₦airaland Forum

Senate shelves debate on multi-billion naira transport ministry scam

By Emmanuel Ogala
December 5, 2010 02:24PM   


Around this time last year, a damning report detailing how Tony Anenih, a former transportation minister and leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and some of his successors in the ministry, allegedly misapplied billions of naira meant for the rehabilitation and construction of federal roads, was listed for debate - for the third time in a row - by the Senate.

It was not taken; but postponed by one month because the budget was considered the pressing issue at that moment. December came and went and it kept appearing on the order paper as a matter to be taken “next month.” The report which took the ad hoc committee 18 months to produce, kept appearing that way till February this year when it was again listed to be debated and adopted in March.

Later, at the same time that the late president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, became invisible, the report also disappeared completely from the calendar of the Senate and has not been re-introduced till date.

The transport probe report is filled with revelations of alleged serial malpractices, and shows how, in 10 years (1999 to 2009), through multiple contract fraud, connivance between contractors and government officials, some N633 billion was spent on only 4,752 kilometres of road; shortchanging the government to the tune of N47 million per kilometre of road.

Ayogu Eze, the Senate spokesman, said the report could have skipped the minds of those in the Senate leadership or, perhaps, the Rules and Business committee of the Senate failed to slate it for discussion.

However, Alloysius Etok, chairman of the Rules and Business Committee who arranges matters for the Senate said he is waiting for the green light from the leadership of the Senate to put the report up for debate.

“I’m trying to prioritise them (issues to be discussed by the Senate) and again, they (the authors of the report) did not finish that job,” Mr. Etok told NEXT. “I was trying to weigh the options which I am still trying to talk to the leadership to see if we can now take the report in part. If the leadership agrees that we treat it in parts, then I will bring it up for the interest of the public and Nigerian people. If the leadership says we should wait till they bring the second part of the report, then I will wait.” The report is the first of a two part intensive probe into the management of hundreds of billions disbursed by the Olusegun Obasanjo government as part of efforts to revitalise the transport sector - road, marine and air.

Heineken Lokpobiri, who headed the Senate ad hoc committee that investigated alleged corruption in the transport sector since 1999, said the second part of the report, which will detail the misuse of the funds meant for the marine and air transport sector during that time, will soon be submitted.

The report

The report shows that Nigeria’s public transportation sector is a cesspit of multiple contract fraud as contractors connive with government officials.

From the indictment of past and present government officials, to the recommendation for the reinstatement of those removed illegally, the report contains details of what its authors said was one of the nation’s largest portfolio of official scams.

According to the report, between 1999 and 2009, the ministry of transportation gave contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of 11, 591km roads at a cost of N1.7 trillion - about N87 million per km - and with only 24% of the roads achieved, 64% of the contract value has already been paid. This bring the expenditure to about N133 million per km.

The report said that under the reign of different ministers, road contracts were awarded depending only on estimates that were submitted by the bidding companies, without prior design by the ministry.

They also “fixed prices even before the roads were actually designed by the companies,” the report said.

Recommended for prosecution

The report recommends that Tony Anenih, Adeseye Ogunlewe, Obafemi Anibaba and Cornelius Adebayo, who headed the transport ministry within that period, along with their Ministers of State and the Permanent Secretaries be prosecuted.

The report also recommended for prosecution Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who was the permanent secretary during the administration of all the ministers except Mr. Anenih. He was alleged to have crafted a means of splitting contracts into sizeable amounts to bring the values within the approving authority of his office. With this, projects with single appropriation were allegedly awarded by him separately sometimes to non-existing companies.

The report also says that the former minister of Transportation and Works, Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, who literally wept while inspecting the condition of the Benin-Ore road, paid more than N1.2 billion into the private account of a company called Digital Toll Gates Limited, against the written advice of the Due Process Office.

Calls to the MTN number of Mrs Allison-Maduekwe and Mr Anenih were not picked. Efforts to reach Messrs Ogunlewe, Anibaba and Adebayo for their own comments were also not successful. The report described the engineering representatives of the transport ministry as some of the most corrupt and lacking in technical expertise. “They granted clearances to the contractors when the jobs were far from finished,” the report said.

Besides those in transport ministry, former officials of the Ministry of Finance and Bureau of Public Procurement (Due Process office), who were said to have provided funding and clearance for the un-appropriated projects, were also recommended for prosecution.

The report also details how about 46% of the companies that got jobs at that time were not registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission at the time of receiving their contracts.

The report said officers who refused to join the gravy train were re-deployed to other departments. It cited the case of a certain D. K Jime, whom the senators said should be recalled to his former job.

Mr Eze, the Senate’s spokesperson and a member of the committee said the report took so long because it needed to be thorough and detailed to reach the heart of the problem of road infrastructure in the country.

When asked when the report will be taken and probably adopted by the Senate, Mr. Etok replied “soon.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5649807-146/senate_shelves_debate_on_multi-billion_naira.csp

Mark and Bankole to buy official residences

By Elor Nkereuwem and Idris Akinbajo
December 5, 2010 02:23PM   


On Tuesday, November 30, 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan approved the sale of the official residences of the presiding officers of the National Assembly. The Senate President, the Deputy Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, have all been given leave to purchase their current living quarters, presidency sources told NEXT over the weekend.

The 2011 Appropriation Bill, which is yet to be brought to public notice, has already made N1.5 billion available for the construction of replacements for the yet-to-be sold properties.

Till date, the presiding officers of the Assembly have not enjoyed the monetisation policy put in place by President Olusegun Obasanjo which would have entitled them to reside in their private homes and thus receive accommodation allowances as other legislators do. Rather, the federal government provides official residences for the four officials. Human Rights lawyers however say that it is a contradiction for the federal government to allow presiding officers benefit from the old policy and in the same vein spend public funds to replace those houses.

“You cannot in a seeming fitful adherence to the monetisation policy at the same time approve money for the construction of new houses. It is contradictory and does not make sense. This is abuse of office,” Jiti Ogunye, a Lagos based human rights attorney said.

Some legislators, who are offended by Mr. Jonathan’s actions, believe that the president is trying to garner a more robust support base ahead of the 2011 Elections in the light of recent divisions in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on whose platform, President Jonathan hopes to run.

Ima Niboro, the spokesman of the president however denied any knowledge of such an approval for the sale of these houses to the lawmakers.

“I cannot confirm. You may have to speak to the FCT minister,” Mr. Niboro said in a text message.

Further enquiries at the Federal Capital Territory Administration indicated that the officials are not aware of the current deal between the presidency and the lawmakers.

“The president is desperate. You know, there are so many things that he wants from them so they are taking advantage of the situation,” a legislator, who spoke on condition of anonymity said to NEXT in Abuja.

Mr. Ogunye agrees with the legislator’s conclusions.

“Given the timing of the unholy gesture, I would be right to suggest that it is an attempt to curry support for the 2011 project. What is going on now is nothing but a grand abuse of office which to me is coming at the time when Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency is interfacing with caucuses in the National Assembly and begging for their support for his attempt to govern the country again,” he said.

Building new houses

Last week, the minister of finance, Olusegun Aganga, met with committee chairs in the Senate during which time many believe he shared with them details of the 2011 Appropriation Bill. Although the bill is yet to be read on the floor of the Senate, a copy of the document obtained by NEXT shows that provisions have been made for the building of new living quarters for the principal officers of the National Assembly.

This document also carries the signatures of the chairs of the Committee on Appropriation in the Senate and the House of Representatives, Iyiola Omisore and Ayoade Ademola respectively.

The bill indicates that N1.5 billion is the budget for the:

“Design and Construction of National Assembly Presiding Officers Residence (Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker House of Reps).” Spokespersons for the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives however vehemently denied any knowledge of the move by their principals to purchase the said properties.

“Not to my knowledge. It is not possible now. If it is sold, where will the next person [speaker] stay? Will he stay under the bridge or in a hotel? It is not possible,” Musa Ebomhiana, the chief press secretary to the speaker of the House of Representatives, said.

“I’m not aware about bidding. I’m not aware of any approval by President Jonathan. I’m not aware at all,” Kola Ologbodiyan, the spokesman of the Senate President said.

Controversial spending

This is not the first time that public spending on the residences of the NASS officials has raised questions.

The first public uproar came in 2007 when the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Patricia Etteh, awarded contracts to the tune of N628 million for the renovation of her house and her deputy’s.

The controversy led to her resignation later in the year. In 2008, the federal government approved a total ofN200 million to be spent in renovating the residences. The officials only recently moved back into their official residencies after the massive renovations that were carried out.

Mr. Ogunye says that it is irresponsible of the government to keep making a fuss of the residences of the lawmakers.

“We are talking about a government that is not building roads. So what then is the case of perpetually renovating, building and selling of legislative quarters?” he said.

Just another largesse

Should the sale of the houses be made to the leaders of both chambers of the Assembly, it will be an extra largesse for them.

Mr. Mark, who became the Senate president in 2007, has been a Senator since 1999. He, alongside other serving legislators between 2003 and 2007, benefitted from the sale of the Apo legislative quarters, residence to the legislators. Same for Mr. Bankole who was also a member of the House of Representatives when the Apo quarter houses were sold to serving federal lawmakers. Mr. Bankole lived in his Apo quarters house until early this year when he moved to his official- now to be bought- residence.

“These national assembly leaders apart from owning houses in Apo quarters also own property in choice areas in Abuja. Why then would the President want to give them largesse now,” a visibly angry former lawmaker, who benefitted from the sale of the Apo quarters said.

Need to work together

The decision by President Jonathan to sell these houses to the presiding officers may also not be unconnected with the need for all of them to work together in order to benefit from the PDP zoning arrangement.

Except President Jonathan returns as President in 2011, there is hardly any chance that either of the four house leaders will remain in his position. As it currently stands, Mr. Jonathan is from the South South; the Vice President, Namadi Sambo is from the North West; Mr. Mark is from the North central; his deputy Ike Ekweremadu is from the South East; and Mr. Bankole is from the South West.

By implication, should the PDP ticket be secured by a northern aspirant, who may go ahead to win the general elections, both Mr. Mark and Mr. Bankole, if they return to the national assembly, may lose their leadership positions. While Mr. Mark has signified his intention to return to the senate, his House of Representatives counterpart is yet to declare if he will return to the house or contest for the Ogun State governorship election.

Both Eseme Eyiboh, the spokesman of the house of Representatives; and Ayogu Eze, the Senate spokesman declined to pick their calls or respond to text messages.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5649840-146/mark_and_bankole_to_buy_official.csp

December 4, 2010 09:56PM


The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega says that the old voter register will be used for the re-run governorship election in Delta State early next year.

He also said that all INEC officials indicted for electoral offences in the 2007 elections and by-elections would be prosecuted.

Mr Jega spoke at the 2010 Achebe Colloquium on Africa, which discussed elections and political transparency in Nigeria.

He said that INEC would stick to open-secret ballot system during the 2011 elections, which would start with the National Assembly polls on April 2.

The governorship election will hold on April 16, while the presidential election will hold on April 9.

Speaking on the Situation in Delta state where the Court of Appeal ousted the former governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan on November 9 and ordered fresh election within 90 days, Mr Jega said: "There will be extreme cleaning of the old voter register for the election.

"Regrettably we have to use the old voter register to conduct the election, the judgment requires us to conduct the election within 90 days and that will end by Feb. 9. And that is the period when the new voter registration will be displayed across the country for claims and objections.

"There is no way we can use the new voter register for the Delta election. In fact, we are thinking of how to get the Delta election out of the way before the commencement of national registration exercise on Jan. 15.

"Therefore, what we have to do is an extensive clean-up of the existing voter exercise, we cannot do otherwise," he said.

Mr Jega assured Nigerians that voter registration would run from Jan. 15 to Jan. 29, disclosing that INEC would take delivery of the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) Machines within the next 10 days.

He said that INEC had enough time to deploy about 120,000 DDC machines, adding, however, that "if that is not met, we have other plans.

"In each of the 120,000 polling units, we expect the people to register where they are going to vote.

"Ideally, you register where you like and vote where you like but in our own contest, we have to start at that level,'' he said.

Mr Jega said that the commission was targeting the registration of 20 million voters, out of an estimated 70 million eligible Nigerians.

NAN

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5649859-146/inec_to_use_old_voter_register.csp

PDP presidential primaries: 22 governors back Jonathan
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja
Saturday, 4 Dec 2010


The struggle for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party intensified within the week with most of the governors elected under the umbrella of the party declaring their support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition to secure the party’s ticket for the 2011 elections.


SATURDAY PUNCH extensive investigations on the PDP race between Jonathan and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar showed that the President’s campaign team, led by Ambassador Dalhatu Tafida had made inroads into most of the states in the country.


It was gathered that at the last count, 21 governors were supporting Jonathan’s presidential ambition.


The breakdown shows that in the North-West, five governors are backing the Jonathan/Sambo ticket; North-Central, four; North-East, two; South-West, two; South-East, three; and South-South, five.


SATURDAY PUNCH gathered that Jonathan had the support of virtually all the governors of the North-Western states except Sokoto and Zamfara.


