₦airaland Forum

Residents of Ilepa Community in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have protested against former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged bid to illegally acquire their landed property worth 2,500 hectares.



The residents of the area raised the alarm over the alleged plan to demolish their buildings towards acquisition of their lands by the former president.



The placard-carrying protesters, who came to the Iwe Irohin House of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Abeokuta on Wednesday, pleaded with the state government to intervene and save their buildings from being destroyed.



Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “A man is not a man until he has his own home. Obasanjo do not destroy our homes,” “Obasanjo, a tribal chief or statesman?”, “The purported demolition of our land is illegal,” “Demolition of houses is demolition of destinies.” “We reject relocation to another place” and “OGD, Please come to our rescue.”



The community had accused Obasanjo of complicity in the alleged plot to dispossess the Community Development Associations of their landed property.



The residents and landlords of the community also marched through major streets in Abeokuta to protest the alleged plot by the ex-president and some others in connivance with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital to dispossess them of their lands.



The protesters had claimed that the landed property was allocated to the hospital management 20 years ago, saying, however, that LUTH failed to develop the property.



The residents alleged that in pursuant to relevant laws on land after neglect, the land automatically revert to the original owners who are the villagers.



They added that the development prompted the landlords to buy the lands from the original owners, saying that majority of them had built their houses and residing in the community for over 10 years.



The protesters, who spoke through their spokesperson, Mr. Peter Idowu, sated that officials of LUTH had already came to the residents and landlords of the areas to issue ‘relocation order’ to them.



He said, “The hospital officials arrived the community with megaphone announcing that we should quit the land with ultimatum of 100 days. They just came telling us to leave in the next 100 days or have our houses pulled down.



“We bought these lands from the original owners, who sold them to us after the failure of the LUTH authority to develop it, and by law, the land has been returned back to the original owners who are the villagers.”



Idowu who raised the alarm that the ultimatum would expire in the next 50 days, said investigations conducted by them revealed, however, that it was some personalities in the state which include Obasanjo who were interested in taking over the land from them.



“We have established the facts that Obasanjo is the arrowhead to acquire the community with force under the cover that the LUTH is re-claiming the land,” he added.



He also claimed that the town had about two million residents with at least 10 Community Development Associations and 13 villages under it.



But Obasanjo has said that he does not own any parcel of land in Ilepa, Ifo Local Government in Ogun State.



Reacting to the protest of some residents of the community in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Obasanjo denied owning any piece of land in the community, asking them to conduct their investigations very well before unleashing their anger on an innocent person.



He said this on the telephone on Wednesday through one of his aides, who consulted with the former president before speaking with our correspondent.



He said, “I don’t own a piece of land in Ilepa; so, I don’t know why they could be protesting and pointing accusing fingers at me. I suspect they might be protesting concerning the land at Pakoto, where the LUTH annex is sighted.



“If that be the case, the residents should speak with the Federal Government, who acquired the land for LUTH. They should get in touch with LUTH management and the Ogun State Government, who approved the land.



“They should equally make efforts to consult their leaders, who should be able to tell them more. The truth, however, is that I don’t own any land in that area.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009163202815

This is a joke in the face of those families that he murdered their breadwinners during his burtual regime. What shall we say to the families of Dele Giwa and others if we Nigerians failed to shun this man and send him back to Niger? I think he failed to read the hand writing on the wall now is the time for us to act and show him he had his own time with gun and killing but we the people have the votes and we will determine our true leader period.

The National Executive Council meeting of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was moved to 2pm today, to avoid a clash with the declaration ceremony of Ibrahim Babangida in Abuja.

The meeting had originally been slated for 12pm, which would have dampened the focus on Mr Babangida's rally. However, it appears that last ditch talks enabled the meeting to be moved to a later time.

The ceremony itself lasted a little over two hours, with a crowd of thousands in attendance. Mr Babangida arrived a little after 11am in an open-top motorcade, amidst great fanfare and jubilation. When he eventually took his place on the podium, he was joined by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili. Also in attendance was the Niger State governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, who denied that PDP factions were trying to disrupt the rally.

"Thank God that democracy has prevailed, which allowed the meeting to be shifted," he said.

Several affirmations were given by a representative of each geopolitical zone before Mr Babangida eventually took the stage. Notably, each affirmation centred on the fact that zoning must prevail, to ensure peace in Nigeria.

Mr Babangida insisted that he had learned lessons after being out of office for "almost two decades". He said that the "youth are the country's most critical resource." The former military president vowed to focus on "ignored sectors", such as tourism, hospitality, agriculture and the film industry, if elected next year.

