₦airaland Forum

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, has predicted that the next President after Goodluck Jonathan will not be up to 50 years.



He said giving the numerical strength of youths in the country, it would be difficult for anyone to defeat them in future elections.



Bankole, who spoke at the inauguration of the Peoples Democratic Party youth campaign committee in Abuja on Wednesday, said Nigerian youths were not aware that they had huge political power.



He said the youths alone constituted close to 70 per cent of the voters registered for the April elections as shown in the register released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.



He said with such power, youths could take advantage of the opportunity being offered by the administration of Jonathan such that they would vote for him overwhelmingly to become President in April and then begin to insist that his successor must come among them in 2015.



The Speaker said the bulk of work in the April polls would be done by members of National Youth Service Corps who he said are youths.



“This is an indication that the youths of the country are being recognised already by the government to play very strategic roles in nation building,” he added.



Bankole told the youths to take a cue from western countries which he said have been exercising wisdom by empowering their youths to take up positions of leadership.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103172263175

;d ;d ;d ;d

The Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Adetunji Olurin (retd), has warned Governor Gbenga Daniel to refrain from spending public funds recklessly or risk going to jail.

Olurin who spoke during the flag-off of his campaign at Ilaro in Yewaland, yesterday stated that any moves by Daniel to fund the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) with state money, would lead him to jail.

The governorship hopeful was apparently referring to allegation that Daniel had directed all the 20 local government caretaker chairmen to raise N25million each within 72 hours.
“Anybody who did what will make him to be in prison will end up in prison. Anybody who uses public funds unjustly will go to jail.
“Those who fund political parties with government money will go to jail. It is not my own law; it is the constitution that says so. I don’t like catching thieves. I prevent thieves from stealing. I don’t want to dissipate my energy catching thieves when I can prevent them from stealing,” Olurin warned.

But in a swift reaction, the PPN in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Raheem Ajayi, said there was no iota of truth in Olurin’s allegation. Ajayi said the PDP was being haunted by the mandate stolen from its party’s candidate. Olurin who promised to ensure accountability and prudent management said he had the responsibility of moving the state forward by bringing desired change and development where needed.

Speaking at the rally, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, advised the party supporters to eschew violence in the coming elections. He, however, told them to retaliate if they were attacked by anybody or group. “Don’t fight anybody as we are law-abiding citizens, but if anybody pushes you to the wall, you have to find a way out by defending yourselves,” he said.

He also described the act of spending public money recklessly by public office holders at all levels of governments for electoral purposes as criminal. “It is an act that should be discouraged. Public fund is meant for development of the people and not as campaign fund.”

The former President described Olurin as a hardworking and honest man, saying, “I know his reputation in Ogun I know his reputation in Oyo State. When we wanted to stop the rascality in Ekiti State, we looked for people to use and three ex-soldiers and three ex-civilian administrators were brought but Olurin came out as the best among them.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/mar/17/national-17-03-2011-001.htm

Tragedy hit the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign train on Tuesday as the convoy of the Katsina State governor which was on its way to receive President Goodluck Jonathan at Daura town was involved in a multiple collision with two buses conveying some party supporters.

Although Governor Ibrahim Shema and his running mate, Abdullahi Garba Faskari, cheated death by the whiskers in the auto crash, no fewer than eight persons, including the governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Mr. Aminu Ibrahim, died on the spot.

The crash reportedly occurred at Zaka Aliyan village, near Mashi, about 20 minutes from Katsina.
An eyewitness told Daily Sun that the ADC, who was traveling with his boss in the same car, three supporters of the PDP in a bus that collided head-on with Shema’s Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and another four faithful of the party in another bus that crashed into the ill-fated vehicles all died on the spot.

The governor was going to Daura while the two buses conveying the PDP supporters were going towards Katsina town.
Investigations also revealed that about 20 others who escaped with various degrees of injury were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina.

The remains of the ADC and three of the victims were also deposited in a morgue of the hospital.
Dependable sources close to the hospital, however, told Daily Sun that the remains of the ADC and the driver of one of the affected buses were removed from the centre before mid day for burial according to Islamic rites.

President Jonathan, however, arrived Katsina in the afternoon and was received by Governor Shema who accompanied him on a visit to the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, and the party elders at the PDP secretariat before proceeding to the Katsina Polo ground, to address the rally despite the tragedy.
Speaking at the low-key rally, President Jonathan told the crowd that he would tackle the nation’s problems.
The governor was believed to have been slightly injured but he did not betray it at the rally.

The president, who said his campaign train was reflecting on the demise of former President Umar Yar’Adua on their way to Katsina when he learnt of the fatal crash involving Shema’s convoy, assured that he would not disappoint the state and the nation.
He insisted that the robust plan, which the late Yar’Adua could not actualise would be completed by the current administration in the next four years.
“He (Yar’Adua) had a robust plan for Nigeria. He had seven-point agenda. A number of things were planned by us. In the eight years that we expected him to run the Federal Government, a number of things would have been taken for granted. Things like power, water and a number of things,” the PDP presidential flag-bearer stated.

Jonathan, who also commissioned a number of projects executed by the state governor, particularly hailed the three-lane ring road going round Katsina town as “a major investment that has brought a major facelift to Katsina.”
He also paid courtesy call on the Yar’Adua’s family in Katsina and promised that he would continue to work with the people of the state politically and otherwise.
Earlier, Governor Shema had assured that the party would deliver the state in the April elections, saying the electorate had seen in the PDP the prospects of sustaining people-oriented policies.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has condoled with the Governor Shema.
“I wish to convey to Your Excellency the commiseration of the people and government of Edo State as well as my personal condolence over this unfortunate incident,” Oshiomhole said.
In his letter, the governor added: “We share your deep anguish over the death of such a close and effective confidant and aide. I had met Aminu on a few occasions and do remember him as a charming and resourceful officer, who invested so much energy into his duties. Yet, we must bear the pain of his demise with equanimity, since we cannot question the will of Allah (SWT).

“Our fervent prayer is that Allah (SWT) will extend His mercy to Aminu and grant him Alijanna Firdaus, as befitting a favoured servant. We also pray God to give you and the family the strength and courage to bear the loss.”
While expressing his sympathy to the Katsina Governor, Oshiomhole said: “We thank Allah for your survival and for the survival of others, who were involved in the accident with Your Excellency. We pray for the continued protection of Allah (SWT) as we all engage in the electioneering campaign.”






http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/mar/16/national-16-03-2011-01.htm

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of deploying “rough arm tactics” to intimidate the opposition.
Governor Fashola, who spoke to aviation correspondents at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos, yesterday, said, “the PDP currently controls most of the states in the country, yet it has resorted to rough arm tactics, preparing the ground for violence and rigging.

“Nigerians will not succumb to this charade this time. They are going to vote out the PDP in every state that they exist and even at the federal level. This tyranny of power must come to an end, they have lost touch with the people, they have lost the common touch, and they are insensitive,” the governor said.

Governor Fashola also wondered why the PDP was shying away from public debates, saying, “We have allowed their candidates and any candidate, who has something to offer in our state to come and contest in this exchange of ideas, this is what Nigerians want to hear.

“They don’t want an exchange of ideas, they have nothing to show people and therefore are resorting to violence and frustration of the opposition. Nigerians are more intelligent now and there are lots of ways to communicate and share ideas. You will see what the results of this election will show, a very strong rejection of the PDP across board, this time around, they will get the red card,” Fashola stated.

http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13973:fashola-accuses-pdp-of-intimidating-opposition&catid=1:news&Itemid=2

Disturbed by the waning bilateral relations between Nigeria and the US government over the perceived lack of vigour in the anti-corruption fight, late President Umaru Yar’Adua asked James Ibori, the corrupt former governor of Delta State, to turn himself in to the British Metropolitan Police.