An official of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign team told SATURDAY PUNCH that the President’s men were putting pressure on Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State to make him change his opposition to Jonathan’s ambition.


It was learnt that even in Sokoto, the deputy governor, Alhaji Muktah Shagari, a former Minister of Water Resources under President Olusegun Obasanjo, was working for the President.


The official dismissed speculations that Wamakko had supported Jonathan because of the judgement delivered in his favour by the Supreme Court.


He argued that Wamakko won his case on merit at the Supreme Court on November 26, 2010 as Jonathan had refused to be involved in the judicial process in pursuit of his desire to create an environment that is conducive to the growth of democracy.


“In the North-West, I don’t think we have any problem. We are not sure of Governor Wamakko of Sokoto State, but we are working on him. That is the only governor I know that is giving some problems in that zone,” the official said. “But we are sure of the deputy governor, although the deputy doesn’t control the delegates. The governors have control over them.”


In the South-West, the two surviving governors of Oyo and Ogun states, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Gbenga Daniel respectively, are known to be arch supporters of the President.


Authoritative sources said that even in the remaining parts of the South-West, the party’s structures in those states had volunteered their support for the President.


It was gathered that Jonathan had pacified some members of the PDP from the South-West during his multiple visits to the zone recently. During the visits, Jonathan met with stakeholders in the zone.


SATURDAY PUNCH gathered that at the meetings, the President took his time to explain things to the stakeholders in the zone. He was said to have promised the stakeholders from the states which lost their governors to judicial pronouncements that their concerns would receive due attention at the federal level.


This followed a recent decision of all the governors of the South-West to back the President for the 2011 elections.


Our correspondent gathered that the decision of the South-West governors, which was announced by Alao-Akala, was taken after a series of meetings between Jonathan and the core power brokers in the zone.


In the North-Central geopolitical zone, those in charge of the political machinery of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation are contending with fresh challenges that have emerged with the seeming withdrawal of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, from the race.


It was learnt that the Jonathan team was mounting pressure on Governor Aliyu Babangida of Niger State to reconsider his earlier decision after the exit of Babangida from the race.


Aliyu was said to have told emissaries from the Jonathan team that it would be inconceivable for him to support any other aspirant apart from Babangida, who is from the state.


With the present situation, Jonathan’s men are not sure of the Niger State governor and his Kwara counterpart, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who also lost the contest for the Northern consensus aspirant to Abubakar via the ruling of the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum.


But SATURDAY PUNCH gathered authoritatively that the governors of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states were frontline supporters of Jonathan’s aspiration.


Also, the governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Aliu Shinkafi (North-West) and Danjuma Goje of Gombe (North-East), who were in the camp of IBB, were said to have told Jonathan’s men that their support for the former military president was not as a result of zoning or the NPLF, but for personal reasons.


Jonathan is banking on the fact that Goje has always opposed Atiku and had been an Obasanjo supporter and a Minister of State for Power under the late Bola Ige.


SATURDAY PUNCH investigations, however, showed that Jonathan had a lot more work to do in the South-East geopolitical zone in spite of the declaration of support for him by the governors.


It was learnt that the zone was viewed as a major worrisome spot for the aspirants involved in the contest for the presidential ticket of the party.


A source close to the Presidency, however, dismissed the fears, insisting that out of the four PDP governors of the South-East; Jonathan could count on the support of a minimum of three.


In the South-South, all the four surviving governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers are believed to have given their support in the forthcoming contest for the presidential ticket of the party to the Jonathan/Sambo team.


The only state where Jonathan does not seem to have a trusted support in the South-South is Delta, where the governor’s election was recently annulled by the Court of Appeal in Benin.


Before the annulment, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was said to have given discreet support to IBB in spite of the fact that Jonathan had met his condition to get the Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, out of the governorship contest in the state.


SATURDAY PUNCH investigations indicated that Uduaghan and the acting governor of the state, Sam Obi, had control over the party machinery in Delta.


It was, however, said that Obi was somebody the President’s men could reach and hold fruitful talks with.


In spite of the support for Jonathan by the governors, our correspondent gathered that Abubakar had been holding discussions with the delegates.


“Our aspirant is an experienced politician. He has been meeting the delegates directly, not through the governors. Besides, many of these governors are deceiving Jonathan. When the time comes, we will know the winner,” said one of Abubakar’s aides.


The presidential primaries of the PDP will hold in January 2011, a situation which still gives room for the two aspirants to forge alliances ahead of the ballot.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201012047542795

Fireworks at Achebe Colloquium

Posted: December 4, 2010 - 17:26

By SaharaReporters, New York
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye today threatened to deal with Ambassador John Campbell, the former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria. The outburst happened on the second day of the 2010 Achebe Colloquium at Brown University.

Ambassador Adefuye was responding to the discussions on the Recovering of stolen Nigerian funds. “I will deal with him,” Ambassador Adefuye shouted. “With friends like him, Nigeria does not need any enemies. We shall confront him in the next section and by the time we finish with him, he will see that Nigeria is not on the brink.”

The panel comprised of Ambassadors Walter Carrington and John Campbell, EFCC Secretary, Emmanuel Akomaye, Omoyele Sowore of Saharareporters and Peter Lewis of John Hopkins University.

In his contribution, Omoyele Sowore of Saharareporters called Nigerian looters stupid because the ostentatious display of their loot easily gave them away. He expressed surprise that looters often bought state of the art cars that can not be driven on Nigerian roads because of their appalling conditions.

“The EFCC has become a very bad comedy club,” Mr. Sowore said as he mocked the anti-corruption agency’s quest to arrest former U.S. Vice President, Dick Cheney.

“The EFCC pretends once in a while to try people,” Sowore said, “If you find Dick Cheney, put him on a plane, the EFCC is looking for him.” He wondered why the EFCC was not dealing with looters in Nigeria but rather pursuing shadows abroad.

Referring to the recent incident in which the Presidency allegedly tried to bribe the Save Nigeria Group, he stated: “What is insulting to me is that they no longer bribe with our own currency but with the dollar,” he lamented.

Peter Lewis referring to statistics provided by the Global Financial Integrity estimated that Nigeria had lost over $218 billion due to looting by Nigerian officials since 1970. This amounted to the total earnings of Nigeria during the two decades, 1980s and 1990s,. He suggested that the U.S. Justice department had not been doing enough the way the British had been.

Anecdotal information indicate that Nigerian looters are quickly finding alternative places for their loot. “If people find out that the U.S. and Britain are no longer good places to put money they go somewhere else.”

Ambassador John Campbell mentioned that illicit assets from Nigeria contribute directly to international criminal activities which impact the U.S. national security. “It is manifestly bad for Nigeria and manifestly bad for the United States,” he said.

Ambassador Campbell noted that the Global Financial Integrity Group estimated that $854 billion U.S. dollars left Africa as looted funds in the last fifty years. “Africa gives back to the world at least twice of what it takes in,” he said.

Ambassador Carrington said that unless the EFCC go after everyone who is corrupt, the agency would not gain the confidence of the people.
“What I fear is likely going to be Nigeria’s fate unless it gets itself together is that Nigeria is not likely to implode but is likely to carry on in stagnation while other countries grow and over take it.” Who would have thought two decades ago, he questioned, that South Africa would so strongly outstrip Nigeria economically.

Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye defended the EFCC. He stated that there were impediments that were stopping the Agency from achieving its goals. He mentioned some challenges in the work of EFCC including poor international collaboration, weak enforcement mechanisms and laws as well as lack of political will on the part of governments. He also called for a national strategy to combat corruption and expedite the judicial processes.

“If you do not address the politics,” Akomaye said, “you cannot address an efficient asset recovery.”

He concluded by pleading that anti-corruption efforts should combine criminal and civil approaches as well as non conviction based asset recovery.

“Asset recovery should not be discussed as an emotional process,” Mr. Akomaye warned, “it is based on law.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/fireworks-achebe-colloquium

Mabel Segun, others win national merit award

By Elizabeth Archibong
December 3, 2010 02:33PM


Every nation needs people who think in order to grow and the first place to look for them is in the academia, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday in Abuja.

The president who was speaking at the Nigerian National Merit Award ceremony at the presidential villa, enjoined Nigerian youth to dedicate themselves to excellence and strive to make Nigeria one of the leading nations of the world.

The awardees include Aderemi Oluyomi Kuku for the Sciences; Ladipo Ayo Banjo and Mabel Dorothy Segun for the Humanities.

The 2009 Merit Award, which is the 24th in the series which started since 1979, is coming one year late. The President said this was due to the circumstances that the nation found itself at the time.

Speaking on the need for men of knowledge, he said, “We have a number of professors, at least amongst our cabinet we have about six professors - the head of the civil service and three special advisers. We have nothing less than 10 eggheads with us.

“This is the highest and most prestigious award bestowed by our nation on Nigerian citizens at home and in the daispora for creative intellectual and academic contributions that have national as well as global significance. This ceremony is holding one year behind schedule due to the circumstances the nation found itself at the originally appointed time.” Speaking on the integrity of the award, the president noted that only few Nigerians have received the award since its inception in 1979.

“Only 60 Nigerians have been honoured with the award, this is a clear evidence that of the high standard and quality of the merit driven evaluation procedure used in selecting the winners of the award,” he said. “It also underscores the high expectation of the nation that the new recipients of the award by their predecessors that hold the banner of creativity and intellectual attainment high at all times will be beacons of hope and role models for the younger generation of Nigerians”.

Mr. Jonathan further noted that the NNMA also serves as a reminder that our survival and collective vision as a nation and as a people rest with the contribution we make to the national and global development effort in science, technology, Economics, Arts and other fields.

Congratulating the awardees, he noted that the three recipients of the 2009 award are among the best in the world in their fields.

He therefore enjoined the youth to emulate their good work and “hereby dedicate themselves to excellence and strive to contribute their quota to the arduous task of getting Nigeria on the track of becoming one of the leading nations of the world”.

Working on 2010 awards

Four specialised committees of assessors drawn from universities and the private sector, totalling 38 were set up to screen the participants.

The minister of special duties, Taoheed Adedoja noted that following the delay in awarding the 2009 awards, the 2010 assessment exercise as well as the Annual Forum of Laureates could not take place this year due to the late reconstitution of the governing board of the NNMA, the body legally charged with the responsibility of processing and approval of the award.

He noted that the board however hopes “that all applications received for the 2010 award will be assessed along with those of 2011”.

He also disclosed that the cash price for award was increased from N1 million to N5 million by the present administration.

The chairman of the NNMA governing board, Oluwafeyisola Adegoke, said the three awardees passed through rigorous screening and were found qualified to be presented for the conferment of the award.

He added that the nation is blessed to have such a crop of Nigerians.

The NNMA, which was established by Act no. 53 of 1979 under the military administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, entitles a recipient to use the designation Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) after his or her name, as well as receive a stipulated cash price, a certificate and a medal and enjoy other benefits.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5649431-147/mabel_segun_others_win_national_merit.csp

3,000 PDP members defect to ACN in Osun •Atakunmosa elders to defect Monday •Former SSG vows to remain in PDP


Written by Tunde Oyekola and Charles Akinsete
Friday, 03 December 2010

NO fewer than 3,000 members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, majority of who served in the administration of the former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Thursday, defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The decampees, led by the former Chief of Staff to Oyinlola, Dr Peter Babalola, and other former commissioners, current members of National Assembly and Osun State House of Assembly, promised to work with the new governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.

This is just as elders on the PDP in Atakunmosa East and West local government areas of the state have unanimously agreed to defect to the AC.

The official ceremony, the elders said, wuold hold on Monday, at Iwara, Osun State, where they would be received by ACN leaders and chieftains in the state.

However, the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) , Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, said he would not leave PDP which, he said, he built as a foundation member of the party.

Akinbade said “we are not bothered whether anybody decamped or not, since every individual has a right to do whatever he likes.

“But as for very many PDP members in the state, we are resolutely committed to our party.”

Governor Aregbesola, while receiving the decampees, admonished them to see themselves as members of the same family, adding that the vocal point of his administration was to embrace all political parties and promote social, economic, political and religious harmony in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Babalola said “with this movement, we are joining a participatory government, having discovered that the PDP in the state had been hijacked by a vicious cabal pretending to be friends of the people,” adding that “we are joining ACN in moving Osun State forward.”

Also,in a communique signed by the chairman of the elders forum of PDP chieftains in Atakunmosa, Dr Adeniyi Ayeni, they said during the tenure of the last administration, the people of Atakunmosa benefitted little or nothing in terms of dividends of democracy accrued to different parts of the state.

“We are defecting to the ACN in Osun State because we want to associate ourselves with good governance. Our teeming populace, which include former ministers, commissioners, local government chairmen, PDP executive members, among others, are all in solidarity with this decision,” Dr Ayeni said.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said it was not bothered by the action of the decampees which, it said, will not affect the party.

