₦airaland Forum

PDP faces imminent collapse, says ex-VP Atiku
Premium Times


Published: May 27,2013


Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on concerned founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to speak up and come together to save the party from imminent troubles capable of leading to avoidable implosion and mortal crisis.

In a statement by his Media Office in Abuja, Atiku said he was particularly disturbed by the worsening polarization of the party and internal divisions which might weaken the party structures at the states and deepen the crisis between Governors and the President.

The former Vice President explained that as one of the founding fathers of the party, he had a duty to call on other founding members to rise to the occasion and caution the forces that are bent on tearing the party apart and providing the ammo for self-destruction.

He lamented the failure of the National Executive Council (NEC) to meet in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution and the inability of the Board of Trustees to rise to the occasion of arresting this ugly development.

According to him, the bitter internal divisions within the PDP, has led to crisis in the party leadership in some states, division in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the suspension of a sitting Governor over disagreements on principle could have been avoided if the founders of the party had added their voices of caution and moderation.

With the challenges of providing good governance and the bid for re-election in 2015, Atiku noted that the PDP could not afford the current acrimony as it is undermining democratic structures at all levels.

He warned that if the crisis was left to get out of hand or not properly managed, the PDP might find itself weaker and politically vulnerable.

According to Atiku, a house divided against itself could not stand, adding that silence by concerned PDP stakeholders was a dangerous option at this point when the party faces the challenges of retaining its leadership in 2015.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/136364-pdp-faces-imminent-collapse-says-ex-vp-atiku.html

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Task force on petroleum revenues: I don’t know what FG is doing with our recommendations - Ribadu

Written by Christian Okeke -Abuja Friday, 17 May 2013 01:06

FORMER chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and erstwhile chairman Presidential Task Force on Petroleum Revenues, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on Thursday said he was still waiting for government’s response on the recommendations made by the task force and could not tell whether the government is already implementing them.

Ribadu spoke when Department for International Development (DFID)’s Parliamentary Undersecretary of State and Minister for Africa, Lynne Featherstone sought his views on the way forward for Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda.

When Minister Featherstone asked about follow-up to PRSTF report, Ribadu answered, “I’m still waiting for government’s response.”

Featherstone had called on Ribadu to gain his insight on Nigeria’s current anti-corruption agenda.

She commended Mallam Ribadu for his work as an anti-corruption champion.

The UK has had a long-standing partnership with Nigeria on combating corruption.

With UK support, since 2004 the EFCC has recovered around £8 billion in cash and stolen assets, and charged 338 people on corruption charges.

The partnership led to the conviction and imprisonment of former Governor James Ibori and his associates by a UK court and secured the first conviction of a UK firm for bribery of Nigerian officials.

Featherstone is the UK Government Minister responsible for Nigeria in the Department for International Development (DFID). UK aid is delivered by DFID.

Minister Featherstone is in Nigeria to review progress on the scale up of DFID’s development programmes.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/12073-task-force-on-petroleum-revenues-i-don-t-know-what-fg-is-doing-with-our-recommendations-ribadu

Okorocha ordered attack on my convoy, says senator

Posted by: Okodili Ndidi Posted date: December 28, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 54

Senator Chris Anyanwu yesterday accused Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of ordering his security detail to attack her convoy and beat up her security men.

Wednesday’s convoy clash was the height of the personality clash between the two public officials both of whom were elected on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

But Okorocha’s spokesman Ebere Uzoukwa denied the claims by the senator.

He said the senator breached protocol by using a siren, which has been banned in the state.

“The senator’s vehicle suddenly rammed into the governor’s convoy close to the staff car, cutting off the lead security vehicle after overtaking dangerously and in a very suspicious manner,” Uzoukwa said.

But, Senator Anyanwu recounts the incident in Owerri, the Imo State capital. She described the governor’s security men’s action as “frightening” and “brutish”, adding that she had been threatened in the past at several occasions in the state.

Giving a graphic detail of the clash between her convoy and the governor’s security men, Senator Anyanwu said: “My day started around 9.30am when I visited the governor at the Government House on Tuesday to exchange pleasantries and he asked if I had adequate security and I said “yes” after which I left for my home town, Mbaise.”

“When we got to Azara Egbelu, we heard siren coming behind us and when it grew louder, we parked (our vehicles) to allow the convoy way to pass. But, surprisingly, the approaching convoy which comprised of truck loads of armed and stern looking men double crossed us and pulled out two of my drivers dragging them into the bush where they were mercilessly beaten and left with broken skull and bruises.

“When I could not bear it any more, I rushed out of my car barefooted and started shouting: “I am Senator Chris Anynawu please don’t kill my driver, but one of the armed men charged at me and threatened to shoot me for running into the governor’s convoy. All these while, the Governor was seated in his car with the glass wound down and I heard him shout at his security men to disarm my orderlies”.

Mrs. Anywanwu described the Governor’s action as “a misplaced show of power. The power of the state is so enormous and you don’t need to intimidate, harass or kill your people to assert your powers as a governor.

“I am tired of all these abuses and harassment in this state. It is not only in Imo State that they have female legislators. If they could do this to me, what will happen to the ordinary people, this has to stop”.

The governor’s spokesman insisted that Senator Anyanwu breached security, adding that her outburst of anger could have resulted in a heavy casualty if not for the discipline of the governor’s security men who displayed a high sense of decency, professionalism and maturity.

“Surprisingly, Senator Anyanwu, who no doubt knew the convoy was that of the governor of Imo State, alighted from her car and ordered her Naval security personnel to open fire. The Senator slapped both the governor’s Aide Camp and Chief Detail. She also rained abuses on the governor,” Uzoukwa said.

Sources in the state said there had been no love lost between the governor and the senator because of the perceived interest of the senator in contesting for governor.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/okorocha-ordered-attack-on-my-convoy-says-senator/

Nigeria: Condemned To Perpetual Under-Development

On December 10, 2012 · In Sobowale On Business
1:39 am

By Dele Sobowale

“When those in office regard the power vested in them as personal prerogative, they inevitably enrich themselves, promote their families, favour their friends. The fundamental structures of the modern state are eroded like supporting beams of a house after termites have attacked them. Then the people have to pay dearly and long for the sins and crimes of their leaders”. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s Prime Minister.


The man who led Singapore from the Third World to the First in one generation has had no equal in Nigeria and certainly doesn’t have now. All our living Heads of State put together have done less than one tenth of what Yew did for the tiny nation of Singapore despite the galling pretences of the most self-righteous one among them; by that I mean Obasanjo.

There is no single living Head of State and almost none among the dead who would not be indicted on charges of regarding “the power vested” in him “as personal prerogative”. And that culture is getting worse by the day. That “they enrich themselves, promote their families, favour their friends” is legendary – even by Africa’s low standards for accountability and transparency in governance. The rest of the world had for long accepted that we in the Dark continent are still living in the Dark Ages given the leadership we have had since the “Wind of Change” (courtesy Harold MacMillan, British Prime Minister) which brought disorder called independence into previously well-organised colonies. Truth is, there is no single part of this continent, certainly not Nigeria, which was not better governed in 1952 than now.

However, never in our disgraceful history, since independence has impunity, the arrogance of power and total disregard for the development of Nigeria, been so glaringly exhibited as we have experienced since 1999 under all governments – with few exceptions. Never has the welfare of the majority glaringly taken such low priority to the prerogatives of leaders.

In the last three weeks, Nigerians have read how the Presidency intends to spend N2.3 billion on food, drinks and welfare of visitors to Aso Rock; last year the sum budgeted was N1.3 billion. But, since only Unijankara people protested, the collective silence was taken as consent. One blockhead even invited me to join them at Aso Rock if I want to eat. Now, the budget for food and drinks, in 2013, has risen by 80%, from this year’s estimates, while the entire budget by less than five percent.

Meanwhile another N2.2 billion project has been slated for 2013 – the construction of new Vice President’s House. This will make it the third Vice-President’s house that the Federal government of Nigeria under the PDP will build since 1999.

The United States of America and Britain had retained the same structures for their leaders for centuries; only making renovations and improvements as technology and security will suggest. But, not Nigeria; where the comfort of Nigerians is more important than the welfare of the people they govern.

This government must be in love with N2 billion projects because there is a third one – a N2.2 billion contract to build a conference hall in the Presidency. The excuse this time is that it will accommodate 150 people at a time. Meanwhile, Abuja is saturated with halls of that size.



To PUNCH, we owe a debt of gratitude for drawing our attention to the fact that the Federal government of Nigeria spend N9 billion annually on the 10-aircraft Presidential fleet. The same paper went on to point out that the leaders of nations, far more developed and richer than Nigeria, have smaller fleets; some don’t have any. The abridged list of countries is presented below:

COUNTRY PRESIDENTIAL FLEET

Nigeria 10
Japan 2
Netherlands 2
United Kingdom 0
Ghana 1
Algeria 1
South Africa 1

Japan has the third largest economy in the world; South Africa is the largest economy in Africa. Their leaders keep only two aircraft idle most of the time. The Nigerian President keeps ten aircraft grounded and maintained at great expense by Nigerians – virtually all the time. So, in 2013 we can expect to spend another N9 billion on wasting assets instead of active investments. It is clear to even to the ordinary man that if half the cost of maintaining the Presidential jet is spent on roads or fertilizer every year Nigerians will benefit more than they do with so much going into the “prerogatives” of our leaders.

However, all those are small potatoes compared to the corruption, lack of transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sectors – where more money that should be paid into the Federation Account for sharing between the three tiers of government simply vanish into private pockets. Few Nigerians are aware that Deep Water oil operations on which the International Oil Companies have invested about $46 billion (that is nine times the 2013 budget) had been generating funds for the country. How much was generated last year, this year and years before remain a secret. The 2013 budget has followed the same pattern of cover-up because it makes no reference to this important source of revenue. By the same token, there has been no account of the disposition of the funds for the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PDTF, which is first charge against oil proceeds and mandatorily to be given to the PDTF Secretariat for specified development projects. The PDTF was much abused under Obasanjo and there is every reason to believe that it is still being looted at the moment. PDTF is another agency under the Ministry of Petroleum whose activities have been placed under a veil of darkness – for obvious reasons.

While Japan has been described as nation which cannot afford to waste anything, and that explains its rise to economic power. Nigeria wastes everything, our leaders encourage profligacy and corruption. That explains why with our vast resource advantage over Japan, we are poorer and will remain so for a long time to come. We simply lack the leaders to take us to help us develop.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/nigeria-condemned-to-perpetual-under-development/

Okonjo-Iweala’s mum’s kidnap: Army, Police, DSS, Customs lay siege to Ogwashi-Uku
On December 10, 2012 · In News 6:53 pm

Men of the Nigerian Police Force, the Army, Directorate of State Service, DSS, Customs and other security agencies have Monday taken over the premises of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Chukwuka Okonjo and laid siege to other parts of the town after the kidnap of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, 82, mother of the Minister of Finance, Prof Okonjo-Iweala Sunday afternoon.

Also, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, Director of DSS, a top Army chief and other top government officials held an emergency security meeting in the palace.

One of the sons of the kidnapped queen told Vanguard that the Finance Minister, Prof Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was being expected to fly in from Abuja.

We‘re not sleeping on the matter- Police Commissioner

Speaking to Vanguard on phone, the Police Commissioner, Mr. Aduba said the police were not sleeping on the matter.
He described the kidnap as a very sad development, saying that has been one of our major problems in the state, but the police were equal to the task.

He said he does not believe in talking too much, but in action, saying the strategies employed by security agents to track down the kidnappers was not for newspaper publications.

Commissioner Aduba, however, said the command would do its best to secure the release of Prof Kamene Okonjo, adding that the terrain of the state was helping the criminals in escaping security radar.

The commissioner, nevertheless, said the Command was already mopping up unlawful and illegal arms within and outside the state to ensure a crime-free ember months.


*Palace of the Obi of Ogwashi-Ukwu where Prof. Kanenne Okonjo was kidnapped Photo NATH ONOJAKE
He said the police in the state recently burst inter-state kidnap gang operating between Anambra and Delta states and arrested almost over 100 criminals, including suspected kidnappers, adding that the gunmen, who kidnapped Prof Kamene Okonjo would be tracked down.

First impression
The first impression of any visitor to the Ogbe-Ofu palace is that the one-storey building is in an isolated location. There is practically no neigbour to ask questions about what happened in the palace, except for those working or residing within the bastion.

In addition, the fence surrounding the compound is low and easy to scale for intruders, which was exactly what the kidnappers took advantage of.

Security agents cordon palace

Shortly after Vanguard arrived Monday morning and took photographs of the palace and the workers, who oblivious of what happened, were fixing interlocking tiles in the compound, the security agents arrived to cordon off the palace.

