₦airaland Forum

I am very proud of this boy, and pray that he will continue to receive God’s protection. He did a very good job. What a clever boy? I hope this children would stop bragging about their parent’s status because, it is sometimes not true.

A 12-year-old schoolboy (name withheld), who was kidnapped two weeks ago, has aided the police to arrest his kidnappers.



The Police in Lagos have arrested two brothers over the kidnap of the boy in Ojokoro area of Lagos two weeks ago.



The suspects, Seun Akinyosoye, 19, and Akin Akiyosoye, 22, allegedly kidnapped the boy while on his way home from school.



The Junior Secondary School 2 pupil, reportedly took shelter in a shop around Centre Road, during a downpour on February 14.



PUNCH METRO gathered that the suspects also took shelter in the same shop and engaged the boy in a discussion.



During the discussion, the boy revealed that his father is a banker with one of the new generation banks and also gave out his mobile phone number to the suspects. The suspects thereafter, took him to their apartment around Jerry Street, Ojokoro, from where they made a call to his father and demanded N4m ransom.



His father was said to have pleaded with the suspects to accept N55,000 and the suspects instructed him to pay the money into an account. Three days after the ransom was paid, the suspects eventually released the schoolboy.



But unknown to the suspects, the boy played a fast one on them by picking Akin’s passport photograph while in the brothers’ apartment.



“He saw the passport at the apartment where he was held hostage. After his release, he gave the passport to his father and identified Akin as one of his kidnappers,”the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said on Monday.



The photograph was taken to policemen at Owutu Police Station and Akin was invited for questioning.



Jinadu said, “Akin had previously been arrested for street fighting. So, he did not think anything was amiss when his IPO called him to make an appearance at the police station.



“During investigation, he mentioned his brother, Seun, who was subsequently arrested. They confessed to have withdrawn the N55,000 with ATM card from the Ikorodu branch of the bank it was paid into.”



He therefore warned others who had such a sinister motive that there was no hiding place for criminals in the state, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali, had put necessary machinery in place to check crimes.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103011585573

The son of Equatorial Guinea’s dictator of 30 years commissioned plans to build a superyacht costing $380 million, nearly three times what the country spends on health and education each year, a corruption watchdog said Monday, Reuters reports.



The statement from Global Witness said that German company, Kusch Yachts, has been asked to build the yacht, housing a cinema, restaurant, bar and swimming pool, though construction has not yet started.



Global Witness has been urging Washington to institute sanctions against Teodorin Obiang, whose extravagant lifestyle currently includes a $35 million-dollar mansion in Malibu, California, a $33 million jet and a fleet of luxury cars, while earning a salary of $6,799 a month as agriculture minister.



The government press office in Equatorial Guinea confirmed that the president’s son had ordered the yacht design, but said he “then dismissed the idea of buying it.”



It said that if the order had gone ahead, he would have bought it with income from private business activities and not “with funds derived from sources of illegal financing or corruption.”



President Teodoro Obiang, who reportedly is grooming his son to succeed him as president, took power in a bloody 1979 coup. Forbes magazine has estimated his wealth at around $600 million.



Teodorin Obiang justified his wealth in a sworn affidavit to a South African court questioning his ownership of luxury mansions and expensive cars in Cape Town in 2006.



He stated that public officials in his country are allowed to partner with foreign companies bidding for government contracts and said this means “a Cabinet minister ends up with a sizable part of the contract price in his bank account.”



A United States Justice Department investigation into US banks accepting some $75 million from Teodorin Obiang said in a 2007 report that “it is suspected that a large portion of Teodoro Nguema Obiang’s assets have originated from extortion, theft of public funds, or other corrupt conduct.”



No action has been taken to sanction Obiang’s son, despite pressure from groups including US-based Equatorial Guinea Justice.



“To stop the type of large-scale theft of assets and corruption carried out by high-level government officials, that continues to make poverty eradication in African an unattainable goal we need the full cooperation of Western nations that provide the goods and services demanded by these corrupt millionaires,” said the group’s executive director Tutu Alicante.



The tiny West African nation may be oil rich, but UN statistics show that 20 percent of children in Equatorial Guinea die before reaching the age of 5, and the average citizen is unlikely to live beyond 50.







The State Department report on human rights also has condemned killings by security forces and the torture of prisoners.



Meanwhile, writer Juan Tomas Avila Laurel is in the 17th day of a hunger strike demanding justice for the people of Equatorial Guinea, inspired by the popular revolutions that have ousted longtime leaders of Egypt and Tunisia and now threaten Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.



Avila Laurel, 44, left Malabo for Barcelona, Spain, amid fears for his safety the day he began his hunger strike February 11. He joins one-third of the population living in voluntary or enforced exile, according to the US State Department.



The government has reacted to the author’s hunger strike by denouncing “the web of gossip, lies and miserable maneuvers” surrounding reports about Equatorial Guinea.



“Nonetheless, we hope this person’s example also serves to silence many mouths who continuously speak of lack of freedom and respect for human rights in Equatorial Guinea since, as is more than evident, this person has acted at all times with absolute freedom,” it said in a statement on its website. - Sapa-AP






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103010121185

Family Health International (FHI) is looking into malaria, a major health issue in Nigeria, through global funds, while not relenting in their campaign against their primary focus area which is Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Indications show that the Non-governmental organization powered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with 11 zonal offices in Nigeria and supporting 230 hospitals across the nation is well positioned to launch an anti-malarial campaign.

Disclosing this, while fielding questions during a courtesy visit to The Sun Publishing Limited headquarters, Kirikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, Dr Lilian Anomnachi, Director of Communications and Knowledge Management, FHI stated that while the organization is ready to work in other diseases whether in collaborating with other bodies or solo their primary focus will remain HIV/AIDS.

Family Health International is involved in the GHAIN project which is the Global HIV project in Nigeria, which started in 2004 for HIV care and treatment programme. The project has expanded into TB care, sexual and reproductive rights issues, malaria and health strengthening.

She spoke on these and related issues.
Excerpts:

Other diseases, collaboration with other NGOs
If we say more prevalent, I expect we’ll talk about malaria. Yes, there’s been a lot of awareness about cancer lately. Maybe because of focus on a few maybe, well known people. But if it comes as an African problem, I think HIV/AIDS is an African problem primarily. In Nigeria, we’re still at number three in the world. And in terms of absolute number, we might be number two. Malaria is very serious and we’re actually collaborating with the government of Nigeria, through the Global Fund. To work on malaria, we’re actually mandated to help with the Lagos state campaign on malaria which should be sometime this February and March.

We’re still trying to fix a date for it. We’re not into cancer, except if it comes as a complication of HIV like in cervical cancer. Its actually part of the programme that we do, to screen women for cervical cancer because of the incidence, which is increasing with HIV and all that. But, if its just cancer in general, we work with funders mandate. And of course, every fund they’re providing is tied to a particular programme area and target.

Attention on cervical cancer and Human Papiloma Virus
Even for us, it’s not a routine thing; we’re actually doing a pilot, our tag line for FHI in signs of improving lives. The signs of improving live means that, everything you do have to be evidence-based. And evidence-based is that you need to be able to demonstrate and show scientifically and with the aid of statistics that this is this much in this area and related to this. Therefore, we can now push money towards that. So, that is what we’re trying to do in one or two of our sites or zones. I know its something that we have started.

Even initially, it’s not as if we really didn’t have money for cervical cancer, but because we can show from incidents of some people you see. So, that’s the level we are right now, gathering information. And next, we can demonstrate it. And when you go to people and say; I need money for this, this is an important area of health and you can show proof; then, money can be voted and you’ll have money to do a campaign, big campaigns and a programme.

Donor fatigue
We are cognizance of the fact that even though we’re not solely funded by the GHAINS project which is our largest project is funded by the US government. But, we also work with the Nigerian government to implement the Global Fund. We also do some public-private partnerships, helping the oil and gas companies to implement project, we are at the Niger Delta.