In his reaction on behalf of the party, the state director of publicity, Mr Adeolu Adeyemo, said the PDP was not bothered by the exit of whoever wanted to leave, but assured that the party remained solid in the state.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/14286-3000-pdp-members-defect-to-acn-in-osun-atakunmosa-elders-to-defect-monday-former-ssg-vows-to-remain-in-pdp

SATURDAY, 04 DECEMBER 2010 00:00 FROM EMEKA ANUFORO, ABUJA

PRESIDENT of the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO), Dr. Masno Ginting yesterday berated Cable News Network (CNN) and other foreign media outfits for painting very negative pictures of Nigeria in the minds of the international community.
Ginting, who was in Abuja for the Seventh International Junior Science Olympiad, emphasized that Nigeria was safe and suitable for tourism and investment.
“We are safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is safe, and whatever you have heard about Nigeria on CNN, don’t listen to it,” he said.
The International Junior Science Olympiad is a key member of the pack of 12 International Science Olympiads. It was established in 2004 for students not older than 15 years. Each country sends a team of up to six students and three team leaders. It consists of a theoretical test and experimental examination. Knowledge, understanding and skills in physics, chemistry and biology are tested.
About 210 students from 35 countries gathered in Abuja to compete in the competition hosted for the first time on African soil.
Speaking on Nigeria’s preparation, the IJSO president observed: “We have observed all venues that will be used during the 7th IJSO and we are very happy with the work done by the Local Organizing Committee for the success of the 7th IJSO. We are happy to conclude that Nigeria is very safe for the IJSO. We have had a good experience of Lagos and Abuja”.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the competition, Minister of Science and Technology, Mohammed Abubakar, noted: “Preparing our youths to address national, regional and global problems using science and technology as tools has remained atop of our development agenda.
“Our nation has been facing acute shortage of scientists and engineers, so any programme that gives encouragement in these fields is desirable and provides benefits to students and the national. It will lead to an improvement in the quality of mathematics and science education, re-ignite students’ enthusiasm in science subjects and foster students’ creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills”.
On the preparation of Nigerian students for the competition, the minister noted: “My ministry conducted state-level competitions which produced state champions. The state champions participated in a national competition from where we selected 20 for training. These brilliant young scientists were camped for four and half months in total, over a two-year period. The students were coached by eminent scientists and science teachers. At the close of training, 12 were selected to participate in the 7 th IJSO in two teams.”

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31272:olympiad-boss-berates-cnn-others-over-negative-reports-on-nigeria&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

By Anayo Okoli

A bloody political clash was averted in Aba on Thursday when some supporters of Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state allegedly invaded the venue of a campaign rally organized by Abia South Senatorial zone for his former deputy now a governorship aspirant on the platform of Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, Mr Chris Akomas, chanting the praise of the governor, and attempted to disrupt the rally.
The invaders, who carried campaign posters of the governor stormed the rally arena shortly after the arrival of Akomas and his team.
But Akomas and his team exhibited maturity and prevailed on his supporters who were ready to engage the invading group, to remain calm, until policemen arrived to help maintain peace before the group left the venue.
However, addressing the rally, Akomas commended his supporters for the mature way they handled the situation but regretted that Government House, Umuahia is “exhibiting acts of intolerance and ignorance”.
According to him, “we are peace_loving people, we don’t want to make trouble so those who looking for trouble will carry it on their head”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/bloody-clash-averted-in-aba/

By Austin Ogwuda

Managing Director of the Word Bank and former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, yesterday publicly took on Minister of Works, Senator Sanusi Daggash, demanding explanation on why the Lagos/Benin highway was yet to be fixed, despite the huge capital sunk into it.
The occasion was a public lecture in Asaba where Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State gave her a standing ovation for raising the issue.
The lecture, which was chaired by the former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, had Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State as one of the discussants.
Okonjo_Iweala spoke at the 2nd Distinguished Lecture series organized by Sylvester Monye Foundation with the theme “Economy in Perspective: Infrastructure Deficit in Nigeria, Confronting the Challenge”.
She said, “We don’t have any more excuse; no more excuses not to move on the power sector. No more excuses for delay; no more excuses for holding our industries back; for holding our households back the Government has to move.
“I have spent the bulk of this lecture on power because I believe really that is where the issue lies . I mean, if we don’t fix that (power) we don’t fix anything.”
“But I have to say a little thing about the road sector . The reason I want to say a little thing about it is because we have got the Minster of Works here, so we can put him(Minster) on the spot. And also I feel this is one area we can have some quick wind. I have not understood why something so visible as good road is not focused on by the Government. Honourable Minster (pointing to him)one of the roads that is really a problem that I have driven on myself is the Ore_Benin road.
“I know somebody will say when you were in Government what happened. When I was in Government we put aside money to repair this road. Then I was not Minister of Works I was Minister of Finance . But somehow we were told that the road was being repaired.
I actually went to drive on it. I remember driving on it with my father and it took us eight hours to get from Lagos to Ogwashi_Uku, a journey that should have taken us not more than four or five hours because the road was still not repaired. And about six months ago I went on the same road with the same problem and I asked when I came in this morning has anything happened and I was told no. So why is it that something so elementary that connects the main artery of East and West of our country is still there punishing people every time because that is what I think it is – punishing people
“Now Christmas time is here again and you know that there are many families who will be sleeping on that road for two or three days. Honourable Minister am sorry to put you on the spot, you are my brother and my former colleague but you have to answer that one today.
“Now I am going to be very knotty I am saying that one of the reasons that I think these roads are not repaired … that (Lagos_Benin) is not the only there are main arteries in the North of our country that are also not good. You know we could link one or two major highways in this country that are not fixed.
“If Government allocates resources to do these two or three major highways, Nigerians should be so happy. Nigerians are very undemanding of their government, by the way, expectations are so low. So just doing those few things will be enough. But I think that the reason why they don’t get fixed and here I am going to talk in my usual straight forward way is because we have governance challenges in the road sector. Where does the money go? But I am also asking you (audience) because you are citizens of this country it is your job to ask Government where does the money go”, she stated.
“Senator Daggas is the Minister of Works now but it didn’t start now. It started a long time ago and we have tolerated it. What if, I am not calling anybody to arm am just saying what if Nigerians did not tolerate the most basic injustice. So I need the question not just for Government to answer but also for us Any government that can deliver one or two arteries I think they are the ones going to win the votes in the coming election (2001).
Minister of Works, Senator Daggash on his part noted that the said Lagos_Benin highway which was constructed in the 70s has outgrown its expected life span coupled with the fact that there were design defects discovered.
He also attributed the insecurity of the workers on site saying that recently three expatriates working on the road were kidnapped and he had to write the Edo governor to provide the workers security to enable the work go unhindered.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/lagos-benin-express-road-oshiomhole-okonjo-iweala-query-minister/

I saw bodies, bones of many travellers in the desert on the way to Libya – Trafficked girl

By Comfort Oseghale
Saturday, 4 Dec 2010

A teenager, who found herself in Tripoli, Libya, narrates her tortuous journey through the Sahara Desert, and how some desperate groups recruit young Nigerian girls for prostitution in the North African country to Comfort Oseghale


Bola, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School pupil in Ikorodu, Lagos, has had her world turned around in one month without preparing for it. While her peers were taking summer classes last August, she was one of several girls who were being transported in trucks across the Sahara Desert to Libya. She is, however, lucky to still be alive to tell the story.


As a pupil in boarding, Bola spends nearly all of her time at school. “I am on a scholarship; I have been on it since I was in Primary Four,” she says. The only child of divorced parents, she spends most of her holidays either at the boarding house or the home of her school proprietor, who lives within the school premises. Last August while the school session drew to a close, and her peers made plans for holiday lessons, Bola decided to take up a holiday job.


“I told my mum that I wanted to get a job during the holidays; I wanted save some money before I gain admission into the university. My mum told me her pastor assists the members with jobs. I had to wait though for my aunt, Lola, who was at Ilesa, then trying to get admission into the university because my mother arranged that the pastor would help the two of us to get holiday jobs. A few days later, Lola joined Bola in Lagos and the girls went to Ikorodu to meet the pastor.


A woman known to everyone as Mama Blessing showed up moments later. She is the pastor’s friend. And with this set-up, the journey of these girls to Tripoli, Libya, began. The prophet and Mama Blessing, it turned out, only tricked people to recruit young girls for a prostitution ring in the North African country.


But in an interview with SATURDAY PUNCH at the office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ikeja, Lagos, where she is currently being detained, Mama Blessing claimed ignorance of the trafficking trade. “I am just a trader and sell foodstuffs at the market. Pastor knew that my daughter Blessing had come in from Libya and she asked me to assist Bola and Lola in finding jobs in Libya. All I did was to hand them over to my daughter,” she claimed.


As Bola recalled, the girls were taken to the Ogolonto, Ikorodu, Lagos, residence of Mama Blessing from where they were to take off days later to Kano in company with one Ibrahim, a friend of Blessing, while Bola and Lola were oblivious that the journey to Libya had begun. The young girls were joined by two other girls, who came with Ibrahim. “Ibrahim kept making calls during the journey. It seemed he was receiving directions from someone,” Bola said. At Kano, the group was met by a Hausa man driving a Golf car; they were to continue the next phase of their journey with him. After a while, two motorcycles trailed the Golf car. “I was scared when I noticed them. It was not until we stopped that I realised that the cyclists were meant for us,” she added. After three trips, everyone was ferried across safely into Niger Republic by the motorcyclists. “The network signal on my phone changed to an Orange symbol and I then realised that we were in another country. We were kept in a hut and warned not to make any noise,” Bola said.


Shortly after, Bola and her fellow travellers were joined by a group of boys and girls, who were being led by Blessing and her accomplice. It was a congregation of various Nigerian tribes and African nations. “There were Igbo, Bini, Ishan and Yoruba. There were also Ghanaians,” Bola recalled. A few days later, they moved again, this time by bus: at night. Describing this journey as terrifying, Bola said the group encountered rebels on the way. She said, “At a point, some Nigerien rebels were shooting at the bus and trying to stop, but the driver continued moving. I was told that if we stopped, we would be robbed and all the girls despoiled.”


Eventually, the bus made it to Dirkou, where the girls spent a few more days with their traffickers, sequestered from prying eyes. “We moved again from Dirkou to Agadez in an open-air pick-up truck. We were loaded into the back of the truck like animals and had to sit tightly packed together,”she said. The journey was more horrifying than the last for Bola. The sun was so hot that when the travellers stopped for a brief rest, their shoes almost melted ontheir feet in the hot sand. The desert route was littered with the bones of animals and dead travellers who had gone before them. The ride was bumpy and rough. Once, the truck in which Bola was loaded with others, had an accident; it fell on its side and turned again on its head, emptying its human cargo on top of the corpses that littered the desert.


“I lost consciousness while the other girls screamed. My clothes were pulled from me and they poured water on me before I revived. Meanwhile, our Arab driver started beating us. He was angry because he had warned us earlier not to make any noise. With the help of fellow travellers who were coming behind us in pick-ups, we were able to bring up the fallen truck,” she said.


At Agadez, all the girls were interviewed separately, “It was during the interview I was told we were being taken to Libya for prostitution; I refused and told my interviewer there was no way I would become a love-peddler, that I was still a virgin,” Bola said. Unknown to her, one Ade, a member of the ring, who interviewed her, had contacted Bola’s prospective master in Libya, named Gani with the news. “It was later I discovered that Gani had ordered Ade to do what he could to deflower me,” said the teenager, who alleged that Ade despoiled her a few days after the interview. “I bled profusely, it was terrible.” she lamented.


Not long after this, the contingent started the journey to their final destination in Libya. “We were loaded into about 16 trailers, girls and boys from various countries and all the vehicles moved in a convoy. The journey was rough because of the rocks and sand along the road. At times, some of us would be thrown into the air with each bump,” she said, recalling a moment when a young girl fell off one of the trucks. “We had to scream and shout for the driver to stop because he couldn’t speak English. Eventually, he stopped and went to get her.” According to Bola, it took three days to get to Libya by road from Agadez. “I later learnt that the trailer Blessing boarded took about two weeks to get to Libya because it broke down on the way.”


Once in Libya, the girls were handed over to their various ‘masters,’ who had paid for them. She continued, “I was taken to Gani, who owned a brothel and was told that I had to work and pay off my debt of $3,000. Despite my protests, cotton was forced into me before the start of work after which it was removed. The cotton was meant to prevent spermatozoa from getting inside me. Each time the cotton wool was pulled out, I bled again.


However, salvation came for Bola through a Sudanese customer. “I was to spend the night with him. I took the advantage of the opportunity and used his phone to call my mum,” added the distressed senior secondary pupil, who explained that the emotional conversation was in Yoruba. Bola’s mum was devastated.


Even at that, help did not come immediately. “I fell ill shortly after that. I kept bleeding and my private part was swollen. Gani then sent me away to live with his friends so I could get better. They didn’t take me to a hospital because they didn’t want to incur more expenses, but kept treating me at home,” she said. Words of Bola’s predicament soon spread among the Yoruba community in Libya until it got to the members of the Oodua Peoples Congress. Bola continued, “They were very angry with Gani because he was one of them. They told me that any girl being brought to Libya was usually told what to expect and given a choice to either accept or decline the offer. They said since I was a virgin and had declined the offer of prostitution.” It was the pressure the OPC mounted on Gani that eventually forced him to pay for my flight to Nigeria. He had to quickly arrange for a travelling certificate and bought me clothes and shoes.”


