₦airaland Forum

By Our Reporters - 03.11.2009

INVESTIGATIONS by Nigerian Tribune, on Monday, revealed that hawkers have taken control of fuel distribution in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. This is just as filling stations in Lagos refused to sell the product to motorists.

Even right beside some of the filling stations, many people were seen taking advantage of the fuel scarcity, turning themselves into emergency fuel hawkers, thus leaving the people to wonder where they got their fuel.

One of the hawkers, Shehu by name, who was seen clutching a 10-litre jerrycan filled with fuel, told the Nigerian Tribune that somebody at the nearby filling station gave him and some of his colleagues the cans of fuel to sell at a discount.

Ten litres of fuel now sell for between N1,500 and N2,000 at the black market, in the federal capital, depending on the buyers’ bargaining power.

Though the filling stations in Abuja were still selling petrol at N65 per litre, motorists said they preferred to buy the product from the hawkers to spending hours at the filling stations.

Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that the security operatives that ought to put a stop to the activities of the hawkers were the ones helping them to get the fuel they sell to the members of the public at exorbitant prices.

In most of the filling stations visited by the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, some policemen were seen on motorcycles, conveying fuel from filling stations and selling same to the hawkers.

The long queues at the filling stations, according to Nigerian Tribune investigations, may not be unconnected with the decision of some of the filling stations to dispense fuel to buyers from one or two pumps, thereby creating unending queues of vehicles waiting to be served at the various stations.

The long queues and the activities of the fuel hawkers have made commercial vehicle drivers to jack up transport fares to the displeasure of commuters.

Transport fare from Wuse to Jabi, which used to be N30 now is N50, while the fare from Federal Secretariat to Wuse that used to be N40 is now N50.

Consequently, many workers and other commuters were stranded at various bus stops as the number of vehicles on the roads decreased. This made many workers to report late to work.

As at 9.00 a.m. when the Nigerian Tribune visited the Federal Secretariat, many offices were empty while there were many people at the bus stops on the Airport road.

On the Maraba and Kubwa axises of the FCT, the Nigerian Tribune learnt that the situation was the same, as commuters spent long hours waiting endlessly for vehicles to take them to their various destinations.

Many of the frustrated commuters, who spoke with our correspondents, vented their anger on the Federal Government, which they accused of being insensitive to the plight of the common man.

According to the commuters, the government should be blamed for the latest round of fuel scarcity, which they said was harsher than the one witnessed in September.

However, unless the Federal Government comes to the rescue of some of the filling stations, the of the commuters’ may continue unabated.

Meanwhile, in spite of threat by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to seal off any filling station that refused to sell petroleum products, many filling stations in Lagos metropolis yesterday ignored the threat, making the situation to become more unbearable. The DPR said, on Sunday, that it had set up a task force to monitor the activities of the stations in order to ease the difficulties being experienced in buying the products, especially the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

The Director of DPR, Mr Godwin Billy-Agha, had disclosed while giving the warning that there was no reason for the scarcity, that “we have formed a task force on 24-hour surveillance of filling stations in the country, anybody found hoarding fuel will face the full wrath of the law. Nigerians should know that there is enough fuel in the country. People should stop buying in panicky manner.”

However, a drive round Lagos revealed that many filling stations were not selling the product.

At the stations visited at Ikotun, Egbeda, Ikeja, Abule Egba Berger, Oworonsoki and some parts of Lagos Island, station attendants refused to sell to potential buyers. When asked the reason for the action, they said “they have not told us to sell; who told you we have fuel? Go and ask our oga, he will tell you what is happening.”

Attempts by the Nigerian Tribune to speak with the managers of the stations were rebuffed, as many of them refused to speak on the matter.

In its reaction, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on Monday said that the marketers, who tried to sabotage the efforts of the government, would be dealt with. A statement from the office of the General Manager, Group Public Affairs, NNPC, Dr Levi Ajuonuma, stated that marketers and other stakeholders in the system should cooperate for effective fuel distribution.

He said cheap blackmail and campaign of calumny or refusal to sell would not solve the crisis, stating that the DPR and NNPC would not rest until the situation was brought under control. He noted that the nation had enough in reserve to take the consumers through the festive season and charged all those concerned to work together.

But the President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, accused NNPC of causing the imbroglio, saying “Why is it that we did not experience queues until NNPC took off importation? Where did they stock the fuel, let them tell Nigerians. The truth is that NNPC has stopped marketers from importing and so, we don’t have enough products.”

Many motorists who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune called on the government and marketers to have a rethink and make life easy for Nigerians. “This product is our product naturally, why then, do we need to experience this agony, why can,t government come out with the true position of things and stop exchanging words with the marketers and labour on the pages of newspapers? please tell them we are suffering,” one of them said.