And even with the US government project, we’re cognizance of the fact that the funding may not continue at the rate with which it is for a long time, which brings the health system strengthening which I said is one of our area of focus now. Build sustainability within the government system where we work. And also, there’s a focus on supporting local and indigenous organizations to build their capacity and help them grow to the level where they’re able to access funds on their own. And also continue to help the government to implement such programmes, even in the absence of the much larger international donor agencies. And of course, we all look forward to the day when the government will believe and be able to provide what is needed in the health sector to carry out all the programmes.

Partnership with state governments
We have a lot of partnerships and I’ll take the example of the Cross River state. In that state, we’ve done a lot because the state government is one of our biggest partners. And even more recently, they called us and said, we know you’ve supported us all these time, now, we want you to support us to even do more.
Most recently, some of the things we used to supply, the government actually took over and is doing that. And even on the national level, initially, the US government was providing the drugs and all the treatment but for almost for the past two or three years, the government of Nigeria have been buying and distributing all the drugs. With that, we’re able to diverge the money into scaling of more sites.

To much focus on HIV/AIDS
Initially, because of the magnitude of the problem and the drastic nature in which people were dying in their millions, yes there was initial focus in creating vertical programmes for HIV/AIDS care and treatment. but, of course, as the years went by, if you remember the progression, i said with the GHAIN project, I we started with focus on HIV/AIDS. Then, it became clear that the person that has HIV/AIDS, could have malaria, could have TB and any of those things could kill him. So, there was a process of integration, integrating Sexual and Reproductive Care, malaria, TB, integrating HIV/AIDS care and all that.

And right now, generally, we speak of the global health initiatives, where we deal more of the holistic nature and the essence of the health system strengthening. So that we strengthen the whole system, so that every point of service, including maternal immunization and child care, one is not concentrated on one to the detriment of the other.

Change of focus
No. The focus now is the global health initiative and health system strengthening.

Collaboration at Primary healthcare system
In our organization, we also work at primary healthcare, especially at the Prevention From Mother Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, the prevention programme where most of our testing centres are located in the primary health centres. And most recently, there was a midwifery scheme. This is being supported by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency. With the IMC which is the Integrated Maternal and Child Health programme, the idea was to build it, so that we don’t have these midwives concentrated in one place, and then, you’re doing programme in another place where there are no skilled people to work because of lack of human resources.

IVF
Actually, that is not our area of focus. Because the HIV/AIDS is still the core, the centre of what most of our other services revolves around. And most of the people affected are people within the reproductive age group – young men and young women; mostly, young women even more than the men. Still, they’re living longer on drugs and feeling healthy and they can do everything, go back to work, they want to have children, they want to have a normal life. So, the idea there is to assist them to make sure that they have children safely, get pregnant when they want to.
And even when they’re pregnant, assist them to make sure that they don’t transmit the virus to their unborn children. That is, assisting them to have HIV negative children, making sure they’re alive to take care of those children. Making sure they’re alive to take care of these, children help to reduce the impact to the infant mortality rate. So, that’s more the areas we have our focus on.

Accurate database
The HIV prevalence rate we actually studied in undertaking by antenatal sustenance surveys every other year and the Federal Ministry of Health undertakes it. The rates are actually been static. Static in the sense that, at anytime there’s one rate, but then, through the years, there are different rates and this fluctuates. And there are different rates within states, within areas. So, if you come to me, I might put Abuja rate or Cross River or whatever. But, the national prevalence rate is one rate. But, if somebody doesn’t know that results of the centennial survey of 2009 is out, it might give you the rate, give you the rate of 2007 centennial survey. And by 2009 rates is out, 2011, they already started doing another centennial survey.

And those that are in the know might then be quoting 2011 latest survey for you; meanwhile, the other person is quoting 2009. So that’s why it seems that different people are giving different rates.

Problem of stigmatization
It’s a big challenge. That is why we feel that prevention is still a big push in recent years. I think, some how through the last couple of years, the euphoria of treatment in some countries may have also made people a bit relaxed. But, there’s a push now that, if you don’t do a lot more in the area of prevention, you might as well be pouring water in a basket. Because, its true you’re keeping people from dying, are you keeping more people from getting infected? This is where it becomes a job for every single person. All hands must be on deck to ensure that people don’t feel stigmatized, people can go out there, get their test done, know their status, remain negative and if they’re positive, seek help early and inform their loved ones without fear of being stigmatized or rejected or be ostracized.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/goodhealth/2011/mar/01/goodhealth-01-3-2011-02.htm

Boxer Bash Ali and 535 Nigerians on Monday arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday in the second batch of evacuees from Libya.



This brought the total number of Nigerians so far evacuated from the troubled North African country to 1035.



A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, said the agency’s Director-General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, stated this in Abuja while receiving the evacuees. The NEMA DG was quoted as saying that a total of 2000 Nigerians were expected to be evacuated from the troubled North African country.



The first batch, comprising women and children, arrived in Abuja on Sunday morning.



He said, “The evacuation exercise being coordinated by NEMA is targeted at evacuating over 2000 stranded Nigerians who are willing to return to Nigeria from the crisis in Libya.



“The exercise embarked upon by the Federal Government to bring back stranded Nigerians in Libya has recorded additional 536 evacuees who were successfully flown to Abuja International Airport on Sunday night from Tripoli International Airport.”



He stressed that NEMA would continue to provide food and medication for the evacuees at the designated special camps along Abuja International Airport Road, adding that transportation arrangements had been provided to take the evacuees to their respective states of origin.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103012234967

Weldone martins, you are truelly the weapon of mass distruction. you really destroyed arsenal. good job sir.

The last time Birmingham City won the League Cup was in 1963 when they defeated local rivals Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate. It was their only major title in 48 years until Obafemi Martins changed all that on Sunday at the Wembley Stadium with a last-gasp winner that ensured the Blues won the Carling Cup at the expense of favourites Arsenal 2-1.



Martins is generally regarded as a fine striker. His pace and powerful shots make him one striker many defences would be wary of anytime. But the 28-year-old has not been as successful as many football pundits predict.



After playing for six European clubs since leaving Nigeria in 2000, Martins has only scored 75 goals in his club career while in his 34 appearances for the Super Eagles, he has scored 18 goals. But one important thing about Martins is that some of his goals have turned out to be match winners.



Martins’ goal for Inter Milan against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League secured a place in the quarterfinals for the Italian club. He scored a winner again against AC Milan in the competition but his side lost out on the away goals rule.



Martins won the Italian Serie A title, the Italian Cup (twice), and the Super Cup, all with Inter. He played European football with Inter, Newcastle and Wolfsburg, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Newcastle. His highest scoring league seasons so far have seen him score 11 goals in both the 2004–05 Serie A, and 2006–07 English Premier League.



On November 14, 2009 when Nigeria needed to top the 2010 World Cup qualifying group, Martins, who had been missing in the Super Eagles line-up due to injury, rose to the occasion, scoring two important goals against hosts Kenya in Nairobi to give Nigeria the World Cup ticket.



Sunday’s match was Martins fourth outing with Birmingham City since joining the club and manager Alex McLeish seemed to know the right moment to introduce the striker in crucial games. A fact Martins has come to accept.



Martins played down his new-found legendary status by admitting he just wants to carry on scoring goals. He insisted his teammates deserved the credit.



“I don’t know that (I’m a legend now). I just want to play my football for the team,” he was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail on Monday.



“It’s not easy coming in when the team are doing well so they deserve all the credit, they did well today (Sunday).



“I’m happy for the team and the fans.”



The former Newcastle player came off the bench in the 83rd minute replacing Keith Fahey who had created problems for Arsenal until his departure.



Martins latched onto a mistake from Laurent Koscielny in the 89th minute and coolly slotted into an empty net to spark wild celebrations among the Blues fans.



He had another chance just a minute later when he attempted to lob Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny only to see the young stopper block his attempt.