Now that she is back home, Bola is anxious to continue with her education. “I just want to quickly get back to school and continue from where I left off. I don’t mind taking extra classes to make up what I have lost so I can write my WASC next year. I feel sorry though for the girls I left behind and those whose bones littered the desert. I met a girl who had actually completed her youth service before she was brought to Libya by her aunt. So many like that have lost hope of returning to Nigeria,” she added.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201012041133621

Columnist:  Pius Adesanmi
To the accompaniment of Fela’s “Look and Laugh”

Dear Distinguished Senator Chief Otunba Iyiola Omisore (OFR, MON, NTA, JCCR):

Calvary greetings to you sir in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope this letter meets you in good condition of health, if so, doxology.

I am directed to write you this letter of gratitude on behalf of the long-suffering people of Nigeria. We want to thank you and your colleagues in the Senate for the enormous sacrifice you have made to ensure the democratization of laughter in Nigeria. By returning mirth to the streets of Nigeria, you have broken rank with members of Nigeria’s political leadership whose latest assault on the hapless people of Nigeria has been the exercise of a greedy capitalist monopoly on laughter.

Although some foreign researchers improved Nigeria’s international image by famously describing us as the happiest people on earth, as opposed to our stubbornly unrebrandable image as the yahoo-yahoo capital of the world, it would seem that members of Nigeria’s rulership were not happy with the extension of the new stereotype of happiness to every Nigerian. They don’t like to share even sunlight and oxygen with the ordinary Nigerian. This attitude stems from their wholesale subscription to the philosophy of David Bonaventure Alechenu Mark: laughter is not for the poor. In their esteemed opinion, laughter ought to be the exclusive property of the rich, mighty, and powerful in Nigeria.

The appropriation of laughter as elite property explains why only the insanely wealthy and politically powerful have been finding things funny in Nigeria of recent. The role call is impressive. Former president Olusegun Obasanjo recovered in time from the blows he received at the Lagos airport recently to make a transition from dey-ing kampe to laughing o. Not to be left out of elite laffomania, Atiku Abubakar found time to laugh too o. The elite merrymakers had female company as Dora Akunyili laughed her way from Naija to Nigeria but not before abusing those of us that she left behind in Naija. Trust Dimeji Bankole to carry his yeye Britico ‘fone’ into the theatre of elite laughter and mirth for he too jokingly remarked that lawmakers are educated.

Enter Aso Rock with Godsday Orubebe (is Elder part of his name or a reflection of the Naija big man’s disdain for Mr?) laughing and scoffing at the idea that Nigerians could believe that somebody at his level would attempt to bribe anyone with something as ridiculous as fifty thousand dollars on behalf of a whole President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When we honour Barkin Zuwo’s memory by ensuring that there is always some government money in government house to be used as gift and transport fare for friends and foes who visit the president, do these Nigerians imagine that we are talking about ordinary fifty thousand dollars? That’s peanuts. We are talking of billions of petrodollars now firmly in the hands of the real owners of the petrol for God’s sake. Why should they squander it only in thousands? Orubebe hasn’t stopped laughing at how cheap Nigerians could be.




Distinguished Senator Omisore sir, this is the scenario that you and your fellow Distinguished colleagues in Nigeria’s Senate assessed and decided that it wasn’t fair for the people of Nigeria to be left out of this sin assembly of elite laughter and mirth. The monopolization of laughter by your fellow inhabitants of the planet of power and wealth grated your populist conscience. You were disturbed and you agonised about finding ways and means to reduce the suffering and hardship of the Nigerian people by making them laugh. You decided that laughter would become the exclusive property of Obasanjo, Atiku, Akunyili, Bankole, and Orubebe only over your dead body. You would fight for Nigerians and ensure that we gain access to our fair share of laughter and mirth. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi gave you the opportunity to come to our rescue.

Distinguished Senator Omisore sir, we have taken a sabbatical from our poverty and suffering, we have taken a break from fighting our never-ending pentecostal wars against dominions, powers, and principalities just to have a really good laugh since your altercation with that obstreperous Central Bank Governor began. Even the stone and trees in Nigeria have not been left out of this national comic relief. They too have been laughing sir.
The national festival of laughter began, sir, when Nigerians discovered, much to their pleasant surprise, that you and your colleagues in the Senate seriously believed that Sanusi had tarnished the good image of the National Assembly. The Nigerian people somehow missed the memo and therefore did not know that the National Assembly had any image that could be tarnished in the first place by anybody. That’s like Ibrahim Babangida complaining that his good name has been tarnished. That is why we laughed so hard sir.
It got better sir. We also learnt that you and your colleagues feared that Mr Sanusi might have incited the Nigerian people against the National Assembly. How do you incite the Nigerian people against what they consider the worst arm of a gangrened and irredeemably corrupt democracy? How do you incite the Nigerian people against the world’s most corrupt, most indolent, most immorally overpaid parliament? How do you incite a people against lawmakers who inspire only contempt and disgust? We thought that we were already permanently incited against the National Assembly and didn’t even realize that we needed Mr Sanusi’s help. You can see why we have been laughing so hard sir.

I don’t know how to say this sir. I will be as delicate as I can be. Bear in mind that I am only reporting the mood of the Nigerian people to you. It’s just that Nigerians laughed hard, so hard when it was eventually revealed that of all the people that the Senate could find to grill a mind like Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, it had to be you, Senator Iyiola Omisore! Sanusi combines the best in Arabic scholarship with Western political discourse and philosophy. If you study his essayistic career before he became a public figure, you will see that he quotes everybody from Antonio Gramsci to Michel Foucault via Plato, Ovid, Richard Rorty, and Paul de Man. I won’t put it beyond the man to be reading Greek and Latin texts in the original.

A man of such impeccable intellectual depth was going to be grilled by a National Assembly populated almost exclusively by school certificate forgers, Oluwole customers, University dropouts, active and retired political assassins, and puny election riggers. And this inquisition by intellectual midgets was going to be led by you sir. We laughed so hard!
All good things, they say, must come to an end. Our week of laughter has now ended after your encounter with Sanusi went the way we knew it would go. We hear that your junior colleagues in the lower chamber have taken style to pipe down after seeing what Sanusi did to their seniors. Good for them. Dimeji Bankole sometimes accidentally demonstrates wisdom. He knows that when the horse leading the pack falls into a ditch, those following it must pause and proceed jejely.

On another note, it would help a lot, sir, if you paid an occasional visit to Nigeria to know what is going on there. You and your colleagues in the Senate fell into the fallacy of believing that the National Assembly had any image that could be tarnished because you seldom leave your planet of wealth and power in Abuja to check out what is going on in Nigeria. On the rare occasions that you visit Nigeria, the convoys, aides, girlfriends, and rifle-wielding soldiers keep Nigeria out of your range of vision. You can therefore be forgiven for not knowing what Nigerians think of the National Assembly.

Once again, thank you for bringing laughter to the streets of Naija this past week. Your work is greatly appreciated sir.
Yours sincerely,

Professor Elder Otunba Makojami Olugbala (JP)


http://www.saharareporters.com/column/letter-gratitude-senator-iyiola-omisore-pius-adesanmi

US Senate Money Laundering Investigations: Atiku Campaign Reacts To Allegations Against Jemila Atiku

Posted: December 4, 2010 - 00:13

Saharareporters


Atiku Campaign Organization

Atiku In The Kangaroo Court Of Political Opponents: Ordinarily we would have ignored the report captioned “US: Atiku Abubakar In $40 Million Money-Laundering Accusation With Wife, Jennifer” carried by Saharareporters and circulated by mischief makers as it was an outright lie and obvious manipulation of information to smear the rising profile of the former Vice President and the PDP frontline presidential aspirant in the 2011 election.

First, it was very obvious from the write-up that the report was ill intended and a smear campaign against the former Vice President and his family.

These allegations are not original. They are rehashed by political enemies to smear Atiku as a formidable challenger to the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan.

The U.S Congress did not charge Atiku or members of his family with any wrong doing. If these were the case, that would have led to indictment and criminal charge. We all know how the United States operates globally. America not only shares information with its partners all over the world, America can get an erring man or woman from any part of the world and subject them to criminal trial whether such persons are U.S. citizens or not.
The report has not established that Atiku made the money in question, or any money in his possession illegally or from sources of criminal origin.

Even before becoming a vice president, Atiku Abubakar had huge business interests and has global investments estimated at millions of US Dollars. Even before becoming a vice president, he was able to meet his needs in life based on his legitimate earnings from his investments.

Atiku had served under a very hostile and vindictive president and therefore, he couldn’t have taken any risks, were he so inclined, of stealing money from government when it could potentially be used against him.

For whatever reasons, the American authourities seem to have problem understanding that Atiku has his own money, which he transferred to the university and some of his interests in the US and other areas.

We have provided enough explanation on this matter but for reasons yet unknown to us to the U.S Senate and from all that we know, the issues that had earlier on been misunderstood have been cleared. The family doesn't have issues with issues with the US Senate or anyone in America concerning this or any other matter. But since this is a season of politics; dirty politics for that matter, there is no way we can stop people from have continued to whip up this old and baseless story for mischief.

It is not true that the wife of the former vice president, Mrs. Jemila Atiku Abubakar, has any problem with the authorities either in the US or UAE to warrant either an investigation or arrest and repatriation to the US.

As we talk, she is still a very free citizen of the US and legally resident in Dubai. She has no plans to relocate to Switzerland.
We also not aware that the US government is pressuring the Dubai authourities to arrest Mrs Abubakar and hand her over to America for trial.

Your readers should not be taken for a ride by mischievous politicians.
Signed,
Atiku Campaign Organisation,
Abuja, Nigeria.


http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/us-senate-money-laundering-investigations-atiku-campaign-reacts-allegations-against-jemila

Delta Acting Governor Sam Obi On A Spending Binge
Posted: December 3, 2010 - 16:43
By Citizen Reporter
*Secures N15billion loan from bank

*Awards N1billion Contract to Fix Roads in His hometown

*Pursues Personal Agenda.

The three months period in office as Acting Governor of Delta State awarded to Hon. Sam Obi by the Court of Appeal has provided opportunity for the former Speaker of the State House of assembly to milk the purse of the state dry.

Sources informed this reporter that Sam Obi who is said to be running the state like a military sole administrator is throwing due process, transparency and accountability overboard in a bid to enrich himself and a clique of dubious politicians around him.

The recently reconstituted executive council of the state which he dissolved upon assumption of office to ensure complete loyalty to him, was said to have been railroaded into approving what sources described as “various anomalies in hurried record time.”

One of such startling approval according to inside sources, is that of a N15billion loan facility from a commercial bank ostensibly to pay contractors’ bills even though the same Acting Governor suspended all mega projects till further notice.

Obi had promised to pay outstanding debts owed contractors in the state during the swearing-in ceremony for commissioners where he also ordered the suspension of all mega projects in the state.

Sources said the Commissioners were forced to make the N15 billion loan approval “even though some due process procedures were yet to be undertaken and sound accountability debates and transparency questions were not allowed. Commissioners did not even have the opportunity to properly peruse the memos before they chorused a unanimous approval to satisfy their new master as some of them had just survived sack by a hair’s breadth.”

Another mind-blowing approval made by the exco was a N1billion road project for the community of the Acting Governor in Ika North-east local government area of the state. A staggering 50% mobilization totalling about N500million was approved as down payment for the contractor who is also believed to be acting for him.

Worse still, the Acting Governor was said to have directed that virement of funds be made to the budget sub-head for the 10km road project having been exhausted by previous contractual commitments.

“All these were done without following due process and the speed with which the commissioners were nominated, screened by the House and sworn-in same day the exco meeting was convened showed a sinister motive behind the mad rush,” said a source who confided in our reporter.

Our sources also gathered that a former SSG of the state who is renown as the political godfather of the Acting governor is back fully in the scheme of things attending council meetings and other sensitive meetings of government without any official portfolio.

“If things continue unchecked like this, the financial and political situation of the state will become worse and Delta State will be exposed to more ridicule as EFCC may pounce on the situation to destabilize the state.” Said the source.


http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/delta-acting-governor-sam-obi-spending-binge

Dec 3, 2010
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

After nearly fourteen years of waiting, the first manufacturing firm in Bayelsa State Thursday came on stream with the production of PVC pipes.

Christened ‘Bayelsa Plastic Industry’ the factory was commissioned during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to the state last October.

State Deputy Governor, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, who witnessed the pipes role off the line, said Bayelsa State would soon become the hub of plastic production in the region.

The deputy governor called on residents of the state to take advantage of the factory’s products, particularly the PVC pipes and the polyethylene bags which will be durable, cheaper and of better quality than those produced outside the state.

Meantime, the Bayelsa State Plastic Industry said it would begin recruitment of technical personnel to take care of its production.

BSPI Chairman, Mr. Mike Epengule, said the 145 technical personnel would mark the beginning of full scale production of the firm at installed capacity.