According to a U.S. diplomatic cable, made available to NEXT, Bukola Saraki, Kwara State governor, a close friend of Mr. Ibori and confidant of Mr. Yar’Adua, said this in a chat with former US ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders.

“The president is not in a political position to ban Ibori from some limited access to him. The Ibori situation is a problem for the president and he knows it, and is doing his best to convince Ibori to hand himself over to the British authorities so that the country can move on,” Mr. Saraki told the US ambassador.

Mr. Yar’Adua found himself in a fix. On the one hand, the US and other international partners were mounting pressure on him to strengthen the fight against corruption, demanding action on particularly high profile cases. On the other hand, Mr. Ibori, who had a pending case brought against him by the former leadership of the EFCC, had emerged as Mr. Yar’Adua’s chief financier in the 2007 presidential elections and one of the most powerful figures in the administration.

Mr. Ibori would not be swayed. In response, according to Mr. Saraki, the president enlisted the help of other influential parties. Still, the former Delta State governor, who is currently fighting his extradition to the UK from the United Arab Emirates where he was arrested last year, would not budge.

“We are all trying to convince Ibori that this is the best option for the country, but Ibori is not on board yet to do this,” the governor lamented to the U.S. ambassador.

Mr. Saraki, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, did not say whether the late president’s desire that Mr. Ibori surrender to the UK was an indication of his lack of confidence in the ability of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but he did state clearly that the late president was not keen on asking the EFCC to try Mr. Ibori.

Mr. Yar’Adua would never “pick up the phone to try to influence the EFCC or Chairman Waziri,” he said.

“The USG (United States Government) and the rest of the international community need to appreciate that Yar’Adua is not going to do anything to interfere with the EFCC investigation of Ibori, of any of the other ex-governors, or of anyone else brought before the EFCC,” Mr. Saraki added.

Saraki reprimands US

The Kwara State governor went on to rebuke the ambassador over the actions of the US government, which had suspended all ties with the EFCC as a sanction over what the US perceived as a lack of seriousness in the anti-graft fight.

Mr. Saraki complained about the “tone and the style (threats, etc)” of a US diplomatic petition about the new leadership of the EFCC, implying that his boss did not appreciate the bully stance of the US government.

“The main challenge is not so much the USG concerns about the EFCC and its doing better - we get that and appreciate that - but the way we are talked to, as well as closing down any dialogue with the EFCC chairwoman and not giving her a chance, is what bothers us.

“The Brits feel like you on the EFCC and wanting to see results on key cases, but they have gone about it in a much better manner so that we are willing to listen to them,” Mr. Saraki had said.

The US ambassador was not moved by Mr. Saraki’s apparent disapproval of US methods.

“Ambassasdor pushed back, pointing out that without progress on cases such as that of ex-governor Ibori, there is probably not any likelihood that our posture would change,” Ms. Sanders said in her report.

Mr. Saraki could not be reached for comments on Monday. Contacted via telephone, his chief press secretary, Masud Adebimpe, said he was travelling and would return our call on arriving his destination. He did not call back as at press time on Monday.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5683307-146/story.csp

The emergence of Vincent Ogbulafor as National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2008 was a result of deft political manoeuvring and intense power play among three former Nigerian presidents which saw the camp of late President Umaru Yar’Adua triumphing, according to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable made available to NEXT.

Bukola Saraki, the Kwara State governor, told former U.S ambassador, Robin Sanders, during a meeting on September 22, 2008 that he used his powerful position as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to help Mr. Yar’Adua’s anointed candidate emerge victorious.

Mr. Ogbulafor was foisted on the party after other contestants including a former President of the Senate, Pius Anyim and former Governor Sam Egwu, who were clearly front runners, were compelled to step down for him. Defeat starred the other contestants in the face after the PDP Governors’ Forum of which Mr. Saraki doubled as chairman, anointed Mr. Ogbulafor.

Mr. Babangida backed Mr. Anyim at the time while Mr. Obasanjo rooted for Mr. Egwu. Mr. Saraki said the two candidates had to be stopped to block the two former presidents from taking over the party machinery.

Mr. Saraki boasted that he deployed his influence, working hand in hand with Governors Namadi Sambo of Kaduna and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina (who Ms. Sanders described as ‘the new power entity within the North’) to take control of the PDP.

“Saraki and these younger Northern governors believe that they have demonstrated their prowess over the last eight months as they have gotten Yar’Adua to respond to many of their requests, including, they believe, controlling the PDP and blocking both former Presidents Obasanjo and Babangida from seating their candidates as PDP chairmen,” Ms. Sanders reported to her principals in Washington shortly after the meeting with the governor.

Mr. Saraki further said that the governors were doubly loyal to the late president.

“Saraki noted that most governors like Yar’Adua ‘because he does not meddle in their State affairs, quite different from former President Obasanjo’,” the former US ambassador wrote.

Gaining Yar’Adua’s confidence

Mr. Saraki claimed that his role in the PDP chairmanship show of power endeared him to the late president. Before Mr. Yar’Adua passed on in May, 2010, the Kwara State governor had become a member of the late president’s kitchen cabinet and one of the few who had uninhibited access to him. He was constantly mentioned as an influential member of the close knit group popularly called the Yar’Adua cabal.

Mr. Saraki gained Mr. Yar’Adua’s trust and was quickly drawn into the late president’s inner circle after the emergence of Mr. Ogbulafor as the PDP chairman.

“Since then, Yar’Adua has continually included him in high level conversations about federal government issues, such as the new cabinet line-up,” Ms. Sanders’ report of September 24, 2008 stated, adding that her meeting with the Kwara State governor two days earlier took place shortly after Mr. Yar’Adua’s inner circle meeting in which Mr. Saraki was in attendance.

“He met with the Ambassador just after finishing a 3-hour session with Yar’Adua where he said they were ‘finishing up touches on personalities in the next cabinet’.”

Mr. Saraki was quick to share with the former US ambassador that he was not alone in Mr. Yar’Adua’s close circle. The governors of Katsina, Rivers, Kano, and Kaduna, Mr. Saraki claimed, were influential as well. Topping the list of Yar’Adua’s confidant however was Turai, the late president’s wife, whom he described as the ‘single most powerful influence’ on the late president.

An ailing boss

Mr. Saraki, a medical doctor by profession, became close enough to the late president to comment on the state of his heath. Far back in 2008 when the late President’s state of health still appeared manageable, the Kwara State governor recognised the gravity of Mr. Yar’Adua’s condition but said Nigerians were saddled with him.

“I am a medical doctor so I am not going to soft peddle the issue; the President has serious health problems. This is something the country is going to have to understand,” he said adding that he thought the president’s kidney problems could be carefully managed.

Ms. Sanders concluded that Mr. Saraki’s function in Yar’Adua’s inner circle, in the face of his failing health, was tied to his leadership position and the resulting influence in the PDP.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5683308-146/story.csp

The campaign rally of General Mohammed Buhari, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate for the April general elections was held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday in defiance of the state government’s order that the rally should not hold.

Although, the state government shut the entrance gate leading to Mapo hall, venue of the rally, CPC, nevertheless mounted podium at Bere, Molete, Orita-merin axis of the hall to address the large crowd of party supporters who had stormed the venue as early as 7.a.m.

However, the event could not start as scheduled due to the late arrival of General Buhari who arrived Ibadan alongside his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare and other party leaders more than five hours behind the scheduled time of 12.00 p.m.
The campaign train had earlier visited Pastor Enoch Adeboye in Lagos to receive spiritual blessings, and the palace of Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Osile Oke-Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso as well as the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona all in Ogun State, for royal blessings.
Before his arrival, popular musicians, Sir Shina Peters and Alhaji Kollington Ayinla entertained party faithful who defied the hot weather to witness the rally.