In the last minute of stoppage time Martins then rounded the keeper, and failed with his speculative effort but his vital goal was enough to secure a Blues win.



“I think this is the easiest goal that I’ve ever scored in my career and it’s very important,” he added.



“I’m glad I scored and we won – I’m very happy.



“The gaffer said to me I was going to come on in the second half and I was going to try my best. The gaffer did it right. I think it was my second touch.



“It seems easy, but I took my time to score and I’m glad we won.



“Sometimes as a striker you just have to believe because you never know what’s going to happen. I was expecting it, and he made a mistake so I just put it in.



“I am happy for the players and the fans because Birmingham needed this trophy.”



With a strike speed of 135km per hour, the ninth hardest shot ever recorded in football, and a sharp focus on goals, Martins looks likely to regain the top striking position in the Eagles as Nigeria continue their campaign for the 2012 Nations Cup.



In his last outing for Nigeria, Martins scored the first goal against Madagascar in a Nations Cup qualifier in September and he created the second scored by Michael Eneramo.



Martins’ third goal in the game was disqualified by the Tunisian referee Jedidi Slim, who ruled that the Madagascan goalkeeper was fouled before the goal.



Former Wolfburg striker Jonathan Akpoborie believes Martins will reach the top of his career in the English Premier League.



He told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that English football was not as tough as the German version and that Martins would find it easier to overcome defences in the EPL.



He said, “I’ve not played in the Russian league before but I know Martins did not play enough matches to bring out his best in that league. The Bundesliga however is the toughest league in Europe and if he could survive there, then he can do better in any part of the world. What the EPL has over the Bundesliga is publicity.



“Martins has grown in his game and it is good for him and Birmingham that he is rediscovering himself at this time of the season. I believe he will be one of the top scorers in the coming seasons and perhaps win more laurels for his club.



“He might have had a terrible experience with the Eagles at the World Cup but if he is consistent with his pace and form, he will be the player to look up to in the team very soon.”






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103010463228

May be Ribadu should keep his religion to himself. Nigeria belongs to Christians , Muslims, Atheists, ChristIslams, Freethinkers etc.We should not let religion dominate the running of our nation. When asked to speak, he had spoken to the Muslims, would you need the votes of those who are not Muslims?

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Monday in Dutse, Jigawa State commenced its its presidential campaign in the North-West, with its leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, assuring Nigerians of its determination to offer them fresh hope.



Tinubu, in a solidarity message after the presidential candidate of the party, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his running mate, Mr. Fola Adeola, were presented with the party’s flags, said the nation’s leadership crisis would be resolved with the election of the party in the April polls. He told the mammoth crowd of party chieftains and supporters that the ACN would provide a youth friendly leadership.



He said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party had been insensitive to Nigerian youths, assuring, however, that Ribadu would redress the situation. The former Lagos State governor said the Ribadu/Adeola joint ticket would create 120 million new jobs.



Speaking at the rally, which was also attended by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tinubu pledged a solid welfare package for the Nigeria Police Force. He assured that the least paid policeman would earn N50,000 under an ACN government.



With a chant of ‘Sai Ribadu, Sai Nigeria, Sai Ribadu’, the ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, handed over the party’s presidential flags to Ribadu and Adeola, saying it signified their onward journey to the Presidency.



He said, “I bring to you the people of Nigeria a new brand of ideas through a new brand of leadership, today in Jigawa, in Dutse, Jigawa State, because of the problems created for Nigeria already by the PDP in the last 12 years. We talked about it and discussed it.



“The problems are problems of corruption, problems of insecurity to lives and property, problems of poverty. We have been thinking about how to clear these problems. Our solution is about bringing in new brand of leadership.



“Today, I brought these two young men. I brought Shehu Nuhu Ribadu and I have brought Fola Adeola. One is a very good expert in corruption management, the other one a management investor.”



Asked to comment, Ribadu could only utter quotes from the Quran, saying, ‘Auzubillahi Mina Shaytani Rajin, Bismillahi Arahamanu Rahim. Alhamdullah! Alhamdullah! Alhamdullah!’ (I seek refuge from Satan, the accursed. I begin with the Name of God the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficient. I thank God.)



His running mate stated that the ACN was on a mission to ease the pains of Nigerians and create jobs for the large army of unemployed youths.



He said, “We are here to ease your pains, to give employment and put money in your pockets through employment, not to take what is yours. We will sit down with you to proffer solutions to our numerous problems. So, vote for us, trust us. We are new on the scene and we will bring in new ideas.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103012212092

We may blame the press, they were very useful to Bode sometimes ago. The press did not buy the white lace, nor sent him the cars that brought him. The press did not send the big men in our society who thought that Bode should receive a hero’s welcome. Some people planned the funfare. It was a show of shame for Bode and the crow that followed him. But we must not forget that what Bode took, was a drop in an ocean. Ibori is still in Dubai.

Lagos Central Senatorial candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria in the April election, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, has blamed the media for the publicity given to the reception organised for a former convicted Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Chief Bode George, on Saturday.



George was jailed for abuse of office, contract splitting and disobedience to lawful order.



His release on Saturday was however, celebrated with fanfare by his supporters and friends in the PDP.



But Tinubu, who was reacting to the publicity given to George, said, “You see the kind of nation we have, how can the PDP have an ex-convict as the leader of the party and you journalists think you don’t have to report what is right to promote this nation?



“All hands must have to be on deck. We should not be celebrating mediocrity, unfortunately that is one of the things that is pushing us back as a nation. Someone came out of prison, having been convicted by a law court, and we still call him a leader?”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110301230500

Shameful acts to all nigerians. even if you are not obliged to their belief and you fail to speak out against it then you are part of them. nigerians should stand up and tell this pdp politicians that they should allow geninue minds to take over the saddle of our great country. we are tired of rogues in government, we are tired of the pen robbers, we are tired of bad leaders who are bent in continuation of the bad government. please the right thinking nigeria this is the right time to fight.

I wonder why Nigerians are surprised that Bode George’s ignominious arrival from prison was celebrated with fanfare by the Peoples Democratic Party faithful? Was Patricia Eteh not rewarded with a national award after being forced to resign her position as Speaker due to a corruption-related accusation?



If not for the recent courageous decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, wouldn’t its commissioner, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, be allowed to midwife another state’s election in spite of her questionable antecedents as electoral umpire?



The implication of the unfolding events is clear: Our government is not serious about fighting and ridding the system of corruption. Whether we like it or not, however, the wind of political change is presently blowing all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception if we don’t do things the right way.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103010252326

The safety and security of all Nigerian cannot be guaranteed by any other presidential candidates except General Buhari. Look at the man’s record and compare to the NPN/PDP that has been running the country under the stolen presidency. April 2011 is PDP date with destiny because Nigerians will not tolerate another one day of PDP running Nigeria. We (Nigerians) north, south, east, and west wants a stable, secure and progressive country where young graduates from our universities at home and abroa

Former Nigeria‘s military Head of State and Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has promised to facilitate the deletion of the controversial immunity clause from the nation‘s constitution if he gets the nod of Nigerian voters in the April elections.



”We will amend the constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal cases,” Buhari states in his manifesto which was released in Abuja on Monday.



Section 308 of the nation‘s 1999 constitution shields the President, his deputy, the governors and their deputies from criminal and civil prosecution during their term in office.



Sub-section 1 of section 308 says, ”(a) No civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office.



”(b) A person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either on pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and



”(c) No process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies shall be applied for or issued.



Sub-section 3 states, ”This section applies to a person holing the office of President or Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to ‘period of office‘ is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office.”



In a country with a multitude of corruption allegations against public officials, there had been hot debate over the propriety of shielding the beneficiaries of the section from being made to go through judicial test, even while in office, if the need arises.



The nation‘s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for instance, on several occasions had complained that they were helpless in dealing with the alleged corruption by serving governors.