BSPI will produce 70,000 PVC pipes.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/first-manufacturing-firm-in-bayelsa-commence-operation/

FRIDAY, 03 DECEMBER 2010 00:00 BY REUBEN ABATI OPINION - COLUMNISTS

“WHAT’S wrong with these National Assembly members?”
“You can ask me again.”
“They have hundreds of bills they have not attended to, bills that can affect the lives of the people positively, but they seem to be more interested in using the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian parliament to intimidate and harass people.”
“Well, they have just met their match in Lamido Sanusi, the CBN Governor. Lamido is my Man of the Year”

“I beg, don’t start. What are we saying, what are you talking?”
“Why did they summon him in the first place? The guy said the National Assembly consumes 25% of Federal Government overhead. They say it is not true. Then he looks all of them in the eye, and repeats the same statement. And he says, by the way, I don’t really need this your CBN Governor job, it is not my life, so don’t think because I am CBN Governor you can intimidate me. I tell you to your faces: you guys are overpaid and underworked and you pose a threat to good governance in Nigeria.”
“Good talk. That’s a Fulani Prince for you. If na Yoruba man, e fit no talk like dat oh. E go wan protect him garri.”

“What’s the matter with you? You like to read ethnic meaning into everything. Sanusi was speaking on behalf of all Nigerians. And just in case the lawmakers had not been reading newspapers, he educated them about the source of the statement that riled them. He had given a lecture at a university on growth and inflationary trends in the economy and in one sentence, he had referred to the National Assembly and Federal Government overheads; it wasn’t as if he set out to attack the distinguished and honourable members.”

“Now, you are putting words in his mouth. I watched the entire proceedings on television. The CBN Governor did not use those words: distinguished or honourable.”
“Him sef too stubborn. He comments on everything. I have been saying it, windbaggery cannot be part of the functions of a CBN Governor. Why doesn’t he just focus on his monetary policy portfolio.”

“I don’t agree. This country is so rotten that we need all the people who can speak up for us to do so. And in any case, Sanusi commenting on how much is spent on the National Assembly is still doing his job. Is that not a money matter?”

“Well. But come to think of it, these our lawmakers are something else. For making an ordinary comment, a fair comment in my view, the Senators accused Sanusi of treason, and an attempt to arrest democracy. How?”
“The Senate President added that continued attack on members of the National Assembly “would no longer be acceptable.”

“Hen, hen, are they planning to pass a law prescribing jail terms for anyone who criticizes members of the National Assembly? Is this no longer a democracy? So, what are they going to do now? Sanusi has called their bluff. He refused to succumb to their intimidation.”
“I watched the thing on television. They tried to bully him. He refused. They told him it is 3.5% and not 25%, still the guy insisted on 25% and quoted the Budget office as the source of his statement. They talked about service-wide votes.”

“Which service-wide votes? A National Assembly that spends N158.2 billion per annum, whose members earn on the average a million naira per day is in my view an overpaid legislature. The National Assembly should give us a breakdown of what it gets, how it shares it and how much in total it is costing Nigerians to maintain it. This kind of controversy would have been unnecessary if there had been transparency in our public finance process.”
“The National Assembly should have issued a rejoinder stating its position, instead of wasting public time and funds organizing a meaningless public inquisition. It was a very ugly show on television, with Senators heckling their own guest. Those guys should be told that free speech is a pillar of democracy.”

“Did you see Sanusi giving the Senators a lecture on what democracy is all about, defending his right to speak as a Nigerian?”
“Serves them right; it was a very bad outing for the National Assembly. The only way to resolve this matter is to publish the full details of what the lawmakers earn. But do you know that Sanusi’s appearance at the National Assembly could have been used to discuss the main substance of his lecture, about the high cost of government and the implications for the economy, but nobody thought of that.”

“Who will think of that? A National Assembly where members of the House of Representatives did not even know that the N6.1 billion Nigerian Communications Commission budget had been passed?”
“Some of them were threatening fire and brimstone, until the Speaker drew their attention to the fact that the matter had in fact been in the record of votes and proceedings of the last session which the House had approved.”

“Those members did not read the papers for the session.”
“Precisely. They could have objected to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) budget if they had read the minutes of the last meeting and would have refused to endorse that particular portion; with their folly exposed, some of them started behaving rowdily”
“I understand many of the lawmakers don’t even attend plenary sessions. Sanusi had to tell them, it is not only when you win an election that you can call yourself a democrat.”
“I am sure the Senators thought Sanusi would come there, eat the humble pie, apologise and praise them.”
“Praise them?”
“Oh yes, that is what politicians want.”

“But I thought one Governor has said publicly that he does not like people praising him, because it injures his spirit.”
“Who is that?”
“Peter Obi, Anambra Governor.”
“Okwute Ndigbo”
“The man has rejected that kind of praise singing, and he did so at a church assembly, before God and man.”
“Peter the Rock”

“No, candidly, I think we should seek an end to this culture of praise singing in politics. You know in some of these state-owned broadcast stations, when the station signs on in the morning, some minutes are devoted specially to the Governor and his wife: waking them up, praising them and so on. In one state in those days, even the Governor’s mother was addressed as “Mother Excellency.”

“Until we start having credible elections, that’s what will always happen.”
“By the way one of your brothers says he is ready to die for Nigeria if only to ensure that Nigeria organizes credible elections in 2011.”
“Who is that?”
“Pastor Tunde Bakare”
“I am sure the media quoted him out of context, that was how they quoted him out of context on the matter of the alleged $50, 000 that the Federal Government offered the Save Nigeria Group. The Pastor has since said that it is not true that the group was offered a bribe, the $50,000 was meant to be transport fare but it was rejected.”
“What is the difference between a bribe and transport fare?”
“The headline in the newspapers”

“So, he won’t die for Nigeria in order to save Nigeria?”
“What kind of nonsense talk is that? How can anyone die for Nigeria because of elections that some people are determined to rig so they too can go to the National Assembly to grab their own share of Federal Government overheads including service-wide votes!”
“I am just quoting the man”

“You are quoting headline. That’s how newspaper headline put Sanusi in trouble with the National Assembly. One of these days, the National Assembly will start summoning newspaper editors to come and explain their headlines.”
“Tony Momoh has won that battle for us. Dem no fit.”
“Where?”

“Tony Momoh vs Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“Well, just don’t go and repeat that headline about Tunde Bakare planning to die to save Nigeria from bad elections anywhere near his wife or children. You journalists must know when a man is speaking metaphorically. You think anybody would want to die for this country, so that other people can continue to enjoy? Even policemen no longer wait to confront armed robbers, they take to their heels.”
“Well, people should not joke with death. Me, I can’t die for anything oh Why? I shall not die. I reject it in Jesus name.”
“So, now, what do you think will happen to Lamido Sanusi?”
“Nothing.”

“I understand some bank chiefs are likely to leave town by weekend. You better keep an eye on your accounts in case you have money in the banks.”
“I don’t have money in any bank. But why?”
“Sanusi was reported as having disclosed in a live TV show in London (Ben TV actually) that another set of bank chiefs will be charged to court in a matter of days.”
“Do you know any bank chief who is planning to bolt?”
“What kind of stupid question is that?”
“What kind of nonsense answer is that?”
“You see, that is how you people always cast difficult headlines that distinguished Senators cannot understand.”

“How time flies. The year is ending.”
“So what are your plans for next year?”
“I am thinking for going into the importation for toothpicks, furniture, textile materials and Tokunbo cars, now that the Jonathan administration has lifted the ban on the importation of those materials.”

“Nigeria’s import prohibition list has never been effective anyway. So, not much has changed. This has always been an import-dependent economy, a dumping ground for foreign goods, until our economy becomes productive, we cannot raise the country’s competitiveness.”

“You can talk about all that after I have made my fortune from the importation of toothpicks. You are sermonizing, I see opportunities. Thank you, GEJ. I will send you a note on Facebook!”
“Such a pity.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31198:abati-sanusi-and-the-national-assembly&catid=38:columnists&Itemid=615

US Senate Money Laundering Investigations: Jennifer Jemila Atiku Plans To Flee Dubai For Switzerland

By SaharaReporters, New York
Investigations by Saharareporters reveal that former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, who is entangled in corruption investigations by US authorities, has completed plans to move his fourth wife, Jennifer Iwenjiora Atiku (aka Jemila Abubakar Atiku), from her current base in Dubai to Switzerland.

Our impeccable sources disclosed that Mr. Atiku, who was recently chosen by a committee of so-called Northern elders as the region’s “consensus” presidential candidate, has decided to quickly relocate his controversial wife in order to avert her possible arrest and extradition to the US to face money-laundering charges.

According to a report issued by the US Senate permanent committee on investigations, Mrs. Atiku received bribes totaling $2.4 million from Siemens. The bribes were wired into her US accounts.

“The US government is pressuring the Dubai authorities to arrest Mrs. Jennifer Atiku and hand over to America for trial,” said a source.

Mrs. Atiku, a former television broadcaster in Nigeria, did her graduate studies at Howard University in the United States. She was reputed for her lavish lifestyle, including her occupation of her husband’s imposing mansion in Potomac, Maryland, an upscale town with many multi-million dollar homes.

“The fact of the matter is that Jennifer [Atiku] was the conduit for many of her husband’s corrupt deals during his years as vice president,” a minister in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration told Saharareporters.

Our sources said Jennifer Atiku and her husband decided she must move from Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, following the arrest of former Governor James Ibori by the authorities in Dubai. Mr. Ibori has since being detained by the UAE authorities whose courts have approved his extradition to face trial in the UK. Ibori’s appeal of that decision is pending, but legal experts in both the UK and Dubai told Saharareporters that his odds of evading extradition are extremely low.

Mr. Ibori sneaked out of Nigeria and arrived in Dubai after a tense “standoff” with Nigeria’s security agencies who planned to arrest him in his country home of Oghara, Delta State where he was holed up after authorities sought him to answer to money laundering charges.

After his arrest in Dubai, Mr. Ibori was granted bail by the UAE court after his first appearance. However, one source told Saharareporters that US government officials pressured the UAE authorities to re-arrest and detain him pending his extradition trial.

Jennifer left the US soon after the US government began discreet investigations into bribery schemes involving Siemens. She relocated to Dubai where her husband owns a mansion.

A source aware of the Atikus’ plan told Saharareporters that the former VP and presidential aspirant has already acquired a property at 2 Place De Gustave Seguir, Switzerland as Jennifer's new abode.

Last week, Mrs. Jennifer Atiku (nee Iwenjiora) was sighted partying hard at a party in Yola, Adamawa State to celebrate the marriage of one of her husband’s numerous daughters.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/us-senate-money-laundering-investigations-jennifer-jemila-atiku-plans-flee-dubai-switzerla

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Date Published: 12/01/10

N3 Billion NDDC Offshore Account Scandal: Forged Documents used by MD revealed
…How in fighting forced board to return N90 Billion as unspent, while Delta Suffers

Pointblanknews.com is in possession of forged documents used by the suspended Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chibuzor Ugwoha, to illegally transfer $20 million (N3 Billion), from the commission’s offshore account in Union Bank (UK) Ltd, to First Bank (UK) Ltd . The accounts was secretly opened by him and two directors.

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The trio of Ugwoha, Director of Legal Services, Harrison Onwon, and the Acting Director, Finance and Supply, Egbejule Jimoh Oma, were recently suspended for their roles in the illicit opening of the First Bank account and transfer of N3 Billion under shady circumstances. A balance of $50 Million was however left in the Union Bank account.

It was also learnt that of the N128 Billion received by NDDC in 2009, over N90 Billion was returned to the Federal Government coffers as “unspent”, when the top shots could not reach an agreement as how to share the cash into private and dodgy accounts. While they fought over sharing and which private accounts NDDC cash should be lodged, the region and its people suffered. Our source hinted that until the trio was fired, close to N110 could have been returned due to in fighting.

Desperate to move the whooping sum, the MD coerced the Director Legal services into signing the mandate sent to First Bank at Finsbury Circus in London. The MD also forged a Board resolution dated September 15, 2010, even though the last board meeting was in July 2010, before the latest one held between November 24 and 25. According to the Director Legal services, his signature on the resolution was forged , while he was forced by the MD to sign the mandate sent to First Bank in London.

The mandate falsely claimed that the MD and Egbejule Jimoh Oma were the new signatories, aware of the fact that the Executive Director, Finance and Supply, Power Ziakede Aginighan, who is a regular signatory, was away on sick leave.

When the dirt hit the fan, the Presidency summoned chairman, AVM Larry Koinyan( Rtd), to explain his negligence, and how Ugwoha could carry out such illegal act without his knowledge. It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan was so upset that he refused audience with Koinyan.

The Board sent a report to the office of the Secretary to Government, Ahmed Yayale, where the MD is well connected. He tried to kill the report but failed. He was eventually suspended because President Goodluck Jonathan was already aware.

http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os4262.html

Another Tragedy In Lagos: 20 Burnt To Death In Tanker Explosion-PM News, Lagos
Posted: December 2, 2010 - 19:14


More than 20 people were burnt to death this morning in their vehicles around Alakija area of Mile 2, Lagos when an oil tanker fell and spewed its content on the ever-busy Lagos-Badagry expressway.