Addressing party supporters, Buhari said the utmost on the agenda of the party was to ensure true federalism so that each federating unit was allowed to develop at its pace without any hindrance. He lamented the level of decay that had befell the nation’s infrastructure with a promise that his party would bring about the desired change and ensure total infrastructure development if voted into power in the April election. His words “Nigerians are aware of the level of decay in our infrastructure, especially in the areas of road, water, education, health, power among others, but we are more than ready to fix all of them. Emphasis will be placed on road contruction to ensure that food gets to the urban centres from the rural areas at cheaper prices.
We will ensure also that every worker is satisfied with his or her take-home pay and jettison the current situation where the so-called take-home pay does not take workers to the middle of the month.”

He stressed the need to ensure that the coming election was not rigged the way it was done in the past. While urging the electorate to organize themselves and monitor their votes so to ensure that their votes count, “It is not enough to cast your vote, monitor it from the point of casting, to the point of counting and collation; from the ward to the local, and the state levels.” Speaking earlier, the vice-presidential candidate of the party, Pastor Tunde Bakare took the ruling PDP to the cleaners, describing it as the party which had inflicted poverty, hunger and other forms of hardships on the masses of the country. Bakare, who used unprintable words to describe the party, added that the 12 years of governance by the party was nothing but misfortune for the nation. He added that God would punish them for their roles in the nation’s under-development.

The cleric cum politician lamented the abysmal level at which education had been taken reduced by the rudderless style of the ruling PDP, urging the people of the state to reject the ruling party with their votes in the coming elections, saying ,CPC was the only party that could bring the desired change the nation needed.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/mar/15/national-15-03-2011-01.htm

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he has nothing to hide.



He said that rather than engaging in media trial, the anti-graft agency should take him to court if it felt that it had sufficient case against him.



The former minister was responding to a claim by the commission that it had commenced his probe over the ownership of certain firms.



The commission had claimed that the need for fresh investigation was as a result of allegation that el-Rufai might have acquired some companies while in office.



But el-Rufai, in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, in Abuja on Monday, said the commission was up to falsehood.



He said the minister did not have any multi-billion naira assets in any telecommunications company or in real estate anywhere.



The statement read, “Amidst the avalanche of news items about another EFCC investigation of his assets, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai wishes to notify the public that the EFCC is up to its usual pastime of dealing in innuendo and falsehood.



“Mallam El-Rufai does not have multi-billion naira assets in any telecommunications company or in real estate anywhere.



“He was a successful professional, recognised as a leader in his specialty as a quantity surveyor and able in that capacity to earn reasonable income.”



On the former minister’s economic status before taking up political appointment, he said, “Mallam el-Rufai was a dollar millionaire in his 20s, and he did not come into public service as a hungry, desperate pauper looking for loot to facilitate social climbing.



“He is justifiably proud of his professional accomplishments, and the assets and lifestyle he established before he accepted any public office.”



He flayed the commission for coming up with unsubstantiated claims.



He added, “The EFCC claimed in December 2008 that it had declared Mallam El-Rufai wanted over a purported missing N32bn proceeds from the sale of Federal Government houses in Abuja.



“It publicised this falsehood at every opportunity, but it has been unable to file charges because the N32bn claim is useful only for the purposes of besmirching the character and record of an exemplary public servant.”



He recalled that the earlier charges filed by the EFCC were quashed and dismissed by the Federal High Court, saying, “The EFCC has again filed the matter in the Abuja High Court, but that is expected to suffer the same fate.”







http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103151285159

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has informed a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former Edo State Governor, Lucky Igbinedion, embezzled over N19bn of the state funds through his aides.



In a counter-affidavit filed before Justice Mohammed Idris, the EFCC gave details of how Igbinedion allegedly used his fronts, including his younger brother, Michael, and his aides – Patrick Eboigbodin, Amadin Eriyo and Harrison Aigbedion – in laundering the state’s funds.



According to the EFCC, Amadin worked with Igbinedion as a messenger and personal assistant, while Eboigbodin served as his senior special assistant.



The EFCC disclosed this in a counter-affidavit deposed to by a police officer attached to the agency, Mr. Lawal Abdullahi. The application was in response to a motion by Igbinedion, asking the court to vacate an order of interim attachment of assets made against him.



Igbinedion had claimed that the EFCC had misled Justice Idris to obtain the order, saying that the EFCC kept the information relating to his past conviction on the same offence where he entered a plea bargaining with the commission.



But the EFCC had filed the counter-affidavit against the application of Igbinedion.



The anti-graft agency further claimed that there was no similarity of facts in the case in which Igbinedion was earlier convicted on a plea bargaining and the new charge filed against him and some others.



The EFCC added that the fresh charge pending against Igbinedion and some of his aides before a Federal High Court in Benin relates to how the ex-governor diverted over N19bn through his fronts.



The agency also urged the court to decline the ex-governor’s application on the grounds that the order was justly made.



The EFCC had claimed that it received various petitions against Igbinedion, saying that its investigation of the ex-governor’s activities while in office revealed that all the assets attached were those he allegedly acquired with stolen funds.



The EFCC’s police officer, Abdullahi, further claimed in the counter-affidavit that Amadin and Eboigbodin were earlier charged with Igbinedion in the 2008 case, saying, however, that their names were removed from the charge, following their escape from the country. He also accused the ex-governor of aiding their escape.



The EFCC further denied that it entered into any agreement with Igbinedion in relation to all funds illegally withdrawn from Edo State’s accounts and accused the ex-governor of illegally withdrawing funds from the state’s Local Government Joint Allocation Account under false pretence.



At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, lawyer to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, told Justice Idris that his client had filed a counter-affidavit against Igbinedion’s application, seeking to set aside the court’s interim order on his properties.



But the lawyer to Igbinedion, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), told the court that he needed time to respond to the EFCC’s allegations.



The case has been adjourned till Friday.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103151465828

Twenty-five days to the first in the series of the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has settled for the Modified Open Ballot System (MOBS) for the conduct of the April polls.

This is one of the high points of decisions taken during a meeting of the hierarchy of the commission with the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) which ended in Abuja on Friday.
Also the National Chairman of the Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega is putting necessary measures in place to checkmate its officers who might be willing tools in the hands of politician as he is setting up a task force to monitor the RECs and other top officers in the State.

Against the tradition for general elections, the electoral commission, has also resolved to do away with the federal civil servants and school teachers as ad-hoc staff for the elections, as findings by the commission had revealed that these categories of people have ended being potential collaborators for election rigging and sundry electoral malpractices. Instead, the commission decided to continue with the deployment for electoral duties, of corps members, most of whom are serving in states other than those of their origin.

At the end of the meeting to which the RECs were summoned to explore options available to the commission for hitch-free elections as well as credible free and fair, the commission management and the RECs agreed that RECs should be held responsible for any electoral infraction recorded during the election except it has to with security related issues. Another innovation which the meeting agreed to initiate is the appointment of Supervisory Polling Officers (SPO) to monitor clustered wards during elections so as to bring sanity to prevail and ensure transparency. The Polling Officers (PO) and Polling Assistants (PA) at the ward level would report to SPO.

One of the RECs, who spoke on condition of anonymity on the decisions reached at the meeting said the MOBS was adopted for the conduct of the forthcoming elections after extensive considerations and deliberations on various options available and the right and most suitable one in the present circumstance.
It was the thinking of the RECs and other members of management of INEC that the MOBS would stem the tide of collaboration for rigging purposes as the method will frustrate malpractices and guarantee the right and independence of voters to secretly make their choice during elections.