Buhari promises further to initiate action geared toward amending the constitution with a view to encourage true federalism.



”We will initiate action to amend our constitution to amend with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench federalism and the federal spirit,” he states in the manifesto.



Buhari came to power on December 31, 1983 when the second republic government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari was overthrown in a military coup announced by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.).



Buhari,, interestingly, was also sacked in another coup spearheaded by Babangida on August 17, 1985.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103014224070

I thank the NLC and TUC for thier quick reaction to the Governors Union resolatino. If the action of the Governors is something to ride home about, it can can spark off spontenous revolution in Nigeria. I want warn that the Governors should not make this country ungovernable to our dynamic president. I know the Governors want to pull the Nigerians workers legs. They want to see if Nigerian workers have a right and can defend this right. I know that increased revenue allocation or not, the

The two major umbrella labour unions in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, on Monday threatened to make the country ungovernable if the state governors refused to pay the new N18,000 minimum wage to workers.



“It is none of our business where they get the money to pay the minimum wage. They must pay, if not we will make this country ungovernable,” President of the TUC, Peter Esele, told THE PUNCH.



Asked if the NLC would also make the country ungovernable if the state governor failed to implement the new minimum wage, the NLC President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, said, “Of course, that is our position. Our position is that labour made a formal demand of N52,000 minimum wage. Government set up a tripartite committee that lasted one year. After that, we agreed on N18,000 not because it was enough but because we thought we could also help in developing this economy.



“But if anybody is coming at this point to say it was predicated on any other thing, that is a new thing, and Nigerian workers will not allow it.



“Nigerian workers will go to any length to fight for their rights, especially on the issue of minimum wage.”



The TUC boss said the governors were playing with fire if they played politics with the new workers’ package.



About 25 governors under the aegis of Nigerian Governors’ Forum on Sunday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, and appealed to him to facilitate the altering of the revenue sharing formula in favour of the states, a precondition for meeting the new wage regime.



Under the current revenue sharing formula amongst the three tiers of government, the Federal Government gets 52.68 per cent; states, 26.68 per cent; and local governments, 20.60 per cent.



The governors, our correspondent gathered, had complained that they would not be able to pay workers in their states the new minimum wage except they got more from the federal allocation.



But the unions dismissed such logic as ridiculous as the governors were part of the process that resulted in the new minimum wage played politics with its implementation.



The President General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Esele, who spoke on the issue in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, described as unacceptable the reported decision of the governors to hinge their ability to pay the new wage on increased allocation from the Federation Account.



Esele said that it was unacceptable for the governors who had enough to money to pay more than 1,000 special advisers to resist the payment of the minimum wage



He said, “I think sincerely that the governors were part of the whole process that led to the agreement reached during the deliberations to pay a minimum wage of N18, 000.



“It is rather ridiculous for them to now say they are predicating the payment of the minimum wage on a new revenue allocation formula.



“Where are they getting the powers to have 1,000 advisers and where are they getting the money to make jobs available for the boys?



“Honestly, I think they are playing with fire. It is none of our business where they get the money to pay the minimum wage. They must pay, if not we will make this country ungovernable.”



Similarly, the General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. John Odah, said the governors had a responsibility to honour the agreement reached between labour and the government on the issue of minimum wage.



Odah argued that the N18,000 minimum wage before the National Assembly was a product of exhaustive deliberations between labour and the Federal Government team, which had due representation from the NGF.



He insisted that while the governors were right in seeking avenues for improved revenue allocation to their respective states, it would be inconceivable for them to go against the implementation of the minimum wage which some states had started paying.



Odah said the NLC expected the immediate passage of the bill on minimum wage into a law.



He maintained that while the governors expected the NLC to be law abiding, the union leaders were also of the view that the governors had a responsibility to set a good example by obeying the laws of the land.



He said, “We do not have any problems with the governors trying to get more allocation from the Federation Account for their people.



“We expect the minimum wage to become law very soon and all the governors being law abiding people must obey.



“The governors were part of the negotiation team of the Federal Government which eventually settled for the N18,000 minimum wage.



‘You will agree with me that labour reluctantly accepted the N18,000 having commenced the negotiation with N52,000. It is not possible for them to renege on the payment of the new wage.” he said



Others that expressed similarly views were the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities Mr. Promise Adewusi, and Secretary General of the TUC, Mr. John Kolawole.



He said that it would be condemnable for governors to attempt to tie the implementation of the minimum wage to “some extraneous gambit.”



He said that making increased revenue allocation as a condition for the payment of the minimum wage would a violation of the law on minimum wage when passed.



Adewusi who doubles as a Vice-President of the NLC, also said that refusal to obey the law of the minimum wage would definitely not protect the constitution.



He explained, “Governors, like other Nigerians have a right to seek to improve their lots and circumstances, however, it would be utterly illegal and unacceptable to tie the payment of the new minimum wage to some extraneous gambit.



“This will be contrary to the spirit and letters of the law when passed. It will indeed, negate the spirit of good governance and protection of the Nigerian constitution. The governors are welcome to form a trade union but they must play be the rule.”






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103014111293

It indeed was a sordid act orchestrated by the Jonathan govt. I find it very offensive that the likes of Obasanjo and some serving ministers had to celeberate a criminal like Bode George. This shameless act of the PDP government should be condemned in its totality by Nigerians. Our quest to clean the polity of corruption and other vices is been defeated by the wantom display and promotion of evil. Nigerians are tired of these corruptminded individuals. Shame to Obasanjo, shame to Bode George.

The Action Congress of Nigeria and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties on Sunday warned the Peoples Democratic Party not to send wrong signals to Nigerian youths that there were good rewards for corruption.



The ACN’s warning came on the heels of Saturday’s grand reception organised by the PDP for its former Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George, on his release from a two-year jail term.



George was jailed for abuse of office, contract splitting and disobedience to lawful order.



In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said the PDP‘s action was a wrong signal to Nigerian youths. The ACN said it was akin to telling Nigerian youths that public officers could steal or mismanage public funds and be treated like heros.



“There is nothing wrong in rehabilitating a prisoner. But turning an occasion that calls for penitence and soberness to a carnival of sorts is a disservice to Nigeria, and a clear signal that the wobbly anti-corruption war of the Goodluck Jonathan administration is finally dead. It also ridicules Nigeria in the eyes of the world,” it said.



The ACN said George was jailed for stealing money meant for port management and development, not for his political beliefs.



“Let us remind Nigerians that partly because of Bode George‘s grand larceny, it now takes five times the number of time it should take to clear a container; while the Apapa port can hardly handle some ocean-growing vessels bringing in imported fuel, thus heightening the possibility of fuel scarcity.



“This is the man for whom a party (PDP) seeking the votes of Nigerians in April‘s general elections pulled all the stops to give a hero‘s welcome from Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison. This is the man whom serving ministers of a government that is supposed to be fighting corruption besieged Lagos to welcome.



“This is the man for whom the President‘s campaign coordinator for the South-West, Governor Gbenga Daniel - apparently standing in for his boss – turned up in Lagos with fanfare to receive. Nowhere in the world is this kind of action possible, except in Nigeria. And no party is capable of this theatre of the absurd except the PDP,” the party said.



In a separate statement, the CNPP expressed surprise at the celebration of George’s release from jail. In the statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the CNPP said it was outraged over “the obscene celebration of George, an ex-convict in Lagos on Saturday, by eminent citizens among whom were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State), ex-governors and two serving ministers.”



The CNPP said it was at a loss on where to locate the Jonathan administration’s anti-graft crusade when the President delegated the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, to represent him at the ‘obscene’ celebration.



CNPP said, ”President Jonathan from all intents and purposes by this act has failed woefully to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a constitution which frowns against corruption, failed to show leadership and questioned the sincerity of his commitment to war against corruption.