This tragedy is coming on the heels of another tragic accident which occurred yesterday along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway (near M.K.O. Abiola Gardens) when more than 10 people were burnt to death when the inter state commuter bus they were travelling in lost control and crashed against the railings.

Today’s tragic incident occurred around 6.15 a.m. when the tanker lost control and fell down, spilling its contents on the road.

Four vehicles, including two commuter buses carrying more than 24 commuters and two private cars, were burnt. No fewer than than 20 people lost their lives while others suffered serious injuries. Others who attempted to escape fell into a canal and died.

P.M.NEWS gathered at the scene of the accident that when the tanker fell and spewed its content on the road, fire did not result immediately, but fire started after the petrol content got in touch with a burning refuse dump nearby.

The incident led to a stampede and people were seen running away from the spot to escape being caught in the fire. The incident caused traffic gridlock along the Mile 2 and Iba Roads for more the four hours.

It took the intervention of firemen from FESTAC fire station to put the inferno under control.

Narrating the incident, the Area Commander of LASTMA, Mr. Taiwo Abayomi, told P.M.NEWS that when he and his men got to the scene, many lives had been lost and several people injured.

He added that it took the combined effort of the police, LASTMA, civil defence corps and FRSC to put the situation under control.

Meanwhile, relations of victims burnt in a commercial bus accident along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway this morning besieged the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to identify their loved ones. The relations were seen milling around the emergency ward and the mortuary to see the victims.

Some of the badly injured passengers were also seen at the emergency ward of the hospital being attended to by doctors and nurses.

P.M.NEWS gathered that at about 7.30 p.m. yesterday, a commuter bus with registration number, XW 812 APP, was involved in a fatal accident besides Mobil Filling Station, near the old toll gate, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, and about ten of its passengers burnt to death.

The vehicle, it was gathered, was coming from Mile 2 and heading to Ijebu-Ode when the accident occurred.

Police sources at Isheri police station told P.M.NEWS that the accident occurred when the commuter bus which was speeding somersaulted and caught fire.

As at the time of filing this report, relatives of the victims were seen at LASUTH mortuary, Ikeja, trying to identify the victims.

Some victims of the petrol tanker fire along the Lagos-Badagry expressway were also brought to the hospital this morning. There was crying and wailing as relations and sympathisers could not control themselves at the gory sight.

Two of the victims were burnt beyond recognition and were dumped at the entrance of the mortuary.

However, a mild drama occurred between the police rescue team and some doctors of LASUTH. While the doctors were attending to one of the victims in the police van with registration number SE 497 LSR, some policemen lost their patience and told the doctors to move the victim to the ward, so they can continue with their daily activities.

But the doctors said there was no more space in the emergency ward, and that besides, the section where such victim can be admitted is currently undergoing renovations.

—Bayo Adetu / Cyriacus Izuekwe/ Dedeigbo Ayodeji

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/another-tragedy-lagos-20-burnt-death-tanker-explosion-pm-news-lagos

Posted: December 1, 2010 - 11:54
By Leonard Karshima Shilgba

It is true that the remuneration of all members of the Nigerian National Assembly is unacceptable. By the confession of the spokesman of the senate, Senator Ayogu Eze, the recurrent expenditure of the National Assembly in the 2010 budget was N158 billion, which amounted to 3.5 percent of the entire budget of N 4.4 trillion.

The quarrel the Assembly members have with the CBN governor, Mr. Sanusi, therefore, is that he says 25 percent rather than 3.5 percent is being spent on the National Assembly. Accordingly, they have “summoned” him to appear before them and “defend” his figures. Some senators even asked for Mr. Sanusi to resign without first hearing him out!

The House of Representatives passed a bill seeking to appropriate more than N 6 billion for SIM card registration by telecommunication networks in Nigeria. Some members of the House who protested were tyrannically gagged and shouted down by the Speaker, Mr. Bankole, even against heckling by some of the House members. Besides, this approval was made when the majority of members were not in the plenary sitting of the House. How could the House approve N 6.1 billion for an exercise that telecommunication companies should carry out at their expense? Does Nigeria own shares in those companies? President Jonathan should veto this, and the ministry of finance should not release the money.

Only few months ago, some members were suspended from the House because they held contrary views. A member of the House was recently tongue-lashed for expressing his views on television against the resolve to make national lawmakers members of the National Executive Councils of their political parties. He was forced to apologize publicly to avoid being referred to the ethics committee of the House that would have recommended his suspension from the House. Given the public rejection of the proposed amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act at the public hearing lately, I wonder if the House would apologize to the “grammar” honourable member. The minister of finance, Dr. Aganga, has also been “summoned” to appear before the senate because he says the federal government is considering reducing the allocation to the National Assembly in the 2011 budget.

In 2009, the federal government’s budget to the education sector was only 2 percent (the lowest, in my recollection, as a percentage of budgets in the history of Nigeria) of the entire budget of N3.1 trillion, which approximated the total emoluments of members of the National Assembly, who are less than 500 in number. Moreover, N 60 billion was voted for “constituency projects”, whose accounting mechanism remains very unreliable. A little more than a month ago, as I write, I asked my senator in Abuja about what they do with the money. He danced around it, made some noises, signifying nothing! There is no transparency in the national assembly. If you go to the website of the national assembly, you will not see how they spend the money allocated to them. Their salaries and allowances have been shrouded in secrecy that even a former president, Obasanjo, had to decry the bleeding that some of us have been writing about without any serious attention (I am happy though, that lately, the heat is being turned on those wreckers of our commonwealth). He admitted that no one was really sure how much each lawmaker appropriates for himself, but said it was about N 250 million per senator annually. Of course, he was taken on by the legislators.

Last year, when the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), under pressure by some of us, sought to reduce allowances being paid Nigerian public officials (all of whom, less than 18,000, take more than N 1.2 trillion annually), Senator Ayogu Eze said that the senate was ready to concede only 10 percent. Let the senate tell Nigerians if even that 10 percent reduction in their allowances has been effected.
If a public official says anything displeasing to the national assembly he will be threatened. If one of their own, with a conscience, speaks his mind, he will be harassed. Where then is the principle called freedom of speech in a democracy? Does the national assembly know that if the spending on public officials in Nigeria is not reduced, and quickly too, the economy shall be shut down only few years down the line? The senate recently approved life allowances to former heads of state, former senators and deputies, former speakers and deputies, and former chief justices until their last spouse dies! Just consider the weight that would bring on the fiscal frame of the nation. Consider the turn-over of such officers in Nigeria. Finally, consider the fact that many of those officials keep a harem of wives (if they are males, as the majority of them are).

President Goodluck Jonathan was recently confronted by some journalists, including the indefatigable Gbenga Aruleba, with the egregious remuneration of the national assembly against the very low per capita income of the nation. Rather than stay on the side of Nigerians, he went ahead to defend such horrendous pay, claiming that legislators had a lot of responsibilities, including helping members of their constituencies and districts. Mr. President should let Nigerians know if he still stands by that position he took about five months ago. I need to know because his answer will help some Nigerians to make up their minds about his candidacy for the office of president of the federal government in 2011. Will President Jonathan assent to bills that seek to pay life allowances to Nigerians who don’t even need those allowances, and further destroy our economy? Will President Jonathan not request the RMAFC to complete the work of reducing significantly, the allowances of Nigeria’s public officials?
Sections 84 (3) and 124 (3) of the Constitution of Nigeria (1999) state that: “ The remuneration and salaries payable to the holders of the said offices and their conditions of service, other than allowances, shall not be altered to their disadvantage after their appointment.” The significance of this is that the RMAFC can review downwards all allowances (even expunging some) of serving public officials mentioned in subsection 4 of the respective sections. Only their remuneration and salaries cannot be reviewed downward while they are serving. We know that what has contributed to the butchering of the Nigerian economy in the past eleven years are the nondescript allowances, some of which don’t make sense, and the amounts are extremely obscene. Even then, salaries of all public officials taking office from May 29, 2011 can be reviewed downwards before they are sworn in. Furthermore, the RMAFC is the only body empowered by the constitution to fix maximum salaries and allowances for all public officials, not subject to any other authority in the land. Subsection 1 of the respective sections states that: “There shall be paid to the holders of the offices mentioned in this section such remuneration and salaries as may be prescribed by the National Assembly [a House of Assembly], but not exceeding the amount as shall have been determined by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.” The ball is now in the court of the RMAFC. The late President Yar’Adua had requested the commission to reduce the allowances last year. President Jonathan should announce to Nigerians if he is ready to follow up on that, and how significant the reduction on the more than N 1.2 trillion being paid annually to those public officials shall be. One of the functions of the RMAFC, as stated in the Third Schedule 32 (d), is to: “determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders, including the President, Vice-President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, legislators and holders of offices mentioned in sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution.”

If there is a significant reduction in the allowances paid Nigeria’s public officials (including travel allowances, furniture allowances, newspaper allowances, sitting allowances, dressing allowances, and such sundry inane allowances), the Nigerian civil servant will be guaranteed a living wage, without necessarily adding to the wage bill of the nation. This would improve on the quality of life of Nigerians, boost workers’ morale and consequently increase productivity, and reduce significantly the resources available to public officials for nuisance purpose, and consequently drive down the volume of thuggery in our society.

If the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) would rise up to be counted at this time, they shall have allies in people like me. If they fail to rise up and physically stop further bleeding of our nation, then we shall continue to have under-paid civil servants in Nigeria and under-funded public schools in Nigeria, whose graduates will not be respected, neither by hiring agencies in Nigeria nor by those abroad. Accordingly, I urge the two national social power groups to mobilize against the RMAFC, put pressure on President Jonathan not to frustrate the RMAFC, and picket the national assembly as they seek to intimidate Mr. Sanusi and Dr. Aganga. Even if, by the admission of the national assembly, only 3.5 percent of the total federal budget is spent on the national legislature, it is still unacceptable! According to our constitution, even if the RMAFC should fix outrageous salaries, a responsible legislature could determine salaries far below the exaggerated RMAFC-fixed bar [See sections 84 (1), 124 (1) cited above]. I would advice Mr. Sanusi to seize his appearance before the senate with two hands, and in great details unveil before Nigerians and the world what those legislators each takes for themselves without a twinge to their conscience. Being the CBN governor, his words carry great weight. At a difficult period in our generation, when responsible governments in the world are freezing salaries of public officials and plugging areas of waste, the least a Nigerian legislature should be doing is to take public outcry against its lifestyle seriously and voluntarily submit its total emoluments for a review.

Leonard Karshima Shilgba is an Associate Professor of Mathematics with the American University of Nigeria and President of the Nigeria Rally Movement (www.nigeriarally.org ).
TEL: +234 (0) 8055024356
EMAIL: shilgba@yahoo.com


http://www.saharareporters.com/article/intractable-tyranny-national-assembly

December 1, 2010 06:32PM


Making little effort to hide their bias, members of the Senate committee on Budget and Appropriation led by Iyola Omisore, refused to give any latitude to the Central Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to defend his statement that the National Assembly takes 25 per cent of the federal budget.

Mr Omisore pointedly told Mr Sanusi at one point that the committee was not prepared to listen to him and that he must direct his response through the Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga who was also invited to clarify the budget figures of the National Assembly.

Mr Omisore, who led the questioning, said Mr Sanusi reports to the Finance Minister who should answer questions on his behalf. Mr Aganga who said he was in a difficult position because he was there to clarify a statement made by someone else tried to explain the various definitions of overheads and how the figures can differ depending on context.

Mr. Omisore who was evidently angry, alleged that the CBN governor had chosen to deliberately incite Nigerians against the Assembly. He then asked Mr. Aganga to state categorically whether Mr Sanusi's statement was right or not. The minister again said the statement depends on which part of the money allocated to the assembly was being considered.

Mr Sanusi insisted that he got his figures from the director of budget's office and that he was willing to apologise if they were wrong but since he had done nothing wrong he has said nothing to apologise for. He urged the Senators to examine the contest under which he made his statement which was actually in a lecture about factors that fuel inflationary trends.

The senators however accused him of having deliberately chosen to bash the National Assembly when the budget of the Central Bank which he heads is more than that of the Assembly.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5648983-146/senate_grills_sanusi_over_comments_on.csp

WEDNESDAY, 01 DECEMBER 2010 00:00 FROM LEMMY UGHEGBE

THE on-going trial of Halliburton officials and their counterparts in Nigeria who allegedly conspired in the $180 million bribe for contract scandal may have reached feverish heights.

Reason: The Federal Government has preferred charges against former Vice President of the United States (U.S.), Mr. Dick Cheney, over his alleged complicity in the scandal.

Government has also resolved to charge Siemens and AGIP to court for their recalcitrance in spite of their alleged complicity in the scandal.

An impeccable government source told The Guardian that upon the resolution by government’s lawyers and the Attorney General of Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) that Cheney could not be absolved of complicity in the bribery scandal since he was at that time of the bribery in 2006 the Chairman of Halliburton.
The country’s Chief Law Officer yesterday directed the lawyers to amend the charge sheets in the on-going trial of Nigerian and Halliburton officials to accommodate the charge of criminal conspiracy against him (Cheney).