Some touts in the Sabo area of Ibadan have started to hawk petrol on the streets at N600 per four litres for motorists who could not queue at filling stations as long queues continued in some filling stations that opened for business.

The Nigeria Tribune drove round Ibadan metropolison Monday and some filling stations were seen under lock and key, while some were selling but not before collecting N200.00 from motorists.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that at about two million litres of petrol was loaded at the Nigerian National Petroleum company (NNPC) Apata, Ibadan, on Monday and a large quantity of the product was sent to Abuja.

The source disclosed that only a little quantity of the two million litres was distributed among the over 400 filling stations in Oyo State to avert scarcity in the state.

Speaking on the issue, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Akanni Oyewole, promised that “we at our level will ensure that IPMAN members sell their fuel at control price and would not hoard the product in order not to make motorists suffer unnecessary hardship.”

Contrary to official explanation, the Action Congress (AC), on Monday, claimed that the current fuel scarcity was deliberately induced by Federal Government to pave the way for the deregulation of the downstream oil sector.

``The calculation seems to be to first ensure that there is scarcity of petroleum products, subject Nigerians to untold hardships and risks while they search for the products and then quietly raise fuel prices, which is what all the noise about deregulation is meant to achieve,’’ the party said.

In a statement issued in London on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the AC stated that despite assurances from some government officials, who said the scarcity was artificial, it might be slowly but deliberately orchestrated to force Nigerians to swallow the bitter pill of deregulation.

AC said despite the outcry of concerned individuals and groups, especially the organised labour, “the government has insisted on proceeding with the ill-thought-out deregulation, especially now that the policy is out of sync with the economic realities on the ground.”

The party said the government’s nonchalance was perhaps “because its mandate to govern the nation was not derived from the people.

``If this government had felt that it would require the people’s votes, it would have thought more deeply before inflicting more pain on citizens that are already left battered by economic woes. After all, governments have been voted out of office elsewhere over less critical issues.

``But since votes rarely count in these climes, the government believe it is alright to treat the people as mere subjects and disregard their opinions in decision making,’’ it said.

The AC said it was particularly unfortunate that the fuel queues, especially in Abuja and Lagos, had come at a time that Nigeria was hosting the world, with the Under-17 World Cup in full swing.

``It is a shock as to why the government has decided to embarrass the country by timing its deregulation plan to coincide with the World Cup. The government can deny all it likes that the deregulation is not about to take off now, but a government official announced that it will take off November 1st, causing the current scarcity.

``If unscrupulous marketers now capitalise on the announcement to engage in hoarding of the products, with the satanic aim of maximising profits, the blame should be laid squarely on the shoulders of an unperceptive government,’’ the party said.



http://www.tribune.com.ng/03112009/news/news1.html

Cover StoriesNov 3, 2009
By James Uwem


ABUJA — IJAW national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, accused the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondookaa, SAN, of plotting to free the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, from the corruption charges leveled against him in a Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State.
In a protest letter to the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Idris Kutigi and made available to Vanguard, Chief Clark also appealed to the Chief Justice to replace the trial Judge in the case, Justice Awokulehin, in the interest of justice and fair play.
The letter read in part “with reference to your Lordship’s query letter of 21st October to Justice Awokulehin on ‘gross misconduct’ for writing directly to a Judge in London in respect of the case of FRN Vs James Ibori and Anor without preference to the hierarchy of the judiciary.
“I humbly submit that it will not be in the interest of justice and fair play for the same Judge who is yet to answer his query on gross misconduct, to go on and preside over a case in which he is being seen to have already taken side. In that regard, Justice Awokulehin is no longer competent to adjudicate on the matter, therefore he should be restrained from continuing with the case”. Clark stated
Clark faulted the decision to create the Asaba Division of the Federal High Court for the purpose of trying Ibori. He said the move is a game plan by the Attorney-General, Mr. Aondoakaa to free Ibori in the criminal charges leveled against him.
“I further submit to my Honourable chief justice that the circumstance surrounding the creation of Asaba Division of the Federal High Court and the appointments of the trial Judge are of great concern to our people whose property were looted by the accused, Chief James Ibori .
“My lord, our fear is that justice will not be done if the same judge continues to adjudicate on the matter, because despite the judgment of the Kaduna Court of appeal, the trial of some governors is still taking place outside their state.
“My Lord, the purpose of this protest letter is to kindly appeal to you to halt the trial in Asaba and cause the transfer of Justice Awokulehin whose integrity and honour is already in doubt,” he said.


https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?action=post;board=20.0

Kidnap of Pa Soludo: Police invite Soludo

Sylvanus Eze, Awka - 03.11.2009

ANAMBRA State police command has invited Professor Chukwuma Soludo, following the statement said to have been made by Chief Chris Uba, who reported to the office of state Commissioner of Police in Awka, on Monday.