The MOBS, the REC explained was just a modified version of the popular open ballot system used in the June 12, 1993 elections widely acclaimed as the freest in the political annals of Nigeria. “The difference is that while open ballot exposed voters to everyone on their choice, the MOBS, though open but will allow voters make their choice secretly. “While accreditation and release of ballot papers to a voter could be done openly, the voter would thereafter retire to a secret place to exercise his franchise”, he stated.

The electoral commissioner explained further that accreditation of voters has been planned to take place at the same time throughout the federation while voting is also expected to start simultaneously. However, immediately after accreditation, a policeman would be made stand at the back of the last voter accredited so as to prevent non-accredited person to join the queue.

According to him, the meeting resolved that votes be counted and announced at the polling units, before it entered into the Form EC40, which would be signed by representatives of the various political parties, security agents, INEC officials and other relevant stakeholders and pasted at the voting unit immediately.
Said he:“Once accreditation stops, voting commences immediately. Before the commencement of voting, the number of accredited voters would be counted and the number of votes should not be more than accredited voters, it should be less.

A policeman would stand at the end of the queue, behind the last person during accreditation. The result of the election would be announced on the spot and filled into Form EC40 which will be pasted on the wall at the voting units and signed by all relevant stakeholders. “INEC is not going to use primary school teachers and states’ civil servants for the elections.

They are agents of rigging and susceptible to politicians to manipulate. In a situation where youth corps members are not enough, we are going to make use of staff of federal parastatals. supervisory polling officers would also be introduced to keep vigil over the conduct of the elections in two or three wards in a local government area.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/mar/14/national-14-03-2011-001.htm

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Chief Iyiola Omisore, will not return to the Senate after the April election.



Speaking at a campaign rally in Ijebu-Jesa and Oriade communities on Saturday, Aregbesola said the ambition of Omisore to become the Senate president in the next political dispensation would fail.



Addressing Action Congress of Nigeria supporters at the rally, Aregbesola said the ambition of Omisore was a pipedream.



The governor, who was in company with the ACN senatorial candidate for Osun-East district, Mr Jide Omoworare, urged the party’s broom-wielding supporters to vote massively for the ACN.



He said, “Nigerians have departed from the Peoples Democratic Party and will reject the ruling party at the poll next month.



“Omisore wants to become the President of the Senate. Tell him that it is a dream of a dog that will never be narrated. It is a dream of a dog that will never be told to the outside world.”



But Omisore has faulted the claim of the governor in his reaction, saying it was out of place for Aregbesola to comment on his political future. He also claimed that he would defeat the ACN at the poll.



Omisore said, “Is he (Aregbesola) the one going to vote? Who told him (Aregbesola) that the Senate presidency is zoned to Osun State? Is he a PDP member? Our great party will maintain the current zoning formula. Aregbesola can’t win one ward in my zone.



“I know my people and my people know me; I have the full support of my people.



“Aregbesola and the ACN are jittery because they know that their days are numbered. I remain the number one factor in Osun politics because I have endeared myself to the hearts of the people.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103143455045

The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is expected to meet the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Monday at the Redemption Camp.



Buhari, who will also hold consultations with prominent traditional rulers in Ogun and Oyo states, is expected to commence the campaign of the CPC in the South-West at Mapo Hall, Ibadan on Monday (today).



The vice-presidential candidate of the CPC, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said this while speaking at the Sunday service of the Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, where he is the serving overseer.



Bakare, who gave details of the presidential campaign of the party, said the former military head of state would be at the Redemption Camp to consult and seek the blessing of the renowned cleric before he would visit other traditional rulers in Abeokuta and Ijebu Ode.



“He (Buhari) will on Monday see the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Adeboye, and seek his blessing for what we are doing.



“Thereafter, we will hold a meeting with the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, before we move on to Ijebu Ode to hold another round of meeting with the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona. The Awujale has summoned all the traditional rulers in the area for the meeting.



“We will then move to Ibadan to meet the Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, from where we will move to Mapo Hall for our presidential campaign rally.”



Bakare added that the party had been overwhelmed by the support and the turnout of party supporters in the states of the country where the CPC had held its campaign rally.



He noted that the Oyo State Government had communicated to the party that it would not be able to hold the campaign at Mapo Hall, Ibadan on Monday (today) as earlier approved by the government.



“But we are men of peace in CPC; we will not react to that. The government said it will not allow us to use the place again because the PDP will use the place on Tuesday. One thing I’m sure of is that we have paid for the usage of Mapo Hall on Monday and that is where the campaign will hold. It is time we liberated our people from the slavery of the past 12 years,” he said.



The cleric maintained that the CPC presidential flag bearers remained the only team that could tackle corruption and save the nation from a looming disaster.



Bakare said, “You can’t wipe away corruption with brooms, by sweeping the floor; it is more serious than that. We need a caterpillar to do that. Buhari and Bakare remain the only hope to tackle corruption.



“We don’t have the money to throw around; some other parties are throwing billions around the country to deceive the people but we count on the power of the people, the votes of Nigerians to give the victory.



Another four years of Peoples Democratic Party government in this country will sink Nigeria.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103141122075

The decision of the Federal Government to increase the age of imported used vehicles from 10 years to 15 years has led to a marginal increase in the number of such vehicles brought into the country. However, the government is set to review the policy following criticisms by stakeholders, RASHEED BISIRIYU writes An increase of over 30 per cent may have been recorded in the importation of used cars into Nigeria, about three months after the Federal Government raised the age limit from 10 years to 15 years, investigation has shown.



But dealers of tokunbo cars, as the vehicles are popularly called, say nothing has changed in terms of sales figure. They claim that the new government policy, announced in November last year, had not translated into higher sales for them.



But a review of the policy may be in the offing, following continued criticism by local auto manufacturers, dealers and other concerned industrialists.



A circular from the Federal Ministry of Finance with reference number; BD.12237/S.403/Vol.1/206 and dated November 19, 2010, which was sent to relevant agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, stated that the President had granted an “extension of the age of used motor vehicles to be imported into the country from 10 years to 15 years from the year of manufacture.”



This has generated a heated debate from the public, with manufacturers and dealers of new vehicles vehemently condemning the policy as being retrogressive and capable of frustrating current plans to make more Nigerians drive new cars.



The Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association, which decried the policy, noted that its negative impact outweighed the short term benefits and, therefore, called for stricter control of the inflow of used vehicles.



The association also said that overused vehicles, which could no longer satisfy the emission standards in their countries of origin, would be imported to Nigeria. This, it stressed, would add to the country’s environmental problems and drain its resources.



An investigation conducted by our correspondent in Lagos on Saturday, indicated that a marginal increase had been recorded in the number of used vehicles imported into the country since January, when the 15 year age limit was expected to have taken effect.



The Public Relations Officer, NCS, PTML Command, Lagos, Mr. Chris Ogbonna, put the increase at about 30 per cent.



Although Ogbonna could not give accurate figure of vehicles that came into the country after the announcement because he was not with the record, he said, “Generally, there ought to be an increase in the cars. It may not be an upsurge. For instance, if we were having 100 cars before now, it should be between 120 cars and 130 cars now.”



Figures obtained by our correspondent from the Nigerian Ports Authority on the shipping position from January 28 to March 10, 2011, lent credence to the Customs man’s position.



For instance, the January 28 shipping position showed that 1,400 vehicles were imported as contained in some of the vessels waiting to berth at the ports. It also gave an average of 2,000 used vehicles on every shipping position list in February.



A similar trend followed in March. For instance, the March 4 list presented 2, 800 used vehicles; March 8, 2,250 vehicles, and March 10, 1,895 vehicles.



The Managing Director, Anafi Investment Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Shuaib Anafi, said it would take about five months to really know the impact of the new policy.