The rally ended at about 2pm, as PDP officials quickly moved to Wadata House for the pivotal NEC meeting. A PDP spokesperson confirmed last night that the meeting would determine the order in which the party would conduct their primaries.

The influential Governors' Forum has already convinced the National Working Committee to hold the presidential primaries last. It is now left to the executive council to ratify that decision.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5619387-146/pdp_meeting_makes_way_for_ibb.csp

I wonder what they are all looking for in that ASO ROCK. Once they are there, they dont want to leave there honorably. These people have hidden agenda. Let us pray to God to deliver our dear nation from the hands of these wicked and selfish politicians. Nigeria and Nigerians must move forward in Jesus name. we are tired of this power recycling.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was among several people granted waivers by members of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Wednesday.



With this waiver, the former vice-president is free to contest the party’s presidential primaries.



Apart from Abubakar, others that were granted waivers include Imo State Deputy Governor Ada Okwuonu, Mr. Charles Elechi; and Prince N. Okoro.



Also on the list are Senator Alphonsus Igbeke, Chief Olusola Akanmode, Senator Mohammed Ohiare, Senator Salihu Otaru Ohize and seven others.



The meeting also suspended the planned midterm conference and special convention of the party, saying that the election timetable was too tight to allow for that.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009163152845

My fellow people of nigeria pls.beware Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is out to kille Again who will be the victime? the blood of innocent nigerians are crying in the grave IBB has done so many Evils things in nigeria which he declearde his name is Evilejenus pple should know that the world are mooving foward so let us joing hands and say no to backwardness.

The family of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi on Wednesday took the protest against the presidential ambition of former military ruler, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, where they vowed to campaign against the former dictator.



The widow of the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ganiyat, who was at the university for the first Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, urged Nigerians to reject Babangida as the presidential candidate of any political party.



Ganiyat, whose late husband fought the Babangida regime over alleged human rights abuses, assassinations and closure of universities, said the ascension of Babangida to the presidency in next year’s general elections would serve a death knell to the country.



She maintained that Nigerians would be making a grave mistake if Babangida emerged as president next year, stressing that all progressive-minded people in the country must come together and resist the ambition of the former military dictator.



The first son of the late lawyer, Mohammed, who was accompanied by two of his siblings, said Babangida’s era signalled a dark period in the history of the country. He recalled that it was during Babangida’s regime that a parcel bomb killed the founding Editor of Newswatch, Mr. Dele Giwa.



Mohammed also said that the detention of the late lawyer on a number of ocassions by the Babangida regime was the reason why he contracted cancer, which he later died of.



He said, “I will come face to face with IBB when the time comes. In case I cannot do it as a result of death or sickness, the students should be prepared to do it on my behalf, because such a person is not supposed to be our leader because he denied students of their right to qualitative education.”



“I am appealing to all students in the spirit of great nationalists like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Beko Ransome-Kuti and others to stop IBB from coming back as our president.”



Commending OAU students for supporting his father during his lifetime and death, Mohammed said, “It was the students of Obafemi Awolowo University that made Gani the Senior Advocate of the Masses before he was conferred with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) award.”



Guest lecturer, Mr. Femi Falana, who delivered a lecture, titled, ‘Gani in the midst of military and democratic autocracy,’ recalled how the late lawyer inspired him to read law. He added that Fawehinmi fought for injustice in the country.




http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2010091612443165

My Dele y waste your precious time in politics, u for just concentrate on wat u knw how to do best , showcasing how our Nigerian money is been spent by political thief’s, u sef wan follow thief, ole!

The publisher of a celebrity magazine, Ovation, Bashorun Dele Momodu, has applied officially to the Labour Party to contest the 2011 presidential on its platform.



Presenting his formal Letter of Intent to the National Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Iwuanyanwu, at the party headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Momodu extolled the great vision of the LP under its current leadership as the last hope of the common man unlike some other parties that had been taken over and corrupted by the highest bidder phenomenon.



Momodu, who was accompanied by his campaign manager, Mr. Godwin Amaize, and other members of his campaign officials, was received at the headquarters by Iwuanyanwu; Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Abacha; and National Secretary, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir Salam.



Presenting the two-page letter and other documents, Momodu said he had been a very loyal member of the Labour Party since he met Iwanyawu in Abuja early last year. He added that he was deeply encouraged by his vision of making the LP the hope of ordinary Nigerians who have been yearning for good governance and accountability.



He said, “The time has now come for all members of our party to pick the right candidate who can fulfill the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians.