The commissioner, Mr. Philamon Leha, who spoke with newsmen after he had met with Chief Uba and 23 other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains in his office, said they got useful information from them and promised to invite them again, should there be any incriminating fact from their statements.

He said the kidnappers had reduced the ransom for the kidnapped father of Professor Soludo to N200 million from the initial N500 million, adding that up till now, they had not arrested anybody in connection with the kidnap.

Mr. Leha said the invitation of Professor Soludo, who reported the case to the police, would help the command to clear certain things that would help them in their investigations.

Chief Uba,who spoke with newsmen as he was coming out from the commissioner’s office, said he was not invited to the police in connection with Pa Soludo’s kidnap, but for the outcome of the meeting they had at Emmaus House in Awka, the day Pa Soludo was kidnapped.

On whether they said anything derogatory against Professor Soludo during the meeting, he said no, adding that he was supprised to be invited on that regard and added that they had surrendered video clips of what they did in the meeting to help the police in their investigations.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/03112009/news/news16.html

I lear

Oboma1:
Any idea, has his father been released?

I learnt Police have quizzed Uba, and invited Soludo's family and Soludo himself. That is the latest.

The Federal Government is set to revoke virtually all lands allocated by the former FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufa'I, NT can authoritatively reveal. Informed sources in the FCT Ministry and the Presidency told NT in Abuja that the action followed growing public outcry against the last minute allocation of plots at the twilight of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo's regime in May 2007, by el-Rufa'i.
It would be recalled that the erstwhile FCT captain had revoked and/or allocated hundreds of parcels of choice lands in Abuja to himself, wife, children, friends and close associates about the time he was expected to hand over the FCTship to his successor, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar.
el-Rufa'i's indignity generated public ire and unprecedented condemnation that prompted the National Assembly to probe the land revocations and re-allocations effected by that administration.

Similarly, President Umaru Yar'Adua was also said to have been inundated with series of complaints and petitions that almost embarrassed him and decided to inquire into the matter with a view to resolving it amicably.

NT gathered that the President's panel of inquiry thoroughly investigated the issue and recommended for outright revocation or invalidation of the irregular land allocations. The committee also suggested that the revoked pieces of land should be returned to their original allottees with proven ownership or titled deeds cleared by the AGIS.
This followed el-Rufa'i's refusal to appear before any panel of inquiry to defend himself of the alleged misdeeds.
Observers are, however, worried over the faith of the original land beneficiaries who would most likely lose out of the new policy and those latter allottees who might had developed or improved on their lands or properties.
But the situation will enable the Federal Government to ascertain the authentic owners of the affected lands to come forward and claim them.


http://www.targetnewsonline.com/component/content/article/35-all-news/138-fg-revokes-lands-allocated-by-el-rufai-.html

I suggest they put him in the worst deplorable condition. Let him taste the life of the same prisons they refused to refurbish.

Let me surprise you, even Ribadu was sighted in Ibori's mansion in Abuja after he left power, more than twice. Why would he now press charges against him after about 7 months. If you follow what Ibori said about him becoming the next IG., then you will begin to put one and one together. I believe, when Ibori refused, he decided to prosecute him. Ibori is a thief, no doubt, but what about Ribadu?

All your opinions here are just common sense as your brother is saying, and baseless.

oyinda.:
ok we hear u, now go siddon and cry for corner.
the guy deposited the 15 MILLION NAIRA bribe with CBN. what else do you want? his head on a platter? 

shrine ko shrine ni.

Where is the document to show?

jay bee:
can you see yourself now, we are talking about a bribe that supposedly occured btw ibori and ribadu and your ass is deviating to ribadu's wealth non declaration case.


na real wa for you.

My friend, he that wants to fight crime, must first purge himself of any thing incriminating, and even amend any error he has made before embacking on it. Some how, I am beginning to believe that this money issue is a frame up?. Would Ribadu had rejected this money? Time and more revelation will tell!.

jay bee:
I don't have any facts/figures but what i have which is basic common sense you obviously seem to lack.  just too bad for you. and you ask why Nigeria will keep going backwards

My friend, if you dont have facts and figures, then keep your common sense to yourself, because they don't count in the court of law. Tell your Ribadu to come home and show us his assets declaration form. Is that another common sense?

oyinda.:
I love how all these thieves hate ribadu so much. of course why won't you hate him.
just beware 'cause he's coming after you next. and he won't accept your bribe.