They prevented visitors from entering the palace soon after and even some community vigilance men that came with a vehicle, were prevented from driving into the compound.

One of the children, who spoke to reporters said, “There was no security when the kidnappers stormed the compound and nobody could dare people who are armed with guns”.

Uduaghan, security chiefs relocate to Ogwashi-Uku

An aide to the governor told Vanguard at about 12.45 pm, “Yes, the governor came visiting to the place. He came with the Police Commissioner and other heads of security agencies in the state. They are all here putting heads together, you know what happened, it is embarrassing and we also heard from one of the children that the Minister was likely to come”.

“We are not so sure, but the governor and others are monitoring the situation, they are strategising on how to get the kidnappers, but one thing is ruled out, the boys are not going to get any ransom if that is what they thought”, he added.

Kidnappers yet to contact family

A dependable source who confided in Vanguard, said, “The kidnappers want money. As at this morning, they have not made any contact with the family on ransom, but I am sure that they know that security agents are on them”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/okonjo-iwealas-mum-kidnap-army-police-dss-customs-lay-siege-to-ogwashi-uku/

Godsday Orubebe

Labour Minister Emeka Wogu Unveiled As The Beneficiary Of N2.7b Oil Subsidy Fraud Through Pinnacle Contractors
Posted: December 3, 2012 - 16:46
Posted by siteadmin

caption: Emeka Wogu
By SaharaReporters, New York
The Anti-Corruption Network has joined the chorus of Nigerians calling on the Chairman of the white paper Committee on the Nuhu Ribadu led petroleum Revenue Task Force Committee and Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, to resign for Corruption and defrauding the Government and people of Nigeria.

In the alternative, President Goodluck Jonathan should fire him immediately.

In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Dino Melaye, the group recalled that in a recent chat with the media, President Jonathan vowed to fight the unprecedented rot in the petroleum industry and to implement the reports of the various committees that have probed the oil industry.

“It is shameful and disgraceful that the Minister of Labour and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu heading the white paper Committee on the Ribadu led petroleum Revenue special task force has now been indicted in the illegal payment of # 2.7 billion to a company for fuel that was never supplied,” it said, warning that Wogu cannot be a judge in his own cause.

The Anti-Corruption Network recalled that three weeks ago, it protested to the Office of the Minister of Finance, asking to whom it had paid #2.7 billion and who owned Pinnacle contractors Limited. The company has now been unveiled as belonging to Minister Wogu and his family.

Full text of the statement:
#2.7 BILLION SUBSIDY FRAUDS BY PINNACLE CONTRACTORS LIMITED
You will recall we protested to the office of the Minister of Finance, asking who they paid #2.7 billion to and who own Pinnacle contractors Limited? 3 weeks ago.
RC. 419968

Annual Returns.2003 – 2009

Shares 1.000.000 of 1.00k

Reg. AddressPlot 1227 oka Akoko close,garki Area 11, Abuja.

First Directors1. Barr. (Chief) EmekaWogu ____750,000

The retreat suite 20, umuoeleAba, Abia State

2. Mrs Oyababefe Wogu _____ 150,000
Same address as 1

3. Mr. Enyinnaya Wogu______100,000

Same Address as 1

Second Directors by resolution dated 7th April, 2010.

1.Mrs Oyababefe Wogu re-appointed.
Same address as above
2.
Wogu Enyinnaya re-appointed
Same address as 1.
Removed Barr. (Chief) Emeka Wogu.
Same address as 1
3rd Directors by resolution dated 20th July, 2012, which removed 1st two Directors above.
Mrs Oyababefe Wogu.
New Directors after 20th July, 2012.
1. Obi Uju ____ 250, 000
Plot 16, Jebba close, Area 2,Garki Abuja
2. Eribo Felix 250,000
Plot 20 Durban Street, wuse 2 Abuja
3. Sotunde Femi ____ 250,000
16 Wharf road Apapa, Lagos

4. Onu Ogbonnaya ____ 250,000
Plot 721, Herbet Macauly way, zone 4, wuse Abuja.
Secretary by resolution dated 20th july 2012 –Nwakanma Chimobi, Abuja.

Note: the resolution that purportedly removed the two directors dated 20th July, 2012 was not signed by the old directors. This whole thing must have been done by a quack or Amateur. It was forged.

Objects of the company: general contractors, construction, farming, oil and gas, transport, travel agency.

Note: the form Co7 of 7th April 2012- The Signature ofEmeka Wogu is conspicuously missing because they couldn’t copy it.

Note: All the resolutions signatures were copied (FORGED) because they differ from the original on the memo and article.

In the recent media chat, the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan vowed to fight the unprecedented rot in the petroleum industry. The president also undertook to implement all the various committees that probed oil industry, once the white paper on them are issued by the Federal government.

It is shameful and disgraceful that the Minister ofLabor and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu heading the white paper Committee on the Ribadu led petroleum Revenue special task force has now been indicted in the illegal payment of # 2.7 billion to a company for fuel that was never supplied, He can not be a judge in his own case.

Now, how do we perceive the man who went every where in January to inflict pains and torture on Nigerians during the fuel subsidy protest in January.

Barr. (Chief) Emeka Wogu during the subsidy protest in January said “we don’t have to explain to the people we rule”, now we know better. His wife and son were Directors in the said company till July this year.

OUR RESOLUTION:
¬
That Mr President immediately remove, the Minister of Labor and productivity, Barr. (chief)Emeka Wogu as the Chairman of the white paper Committee on Nuhu Ribadu led petroleum Revenue Task Force Committee.
¬
That Chief Emeka Wogu immediately resigns.
¬
That President Goodluck Jonathan sacksimmediately the Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, for Corruption and defrauding the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as there is clear case of conflict interest.
We as a whistle blowing Organization will continue to do our best in exposing Corruption anywhere we find it. It is the bane of our development as a nation.

We call on Nigerians to join us in fighting this monster that have destroyed the very foundation and legacies ofour great founding fathers.
Mr President is advised not to dare the resolve of hungry men and women.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Otunba Dino Melaye
Executive Secretary

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/labour-minister-emeka-wogu-unveiled-beneficiary-n27b-oil-subsidy-fraud-through-pinnacle-co

Abdusallam Abubakar & Stella Oduah Indicted In N230B Oil Scam

A former Head of State, General Abdusallam Abubakar [rtd] is now battling to escape possible trials after being indicted by the Report of House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy just as a serving minister in President Goodluck’s Jonathan administration, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is under pressure to resign from the cabinet following the indictment of her oil firm by the committee.

“Daily Post” gathered from competent sources that Oduah who is the Federal Minister for Aviation is a major shareholder of one of the indicted oil companies, Sea Petroleum and Gas Company Limited [SPG] which jointly collected a whooping sum of N230,184 billion on Premium Motor Spirit [PMS] volume of 3,262,960225, liters but which was not supplied SPG, sources said was registered on May 3rd, 1998 “to carry on the business of licensed bunkering of petroleum and other mineral oil in all its branches”. SPG’s registration number is 221250 while it has three other Directors apart from Stella Oduah, Erotomi Buwa and Elizabeth Stewart.

Sources at the Corporate Affairs Commission [CAC] further disclosed that Oduah owns 1,999,000,000 out of the two billion shares are being held by the three other directors.

Also, the former Head of State, Genera Abubakar [Rtd] who is the major shareholder in Maizube Petroleum Limited is indicted with the report.

Abubakar holds 600,000 shares in the company registered in 2003 with a one million share capital. Maizube has two other Directors namely Abubakar Isah and Abubakar Aminu.

It was gathered that the leadership of the House of Representatives is desperately pushing for the implementation of the committee report and has allegedly sent copies of the report to the presidency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Police and State Security Services [SSS]..

However, it was further gathered that the President is under pressure from his advisers to relieve the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah of her appointment in order to protect the integrity of his administration.

Sources disclosed that Jonathan is worried by the involvement of the minister and influential Nigerians in the Oil subsidy scandals, which according to the sources had brought panic to the President’s mind on how to dismiss the Minister.

The sources added that the indicted Head of State is buzzing all contracts to forestall the implementation of the oil subsidy report; the powerful Nigerians have allegedly reached out to the Presidency pleading that the action be withheld on the committee’s report on the basis that the committee was vindictive and not thorough in its investigation.

Abubakar have also allegedly reached out to friends in the House of Representatives and those from his state and the six geopolitical zones to block the committee’s report at publicizing the report until they find away to obviate their purported indictment.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/07/23/n230b-oil-scam-ex-head-state-serving-minister-indicted-seek-refuge-aso-rock/

Rights group to sue Okorocha for ‘fraudulent education programme’
Posted by: Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki Posted date: November 28, 2012

The Executive Director, Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu, has said the organisation would sue the Imo State Government for alleged fraudulent education programme that has forced several children out of the school.

Ononamadu spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during a two-day training for community leaders.

The training was organised by CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights.

The activist said the Rochas Okorocha education policy has caused untold headship among parents.

He noted that the cost of textbooks and other instructional materials since the inception of Okorocha administration has forced many Imo children out of school.

Ononamadu said most parents cannot afford the cost of textbooks, adding that the suit would correct the anomaly of removing tuition fee and imposing high cost of textbooks on parents.

He said: “I will soon institute a legal action against the Imo State Government. What we have in Imo State is not free education; rather, what we have is fools’ education. The Imo State Government announced to the people that it is running a free education but Imo school children are out of classroom.

“You may ask: why are they out of the classrooms? It’s because the cost of textbooks and other instructional materials has so much been hiked that most Imo parents can no longer afford them. People are complaining and I have decided to take it upon myself to ensure that this anomaly is urgently corrected.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/rights-group-to-sue-okorocha-for-fraudulent-education-programme/

Abdusallam Abubakar & Stella Oduah Indicted In N230B Oil Scam

A former Head of State, General Abdusallam Abubakar [rtd] is now battling to escape possible trials after being indicted by the Report of House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy just as a serving minister in President Goodluck’s Jonathan administration, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is under pressure to resign from the cabinet following the indictment of her oil firm by the committee.

“Daily Post” gathered from competent sources that Oduah who is the Federal Minister for Aviation is a major shareholder of one of the indicted oil companies, Sea Petroleum and Gas Company Limited [SPG] which jointly collected a whooping sum of N230,184 billion on Premium Motor Spirit [PMS] volume of 3,262,960225, liters but which was not supplied SPG, sources said was registered on May 3rd, 1998 “to carry on the business of licensed bunkering of petroleum and other mineral oil in all its branches”. SPG’s registration number is 221250 while it has three other Directors apart from Stella Oduah, Erotomi Buwa and Elizabeth Stewart.

Sources at the Corporate Affairs Commission [CAC] further disclosed that Oduah owns 1,999,000,000 out of the two billion shares are being held by the three other directors.

Also, the former Head of State, Genera Abubakar [Rtd] who is the major shareholder in Maizube Petroleum Limited is indicted with the report.

Abubakar holds 600,000 shares in the company registered in 2003 with a one million share capital. Maizube has two other Directors namely Abubakar Isah and Abubakar Aminu.

It was gathered that the leadership of the House of Representatives is desperately pushing for the implementation of the committee report and has allegedly sent copies of the report to the presidency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Police and State Security Services [SSS]..

However, it was further gathered that the President is under pressure from his advisers to relieve the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah of her appointment in order to protect the integrity of his administration.

Sources disclosed that Jonathan is worried by the involvement of the minister and influential Nigerians in the Oil subsidy scandals, which according to the sources had brought panic to the President’s mind on how to dismiss the Minister.

The sources added that the indicted Head of State is buzzing all contracts to forestall the implementation of the oil subsidy report; the powerful Nigerians have allegedly reached out to the Presidency pleading that the action be withheld on the committee’s report on the basis that the committee was vindictive and not thorough in its investigation.

Abubakar have also allegedly reached out to friends in the House of Representatives and those from his state and the six geopolitical zones to block the committee’s report at publicizing the report until they find away to obviate their purported indictment.

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/07/23/n230b-oil-scam-ex-head-state-serving-minister-indicted-seek-refuge-aso-rock/

Oduah

Melaye office burgled in Abuja

November 2, 2012 by Friday Olokor, Abuja 61 Comments

The Abuja office of the Anti-Corruption Network was on Wednesday night burgled by yet to be ascertained persons.

The Executive Secretary of the anti-graft organisation, Mr. Dino Melaye, in an interview, alleged that the invasion was masterminded by the agents of those the ACN had accused of contract scam

Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, said, “Our office was burgled at the dead of the night on Wednesday. They ransacked all the offices and threw our documents around.

We suspect that those who came were looking for documents we used to establish cases of financial infractions at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the others we have threatened to expose.

