₦airaland Forum

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday urged Nigerians to continually work for the unity and stability of the country.



The ex-president, who chaired the inauguration of the campaign of Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, noted that Nigerians must always be mindful of the country’s unity.



Obasanjo said, ‘‘At every stage, we need to strengthen our unity. Our unity must not be taken for granted.



“At every stage, we need to be mindful of stability and appreciate our diversity in religion, language, culture and social standing.”



He advised Nigerians to vote for a candidate who would lead the country on the right path, adding, “We need a leader who will do what he needs to do to get us to the Promised Land. We will only suffer for a while.



“On a number of occasions, God has given me the opportunity to run the affairs of this country both as a military leader and a democratically elected President. I believe that nobody seriously brought my religion, education and social standing into consideration.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102230401943

THE Rivers State Police Command has foiled an attempt by suspected kidnappers to seize the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime.



The INC leader, who is also a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, was accosted by hoodlums at Choba Roundabout along the East-West Road. He was reportedly shot in the thigh by the hoodlums, who forced him out of his Toyota Jeep and tried unsuccessfully to take him away.



THE PUNCH learnt that Obianime engaged the gunmen in a struggle, forcing them to shoot him. A UNIPORT student, who witnessed the incident, told THE PUNCH that it took place around 8.10pm on Monday. The witness said the attempt forced part-time students heading home after lectures to scamper for safety.



“We finished lectures at about 8pm and were coming out through the school gate when we heard a gunshot. Many of us were afraid and had to run back to the school.



“We only came out when we were sure that the criminals had left the scene,” the student said.



Confirming the incident, the state police command’s spokesman, Dr. Rita Inoma-Abbey, explained that Obianime was shot in the thigh during the struggle with the bandits. Inoma-Abbey, who spoke on Tuesday, stated that some policemen were able to reach the scene in good time to prevent the gunmen from kidnapping the INC president or snatching his car.



She pointed out that the gunmen ran into a nearby market on sighting the police patrol team, adding that the security operatives did not fire any shot to avoid hitting innocent persons.



“On Monday at about 8.10pm at Choba Roundabout in Port Harcourt, there was an attempt to kidnap and snatch a vehicle from Obianime, who is a lecturer at UNIPORT and the president of the Ijaw National Congress.



“He (Obianime) was shot and wounded in the thigh in the ensuing struggle. Metro Patrol policemen arrived in good time to prevent the hoodlums from kidnapping him or snatching his car,” she said.



She stated that the victim was immediately rushed to the hospital while the police recovered two AK-47 rifles with numbers 28926 and 14442.



She stated that two magazines and 21 live ammunition were also recovered from the suspected kidnappers, adding that the police had started investigating the matter.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102230482471

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Second Republic Governor of old Plateau State, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, is unhappy with the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPFL) for fanning ethnic embers even after the last PDP presidential primary which produced President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s candidate.

He is particularly disappointed with his political ally, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, whom he accused of bad faith and of “acting out a script written by some other politicians in the North. I have been telling people that NPFL or any other political interest in the North for that matter should have been known to me because I am the oldest political leader in the North, who is still alive, active and relevant in the politics of Nigeria today. Others have since said they have resigned from politics and they have not been saying anything.”
Lar spoke with KENNY ASHAKA and MARIAM AGBOOLA in Jos, Plateau State. Excerpts:
My fear for Nigeria

Although the country is well, she was yet to get out of some of the challenges facing her especially those being posed by some politicians. Most politicians are intolerable of other people’s views. But the greatest threat to Nigeria’s political development is free, fair and credible elections. Once we can get out of this, the challenges will be a thing of the past, except corruption that people talk about. But corruption is also part of any election which is not free, fair and credible. Once elections are free, fair and credible, it means that corruption is 75 per cent cleared. So, this is my greatest fear, my greatest concern.

If we support Jega, I think Jega means well, he is serious and means business. I will appeal that politicians, stakeholders should all support him so that we can have free, fair and credible elections. We used to have that in the past. For example, in 1959 when I was elected into the House of Representatives, my elections and those of the other members were very free, fair and credible. It was after that that we started hearing about rigging. During my college days, we didn’t hear anything like rigging. I was shocked later when people started talking about rigging and when I asked what they meant by rigging, they said it means changing an authentic result to something else.

“That was what brought about the disturbances in the political scene. It caused some crises in some parts of the South. Because of the absence of free, fair and credible elections at that time, the military who were not well disciplined at that time, came in and said they were trying to save the situation. This later led to the civil war. After the war, in 1979, election was free and fair again. That election was conducted by the military, but it was free and fair. The one that was conducted by the colonial people in 1959 was free and fair. But subsequent elections that were conducted by politicians either in 1961 or 1964 were not free, fair and credible. I am telling you because I watched them. I want you to know and I have looked at it critically, they were not credible. There were cries about rigging all over.
Then when we had the Second Republic election conducted by the military, it was free, fair and credible. But it changed again when civilians conducted the subsequent ones. They were not free and fair. You know very well where elections were rigged in the South-West, in places like Ondo, Oyo and in the present South East-state of Anambra. All over the place elections were rigged.

Registration of voters should be a continuos exercise
It is the duty of the electoral umpire to cross-check and find out those who were de-enfranchised: It is very, very important.
Those de-enfranchised should be registered. In democracy, in Britain today, people still being registered daily. Any time when they are of age, that is 18 years, they go and register. The register should be left open so that even if you attain the voting age of 18 next month, you go and register. That is the norm all over. You don’t shut people out of registration and elections.” For those who are now of voting age and couldn’t be registered, the PDP chieftain asked INEC to commence arrangement for their registration under special consideration. “INEC should please go and register these people under special consideration. It is very important.”
On the arrangement INEC is putting on the ground for the April polls? I am coming to that. During the PDP transition, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo successfully tried to transit from civilian to civilian regime.

We must give him credit for that, although there were some complaints here and there but he did his best. It was not his fault. The present INEC has said they would overcome that. So, let us believe that they will overcome it and we would have free, fair and credible elections.”

Blame governors for the war between PDP and INEC
The problem is with some state governors who will like to take the party as if it is their property and wouldn’t want their opponents to have a free contest. Definitely, that will bring some problems. I am appealing to these governors that are in all the political parties; let them have a free and fair mind to allow for the free conduct of primaries in their states. Some people feel that once you are a governor, you own the party and would not allow some people to be members of that political party. And if he is a member of that party, he must be their stooge. That is wrong and it is not what democracy is all about.”

Does that not confirm the fears that elections in these states may not be free and fair? “It may not necessarily be because elections would not be run or conducted by the governors. They are supposed to be conducted by an independent body, that is the INEC. So, INEC is not the government.”
Ciroma is acting a script
The NPLF led by Ciroma, insisting that the North must produce the next President and on Ciroma revisiting an agenda which ought to have been closed after the primary.

North, I don’t think that is Adamu talking. I am sure some people are trying to use Adamu. The Adamu Ciroma that I know wouldn’t say things like that.”
I recalled how Ciroma and other northern political leaders met with him in Jos and took the decision to cede political power to the South-West: It was here (Jos) that we held a meeting with Ciroma. It was just to solve the problem of the South West for the annulment of the June 12 election when the South-West said they would not participate in the elections of 1999.

I have been telling people that Northern Political Forum or any other political interest in the North for that matter should have been known to me because I am the oldest political leader in the North, who is still alive, who is still active and relevant in the politics of Nigeria today. Others have since said they have resigned from politics and they have not been saying anything. Adamu Ciroma is still active in politics and we have been meeting. I am surprised that he said this type of thing.
On his meeting with Ciroma and being the oldest political leader in the North, who is alive and relevant today, why have they not been taking me into confidence in all political matters affecting the region? I am telling you that this is not a northern political forum. They are acting some people’s script.