“Accordingly, we are appalled that the president of our dear country can openly, without prejudice to his oath of office, celebrate a man who was convicted on a 163-count criminal charge bearing on abuse of public trust, contract splitting and financial misappropriation to the tune of N100bn. What lessons or legacies are we bequeathing to future generations, when we are celebrating a man from prison not for political charges but criminal charges?”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102281592315

Conference Nigerian Political Parties {CNPP} has expressed outraged at the celebration of Chief Bode George who was released from prison last Saturday by eminent citizens among whom were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Gbenga Daniels, former governors and two serving Ministers.

The CNPP in a press statement issued in Abuja described the celebration as obscene of a Nigerian convicted of established crimes as obscene and most appalling at the same time called to question the President Goodluck Jonathan’s much publicized zero tolerance of corruption and anti-graft crusade.

The statement which was signed by the National Publicity Secretary of CNPP Mr. Osita Okechukwu noted as totally uncalled for the action of President Jonathan who against best ethical tradition delegated the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode to represent him at the obscene celebration.

According to Okechukwu; “President Jonathan from all intents and purposes by this act has failed woefully to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Constitution which frowns against corruption, failed to show leadership and questioned the sincerity of his commitment to war against corruption.
“We are appalled that the president of our dear country can openly without prejudice to his oath of office, celebrate a man who was convicted for 163 count criminal charges bordering on abuse of public trust, contract splitting and financial misappropriation to the tune of N100 billion.”

The Confluence of opposition political parties further questioned the rationale, lessons or legacies some privileged people in the country want to bequeath to future generations with the celebration of a man from prison who was convicted not for political charges but criminal charges?

The CNPP however praised the Venerable Tayo Aduloju of Catheral Church of Christ, Marina Lagos, whom it noted admonished Chief Bode George and his fellow travelers when he pointedly told them that; ‘Nigeria has huge resources and nothing to show for it. He that is greedy of gain, trouble his own house, but he that hates gifts shall live.’




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/28/national-28-02-2011-001.htm

America is a very great country, they go for excellence wherever they see it inspite of race, gender or colour. That is the beauty of democracy, I pray Nigeria can open up itself democratically to allow those that are endowed to pilot the affairs of our nation. Congratulations Mrs Olopade, if it had been in Nigeria, I guess quota system or federal character may have worked against your appointment. May God bless America for this appointment, I am proud of Mrs Olopade and Ekiti.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has hailed the appointment of an indigene of the state, Prof. Olufunmilayo Olopade, into the United States National Cancer Advisory Board.



The governor said in a statement made available to our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Mojeed Jamiu, that “Olopade’s appointment bears eloquent testimony to academic and professional excellence Ekitis are renowned for worldwide.”



Mrs. Olopade is an authority on cancer risk assessment, prevention, and treatment. She is also a practicing clinician and director of the University’s Cancer Risk Clinic.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102282254937

Is that so !

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission from conducting governorship elections in Kogi, Adamawa, Sokoto, Bayelsa and Cross River states.



In his judgment which lasted for about two hours in the consolidated suits by Governors Ibrahim Idris (Kogi), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Timipriye Sylva (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Justice Adamu Bello held that there were no vacancies in the affected states for now.



The judge added that the tenure of the concerned governors would not expire until 2012.



He held that the tenure of the governors legally started in 2008 when they took fresh oaths of office and allegiance following the nullification of their April 14, 2007 elections by the courts.



The court held that since the 2007 elections were nullified and set aside by competent courts, the oath of office and allegiance subscribed to by the five governors had all been nullified and set aside along with the elections.



Justice Bello held that in line with section 180 of the 1999 Constitution, the tenure of the governors legally commenced in 2008 and not in 2007.



According to the judge, the 2007 elections used by Independent National electoral Commission to determine the tenure of the governors did not exist in the eyes of the law, having been legally declared null and void by competent courts as nothing can stand on nothing.



He, however, said that although section 180 of the 1999 Constitution was amended in 2010 by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan, the amendment had no effect on the five governors since their rerun elections were conducted in 2008.



The judge said, “There is nowhere in the world where a constitution takes retroactive effect as erroneously held by INEC.



“The said amendment cannot be used to determine the tenure of the governors who took oath of office in 2008.” He, therefore, directed INEC to put on hold governorship election in the states and ordered that elections would only take place in the states next year.



He said, “INEC cannot validly conduct elections in the five states until 60 days to the expiration of the tenures of the present occupants.



“The notice of elections, received nominations, and timetable issued by INEC for the April 2011 elections are unlawful, illegal and contrary to section 180 of the constitution.”



Reacting to the verdict, INEC on Wednesday said that it would give the judgment to its legal team to study.



Director of Information and Public Affairs in the commission, Mr. Emmanuel Umenger, said this shortly after the verdict was delivered in Abuja.



He said, “It is too early for us to speak about the Court judgment delivered today. The Commission does not just react on issues like this, besides, the judgment has not been served on us yet.



“We have a consortium of lawyers who will have to study the judgment and advice the commission accordingly, we can only act based on their advice.”



In their reaction, Idris and his Bayelsa state counterpart, Sylva, said it was a triumph of the rule of law and victory for their states and the nation.



Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Idris said, “I am grateful to God, it is a victory for the people of Kogi State. I will lay a proper foundation for whoever is going to take over from me.”



In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, Sylva said, “The extension will give the administration more time to deepen development and democracy in Bayelsa.”



The plaintiffs had sued INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party, seeking legal interpretation on whether their tenure in office would be extended beyond May 29 this year.



They had challenged the decision of the INEC to conduct governorship elections in their states in April 2011, claiming that their tenure would still subsist beyond 2011.



The plaintiffs, who were represented by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Samson Ameh (SAN), Kanu Agabi (SAN), Ladi Williams (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) respectively, stated that INEC was wrong to have concluded that the tenure of their clients would expire in May based on the fact that their elections conducted on April 14, 2007 were nullified by the courts.



They had contended that their tenure could not lapse in 2011 because they took oath of offices and oath of allegiance in 2008 after those of 2007 had been voided and set aside by different courts.



The Federal Government, a defendant in the case had, through its lawyer, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), asked the court not to grant the tenure elongation on the grounds that the amended constitution was in opposition to the request of the governors.



He had argued that since the governors won the rerun, their tenure started from their first oath of office in 2007 in line with the amended constitution.



But the PDP supported the governors, saying that their tenures commenced on the day they were inaugurated after the rerun.



The national legal Adviser of the PDP preparations, Chief Olusola Oke, had argued that the 2007 elections which brought the governors to office in the first instance were declared illegal, unlawful, null and void and set aside by law courts.



He contended that the oath of office taken along with the voided elections were of no effect in law.



With this development, the tenure of the affected governors will end on the following dates: Ibrahim Idris (April 5, 2012); Aliyu Wamakko (May 28, 2012); Murtala Nyako (April 30, 2012); Timipre Sylva (May 29, 2012) and Liyel Imoke (August 28, 2012).



Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state had a similar suit.



But Justice Abdul Kafarati of a Federal High Court in Abuja had on October 7, 2010, held that Amaechi must quit office on May 29, 2011, though it was Mr. Celestine Omehia who was first sworn in as the winner of the governorship election in the state on May 29, 2007.



Delivering judgment in a suit by a former legal adviser of the Peoples Democratic in Rivers State, Chief Cyprian Chukwu, Justice Kafarati had also held that Amaechi was not entitled to stay in office beyond May 29, 2011.



The judge had held that since Amaechi was deemed to be the candidate of the PDP in the governorship election, he would be deemed to have assumed that office on May 29, 2007 when Omehia was sworn in.



He held that Amaechi’s tenure was a continuation of Omehia’s term, at the time of election.



The judge said that the case of Anambra State Governor Peter Obi v. INEC did not apply on the grounds that the election petitions tribunal sitting in Anambra State nullified Dr. Chris Ngige’s election.



Justice Kafarati said Omehia’s election was not nullified.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102243404514

The Nigerian Bar Association on Tuesday named a 13-member panel of senior lawyers to investigate the corruption charges against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysious Katsina-Alu and the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Salami.