“Unfortunately for them, the documents are neither in the office nor in my house. If the burglars had come for the documents, they will never get them.

“If it is to intimidate us, I want to state without any fear that we cannot be threatened.”

While describing the various text messages and electronic mails to the group as hollow threats, Melaye stated that no amount of intimidation and death threat would dissuade the group from the path of ridding the country of corruption.

Chairman, Board of Trustess of the group, Mr. Independence Ogunlewe, said if anyone felt that his sensibility had been offended in the crusade embarked upon by the anti-corruption group, such a person should have addressed issues of allegation of fraud rather than resorting to conducts unbecoming of public official.

http://www.punchng.com/news/melaye-office-burgled-in-abuja/

Fuel scarcity: FG plotting to increase price – NLC, ACN

November 3, 2012 by Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja; Akinwale Aboluwade, Ibadan and Bosede Olusola-Obasa 21 Comments

The Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the Federal Government of surreptitious moves to increase the pump price of petroleum products in the country.

Representatives of the NLC on Friday warned the FG against the move vowing to resist it.

They said that any move to increase the fuel pump price would aggravate the hardship being suffered by Nigerians, saying it is unacceptable.

The acting General Secretary of the NLC, Olusegun Rotimi, said in a statement that the NLC was prepared to call out Nigerians to resist any price increase, which he noted was inimical to the economic wellbeing of Nigerians.

He said this in reaction to the current scarcity of petroleum products in parts of the country; a situation that had caused motorists to waste man hours queuing up to get the products.

The NLC said, “In several fuel stations across the country, prices of petrol in particular are higher than the official pump price without any control by government.

“The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, under the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, is responsible for inspection and control of fuel stations and has not acted in anyway against unilateral price increases by marketers.

“For us, this indicates a clear conspiracy on the part of government to force another price hike on Nigerians. This will sure deepen the economic hardships the current official price has unleashed on our people.

“The NLC will never accept any further price increase. And we will mobilise workers and their allies against any such increase.”

Similarly, the Action Congress of Nigeria has accused the FG of raising the price of petrol through the back door by creating artificial scarcity, thus making Nigerians to pay more than the official price.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Friday, the party said that after the government’s anti-people policy of raising the price of petrol was rejected earlier this year, it had resorted to “underhand tactics” to increase the price.

It said since the orchestrated scarcity started several months ago, Nigerians have been paying between N110 to N130 per litre in Lagos at filling stations and higher than that at the black market.

The ACN said, “For example, in the capital city of Abuja, 10 litres of fuel goes for 2,500 at the black market, representing 250 naira per litre. For motorists who are unable to withstand the painfully-long queues in the few filling stations selling the product, this is the only way to keep their vehicles running.

“By failing to clamp down on the filling stations selling at prices higher than the official rate, and by not ensuring the availability of the product nationwide, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has simply rammed a price increase down the throats of Nigerians.

“This governance by deceit, a hallmark of the PDP-led Federal Government, is sure to make life more difficult for Nigerians, most of whom provide their own electricity through generators that are powered by petrol. The high fuel cost is also having a bandwagon effect on the cost of goods and services.’’

Meanwhile, our correspondent in Ibadan reported that residents of Oyo State have been groaning because of the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, resulting in long queues at some petrol stations.

In many of the petrol stations where the product was available on Friday, PMS was sold for between N200 and N250 per litre; against the initial unofficial N110 per litre.

The product, according to the Petroleum Pricing Regulatory Authority, is still officially being sold for N97 per litre.

Many of the petrol stations visited on Friday by our correspondent were shut due to unavailability and hoarding of the product.

In Iwo Road/Ojoo Express, Dugbe-Challenge and other parts of the city, there were traffic snarls as a result of long queues at petrol stations.

Some residents of Oyo town complained of shortage in supply of the product. Where fuel was available, it was sold for N250 per litre.

Commuters were on Friday morning forced to pay higher fares to various destinations.

http://www.punchng.com/news/fuel-scarcity-fg-plotting-to-increase-price-nlc-acn/

Achebe is bias against Yorubas – Pa Fasoranti
On October 13, 2012 · In Features 12:13 am 0

However, for the Yoruba leader, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti exonerated Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the pogrom and genocide that led to the killing of millions of Igbos during the civil war. He told Ishola Balogun that what Nigeria needs at the moment is how to consolidate on her unity which is currently under threat.

All what he said is highly prejudice. Pa Awolowo made arrangement for food supply to the Igbos. It was cornered by the soldiers at that time. It was the Biafran soldiers that ambushed it and allowed the children and other civilians to suffer. That food didn’t get to them was not the fault of Awolowo.

At the same time, they looted the Central Bank locations in Biafra-occupied areas and sent money abroad for the procurement of arms and amunition. Was that caused by Awolowo?

All the same, he still had a very broad mind, he pleaded that there should be no war. He did everything he could to prevent the war. I remember he said that the Igbos should be retained in all the federal set up just because, he didn’t want the Igbos to ceceed. Yet, they decided to go to war.

But since they decided to go to war, he said: ‘all is well in war’. It was not his fault. Professor Chinua Achebe is not right blaming Pa Awolowo. He (Achebe) has been very prejudiced against the Yorubas.

He has a pathological hatred for Chief Awolowo and the Yoruba race. It did not start today, I know him since the time we were in the University of Ibadan. They didn’t like the Yorubas at all.

Besides, it is very wrong at this time to be saying all that after about 42 years the war ended. What we need now is unity. In fact, record shows he took positive steps to persuade Ojukwu to avoid the war.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/achebe-is-bias-against-yorubas-pa-fasoranti/

PDP, ANPP, slam Okorocha for closing schools, markets for birthday

Posted by: Okodili Ndidi Posted date: October 11, 2012


Leaders of opposition parties in Imo State have berated Governor Rochas Okorocha for closing public schools, government institutions and markets for his 50th birthday and the 10th anniversary of his foundation.

Last Monday, schools, ministries and markets were closed throughout the state to celebrate the governor’s birthday, the 10th anniversary of the Rochas Foundation and the graduation of over 1,000 pupils of the Rochas Foundation College.

Describing the situation as “an abnormal setting”, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, said the state had never witnessed such display of power and wastage of public funds.

The party scribe alleged that “the state is in the firm grip of a lawless and unstructured government”.

According to him, closing down economic activities and approving three days’ public holiday to celebrate a birthday was an act of intimidation against the governed.

Amajirionwu said: “There was an unprecedented buying of air time on Television and Radio with people’s money.”

The Imo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), through its Secretary, Mr. Christian Oguoma, said: “It amounts to misplacement of priority for the state government to be throwing a multi-million naira birthday bash while over 500,000 residents, who were displaced by ravaging floods, are still sleeping under the trees at the mercy of the weather.”

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Chairman, Vitalis Ajumbe, chided the governor for closing down government institutions to celebrate his birthday and the anniversary of his private institution.

He said: “Where in the world are governors shutting down their states to celebrate birthday parties? This is waste of public funds. He (Okorocha) should be reminded that government is not run as a private business.”

The Southeast Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Comrade Uzor A. Uzor, described the elaborate birthday celebration as “unacceptable and unbecoming of a public servant who should be accountable to the people the elected him to manage their common wealth”.


http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/pdp-anpp-slam-okorocha-for-closing-schools-markets-for-birthday/

[b][/b]However, Ofeimun insisted that the Biafran leaders should have been compelled to face the Nuremburg-Type trial, organized by the United Nations, similar to the one conducted by the Allied Forces in respect of the Nazi Germany war criminals.

He said: “All leaders of Biafra should be taken to Nuremberg-type Trial for committing genocide against their own people and made to face genocide charges. They knew they had no guns; they knew they were unprepared for the war but took the Igbos to war. And because the rest of us were angry, we allowed ourselves to be misled by propaganda. What happened to the Igbos was very bad; it was wrong. The leaders committed genocide. And the rest of us are being made to feel guilty for their crimes. And I expected Achebe to correct the story in his book, he merely took the jelly out of the jar”.

Ofeimun, who, as a 17 years old, was ready to sign up to fight on the Biafran side, lamented that the Igbo leadership that took the war decision misled the rest of the world and the ordinary Igbo people with the propaganda that was mounted. The poet stated that even a Biafran commander, like Hilary Njoku, warned of Biafra’s unpreparedness for the war. He insisted that they couldn’t fight the war.[b][/b]

Obafemi Awolowo and Chinua Achebe’s tale of fantasy


Posted by: Femi Fani-Kayode Posted date: October 08, 2012

I am a historian and I have always believed that if we want to talk history, we must be dispassionate, objective and factual. We must take the emotion out of it and we must always tell the truth. The worst thing that anyone can do is to try to re-write history and indulge in historical revisionism. This is especially so when the person is a reverred figure and a literary icon. Sadly it is in the light of such historical revisionism that I view Professor Chinua Achebe’s assertion (which is reflected in his latest and highly celebrated book titled ‘’There Was A Country’) that Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late and much-loved Leader of the Yoruba, was responsible for the genocide that the igbos suffered during the civil war. This claim is not only false but it is also, frankly speaking, utterly absurd. Not only is Professor Achebe indulging in perfidy, not only is he being utterly dishonest and disengenious but he is also turning history upside down and indulging in what I would describe as ethnic chauvinism.

I am one of those that has always had tremendous sympathy for the igbo cause during the civil war. I am also an admirer of Colonel Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who stood up for his people when it mattered the most and when they were being slaughtered by rampaging mobs in the northern part of our country. At least 100,000 igbos were killed in those northern pogroms which took place before the civil war and which indeed led directly to it. This was not only an outrage but it was also a tragedy of monuemental proportions.Yet we must not allow our emotion or our sympathy for the suffering of the igbo at the hands of northern mobs before the war started to becloud our sense of reasoning as regards what actually happened during the prosecution of the war itself. It is important to set the record straight and not to be selective in our application and recollection of the facts when considering what actually led to the starvation of hundreds of thousands of igbo women, children and civilians during that war. And, unlike others, I do not deny the fact that hundreds of thousands were starved to death as a consequence of the blockade that was imposed on Biafra by the Nigerian Federal Government. To deny that this actually happened would a lie. It is a historical fact. Again I do not deny the fact that Awolowo publically defended the blockade and indeed told the world that it was perfectly legitimate for any government to impose such a blockade on the territory of their enemies in times of war. Awolowo said it, this is a matter of historical record and he was qouted in a number of British newspapers as having said so at the time. Yet he spoke nothing but the truth. And whether anyone likes to hear it or not he was absolutely right in what he said. Let me give you an example. During the Second World War a blockade was imposed on Germany, Japan and Italy by the Allied Forces and this was very effective. It weakened the Axis powers considerably and this was one of the reasons why the war ended at the time that it did. If there had been no blockade the Second World War would have gone on for considerably longer. In the case of the Nigerian civil war though the story did not stop at the fact that a blockade was imposed by the Federal Government which led to the suffering, starvation, pain, death and hardship of the civilian igbo population or that Awolowo defended it. That is only half the story.

There was a lot more to it and the fact that Achebe and most of our igbo brothers and sisters always conveniently forget to mention the other half of the story is something that causes some of us from outside igboland considerable concern and never ceases to amaze us. The bitter truth is that if anyone is to be blamed for the hundreds of thousands of igbos that died from starvation during the civil war it was not Chief Awolowo or even General Yakubu Gowon but rather it was Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu himself. I say this because it is a matter of public record and a historical fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria made a very generous offer to Ojukwu and the Biafrans to open a road corridor for food to be ferried to the igbos and to lessen the suffering of their civilian population. This was as a consequence of a deal that was brokered by the international community who were concerned about the suffering of the igbo civilian population and the death and hardship that the blockade was causing to them. Unfortunately Ojukwu turned this down flatly and instead insisted that the food should be flown into Biafra by air in the dead of the night. This was unacceptable to the Federal Government because it meant that the Biafrans could, and indeed would, have used such night flights to smuggle badly needed arms and ammunition into their country for usage by their soldiers. That was where the problem came from and that was the issue. Quite apart from that Ojukwu found it expedient and convenient to allow his people to starve to death and to broadcast it on television screens all over the world in order to attract sympathy for the igbo cause and for propaganda purposes. And this worked beautifully for him.

Ambassador Ralph Uweche, who was the Special Envoy to France for the Biafran Government during the civil war and who is the leader of Ohaeneze, the leading igbo political and socio-cultural organisation today, attested to this in his excellent book titled ‘’Reflections On The Nigerian Civil War’’. That book was factual and honest and I would urge people like Achebe to go and read it well. The self-serving role of Ojukwu and many of the Biafran intelligensia and elites and their insensitivity to the suffering of their own people during the course of the war was well enunciated in that book. The fact of the matter is that the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of igbo men, women and children during the civil war was seen and used as a convenient tool of propaganda by Ojukwu and that is precisely why he rejected the offer of a food corridor by the Nigerian Government. When those that belong to the post civil war generation of the igbo are wondering who was responsible for the genocide and mass starvation of their forefathers during the war they must firstly look within themselves and point their fingers at their own past leaders and certainly not Awolowo or Gowon. The person that was solely responsible for that suffering, for that starvation and for those slow and painful deaths was none other than Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra, himself.