On threats that the NPFL might inspire protest votes from northerners against the PDP, I don’t think so, even when there was no zoning, protest votes have always been there. When any group feels that their interests have not been taken into consideration, they may do that; but I do not think that would affect the fortunes of the PDP in the next elections. I believe that the result of the last PDP presidential primary should have discovered to the apostles of zoning that the PDP candidate, President Jonathan is loved by northerners:

I am a Northerner. I am in the North and North Central for that matter. So, anybody from any other part of the North would come to me because they are either from the North West or North-East. Anything done in the North that has no confirmation of the people of the North Central is not from the North.

Probe Salami’s allegations against the CJN
Commenting on the row between the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami over the latter’s controversial promotion to the Supreme Court, Lar, who is also a lawyer, submitted that with the high respect for the judiciary coupled with the renewed confidence Nigerians repose in that estate of the realm, rushing the matter would deal a devastating blow on the justice system:
“I am not happy that the rule of law has not been followed in the seeming rift between the CJN and President of the Court of Appeal.

I think it is a rather unfortunate thing. We have only been hearing from one side, from the President about what transpired; we have not heard from the CJN. And I think anything that concerns the Judiciary should not be discussed in the public like that. There should be a laid down way of going about it.
“In any case, if it is about going to the Supreme Court, whatever recommendation that the National Judicial Council makes is not the final. They can only recommend a Justice to Mr. President.

The President will in turn send the name of the nominee to the Senate for approval before the whole thing can end. If we say we have the rule of law, then those who are passing judgement already are not doing the right thing. You have to hear both sides. That is what we call fair hearing in law. This time, you are hearing only one side. Wait until you hear the other side too before you pass judgement. In any case, we are not to pass judgement. The judiciary has its own way of looking into its problems and challenges. So, people should give the judiciary that respect.”

However, Salami, dropped the case he filed against the CJN, citing what he said was the “intervention of well-meaning Nigerians.” Justice Salami sued the CJN over what he described as his ‘unholy’ promotion to the Supreme Court and also accused him of interfering with his job in the Appeal Court. Would Lar be surprised that the case was withdrawn? Although Lar lauded the idea of dropping the case, he asked those concerned to “cross check some of the allegations. What we want is a very honest and sincere judiciary; but in doing so, the rule of law must be strictly followed.”




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/22/national-22-02-2011-02.htm

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) retired Gen Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization is canvassing for the killing of his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare.


A Deputy Coordinator of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization, North-central Zone, Senator Walid Jibrin, had said in an interview with a national daily on February 16, 2011, that Buhari committed blunder by picking Bakare as running mate without investigating the pastor’s background.


Jibrin said Bakare, a former Muslim, left Islam for Christianity, which he said was an offence against Islam and the punishment is death by stoning. He said Bakare risked being stoned to death if the Muslim Ulama and other relevant Islamic organizations could dig up the fact of the matter and take appropriate measures in accordance with Islamic laws.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, the former Head of State said the choice of Bakare was an informed choice for the benefit of Nigerians based on patriotism and the need to get a running mate who is committed to Nigeria, with like-passion.

Buhari further said the senator (Jibrin) is not an individual. He is the Deputy Coordinator for Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization for North-central Zone, which means he made the speech for the campaign organization.

“Only few days ago, General Buhari was calling on Nigerians to learn from Egypt, where Christians were forming shield around Muslims as they pray during their demonstrations and to show that Nigeria should move from balance of hate to balance of faith. But the Jonathan Campaign, through Senator Jibrin, is inciting hatred, bringing hatred into politics.

“Even in states where Sharia has been adopted, those who were condemned to death under the Sharia law, have had to get the plea from Appeal Court when they appealed to the High Court. So, it is unfortunate that a former senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and an official of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization, is inciting people to go and kill the vice presidential candidate of General Buhari because what he has done, is clearly nothing but to incite murder and given the level of religious tension in some parts of the country, it may appear that the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign maybe plotting assassination against the vice presidential candidate to General Buhari. And they may not want to do it directly by themselves, they may now be inciting others to do it for them,” Odumakin said.

He also called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately invite Senator Jibrin for questioning and to give guarantee that if anything happens to Pastor Bakare, he would be held responsible.



http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12557:buhari-jonathan-wants-bakare-stoned-to-death&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

The much-touted deal between Atiku Abubakar and his group, the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum (NPLF) and President Goodluck Jonathan on his emergence as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been dismissed as premature by sources in both the NPLF and the Atiku campaign.

In an exclusive chat with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, these sources who did not want to be quoted also said that the position of the NPLF on zoning had not changed and this was made clear to President Jonathan’s emissaries that a new agreement on the issue was a sine qua non for any further talks between the two groups. This is contrary to widespread media reports alleging a “u-turn” by the North on the issue of zoning, which is central to the dispute between the President and the North.

The source, who was privy to the meeting between the groups as widely reported said that “we met at his request. We honoured him as the President. Our only condition was that he should meet us at the Chairman, Malam Adamu Ciroma’s house. He told us his request and we informed him that we will refer it to a larger body– the G15 and the NPLF.”

Government’s delegation to the meeting was led by President Jonathan who made it clear from the beginning that he was not prepared to lead a divided country.
He had in his delegation, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, Principal Secretary, Hassan Tukur, Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bello Halliru Mohammed, a former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih and a host of other officials.
The large number of people on the President’s delegation and the fact that the entire street leading to Malam Ciroma’s home was sealed by security operatives surprised the NPLF members who had planned for a secret meeting by a few.

NPLF was represented by its chairman, Atiku Abubakar and General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau; General Babangida was away from the country.
The President minced no words in saying that he, not the NPLF or anyone for that matter, called the meeting. He recalled the “accidental” circumstances that brought him to office and pledged that he planned to serve a term of four years only. He requested the Ciroma group to come on board to campaign for him.
At that point, the President was informed that there were issues that must be resolved. Of the five issues listed, key among them was, as to be expected, zoning and then tenure.

The meeting went back and forth for about two hours. At the end of it, the President asked that a seven-member Committee, three from the President, three form NPLF and one from the PDP be empanelled to articulate the issues and report to the meeting expected to have reconvened on Sunday.
The Committee, said our sources, has not reported back as at yesterday afternoon.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/22/national-22-02-2011-01.htm

Rumours sweeping through political circles of a “deal” struck between the Northern Political Leaders’ Forum [NPLF] and President Goodluck Jonathan’s camp at a meeting held in Abuja last Friday were dismissed by both camps yesterday as “premature.” Sources in both the NPLF and the defunct Atiku campaign organisation denied that any deal was struck when Jonathan visited Malam Adamu Ciroma’s house and met there with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former National Security Adviser General Aliyu Mohamed Gusau, among others.


The sources told Daily Trust that “the position of the NPLF on zoning has not changed and this was made clear to President Jonathan’s emissaries that a new agreement on the issue was a sine qua non for any further talks between the two groups.”


Both sources were reacting to media reports yesterday which alleged a “U-turn” by Atiku and his group on the issue of zoning, which is central to the dispute between the President and the NPLF.

They also expressed surprise that the meeting, which was supposed to be secret and known to only a few persons, was somehow revealed to newsmen “because it turned out to be an enlarged forum with premature decisions finding their way to the press.”

The sources also said, “The large number of people on the President’s delegation and the fact that the entire street leading to Malam Adamu Ciroma’s home was sealed by security operatives surprised the NPLF members who had planned for a secret meeting by a few people.”