“And we must stand out as a party of the common man and not that of the highest bidders who are on the prowl to buy up any available party.



“It is for this reason and purpose that I humbly present myself as the perfect choice for this important mission.”



Enumerating his profile, Momodu stated that he is a fresh blood and has not been tainted by political appointments or public office.



In his response, Iwuanyanwu commended Momodu’s courage, foresight and vision and described him as a loyal and financial party member since he joined LP early last year.



He also noted that by his letter, Momodu was the first member of the party who had so far officially declared his aspiration to be the party‘s presidential flagbearer in the 2011 election.



Also on Wednesday, the Dele Momodu Presidential Campaign Organisation released its official logo and slogan for the campaign.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009163273251

Nijja with money politics, ibb don expire no be today. If him like make him organise another declaration for kaduna stadium with all d govs in attendance, him go still fail 2011 election. He should just leave nigerians alone, as he has no possitive contributions to make. Go’Go’’Go’’’ and take a good rest and tackle ur health problems while we offer you prayers for good health. Mr president dr jonathan congrats in advance as maradona failed to show working at eagles square.

Twenty-five out of the 28 Peoples Democratic Party governors and most stalwarts of the party on Wednesday boycotted former military President Ibrahim Babangida’s declaration of his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election.



The three governors that attended the event at the Eagle Square in Abuja were Dr. Aliyu Babangida (Niger); Alhaji Mamudu Shinkafi (Zamfara) and Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).



Most of Babangida’s closest associates and members of the PDP National Working Committee did not attend the declaration that was characterised by unruly behaviour by the supporters of the former military dictator. The event started at 11am.



The supporters, who included those from Ondo, Abia, Ekiti and Edo states, accused their leaders of bringing them to Abuja to suffer.



In spite of the fact that the PDP National Executive Committee meeting was shifted from 10am to 2:50pm because of Babangida’s declaration, many other prominent politicians from the six geopolitical zones also shunned the ceremony.



The few notable politicians in attendance included a former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; an ex-Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili; a former-governor of Niger State, Abdulkhadir Kure; a former governor of Nassarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu; and an ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ghali Na’Abba.



The top associates of the former military ruler who were absent were his kinsman and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.); his former deputy, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (retd); a former chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Mike Akhigbe.



The poor attendance was such that even the former military President, in his address, lamented that not all the people who were invited for the ceremony turned up.



Besides the aspirant, who limped to the podium to deliver his address around 1am, other speakers at the event were Nnamani and Na’Abba.



Their speeches, our correspondents, observed, did not elicit much reactions from the crowd.



Babangida suffers from radiculopathy, a condition caused by the compression of a nerve in the spine. Its symptoms include pain, numbness, tingling and weakness along the course of the nerve.



After the ceremony, some of the Babangida supporters from outside Abuja were seen quarreling over funds that ought to have been given to them through their coordinators.



The angry supporters said that they had also been persuaded to attend an earlier pro – IBB function in Ibadan, Oyo State, without being paid.



They added that they were promised that the money meant for them for their presence in the Ibadan rally would be given to them in Abuja.



They alleged that they had spent all their money on hotel accommodation and feeding and vowed that they would not allow their coordinators to leave the venue of the ceremony without settling the issue of their entitlements.



One of the delegates, Idowu Roberts, said, “We were promised N6,000 when we went to Ibadan. But we did not get a kobo. Our leaders told us that IBB did not give them any money. They told us that the money would be paid together with the one we would receive in Abuja.



“We arrived in Abuja yesterday (Tuesday). I have paid N6,000 for hotel and spent N3,000 on feeding. They are telling us again that IBB has not paid them. They said they would forward our names to the general.”



But as Babangida declared his ambition, a group, the Democratic Alliance for Good Governance, said that the former military dictator had a hidden agenda.



The group, in posters pasted in Maitama, Gariki, Eagles Square and other parts of Abuja, warned that a vote for Babangida would be a vote for tenure elongation.



Some of the posters read “Different faces of IBB: The evil genius strikes;” “Do not be deceived, Maradona, the actor is at it again;” and “Nigerians beware, the military are back, again.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100916365062

The intractable face-off within the Ogun State House of Assembly on the one hand and between the House and Governor Gbenga Daniel may soon land the state in an emergency rule regime. Daily Sun can authoritatively reveal that there is a lobby to this effect in Abuja, and it is coming from key stakeholders in the state who are impressing it on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene.

Incidentally, the lobby is not coming from the usual suspects that the Ogun State Government would ordinarily point the finger at.