I have written many good things about Ojukwu on many occassions in the past and I stand by every word that I have ever said or written about him. In my view he was a man of courage and immense fortitude, he stood against the mass murder of his people in the north and he brought them home and created a safe haven for them in the east. For him, and indeed the whole of Biafra, the war was an attempt to exercise their legitimate right of self-determination and leave Nigeria due to the atrocities that they had been subjected to in the north. I cannot blame him or his people for that and frankly I have always admired his stand. However he was not infallible and he also made some terrible mistakes, just as all great leaders do from time to time. The fact that he rejected the Nigerian Federal Government’s offer of a food corridor was one of those terrible mistakes and this cost him and his people dearly. Professor Chinua Achebe surely ought to have reflected that in his book as well. When it comes to the Nigerian civil war there were no villains or angels. During that brutal conflict no less than two million Nigerians and Biafrans died and the yoruba who, unlike others, did not ever discriminate or attack any non-yorubas that lived in their in their territory before the civil war or carry out any coups or attempted coups, suffered at every point as well. For example prominent yoruba sons and daughters were killed on the night of the first igbo coup of January 1966 and again in the northern ‘’revenge’’ coup of July 1966. Many of our people were also killed in the north before the outbreak of the civil war and again in the mid-west and the east during the course and prosecution of the war itself. It was indeed the predominantly yoruba Third Marine Commando, under the command of General Benjamin Adekunle (the ‘’Black Scorpion”) and later General Olusegun Obasanjo, that not only liberated the mid-west and drove the Biafrans out of there but they also marched into igboland itself, occupied it, defeated the Biafran Army in battle, captured all their major towns and forced the igbo to surrender. Third Marine Commando was made up of yoruba soldiers and I can say without any fear of contradiction that we the yoruba therefore paid a terrible and heavy price as well during the war because many of our boys were killed on the war front by the Biafrans.

The sacrifice of these proud sons of the south-west that died in battle to keep Nigeria one must not be belittled, mocked or ignored. Clearly it was not only the igbo that suffered during the civil war. Neither does it auger well for the unity of our nation for Achebe and the igbo intelligensia that are hailing his self-serving book to caste aspertions on the character, role and noble intentions of the late and reverred Leader of the Yoruba, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during the civil war. The man may have made one or two mistakes in the past like every other great leader and of course there was a deep and bitter political division in yorubaland itself just before the civil war started and throughout the early ‘60’s. Yet by no stretch of the imagination can Awolowo be described as an igbo-hating genocidal maniac and he most certainly did not delight in the starvation of millions of igbo men, women and children as Achebe has tried to suggest. My advice to this respected author is that he should leave Chief Awolowo alone and allow him to continue to rest in peace. This subtle attempt to denigrate the yoruba and their past leaders, to place a question mark on their noble and selfless role in the war and to belittle their efforts and sacrifice to keep Nigeria together as one will always be vigorously resisted by those of us that have the good fortune of still being alive and who are aware of the facts. We will not remain silent and allow anyone, no matter how respected or reverred, to re-write history. Simply put by writing this book and making some of these baseless and nonsensical assertions, Achebe was simply indulging in the greatest mendacity of Nigerian modern history and his crude distortion of the facts has no basis in reality or rationality. We must not mistake fiction and story telling for historical fact. The two are completely different. The truth is that Professor Chinua Achebe owes the Awolowo family and the yoruba people a big apology for his tale of pure fantasy.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/politics/obafemi-awolowo-and-chinua-achebes-tale-of-fantasy/

Achebe needs cure from Awophobia – Adebanjo
On October 9, 2012 · In Interview 7:17 pm

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

FIRST generation Awoist and elder statesmen, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, yesterday picked holes in Professor Chinua Achebe’s accusation that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was part of General Yakubu Gowon’s cabinet that initiated pogrom and genocide as a policy against the Igbo during the civil war.



In a 16-paragraph, 2109-word rejoinder to Professor Achebe’s book, “There was a country,” yesterday, Adebanjo said instead of vilification, the late sage should be commended for his efforts in minimizing the damage that could have arisen from the war.

He said the civil war could have been avoided if Biafran Leader, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had not reneged on his promise to Awolowo to negotiate with the Federal Government and kick-started the war by attacking the Mid-West.

Claiming that Awolowo did not hate the Igbo and made efforts to rehabilitate the Igbo after the war, he said Professor Achebe had displayed his deep-rooted hatred for Awolowo and the Yoruba race with his comments.

He said: “If it is true that Chief Awolowo was such an architect of pogrom and genocide against the Igbos, how would Professor Achebe explain the fact that there were no incidents of pogrom or genocide against the Igbos in any part of the then Western Region composed mainly of the Yorubas, and Chief Awolowo’s primary sphere of influence.

Rather, the Igbos who fled the West on the clarion call of Ojukwu for them to return to the East had their properties kept safe for them, with the rents collected on the properties duly accounted for at the end of the civil war and paid to such Igbo owners.

It should be noted that no incidents of “abandoned property” occurred in the Western region – Chief Awolowo’s zone, rather the controversy around such property were restricted to areas such as Port Harcourt and the Northern region.”

Wondering what Achebe wanted to achieve by exhuming the dark years of the nation’s history at a time a host of Yoruba and Igbo leaders were collaborating to find a lasting solution to Nigeria’s problems, Adebanjo said he was distressed that Achebe be could be credited with the comments.

The rejoinder read: “I am sad and distressed that a literary giant and an elder statesman such as Professor Chinua Achebe should be credited with the statement attributed to him in his latest book on the Nigerian Civil War at this time in Nigeria’s political history, over 40 years after the end of the Nigeria Civil War.

“His statements however, are not unfamiliar to those of us who were around during the civil war, and who knew what falsehood and half-truths were bandied around then especially from “Biafra Radio” and supporters of the Biafra cause, notable amongst whom was Professor Chinua Achebe.

Some thought they were effusions from supporters of Biafra in order to enlist international support for Ojukwu but many on the other hand attributed Professor Achebe’s position to his pathological hatred for Chief Awolowo and the Yoruba race.

“Professor Achebe has accused Chief Awolowo of being part of General Gowon’s cabinet that initiated pogrom and genocide as a policy against the Igbos. Yet, Professor Achebe cannot claim ignorance of the fact that specific recorded instances of pogrom and genocide were a consequence of the 2nd military coup of July 1966 in which the Northern Soldiers and Northerners committed series of atrocities against the Igbos in the North.

At this time Chief Awolowo was still in Calabar prison serving his jail term of treasonable felony, it was after his release from prison that Gen. Gowon invited him to join his cabinet as vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Minister of Finance.

The war was already brewing at such time. At the risk of his life, and against the advice of his cabinet colleagues Chief Awolowo made contact with Ojukwu and met him in Enugu to dissuade him from going to war. In his one-on-one meeting with Ojukwu, Chief Awolowo tried to persuade Ojukwu to come to a round table conference with the Federal Government to iron out his differences with the government.

But despite the assurances then Colonel Ojukwu gave to Chief Awolowo that he had accepted to dialogue, Ojukwu reneged and a few weeks later attacked the Midwest and thus declared war against the Federal government, which is how the civil war became inevitable.

“The above facts are verifiable. Fair minded persons cannot accuse Chief Awolowo of being part of the intellectual arm of a cabinet that intentionally initiated the pogrom of the Igbos, when in fact the record shows he took positive steps to persuade Ojukwu to avoid the conflict.

Whilst the war was raging after the liberation of part of the then South East which then included Port Harcourt and Calabar, Chief Awolowo visited Enugu and Port Harcourt where he saw Kwashiorkor (malnourished) victims for the first time.

He wondered how this could happen in view of the quantity of food items sent through international agencies to the civilians in these areas. He was then informed that the food never got to the civilians, the food items were cornered by the soldiers who were feeding to the detriment of the civilians. One can imagine such a report being provided to a cabinet filled with military officers conducting a war.

It should not be surprising that to avoid feeding enemy soldiers, the Federal Government at the time put a stop to the delivery of food meant for the civilians population that was being hijacked by Biafran soldiers.

This is what Achebe mischievously called the deliberate starvation of the Igbos. “I would like Professor Achebe, if he can; to make reference to any publication where Awolowo made the statement that starvation was a legitimate tool of war. Furthermore, if such starvation ended with the end of the war, Professor Achebe should explain why if the specific objective of the policy was to reduce Chief Awolowo’s enemies, why did he not influence the continuation or doubling up on such policy when Nigerian troops had control of Biafran territory at the end of the war.

One would have thought the charge of genocide should have been better directed at the leaders of Biafra who had first hand knowledge of the starvation in the area they controlled, and yet did not as they could, bring an end to the war sooner before two million people, mainly members of future generations had died of starvation as professor Achebe claimed.

“Also, during the war it became known that the Nigerian currency, which Biafran soldiers had looted from Central Bank locations in Biafra occupied areas were being exchanged to buy arms for the Biafran army.

To put a stop to this Chief Awolowo, as the federal commissioner for finance, suddenly changed the Nigerian currency without the prior knowledge of members of the cabinet. Even General Gowon, who was the head of state, was informed only a day before the announcement.

These two major policies of stopping food meant for civilians which was being ambushed by the Biafrans soldiers and the sudden change of Nigerian currency were two factors that quickly brought the misery of the civil war to an end.

“It should be noted that Chief Awolowo’s prudent management of the Nigerian economy made it possible for the Federal Government to prosecute the civil war without borrowing a kobo from the outside world. This achievement was acclaimed globally. It is this policy that quickly put an end to the insurgence that Professor Achebe has interpreted as punitive measure against the Igbos.

“At the end of the civil war, a problem did arise with respect as to how to verify the amounts creditable to Biafrans who made claims to money held in Nigerian banks before the declaration of war. Unfortunately there were no records to confirm the amount in savings or current accounts held by a good number of such Biafran claimants. As a result, a committee was set up by the Central Bank, the members of which were unknown to Chief Awolowo. Such committee recommended an across the board payment of 20 pounds to every claimant.

It is therefore most uncharitable for Professor Achebe to put the blame of the payment of this amount on Chief Awolowo. Furthermore, to extrapolate from this policy a deliberate policy to stunt or obliterate the economy of the Igbos does not stand up to critical review and is rather far fetched. Firstly, what is an administrator to do in the face of such unverifiable claims? Pay every all and sundry claim? As Chief Awolowo has stated, doing so would have bankrupted Nigeria at the time.

Secondly, common sense would suggest that claims that such sums as were left behind were very substantial needed to be substantiated. It should be noted that the percentage of all Nigerians in general with substantial amounts in banks during that period was limited. In addition, with the advent of impending war, the natural reaction is a run on banks to withdraw all such sums or as much as possible, particularly for Igbos then deemed to be fleeing to a new country Biafra.

Under such context, the payment of 20 pounds (a substantial sum at the time) to all claimants without proof of specific amounts due to them was not altogether an unreasonable policy. More to the point, this was not a policy recommendation that can be specifically attributable to Chief Awolowo, but rather the recommendation of a committee of the Central Bank set up at the time,

“It is noteworthy that after the division of the country to 12 states by General Gowon in 1968, the East central state composed mainly of Igbos emerged. Chief Awolowo then diligently saved the monthly allocation due to Igbos during the war and released same to them at the end of the war.

The African Continental Bank (ACB) and the Cooperative Bank for Eastern Nigeria the two main Financial Institutions of the Igbos at the time and which had become moribund during the civil war were rejuvenated by Chief Awolowo by his releasing substantial funds to them for active operation. Professor Achebe would have to explain how these actions beneficial to the Igbo emanate from somebody whom he claims has hatred for the Igbos or harboured intent to deliberately and systematically exterminate the Igbos or deny their right of existence as a group.

Furthermore, after the civil war, Professor Achebe can not claim ignorance of the fact that Chief Awolowo personally wrote to prominent Igbos (including Professor Achebe himself) who had fled the country during the war to come back home.

One of those who responded to the call and whose home coming was facilitated personally by Chief Awolowo was the late Chief M.C.K Ajuluchukwu the former editor of Dr. Azikiwe’s Newspaper “The West African Pilot” and his wife a medical doctor who were then based in Germany. Chief Awolowo facilitated the employment of the wife at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and also latter employed Chief Ajuluchukwu himself as the director of research and publicity of his party – The Unity Party of Nigeria.