“It usually takes between 45 and 90 days for vehicles ordered from Europe to arrive the country,” he said.



He, however, admitted that there had been a marginal increase in the number of used vehicles being imported. The increase, he noted, was for vehicles whose ages ranged from 10 years to 15 years.



But the car dealers were of the view that the increase in the age limit of vehicles being imported had not affected their sales figure in any way. Government, they said, had only “snatched” some of the old vehicles away from the neighbouring countries’ ports and unauthorised borders.



The Managing Director, Sharp Cars Limited, a Lagos-based auto dealer, Mr. Ubani Chigozie, said that the ban on the importation of some old vehicles had not prevented over-aged vehicles from coming into the country.



He described the policy as an after-thought and that it had not changed anything. “No one dealer can say it has improved his business. When the ban was in force, the cars were still coming in,” he said.



But the Federal Government may soon reverse the policy, according to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye. He gave the hint in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Saturday.



Although Martins-Kuye said that the policy was expected to assist people in the middle-class, who could not afford new cars, the government, he said, was worried about the spate of criticisms trailing the policy reversal and the concern expressed by local manufacturers.



He said, “The whole idea is that the Nigerian government wanted the middle class to come back to boost the economy. Government felt that the tokunbo vehicles were more affordable to the middle class.



“But that decision will be revisited as soon as possible. There is a new thinking in government and the issue may be revisited because this is a listening government. All the comments are being harvested and they will be acted upon. I don’t know how soon.”



The minister, who said that government was seriously thinking about bringing back more motor assembling plants, expressed regret that the project was not one of the things he could point at as an achievement since he returned to the government in the last one year.



He recalled that Nigeria used to have viable assembling plants in the 1970s, which increased from two to six.



“In South Africa, they currently have about 16 assembling plants producing vehicles, some of which come to Nigeria. We are importing about 80,000 Toyota vehicles; the albatross of our industrial development is electricity,” he said.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103142391884

Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel has said that he had foreknowledge of the booing that greeted his presence at the official flag off of president Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential campaign rally in Abeokuta.



Daniel, who is the South West Peoples Democratic Party Coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign, was booed by the supporters of the PDP at the rally at the MKO Stadium in Abeokuta on Saturday.



But Daniel in his reaction to the matter on Sunday, said the perpetrators of the act were sponsored from neighbouring states.



In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo, Daniel said, “On Saturday during President Jonathan’s campaign tour of Ogun State, a section of the crowd acting on the prompting of those who hired them made uncomplimentary remarks when the name of Governor Daniel was called by officials during proceedings at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.



“For the avoidance of doubt, we want to put it on record that there was nothing spontaneous about the disrespectful act to the person and office of the Governor of Ogun State.



“It was a premeditated act by the sponsors of the ignoble act who having failed to get Daniel not to attend the event decided to embarrass him at the venue.



“They had hired some undesirable elements mainly from outside the state and briefed them to heckle the governor during the event.”



The statement added, “It is not that we were not aware of the plot.



“Indeed various scenarios were considered prior to the visit of the President to Ogun State. Some of the governor’s advisers had counselled that supporters of the governor should be mobilised to the venue to counter the plot which had already been uncovered by security agents.”



But the statement added that the governor overruled this suggestion because of security considerations.



According to the statement, “the situation could degenerate to a face-off between both sides which would have seriously embarrassed the President and mar the visit. And the plotters would have gone to town accusing the governor of violence.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103141221889

Opposition parties and their presidential candidates on Wednesday berated the Peoples Democratic Party for its refusal to sign the reviewed code of conduct guiding campaigns and behavior of candidates for the April general elections.



The Congress for Progressive Change and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties said the PDP’s rejection of the code of conduct was a testimonial to its do-or-die approach to elections.



“It is in their character and that is why they are not keen on signing the document. Their do-or-die posture in approaching election matters is manifesting itself with this behaviour. The voters should note what is happening,” the spokesman for the CPC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), Mr. Yinka Odumakoin, said.



Forty-six political parties had on Tuesday signed the code of conduct jointly drafted by the Independent National Political Parties and the Inter-party Advisory Council. The council consists of all political parties.



The code reads in part, “Political parties and their agents shall not engage in any of the following corrupt practices--- forcible occupation or invasion of a polling station, collation centre and INEC office.”



“No political party or candidate shall use its power of incumbency to prevent other parties or candidates from pasting their posters or distributing their leaflets, handbills and other publicity materials in public places.



“All political parties shall file with the Commission details of their public rallies and meetings in any particular area prior to such meetings.



“All parties shall separate party business from government business. As such, parties shall not utilize public resources for party activities and shall not permit any of its sponsored candidates holding public office to use public resources for the purpose of political campaigning in elections.”



The PDP, meanwhile, said it was not under any obligation to sign the document, though it said its members delegated to the signing ceremony would still brief the National Working Committee of the party on what transpired between them and INEC officials.



While 46 parties signed the code, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Abubakar Baraje, who represented the PDP at the signing ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday refused to sign the document. Baraje said he had no mandate of his party to sign the document.



Criticising the PDP, Odumakin said the ruling party was responsible for the lawlessness in the country.



“It is the PDP that is responsible for the impunity in the land. We will however not pressure on INEC to force the PDP to sign, but we will do that to the electorate to take a definite stand by voting out the PDP in the April elections” he said.



Also, the presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said he was surprised that the PDP as the ruling party did not sign the code of conduct.



Ribadu, who spoke through the Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign organization, Ibrahim Modibo, said, “If it is true that the PDP did not sign the code of conduct at INEC, then we are amazed that the party has taken this route.



“Electoral integrity comes on a shared agreement on the conduct of election. We hope the President who has advocated for a clean election will call his party to order.



“The party cannot promote the feeling that it has a conduct different from that of INEC which is the statutory agency to regulate the election.” Ibrahim Modibbo said.



The CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said the PDP as the ruling party should be laying good examples. “They (PDP members) have demonstrated that they believe in do-or-die politics. Their refusal signals dangers ahead. What have they got nothing to showcase in the last 12 years. There are no new refineries, no new roads and teaching hospitals,” he said.



The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Wednesday that the leadership of the party would listen to Baraje, who represented the party at the occasion and review the content of the conduct, adding that if any section of it is found to be in contradiction with the Electoral Act, the party will jettison the document.



Oke said, “Those that we delegated to the meeting are expected to brief the members of the National Working Committee very soon on the discussion they had with the INEC officials.



“Let me tell you that the document is not compulsory. That is, we are not under any obligation to sign it.



“If we found any section of the code of conduct objectionable or we found any of it contravening the Electoral Act, we will not sign it.



“This is because the Act has stipulated how the election should be conducted and offences for any offence.”



Asked if the party was not bothered with the barrage of criticism that might trail its action on the matter, Oke said the PDP would not allow anyone to push it around.



Asked when the party’s NWC would be meeting on the matter, he said such meeting depended on the ongoing presidential campaign programme of President Goodluck Jonathan.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2011031036139

The leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, has described the governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, as unfit to return as the state governor.



Both of them are former governors of the state.



Ladoja took over from Adesina in 2003 when he contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.



A statement by the ACN spokesman in the state, Mr. Matthew Oyedele, on Wednesday quoted Adesina as speaking during the party’s rally in Igboho, Oke-Ogun area of the state.



Adesina alleged that Ladoja had no moral credibility to become governor again because he destroyed his (Adesina’s) legacies.



He accused his successor of tampering with the state’s investments in the defunct Trans International Bank as well as taking some decisions, which he described as economically unwise decisions.



Ladoja had earlier attacked Adesina on Monday that the ACN leader achieved nothing while serving the state between 1999 and 2003.



He prided his administration on good performance, particularly in education, road rehabilitation, agriculture and welfare of civil servants among others.