The NBA probe panel, chaired by a former President of the lawyers’ body, Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN), is also mandated to look into the corruption that have allegedly pervaded the entire judicial system. It will equally consider the matter of legal practitioners who allegedly promote corruption in the system.



The NBA panel represents a major step in unraveling the crisis of confidence in the Nigerian judicial system, especially since Salami accused Katsina-Alu of attempting to corruptly influence him to pervert justice in the Sokoto State governorship petition trial.



The House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice mandated by the federal lower legislative chamber to investigate the Salami allegation also met in Abuja on Tuesday. Our correspondent reports that members of the Committee who met in private refused to let journalists into their deliberation at the meeting.



Chairman of the committee, Mr. Henry Dickson, had said in Abuja on Sunday that the CJN might be invited by the committee to respond to the allegation by the PCA.



The National President of the NBA, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), who announced the constitution of the panel in a statement, listed the members to include Chief Bamidele Aiku (SAN), Mr. Idowu Sofola (SAN), Dr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), Mr. Onueze Okocha (SAN), Mr. Emmanuel Toro (SAN) and Chief Assam Assam (SAN).



Other members are Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin (SAN), Mr. Marcus Yarkasuwa Saleh (SAN), Mr. Obi Ulasi (SAN), Alhaji M.U. Ibrahim and Mrs. Stella Ugboma.



Dauda said Mr. Ebenezer Obeya would serve as the secretary of the committee.



The NBA boss said he decided to name the panel in pursuant to the resolution of the National Executive Committee of the NBA in Awka, Anambra State on February 17, 2011.



Daudu said, “I have been, in my capacity as the President of the NBA, directed to set up a high-powered committee to investigate and report back to NBA-NEC the following: CJN/PCA face-off; debilitating corruption eating into and corroding the entire judicial system; and legal practitioners who promote corruption in a variety of ways in the system.



“The Chairman of the committee will as expeditiously as possible fix a date (preferably within this week) for a commencement of the committee’s activities. The committee will regulate its activities and within the shortest possible time, submit its report to the President of the NBA, who will in turn forward it to NEC/NBA for it to deal with as it pleases.”



He further said that the National Secretariat of the NBA had been put on alert to ensure that the activities of the committee proceeded smoothly.



The face-off between the CJN and the PCA blew into the open when the CJN nominated the PCA for elevation to the Supreme Court. But the PCA had in an open letter rejected the ‘elevation’ on the grounds that it was a ‘Greek gift’ meant to remove him from the Court of Appeal .



Salami had also claimed that the game plan of the CJN was to replace him with his “stooge” at the Court of Appeal. Salami further filed an action before a Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the ‘elevation’ and named the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants to the suit.



The PCA also made weighty allegations against the CJN in an affidavit he personally deposed to, saying that the CJN asked him to compromise on the Sokoto governorship tussle.



But the PCA later withdrew the matter against the CJN, following the intervention of well meaning Nigerians just as the proposed elevation was shelved by the NJC and the matter was struck out by Justice Adamu Bello.



As a fall-out of the crisis at the top echelon of the judiciary, the Ekiti and Osun states’ chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party also submitted petitions to the NJC and the Presidency, alleging underhand dealings in the handling of the election petitions that led to the sacking of the former governors of the state.



The former governors, Mr. Segun Oni (Ekiti) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), both members of the PDP were replaced respectively by Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Rauf Aregbesola of the Action Congress of Nigeria.



Reacting to the petitions of the PDP, the Presidency on Tuesday said it was not a party to the suits in which the petitioners were alleging foul play; hence it should not be involved.



“Is the Presidency the law court? Was it a party to the suits? Is it the Presidency that ‘overturns’ judgments,” presidential spokesman, Mr. Ima Niboro said.



Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Coalition for Democracy and Credible Election, a coalition of 250 civil society organisations, have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately convene a meeting of all former heads of state to intervene in the lingering crisis between the CJN and Salami.



In a joint statement issued by the two bodies, they cautioned against any attempt to politicise the feud. They warned that doing so would not only undermine the integrity of the judiciary but threaten the current democratic dispensation.



They observed that the judiciary was critical to the survival of the country, adding that the current problem should be carefully tackled by the “nation’s elders” in such a way that the integrity of the judiciary would be strengthened.



In the statement which was jointly signed by the National Secretary of the NUJ, Shuaibu Leman, and the National Coordinator of CODECE, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, the two bodies further advised that the National Assembly should desist from embarking on a probe of the crisis because doing so would further politicise the matter.



They also advised the NBA and other Civil Society Organisations to exercise caution in their comments on the issue.



The two bodies further called on journalists and other unions to also exercise restraint in their analysis of the crisis.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102230303265

Libyan leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi has refused to stand down amid widespread anti-government protests which he said had tarnished the image of the country, the British Broadcasting Corporation reports.



In his first major speech since unrest began last week, Col Gaddafi said the whole world looked up to Libya and that protests were “serving the devil”.



Reading from the country’s constitution, he said enemies of Libya would be executed.



Rights groups say nearly 300 have been killed in the violence so far.



A defiant and angry Col Gaddafi said that he had brought glory to Libya. As he had no official position in Libya from which to resign, he would remain the head of the revolution, he said.



He blamed the unrest on “cowards and traitors” who were seeking to portray Libya as a place of chaos and to “humiliate” Libyans. At other points he referred to them as cockroaches or “rats and mercenaries”.



State TV had said Col Gaddafi was going to announce “major reforms” in his speech, but the only such reference was to some devolution of power to local authorities.



The protesters had been given drink and drugs, he said, frequently shouting and banging his fist on the table as the address continued.



He called on “those who love Muammar Gaddafi” to come on to the streets in support of him, telling them not to be afraid of the “gangs”.



“Come out of your homes, attack them in their dens. Withdraw your children from the streets. They are drugging your children, they are making your children drunk and sending them to hell,” he said.



He urged young people to form committees “for the defence of the revolution and the defence of Gaddafi”. He said they would “cleanse Libya house by house”.



“If matters require, we will use force, according to international law and the Libyan constitution,” he said, and warned that the country could descend into civil war or be occupied by the United States if protests continued.



Anyone who played games with the country’s unity would be executed, he said, referring to the Chinese authorities’ crushing of the student protests in Tiananmen Square among other historical events.



He also railed against western countries, in particular the US and Britain, which he accused of trying to destabilise Libya.



It was unclear whether the speech, which lasted about an hour, was live or had been pre-recorded.



But it was apparently filmed at his Bab al-Azizia barracks in Tripoli, which still shows damage from a US bombing in 1986. The cameras occasionally cut away to an image of a giant fist crushing a US war plane.











The BBC reports say that even by Col Gaddafi’s usual standards it was an extraordinary speech, full of theatrical defiance against almost everyone.



He appears completely divorced from reality, says our correspondent, saying that he had not authorised the army to use force, despite opposition statements that more than 500 people have been killed and more than 1,000 are missing.



The Libyan authorities have reacted fiercely to the outbreak of protests in the country, which have come amid anti-government unrest in many other countries in the region.



Foreign journalists work under tight restriction in Libya, and much of the information coming from the country is impossible to verify.



But witnesses say foreign mercenaries have been attacking civilians in the streets and that fighter planes have been shooting down protesters.



Tens of thousands of foreigners are trying to leave the country and many oil companies are attempting to remove their expatriate staff.



According to reports, there is a heavy police presence in the capital but that, the second city, Benghazi - where there has been intensive fighting - is now in opposition control and there is no sign of security forces.



Many Libyan diplomats, including the country’s ambassador to the US, have turned their backs on Col Gaddafi and are urging the international community to take action.



The UN Security Council and Arab League have both called emergency meetings over the crisis. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is “outraged” by the violence



Human Rights Watch said at least 62 bodies had been taken to hospital morgues since Sunday, in addition to the 233 people it said had been killed outside the capital previously.