“We met at his [Jonathan’s] request. We honoured him as the President. Our only condition was that he should meet us at the Chairman, Malam Adamu Ciroma’s house. He told us his request and we informed him that we will refer it to a larger body – the G15 and the NPLF,” one of the sources who was privy to Friday’s meeting also added.

But reacting to the concern about the large entourage that accompanied the President to the meeting, a highly placed source at Legacy House, the Jonathan/Sambo campaign headquarters, said “it was made of personalities of equal status with leaders of the NPLF.” The confirmed that secrecy was emphasised before the meeting, but regretted that some issues found their way to the press.

The official said the president was determined to carry the NPLF along and was therefore willing to make concessions to accommodate the group’s interest. “We are very positive that they will come along,” he said.

President Jonathan, who personally led the government delegation to the meeting, was said to have made it clear from the beginning of the deliberations that he was not prepared to lead a divided country. He reportedly had on his delegation Vice President Namadi Sambo, his Chief of Staff Mike Oghiadomhe, his Principal Secretary Hassan Tukur, PDP’s acting National Chairman Dr. Bello Halliru

Mohammed as well as Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees and many other officials.

The NPLF was represented by Malam Adamu Ciroma, Atiku Abubakar and General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau. Though General Babangida was away from the country, he was represented.

According the sources, “The President minced no words in saying that he, not the NPLF or anyone for that matter called the meeting. He recalled the ‘accidental’ circumstances that brought him to office and pledged that he planned to serve a term of four years only and requested the Ciroma group to come on board to campaign for him.”

At that point, one of the sources said, the President was informed that there were issues that must be resolved. Of the five issues listed, key among them was zoning and then tenure.

The meeting was said to have gone back and forth for about two hours, after which the President asked that a Seven-Member Committee, three from the President, three from NPLF and one from the PDP, be empanelled to articulate the issues and report to the meeting expected to have reconvened on Sunday.

But Daily Trust learnt that the committee which was supposed to sit on Saturday and Sunday only sat on Sunday. As at noon yesterday, sources said the Committee had not reported back.

When contacted, spokesman of the Jonathan campaign Malam Abba Dabo declined to say anything on the matter. He however said any move that would reconcile members of the party and move PDP towards victory in the April polls is a welcome development.



http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12567:ciroma-no-deal-with-jonathan&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

If GEJ dares to bring this old cargo politician again into his government and negotiate some political positions with them as being rumour then Nigeria is in a big sheet. GEJ should move away from men like this be their friend but don’t bring them in to govt. With Ciroma, Atiku, IBB, Jonathan defeated them why getting scared of them, the governors have more power than these old politicans Mr. President.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has advised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to seek legal redress if he feels aggrieved over the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential primary.



INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who gave the advice, was reacting to Abubakar’s petition on the primary. In the petition addessed to Jega, Abubakar had listed various alleged irregularities that occured during the January 13 poll in Abuja.



Among issues raised by the former vice-president, who ran against President Goodluck Jonathan and Dr. Sarah Jibril, was that he was denied access to delegates before the primary.



However, Jega told newsmen in Abuja that Abubakar’s petition was an internal matter for the party and not for the commission to handle. Jega said, “Yes, I can say we have received the petition by Atiku Abubakar and we have looked at it. It seems that all the issues raised bear on the internal affairs of the political party. And obviously the best thing to do is to advice the candidate to go to court.”



Jega said the issues raised in the petition could not be addressed by INEC, adding, “These are issues about what happened within the party and those internal affairs of the party have to be handled through internal processes.”



He also said INEC had sought the intervention of the National Judicial Council over the 150 cases pending against it in respect of the lists of candidates for the April elections. He said the 150 suits included 10 new ones served on the commission on Monday (yesterday), adding that the ‘alarming number’ was the greatest challenge against the successful conduct of the polls. polls.



Jega stated that some candidates had complained to his office about the alleged illegal withdrawal of their candidature by their political parties. There had been conflicting court orders on candidates’ lists from states such as Ogun, Oyo, Anambra, Enugu, Katsina, Kano, Abia and Kogi.



However, he listed Ogun, Anambra, Enugu, Cross River and Kano states as the places where it was facing serrious legal challenges. He explained that this implied that they had denied the signatures that empowered the affected parties to withdraw or substitute them.



He said the commission would investigate the matter and publish its findings. Some political parties had subjected their candidates to signing withdrawal letters before their names were submitted on January 31.



This was to pave the way for parties to make replacements to suit the whims and caprices of party leaders.



He said, “The greatest challenge to the nomination process is the alarming number of court orders. Several ex-parte orders were served on the commission restraining it from accepting and recognising some candidates nominated by their political parties.



“There are over 150 pre-election cases filed nationwide against the commission. This morning alone (Monday), 10 new cases were served on the commission, with the likelihood of many more yet to be served. We have conveyed our worries and concerns to the highest legal authorities over these ex parte motions.”



Jega said the commission would not stop candidates simply because the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were prosecuting such contestants. He said INEC could only do so when there was a conviction by a court.



Jega said a total of 21 presidential candidates would contest the elections.



He said, “The following political parties have candidates for all constituencies, including the office of President. They are the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and the Peoples Democratic Party while other political parties have candidates in varying degrees. A total of nine political parties did not submit any candidate for the 2011 general elections.”



He also said the commission would publish the list of nominated candidates between March 2 and 16. He also said non-sensitive election materials had already been delivered to the 36 states, while the sensitive ones had been delayed for security reasons.



He stated that four corps members had been convicted in Kano State for voter registration offences just as six others in the same state were being prosecuted.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102224562365

Justice Jonathan Shakarho of a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan on Monday adjourned sine die the case instituted by three governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State, Alhaji Hazeem Gbalorumi, Elder Wole Oyelese and Alhaji Yekeen Adeojo, as well as 34 others over the candidacy of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.



Justice Shakarho based his decision to adjourn the case on a petition written by one of the plaintiffs, Mr. Yekinni Atoyebi, alleging that he (the judge) took a bribe to the tune of N50m to vacate an earlier order of the court.



The plaintiffs, including Senator Lekan Balogun, had earlier got an interim injunction from the court restraining the PDP and Alao-Akala from acting on or presenting any candidate of the party in the state to the Independent National Electoral Commission based on the results of the party’s congresses held in December 2010.



Joined in the suit were INEC, the PDP, the party state chairman, Chief Dejo Afolabi, and Alao-Akala.



Last Monday, Justice Shakarho vacated and set aside the court order, ordering that the party was free to file names of party members seeking to contest elections with the INEC.



Not satisfied by the development, the plaintiffs, through their counsel, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), filed an appeal dated February 16, 2010.



But Atoyebi, in a petition addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Jutice Alloysius Katsina-Alu, alleged that Justice Shakarho took bribe to the tune of N50m to vacate the order of the court.



When the court resumed on Monday to hear the substantive matter and the contempt charge brought against the governor, the judge said he would adjourn the matter sine die while he awaits the decision of the CJN on the petition.



While describing the allegation as frivolous, Justice Shakarho promised to respond appropriately to the petition when called upon to do so by the CJN.



Meanwhile, Alao-Akala has called on the National Judicial Council to investigate the allegation thoroughly with a view to bringing the culprits to book.



In a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, the governor said that the bribery allegation coming from the defendants just because the judge vacated his earlier order was a sad day for the relationship between politicians and the Judiciary.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102224514867

The only presidential candidate that has vision and clue of problem facing Nigeria is Prof. Pat Utomi. He defined the problems, analyze them in details. His approach is more of engineering principle of problem solving. My hope for Mr. President is gone. The last stroll was his plan for new universities. It shows lack of thinking in his administration.