But Adesina affirmed that Ladoja’s administration was enmeshed in financial scandal such that he should not, under a decent circumstance, be allowed to contest election again.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103103371760

The presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said on Wednesday that the Peoples Democratic Party had betrayed the nation.



Ribadu said the time had come for the party, which comprised aging people, to give way for the younger generation to move the nation forward.



“The PDP betrayed us; they lied; they did not deliver. In our country, we need change and development. It’s a shame, out of the 5000 top universities in the world, ours is not one of them,” he said.



Ribadu spoke during a dialogue session organised for presidential candidates in the 2011 elections by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation in Abuja.



He said the PDP had shut the door on young people, including the youths within its ranks.



“We cannot talk about change without the people. You have lied. You have failed policies. Give us a chance. We need young people with new and fresh ideas. Let these people give us a chance to do it. We need modern Nigerians like you and me,” he said.



Ribadu rejected insinuations that he would shield his fellow compatriots who were facing allegations of corruption if elected president.



“I am Nuhu Ribadu, I will remain Nuhu Ribadu. It’s too late to change. So, I can assure you, I will do what is right. I will never compromise. I will not allow corruption in my government,” he said.




http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103102364473

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party in Lagos State, Chief Jaiye Randle, is concluding plans to take the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), to court over the governor’s comments during a debate among the governorship candidates in the state.



The debate, organised by Channels TV and ThisDay, had featured five candidates. In the course of the debate, Randle had complained about his failure to have access to the governor. Fashola replied that Randle wanted to see him about the criminal case he had in court and about the house he built on a drain which constituted environmental nuisance.



Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday where he highlighted his programmes for Lagos State, Randle said the accusations were untrue and his wanting to see the governor had nothing to do with any case in court. He said he had written to the governor seeking audience and itemised the reasons he was asking to see the governor, which did not include any court case. Randle wondered why the governor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, would make claims that he didn’t substantiate. He said he was ready to publish his letter to show the truth to the public.



Randle said, “He has not heard the last of the issues. My lawyers are still studying everything and we will take the right action soon. It is just that the elections are serious business and we don’t want to detract from that for now. I assure you, he has not heard the last of it. I know it was a debate. You can say what you like but it must be truthful and verifiable. My lawyers are asking for the verbatim tape.”



Randle said he had hesitated to take up issues with Fashola because his father took him like a son when he (Randle) first qualified as an accountant 40 years ago and Fashola’s father was working in the firm he audited. He further denied that his house was built on a drainage, saying he passed through five government agencies before he was given Certificate of Occupancy. He said he met all the prerequisite conditions and he had never violated any of the terms the state gave him.



“What actually happened and which he cannot say is that the open space next door was never meant to be allocated to anybody on the Masterplan. It was supposed to be an open space but they have built on it and that is where there is a problem, not my house. That was the only open space in the whole of VI.”



Responding to questions, he said his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was based on a petition sent in by a malevolent person, saying he had long been cleared. He never sought the governor’s intervention while it lasted. He said that he tried to solicit a monument to be built in the memory of the first Mayor of Lagos State, especially since ‘lesser mortals have such in Lagos state.’






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103103344246

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State yesterday threw party sentiments aside, describing Lagos State under Governor Raji Fashola as a no-go area for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or any other party apart from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

Aliyu poured encomiums on Fashola, saying he had distinguished himself with his performance.
The governor, who spoke while declaring open the 47th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society in Minna, said the giant strides of Fashola in Lagos had made the Action Congress of Nigeria popular in the state.

He described Fashola as a dedicated and committed public servant,
Aliyu, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party said the performance of his counterpart in Lagos had “become a nightmare for the PDP in Lagos State.”

He openly confessed that the PDP waited patiently for ACN to deny Fashola a second-term ticket to grab him as a basis of capturing Lagos. Specifically, he said while everybody had thought that Lagos would not work, Fashola had proved critics wrong by transforming the city.

“I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. Fashola has performed, forget about partisan politics. Here is one person that has performed. People had given up on Lagos that it would not work, but he has made it work,” he said. The governor decried bad leadership as the bane of development in the country, observing that despite the efforts of leaders in the Arab world, the masses had risen up against them demanding a better bargain. While asking leaders to learn from the wind of change, blowing in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, he said: “Let us give the people better bargains before we begin to run helter-skelter.”

He asked the people to remove sentiments while casting their votes in April, urging them to vote for equity, tolerance and unity of Nigeria.
Aliyu urged members of professional associations to join active politics and take it away from charlatans, adding that participation of professionals would enrich the system.

He observed that many candidates were not talking about issues in their campaigns ahead of the elections, noting that political desperation led to the bomb blast that rocked a rally organised by the PDP in Suleja. He regretted that those who died from the blasts were common people, who were not at the venue for political reasons. He described those who committed the dastardly act as cowards but said their motives were yet to be known.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2011/mar/09/newsbreak-09-03-2011-001.htm

The presidential campaign of the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN) in Bauchi yesterday almost ended on a tragic note when the jet conveying top officials of the party, including the vice presidential candidate, Fola Adeola, nearly crash- landed at the Bauchi airstrip. The aircraft crashed into some animals on the runway as it landed.

The Jet with registration number SN-BMR which landed at the Bauchi airstrip at midday was also carrying the deputy national chairman, Mustapha, Alhaji Yusuf Garba Ali, former chairman of ANPP among other dignitaries.

According to the Director of Publicity, Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organization, Ibrahim Modibbo, the incident happened as they were trying to descend when they came face to face with two strange animals, which were crushed to death by the plane as it sped along the runway.

He said following the incident, the second aircraft which was conveying the presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had to hover in the sky for over 40 minutes before they could land.
The incident caused pandemonium even as the teeming supporters of Ribadu and his entourage who thronged the airport were shocked and surprised as they witnessed the drama

Modibbo said “We suspected sabotage over the incident because the authorities allowed stray animals to be on the runways.” He added that the aircraft was incapacitated by the incident and called on the Federal Government to urgently institute a high powered probe into the incident.
He said: “This sabotage is and aimed at trying to eliminate our presidential candidate. So I think it is a very serious issue that the Federal Government should look into immediately .

“We are not in any way pointing accusing finger on anybody but we believe that there must be sabotage somewhere because if not, there is no where an airport will be allowed to have stray animals, knowing full that we are having our campaigns here today. If not for God, we would have lost our lives and this would have been another story entirely.

“If not for the expertise of the pilot, we would probably not be saying what we are saying today.
“Is it possible for President Jonathan, who is also the presidential candidate of the PDP, to be involved in such a situation where the runway he is to land on will be filled by rams, which could have been controlled?” Modibbo said.
He added that the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation was not asking the PDP government to do it a special favour by guaranteeing safety and security at the nation’s airports.

“What we are saying is that no life is more important than the other.”
When contacted the state Operation Manager of National Airspace Management Agency, Danjuma Zaka said this was not the first time such ugly incident had happened, saying the problem had been reccurring. He blamed the government for not taking active action to solve the problem.
Zaka stated that there was a similar incident when the first lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, visited Bauchi last two weeks.

According to him, animals and commercial motorcyclists were being allowed to pass through the airstrip from a village close to the airport. He said only the government through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority could stop animals and villagers from using the airstrip as thoroughfare.
Reacting, the special adviser to Governor Isa Yuguda on politics, Alhaji Abdumumuni Kundak, said the government was not aware of Ribadu’s visit
Abdulmumuni said: “We only heard from the security operatives and it is not the responsibility of the state government to take care of the airport. We want the Federal Government to investigate and whoever is found wanting should be punished.”
Speaking at the flag off campaign, Ribadu promised positive changes in Nigeria and Bauchi State if elected in April as president and assured that ACN would not let Nigeria down.