Since Ribadu doesnt have any crime in all these, can you swear in any shrine on his behalf?

Aisha 2, I thought enjoyment1 had given you enough, now I know, you need more. Please what is that church name you attend again? I guess "Ribadu of Blessed Memory Assembly"

Mr. Jay bee, if you dont carry a Nigerian passport, then you are the worst thing that have happened to that poor nation. I will soon write the UK embassy here about you. Ewu mmeeeeeee!.

This drama is just making Soludo more popular, and it attracts sympathizers.

The abductors of Pa Simeon Soludo have scaled down their ransom from N500 million to N300 million with a warning that “the worst” may befall him if their demand is not met immediately.
Pa Soludo, 78, father of the immediate past governor of the Central Bank (CBN) Professor Chukwuma Soludo was abducted from his residence at Isu-Anioma, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday as he was about taking his dinner.
Pastor Ugochukwu Soludo, a son of the kidnap victim said the latest demand was made yesterday while the abductors threatened to visit the worst on the old man if their demand was not met immediately.

Pastor Soludo faulted a report credited to the police that the family had not made a formal report on the kidnap. According to him, their eldest brother, Emmanuel, made a formal report the same day their father was kidnapped at the Ekwulobia Police Station in Aguata Local Government Area.
“The following morning, which was Wednesday, the police visited our home where Emmanuel and everybody that needed to be interviewed were interviewed and it was done in writing by the police team.
The issue that a formal report has not been made to the police is not true,” he said. Ugochukwu said though the family was worried about the safety and health of their father and want his immediate rescue, it was ridiculous that the family was made to engage in negotiations for the life of a 78 year-old man who did not commit any crime.
Their father, he said, is required to was and refix his artificial eye every three days. He expressed fear that his condition might have worsened in the last five days of his abduction. He also regretted that politicians were trivializing their father’s kidnap, adding that there was no way the family could have kidnapped him as some politicians insinuated.
Meanwhile, the South East Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the verbal war between the gubernatorial candidate of the party in Anambra State for next year’s election, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Chris Uba, saying the development is not in the interest of the party.
The ZWC has, therefore, directed all the combatants to lay down their arms and channel their grievances to the National Working Committee (NWC) instead of ridiculing the party in the media.
Soludo, former Central Bank governor and Uba, have lately been locked in a war of words following the kidnap of Pa Simeon Soludo which the former governor of CBN accused those opposed to his candidature as being the mastermind.
On the other hand Uba denied the allegation and declared that on no account would he accept Soludo as the candidate of the party in the state because, according to him, he (Soludo) has no stake in the party.
National vice chairman of the PDP in the south east, Chief Olisa Metu who spoke on the development in Enugu, yesterday, said though the zonal party structure was constitutionally bound to support the candidature of Soludo being the candidate selected by the party’s NWC, it would no longer tolerate “the ongoing media war between the two leaders of the party.”
“The South east PDP is worried by the spate of accusations and counter accusations being carried out by major stakeholders of the party in Anambra in the media.
Accordingly, we are directing those involved to stop further media attacks. Henceforth, all further remarks and opinions on the situation in the state should be channelled to the state party in Anambra or to the NWC instead of ridiculing the party in the media,” Metu stated.
The party noted that such media attacks were capable of overheating the already charged political atmosphere in Anambra preparatory for the February 6 governorship election and, therefore, warned that further media remarks by the people involved would be meted with severe sanctions.
“We don’t want chaos and for the avoidance of doubt, for now there remains a recognised party by the NWC in Anambra State, nobody should further comment on the situation in Anambra.
What we believe in the PDP is that in as much as we have our own opinions on the situation in the state, we must abide by any decision taken by the NWC of the party in interest of the party and the people of the state.
“Anyone we are opposed to should be taken to the NWC not to the press; NWC will subsequently take it to the National Executive Committee. PDP is a responsible party and we expect our members to be equally responsible in their conducts especially as we prepare for the forthcoming election in the state,” Metu said.
Speaking further on the candidature of the former CBN governor, the PDP national vice chairman said that the party in the south east was constitutionally bound to give maximum support to the decision of the National Working Committee on Soludo, adding, therefore, that anybody who was opposed to that decision should follow the proper procedure to express his grievances instead of resorting to the media.
“We’ve ordered all parties to cease further media attacks; the party will not tolerate any violation of this order as it would be visited with severe sanctions. As a party, we’ve shown enough magnanimity and would no longer fold our hands and watch it to continue. They are making a mockery of the party by such action,” he said.
Metu used the forum to urge the recently inaugurated reconciliation committee on Anambra state under the chairmanship of a member of the party’s board of trustees, Senator Onyeabor Obi to immediately resume work and ensure that permanent peace was restored in the state before next year’s election.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/01/soludos-fathers-abduction-ransom-reduced-to-n300m/

This story makes me laugh because i thought those in corridors of power to listen to local media. But seriously it is a situation report and a pointer that doomsday is near. Gbenga you should have nothing to worry since your competence and integrity is not in doubt, there are many reputable media companies across the globe where your antecedents and records can earn you better job. Then you join the other activists from outside like in the Abacha days. We're drifting again!