“If it is true that Chief Awolowo was such an architect of pogrom and genocide against the Igbos, how would Professor Achebe explain the fact that there were no incidents of pogrom or genocide against the Igbos in any part of the then Western Region composed mainly of the Yorubas, and Chief Awolowo’s primary sphere of influence. Rather, the Igbos who fled the West on the clarion call of Ojukwu for them to return to the East had their properties kept safe for them, with the rents collected on the properties duly accounted for at the end of the civil war and paid to such Igbo owners.

It should be noted that no incidents of “abandoned property” occurred in the western region – Chief Awolowo’s zone, rather the controversy around such property were restricted to areas such as Port Harcourt and the Northern region.

“Whilst it is true to say Chief Awolowo had the ambition to rule the country, it is unkind to say he wanted to achieve this by wiping out the Igbos whom he considered an impediment. On the contrary, Chief Awolowo’s position has always been to rule the country with other progressive elements from all parts of the country including the Igbos.

This he demonstrated in 1959 after the pre independence general election when he offered to serve under the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as prime minister, with him as minister of finance. The NCNC (the party lead by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe) turned the offer down and preferred an alliance with the NPC under the late Saudana of Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello. This incident was referred to by the late Dr. M.I Okpara (former premier of the former Eastern Region in an interview in the New Nation Magazine published in 1977 by the veteran journalist Chief Gbolabo Ogunsanwo.

In the interview Dr. Okpara said he will regret to the last day of his life that he did not support the alliance between the Action Group and the NCNC which could have made Dr. Azikiwe the prime minister and Chief Awolowo the minister of finance. Even before the general election of 1983 there were attempts to form an alliance between the UPN led by Chief Awolowo and NPP led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe all in an attempt to have progressive forces form an alliance against the conservative NPC. Again this attempt did not materialise due to the opposition by the Yoruba leaders in the NPP at the time. It is also interesting to recollect that at the demise of Chief Awolowo Chief Ojukwu himself remarked that “Awolowo was the best president Nigeria never had”. None of the foregoing suggests a man with hatred for the Igbos.

“Yoruba leaders led by the late senator Abraham Adesanya have been working in close political collaboration with prominent Igbo leaders like Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu a former Governor of Lagos State and Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe a former Chief of general Staff and Professor Ben Nwabueze in an honest attempt to find equitable solutions to the problems of the Country.

The leaders of both ethnic groups have been putting their heads together for the emergence of a progressive Nigeria in peace and unity. It is sad that instead of Professor Achebe joining in this progressive movement he has chosen to bring into the front burner the dark period of Nigeria’s history.

What he stands to gain by repeating such falsehood, I cannot honestly comprehend. I believe how ever it is clear from the historical record that Awo had no Igbophobia, it is Professor Achebe that has to be cured of his Awophobia.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/achebe-needs-cure-from-awophobia-adebanjo/

Obafemi Awolowo and Chinua Achebe’s tale of fantasy


Posted by: Femi Fani-Kayode Posted date: October 08, 2012

I am a historian and I have always believed that if we want to talk history, we must be dispassionate, objective and factual. We must take the emotion out of it and we must always tell the truth. The worst thing that anyone can do is to try to re-write history and indulge in historical revisionism. This is especially so when the person is a reverred figure and a literary icon. Sadly it is in the light of such historical revisionism that I view Professor Chinua Achebe’s assertion (which is reflected in his latest and highly celebrated book titled ‘’There Was A Country’) that Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late and much-loved Leader of the Yoruba, was responsible for the genocide that the igbos suffered during the civil war. This claim is not only false but it is also, frankly speaking, utterly absurd. Not only is Professor Achebe indulging in perfidy, not only is he being utterly dishonest and disengenious but he is also turning history upside down and indulging in what I would describe as ethnic chauvinism.

I am one of those that has always had tremendous sympathy for the igbo cause during the civil war. I am also an admirer of Colonel Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who stood up for his people when it mattered the most and when they were being slaughtered by rampaging mobs in the northern part of our country. At least 100,000 igbos were killed in those northern pogroms which took place before the civil war and which indeed led directly to it. This was not only an outrage but it was also a tragedy of monuemental proportions.Yet we must not allow our emotion or our sympathy for the suffering of the igbo at the hands of northern mobs before the war started to becloud our sense of reasoning as regards what actually happened during the prosecution of the war itself. It is important to set the record straight and not to be selective in our application and recollection of the facts when considering what actually led to the starvation of hundreds of thousands of igbo women, children and civilians during that war. And, unlike others, I do not deny the fact that hundreds of thousands were starved to death as a consequence of the blockade that was imposed on Biafra by the Nigerian Federal Government. To deny that this actually happened would a lie. It is a historical fact. Again I do not deny the fact that Awolowo publically defended the blockade and indeed told the world that it was perfectly legitimate for any government to impose such a blockade on the territory of their enemies in times of war. Awolowo said it, this is a matter of historical record and he was qouted in a number of British newspapers as having said so at the time. Yet he spoke nothing but the truth. And whether anyone likes to hear it or not he was absolutely right in what he said. Let me give you an example. During the Second World War a blockade was imposed on Germany, Japan and Italy by the Allied Forces and this was very effective. It weakened the Axis powers considerably and this was one of the reasons why the war ended at the time that it did. If there had been no blockade the Second World War would have gone on for considerably longer. In the case of the Nigerian civil war though the story did not stop at the fact that a blockade was imposed by the Federal Government which led to the suffering, starvation, pain, death and hardship of the civilian igbo population or that Awolowo defended it. That is only half the story.

There was a lot more to it and the fact that Achebe and most of our igbo brothers and sisters always conveniently forget to mention the other half of the story is something that causes some of us from outside igboland considerable concern and never ceases to amaze us. The bitter truth is that if anyone is to be blamed for the hundreds of thousands of igbos that died from starvation during the civil war it was not Chief Awolowo or even General Yakubu Gowon but rather it was Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu himself. I say this because it is a matter of public record and a historical fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria made a very generous offer to Ojukwu and the Biafrans to open a road corridor for food to be ferried to the igbos and to lessen the suffering of their civilian population. This was as a consequence of a deal that was brokered by the international community who were concerned about the suffering of the igbo civilian population and the death and hardship that the blockade was causing to them. Unfortunately Ojukwu turned this down flatly and instead insisted that the food should be flown into Biafra by air in the dead of the night. This was unacceptable to the Federal Government because it meant that the Biafrans could, and indeed would, have used such night flights to smuggle badly needed arms and ammunition into their country for usage by their soldiers. That was where the problem came from and that was the issue. Quite apart from that Ojukwu found it expedient and convenient to allow his people to starve to death and to broadcast it on television screens all over the world in order to attract sympathy for the igbo cause and for propaganda purposes. And this worked beautifully for him.

Ambassador Ralph Uweche, who was the Special Envoy to France for the Biafran Government during the civil war and who is the leader of Ohaeneze, the leading igbo political and socio-cultural organisation today, attested to this in his excellent book titled ‘’Reflections On The Nigerian Civil War’’. That book was factual and honest and I would urge people like Achebe to go and read it well. The self-serving role of Ojukwu and many of the Biafran intelligensia and elites and their insensitivity to the suffering of their own people during the course of the war was well enunciated in that book. The fact of the matter is that the starvation and suffering of hundreds of thousands of igbo men, women and children during the civil war was seen and used as a convenient tool of propaganda by Ojukwu and that is precisely why he rejected the offer of a food corridor by the Nigerian Government. When those that belong to the post civil war generation of the igbo are wondering who was responsible for the genocide and mass starvation of their forefathers during the war they must firstly look within themselves and point their fingers at their own past leaders and certainly not Awolowo or Gowon. The person that was solely responsible for that suffering, for that starvation and for those slow and painful deaths was none other than Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra, himself.

I have written many good things about Ojukwu on many occassions in the past and I stand by every word that I have ever said or written about him. In my view he was a man of courage and immense fortitude, he stood against the mass murder of his people in the north and he brought them home and created a safe haven for them in the east. For him, and indeed the whole of Biafra, the war was an attempt to exercise their legitimate right of self-determination and leave Nigeria due to the atrocities that they had been subjected to in the north. I cannot blame him or his people for that and frankly I have always admired his stand. However he was not infallible and he also made some terrible mistakes, just as all great leaders do from time to time. The fact that he rejected the Nigerian Federal Government’s offer of a food corridor was one of those terrible mistakes and this cost him and his people dearly. Professor Chinua Achebe surely ought to have reflected that in his book as well. When it comes to the Nigerian civil war there were no villains or angels. During that brutal conflict no less than two million Nigerians and Biafrans died and the yoruba who, unlike others, did not ever discriminate or attack any non-yorubas that lived in their in their territory before the civil war or carry out any coups or attempted coups, suffered at every point as well. For example prominent yoruba sons and daughters were killed on the night of the first igbo coup of January 1966 and again in the northern ‘’revenge’’ coup of July 1966. Many of our people were also killed in the north before the outbreak of the civil war and again in the mid-west and the east during the course and prosecution of the war itself. It was indeed the predominantly yoruba Third Marine Commando, under the command of General Benjamin Adekunle (the ‘’Black Scorpion”) and later General Olusegun Obasanjo, that not only liberated the mid-west and drove the Biafrans out of there but they also marched into igboland itself, occupied it, defeated the Biafran Army in battle, captured all their major towns and forced the igbo to surrender. Third Marine Commando was made up of yoruba soldiers and I can say without any fear of contradiction that we the yoruba therefore paid a terrible and heavy price as well during the war because many of our boys were killed on the war front by the Biafrans.

The sacrifice of these proud sons of the south-west that died in battle to keep Nigeria one must not be belittled, mocked or ignored. Clearly it was not only the igbo that suffered during the civil war. Neither does it auger well for the unity of our nation for Achebe and the igbo intelligensia that are hailing his self-serving book to caste aspertions on the character, role and noble intentions of the late and reverred Leader of the Yoruba, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during the civil war. The man may have made one or two mistakes in the past like every other great leader and of course there was a deep and bitter political division in yorubaland itself just before the civil war started and throughout the early ‘60’s. Yet by no stretch of the imagination can Awolowo be described as an igbo-hating genocidal maniac and he most certainly did not delight in the starvation of millions of igbo men, women and children as Achebe has tried to suggest. My advice to this respected author is that he should leave Chief Awolowo alone and allow him to continue to rest in peace. This subtle attempt to denigrate the yoruba and their past leaders, to place a question mark on their noble and selfless role in the war and to belittle their efforts and sacrifice to keep Nigeria together as one will always be vigorously resisted by those of us that have the good fortune of still being alive and who are aware of the facts. We will not remain silent and allow anyone, no matter how respected or reverred, to re-write history. Simply put by writing this book and making some of these baseless and nonsensical assertions, Achebe was simply indulging in the greatest mendacity of Nigerian modern history and his crude distortion of the facts has no basis in reality or rationality. We must not mistake fiction and story telling for historical fact. The two are completely different. The truth is that Professor Chinua Achebe owes the Awolowo family and the yoruba people a big apology for his tale of pure fantasy.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/politics/obafemi-awolowo-and-chinua-achebes-tale-of-fantasy/

ACN to Mimiko: pack and go
Posted by: EMMANUEL OLADESU Posted date: October 03, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 49

The governorship campaign train of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) rumbled into Akoko North Senatorial District, yesterday.

It was electrifying, with the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, enjoining the people to vote out the ruling Labour Party (LP) governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

The election is October 20.

The former Lagos State governor said it was curious that Mimiko, who opposed former Governors Adebayo Adefarati’s and Olusegun Agagun’s second term ambitions, was demanding for a second term.

Besides, Tinubu stressed that Mimiko’s aspiration lacked justification because he has not performed creditably in the last three and half years.

Beaming a searchlight on his administration, the ACN leader said the governor, who, according to him, failed to deliver on roads, education, health care, water and job creation, lacked the credibility to seek continuity in office.



He said: “If you spend three years to build one hospital, you will spend 15 years to build three. Which market is he building? That is the domain of my mother in Lagos.”

Alluding to the significance of the October 20 governorship poll, Tinubu said it is critical to the Southwest’s economic integration, adding that Ondo State should not be left out in the march of regional progress.

At the rally, the ACN leader also warned the police to desist from molesting ACN leaders in the state ahead of the election to prevent violent reaction by the people. He said it was wrong for the police, which is funded by the public purse, to become tools of oppression in the hand of any governor.

The governorship candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), reiterated his commitment to women and youth development, promising to redeem his promise to create 30,000 jobs for youths, if voted into office.

The ACN flag bearer, who said Mimiko must reap what he sowed, objected to the governor’s second ambition on the ground that he has remained a consistent advocate of one term for any governor.