Former military dictator and Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has warned that the 2011 elections must not be rigged except the nation is prepared for a popular revolt as witnessed in Egypt and Tunisia recently.



Egyptians, through sustained mass protest that lasted 18 days, recently forced their president of 30 years, Hosni Mubarak, out of power.



Buhari was quoted by Reuters to have cautioned in an interview that politicians, especially members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, to either be prepared to conduct free and credible poll or risk the ordinary people taking over.



He said, “With what is happening in North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf states, I think the message is getting across to politicians, especially the ruling party, (PDP) that they either behave or the ordinary people will take over.



“Elections must be free and fair, that is the bottom line. If people chose bad legislators, let them freely change them. But if they can’t, what is happening in some parts of Africa and the Middle East is bound to happen.”



The ex-military dictator was a presidential candidate in both the 2003 and 2007 elections, botht of which were won by the PDP amid widespread condemnations that the polls were massively rigged and fell short of acceptable democratic standard.



Buhari in the past two elections contested on the platform of the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party and was defeated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also a one-time military dictator, in 2003, and late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007.



Yar’Adua at his inauguration on May 29, 2007 publicly admitted that the election that brought him to power was flawed.



Till date, judicial contests over the election that held almost four years ago are still raging while the results of the poll in several states had been upturned by the courts.



The courts, for instance, had sacked the PDP governors enthroned in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Edo states, while the victory of many erstwhile members of national and state assemblies had been equally upturned.



In the April 9, 2011 poll, Buhari will be squaring up with incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and a former Chairman of the nation’s anti-corruption agency, Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria, among other candidates.



However, Jonathan, at his campaign rally in Makurdi, Benue State, last week, warned that nobody should rig for him.



“Nobody should rig for me. I am assuring Nigerians that though I am contesting, nobody must manipulate vote in my favour. Our vote must count.



“We must vote the people we want. We no longer want the situation where people imposed candidates on us. Anybody that is not good enough, you vote out the person. That is democracy,” he told the crowd at the PDP presidential campaign rally in Makurdi.



The president said it was the cardinal objective of his government to deliver a credible poll.



Buhari, who ruled the country between December 31, 1983 and August 17, 1985, as a military dictator, said he was riled by the 12 years of PDP incompetence in government.



He said, “There is a problem about the PDP accounting for the 12 years it has been in power, the resources that were available to it, and the collapse of infrastructure and social services.



“To all intents and purposes, education has collapsed, healthcare has collapsed. Coupled with that, there is so much insecurity, so much abductions and assassinations, tribal and religious clashes, which can be traced to real government incompetence.”



Efforts by THE PUNCH to get the PDP for its reaction did not succeed. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof Alkali Rufai, did not pick calls to his mobile nor did he respond to our correspondent’s text, asking for his response.



Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday in Abuja said there was no cause for alarm, assuring that any voter card purchased for the purpose of election rigging would be useless.



Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, Mr. Kayode Idowu, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the process of accreditation nationwide was designed to frustrate any attempt to rig the election.



He said that in spite of the fact that there would be no use of electronic device for accreditation processes as the law provided, “holders of cards other than theirs will not be allowed to vote’’.



Idowu added that the quality images captured during the voter registration was clear enough to detect any impersonation during the accreditation, which, he said, would be simultaneous across the country.



Idowu said , “I don’t know what the alarm is all about, since there is no provision for electronic voting, people will take their voter card to polling units where their names should be checked in the register to make sure they are correct.



“So what stops a person from using the purchased card is, when you present the card and you will be seen as not being the rightful owner, then you will be arrested.



“Your picture is already in the card and you can’t take a card that has my own picture to another polling unit, you will not be allowed to vote,” Idowu said.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102225411668

I recommend Fayose’s humility, decent use of language and appeal to logic as exhibited in this interview to other politicians.

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, who is the candidate of the Labour Party in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, in this interview with FEMI MAKINDE, speaks on politics in the state and advises politicians to shun violence. Excerpts:







The Labour Party is new in Ekiti State. Don’t you think this will reduce its chances in the forthcoming elections?



The Labour Party may be new in the state compared to parties like the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Congress of Nigeria, but you should remember that its driver (me ) is not new. I am very popular and I want to say to you that even if I float another party now, it will still become popular. People now reckon with personalities more than parties. Political parties are very good but you may have a good party with a bad candidate and vice-versa. The Labour Party in Ekiti State is now more than a year old. Besides, we have gone very far to popularise the party. It is now a household name. Everybody in Ekiti knows that Fayose is synonymous with Labour Party and that Labour Party is synonymous with Fayose.



The Independent National Electoral Commission under Prof. Attahiru Jega conducted a by-election in Moba Local Government in December and your party came third. Are you confident that the INEC will be unbiased in the next poll?



I don’t want to talk about the Moba by-election because what happened there was political robbery. An armed robber knows he is an armed robber.



But the general election will be different because the election will not be limited to just five wards like we had in Moba. So perpetrators of the political robbery will face more challenges except they want to mar the name of their party. A good name is far better than winning elections at gun point. What happened in the 2007 elections haunted the perpetrators and hounded them out of office. If you are popular, why do you have to use force? Why do you have to rig? My counsel to everybody is: do what you preach. If you impose candidates, it means you already have the machinery you want to use to rig because you must expect protest votes. My advice to all political parties is, “Don’t do what you have condemned.”



You claimed you had an agreement on the Ekiti Central Senatorial District election with Governor Kayode Fayemi during the 2009 governorship rerun election, but Fayemi denied the claim through one of his aides. Who is saying the truth?



I have a lot of love for Governor Kayode Fayemi. I demonstrated this because I did everything I could for Dr. Fayemi. I used my father’s burial to campaign for him. I rode on okada (a motorcycle) to campaign for him everywhere. I was in all media houses to campaign for him.



We might not acknowledge the truth but we know it. Dr. Kayode Fayemi will forever remember my role if no one else does. Secondly, I have granted an interview where I mentioned the names of prominent people who were at the meeting where we agreed their party (the ACN) would not field any candidate against me in Ekiti Central Senatorial District if I worked for Dr. Fayemi. The meeting, which was held at Ikoyi Towers, had a serving governor in the South-West in attendance. The governor was the chairman of the meeting. I mentioned Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, and Dele Adesina, SAN. I mentioned Omoyeni and other prominent Ekiti indigenes and none of them has come out to deny this. Any aide can come out and talk because he is paid to do that but everybody who denies the truth has conscience. But so far, Governor Kayode Fayemi has not come out to say that there was no agreement between us. It is possible for the governor to be quiet on the matter but he cannot deny it.



Is it true that you are planning to defect to the PDP after the election?



I am the owner of my life and I play politics because I love to play it. I don’t play politics to the admiration of anybody. I came to contest for the governorship race and I won. I am still in politics because I want to be in politics. If I go to another party, it is my prerogative and if I choose not to, it is my right. There is no law which prevents me from joining any political party I wish.



The fact remains that most of my allies are still in the PDP and we remain friends. A lot of people want me back in the PDP but we will keep our fingers crossed and watch as events unfold. In life, nothing is impossible but right now, I am a Labour Party man.



The ACN candidate in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu has written you off, saying you are no match for him in politics…



I respect Ojudu, Mr. Kayode Alufa of the PDP and other contestants and I see them as good citizens of our state. I will also not run them down and I will not talk much because I am an experienced politician. My mind is now more mature than before. Ojudu is a friend and he is a leader in our state. I know him to be a prominent journalist.