The above is a quote, from what a viewer said on reading the story.

Honestly, I thought Nigerian Leaders claimed they dont listen to local media? Aha!, now I know they are not telling the truth. More on these local media,please.

Investigations by Saharareporters reveal that the chairman of DAAR Group, Mr. Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, decided to remove a popular presenter of current affairs TV program, “Focus Nigeria,” off the air following pressures from the Umaru Yar’adua regime. Sources within the government as well as a confidant of the AIT owner told our correspondents that Mr. Dokpesi sacrificed the integrity of the program, presented by Gbenga Aruleba, to stave off the government’s threat to press corruption charges against him and to ruin his businesses.

Early this week, Dokpesi ordered Aruleba replaced with another presenter after the AIT owner told members of the NUJ that Aruleba’s life was in danger from overzealous security agents in Abuja.

Saharareporters gathered that Dokpesi’s action came after he was summoned by the National Security Adviser (NSA) “who expressed Yar’adua’s displeasure with the program” which is aired as a morning show Monday to Friday. The NSA warned Dokpesi that Aruleba’s manner of hosting the program, which often featured critical segments on Yar’adua’s usurper-government, “threatens the security of the nation.” According to a source familiar with the interaction, the NSA “ordered Dokpesi to do something to curtail the excesses of Mr. Aruleba.”

One source also said an official in the NSA’s office also called Dokpesi aside and displayed the dossier the agency compiled on his corrupt dealings with Peter Odili, the former governor of Rivers state. The agency’s dossier suggested that Dokpesi received more than N500 million of Rivers State funds while acting as campaign manager for Odili’s ill-fated presidential run in 2007.

The NSA’s encounter was the second time Dokpesi has been confronted over the scam that enabled him to pocket hundreds of millions of Rivers State funds. Earlier this year, Saharareporters had exclusively reported that the EFCC briefly arrested and interrogated Dokpesi over the scam.

Another source said Dokpesi left the NSA’s office straight to his Abuja offices to order that Aruleba be dropped as the presenter of “Focus Nigeria.” The AIT owner reportedly told the rusticated presenter to prepare to proceed on a six-months course in London, UK. But a source said the course was a ruse. Our checks with sources in London revealed that the purported course had started on October 12 2009. Meanwhile, Aruleba has been relegated to the drudgery of administrative duties, managing the radio department of DAAR Communications. He has been effectively barred from presenting any programs on radio or television.

A source within the Yar’adua regime told us that Dokpesi has myriad problems, which makes him vulnerable to blackmail, some bordering on personality clashes with government officials, his reckless management style, and his knack for acts of “informal corruption.” A government insider said Dokpesi “is reputed to hustle around with politically exposed persons and he collects funds he cannot account for.”

One part of his latest brush with officials of the regime had to do with the N8.2 National Television Authority (NTA) billion equipment scam earlier exposed by Saharareporters. A source told us that Dokpesi had been reluctant to help Information Minister Dora Akunyili and top NTA officials to cover up the fact that the multi-billion-naira equipment meant to boost televised coverage of the ongoing Under-17 World Cup never arrived in the country. Dokpesi reportedly resisted pleas to allow the NTA to use AIT’s equipment for the U-17 World cup coverage “in order to cover up the non-delivery of the questionable equipment whose contract was rushed through by Mrs. Akunyili.”

In an embarrassing blow to Akunyili’s hollow effort to “rebrand” Nigeria’s image, FIFA officials have described the hosting and coverage of this year’s tournament as the worst in the history of the tournament.

One source close to Dokpesi said the NSA’s recent summons to the AIT’s owner was “partly aimed at twisting Chief Dokpesi’s hands to force him to agree to share equipment with NTA.”

Dokpesi, who calls himself a “high chief,” is also embroiled in trouble with his staff. “He owes us more than 10 months’ salary which he has failed to pay despite several agreements with officials of the local chapter of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ),” said one of the staffers. One source told Saharareporters that Dokpesi’s notoriety as a delinquent employer and his reputation for dilly dallying with corrupt former or serving governors “help his adversaries at the Presidency whenever they want to deal with him.” He added, “That’s exactly what happened when the government wanted Aruleba, a prolific presenter, out of the way.”