An elder statesman from the state who spoke to Daily Sun on condition of anonymity yesterday lamented that “the state was fast slipping into anarchy” and that until “something drastic is done to arrest the situation, things may get worse.”
He said even former President Olusegun Obasanjo was not satisfied with the state of things there, but the elder statesman would not confirm if the ex-president was part of the group lobbying Jonathan to impose a state of emergency in Ogun.

The source, however, confirmed that the deterorating situation in Abeokuta might be one of the reasons Obasanjo returned early for today’s emergency meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pointing out that the ex-president headed directly to Abuja to probably have a meeting with Jonathan on the Ogun matter.

Daily Sun learnt that Jonathan was not too favourably disposed to imposing a state of emergency in Ogun, but was disturbed enough by the development there that he summoned all the dramatis personae to Abuja.
The source said that Jonathan, rather than impose emergency rule, ordered the squabbling groups to go back home and resolve the matter. He was also believed to have suggested to the governor that he should take steps to ensure that the impeached Speaker, Egbetokun, was returned to his seat, a suggestion the governor was said not be too disposed towards.

Jonathan’s decision to follow the path of amicable reconciliation, the source told Daily Sun, was informed partly by the fact that Daniel was to lead Jonathan’s campaign for the 2011 presidency in the South-west.
However, with the increased pressure coming from respected stakeholders in the state, the President might have given in, especially if the crises were not resolved any time soon.
The lobby of the stakeholders, Daily Sun learnt, was informed by their belief that if the crisis in the state PDP was not resolved decisively, the party might become not sellable to the electorate in 2011.


Link: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/15/national-15-09-2010-001.htm

EFFRAKATA:
I see Obinna and Osaze joining bigger premiership clubs@the open of the next tranfer window.
He is such a good player. He need not worry about the pay cut.

Yes oooooooooooooo

Happy !

This is not same in Nigeria

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has warned that the current face-off between the camps of President Goodluck Jonathan and General Ibrahim Babanguda’s campaign chieftain, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, could send a wrong signal and precipitate violence ahead of the 2011 general elections if unchecked.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party called on the major players in both camps to immediately sheathe their swords and embrace reconciliation, in the interest of the nation.

''The allegations by Dr. Raymond Dokpesi against the presidency are very serious indeed, especially those concerning plans to kidnap his son and ruin his business for not supporting President Jonathan's putative bid for the presidency. Equally worrisome is the strong language employed by the presidency in denying the allegations.
''For the avoidance of doubt, we, in the ACN, believe in freedom of association, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and that this should not be the reason for anyone to lose his life or means of livelihood, or for anyone to make a yet-unsubstantiated and incendiary allegation

''While we hope both camps will resolve their differences, we are concerned that, once again, an intra-party issue is being allowed to overheat the polity and threaten national peace. Both President Jonathan and former President Babangida are in the PDP. If they could tear at each other this ferociously and at this stage, what will they do to those from other parties as things progress?'' ACN queried.

It expressed grave concern at the insinuation that the threat from the South-South can trigger a similar threat from the North, saying this dangerous trend amounted to ethnicisation of violence.
''Before long, if things are not checked, religious threat will be thrown into the mix, resulting in an ethno-religious blowout from which no nation has ever survived. Such is the danger to which the PDP has again exposed our country, even after we and many others have warned this imploding behemoth not to allow its internal affairs to become a major national issue.

''We regret to say that this advice has not been heeded, with the result that the internal affairs of the PDP are threatening to become a catalyst for violence that could engulf the whole nation, and make a mess of President Jonathan's consistent pledge to organise a free, fair and credible elections next year,'' the party said.
ACN appealed to the media to help re-direct national discourse to more fundamental and important issues ahead of the 2011 general elections.

''The 'raison d'etat' of the PDP is the sharing of the spoils of office, even as millions of Nigerians wallow in abject poverty that has left many vulnerable to diseases that have become history in other climes. That is why they have consistently pushed their internal affairs to the national stage to confuse issues. It is time Nigerians put an end to this trend,” ACN charged.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/13/national-13-09-2010-010.htm

There seemed to be no end in sight in the annulled elections of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) as FIFA and CAF, which sent two men to monitor the election last month have accused the Nigerian body of not telling the truth regarding a court order from a Lagos High Court.

The two FIFA and CAF officials reported back to their respective bosses that they were tricked into believing that there was no pending order from court, hence their tacit approval for the election to go ahead as scheduled.

Led by FIFA Head of National Associations, Primo Carvaro, the team was said to be shocked at the reports that trailed the elections, pointing out that if it was indeed true that a local court issued orders stopping the elections, then top persons in the nation’s football administration, as well as FIFA Executive Committee members, Dr Amos Adamu should know and since he did not inform them of any of such cases, they had to okay the election to go ahead.