But I will counsel him, as a brother, to talk less. I will advise him to know that politics is different from journalism. It is different from being an activist. I will advise Ojudu to go and calm frayed nerves in his party because he has a lot of issues to contend with before coming to contest. If he wins the election in a transparent way, I will congratulate him. I will not go to court because somebody must win. But I want him to know that this election will not be contested on the pages of newspapers like the way he contested his primaries.



He said in his interview that “How can Dr. Kayode Fayemi leave his party’s candidate and support somebody from another party?” Has he forgotten that I supported Fayemi when I was in the PDP? Ojudu should watch the way he talks. He should drop journalism and activism and let us do politics of gentlemen. I came from my ward and I won the election in the whole state. He said that his people would not vote for me. They were his people when I constructed roads everywhere in Ado-Ekiti. They were his people when I built Fayose Market.


Link;http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102222422734

We dont want either of d fraction to rule our state again!i imploy people of ogun state not to vote for party but vote for person dt is ready to bring about change irrespective of d party.i fink dis battle btw pdp shud give us a clear picture of wat they are going to offer us.

Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Monday opened the campaign of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state at Imeko in Imeko Local Government Area.



At the event, Daniel said he declined to back the governorship candidate of the faction loyal to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Brig.-Gen. Adetunji Olurin (retd.), because the contestant never indicated interest in the race. Tuesday’s campaign marked the commencement of the governor’s ‘Thank You Tour’ to the 20 local government areas of the state.



He said, “When the race for the contest began, I asked Olurin if he was interested in contesting for the post since I had zoned it to the Yewa. He said he was not interested but assured that he would support any Yewa governorship candidate that emerged and I thanked him.”



He said he was surprised to later hear that Olurin had expressed interest in the contest. Daniel vowed to ensure justice for his faction in the ongoing dispute over the authentic list from the state chapter. While Daniel’s faction picked Mr. Gboyega Isiaka as its governorship candidate, Olurin emerged at a separate primary organised by the Obasanjo group.



The party’s national leadership had about two weeks ago given the party’s governorship flag to Olurin at a presidential rally in Ibadan, Oyo State boycotted by the governor. But Daniel told his supporters that the decision would not stand because “it was built on sand.”



“I’m standing on the truth and the truth will prevail in this matter. But I assure you nothing comes easy. A house built on sand falls easily, but I’m building mine on the rock. “Justice can only be delayed but can’t be denied. I want you to stand firm and by the grace of God, I will hand over to Gboyega Isiaka on May 29. What this administration stands for is equity, fairplay and justice. And we will always defend such virtue,” he added.



Daniel urged his supporters to support President Goodluck Jonathan and Isiaka in the April elections.



‘’What we are seeing here today is unprecedented in the political history of our state. Today, I have come to say thank you to you all.



“We started this journey here (Imeko) eight years ago and within the next 100 days I will hand over power,” he said.



Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, who also spoke, stated that after Isiaka emerged as the faction’s candidate, she and some party faithful went to inform Obasanjo about the development. She, however, lamented that Obasanjo chased them away from his Abeokuta residence, insisting that they could not choose a candidate for him.



But the pro-Obasanjo faction led by Dayo Soremi in its reaction described the rally as an ‘anti-party activity’. The faction’s Acting Secretary, Mr. Semiu Sodipo, told our correspondent in Abeokuta that the pro-Daniel group’s activities were ‘anti-party’ and ‘very unfortunate’.



He said, “People take laws into their hands to do whatever they like. But we as law abiding citizens will always tread the path of honour and justice.



“We will keep on appealing to them to join the party’s recognised executive and work for the party’s candidates in ensuring victory for the PDP at the forthcoming elections.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102224374254

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) yesterday advised elder statesman and leader of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) Mallam Adamu Ciroma to quickly review his current position and avail his wise counsel to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket which is the choice of his party, PDP.


The PCC’s Director of Media and Publicity Mallam Abba Dabo was reacting against the backdrop of Tuesday’s NPLF communiqué signed by Mallam Ciroma where the Forum restated its position on the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices which it said all Nigeria’s leading political parties, except the PDP, have so far upheld.


The PDP PCC said it was at a loss as to conceptualise what Mallam Ciroma, whose pre-eminent role in the formation and nurturing of the PDP could still be remembered, is hoping to achieve ‘by openly calling for the destruction of a house he laboured so hard to build’ with his call for a gang-up of opposition parties against the PDP in the forthcoming presidential elections.

The party added that with his widely acclaimed contributions to national development over the decades, it found it ‘strange that Mallam Ciroma, a well respected Statesman will associate himself with causes that are at variance with national interest’.

Part of the statement signed by Dabo reads: “We are indeed at a loss as to what he hopes to achieve by openly calling for the destruction of a house he laboured so hard to build. As a true democrat, we expect Mallam Ciroma to submit to the will of the majority as freely expressed at the last National Convention which has been globally acclaimed for its transparency.

“To continue holding tenaciously to divisive positions at a time the entire Party and the nation are embarking on a process of healing and reconciliation does not tell well of Mallam Ciroma’s hard earned reputation.”



http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12324:pdp-tells-ciroma-group-to-review-position-on-jonathan&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

President Goodluck Jonathan went to the house of Northern Political Leaders Forum’s [NPLF] leader Malam Adamu Ciroma for a meeting because former Vice President Atiku Abubakar insisted on it and refused to meet the president for a one-on-one meeting after the PDP primary elections, a source close to the Jonathan camp told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday. When the president sought to meet with Atiku recently, the former vice president who contested for the PDP’s presidential ticket with Jonathan on January 13 declined to honour the request and said he would only meet the President under the umbrella of the NPLF chaired by elder statesman Malam Adamu Ciroma.


The source said following Atiku’s posture, the President agreed to meet the group at the residence of Adamu Ciroma on Friday. Atiku Abubakar as well as former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida and former National Security Adviser General Aliyu Gusau were all present at the meeting.

It would be recalled that Babangida did not attend the NPFL meeting last week, which issued a communiqué that re-affirmed the group’s position on zoning and stressed its rejection of the PDP’s presidential primaries.

President Jonathan had earlier courted reconciliation with the four aspirants who subjected themselves to the consensus arrangement fashioned out by the NPLF.

Kwara State governor Bukola Saraki was named as part of Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Council [PCC] to head a certain reconciliation committee.

President Jonathan’s one on one meeting with Adamu Ciroma last Friday was the first in the past several months since the zoning debate exploded.

The source who spoke to Daily Trust on strict condition of anonymity also recalled that long before Jonathan made his formal declaration to contest for the presidency, a top leader of the PDP in the South West advised him to ensure that he met with Adamu Ciroma one on one.

The source said the party chieftain had actually given President Jonathan a list of respected politicians in the North whom he should contact, but was later surprised to discover that Jonathan failed to meet with Ciroma.

All attempts to speak to members of the Ciroma-led group failed as those who were called did not answer their calls. Also, spokesman of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Malam Abba Dabo could not be reached to comment on issues arising from the said meeting, including the reconciliation committee that was set up.

http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12496:why-jonathan-went-to-ciromas-house&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

The Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Ola Makinde, on Saturday warned that the widening gap between the rich and the poor might lead to a revolution in Nigeria.



Makinde gave the warning at the inauguration and dedication of Wesley Cathedral of Olowogbowo, Lagos. At the inauguration were Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the ex-governor’s wife, Oluremi; Action Congress of Nigeria presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and a host of other dignitaries.



Makinde said, “In Nigeria, the rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. What are we doing about it? There may be a revolution in Nigeria if we are not careful.