Tinubu, who flew into Ikare in a chopper, stormed the rally around 2 pm, waving the broom, the symbol of the ACN – at the crowd. He was accompanied by the party’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba.

Towards the end of the rally, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi joined the party leaders on the podium.

Akeredolu was accompanied by his wife, Mercy, his running mate, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Director of Akeredolu Campaign Organisation Chief Tayo Alasoadura, Ifedayo Abegunde, and other members of the campaign team.

Highlights of the rally included the presentation of the flag to the candidate by Chief Akande, who enjoined the people to endorse Akeredolu at the poll – in public interest.

Presenting the flag, the national chairman said: “I thank you all for your love and patience. I am giving the flag to the next governor of the state. I will return to thank you after the election.”

Thousands of party faithful from far and near thronged the Ikare Cenotaph, the venue of the mega rally, cheering Akeredolu and numerous ACN leaders who turned up in solidarity with him. They defiled the downpour, which heralded the carnival-like ceremony that lasted for over seven hours.

It was reminiscent of the First and Second Republics when the campaign train of the legendary Obafemi Awolowo hit Akokoland. Brooms filled the air amid the rain, with the sea of party supporters shunning the umbrella, the symbol of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Party followers came from Oka, Oba, Irun, Ikaramu, Akunnun, Epinmin, Iwaro, Ugbe, Ibaramu, Akungba, Supare, Ajowa, Arigidi, Okegbe, Ogbagi, Eti-Oro, Ikun, Ayegunle, Isua, Ipesi, Ifira and Owo. They were locked in the unity of purpose.

Ace musicians Wasiu Ayinde and Buga, foremost Ewi exponent Olayiwola Arowolo Elaloro, renowned actor Fadeyi Oloro, and the Owo Cultural Troupe were thrill the crowd with music and wisecracks.

In a symbolic manner, some party members mobilised a motor saw machine to hew down “the Iroko”, the tree from which the governor borrowed his nickname.

Although policemen and other security agents were around to ensure security, there was no display of unruly behaviour by the multitude.

The Southwest leader of the party, Senator James Kolawole, led a pack of ACN leaders in the zone. With him were the chairman of the party from Osun State, Mr. Biyi Adelowo, his Lagos, Ondo and Oyo counterparts – Otunba Dele Ajomale, Chief Akin Adesoji and Chief Akin Oke; Lagos State Vice Chairman Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Senator Titus Olupitan, Alhaji Ganiyu Badmus, Southwest Publicity Secretary Ayo Afolabi, Youth Leader Abdullahi Enilolobo, Secretary to Osun State Government Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, and Mr. Toba Oke, chairman of Ifako-Ijaye Local Government, Lagos.

Also at the rally were Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Dr. Jayeola Ajatta, Prince Olu Adegboro, Ganiyu Abayomi, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Ondo State, Prince Diran Iyantan, former state legislator Jaja Tayo Abidakun, South District leader Mr. Wale Akintimehin, Comrade Sola iji, Igbede Adeolu, Gboyega Adedipe, Mr. Ranti Oyebade, Banji Ajiloge, Olayato Aribo, Akinsehinwa Apata, Women Leader Modupe Johnson, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Ojo Akingba, Prof. Agboola Ogunlowo, Sam Omojuwa, Saka Yusuf, Wole Elaye, Dele Ogunsakin, Mr. Tokunbo Ajasin, Chief Ajibola Adebayo, Idowu Otetubi, Olakunle Eko, Enas mohammed, Toyin Ajinde, Dr. Segun Akinwale, Chief Ademola Adetula, Kunle Eko Davies, Adebambo Odoro, Mr. Femi Adekanmbi, Basorun Wale Oyewole and Timehin Adelegbe.

Tinubu, who thanked the party followers for the huge turnout, asked: Who is your governor? The crowd roared: “Akeredolu!”.

He also asked: “Which party would you vote for on October 20? The people chorused: “ACN!”.

The party leader asked the electorate to reject Mimiko at the poll, saying that he is an ingrate. He said ACN will provide the amenities the LP government has denied the people, including good roads, free education, potable water, good hospitals and jobs for youths.

Tinubu said: “Today, you have seen our candidate. Somebody calls himself Rahman Olusegun Mimiko. The judgment of God has come. The next election will be an exercise of success and reward for you. It is a vote that will liberate Yorubaland. Iroko wants to be in the forest alone. Use your broom to chase them away. Chase away hunger, poverty, unemployment, penury, disease, water shortage, lack of drugs.”

The ACN leader justified his description of Mimiko as an ingrate unworthy of more political favours, saying that he had betrayed the trust of the progressive bloc in the Southwest.

He recalled: “Four years ago, Iroko came to me, weeping. He came along with two of my brothers, complaining that he was being cheated and that we should help him. We had looked at the PDP and we were displeased. PDP had just stolen our votes in the Southwest. We began the war. The warrior, Aregbesola, was fighting. We fought in Edo, Ibadan, Abeokuta. I am reporting this to you so that you can judge Mimiko with your votes.

“I took him as my brother. I gave him money and all logistics. The radio station that has become his enemy today was used to help him. It belongs to us. We went to Europe to look for help for him. It was not free. We spent pound sterling. Mathew chapter six, verse seven says ‘don’t give what is holy to the dog or swine because they will cast their spoilt on it. We have given what is holy to Mimiko and he has cast his spoilt on it. The Book of Psalms, chapter 17, verse 13 says, ‘if you reward goodness with evil, evil will not depart from your house’. When he could not enter town freely, we gave him bullet proof car. Judge him by your votes.”

Tinubu, who explained that Mimiko’s continuation in office meant a setback to the integration agenda, added: “Mimiko wants to isolate Ondo State from Yoruba states and Afenifere mainstream. We do free education and relieve people of WAEC fees. Look at what is happening in Lagos. Ondo State collects more federal allocation than Lagos. I sympathise with Akokoland. You are enduring bad roads, lack of medical care. Where is water? For three years, he has been feeding himself and his family with state money.

“I don’t have a single vote in Ondo. Chiefs Osoba and Akande have no vote here. Akeredolu has a vote. We are struggling because of the masses. If you cooperate with Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Edo, and Ekiti, we will have a refinery. It will produce thousands of jobs. Railway will come. If LASTMA, LAWMA, Highway Managers are set up here, there will be jobs. Why can’t Ondo enjoy micro water works?

“He said one term only and fought Adefarati and Agagu over one term. Now, he wants a second term. He will do his second term in prison. Don’t be afraid. If it is difficult to remove the ring of power from his finger, the finger will be cut off.”

Tinubu praised the police for maintaining security at the rally. But he urged them to be non-partisan in Ondo politics.

He said: “Police, be careful. Stop being partisan. Some of you are good. I will not denigrate you. If you frame up our members and arrest them, there will be problem. The people of Nigeria pay you salary. If there is action, there will be reaction. If you intimidate us, we will react. So, we will not allow you to intimidate our members and arrest them without justification.”

The ACN leader advised the people to shun violence as members of a great party that would soon take over from the ruins of the Labour Party government. He said Akeredolu is a man of great character, intelligence and capability, adding that he had served society as a talented, reliable and dependable professional.

Inubu praised the party patriots who stepped down for him, including Prof. Boroffice, the Asiwaju of Akokoland, Segun Abraham, Ajatta, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Mrs. Anifowose, Akinsehinwa Apata and Alasoadura.

He said the ACN government will set up a skill development programme in Ondo State, adding that Akeredolu will give fish and, at the same time, teach the people how to fish.

To the prospective voters, the former Lagos State governor said: “Don’t be afraid. They will not intimidate you. It is a loser who will resort to violence, oppress, repress and use police to intimidate. Don’t leave the polling station. Nobody has the right to chase you out. Don’t use the hand you use to thumbprint to put the ballot paper into the box, otherwise, it will be void. Vote and defend your vote.”

Aregbesola sang a song mocking those who invoked the rain to disrupt the rally, saying that ACN will not hide from rain or sun in the Sunshine State.

For him, it was a homecoming of a sort. Seized by nostalgia, the Osun governor paid tributes to the leaders and people of Ikare, where he grew up as a school boy.

Aregbesola said that Ondo State cannot be in antithetical relationship with its progressive kith and kin in the Southwest, adding: “This Iroko will wither away”.

He added: “On poll day, wake up early. Let our mothers wake up early. Cook for your household. After that, take your bath and dress well. Prepare to face the electoral marauders. You men, prepare for the electoral duty. After voting, you women can go, but men should wait behind. Give your bloc vote to ACN. Hew the Iroko tree.”

Osoba said: “Our party took its root from Awolowo. When ‘Demo Party’ rigged election in 2003, only Lagos survived. We stood as warriors and took back Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Edo. Oshiomhole policed the vote in Edo in 2007 and 2012. He won. By the grace of God, Akeredolu will win massively.”

Boroffice thanked the crowd for their resilience, saying: “As you trooped out today, troop out on October 20 to vote ACN. On the ballot paper, you will see ACN and the broom; thumbprint appropriately.”

Abayomi said: “I ask you, people of Akoko, do you love Akeredolu? I have discusse with him. He will tackle your problems. Vote for him.”

Ajomale spoke on the need for Ondo people to join the progressive bloc by voting out Mimiko.

He said: “ACN is ruling Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Edo and Ekiti. Ondo should not be different. We have a chance on October 20.”

Echoing him, former Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Agunsoye said: “Ondo should not be left out of regional economic integration in the Southwest. On October 20, vote and not only that, wait around to police your vote.”

Abidakun, an Akure Labour Party (LP) chieftain, who defected to ACN a day before the rally, flayed Mimiko for what he called personalisation of power, adding that he was an ingrate who turned around to bite the finger that fed him. He urged the people of the state to vote ACN to have a political relief.

Ajatta said: “You must hack down Iroko. ACN has promised to repair the damage to Akoko by LP government.”

Gboyega, son of the late Chief Adefarati, urged the people of Akoko and Owo to maintain their political understanding and unity.

He said: “Let us vote for Aketi. Akoko and Owo are the same. When Ajasin wanted to become governor, Akoko supported him. When Adefarati wanted to be governor, Owo supported him. I call on the people of Akoko to vote for Akeredolu.”

Abraham said: “Tinubu is the Awo of our time. He loves us in Ondo State and Yorubaland. ACN has promised to develop Akoko. I have that assurance. All ACN leaders love Akoko. That is why Aregbesola came here to set up a computer centre. ACN will not disappoint us. Our candidate and his running mate are professionals known worldwide. Vote for them.”

Akinsehinwa-Apata said: “Akoko will give 100 percent vote to ACN. Akeredolu was part of the success of Iroko, but Iroko is an ingrate. Vote him out”

Olayato said: “Ondo State is today outside the progressive bloc. It must return to the fold on October 20”.

Akeredolu hailed the courage of Tinubu, saying that he is a great leader. He said great leaders like him are rare, urging Yoruba to always pray for him.

He unfolded his agenda, assuring that women and youth development would be one of his priorities. He said he would provide 30,000 jobs for youths.

Akeredolu said Mimiko’s second term aspiration is a nullity, adding that an advocate of one term cannot enjoy continuity in office.

He stressed; “Mimiko prayed for one term for Adefarati; it was answered. He prayed for one term for Agagu; it was answered. Now, we are praying that he should only spend one term; the prayer will be answered’.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/acn-to-mimiko-pack-and-go/

Dump slave mentality, Jonathan tells T& T nationals
By Vincent Ikuomola 7 hours 45 minutes ago
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President Jonathan President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the people of Trinidad and Tobago especially the blacks to drop the slave mentality and play critical roles in the world of commerce, economics, science and technology, even as he said that past experience should produce leaders.

The president in his message at the Lidj Omowale Emancipation Village, Queens Park Savannah for the Emancipation Day Culture Programme, regretted that Nigeria has not been following religiously the celebration of the day with citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, despite moving for the day to be recognized in 2006 at the African Union.

Jonathan, who noted that both countries share strong ancient’s links, said his visit was to reassure them that the country identifies with their struggle.

He said that blacks all over the world has passed through several challenges from slavery, colonialism and apartheid in South Africa, adding that the balkanization and partitioning which has led to people of the same culture being placed in different countries, is responsible for the continued struggle by some African states today.

Citing the case of the Israelites, Jonathan said they were enslaved but did get to the Promised Land and led by a great leader, Moses.

He told the people of Trinidad and Tobago that it was time to move to the Promised Land not in terms of geographical location but in internationally recognized achievements in the areas of science and technology, industry, commerce, and economics.

"I'm here not to make a speech today but I'm here to bring our good will message from your brothers and sisters from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am here to tell you clearly that your brother country Nigeria fully identifies with you on this emancipation struggle.