Aruleba is no stranger to official harassment. On June 25, 2006 he was arrested along with Rotimi Durojaiye, the senior aviation correspondent of Daily Independent. The two reporters were arrested and detained by the State Security Services (SSS) and charged with sedition by President Olusegun Obasanjo over a story they covered regarding the age of a newly purchased presidential jet. The case was later thrown out after their lawyer, Femi Falana, successfully argued in court that sedition was unknown to the Nigerian constitution.



http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4104:-ait-owner-raymond-dokpesi-yanks-popular-presenter-of-qfocus-nigeriaq-off-air-to-appease-the-yaradua-regime&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

Oboma1:
`


What do you want me to say again. The rot in this country is increasing daily and not showing any form of abating. I weep for Naija!

`


There is no point weeping, GOD will make us meet our turning point someday. Then, people will pay for every sin còmmitted against this blessed nation. It will happen very soon. It might not be this generation, but surely, it will.

What a pity. I even heard that, "People Deceive People", wants to expel Soludo. What a nation?. Yesterday, I watched many PDP members running to AC in Edo State. Are they not rushing, because they dont want to be left out of the National cake sharing formular? Even the state's Vice-chairman decamped. Na wah oh!.

Oboma1:
How will the prison officers force him when they have already jubilated that another big meat has arrived. Soon, you will hear that Bode George has left his double bunk bed for a private room in the prison, where there is DSTV, airconditioner, daily newspapers, internet facility, and telephone connection. Infact, I wont be surprise if he receives female visitors over night. All these for stealing billions. May GOD help you, if you steal a common foul in Nigeria, and you are a poor man. Heaven knows, Police will never see your case file for years.

NIGERIA I HAIL THEE!. LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

Obviously, Nigeria is a country where corruption is celebrated. I will not forget in a hurry, the day Bro. Alams was released. One thousand cars, formed a convoy that took the man to his village. He was so widely celebrated to the extent that, even internal media, were not left out. Children stood on the streets, waving the great hero. That is the level of decay.

The Day of Judgement Has Come, Now, Let All Those Who Benefited From Baba Iyabo's Legacy Be known. We Are Waiting For More Revelations Please.

Those bribed for OBJ’s 3rd Term Project
Politics Oct 31, 2009
By Aliyu Dangida


Farouk Adamu Aliyu,   member House of  Representatives for Birnin-Kudu/Buji from 2003-2007, was in the vanguard of struggle against third term bid of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo.  He headed various committees during his stint in the house.
In this Interview with Saturday Vanguard, Farouk ,one of the founding members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, speaks on the abortion of  third term bid ,  the mega party, and the amnesty to Niger Delta militants a couple of weeks ago etc.   EXCERPTS:
As one of the anti-third term law makers, how did you scuttle the project?
We were many but not in the majority. The people who wanted Obasanjo to continue were more. But the failure of the third term was sequel to the contribution of journalists and those of us at the National Assembly that stood against it.
So, in a nut shell,  I think Nigerians are the champions. As I said, at the National Assembly, those opposed to the project were not in the majority, because just before the kick off of the project,  there was a vote of confidence on Obasanjo by pro-third term legislatures, commending him on the way he handled the budgetary allocations of this country. We knew it was a testing ground. It was put to vote but they defeated us, which meant we are in the minority.

