to say who can flout traffic laws (another very common thing in Nigeria).

That's the Nigeria factor. The CSO will just tell the Traffic Warden; abeg leave her joo, don't you know that she is my mistress.

S@mi:
LOL God indeed !! please let's get serious, This follows last week's shock deaths of six premature babies and if I may ask why God didn't show up to save the poor babies ? Nigerians it's time we must act and stop counting on that imaginary God.

Take the shortest route to heaven and ask your questions there.

God is great.

knotty:
The DPO merely cautioned the policewomen and had them locked up for two hours.

Can someone pls explain the meaning of the phrase above because I stay in my room doing virtually nothing for five hours without being "locked" up by anybody.

@Poster
How much do you charge per hour in SA? Cos that will be used determine your opportunity cost.

Can you find the word "constituency allocation, allowances & renumeration" in the national anthem? Then why are you disturbing those who are concerned with only these words?

big head:
please people is it advisable to reside in or outside the campus

Anyone who want some privacy (I think) should reside off-campus and the "party-type" can reside on campus.
I reside off-campus for the following reasons:
1. In each room of our boys' hostel (there are plenty of girls' hostel but only one boys' hostel. Maybe they realize that guys can fend for themselves and ladies cannot) is 8 bed space - You may eventually become 16 in a room (courtesy of squatters).
2. You can only read/study during the midnight when others are asleep or go to the library during the day (forget about reading in your hostel in daylight).
3. At the end of every session, you are given an ultimatum to vacate the hostel. You will therefore have to keep your belongings with someone who resides off-campus during the long holiday (like the one we have now).
4. There are some things you are barred from using in the hostel like electric cooker/stove and boiling ring.
5. There is the issue of insecurity of belongings (You dare not wash your clothes and leave for a lecture. You may never see it again in your life. Though UNILORIN have zero-tolerance for stealing, there are cases of stolen laptops, phones and even desktop charger. Your wardrobe may be burgled with no one knowing the culprit).
6. The cost implication is not that convincing (A session in the hostel cost N22,000 while you can get a house off-campus at a similar/close rate).

Another word (Preident) has been added to our political lexicon by a scholar (formunt).
Nigeria Best President? None I can recommend.

Barely 24 hours to his reception by the Peoples Democratic Party, Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia has resigned his membership of the Urban Ward I of APGA.

His letter of resignation, dated Aug. 10, was sent to the chairman of the party in the ward and copied to its National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, the state chairman, Mr Morgan Anyalechi, and the chairman of the party in the Umuahia North council.

A copy of the letter, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reads: "I write to inform you, other officers and members of APGA of the resignation of my membership of the party.

"I appreciate the solidarity and warmness with which I was received into APGA and say that I am leaving the party due to the greater yearnings of Abians.

"We shall ever, always find a common ground to work together in our future political endavour. Please accept the assurances of my warmest regards."

Anyalechi told NAN that as of Aug. 25, he told the state working committee of the party that Orji was a card-carrying member of the party.

He said the governors' membership of the party was brief but very memorable, adding that "we had nice time with him and he extended invitations to us.

"We are blessed with his coming," he said, pointing out that now that he had left, APGA would still remain intact and poised to win the gubernatorial election in 2011.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5611982-146/gov._orji_resigns_from_apga_.csp

Members of the All-Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) who met in Abuja today have dissolved the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) led by Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. The members appointed Mohammed Mohammed, a senator from Bauchi State as the chairman of the transition committee.

However, the former leadership of party did not go easily. Earlier in the day, Mr. Ume-Ezeoke ordered police to break up the meeting, which was scheduled for Agura hotel in Garki, saying it was illegal.

But the members moved the venue to Top Rank hotel, another hotel in the area. Less than five minutes to the meeting, the motion to dissolve the NEC was passed and was unanimously endorsed by the members.

The party cited Mr. Ume-Ezeoke's incompetence as the reason behind the action. It also fixed September 17 as the date for its convention. Speaking after the meeting, the former governor of Edo State, David Oyegun, said the Ume- Ezeoke-led executive had given the party a bad name. He condemned the leadership for compromising the party's ideals and "hobnobbing" with the ruling party. "The era of yo-yo game is over," said Mr. Oyegun.

"You will see all those that left our party will soon find their way back because we are going to reform the party to the admiration of everybody." Despite members' jubilation, critics noted that none of the party's governors from Kano, Yobe and Bornu states were represented at the meeting. One source, who preferred not to be named, said the governors backed the decision but preferred not to show it publicly.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5611929-146/anpp_dissolves_leadership_committee__.csp

West Ham United have signed Nigeria forward Victor Obinna on a season-long loan from Inter Milan, the English premier league club said on Friday.

The 23-year-old passed a medical after holding talks at Upton Park and the club's training ground, West Ham said on their website (www.whufc.com).

Obinna, who began his Inter career in 2008, spent last season on loan at Spanish side Malaga. He has won 34 caps for Nigeria, and appeared twice in the World Cup in South Africa as his country were eliminated in the first round.

Obinna is West Ham's sixth acquisition for the new season. They face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Sport/Football/5612386-146/inter_milans_obinna_joins_west_ham.csp

Who gives a hoot whether NEPA PHCN exists or not. I better pass my neighbour

Blazing99:
The reason why the 50 naira note is being redesigned is simply because there are fake 50 naira notes in circulation, which are hard to distinguish from the original. Good move I say.

The CBN says the N50 with six numbers and that with seven numbers are not fake. So where did you get your theory of "fake N50 notes"? Only a retard like you will be counterfeiting N50 when there is N1000 & N500.

wales:
Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, has denied allegations that he ordered the removal of President Goodluck Jonathan’s posters from the streets of Katsina.

According to Shema, he never did such thing as he believed that power belonged to the people and only the people could decide who they wanted to govern them in 2011. Shema, who spoke to newsmen at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference, in Kaduna, praised the president for signing into law the Electoral Act, adding that “ the rest is now left for the Nigerian people to make sure that the poll is free and fair.”

He also said, “I believe in the law and the people and the two must walk together to achieve the set target. The law is meant for the people and the President has done his own duty, it is left for Nigerians and the lawyers to ensure that this is done correctly and very well for a credible election.”

On what should be done for Nigeria to had credible polls next year, Governor Shema stated , “elections are about the people, it is not about law. Therefore, Nigerians must be ready to practice free, fair and credible election, they must do the right thing according to the dictates of the electoral Act and constitution of Nigeria.”

He further stated that the whole country had a serious task ahead of the coming polls. Shema added the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boss Professor Attahiru Jega and his workers at INEC alone would not be able to give the country a credible poll without the assistance of other Nigerians because, “anything short of this will mar the electoral process.”

He also added, “Nigerians must work together respective of professional backgrounds, affiliations and other considerations to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in 2011.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/27/national-27-08-2010-007.htm

Another irresponsible Journalist or maybe Governor

kokoye:
the benefits of a booming economy!

be careful what you pray for . .

Booming economy or Overpopulation?

People should talk some senses into this woman.

babs_adewa:
@all, i heard from the last post that there is no admission 4 the 2nd choice candidate. Is that true?

You can never tell. Last year's admission was also competitive and I personally know people that were admitted who choosed Ilorin as their second choice. When a friend of mine went to the admission office to get her clearance (her name was on the first list), the admission officer started calling people on the phone asking them if it was possible to pick Ilorin as second choice alone and be on the first list ^{the man was saying; this was supposed to be a mistake bla bla bla}. Have Faith.