"In 2006 when President Olusegun Obasanjo was the head of state of our country, he moved during one of the African Union meetings, that the whole of Africa should celebrate the emancipation day with the people of Trinidad and Tobago and it was adopted by the AU.

"Somehow, we have not been following it religiously but I can tell you that, that is one of the reason I'm here today as promised in Australia when the Prime Minister and I met, to identify clearly with our brothers and sisters from Trinidad and Tobago.

"It is only proper for us to note that the black man all over the world has passed through several challenges from slavery, colonialism and apartheid in South Africa. Even for those of us still living in the continent of Africa, we are so partitioned and bulkanised without our interest and in some cases people of the same culture are placed in two, three different countries. That is even still a challenge to us today which is why we are still struggling to govern our states in Africa,” the president said.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/56097-dump-slave-mentality-jonathan-tells-t-t-nationals.html

Budget Performance: Senators walk Anyim, ministers out
On August 1, 2012 · In Headlines
12:10 am

By Henry Umoru & Inalegwu Shaibu
ABUJA—THE face-off between the House of Representatives and President Goodluck Jonathan over the poor implementation of the 2012 budget rolled over to the Senate, yesterday, leading to a walk-out of a high powered delegation of the Presidency from the Senate building.

The delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim was turned back from the scheduled Senate public hearing on the implementation of the 2012 budget, following the unsuppressed anger of senators over the absence of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The anger of the senators was further stoked by allegations that the real level of the implementation of the 2012 capital budget was 12.16% and not the 56% as claimed by administration officials.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who represented the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark at the aborted hearing, gave Okonjo-Iweala an ultimatum to appear in person at the hearing which was rescheduled for tomorrow or risk arrest.

Administration officials led by Anyim, himself a former President of the Senate and shored up with Senator Idris Umar, the Minister of Transport also a former senator, could not save the day in the face of the blistering anger of the lawmakers. The administration officials including the Minister of State, Finance, Dr. Yerima Lawan Ngama, the Auditor-General of the Federation were not given any opportunity to talk as they were turned back in the absence of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.

Announcing the formal cancellation of the Public Hearing, Senator Ekweremadu said Senators were not happy with the attitude of the Finance Minister neglecting the event for what he described as a less important function in London.

According to Ekweremadu, the hearing was scheduled for last Thursday, but the Minister was in Delta State for another event which forced the Senate to push it for yesterday.

Noting that the level of implementation was below commendation despite the fact that the National Assembly approved the budget as proposed by the president, he said it was as such realistic for the Senate to find out from administration officials reasons behind apparent low-level budget implementation.

The Deputy Senate President who noted that it was absolutely impossible to continue with the public hearing following the absence of the Minister of Finance ordered the Secretary of the Committee to summon her for Thursday (tomorrow) failing which a warrant of arrest would be issued on her.

Yesterday’s development came on the heels of the face-off between the Presidency and the House of Representatives over low-level budget implementation. Members of the House had threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president if by September the administration fails to fully execute the budget as passed.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala had on Monday claimed that the 2012 capital budget implementation as at June 20, was 56 per cent. However, a document on budget performance submitted to the Senate committee on Finance by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation showed that a total sum of N401, 648, 460, 791 has been so far released with N324, 556, 851, 948 of that amount being cash backed.

According to the document, out of this, only N184, 848, 092, 533 has been utilized as at 20th July 2012, just as capital allocation for 2012 budget stood at N1, 519, 986, 106, 691 and only 21.35 per cent of the total allocation has been cash backed. And the percentage amount utilized from the releases so far stood at 12.16% as at July 20th.

It’s not 56% performance

“The performance of 56.95 per cent as indicated by the office of the accountant general is the percentage of amount utilized (184 billion) of the amount cash backed (342 billion) as at 20th July, 2012 and not of the entire capital budget. The actual utilization of N184 billion against the total capital of N1.5 trillion is 12.16 percent,” the document read.

Expressing the hurt of the senators, Ekweremadu said: “We had expected the Minister of Finance and coordinating minister for the economy to be here today because she’s central to all that we are going to discuss here today as our chairman on appropriation had mentioned this matter was supposed to be discussed last week but the Minister was unavoidably absent.

“We learnt that she went to Asaba to declare open a SURE-P Programme. We consider our meeting with her on an issue that has to do with budget implementation to be more important than any other assignment. Today we have also been told that she’s gone to London to represent the President on an investment forum for which we know there are other ministers and government officials that could as well have done that to enable her to be here with us this afternoon. So it is regrettable that she is not here.

”One of the excuses we’ve read from the pages of newspapers for non performance of the budget is what they considered as the tinkering of the budget by the National Assembly. And so what we had wanted to do today is to hear from the executive where the tinkering is.

“Let us hear and let the people of Nigeria hear what the National Assembly did to the budget that made it impossible for it to be implemented so that our committee chairmen here would have the opportunity of responding.
“So it is not enough for the Executive or the Minister of Finance to accuse the National Assembly of tampering with the budget that made it impossible for it to be implemented and then National Assembly is saying no, it is not so.

”So we decided a situation where the press will be the arbiter and then they will listen to us and the executive and then know where it went wrong if it did. And if there are areas that the National Assembly should be blamed and the Nigerian public should hear and if they have response from the National Assembly, our appropriate committees should also respond.

“Now, the stage is set but the minister is not here and we are worried about it. So, it will be absolutely impossible for us to do this dialogue with the absence of the coordinating minister of the economy. I have discussed with my colleagues and what we intend to do now is to allow our committee on appropriation to look for an appropriate date possibly by Thursday and ensure that the minister comes. Even if it needs summoning her to ensure that she appears before the committee to tell Nigerians the degree of releases and of course for the SGF to tell Nigerians the degree of utilization by MDAs.

“It is not just enough that releases were made and then utilization. We want to see whether those releases and utilization are impacting on Nigerians. We want to see it in roads, we want to see the water projects going on; we want to see the electricity projects going on. We have appropriated for the security situation in the country. We want to see whether there have been releases and whether they are utilized. That’s exactly what we thought this public hearing will afford all of us today.

“So for now, we are disappointed that it is not going to take place. I have the mandate of my colleagues to adjourn this public hearing to enable the Minister of Finance and coordinating Minister to show up and, as I said, the chairman of the committee on appropriation should take immediate steps including if possible summoning the minister to show up before the senate committee on appropriation and other relevant committees by Thursday this week.
“So this public hearing is adjourned to Thursday at the same time and the minister for finance is expected to be there no matter the circumstance”.

Speaking earlier yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmed Maccido noted that even in the third quarter of the year, budget implementation was still a far cry from the expectation of Nigerians.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/budget-performance-senators-walk-anyim-ministers-out/

Youth unemployment: Why Okonjo-Iweala is wrong
July 31, 2012 by Bayo Olupohunda 37 Comments

As the high rate of joblessness among Nigerian youth population a consequence of the global unemployment crisis or an upshoot of a mismanaged economy and wrong approach to employment creation initiatives? Did the recession-hit global economy have a ricochet effect on the growing statistics of the unemployed in Nigeria? The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, thinks that the job problem in the country is part of a worldwide unemployment crisis. The minister is wrong on this point. The miserable job figures are peculiar to Nigeria alone. Unemployment problem in Nigeria precedes the current downturn. Low job statistics among Nigerian youths have been around since the inception of bad economic management. It has become endemic because the government has failed to create enabling environment for the private sector to generate job opportunities. One does not also have to be an economist to know that the current situation is caused by incompetent leadership and corruption. But why do government officials including the minister think they can hoodwink us with annoying comparative justification of their failures?

The minister defended her analysis by quoting job figures from advanced economies. Reading her position correctly, she seemed to assert that if developed countries could suffer unemployment problem, then who are we to complain? This is really sad coming from someone occupying such a high position. This same argument was advanced by Okonjo-Iweala and government officials during the protest that followed the removal of fuel subsidy in January. During that period, they justified the withdrawal by comparing the high prices with what is obtained in non-oil producing countries! Now Madam Minister says the national unemployment level of 23 per cent and youth unemployment rising to 40 per cent are normal because other countries have the same problem. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala proudly quotes figures from all over the world. She uses the current unemployment statistics from Spain, South Africa, Greece, France and the United States to validate her assertion that we are in the same mess. However, the minister needs to be reminded that the current unemployment misery is home grown. We should, in fact, be doing better than the advanced economies and countries in the Asian Tigers. Those countries once looked up to us. Nigeria is put at a population of 150 million people with the youths forming the larger percentage of it. Our youths and other unemployed professionals should all be gainfully employed had government vigorously pursued job creation initiatives. But we are a consuming nation preferring to import than to produce. The slide in job figures deepened when the few industries that we inherited after Independence were mismanaged. Those that were created in the early years of military rule closed shop due to the profligacy of the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari. That government was defined by the number of import licences given out to importers. Many indigenous manufacturing companies had to stop production because of the influx of foreign goods into the country. In the thick of military regimes, the harsh political environment and ill-conceived economic policies of successive governments led to massive capital flight. The Structural Adjustment Programme compounded the woes of manufacturers when the naira was devalued. Millions of youths were thrown into the job market. The situation never improved. Infrastructural decay, multiple taxes, brigandage and chaotic political milieu led many multinational companies to fold up. Perhaps, the major cause of unemployment in our country today is lack of electricity. Widespread epileptic power supply means that major companies have to spend huge sums of money generating their own energy for production and other operations.

Poor electricity supply has also had negative effects on small businesses. It is the reason why manufacturing companies could not produce to capacity; it is the reason why major companies had packed up and relocated to Ghana and other African countries in recent years. It is the reason why our youths continue to roam the streets. The situation in moribund textile industries across the country provides a sad example of how unemployment has deepened over the years. Textile companies used to be a major source of employment. For more than two decades, textile companies gradually shut down production because government promoted the importation of foreign fabrics. Hundreds of textile companies were forced to lay off workers when they could not compete with the influx of foreign fabrics. Millions of jobs were lost. Several attempts to reverse the policy have failed. Since the advent of democracy, all the policies that should have helped the economy and provide jobs for our youths have not been successful. The power problem has not improved; corruption is still very rife. It is one major reason why Nigerian youths suffer so much deprivation. Our financial institutions have shed more than 50, 000 jobs in the last five years. Corruption and poor management have hit the sector so hard and resulted in uncertainty. It has also resulted in the displacement of more than half of the employees that used to work in the Nigerian banking industry. At government level, all the agencies created for job provision have become tools for political patronage.

So, why it is easier to blame global recession and other lame excuses, we should not have found ourselves in this situation. In fact, we should be an example of the success story that has propelled the Asian Tigers to be safe havens of sustainable employment generation and limitless opportunities for their citizens. Our country should as a matter of urgency restructure our priorities and consider our import practices and explore export opportunities to assist our youths to secure the employment that will not only transform their lives but also reconstruct the way we do business with the rest of the world. We have millions of jobless youths today who are very frustrated, distressed, and angry. The minister’s explanation is not sound enough.

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/youth-unemployment-why-okonjo-iweala-is-wrong/

Access Bank Plc In Illegal Fund Transfer.

Monday, 30 July 2012 16:17
Written by Ahaoma Kanu

Having submitted its report on the investigation on oil marketers who fraudulently collected over N422 billion in subsidy payments last week, the chairman of the Presidential committee on the re-investigation of the subsidy fraud, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, MD/ CEO of Access Bank PLC, will now have the task to unwrap how $200,000 out of $1m allegedly being illegally ferried from Abuja to Lagos got missing.

National Daily investigations uncovered that the bank may have been involved in illegal funds transfer amounting to millions of foreign exchange using individual staff who are allegedly instructed not to declare the monies at the airport.

Among the staffs who have been involved in this illegal operation is Mr. Nnaemeka Onyegbule, a team lead with Bullion Services with the Area 3 branch of Access Bank PLC. As at press time, the suspect was still under detention since the time he was arrested on the 17th of July, 2012 at the banks headquarters in Victoria Island without the matter been charged to court or the management of the bank enthusiastic of doing so.

The incident is suspected to have caused the death of a relation of the suspect who, after visiting his younger brother who is the suspect, died of cardiac arrest some few minutes after leaving him at the station.

According to National Daily investigations, the suspect who had made statements to investigators at the Special Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Lagos State has denied taking the missing money and is still surprised why he is the only suspect in the incident since some of the queer transactions he was tasked to carry out are done illegally.