“The issue of graduate unemployment is another. It has led to an increase in robbery and other social vices.”



He canvassed for free, fair and credible elections and urged politicians to shun rigging, thuggery and other electoral malpractices. He commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s appeal that nobody should rig for him and advised politicians to emulate the President.



He commended Fashola, Tinubu and the Akintola williams-led committee for their invaluable contributions to the building of the cathedral.



Also speaking, Fashola said the road to the inauguration had been challenging.



“It is a day of gratitude that God’s house has been completed. Unless God builds a house, the builder builds in vain.



“It is a day of gratitude to God and to the prelate of the Methodist Church and to members of the building committee.”



In his remarks, Tinubu said, “Today is a day of joy. Makinde has been a source of inspiration to me and others through his rich sermon.



“I thank God I’m alive to witness the commissioning. Also, we pray that Nigeria will be led in the right direction.”




http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102214212014

The presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, will on Monday (today) change his running mate for the April poll.



The Ribadu Campaign Organisation’s Director of Communication, Mallam Ibrahim Modibo, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday. Ribadu had earlier submitted the name of United States-based Dr. Stanley Ugochukwu to the Independent National Independent Commission as his running mate.



Modibo said Ribadu had picked a former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Fola Adeola, as his running mate.



He said that Adeola’s name would be submitted to INEC today, which is the last day for the substitution or withdrawal of presidential candidates and their running mates.



Modibo said, “Mr. Adeola has been picked. I’m sure that his name will be submitted to INEC very early tomorrow (Monday).”



Adeola had in an interview with a national newspaper said Ribadu had contacted him. He stated that he would consult his family on whether to accept or reject the offer.



He said, “Ribadu has contacted me, saying he wants me to be his running mate. I have not given my word yet because I have to consult my family members, friends and associates before taking such a decision.



“I have up till tomorrow afternoon (Sunday) to pass whatever decision I have made to him.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102214221335

Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has been forced to disclose his assets as he seeks election to the Russian parliament.



They include 16 homes in four countries, seven cars and full ownership of six companies with a 25 per cent stake in another.



When the information was submitted to Russia’s electoral commission Abramovich had £71.5m in 22 bank accounts.



Apparently this did not include any money from Premier League champions Chelsea of his other business interests.



Abramovich is seeking re-election in the Russian far-eastern province of Chukotka where he was governor between 2000 and 2008.



In that time he spent approximately £1.24bn of his own cash on improving public facilities in the region.



This time round he is standing for election as a parliamentary deputy, with elections due to take place on March 13.



The oligarch said he owns seven homes in London, three in France, two in the US and four in Russia.



There was no mention of his yachts and private jets, although he did list three Mercedes, two BMWs and a Volkswagen Golf as part of his personal fleet of cars.



He was forced to make the disclosure under new anti-corruption rules covering Russian elections.



Abramovich recently slipped down the rankings in Russia’s rich list to fifth place.



Finans, the magazine that compiled the list for 2011, valued his wealth at £10.6bn.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110218453828

Mr Wale one day one day monkey go go market he no go come back

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has accused the NorthernPolitical Leaders Forum (NPLF) led by former finance minister, Mallam Adamu Ciroma of insincerity in the issue of a northern consensus candidate.

The campaign organisation of Mallam Ribadu made the accusation against the backdrop of the decision of the Northern leaders to brush aside his presidential aspiration and that of his Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) counterpart, General Muhammadu Buhari.

Ribadu, in a statement signed by his director of communication and publicity, expressed disappointment that while the NPLF gave the impression that they were looking for presidential candidate from the North for the 2011 general election, they were actually looking for a Northern candidate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“They had all along created the impression that they were looking for someone who would represent the interest of the entire North and not that of a section of the North.’ The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)wondered why the Forum would not back another Northerner other than Atiku Abubakar if they were really out to protect the interest of the North.

“With this development, it was likely that the Northern elders were actually looking for someone who would protect their own interest and not that of the North,’’ Ribadu noted in the statement. The NLPF, made up of nine-wisemen from the North and headed by Ciroma, was a group formed to resist a fresh mandate of four years for the incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and to pick a candidate of Northern extraction to fly the PDP flag in the April presidential election.

At the end of its screening exercise, the group anointed Atiku Abubakar ahead of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; former National Security Adviser, (NSA), General Aliyu Gusau, and the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/18/national-18-02-2011-002.htm

Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, has turned down a request by a delegation from banks for riot policemen to provide security for financial institutions in the country.



The team had visited the police boss to ask for the return of mobile policemen that were withdrawn from banks following the shooting of a Bank PHB staff, Mrs. Nonye Okere, by a riot policeman attached to a branch of Zenith Bank in Mpape, Abuja on January 31, 2011.



The riot policemen were replaced with the conventional ones, in what a source said was part of the move to keep the MOPOL as a unit that would only be used to manage emergency security situation.



Dissatisfied with the withdrawal, the bankers’ delegation approached the IG to seek the restoration of Mobile Policemen to bank duties.



A police source told our correspondent on Thursday that the IG however declined the bankers’ request, saying he could not restore riot policemen to guard duty at the banks until after the general elections in April.



“The banks’ delegation left in disappointment because the IG said he would only consider their request for a return of riot policemen to banks, after the elections as he would need every available officer for electoral duties,” the source said.



Investigation revealed that the banks pay some amount of money to some senior officers at the police headquarters to retain the services of policemen on ‘specie’ duty at the financial institutions, apart from the token sum given to the rank and file on duty.



It was learnt that the banks pay between N10,000 to N12,000 per week to each policeman on bank duty, from which individual officers make ‘returns’ to senior officers.



“Depending on the bank, some pay us N10, 000, others pay more, but individual officer must make a return of N2,000 to a senior officer at every week to keep his place on the bank duty roster,” the officer explained.



But the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Yemi Ajayi, explained that the money paid by the bank for police services was official and was remitted to the government coffers.



“I’m not aware that policemen on bank duty pay money to senior officials; the money paid by the banks go to the government coffers and is receipted; it is official government revenue,” he said.



Ajayi claimed he had no information on the banks‘ delegation meeting with Ringim.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102189282031

African football has taken huge leaps in terms of prominence in the past few years. The progress made so far saw soccer legend, Pele of Brazil tipping an African country to win the World Cup.

That may not have happened when Africa hosted her first ever Mundial last year in South Africa, but a country like Ghana showed class and were robbed of a semi final ticket by Uruguay, whose defender resorted to cheating. Ghana it is recalled won the Under-20 World Cup for Africa in Egypt in 2009. Nigeria has equally has done well at the Under-17 level, winning the Under-17 World Cup thrice.

Today, an avalanche of young African players are lighting up Europe. Just look at Lacina Traore (Cote DIvoire) and Dominic Adiyiah (Ghana). They’re two talented young African footballers who are some of Europe’s top prospects and could very well become Africa’s next great strikers. Many clubs send scouts to watch African football leagues more often. Let’s take a look at five young footballers in Africa who have everything it takes to be among the continent’s next great strikers.

1.Kermit Erasmus (South Africa) : Kermit Erasmus currently plays for Supersport United in South Africa and has been widely considered South Africa’s next great striker, even drawing comparisons to the likes of Pele and Wayne Rooney. The young striker has represented South Africa at the youth levels and scored an impressive 10 goals in 15 appearances, earning him his call-up to the senior squad.

Erasmus also had a short stint in Europe with Dutch club Feyenoord, where he was loaned out to second division Excelsior. There he had considerable success, scoring 11 times in 30 matches, but the 20-year-old failed to impress and returned to the South African Premier League, where he will look to boost his reputation.