Farouk Adamu Aliyu and Obasanjo
But with the concerted efforts of Nigerians and indeed journalists and above all the Almighty God, we killed the third term agenda of the president Obasanjo.
Were you one of those bribed during the third term project?
I  am not. But some were offered money. You know, and everybody knows,  it was on air.  AIT covered the proceedings. I was certainly among the people that killed the project. So, I couldn’t have been paid. But yes, it is true.
Supporters of the project were paid a minimum of N50million each.  Some were   offered N250million. I know the former Majority Leader,  Honourable Abdul Ningi who was with us was offered N400million and Speaker Aminu Bello Masari, N500million.  And all the money was in cash, not cheque, to support the third term agenda. But they all refused to collect the money.
Why did you reject the money given to you?
I knew it wasn’t legitimate money for me to use. It was blood money and I didn’t believe in the project. I also didn’t believe in bribery, corruption and other things or that I should be paid to do my job. My antecedent has shown that I am not one of law makers that will go and collect money to do anything.
Most people think that some of you were denied tickets to return to the National Assembly in the 2007 general elections because of the role you played against the third term agenda. How true is it?
Yes, to some extent some of my colleagues were hunted by the former government for their stand against the third term agenda, more especially against the anti third term PDP law makers. Because we have some members from PDP who didn’t believe in the project.
But in my own case, I didn’t make any attempt to go back to the house as I wanted to contest for the governorship election in my own state, Jigawa which I couldn’t even get the ticket because there were no primaries.
But that one should be attributed to my own party. So, to me, I don’t blame the PDP for my failure to get the ticket in my party. But yes, it is true there are some members of the PDP who were denied candidature because of their stand against Olusegun Obasanjo.
It’s widely reported in the media that General Buhari is behind the agitation for the formation of a Mega Party. What is happening?
If you say Mega Party, General Buhari was not the initiator of Mega Party. Some people initiated Mega Party and then General Mohammadu Buhari was invited. I am a member of the Organizing Committee of the Mega Party.
On the issue of the Mega Party, we are talking to Bola Tinubu. We are talking to Orji Kalu. We are talking to disgruntled PDP members. There are six parties that endorsed General Buhari as their own candidate in the 2007 election. We are consulting. We have not foreclosed anything yet. We are going to get the aggregate view of everybody.
The problem with this country is so enormous that people shouldn’t rush, and we shouldn’t be rushed. People should allow us and make sure that we do a meticulous thinking to ensure that Nigeria get the best opposition party which the country is lacking, as at now.
In a very short while, you will get our own stand. What I mean is Buhari’s  stock on national issues and what we are going to do. Will we remain in the ANPP,  or we will go out or will form another party? But as at today,  as I am talking to you, we are bonafide members of the ANPP.
A month ago, the ANPP held a discussion in Kaduna on mega party. What is its outcome?
You know it is the part of the on-going discussion. Unfortunately,  and fortunately also, we are Muslims and Nigerians are either Christians or Muslims.
We all believe in reconciliation. We believe in peace.  We believe in the harmony of this country. Even though we do not agree with 90% of the leadership of the ANPP stand, that does not mean we cannot sit and reconcile.
In fact, we are praying and hoping that the reconciliation of ANPP will  succeed. If it succeeds, let’s remain in the ANPP. But if it doesn’t, like I told tell you,  we of the Buhari stock cannot continue to remain in the ANPP- If Ezeoke remains the Chairman of the Party; if Kumo remains the Secretary of the Party, and if some of our governors do not believe in opposition.
We are not enemies of the PDP. We keep telling people we are not enemies. But if our leaders do not believe that, we should remain where God has kept us: that is elections were conducted, flawed, as testified by everybody, and we went to court. The court said we have had election, and we have accepted the judgment of the court.
But we don’t believe in it. Which means we are law abiding citizens who want their country to progress. If our party will not remain as opposition…. Look, they said we lost the election. The court was confirmed that we lost the election.
Why should we join this government to continue to maltreat the Nigerian public? That is our main grouse.
We don’t believe the leadership of the ANPP believes in opposition, credible opposition in this country: certainly, people of character, people of intelligence, people that have Nigeria’s interest at heart that will challenge the PDP,  not in violence,  not in brigandage but on issues. So, until such time when we have such kind of leadership, that will be the reason why we will remain in the ANPP.
Nigeria is 49. How would you assess its journey so far?
It is a complete failure.  Nigeria at 49 is a complete failure; one complete failure of the elite, I inclusive; complete failure of the ruling political elite. We, the politicians, keep blaming the leadership. There has never been a consistent leadership for 10 years. The military have never led for 10 years. But the civilians have led for 10 years.
If you look at those of you that are from 30 upward, you have come to Nigeria to suffer, because you don’t know the good side of this country.
People like us who are above 40 and 50, we know when Nigeria had libraries, when in my place, Birnin-Kudu, there was a library, where,  as a student,  I could go to library, borrow a book and I knew when government was paying transport money for me.
I knew when you could put a child in Kano in a train to go to Calabar and go to school. All these things have gone.
So if you look at what is happening now, Nigeria is a complete failure, and unfortunately, the politicians have made it worse because Nigeria has never witnessed such  corruption in its entire life. Even the military have never ruined this country economically that we the politicians have done.
We cannot call the military jokers but you can call us the politicians jokers. Last week, there was a conference in Pittsburgh, of 20 developed nations. Tell me,  among the 20 countries, which of the countries Nigeria is going to overtake in the next 20 years?
The least country there is Indonesia, and tell me how Nigeria can unseat Indonesia in the next 20 years?
So, these are the kind of jokers we are talking about, a country without figures. We don’t know what we are doing as at today. Failure of the leadership or a failed state, everything has failed in this country. This is the sum total of Nigeria at 49. Let me take you back to the issue of in sincerity among us politicians. Some weeks ago, the Attorney-General of the Federation came out to say that… In fact, before that, there was this crisis of Boko Haram.
Before the crisis of Boko Haram, the Inspector General of Police was given an acting appointment, the present IG, as an acting Inspector General of Police.  The Boko Haram issue came up when the people were complaining that the leader of Boko Haram was killed.
He came out to say no, he was not killed, it was during gun battle. But it was proved to him that no, he was executed by the police along so many other people. What this government is supposed to do is to resign. But it went on to confirm Onovo as IG. This man presided over the execution of Nigerian citizens, unarmed Nigerian citizens.
The President himself even travelled to Brazil a week after such on ugly incident took place. Look,  this is the kind of insincerely I am talking about.
What is your impression of the Niger-Delta debacle?
Well, there are two issues to this one. As I told you, there is always wisdom and it is good to extend hand of friendship and peace to fellow Nigerians.
If we are all called Nigerians, and the President has sworn on the Holy Quran to deal with all of us the same. I think the government has not been fair to others in the country.
It is on record that this government is the only government that considers the plight of the Niger-Delta more than any other government. You have to give them that credit.
But this is the same government that refused to sit down with our lecturers who were on strike for three months. Who are not carrying out any arms. These are the same people, I mean the same government who sent in military and police to go and annihilate the Boko Haram sect.
They are Nigerians. I don’t think they deserved such kind of cruelty. Why didn’t the same government go in a peaceful manner? Or how come the intelligence agencies didn’t know about Boko Haram? How come it was allowed to act the way it acted?
To me, it is a complete failure of the intelligence community and lack of sincerity on the part of the government in dealing with one section of the country, different from another.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/31/those-bribed-for-objs-3rd-term-project/