The source said: “The AGF had on Monday, November 29, 2010 briefed government’s negotiation team made up of a narrow team of technocrats within government and a few carefully screened and selected from the private sector to proceed against Cheney legally”.

Members of Government’s negotiation team include Damien Dodo (SAN), from the private sector, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye and Godwin Obla, Secretary and Counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) respectively as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Rowland Ewubare.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Halliburton yesterday turned himself in to investigators at the commission and after making some statement, was granted administrative bail pending his arraignment. His counterparts in Technip and Saipem, Frank Ilya and Guiseppe Jurace were picked up last Thursday, but granted similar bail the following day.

Yet another inside source also disclosed that government was determined to ensure that all firms or conglomerate involved in corrupting and compromising a healthy business environment in the country are made to pay by atonement or the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on them.

He noted that after honest consideration of the situation, government decided to explore the viability of the U.S. model for dealing with companies found to have engaged in such criminal practices as occurred in Nigeria.

He explained that under the U.S model, erring companies or individuals are to pay criminal penalty or fine in multiple of the amount of the transaction, disgorge all profits made from that deal and institute a three-year scheme of corporate compliance.

Under such arrangement, the firms and or individual enjoys in return a deferred prosecution agreement, which allows them to be let off the hook if after three years, they are found to have complied with the conditions and have shown good conduct.

The Guardian learnt that it was under that arrangement that Julius Berger approached government for a peaceful resolution of the case against it. Julius Berger was not a direct beneficiary of any contract in the scandal, but served as a conduit to move five million dollars which was passed unto a Nigerian government official.

But the firm upon showing good faith and paying to government 25 million dollars and entering a three year-scheme of corporate compliance, got government to enter a deferred prosecution agreement.

“I must state that the payment of the 25 million dollars does not mean a total let off for Julius Berger. It is in fact probational as it only affords them three years within which they can be fully discharged if they demonstrate good will and conduct”, he explained.

He said while government was open to exploring the U.S. model to the country’s interest, it would not settle for any fine less than the ones paid to the U.S. government since the crimes were perpetrated in Nigeria.
Already, the U.S government has received about 1.28 billion dollars in form of criminal fines and disgorgement of profits thereof from various firms involved, the source disclosed.

He said Siemens has paid 30 million euros, Halliburton has paid 579 million U.S dollars, Snamprogetti and Technip have paid 240 million dollars each as fine and disgorgement to the U.S Government even though the crimes were committed in Nigeria and against Nigeria.

He said while some firms were seeking amicable settlement and offering to comply with the U. S model in negotiation with the Nigerian team of negotiators, others are seemingly aloof.

Government has instructed its legal team to proceed aggressively against Saipem and AGIP with a view to getting convictions against them, it was learnt. The conviction would in turn be used to freeze and confiscate their assets.

Government will not settle for anything less than what these firms have paid to the U.S Government. In fact, it is government’s view that it is better to liquidate criminal corporation than settle for anything less than the criminal fines and disgorgement paid to the U.S”, he stated.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30968:govt-charges-ex-us-vp-cheney-over-halliburton-scam&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

By Luka Binniyat

Her name is Comfort Sunday, but she is presently in dire need of comfort. Indeed hers is the heart-rending story of a young girl who was  declared a witch and member of a secret cult by some members of her family.
And in a bid to compel her to confess to  being guilty as charged, she was bathed with an acidic substance by her father, James Sunday.
As a result, Comfort was not only disfigured but has become a horror figure, a far cry from her former beautiful self. Here she tells her story, while pleading with relevant authorities and indeed all Nigerians to rally to her aid.
I am Comfort
Sunday; I am 14 years old and  in Junior Secondary School 1, Akwanga South. I played volley ball and I am a fast runner. I will like to be a scientist when I grow up. I presently  don’t have any of my past pictures; I had to tear all of them because they no longer represent who I am.
Some two years back, when we were on holidays, my dad said I should go and help my maternal grandfather on the farm. He lives somewhere not far from here. But my grandfather said that he did not need help on the farm at that time. He said I should return after a week or so to help one of his daughters (my aunty) harvest beans.
So I left to visit one of my sisters who was staying with  my paternal grandfather. I was to spend my holidays there. I stayed for a few days. I returned home one Friday so that I ccould attend a wedding on Saturday before going to my maternal grandfather to help his daughter on the farm.

When I came home that Friday, I saw a fresh grave behind our house. I asked what happened and was told that my grandfather  who had not been too well, fell ill and died. That it was his grave. I wept so much, because he was a very good Baba to me. He loved me very much. Anything I asked of him, he tried to give me.
Then the following day, being a Saturday, my father’s sister, Aunty Barmani, came with one pastor from Abuja. She works in Abuja. I don’t know  what kind of  work she is doing.
She and that pastor called me. They asked me if I was in the secret cult. I told them that I am not in any secret cult. I told them that I don’t know anything about secret cult.
Her father believes she’s a witch and must die
The pastor  came with a bag. I don’t know what was inside. He asked me several questions, but I told him I don’t know anything about what he was asking me. He then called my sister aside. My sister came back and told me that I was in the secret cult.
The pastor left that afternoon. Aunty Barmani slept in the house.
But, early in the morning, she woke us up for prayers. It was then she told us that I was in the secret cult; that one of my grandfathers who lives at Alushi should come and hear about what she has found out about me.
Later, the grandfather came with one of our brothers. Barmani told them that I was the one that killed my grandfather. My father was very angry with me. He ordered me to pack my things  from my other grandfathers’s house and return home.
I did so. After about two weeks of my return, one of my step brothers took ill.  His name is Abel, and he is five years old. My father said that I was the cause of my brother’s sickness. But I said I was not the one.
The next day, I went to school. But I was very sad, so I returned home. The next morning, around 4 o’clock, my father woke me from sleep. He said that I should escort him to the village.
My step mother woke up and ask where we were going, and my father told her that we were going to the village. We left and followed the path that passed through the home of Mary Ewungulu (a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly).
As we walked on my father asked me when we would be writing our exams. And I told him it would be next Monday. He was carrying something in a bag. I didn’t know what was in the back. We arrived an uncompleted building that night. It was the only building around the place. He then told me that it was the village we were visiting. And I said I have never been to this village.
He said I should sit down.  At that point I became afraid. He looked at me and shook his head. He then started folding his trousers. He then opened the bag and removed a container with some liquid in it. He poured some in a cup and gave it to me. He said if I was a witch and I drank it I would vomit. That If I was not, I would not vomit.
I said I was not a witch. I took the cup. I first tasted it with my tongue and the thing burnt my tongue. So I refused to drink it, and I poured it away. He said I must drink it, but I refused. So he held me and we struggled.
I started to run, and he was pursuing me. As I was running, he threw the liquid on my hands  and my legs. I felt it burning my skin. I ran very fast, and then I hit  something and fell. That was when he reached me. He grabbed and pulled me up, and I started begging him to have mercy on me. I told him that If I was a witch, he should take me to our Reverend Father to pray for me.

But he dragged me back to the uncompleted building. When we reached there, he poured  the liquid on me again. By now my hands and legs were burrning, and my back too. He said I must drink the liquid. I said I would not. He started forcing me to drink, but I refused.
He was shouting: “You must drink this”! But I pleaded with him, saying: “I don’t want to drink it, please Baba “.
When he could not force me to drink it, he splashed  the liquid in the cup he was holding on my face. I started shouting. He poured  some more on my body and I started running, not seeing where I was going.
I opened my eyes, and it was already getting bright. I saw a man riding Okada. I ran to him and begged him to help me. As he was asking me what happened, my father emerged from the bush. I ran back in the direction of the remote house. From there I managed to get back home.
When my stepmother saw me, she gave me water to bathed with.
I could not talk at this point. My step mother thought that I was beaten. But, some boys around our house told her that it was acid that was poured on me. I don’t know who told them. There were some dark, round swellings on my face and body.
My father returned home and found me. He called me into the room. When I went in he started to cry. He said that I should forgive him. I told him I had forgiven him.
He then took me back to my grandfather at Alushi and left me there. He said he did not want my mother’s people to see the way I was looking. He never visited me again. I don’t know how long I was there. But one day, one of my mother’s brothers came; his name is Luka. He works at Our Lady of Apostle (OLA)  Hospital.
He heard what happened so he came to see   me.
When my uncle  saw me, he was very angry. He went to our house and made trouble for my father. He threatened to deal with my father if he did not treat me. The following day, my father came with two men, who gave me injection. I think they were doctors.
But, the growth on my face and body only seemed to increase the more. Then one retired doctor came again, gave more injections and rubbed the places with engine oil. I felt no improvement
I was taken to a pharmacist who gave me another injection. The next day I was taken to one Sister Franka. She is a Police woman.
She was to pray for me. The woman told me that I was a witch; that I was  a wicked person. While, there, our most senior sister, Alice who is a teacher, came there. I don’t know the name of her school. She said that if she ever saw me at home, she would not allow me go to sleep; that  she would pour petrol on me and burn me.  I ran to one Ibo man who is a pastor by name, Pastor Chukwu. His house is on the way to Wanba. I told him about my problem.
He said that if he allowed me stay with him, people may start gossipping about it. The pastor, however, went  to our Reverend Father and told him about me. The  Father promised to  help treat my wounds, but  told the pastor to take me to the police station.

At the station, the pastor wrote down what happened to me.My father was invited to station. He was put behind the counter.
My  father spoke in our language and told me not to say that he poured something on me. But one of the police men happen to come from our area and understood what he said. He was very angry. He told the other police men what my father said. They started beating my father and later locked him up.
The police men said that I should call any of my mother’s relations. So, we called Luka. The DPO said that Luka should take me with him. But, Luka was also angry. He said that my father never allowed me to visit him. That my father had killed my mother when I was small. That my father should just go on and kill me too.
I had to return home. But my father was eventually taken to Lafia Police Station. He later returned. I was told that one of his nephews who is a lawyer, stood bail for him.
I have forgiven my father  because it is good to forgive people. But I want to go back to school. Please tell the government to help me. I want the public to help me too. I don’t want to live like this.
All attempts to meet the father for his side of the story were not possible, as he  played hide-and-seek with Vanguard Metro team.
When Vanguard Metro visited the Divisional  Police Headquarters, Akwanga, its Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Damon Peters (SP)  confirmed the case. He told Vanguard Metro that the case was brought to the Station before he was posted to Akwanga.

Tashi N Tashi
He brought the case file, and corroborated all that Comfort told Vanguard Metro.
On why the suspect was still moving free, he said: “The case is now with the Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia. I cannot say he is free of the charges yet. But, this Station has no more hand in that case.
The only place you can get more information is in Lafia”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/father-accused-me-of-witchcraft-bathed-me-with-acid/

By Allwell Okpi
November 30, 2010 11:11PM 


According to the new UN-HABITAT’s report, titled, ‘The State of African Cities 2010: Governance, Inequality and Urban Land Markets’, more than 25 per cent of Africa’s population, of about one billion people, who live within 100 km from the coast will be at risk from sea level rise and coastal flooding over the coming decades due to climate change.

This means that the whole of Lagos State will be overtaken by the ocean, considering that Ifako-Ijaiye, the north-most part of the state, which is farthest from the ocean, is just about 40 km from the coastline measured in a straight line. In recent times, environmentalists have raised alarmed over climate change and its effect which include sea level rise. Of major concern has been the city of Lagos, which the commercial capital of Nigeria and indeed the largest commercial hub in West Africa. Though without exact figures, the Nigeria Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, NIOMR, have show evidence of sea level rise in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean, with considerable loss of land. According to the agency, the regular occurrence of shipwreck on the Lagos shoreline, in which the wrecks are not removed for months, result to the acceleration of the coastal erosion which is naturally occurring along the coast.

The evidence

The evidences include the erosion of beaches like Bar Beach and Alpha Beach; with the latter gradually disappearing. Goshen Beach Estate, Lekki, is currently being threatened by the ocean. The estate, which was built in 2003 with the ocean over 100 metres away, is now less than 20 metres from the shoreline. If the trend continues, Larry Awosika, Head of Marine Geology and Geophysics Department of NIOMR, says the estate will be claimed by the ocean in a few years. Most parts of Lagos are less than five metres above sea level; with some places being at sea level and below. However, massive construction projects stand on the areas close to the ocean, like Ikoyi and Victoria Island, including Lekki Peninsula, which is a reclaimed land.

Regina Folorunsho, of NIOMR, said these heavy structure which are still being constructed on these islands are resulting to subsidence, which is the lowering of the land due compaction under heavy load. “They are just constructing large building and heavy structures; nobody is trying to find out the rate of subsidence,” she said. “If they continue to put these heavy structures here they will be lowering the land and it will make the effect of the sea rise come faster.”

Other places

The report shows similar effects are already being experienced along other parts of the Africa coast where beaches and dune ridges show evidence of retreat, varying from between a loss of about 1 to 2 metres annually in Senegal to between 20 and 30 metres along the Gulf of Guinea. The Dakar coast, for instance, with 50,000 individuals per square km, is one of the most densely populated in Western Africa, and a storm surge disaster could easily affect 75,000 residents. The report states that Africa will suffer disproportionately from the negative effects of climate change despite contributing less than 5 per cent of global green house emissions.