One of the officials, we learnt, was furious that both Aminu Maigari and Musa Amadu were economical with the truth, while denying several inquiries by the visitors about the true state of affairs prior to the annulled polls.

A former member of the board disclosed that the FIFA men told him on telephone over the weekend that their effort to get the true position of things with regard to the court orders was thwarted by the duo of Maigari, then acting president of the federation and the acting general secretary, Musa Amadu.
Dr Peter Singabele and former NFA vice president, Obinna Ogba, had reportedly admitted that the federation was served the orders of the Lagos court.

“The monitors we gathered are particularly pained that the action of the individuals has put FIFA and CAF in bad light and creating the wrong impression that FIFA and CAF meddle in the internal affairs of member nations.”

It was also learnt that FIFA has since written to NFA to get the true picture of things following the annulment of the election, but were yet to get any meaningful explanation from the football association.
“FIFA relies only on explanation given to it by the leadership of the association and in the present instance, the NFA president and the general secretary or its executive member as the case may be. So, what we have seen here is a case where the association has told both FIFA and CAF lies and this could attract sanction. So, if Nigeria is banned because of this, it is good now we know who to blame.
“This is exactly what one of the election monitors told me; that they asked Amadu and Maigari and both of them denied that there was court injunction,” stated our source.
Asked to react to the allegation, Alhaji Maigari said the case was in court and he would not want to be dragged into it.

A reliable source hinted that FIFA has in fact written the association to get the true picture of the development in the light of the decision.
Amadu we gathered, specifically told the FIFA and CAF monitors that there was no court injunction stopping the election.

According to the FIFA chief, the two, Singabele and Obinna Ogba, both former board members of the board had continued to stress that the Maigari-led board was aware of the order and was severally summoned by the National Sports Commission (NSC) in that regard.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/sportsonthehour/2010/sept/13/sportsbreak-13-09-2010-001.htm

Former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has faulted the timing and the spirit behind the sack, recently, of the service chiefs, and the Inspector General of Police by President Goodluck Jonathan. Tsav linked the disengagement of the officers to the president’s plots to have easy ride in the 2011 presidential polls.

Tsav spoke in Kano during the weekend at a time, Second Republic Adviser, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai said the elevation of an officer of Igbo extraction to replace the former Chief of Army Staff, General Danbazau would not in any way endanger the cooperation and ongoing consultation between the North and the South east.

Speaking to the Daily Sun in Kano , the elder statesman noted that by early next year, the North will offer the slot of the vice president to the South east and by 2015, they will extend the Presidency to them.

Tsav held that, “the sack of Service Chiefs and the IGP was ill-timed and was neither centered on patriotism nor transparency. Rather, I see it as a grand plan by President Goodluck Jonathan to have it easy at the polls”
Tsav further said: “Unfortunately, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is not God, he is only a worldly president with specific period to rule. The action of the president reminds me of the sad days of the military when civil servants had no job security”.

He stated that, “We are talking of reformation of the Police, and Mr Onovo who is doing his best to achieve this, was not only removed but his DIGs and senior AIGs are being swept away by the tide to create room for an officer who made it possible for Jonathan to succeed Alamieyeseigha as governor after an Obasanjo’s carefully schemed impeachment”.

“This is unfair and negates our so-called war against social injustice. This is not the type of democracy we are yearning for. The sack is an act of selfishness and greed rather than in the interest of national security.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2010/sept/13/newsbreak-13-09-2010-001.htm

Despite the confirmation, last week, that President Goodluck Jonathan would seek the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest next year’s presidential election, a lot of uncertainty still appears to be hanging over the direction the delegates would go, come next month’s primaries

A survey conducted in the first week of this month for International Institute for Political Research, a United Kingdom-based policy development centre, indicates that the race for the ticket of the presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a three-way contest between the president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and the former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The report released in Abuja at the weekend by Mr Nuhu Shua’ibu, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute, says a large percentage of the delegates to the party’s convention had not made up their minds by early September, when the survey was conducted.

Shua’ibu told Daily Sun: “With about 40% of the surveyed population reporting undecided, the race for the ticket remains very much open and can, in fact swing in favor of any of the aforementioned candidates”.
According to the survey’s findings, at least, one out of every four delegates has indicated a preference for Jonathan, Babangida or Atiku, while about two out of each five delegates said they remained undecided.