The violence has helped to push up oil prices to their highest levels since the global financial crisis of 2008.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102231471081

The frosty relationship between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, thawed on Tuesday, when the monarch received the governor in his palace, amid pomp and circumstance.



Aregbesola was in Ile-Ife to inaugurate the campaign of the Action Congress of Nigeria for the 2011 elections. Befoer Tuesday’s meeeting, both men had not had any interaction since Aregbesola was inaugurated on January 26, 2010 after the Appeal Court swept away the seven-and-a-half-year administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.



Since Aregbesola became governor, several members of the Osun State Council of Obas have identified with his administration. But the Ooni had been absent from state functions, heightening suspicion about the speculated rift between the two personalities.



The Ooni fell apart with a former governor of Osun, Chief Bisi Akande, who ruled the state from 1999-2003.



The monarch, who was a staunch supporter of the Oyinlola administration, had last year said the council of obas would participate in the choosing of Oyinlola’s successor.



The Ooni settled many rifts between Osun Peoples Democratic Party factions and an Ile-Ife based group loyal to the monarch, ‘T’oba lase’.



Speaking at the historic meeting, the Ooni described Aregbesola’s governorship as ‘God-ordained’, adding that traditional rulers in the state would support the governor.



He said, “I am now 82. I am your father. Obas will help you. Obas are not your enemies.



“You need votes and peace. Obas are not your enemies. They are ready to co-operate with you. Our governor, if they tell you that the Ooni does not love you, it is a lie. We follow God here.



“Once God says this is it, we stand by it. The last time you came here, you came to celebrate the Olojo festival with me. It was here that you met Oyinlola and I gave you a car to ride with Oyinlola.



“Whatever contrary views you have heard did not emanate from the Ooni and his chiefs. Once you believe God, there is no problem.”



Sijuwade presented the portraits of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and some other artifacts to the governor, who later attended a mammoth rally in front of the monarch’s palace.



Aregbesola, who thanked the Ooni for receiving him in his palace, said he had seen the manifestation of the prayer the Ooni offered on his behalf when he (governor) visited the palace in 2007.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102230453190

Expectations have been running high in Awka, the Anambra State capital since news broke that the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu would on Thursday (tomorrow) deliver judgment in the appeal filed by the Hope Democratic Party against the February 6, 2010 re-election of Governor Peter Obi.



Since Monday, when the information began circulating, major stakeholders have been holding meetings to strategise on how to receive the judgment of the appeal court. The suit is in respect of the appeal filed by the HDP and its deputy governorship candidate, Mr. Mike Okoye, challenging the verdict of the Anambra State Election Tribunal that upheld Obi’s re-election.



The court may order a rerun in the state if it accepts the HDP’s appeal that the election was fraught with irregularities, to the extent that it did not meet with the requirements of the Electoral Act of 2006. But a runoff might be ordered if the second leg of the appeal succeeds.



It states that Obi did not win the election because he failed to secure one quarter of the votes cast in two-thirds of the 21 local government areas as required by law.



Okoye, who is a co-appellant in the case, however, told our correspondent on Tuesday that though he had heard that other parties in the matter had been served the notice of hearing for the judgment, he was yet to receive his. The HDP office in Awka has been converted to the campaign base of Mr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, a Peoples Democratic Party senatorial aspirant for Anambra South.



There was no officer of the party available to attend to our correspondent. The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Dr. Chris Ngige, who is also challenging Obi’s re-election, said he and the party were also watching developments, because “one leg of that appeal affects us.”



The Special Assistant to the Anambra State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, confirmed to our correspondent that the state government was aware of the impending verdict. But another official of the state government, who pleaded anonymity, said the Obi administration was not worried.



The Anambra State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, told our correspondent that the police would guard against the breakdown of law and order.



The tribunal headed by Justice Pius Damulak had dismissed the HDP’s petition and held that its claims that Obi’s re-election did not meet the requirements of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution lacked merit.



The tribunal also held that Obi was duly elected, having scored the highest number of valid votes and one quarter of the votes cast in two-thirds of the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.



The HDP had contended that the irregularities that marked the election were so significant that they made the poll to fall short of the requirements of the Electoral Act of 2006 and the 1999 Constitution. The party also contended that even if the irregularities were not strong enough to nullify the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission erred by declaring Obi as the winner because he failed to secure the required one quarter of the total votes cast in two thirds of the local government areas of the state.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102230372042

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida yesterday denied insinuations that President Goodluck Jonathan had sealed a deal with presidential aspirants of northern extraction on the platform of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) and the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF).

According to media reports, the PDP presidential candidate, in his meeting with leaders of the NPLF and the individual presidential aspirants had assured them that he would not seek re-election in 2015.

But while confirming entreaties from President Jonathan to support his presidential aspiration, the former military president said he never at any time reneged on the stand point of the NPLF on zoning.
He, however, noted that he was never opposed to dialogue on national politics with President Jonathan in the interest of Nigeria.

In a press statement signed by his media aide, Kassim Afegbua, General Babangida also denied that the NPLF had dropped its position on zoning.

“We have been inundated with telephone calls and text messages from our numerous supporters nationwide over the news report that indicated that a deal had been sealed between President Goodluck Jonathan and former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

“On behalf of General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR, I wish to state that up till this date, Tuesday, 22nd February, 2011, no deal has been sealed.
“Let me state in very clear terms that there are overtures being extended by the Jonathan/Sambo campaign organization being led by the President himself, to the Northern Political Leaders Forum on the need for reconciliation in order to boost his campaigns.

“Even at that, there is nothing to suggest that a deal has been struck. There is a clear distinction between General Ibrahim Babangida as a private citizen and the Northern Political Leaders Forum led by Mallam Adamu Ciroma. This distinction must be properly understood each time the media tries to draw its conclusions. It should also be noted that General IBB has access to Mr. President and can engage him anytime in the interest of the country.

“Expectedly, any presidential candidate should ordinarily reach out to those he feels could enrich his campaigns and support base. It is a usual democratic and electoral practice that is not peculiar to us in Nigeria. It is also expected that when such a candidate is reaching out, certain convincing reasons would be advanced to woo his potential supporters.”
The statement said while it was not out of place for President Jonathan to reach out to people he felt could enrich his campaigns, it was out of place for the media to run into premature conclusion that a deal has been struck as if the object of political participation is to appropriate the collective destinies of Nigeria in naira and kobo.

“General Ibrahim Babangida is not a dealer. He has never been a dealer and he does not intend to be one. He is a distinguished elder statesman who is not persuaded by pecuniary benefits but a leader who is genuinely concerned about the development, unity and stability of the country.” The former military president, according to Afegbua subscribes to the principle of collective bargaining as well as constructive engagement in any national interest that must be canvassed. IBB said if he would engage in any dialogue with Jonathan, such must be constructive, adding that the subject matter must really center on the unity of Nigeria and stability of the country, just as he noted further that he was still a member of PDP and would be willing to help the party succeeds once the internal contradictions were sorted out. “It should be understood that the idea being sold out that President Jonathan would serve one term as a precondition for getting the Northern support is non-applicable. By law, if President Goodluck Jonathan gets re-elected, he would be statute-barred from contesting in 2015 having been sworn-in twice. General Ibrahim Babangida remains passionate about one Nigeria and would go to any extent to sustain that ideal.”







http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/23/national-23-02-2011-04.htm

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday requested the Senate to approve another N5 billion to enable his Commission laminate the voters’ cards. This was coming barely three weeks after he made similar request of additional N6.6 billion for an extension of the voters’ registration.

Jega, who appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC to defend the commission’s 2011 budget further requested for N63.1 million and N77 million for refreshment and honorarium respectively during the 2011 fiscal year.