2.Ange Dnagbo (Cote d’Ivoire): Very few know Ange Dnagbo, but those who do have touted him as Cote d’Ivoire’s next great striker, after Didier Drogba, of course. Just 19 years of age, he plays for the prestigious Ivorian club, ASEC Mimosas, though he was a youth product of Sewe Sports.
He has been scouted by Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Bolton and Tottenham Hotspur, but was unable to secure a work permit, thus halting his move to Europe.

3. Osas Idehen (Nigeria): Osas Idehen is currently playing for Vicem Hai Phong in
Vietnam, but just a few months ago, he was in Africa playing for Nigeria’s Enyimba FC.
At that club, he scored an amazing 25 goals in 30 appearances, earning him his Nigerian call-up, in which he scored a brace against Congo DR. The talented young striker has immense pace and a brilliant eye for goal, but after an unsuccessful trial with Danish club, Brondby he was offloaded back to Africa. Now, he is playing in Vietnam, an unarguably smaller stage, even though he has everything it takes to ply his trade in Europe.

4. Knowledge Musona (Zimbabwe): Although Zimbabwe isn’t one of Africa’s larger footballing nations, their future is looking very bright given the talented young player they have in Knowledge Musona. The Kaizer Chiefs striker is only 20 years old but has been very effective this season for the South African club, notching an impressive 10 goals in 17 appearances. Though somewhat small in stature, he possesses a deadly eye for goal and it is reported he is being sought after by some of Europe’s top clubs.

5.Sani Emmanuel (Nigeria): Undoubtedly the biggest African prospect at the moment, it’s a wonder than Sani Emmanuel isn’t playing in Europe yet. He had a short stint with Bodens BK in Sweden, where he was very impressive, and has earn a call-up to Nigeria’s youth squads.

Emmanuel put up an extremely impressive performance at the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, in which he scored five games in as many matches. He has had trials at Chelsea, Tottenham, Panathinaikos and a few other European clubs. His trials at Chelsea and Tottenham were successful, but he could not reach a deal due to work permit issues. He has since return to My People FC in Nigeria, but it shouldn’t be long before he is at one of the world’s top clubs.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2011/feb/18/sports-18-02-2011-001.htm

Almost a week after the 53rd Grammy Awards ceremony, winners, understandably, would still be celebrating. Those with high hopes and who came close to clinching the prize, must be ruing their losses, or grateful that at least, they can now add the Grammy-nominee prefix or suffix, as it applies, to their names.



One of such is budding songstress, Tiwatope Savage who almost joined a growing list of Nigerians including percussionist, Sikiru Adepoju; Sade Adu; and Seal that have held aloft the Grammy statuette.



Tiwa Savage as she is more popularly known was not nominated on the strength of her singing skills but as part of the writers of Collard Greens and Cornbread, a bluesy song off the Back to Me album of American singer, Fantasia, which was nominated in the Best R n B category. The award was won by John Legend and The Roots for the album, Wake Up. Savage was also a backup singer on the recording of the song and actually has her own version of it.



Shortly before she travelled to the United States for the awards last week, Savage said, “Whatever the outcome is, I will always be a Grammy nominee, so I am celebrating already. God, you are awesome.” As it is though, she has inadvertently been inducted into Nigerian Hall of Fame of Grammy nominees hitherto occupied by Afro beat musician, Femi Anikulapo Kuti and Juju music maestro, King Sunny Ade.



God has indeed been awesome in the life of the 30-year-old singer. When she was 11, her family migrated to England where she discovered her love for music. Her first taste of the big stage was rather fortuitous. In an earlier interview, she said, “George Michael was looking for a background vocalist for a show where he was to perform at the Wembley Arena in front of about 80,000 people, and someone who had watched and heard me sing at a local talent show recommended me to his musical director. So, his musical director put me on the stage with him.” Since then, she has done backup for a variety of artistes including Blu Cantrell, Lemar, Chaka Khan and Kelly Clarkson among others



After graduating from the University of Kent with a degree in Business Administration, Savage started working with the Royal Bank of Scotland. It was here she got the call to join Mary J Blige’s band that was going on tour three days after. She made it to the tour with the acclaimed American R n B queen. Then, in 2007, she sang her way to the last 24 among hundreds of thousands of wannabes in the X-Factor, the British music talent hunt show that spawned American Idol. Fortunately, in her pursuit of a wholesome solo musical career, she got a scholarship to further hone her skills at the Berklee College of Music, Massachusetts, USA.



While pursuing her solo career, Savage, who is signed to SONY/ATV as a writer, continues to garner recognition and acceptance in the United States and beyond for penning emotive and soul-stirring lyrics for among other artistes, Babyface, Jaicko, Snoop Dogg and Akon. Yet, Savage’s biggest challenge is conquering the Nigerian music scene. She says, “I would like to take the Nigerian music industry to the next level. I dream to have my own recording label later. I want to be able to help other artistes and generally change the face of music in Nigeria.” With the single, Kele Kele love, enjoying appreciable rotation on radio and television, Savage seems to be getting her victory strategy right.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102182222115

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning it to desist from further changes of its candidates without recourse to its national secretariat.

The party, which argued that the INEC did not have power to change candidates’ names on the list submitted to it by political parties described its action as reckless and capable of jeopardising the electoral process if care was not taken.
PDP is the second party after the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to take exception to the incessant changes of names of candidates on its list and substituting them with those that did not emanate from the Party.

In a letter to the commission signed by the PDP National Legal Adviser, Olusola Oke, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, the PDP frowned at the decision of the Commission to bypass its national secretariat and be collecting names of candidates from state branches.

Citing Anambra State where the INEC jettisoned the names of candidates it submitted to accept other names that did not emanate from the party’s national office, the PDP said the commission had no right to accept names of candidates from any other source other than its national office.

Consequently, the PDP, in the letter dated February 14, insisted that its list of candidates in the Anambra State National Assembly primaries as submitted by the national secretariat of the party remained. The list, as shown by an addendum attached to the letter, obtained by Daily Sun indicated that the PDP impressed it on the INEC to recognise the report of the Senator Waku-led panel, which returned Nicholas Ukachukwu, Mrs Okadigbo and Chidi Ofodile as the Senatorial candidate of the PDP for the Anambra South, Anambra North and Anambra Central respectively.

The party accused the INEC of flouting its own electoral law, bordering on the nomination and sponsorship of candidates by accepting names of candidates from state chapters of parties rather than the national office. “Permit us to draw your attention to Article 17 (1) of the PDP constitution and paragraphs 50 (f), 51 and 52 of the electoral guidelines for primary elections on the authority of the PDP to conduct primary election and to sponsor candidates pursuant to section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“Your attention is further drawn to paragraph 27 (i), (vi) and (vii) of the electoral guidelines vesting in the national executive committee, through electoral panels constituted by it for that purpose, the power to organise, conduct, and ratify results of primary elections. Nowhere under the above instruments is a state executive committee empowered to conduct primary elections let alone forwarding the outcome of such illegitimate exercise to your Commission,” the letter read.

On these bases, PDP claimed, “it submitted to your commission, a list of candidates sponsored by our party for the 2011 general elections. The list was duly signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary in accordance with section 31 (1) of the Electoral Act and paragraph 51 and 52 of the electoral guidelines for primary elections.”

It drew the attention of the INEC to the latest order, issued by Justice P.F Olayiwola of the Federal High Court, Awka, which “directs and compels your Commission to comply with the earlier order granted by the same court on January 13, 2011. Suffice it to advise that the new practice of circumventing the national secretariat of political parties to deal directly with the state chapters is a recipe for maximum indiscipline and is bound to hurt the entire system.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/18/national-18-02-2011-001.htm

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, to suspend his campaigns until the determination of a suit filed by a PDP member, Mr. Oluowo Adeyeri.