It said that 57% of those who withheld support for President Jonathan hinged their position on the fact that they had mixed feelings about his determination to run in the race despite the decision of the PDP to retain its policy on power rotation. But then, this was before it became clear last Wednesday that Jonathan was indeed in the race.
As part of its preparation for monitoring the general elections coming up in January 2011 in Nigeria, the International Institute for Political Research, which is a non-partisan organization, said it already has a number of programme officers in the country .


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/13/national-13-09-2010-001.htm

May the good Lord be with them. Amen.

Nothing for both of them !

Nice one Mr Olubadan !

Becos we are for each other

So this two are for real GUIDED MISSILES CHURCH And LABORATORY CHURCH OF GOD, Oh my GOD !

A yet to be disclosed group has launched an SMS platform for Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign.

This platform may get wider coverage than the road campaign, as every network subscriber is said to be targeted by the texts.

In an SMS branded “J.Goodluck”, which was sent to NEXT and a few others who confirmed they too had received the text, Mr Jonathan solicits support from Nigerians to join him in transforming our nation.

In the text, which was obviously sent in bulk, Mr Jonathan said: “we are on the road to rebuild our Nation. Stand with me, Stand for transformation”.

The SMS platform may be the starting point of the president’s campaign which, NEXT learnt, has its slogan as “Time for Transformation,” though it has not yet been unveiled.

All-inclusive participation

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has also launched a new campaign website as a way of ensuring an all-inclusive participation in his campaign to become Nigeria’s next president.

The website aims at giving all Nigerians, including those living abroad, the opportunity to make input in his campaign. “I want to run an inclusive campaign. I want to hear from all Nigerians and respond to their questions and concerns,” Mr Abubakar said yesterday, in a statement released by his campaign office in Abuja.

The website, which was launched Monday, September 13, 2010, has already attracted over 2000 hits in less than 24 hours, he said.

He also launched his presence on the social media (Twitter and Facebook) as a way of attracting younger Nigerians to support his candidacy.

Link;http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5619112-147/jonathan_abubakar_take_campaigns_to_new.csp

In as much as IBB is not a good candidate, he should be given the opportunity to run. At least he can take the opportunity to waste the stolen money on an election which he will end up loosing. Please do not discourage him from running people.

The much-expected launch of Ibrahim Babangida’s presidential campaign in Abuja today is likely to be blunted by the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party also fixed for 12pm, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The NEC meeting, which was brought forward from Thursday without any official reason, not only took the Babangida camp by surprise but threatens to jeopardise its efforts at hugging the limelight in a successful declaration.

A text message sent out late Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Rufai Alkali, requested every member of the party’s national decision making organ to attend the meeting on time.

“An emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 15th September 2010. Venue: National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Time: 12.00 noon. All NEC members are invited to attend on time,” the message said.

No official of the party was willing to state whether the event’s timing was a mere coincidence or an attempt to scuttle Mr Babangida’s declaration. But the implication, according to political analysts, is that PDP board and national leaders may have to abandon the Babangida event to attend the NEC meeting.

Ike Abonyi, spokesperson to the PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, said time constraints led to the decision to hold the NEC meeting. “We are under pressure to finalise the order of the primaries in accordance with INEC timetable,” he told NEXT yesterday. “Members of the PDP NEC are expected to be neutral. No NEC member is supposed to attend the rally of any aspirant. There is no clash, whatsoever.”

Ready for launch

But the Babangida camp did not entirely agree with this view of things. Mr Babangida’s spokesperson,

Kassim Afegbua insisted that the declaration will go on today whether those invited and others expected eventually turned up at Eagle Square or not.

He said a former senate president and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Ken Nnamani, has been invited to chair the declaration ceremony.

He said: “The declaration of the former president still stands as at today, despite the convocation of the PDP NEC meeting. If the former senate president decides to miss the PDP NEC meeting to attend another important event, is it wrong?” When NEXT visited Eagle Square on Tuesday evening, a big podium, along with a smaller platform, has been erected; with chairs neatly arranged even and huge loud speakers blaring music from the four sides of the square. On the side facing the highways, a huge billboard of Mr. Babangida, with the inscription: “Together, let’s build a new Nigeria” has been erected. It is believed that the reported choice of former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili as Mr. Babangida’s running mate was made to frustrate Mr Jonathan’s chances of picking the PDP presidential ticket.

There are also indications that Mr Babangida and another candidate, Atiku Abubakar might be working towards some kind of political arrangement. The two men, who have held series of meetings over the weeks, also met last night in Abuja ahead of today’s declaration. None of them was willing to discuss the reason for their meeting.