Reacting to the incident, Ribadu described what happened as an act of God, saying “I am not ready to blame anybody for the unfortunate incident but it is not good to allow animals to be passing at the airport so the government should act fast to make the airport a conducive one for planes to land.”
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren who confirmed the incident to Daily Sun on phone said none of the passengers or crew was hurt in the incident.

He, however, revealed that the light jet was damaged as a result of the collision.
Demuren said the airplane was able to taxi to the apron for all the occupants to disembark, adding that the perimeter fencing of Bauchi Airport was ongoing.

, calling for a speedy and thorough job to avoid further runway incursions.
“The perimeter fencing project there is on. Other airports without perimeter fences have also been accommodated in this year’s budget. That is why we must ensure the entire airports are fenced to avoid things like this. However, no lives or injuries was recorded. It was just another unfortunate incident”, he stated.
Another airport official who craved anonymity said the runway was swept few minutes before the airplane descended, wondering where the goats sprang from.
Recall that a similar incident occurred on July 6, 2005 when an Air France airplane A330 with 196 passengers ran into a herd of cows on landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.





http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/mar/09/national-9-03-2011-01.htm

Sam Ameobi, younger brother of Newcastle United star Shola Ameobi, has joined up with the Flying Eagles squad in Turkey.



Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh, told MTNFootball.com that the younger Ameobi joined the squad on Monday and even trained with the rest of the squad later in the day.



“He will go along with us to Dubai, where we will play two friendly matches against Egypt and Saudi Arabia. We will therefore have a chance to fully assess the player there,” Obuh said.



Sam is a striker who can also play as a left winger. He is the third Ameobi to join Newcastle United. His older brother, Tomi, is now at Leeds United after passing through the Newcastle Academy just like big brother Shola.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103093373298

Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has lauded his former Tottenham teammate Gareth Bale as “one of the best players in the world.”



Bale, who made a name around Europe after scoring a hat-trick at the San Siro in October, is in line to face AC Milan in the Champions League at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, with Spurs holding a 1-0 advantage, after recovering from injury.



“Their position doesn’t surprise me. When I was there I was aware of the young talent that is now their major asset – players like Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale have matured and become great players,” Berbatov told United’s website.



“When I was there Bale was a talented teenager, now he’s one of the best players in the world.



“I saw he had potential. He trained hard and was pushing to be involved.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110309322431

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Chief Adetunji Olurin, has described the exit of the faction of the party led by the state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, as a “divine intervention.”



PDP aspirants, who contested and emerged as candidates in the PDP primaries of the Daniel’s faction and lost their mandates through litigations to the other factions led by the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Jubril Martins-Kuye, it will be recalled, recently moved to Peoples Party of Nigeria to contest the forthcoming poll.



Speaking at a press briefing in Abeokuta on Tuesday, Olurin described the party as stronger and united with the exit of the group.



He said, “I am happy to inform you that we now have one single, indivisible, forward-looking and unencumbered PDP in Ogun State. I can conveniently tell you that we now have a pure, united party called PDP. It is divinely ordained to take this state to the next level where it will occupy its pride of place.



“Some few days ago we were trying an amicable settlement put together by the national body of the PDP. We have been liberal and I had said it after the victory that there was no winner or loser in this struggle. We have been looking for amicable settlements but unfortunately we could not get a headway as suddenly there was a divine intervention as those who are factional in their thinking, decided to move away. So, we now have a more solid and indivisible PDP.”



Meanwhile, the Peoples Party of Nigeria in Ogun State has described the party’s political machinery at winning the forthcoming general election in the state as unstoppable.



The Publicity Secretary of the party in Ogun State, Mr. Raheem Ajayi, who spoke in an interview with THE PUNCH in Abeokuta on Tuesday, vowed that the party would defeat the PDP at the poll.



He said, “Our political machinery in Ogun State is unstoppable. The PDP is at its wit’s end, having found out that the main machinery that controls the party and enjoys total support at all levels especially at the grassroots has pitched its tent with the PPN; that the popular candidate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, and 38 other candidates, whose mandate they stole through the back door now have a new platform to actualise the dream of the people of Ogun State to continue in the tradition of vibrant governance.



“Go to the nooks and crannies of Ogun State, the PPN gospel is spreading like wild fire and I want to assure you that the people of Ogun State will vote overwhelmingly for Isiaka. Don’t you know that they cannot wash themselves clean of the albatross of stolen mandates?



He accused the present candidates of the PDP as emerging through violation of principles of equity, fairness and justice.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103094554276

Justice Ajoke Adepoju of an Abuja High Court on Tuesday threatened to send the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, to prison over contempt of court.



The judge said she premised her decision on the refusal of the IGP to comply with orders directing him to produce one Dahiru Yakubu Aliyu in court.



The suspect has, since January 7, been in detention at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Area 10, Abuja without being charged to court.



Delivering ruling on an originating motion filed by the lawyer to the suspect, Mr. Hassan Germa, Justice Adepoju ordered the police to release him unconditionally pending when it was ready to file a formal charge against him in court.



The court had also gave an order declaring the arrest and continuous detention of the suspect since January 7 without prosecution as “wrong, unconstitutional, and amounts to a violation of the applicant’s rights to personal liberty, fair hearing and freedom of movement as enshrined in Section 35, 36 and 41 of the 1999 constitution.”



Alternatively, the judge ordered that the applicant should be admitted “to bail upon such terms or conditions, pending when the respondents will file a formal charge against him.”



The court had also given an order for the respondents to pay the applicant the sum of N10m only for the wrongful arrest, detention, humiliation and psychological trauma occasioned by the arrest and detention.



The suspect, a final year student of Computer Science at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University of Science and Technology, Bauchi, was said to have completed his studies and awaiting his posting for the national youth service.



He invited and detained at Bompai Police Station, Kano on January 7 and later transferred to Abuja.







http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110309504064

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday began the enforcement of a court order to take over the assets and property of a former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, in different locations in the country.



Operatives of the EFCC began the enforcement in Abuja based on the order of Justice M.B Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos.



Two or the 11 property, located in Abuja, were the first to be taken over by EFCC operatives. Eight others are located in Benin City, Edo State and Victoria Island, Lagos.



Another house, located at 29 Sheldon Avenue, Highgate, London, was also listed among the property to be forfeited to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.



Justice Idris had on February 28 ordered that Igbinedion’s assets be forfeited to the government pending the determination of the charge in suit number FHC/B/11C/2011.



Other property the EFCC took over on Tuesday included a block of four flats at 43 Etete Road, Benin; Chicken Republic on Sapele Road, Benin City; a parcel of land at 3, Boundary Road, Benin City; a building covered by approved plan number 2041/2004 at 20B Etete Road, Benin City; a building known as White House located along Ugbor Police Station Road and a mighty house at the neighbourhood of Etete and Ugbor Layout, Benin City.



The property to be forfeited in Lagos is located at 55C, Adebisi Close, Off Samauel Adedoyin Street, Victoria Island, Lagos while those in Abuja are landed properties at 5, Danube Crescent, Maitama and 7, Justice Fatai Williams Street, off Justice Sowemimo Street, Abuja.



Igbinedion, who was governor of Edo State between 1999 and 2003, is facing charges of alleged unlawful conversion and criminal diversion of fund by the EFCC.



The former governor and six others are facing a 66-count-charge on money laundering and mismanagement of public funds amounting to about N3.2bn.



The other accused persons are Patrick Eboigbodin; Michael Igbinedion and four firms: Gava Corporation Limited; Romrig Nigeria Limited, PML Securities Limited and PML (Nigeria) Limited.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103095101521

Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday poured encomiums on the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, saying the latter had distinguished himself with his performance.