In her ruling over the alarm raised by Adeyeri that Dosunmu had been campaigning in spite of the pending suit, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako held that as far as the court was concerned, there was no governorship candidate for the PDP in Lagos until the resolution of the matter.



Adeyeri, a delegate to the January 10 PDP Congress in Lagos State where Dosunmu emerged as the governorship candidate of the party, had filed a suit, challenging the contestant’s eligibility. Adeyeri predicated the suit on the grounds that Dosunmu did not meet the constitutional requirements as the PDP candidate.



The plaintiff named Dosunmu, the PDP, the chairman of the Lagos State PDP Governorship Screening Committee, chairman of Lagos State PDP Governorship Election Panel and the Independent National Electoral Commission as co-defendants.



At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, lawyer to Dosunmu, Mr. Dele Oguntade (SAN), told the court that he was yet to receive the processes filed in the matter. He added that he had also filed a preliminary objection, challenging the plaintiff’s locus standi to file the suit.



But Adeyeri’s lawyer, Mr. Tunde Akinrimisi, raised the alarm that Dosunmu had concluded plans to inaugurate his governorship campaign on Friday (today) in spite of the suit. Akinrimisi further urged the judge to stop the defendants from doing anything that would foist a fait accompli on the court.



But Justice Murtala-Nyako directed Dosunmu to refrain from inaugurating the campaign until the determination of the suit and urged his lawyers to advise him accordingly.



The case has been adjourned till February 23.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102189393375

The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Thursday said he regretted working for the success of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2003 elections.



Amosun, while answering questions from journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital on Thursday, stated that he parted ways with Governor Gbenga Daniel’s administration after noticing that it had pushed the interest of the masses aside.



“As a PDP man in 2003, I thought the party would be able to initiate better programmes and policies to improve the lives of the people. But immediately I discovered that the PDP administration that took over was not working in tandem with the developmental policies and programmes, I was the first to cry out that the state was heading to the rocks.



“These cries have been justified with the five-month closure of the Ogun State House of Assembly, the high level of callousness exhibited in the non-payment of the N4bn deducted from pensioners, the poor infrastructure and pervasive decadence witnessed in the state in the last eight years,” he lamented.



He said, if elected, he would correct these wrongs and create 10,000 jobs in the first year of his administration. He also promised to devote 20 per cent of the state’s revenue on education, adding that he would ensure wealth creation through emphasis on agriculture, industrialisation and job creation.



Reacting to Amosun’s comments, Daniel’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo, said the state had developed in all spheres of life since 2003.



“Are they not aware that Ogun State has the most functional free trade zone in the country, that has given employment to thousands in Igbesa? Are they not aware that unemployed graduates get employment benefits? Do they not ply the dualised Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway?”






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102189465120

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday warned that nobody should rig for him in the April 16, 2011 presidential election.



Also, the President has promised the women a 35 per cent slot in his government if they (women) vote for the Peoples Democratic Party in this year’s elections.



Jonathan is the presidential candidate of the PDP, the party that has been ruling at the country since the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999.



After a short break following the Port Harcourt tragedy when about 20 people died and many others injured in a stampede at the Liberation Stadium during his campaign rally, Jonathan on Thursday held rallies in Jos, Plateau State, and Makurdi, Benue State.



“Nobody should rig for me. I am assuring Nigerians that though I am contesting, nobody must manipulate votes in my favour. Our vote must count.” he told the crowd at the PDP presidential campaign rally in Makurdi.



“We must vote the people we want. We no longer want the situation where people imposed candidates on us. Anybody that is not good enough, vote out the person. That is democracy,” he added.



He said it was the cardinal objective of his government to deliver a credible poll.



The 2007 elections in the country were massively condemned by both local and foreign observers, civil society groups and the opposition parties as massively rigged and came short of acceptable international standard.



The late President Umaru Yar’Adua, whose election rested on the outcome of the poll, at his inauguration on May 29, 2007 publicly admitted that the election was flawed.



Till date, judicial contests over the election that held almost four years ago are still raging while the results of the poll in several states had been upturned by the courts.



The courts, for instance, had sacked the PDP governors enthroned in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Edo states, while the victory of many erstwhile members of national and state assemblies had been equally upturned.



As a result of the uproar at the flaws in the 2007 elections, Yar’Adua had promised an electoral reform and commitment to credible election. Jonathan was Yar’Adua’s deputy and successor.



In Jos earlier, the President had assured the womenfolk of 35 percent slots in ministerial and ambassadorial appointments if they vote for the PDP.



“Giving the Nigerian women 35 per cent is something we can do. We shall do that here. If a country like South Africa can give women 50 per cent, we should emulate that,” he said.



Jonathan saluted existing vibrancy in Plateau State “in spite of its current challenges,” and promised that the Federal Government would do “everything needed to change fortunes of the Plateau.”



Over 300 people had been killed while many had fled the state since 2008 when incidences of sectarian clashes and killings started in Plateau.



Only on Tuesday, seven persons, including a mobile policeman attached to the Anti-Bomb Squad, were murdered in Jos while the Police banned bag-carrying individuals from the venue of the President’s campaign as part of heightened security measures.



The President promised to revamp the mining industry in Plateau, noting that mining activities in the state dominated Nigeria’s economy in the 1960s and 1970s.



“We shall refocus on solid mineral development and make it one of the key revenue sources in Nigeria,” he said.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102189212317

Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has attributed the failure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to restore true fiscal federalism to his aborted third term agenda.



Daniel spoke at a public lecture organised by Omoluabi tagged, ‘Politics in post-2011 Nigeria: Is Yorubaland endangered?’ held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday.



He said many politicians decided after the 1999 elections that since Obasanjo had become the president, there was the need for them to support him.



He added that though the former president supported the idea of a national conference, the ‘third term virus’ disrupted his plan.



The governor said that rather than entrusting the people’s lives in the hands of individuals, there must be a Yoruba agenda that should be supported by all.



He expressed the fear that the much talked about credible elections in April might remain a ‘wild goose chase’.



Daniel also made a case for a drastic reduction in electioneering funds.



The guest lecturer, Prof. Akinjide Osuntokun, observed that politicians calling for all politicians to belong to mainstream politics had their position weakened by the fact there was nothing to show for Obasanjo’s tenure.



He said, “Yoruba people watched helplessly as their roads became unmotorable and all their appurtenances of modern life collapsed. They were rightly not singled out for favour.



“In fact, if the truth must be told, the Obasanjo government bent over backwards to accommodate other ethnic groups at the expense of the Yoruba.



“For example, since 2003, no Yoruba woman has been found suitable for a ministerial appointment in a country where Yoruba women have led in the acquisition of Western education since the imposition of colonial rule.”



He stated that in the distribution of ministerial positions, the Yoruba had fared worse than other ethnic groups.



“It is, therefore, open to debate if the Yoruba would have fared worse if they had not belonged to the mainstream,” he added.



Osuntokun, who is the Dean, College of Humanities, Redeemer’s University, said most Nigerians would rather have a weak centre and a fiscally strengthened state of regional governments.



The Yoruba, he added, ought to be able to manoeuvre their way through the labyrinth of political and economic negotiation to achieve the Nigeria of their dreams.



“There should be no contradiction between Yoruba patriotism and Nigerian nationalism. What is good for the Yoruba should necessarily be good for other Nigerians,” he said.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201102189431820