National Daily gathered that the incident started on Tuesday, 17th of July, 2012, when the suspect, Mr. Nnaemeka Onyegbule boarded an Arik Flight W3802 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport and bound for Lagos. Before leaving for the airport, the suspect was said pulled the money out from the vault and confirmed the money to be $1m before he packed it inside his bag and left the bag inside his office to make arrangement for a bullion van and driver. When he arranged that, one of his boys named Alex moved the bag to the van with the suspect joining the escort vehicle and they left for the airport with another of the suspect’s colleague named Fredrick. On the way, the suspect was said to have contacted his supervisor, one Ajibola Fashiola who is the Unit Head, Bullion Services in Access Bank PLC, Apapa, Lagos for approval limit of the money the suspect was about to transport. National Daily gathered that the suspect’s supervisor assured that she would get the needed approval from one Kalu Agwu and gave ordered him to proceed. The suspect got to the airport and got his boarding pass and moved the bag to the departure lounge of Arik Air. He boarded the flight without declaring to the relevant airport authority or security that he had cash; a practice the suspect alleged is the practice with such transaction as he had illegally transported more than the amount he did carry on that particular day.

National Daily gathered that the suspect is alleged to have at various occasions transported $2m, £6.5m, $5m and so on mostly from Abuja to Lagos under the supervision of the said supervisor, Fashiola.

Instead of declaring the cash at the airport and pay a stipulated fee, the suspect allegedly did not do so claiming that that is the way the office (Access Bank PLC) does it since taking over Intercontinental Bank PLC this year.

The suspect, who happened to have joined Intercontinental Bank PLC in 2006 as a Customers Service Office and went to become a salary paying teller in the Customers Service in the Area 3 branch of the bank. He has also worked as SLA in Western Union and had the job description of making payments and transfers. In 2009, he was moved on recommendations to Loan Recovery in 2009 and sent to the Ladoga Akintola Branch as House Officer in charge of ATM machines where he handled weekly cash count running into billions of Naira. He remained in that position till 2011 and relieved his Head of Department who was sent to a branch in a West African country. After being absorbed into Access Bank PLC he was put in charge of Bullion Services in Abuja until November 2011 when he took over as Team leader.

Inside the Arik Flight.

After boarding the aircraft, the suspect sat on seat 4F, near the window and put the bag containing the money on the overhead locker. National Daily gathered that the suspect stated that he noticed a passenger in seat 6F going through the locker near the bag but did not bother to check as his bag had a lock. Before the departure of the flight, the Arik Air Cabin crew supervisor, one Taiwo, was said to have adjusted the bag and put the suspect on inquiries that the bag was at the edge. The suspect was said to have checked the bag and remained seated.

It was when the flight landed at Lagos that the suspect opened the bag to check and discovered that $200,000 out of the $1m (USD) was missing. He called the attention of the Cabin crew supervisor who asked if he declared the money otherwise Arik would not bear responsibility.

This will not be the first time an accusation of alleged theft is being mentioned inside an Arik flights. In April this year, a passenger on board Arik Air flight W3 162 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, suspected to have stolen N200, 000 belonging to another passenger on the business class after opening the overhead cabin, pretending to be for missing items in his luggage, but picked the money that another passenger kept in a bag. It was the vigilant eyes of another passenger that got the suspect to be apprehended.

Also in June, a Nigerian writer and blogger, Mr. Japheth Omojuwa, accused Arik Air cabin crew of stealing his Ipad which he forgot under his seat inside an Arik flight with one of the cabin crew members allegedly confirming the Ipad was found but “put” back into the complainants bag. When contacted on the issue, Arik Air Media Officer, Mr. Ola Banji said he was not aware of the incident.

Onyegbule , claiming he did not want to draw attention to himself insie the aircraft, put a call to his branch in Abuja to confirm all the money was taken or if there was an excess of $200,000. He called one Uduma Yaba who informed him that no such money was left behind. The suspect then waited for the bullion from Lagos to pick him and went to deposit $800,000 at the Alausa Branch of Access Bank PLC in Lagos. He then called his supervisor who is the Unit Head of Bullion Services to inform her of the situation; she directed him to report at Apapa branch from where he was asked to come down to the Head office at Danmole Street, Victoria Island.

National Daily gathered that when the suspect arrived there, he was taken to Fraud and Investigations Department where one Mr. Omobola was alleged to have assaulted the suspect and threatened to strip him if he does not confess where the money was. The suspect was later taken to Bar Beach Police Station and detained there. The suspect was detained at the police station for three nights before being transferred to Panti police Station also in Lagos and that got his family worried.

Family enquiries.

The suspect’s wife. Mrs. Petra Onyegbule got a call from her husband informing her of the situation and she rushed down from their Abuja residence and flew down to Lagos, leaving her two year old daughter with a neighbour in Abuja to make enquiries on the situation and started asking why her husband had not been charged to court as he had been under detention for longer than 48 hours. National Daily gathered that when the family got wind of that he was been transferred to Panti on Friday, they went to the bank’s head quarters to make enquires and ask questions. Some of their queries where, why was the suspect not charged to court? Why was Access Bank PLC not showing face at the police station but giving instructions over the phone and the wife demanded why she was not contacted since her husband was arrested? Sources informed National Daily that a big row occurred at the bank’s head office when a certain Omobola told the suspect’s wife that she should be begging the bank than coming to ask questions.

Evidences gotten by National Daily investigation of the shouting match that happened inside the banking hall revealed that the Access Bank PLC staff that finally had to calm the situation apologized to the wife that nobody called her to inform her and explained to her what the bank management does in the case of such incidents.

When the suspect’s wife raised concerns that the bank was endangering the life of the husband by calling him at ridiculous time of the night by a certain Ajibola Fashiola demanding for huge amounts of money, the bank official responded by saying, “ your husband signed up for this job and knows what he is doing. He has the option of resigning.”

Suspect’s brother dies.

On Sunday, 22nd July, 2012, the elder brother of the suspect, Mr. Okwudili Onyegbule, who resides at Ibidun Street, Surulere, Lagos, went to visit the suspect at the police station. After seing the condition the suspect was, the brother had cardiac arrest on the short drive from Yaba to Surulere. He was said to be hypertensive and may have suffered a heart attack. He was deposited at the Yaba Military Hospital and was buried over the weekend in their hometown of Mbaise in Imo State.

Home searched days after.

The suspect was later flown to Abuja and had his house searched and had his passport and the passports of his wife and two year old daughter confiscated. National Daily also gathered that he has since been returned to Lagos and is still been detained in Panti while his accounts with the bank had been frozen.

When National Daily contacted the Deputy External communication Manager of Access Bank PLC, Mr. Segun Fafora, he declined answering some questions National Daily sent saying that the matter is under investigation and at such the bank will not respond. National Daily asked the bank;

1. Does Access Bank PLC transfer huge sums of foreign exchange through individuals?

2. Does this practice not go against the Cashless society policy of the CBN?

3. Why did the Bank wait for some days before the premises of the suspect were searched?

4. Is the suspect in custody the only suspect in the case?

5. Has the CCTV in the originating branch been accesses and evaluated to ascertain where theft occurred?

6. Does Access Bank PLC evade declaring such huge sums from the relevant authorities?

7. Why is Access Bank PLC staff asked not to declare such monies to authorities?

8. Why is AB not interested in charging the matter to court?

9. Did the bank obtain a warrant to freeze the suspect's account?

Even as some of those indicted by the Aig-Imoukhuede committee have been charged to court few days after the report was submitted, the question remain why the suspect is yet to be charged to court over the alleged offence; a question only those in charge of the case can answer.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/newsflash/access-bank-plc-in-illegal-fund-transfer.html

Why am I not surprised.

Kongi is correct in that constitutionally every man\woman has a right to work and earn a living. But the BIG question is – is Mrs Jonathan qualified for the role of Perm Sec. Has she the experience, knowledge and intelligence for such a role? Does she merit it?

2 Okada riders jailed in Enugu for violating ban
On July 5, 2012 · In News 9:11 pmEmail0

BY TONY EDIKE

ENUGU—TWO motorcyclists in Enugu State were Thursday sentenced to one year imprisonment each without option of fine for violating the new law banning the operation of motorcycles in the state capital.

Those convicted by an Enugu Magistrate Court presided over by Mrs Ebele Udeze after pleading guilty of the offence were Friday Ucha and Jonathan Eneje.

But, another accused person, Gabriel Ogbonna who was also arrested by the police yesterday for the same offence pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety who must be a civil servant of not less than Grade Level 16 among other conditions.

The prosecuting police officer, ASP Oluji Clement had told the court that the two convicts were arrested with one Gabriel Ogbonna, near Nowas Filling Station, Enugu for allegedly violating the law banning the opreations of motorcycles in Enugu metropolis.

None of the accused persons were represented by their defece counsel during the trial. The state police command commenced full implementation of the motorcycle prohibition law yesterday during which the three violators were apprehended.

The convicts were taken to Enugu Prisons where they would serve the jail term while their motorcycles were impounded by the police.

Reports said more violators were arrested and detained by some police divisions within the three metropolitan councils of Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South, even as it was learnt that more violators might be arraigned in court today.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/2-okada-riders-jailed-in-enugu-for-violating-ban/

President Jonathan’s Principled Defence of Corruption By Ogaga Ifowodo
Posted: July 4, 2012 - 17:10
Posted by siteadmin

Columnist: Ogaga Ifowodo
If you ever wonder what goes on in the heads of our rulers, then you must be “grateful” for the answer you got on Sunday, 12 June 2012, from the president himself, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. I say grateful hesitantly because if you are like me, then you must have been saddened beyond words by the president’s response to the simple question of moral obligation raised by his refusal to declare his assets publicly. Still, grateful because you no longer have to speculate about the moral bankruptcy of those that claim to be our leaders.

The world will remember his answer for as long as corruption and the crafty ways of the corrupt remain a major cause of the poverty and misery that stalk the land. And if you are one of the few optimists who had been waiting for the day the president would discover his spine and take a stand, then that Sunday of his instantly famous media chat was the day.

Asked why he was yet to declare his assets publicly, the president made a public declaration of a different sort: a defence of secrecy laced with utter contempt for the people and the spirit (morality) of the constitution he swore to uphold. He said, “I don’t give a damn about that. The law is clear about it and so making it public is no issue and I will not play into the hands of people. I have nothing to hide. I declared assets publicly under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper. ... You don’t need to publicly declare it (sic) and it is a matter of principle.” None of the reports of this media chat says the president had just come from worshipping the Lord and rededicating himself to the truth in church, but how his words remind of that well-known biblical saying, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!” No man is freer than he who not only knows but tells the truth and damns the consequences. Jonathan has set himself free of the monstrous burden imposed on him by the late Yar’Adua. He is free, at last, of all that stupidity of “servant leaders” and “leading by example” that only lead to public assets declarations and “playing into the hands” of enemies.

But I wish the president had been content to defend corruption through secret assets declarations and not gone into all that laughable talk of principle and “nothing to hide.” I can understand how a man who sold himself to the electorate as a poor, barefoot and humble fisherman’s son can say to that same electorate “I don’t give a damn” after a few years of billion-naira food budgets, billions more in security votes and control of the treasury. What I am not as quick to understand is how a purported doctor of philosophy could ever confuse self-serving deviousness with principle. “I declared assets publicly under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper,” he fumed, too angry to recognise his self-indictment. Pray, where is the principle in this?

I see no principle, neither does anyone else criticising the president “from heaven” or hell or the country falling apart under his watch here on earth. What I see is a man still furious with his dead boss for compelling him to reveal his transformation into a multi-millionaire at the expense of the people. When that happened, we learned that between the time he was a lecturer and when he became vice president, he had acquired properties and moneys to the tune of N295million. Much of that while he was deputy governor and vice president, and so not the man holding the purse-strings. How much more can he be worth now? In Jonathan’s new and expensive shoes, I would want to hide my riches from public scrutiny. Knowing that no explanation other than a lucky day playing the lottery (and Jonathan is the luckiest man alive), a family inheritance (but not with that barefoot boy biography) or a mysterious benefactor as in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, would explain my new-found wealth, I would fulfil the letter of the law and rejoice that it does not enjoin public declaration. And then I would say that my furtiveness is a matter of principle; you see, “I have nothing to hide!” For why “play into the hands” of my enemies?

And for sure, Jonathan’s enemies are many, among whom I must be one. If you think that public assets declaration is a moral imperative superior to laws and edicts; if you think that his strange principle of secrecy over transparency is compelling evidence of just how unfit he is for high office, you are his enemy. Never has a man with nothing to hide fought so ferociously to keep his hands in his pockets when he should turn them out and hang the trousers in the public square for all to see. But Jonathan is right. His assets declarations may be locked in the dark rooms of the Code of Conduct Bureau but they remain public documents. Which means that they belong to the people. By all means necessary, we must assert our citizenship right to the nothing-to-hide assets declarations of our don’t-give-a-damn president.



omoliho@gmail.com

http://saharareporters.com/column/president-jonathan%E2%80%99s-principled-defence-corruption-ogaga-ifowodo