The governor, who spoke while declaring open the 47th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society in Minna, said the giant strides of Fashola in Lagos had made the Action Congress of Nigeria popular in the state.



Describing Fashola as a dedicated and committed public servant, the governor, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, said the performance of his counterpart in Lagos had become a nightmare for the PDP in the state.



He said the PDP waited patiently for ACN to deny Fashola a second-term ticket in order to grab him as a weapon to capture Lagos.



Specifically, he said while everybody had thought Lagos would not work, Fashola had proved critics wrong by transforming the city.



“I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. Fashola has performed; forget about partisan politics. Here is one person that has performed. People had given up on Lagos that it would not work, but he has made it work”, he said.



He described bad leadership as the bane of development in the country, observing that despite the efforts of leaders in the Arab world, the masses had risen up against them demanding a better bargain.



While asking leaders to learn from the wind of change blowing in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, he said, “Let us give the people better bargains before we begin to run helter-skelter”.



He asked the people to remove sentiments while casting their votes in April urging them to vote for equity, tolerance and unity of Nigeria.



Aliyu urged members of the professional association to join active politics and take it away from charlatans, adding that the participation of professionals would enrich the system.



He observed that many candidates were not talking about issues in their campaigns ahead of the elections, noting that political desperation led to the bomb blast that rocked a rally organised by the PDP in Suleja.



The governor regretted that those, who died in the blasts, were common people consisting of cart pushers, shoemakers and hawkers, who were not at the venue for political reasons.



He described those who committed the dastardly act as cowards but said their motives were yet to be known.







http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110309512331

Chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria narrowly escaped death early Tuesday as one of the chartered aircraft conveying them to a rally in Bauchi State crash-landed into a herd of goats and rams on the runway of Bauchi Airport.



The aircraft with number 5BN-BNR was conveying the Vice Presidential candidate of the ACN, Fola Adeola, and other party leaders, including the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Boss Mustapha, and former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Yusuf Alli.



Another aircraft conveying the ACN Presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu and other party chieftains, including a former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, hovered in the air for about one hour while the runway was being hurriedly cleared of the invading rams and goats.



The ACN chieftains flew into the state for the party’s presidential rally in Bauchi.



The Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation few hours after the incident alleged sabotage and called for an urgent investigation into the cause of the animal invasion of the runway.



“We suspect sabotage. And as a matter of urgency we call for an investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the runway invasion,” Director of Media and Publicity of the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation, Ibrahim Modibbo, said.



He added, “If not for the expertise of the pilot, we would probably not be saying what we are saying today.



“Is it possible for President Goodluck Jonathan who is also the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to be involved in such a situation where the runway he is to land on will be filled by rams, which could have been controlled?”



Modibbo said the ACN was not asking for a special favour from the PDP government but that it should guarantee safety and security at the nation’s airports.



General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, Mr. Supo Atobatele, confirmed the incident which he described as unfortunate.



He said some rams strayed onto the runway as its landing gear (tyres) made impact with the runway.



Atobatele said that NAMA officials operating at Bauchi airstrip were usually assisted by men of the civil defence corps provided by the state because the airstrip belonged to the state government.



“This is an unfortunate incident. The report we have got from Bauchi is that up till three minutes before the aircraft landed, our men and the civil defence corps provided by the state had gone round the runway and certified it okay. It was just when the rear landing gear was touching the runway that some animals emerged from nowhere on the runway,” he added.



The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, also confirmed the incident. He however said that there was no loss of life, and that the damage to the airplane “was not too substantial”



The regulatory agency boss said, “Our men are on their way to the place to examine the case. There was no loss of life. It was a runway incursion by animals. The place is an airstrip and not an airport.”



Demuren had last week said that the agency would not certify any of the over 22 airports in the country until they had perimeter fences.



The regulatory agency had refused to license Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt airports because their ongoing World Bank-sponsored perimeter fence were yet to be completed.



The International Civil Aviation Organisation, the United Nation’s agency which regulates the aviation industry globally requires airports to have perimeter fencing, adequate fire cover and other safety and security related facilities before being certified.



An AirFrance plane in 2005 landed on cows at the Port Harcourt International Airport.







http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103095531370

A former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Chief Olawale Mogaji, has dumped the party for the Action Congress of Nigeria.



Mogaji, along with his supporters joined the ACN at the party’s governorship campaign inauguration held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on Saturday.



They were received by the leadership of the ACN including former state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.



Receiving them, the state ACN Chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, extolled the qualities of the new members, saying they (the new members) were politicians of note who had proved their mettle over the years.



Ajomale said their decision to join the ACN was the best option, just as he promised that the party would provide an equal platform for them, notwithstanding the fact that they had aligned themselves with other members to re-elect the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.



Mogaji, the pioneer state vice chairman of the PDP for the Lagos East Senatorial District, was received into the ACN at the well attended rally by the national leadership, where he made the formal declaration to join the party.



Speaking to journalists shortly after the rally, Mogaji said the decision to leave the PDP, which he helped others to build from the scratch was a difficult one but it (the move) became necessary because the PDP was not well placed to wrest Lagos State from the ACN.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103083524943

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said his ambition and that of Vice President Namadi Sambo did not take priority over the death of Nigerians during the stampede at the Peoples Democratic Party‘s presidential rally at the Port Harcourt stadium.



Jonathan, who spoke during the presidential campaign rally at the Uyo Township Ttadium, said any politician that advocated violence and destruction during elections did not mean well for the country.



The president emphasised high-economic development as a process of transforming the country. He explained that the Federal Government was working on policies and programmes that would facilitate jobs for the unemployed youths in the country.



Jonathan said, “If we have crisis in this country, the turbulence will get to you. So anybody, who is preaching violence and destruction does not want the good of this country. I have said it on several occasions that neither my ambition nor anybody’s ambition is worth the blood of Nigerians.



“Neither my ambition nor that of my deputy, Namadi Sambo, worth the your blood. So, say no to violence. You must vote and protect your vote. By the INEC regulations, you have to stay at the polling units and protect your votes.



“Make sure nobody have the opportunity to rig elections. We are emphasising one man one vote during the poll. Stay at the polling station until votes are counted. It is only when your agents get the results that you are free to leave the polling units.



“Nobody is praying for violence, when violence comes, it will consume a lot of us.



Jonathan also reiterated the commitment of his government towards giving the country uninterrupted power supply in the next four years.



He said, “We must think of what to do to create jobs for the youths and not how to kill them. We will make sure that in the next four years, Nigerians will have power instead of darkness. We will all be guilty if after four years Nigeria is still having this kind of epileptic power supply.”



“If we cannot stabilise power, we cannot talk about small and medium scale industries; these are the industries that provide jobs for the people.”



The President reasoned that what drove most of the Asian Tiger economies were the small and medium scale enterprises, adding that the Federal Government would centre its development plan on this strategy in order to serve the interest of the people.



Jonathan added that the government would allocate adequate fund to the agriculture sector as engine of growth and development.



On the petroleum sector, he said the need to refine the products had been the major problem of the country, saying that in the next four years, the government would go beyond refining.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103084514078

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday denied reaching any pact with some Labour Party House of Assembly candidates.



Fashola told journalists shortly after unveiling the state’s Geographic Information System in Lagos that those spreading the rumour had mischievous intentions.



There had been insinuations that the governor was sponsoring some members of the house of assembly who defected to the LP because they could not secure return tickets on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria.



The LP candidates were said to be among those who backed the governor during the rift between Fashola and his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in 2010.



Fashola said, “I dissociate myself from anybody using my name to campaign for anybody who is not a member of the ACN. We are going all out there to defeat all the parties.



“Anybody who is voting for Labour Party is voting against the ACN and is voting against me.”




Link: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103085122478