Ready for a debate

But aides of Mr Jonathan, who is expected to announce his candidacy on Saturday, said the president is ready for a public debate with his political opponents, including Mr Babangida.

The Special Assistant to the president on Political Affairs, Mobolaji Adebiyi, said Mr Jonathan will not duck such an event.

“Is President Jonathan ready to face anybody in an open debate? Yes, he is very ready to go into debate with anybody in any party on any issue,” Mr Adebiyi said. “He is very prepared. He has been the President now for some months.

Before then, he has been the Vice President. He knows and has what it takes to govern the country. So, why would he not be ready to go into debates with other candidates?”

Mr Afegbua also said his principal was ready to face the incumbent president any time.

“Yes, we are ready for debates and we will be very happy to put issues in proper perspectives,” he said. “He (Babangida) is a trusted and worthy Nigerian leader that should be taken on his words. He will quit in 2015 as he has promised.” The Eagle Square has become historic as the inaugural ground of past presidents, and our reporter observed that politicians are planning very extravagant declaration ceremonies there this week.

Apart from Mr Jonathan who is also expected to make his declaration there at the weekend, the governor of Kwara State, Olusola Saraki also plans to use the venue to announce his presidential aspiration.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5618893-146/pdp_meeting_dampens_babangidas_declaration_.csp

In spite of malnutrition and stunted growth common among children in most developing countries like Nigeria, female children are now reaching puberty at a younger age. Bukola Adebayo writes on experts‘ interpretation of this development and its implication on fertility. Bright, like most girls in her class, has all the attributes of an adolescent. Though she is barely eight years old and still in primary four in one of the private schools in Lagos, she is fast developing into an adult. At first glance, she looks like a full grown-up girl. But a closer observation reveals a young child who is quickly reaching puberty.



Investigations have revealed that in spite of the living conditions of a developing nation like Nigeria, more girls are reaching puberty faster than before. While the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English sees 14 years as a fairly normal age for a girl to reach puberty, findings show that Nigerian girls reach puberty these days as early as eight years.



Puberty, according to Longman, is the stage of physical development during which you change from a child to an adult and are able to have children. Today, it is no longer uncommon to see eight or nine--year olds developing breast buds.



Opinions of mothers vary on the implication of early puberty. While some have expressed concern over the development, others are not bothered. Those who are wary of the development fear that early onset of puberty may affect their children‘s fertility in the long run as those who reach puberty early might reach menopause early too.



But a mother, Mrs. Ololade Fowobaje, said, ” I was not worried when my first daughter started developing breast buds at eight since she‘s a bit over-weight and I believe because the world is changing, our growth will automatically be affected.”



Early maturation is now a global trend. A new study in paediatrics has found that the number of girls reaching puberty at the early ages of seven and eight is on the rise.



A study conducted at the Cincinnati‘s Children‘s Hospital in the United States that involved over 1200 young girls aged from six to eight years, and who resided in Cincinnati, East Harlem New York and San Francisco, showed that by the age of eight, 18 per cent of white females, 43 per cent of black females and 31 per cent of Latina females had already reached puberty.



Lead author and Director of Adolescent Medicine at the hospital, Dr. Frank Biro, identifies obesity, the type of diet being consumed and differing levels of exercise and activity as possible causes of this development. The researchers claimed the abundance of food compared to earlier times where malnutrition was more common could be another factor. Females in the 1700s did not start to menstruate till they were around 17 or 18 years of age.



Experts have said Nigerian girls were reaching puberty earlier than before because of changes in nutritional diet, hereditary and environmental factors which had become more predominant in the last two years.



According to the Consultant Gynaecologist with St. Ives Specialist Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Tunde Okewale, apart from Nigeria, globally the puberty age is dropping drastically.



Okewale describes puberty as the gradual change in the secondary characteristics of females which begins with breast development, growth of pubic hair, a spot of growth in height and menarche (first menstrual cycle).



He stated that these stages which should normally span between ages nine and 14 could be influenced by urbanisation, improved nutrition and imbalance of the female hormone (estrogen).



”It is a worldwide trend. Girls reach puberty as early as eight and nine. Although the standard of living is said to be dropping in Nigeria, children now eat more junk than they did in the past. A lot of foods that children eat these days are processed, that is, they are loaded with estrogenic chemicals. And high levels of estrogen will lead to early onset of puberty in females.



”It is also genetic, if a mother starts her menstruation early, her daughter is likely to inherit that naturally,” he said.



He added that early exposure to environmental wastes such as chemicals from plastic industries mostly in urban areas which contains estrogen could make children living in these areas reach puberty earlier than others.