Na wah oh!.

Following the abduction of Pa Simeon Soludo - father of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 6, 2010 governorship election in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo - his wife, Veronica, has been moved to an unknown destination.
Family sources told THISDAY yesterday that the movement was for security reasons.
A five-man gang of gunmen operating in a black Mercedes Benz 190 saloon car had stormed Soludo’s family house in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and abducted the 78-year-old man.
The Soludo Campaign Organisation had claimed Wednesday that a group which called itself “Omega 12” had contacted the organisation demanding N5 billion as ransom to “defray political expenses”.
Security has, however, been beefed up around the Soludos at their family house in Isuofia.
Elder brother to the former CBN governor, Emmanuel, told sympathizers who called at their home that the security beef-up became necessary as a result of the kidnap of their patriarch.
He narrated how the hoodlums besieged their home, saying as soon as they arrived, they got hold of the two children they saw in the compound who they used as “human shield” while embarking on a frantic search of all the rooms ostensibly for the old man’s cell phone which they immediately confiscated on sighting it.
According to him, they thereafter took hold of their father who had just finished taking his bath and was about taking dinner.
“He has washed his hands to begin to eat, but they didn’t allow him before taking him away,” he said, adding that on dragging him to their black Mercedes Benz 190 saloon car, one of the kidnappers vacated his position in the back seat of the car, forced Pa Soludo into the seat sandwiched by two others, while he forced himself into the booth of the car before it sped off.
Another relation of the Soludos, Chike Anyaonu, expressed worry over Pa Soludo’s failing health before the kidnappers took him away as the old man was not allowed to take his drugs along.
More worrisome, he said, was that they had not heard his voice to establish whether he was still alive or dead.
“Indeed, we are worried about his age, failing health and poor eye sight,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Philemon Leha, has said the former CBN governor is yet to make an official report to the police command about his father’s abduction.
Leha, in a chat with journalists in Awka last night, said he had expected the PDP candidate to lodge an official complaint in line with normal procedure.
Also reacting to the incident, the pioneer chairman of PDP in Anambra State, Chief Joseph Okonkwo, described the act as wicked and irresponsible, adding that the abductors stood to gain nothing from their actions.
He expressed regrets that the kidnappers had struck at a time the state was witnessing tranquillity for more than two months, adding that the combined security agencies of the police, the military and local vigilante had been working hard to ensure that hoodlums were kept at bay.
He prayed that the kidnappers would see reason and release the old man unharmed to the embrace of his family.
The state Police Command had Wednesday invited a PDP chieftain in the state, Chief Chris Uba, for questioning over the kidnap. Others invited for questioning were those who organised the Emmaus House rally in Awka, the state capital, against Soludo’s candidature on the same day Pa Soludo was kidnapped.
Leha said the invitation arose from the fact that it was shortly after the rally, where scathing remarks were made against Soludo’s candidature, that his father was kidnapped.
Some forces within PDP in the state opposed to the candidature of the former CBN governor had converged on Akwa on Tuesday to signify their rejection of Soludo as the party’s flag bearer.


http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=158463