This was even as the Budget Office proposed N2.7 billion to cover the exercise which the INEC boss described as far inadequate, stressing that nothing short of N5 billion would do the job.
According to Prof. Jega; “the commission will need N5 billion to convert an estimated 80 million voters’ cards to plastic cover. Each of the plastic cover is estimated to cost the commission N64. We will have difficulties with the 40 per cent cut in the N5 billion for the job, because we have registered 67.7 million Nigerians and will continue the exercise after the general elections.”

The INEC chairman also said the voters’ cards issued to those who were registered would only last for a maximum of two months but would last longer if laminated, adding that the commission registered 67.7 voters in the last exercise and already working on a timetable to continue with the voters’ registration immediately after the April general elections.

He further said the exercise would be repeated after 10 years to capture those who may had reached the voting age after the last exercise.
Prof. Jega also told the Senator Isiaka Adeleke-led committee that the commission would need another N450 million to cover donations and gifts to some agencies that already made presentations for sponsorship of capacity building workshops and seminars.
This was as he also said the commission would spend about N181 million on fueling and lubricants in addition to another N45 million on generators and plant for the 2011 fiscal year.

Similarly, the commission was expected to spend N22 million on local training while N270 million was reserved for foreign training in addition to another N180 million on local travel just as it would need N135 million for foreign tours.
Prof. Jega told the Senate committee that the slash in the commission’s 2011 budget was done by the Budget Office without consultation with the electoral body thus said that N51 billion earlier proposed was expected to put the commission in better position to deliver credible elections in April.

Link;http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/23/national-23-02-2011-01.htm

Former president of Botswana and winner of the highly coveted Mo Ibrahim Prize, Festus Mogae, was in Nigeria recently. He spoke to Abimbola Adelakun and Joel NWOKEOMA on development issues plaguing the country.







Why are you here?



I was invited by the Rivers State Government to give the inaugural lecture for the Prof. Claude Ake Memorial lecture. He was a prominent economist, a brilliant political scientist and a development commentator. I am also here to speak on a topic of interest to me, which borders on development in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. I was asked to address the topic of “Doom to Boom: Re-engineering the Economy of Rivers State.” I looked at it from the Port Harcourt experience and the angle of compare and contrast of situations. They asked me for instance how we were able to emerge from a poor, least developed country at independence in 1966 to being one of the best today. So I shared the experience in Botswana.



Do you mind sharing those experiences that translated Botswana from a poor country to one of the most stable economies today?



I must say a variety of elements but there is political stability. Minerals were discovered and I suppose that is everywhere. In the case of Nigeria, it is oil. Minerals were discovered after independence. Diamonds were discovered and we became a diamond- dependent economy, too dependent. What we did was to agree that previously, the mineral was invested in some cases, private hands and in some cases, communal territories. It was agreed before the mines were discovered, that they would be invested in the state and be used for the benefit of all and not just for people who were from the district the minerals were discovered. One of the things is that the interest of the public was raised and people will ask that, “What has been discovered? “How much are we selling them?” “What are we getting from them?” and “What are we doing with the money?” So, there was transparency. What we did was to have a five-year economic development plan and it was revised every three years.



Basically, that was what we maintained. Our revenue estimate shows how much we derive from company taxes, personal taxes and from indirect taxes, mineral revenues, incorporation tax and royalties. Because in the case of diamonds, we have 50 per cent and so everybody could see how much we were getting from there. When we allocate the budget, the members of parliament know how much of our revenue will go to infrastructure, poverty alleviation, education and training.



We did a lot of ordinary things for the benefit of the ordinary people like expanding education and making it free, expanding secondary education. In other words, you build the schools and train the teachers and make it free. We built health sectors, built hospitals, district hospitals, community and peripheral hospitals.



Basically, all I can say is that we spent the money on development. We decided what the national priorities were. The ruling party basically agreed on education, physical infrastructure and public health. Because of the nature of our country, water development was very important. Electrification came later. The roads were more important because we are a small population scattered in a big country so it was important to link the communities so we could feel like one. That was what we did, people-oriented development.



This was under you government?



This was both before and under my government. I was a civil servant playing my role before I became a politician. I retired as a secretary and the head of planning. By the time I joined politics, I became a minister of finance and development planning and later, vice-president. I was VP for seven years before becoming president. So I was associated with all the policies that had been pursued and implemented. I was president only for 10 years. Not 25, 30 or 40 years. Just 10 years.



What is it that Nigeria is not doing enough in the management of her resources which Botswana did to transformed hers?



I don’t know what Nigeria is not doing well, but I know what Rivers State is doing and is doing well because they are doing exactly what we did. They are spending money on education, health, reconstruction of infrastructure, revitalizing the economy and telling the people that these are the projects we are implementing and this is the money we are receiving. They are telling people where the money is going.



What do you think is responsible for poor infrastructure development in Africa?



Many factors are responsible but political instability is one of them. We have heard in these countries of so many coups so there is no guarantee of development policies. Whenever each regime comes in, it has different development priorities. The most important thing here is to agree and know that you have elections. Tell your politicians that they must be telling you what they are going to do for the ordinary man for the development of the country. They (many African countries) only undertake development project when it is going to them but when you undertake development programmes for the majority, you are reducing poverty.



Military men like toys and military toys are very expensive. It is easy to buy but it takes a lot to maintain. If there is real development, like building a road in Lagos, it won’t take you three years to do because it will help the people and that is real development. Whereas, if you want to buy 10 fighter jets, you can spend N30bn, but where does the latest fighter jet get you? What are the national priorities? My suspicion is that because you have had a series of military regimes, you intend to spend more on expensive things that are not really priorities.



What people need should be the national priority. In a big country like this, if you provide infrastructure in a place like Lagos for instance, you will be creating jobs. By creating jobs, you are also creating income and by doing so, you are reducing poverty.



Hosni Mubarak and Ben-Ali of Egypt and Tunisia respectively have just been chased out. What is the way out of leadership crisis in Africa?



The way out is democratisation. Throw out the military and have proper democracy; free and fair elections are the solutions.



Do you think we can achieve that here? It looks as if democracy has been a problem for Africans generally?



That’s true but you know democracy cannot be built overnight. It has to evolve and as far as I am concerned, democracy is taking root in this country. You have had two successful elections that produced Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua. Now we are looking forward to this election to be reasonably credible. It might not be perfect but credible, at least.



It is credible when there is no obvious cheating or interference. Here, you Nigerian press are very combative. That is the characteristic of democracy and the various parties are also very combative. That is good. I have hope for Nigeria because of Rivers State. That governor discusses with his people. He says “You are asking for one, two, three, four, five… and I will give you this and that. I don’t agree with you.” They tell him, “share the money” and he says, “if I share the money, who will build this and build that one? I am building the schools, the town, the hospitals. Someday the oil will be gone and you will need to survive.”



Nigeria was an exporter of agricultural products. I witnessed Nigeria’s years of exportation of groundnut, cocoa and about three or four products and that was why you had a marketing board to trade them. I don’t know what agricultural products you export now but I get the impression you left everything else you were doing as soon as oil started flowing and the dollars started coming in. That is what is wrong with Nigeria.



You have the capacity. You have the educated people and a judicial system that works. You were highly developed, you had engineers, teachers, etc, before many other countries. So, decide what your national priorities are and pursue them. Education is one of them, especially primary and secondary because that is what everybody wants. Not everybody wants to go to the university.



How does it feel winning the Mo Ibrahim Prize for leadership in a continent with leadership crisis?



It means not all African leaders are failures. It makes me optimistic that ultimately we will get it right even if in a majority of cases we have got it wrong. Some of us have got it right and if some have, it means his brothers and sisters can get it right too.



As an African statesman, what advice do you have for Nigerians?



Draw up a development plan in areas that are perceived by the nation as necessary. I must say one of them is agriculture because you used to be a leading agriculture nation and you are not anymore at present. I knew you to be a leading exporter of agriculture but you are not, at present. Some will say that is because the population has grown but the population of other countries has grown but they are still exporters of other products.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110223438665