Another, gynaecologist with Duro-Soleye Specialists Hospitals, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Ibrahim Olaifa, said early puberty which is associated with early menstruation can clearly be linked with nutritional and hereditary factors in the female.



”In the past two years, it has been observed that Nigerian girls are budding faster as early as eight to 10. A better nourished child has the requirements for growth and hormonal processes. An obese child will reach puberty earlier than the other girls,” he added.



However, these experts said although early puberty which is often associated with early menstruation ”in most cases is nothing to fret about, a child showing abnormal signs of puberty termed ‘precocious puberty‘ should still undergo a medical check-up by a gynaecologist or a family physician as it could be caused by an underlying medical problems.



Medically, Okewale said, ”Any onset of menstruation before the age of nine is slightly abnormal, it may not be a cause for worry, but a medical investigation should be conducted by a medical personnel to rule out medical problems.”



Olaifa said, ”Precocious puberty can be linked to pathological conditions of hormonal imbalance. It could be due to the presence of tumours in the ovary or the hypothalamus.”



Asked if early onset of puberty could pose fertility problems to these girls later in life, Okewale said that early puberty was yet to be linked with reduced fertility rate amongst women.



”A female is least fertile at the onset of puberty because most times menstruation is neither regular nor ovulatory yet. Her fertility also drops when she‘s approaching menopause or as she gets older. It is not correct that a girl that has early menarche will reach menopause faster. Women are most fertile between the ages of 20 and 30. Fertility decreases after then no matter the age the menstruation started,‘‘ he added.



Olaifa however explained that although early puberty had no significant effect on fertility in women, it could be a risk factor in developing fibroid.



”Females that start menstruating early have delayed menopause due to the high level of hormonal secretion in their bodies. Because they finish later, they accumulate more fatty deposits in their reproductive system, which is a risk factor in most fibroid cases,” he explained.



Socially, experts have said that early onset of puberty could pose some social problems to the females, who do not have the proper counselling and guidance from their parents as it had been found to increase cases of teenage pregnancies, sexually-transmitted diseases and cervical cancer among teenagers in Nigeria.



Olaifa said, ”Early puberty comes with early sexual exposure. Girls will be getting more attention from the opposite sex. Although they are not very fertile at that age, they can still conceive, resulting in frequent pregnancy terminations and early onset of cervical cancer.”



Okewale said, ”Early menstruation predisposes females to unwanted pregnancies. Most times, these teenagers engage in unprotected sex which exposes them to a lot of Sexually- Transmitted Diseases from men. Most of these STDs manifest later in the females leading to serious infertility problems.”



Speaking on the social challenges a female experiencing early puberty could be facing, Mrs. Ololade Hector-Fowobaje, a psychologist, who wrote a book, ”Many faces of Sexual Abuse,” urged parents to initiate sex education with their females as soon as they begin to show signs of puberty.



”Puberty starts mostly when the females are entering secondary school. At that stage the parents are helpless. The subject of sexuality should not be a taboo in any house. It is a vital part of parental teaching and training many ignore at their peril. Any form of education should begin at home and a comprehensive sex education should usher them into the secondary school,” she explained.



Olaifa urged parents to guide their girls by talking with them. ”Let them know it is not strange, it is expected although it could be challenging. Start talking with them as soon as they can identify the body parts that are growing. It should also be done gradually,” he advised.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100915013290

Dear KSA,THIS PIECE COMES AS A CONGRATULATORY MESSSAGE,YOU WILL LIVE LONGER THAN YOUR PARENTS,MAY MAMA SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE

The loss of a loved one is a painful experience, but it also usually provides many Nigerian artistes an opportunity to perform together.



Among musicians of Yoruba descent especially, fuji acts such as Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Kollington Ayinla, Saheed Osupa and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma have been at the centre of such a cooperative concert. This was the case when Barrister and Kollington lost their mothers.



Now, it is the turn of juju superstar, King Sunny Ade, whose mother passed on a few months ago. At the final burial rites holding in Ondo, Ondo State, a lot of artistes are set to mount the stage.



According to the Chairman, Organising Committee, Mr. Clement Ige, up to 50 artistes have indicated their intention to perform.



Among them are President of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Dele Abiodun; Kollington Ayinla, Abass Akande Obesere, Saheed Osupa, Alabi Pasuma, Ayo Balogun, Timi Osukoya, Bola Are, Dbanj, 9ice and Tony Tetuila.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2010091512462

All these are pointers to the fact that Jonathan remains the last president of Nigeria. Continue to copy and paste till 2015,