“Already confronted by innumerable problems related to economic development and urbanisation, African countries have to now address the negative effects of climate change despite being minimal contributors to green house emissions,” said Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. “The slums of African cities are already witnessing increased numbers of environmental refugees. Whatever the reasons, this is the time to act. African cities can adopt measures to reduce vulnerability and mitigation measures should be put in place. With strategic urban planning that improves slums and rationalizes urban mobility and energy consumption, cities can be part of the solution.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5647710-146/sea_level_rise_threatens_lagos_.csp

By Emmanuel Ogala
December 1, 2010 01:18AM


The National Assembly has summoned the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido, and the finance minister, Olusegun Aganga, to defend comments on legislative expenditure by the government.

The summons in both chambers of the National Assembly is following comments attributed to the CBN governor that the National Assembly is serviced with up to 25% of the overhead cost of annual budgets and the subsequent hint by the finance minister to cut down the budgetary allocation to the National Assembly.

The emotion laden Senate also summoned the special adviser to the president on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to clarify the issue about the administration of “constituency projects.”

While the officials will appear before a select committee in the Senate, the House of Representatives invited both government officials to appear before the whole House and before a live TV coverage.

Rep members argued that considering the implications of the comments attributed to Messrs Sanusi and Aganga on the image of the National Assembly, and the electoral values of members, both men should appear before the entire House on Thursday.

“These comments are lies. They owe us an explanation and most importantly, they owe the public an explanation. There is more to this than is coming to us now,” the Senate president argued.

The Senate, however, declined nudges to let the summoned government officials appear before the whole Senate, saying both government officials have lost the privilege to enter their chamber after such disparaging comments against them.

The Senate, rather, summoned both men to appear before members of the Senate committee on finance and banking, appropriation, MDGs, and the national planning committee, today.

Sanusi’s wikileaks

Some senators argued that Mr. Sanusi’s comments have incited the public against the lawmakers, and this is worse than the treason which the United States government is preparing to charge the CEO of Wikileaks, for releasing highly confidential cable communications between the US government and their envoys abroad.

Others complained the reports have caused them and their families’ psychological trauma and stigmatization.

“Let Sanusi and the finance minister appear before us so that we can dress them down,” Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger State) urged his colleagues.

Others called for his sack for turning against lawmakers.

“We have treated Aganga (and Mallam Sanusi Lamido) very well in this chamber; why should they attack us?” Jubril Aminu (PDP, Adamawa State) lamented.

The senators said the comments of the government officials was an exhibition of “ignorance at high places”, arguing that the entire budget of the National Assembly for this year is N158 billion, which is “just about 3% of the total national budget.”

After an explosive recruitment interview with the Senate for his job, in which he countered some policies of the then president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Mr. Sanusi has gained the reputation of a radical technocrat who may not be intimidated by crowd or position.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Reuben Muoka, expressed delight at the passage of the budget, which he said has been long overdue.

“This is a 2010 budget that we are talking about. We are happy that the budget has been approved so that we can get to work. It is with mixed feelings that we receive this news. Our budget ought to have been approved earlier, but it has been delayed due to unnecessary controversy. All the same, we are happy that our promise to Nigerians to do the SIM card registration can now be fulfilled,” he said.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5647728-146/lawmakers_to_quiz_sanusi_and_aganga.csp

By SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria: Detainee Dies In EFCC Custody
Posted: November 30, 2010 - 18:18


Francis Nzekwesi, a 54 year old detainee of the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday died while in detention.

Family members of Francis told Saharareporters that he slumped in an EFCC detention cell in Ikoyi Lagos. He was later rushed to the military hospital in the area where he died last night in the presence of his ninth wife, and but the EFCC claimed that he died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.


Francis had been in EFCC detention since August 16, 2010 over a case of fraud brought to the commission by a 419 victim who claimed that the late Francis defrauded him of N120million ($800,000). He said the monies were obtained under false pretences as the deceased approached his victim with a fictitious refinery project he was executing on behalf on a state government in the Southeast.

EFCC spokesman Femi Babafemi confirmed to Saharareporters today that the deceased was involved in a fraud case in 2009 over the setting up of a state refinery. He allegedly showed an MOU with a state government,” he said.

Mr. Babafemi also said that Francis was arrested in 2009 and granted bail, but that for over year he jumped bail until his re-arrest in August 2010.
 
The EFCC spokesperson claimed that Francis's re-arrest was spurred by another report that he duped a different person of N25 million.

He was arrested at the gate of the National Assembly in Abuja after an EFCC official posed as his new client.

On October 16, 2010 he was charged to court in Lagos. The deceased was then remanded in EFCC custody following a plea bargain to return the money he had duped.
 
But family members told Saharareporters that the death of Francis happened because he was detained for a long period of time without trial as EFCC officials insisted on collecting "10%" of the amount he had duped his victim. They alleged that while in detention he was tortured and denied medical treatment as his health deteriorated. The aggrieved family members claimed that Francis fell ill last Thursday but was denied medical treatment until his condition becomes irreversible last night.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/nigeria-detainee-dies-efcc-custody

Mark seeks fourth term in Senate
November 30, 2010 01:19AM

Senate President David Mark is seeking the mandate of his people to return to the nation’s upper legislative chamber for a fourth term in 2011.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, on Monday in Abuja, said on Thursday that Mr. Mark will formally declare his intention for re-election in 2011 at a ceremony to be held at his hometown Otukpo, “ Already, the league of Idoma professors, led by a foremost educationist,

Prof. Owoicho Akpa, has purchased the Benue South Senatorial nomination form for Mr Mark. Earlier in the year, prominent citizens of the Benue South, including Ochi Otukpo, John Eimonye, had prevailed on Mark to return to the Senate to continue the good work,” the statement added. “The President of the Senate has assured that if given the opportunity, he would offer more qualitative representation with even greater vigour and commitment for the benefit of Idoma nation, Benue State and Nigeria at large.” Mr Mumeh said.

Those expected at the ceremony include: Danjuma Goje, governor of Gombe State; Gabriel Suswam, governor of Benue State; Minister of Information and Communiction, Dora Akunyili and former Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5647531-146/mark_seeks_fourth_term_in_senate.csp

Aregbesola may dissolve Osun LGs
By Tunde Odesola, Osogbo
Tuesday, 30 Nov 2010

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on Monday gave a hint that he might dissolve the 30 local governments in the state.


He also promised to transform the state within 180 days in power.


Addressing a large gathering of journalists and members of his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, in Osogbo, the state capital on Monday, Aregbesola also faulted the collection of an N18.3bn loan by the former administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. The governor described a piece of advice by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo that Osun and Oyo states should end their joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso as ‘wicked and unfair.’


The appeal court had in March nullified the December 15, 2007 local government election conducted by Oyinlola’s administration, on the grounds that it was illegally conducted, and ordered the PDP chairmen in the 30 councils to vacate their seats.


But the Oyinlola administration refused to heed the order of the court before it was ousted by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan last Friday.


Asked about his reaction to the issue, Aregbesola said, “I will follow the rule of law and the constitution. I will ensure extreme fidelity on the matter of council election without fear or favour.”


On the loan, the governor said he and his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, had “faulted the collection of the loan because the PDP lacked legitimacy arising from not being the lawfully elected party. But we will look into the propriety of the loan without fear, let or favour. We will not go on a witch-hunt or victimisation.


“The position of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the issue of LAUTECH is irresponsible, wicked, mischievous and unfair. LAUTECH is the joint heritage of both Osun and Oyo state and as God lives, it will remain so.”


The governor urged supporters of his party not to bear any grudge against officials of the ousted PDP-led government.


Aregbesola said his administration was out to turn Osun State into the best state in Africa, stressing that he would adopt the style of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He promised to record remarkable achievements within 100 days, adding that he did not incur any debt throughout the duration of electoral battle.


Expressing his disdain for the penchant of Nigerians for titles, Aregbesola said he preferred to be referred to as ‘Mr. Aregbesola’ or ‘Governor Aregbesola’ instead of ‘His Excellency.’ He said a traditional ruler, whom he refused to name, precipitated violence and rigging against the ACN during the 2007 election, adding that the monarch told PDP leaders across the state to do everything to stop him from becoming governor.


The governor also promised to make radical changes in the educational system in the country, especially at the tertiary level. He decried the exorbitant fees being charged by the University of Osun as well as the inability of indigent Nigerians to send their children to LAUTECH.


He said, “UNIOSUN is an elitist school. What is the propriety of having a university that an honest permanent secretary cannot send his child to without being dubious? LAUTECH is being denied the poor via intra-party discord.


“If Oyo wants a state university, let it go and establish one. Oyo and Osun are the same. LAUTECH is a routine administration definition and we must not delineate ourselves on the basis of bureaucracy.”


Aregbesola said his administration would complete the proposed international airport at Ido-Osun near Osogbo. His deputy, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, who addressed the gathering shortly before the governor spoke, said Osun would soon be the envy of other states of the federation.


Meanwhile, Aregbesola is yet to occupy the Governor’s Office, Abere or the Government House, Oke-Fia. As at Monday, he was still operating from his campaign secretariat known as ‘White House.’

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011301522740

Jonathan’s $50,000 Bribe: Another SNG Delegate Provides More Details As Orubebe Issues Denial

By SaharaReporters, New York
Yinka Odumakin, an official of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), has provided more details about the $50,000 bribe the government of President Goodluck Jonathan had tried to offer the group, but which was rejected.

Saharareporters had earlier reported that the Jonathan administration had offered the cash after SNG officials led by Pastor Tunde Bakare met with the president in Aso Rock to discuss the group’s disappointment with the state of the nation. After Tony Uranta, an aide of Jonathan’s, denied our original report, Pastor Bakare granted us an exclusive interview to confirm that the bribe had been offered, but that his group had spurned the inducement.

The story of what transpired when the Save Nigeria Group met with Jonathan and his team last Monday further unfolded today as Mr. Odumakin, who was a member of the SNG delegation, explained how Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, offered the cash to the delegates.

Narrating his case earlier today on naijapolitics, a popular listerv, Mr. Odumakin wrote as follows: “After the meeting with the President, he left the wing where we met for another [wing] and said ‘please don't go yet I'm coming’. Sensing what that could [mean] we headed for our cars…We would have left before Orubebe emerged from the president with a brown envelope but for the fact that the drivers were not allowed to stay in the cars.”

Odumakin further explained: “Before we could drive off he [Orubebe] brought the ‘gift’ from the President and he said so. We rejected the money instantly but he was persistent. Wisdom dictated we couldn't be creating scene at the [Aso Rock] villa gate after midnight.” 


“We headed to our hotel and called Mr. Tony Uranta to come up with us. We then called Orubebe and put him on speaker to let him know that we are returning the money through Uranta back to him and to the president. Mr. Uranta then said that he appreciated our integrity.”


Mr. Odumakin revealed that the $50,000 came in “five bundles and all $100”. He added that, in order to guarantee that the money was returned to source, they also called Oronto Douglas, a senior adviser to Jonathan, to inform him of their action.

“We had moved on and we ordinarily would not have embarrassed the Presidency on this matter,” Mr. Odumakin further wrote, adding, “But 48 hours after the visit Saharareporters called to inquire if we visited Jonathan, which we confirmed. We then learnt that the meeting leaked through the other party. At that point, it became clear that some people were out to do some dirty job. It was later revealed to us that the story that was actually sold was that we collected money from the Presidency.”


Meanwhile, Mr. Orubebe today sent Saharareporters a rejoinder about the affair. Curiously, the minister’s rejoinder provided little clarification about his involvement in handing out the controversial cash.

Below is Mr. Orubebe’s full statement:
NO REASON TO BRIBE SNG, SAYS ORUBEBE
I have read, with a deep sense of shock and disappointment, allegations made against me in an on-line medium, claiming that I
attempted to bribe the leadership of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG,
after a visit with the president.
I find these allegations deeply distressing, and I am certain that the
highly respected Pastor Tunde Bakare must have been quoted out of
context. I am forced to react to these allegations only because I
would consider it an insult for anyone to attempt to bribe someone of
that stature, visiting with his group, and with, of all sums, 50,000
dollars.

True, a bribe is a bribe, no matter the sum. This is the reason why I
am all the more concerned and worried about these claims. What I
however find intriguing is that there is absolutely no reason to bribe
the Save Nigeria Group. When the body on its own volition rose to
challenge the sense of drift that had befallen the country over the
illness of our late leader, Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’adua, did anyone
bribe them?
So it is hard to believe that any right thinking person would attempt
to do so now. If a bribe is intended to induce someone to either do
something, or to refrain from doing it, what in objective terms would
I need to bribe the SNG for at this time?

This is a false story that should be dismissed by all right thinking persons.



The statement is signed by “Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe, 
Hon. Minister,
Ministry of Niger Delta,” and dated 29th November, 2010.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/jonathan%E2%80%99s-50000-bribe-another-sng-delegate-provides-more-details-orubebe-issues-denial