₦airaland Forum

Ahmed Sanni Yerima may soon be arraigned in court for alleged child abuse and marriage to a minor. The former governor, who is now a senator, may be prosecuted over his marriage to an Egyptian minor, a 14-year old school girl, Eladly Maryam Maged Saleh.

NEXT investigation in Abuja showed that the federal government is currently studying a report which detailed the offences of Mr. Yerima. Sources at the Ministry of Justice headquarters in Abuja disclosed that the report recommending the prosecution of the senator, is ready for the approval of federal government.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, told our correspondent in his office yesterday that the file has been returned to him to properly advice the government.

Mr. Adoke had before directed our reporter to the office of the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the ministry, whom he said was handling the investigative report submitted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).

Attorney General breaks silence

Yesterday, the minister said, “I cannot answer your question right now. This is the file on my table (he raises the file for the journalist to see). I am reading it with a view to working on it and aligning it with the position of the Constitution, ” Explaining his position, Mr. Adoke said: “The issue is that the man who contracted the marriage said he did so under the Islamic rites, which is at variance with the Constitution. The Constitution, on the other hand, recognises marriages under the Marriage Act and Customary Laws. So, as the chief law officer of the country, I have the duty to read the report and align it with the position of the Constitution, which supersedes any other law and which I swore to uphold. I am still in the process of doing that. As soon as I finish doing that I will let you know. But I will not act against the Constitution by playing to the gallery just because I want to become a hero in the eyes of the public.”

According to NAPTIP, and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Yerima’s marriage breached Sections 21, 22 and 23 of the Child Rights Act, 2003.

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has sued the NHRC and NAPTIP over the matter asking the court to stop his prosecution.

However, sources at the Ministry of Justice say he will still be prosecuted irrespective of what comes out of the case by the Sharia council because he clearly breached some of the laws of the country.

The case, which is presently being heard before Justice Adamu Bello, president of Court 5 of the Abuja High Court, has been adjourned for hearing.

International investigation

The case has already attracted the attention of some international organisations including the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), which General Counsel, Joel Sollier, last week contacted its national central bureau in Lagos for relevant information.

According to legal experts, one of the issues that is central to INTERPOL’s interest is the possible link to terrorism of the family of the under-aged girl, whose father was found in possessing of two different international passports.

A copy of the NAPTIP investigative report obtained by NEXT revealed that the girl’s father, Maged Saleh Mohammed Eladly, who is a driver to Mr. Yerima, had two Egyptian passports: A01086511, issued on 17/10/2009 in Egypt, valid till 16/10/2016 and A01403462, issued on 07/03/2010 in Egypt, valid till 06/03/2017.

Recommendation for Yerima’s prosecution

According to the report, “The first passport issued in 2009 has the father’s profession as workman while the second passport issued in 2010 referred to his profession as export and import office owner.” Miss Eladly, a 14-year-old student with passport number: A01385736 issued in Egypt on February 28, 2010, was born on January 9, 1996 in Kalyobiya, Egypt and was accompanied in her marriage to 49-year-old Mr. Yerima by her father, ten relations and many well-wishers - 58 in all- sponsored by the senator who paid $100, 000 dowry or Sadaqi on the girl.

The marriage was conducted by the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Abuja with a general form of sworn affidavit deposited at the Sharia Court of Appeal, Abuja.

The report before the justice minister notes that, “Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani Yerima’s action contravenes Sections 12 (a & b), 13 (1 & 2), 14 (1) and 17 (a & b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 as amended. His refusal to disclose the age of the minor (victim), the school she attends, and her class amounts to willful obstruction of lawful enquiry contrary to Section 58 (A & B) of TIP Act.

His refusal to disclose the exact amount of money paid as dowry is with intention to deceive the agency (NAPTIP) by using Islam as a cover up. The above section could be invoked as an offence under the Act which he is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years as the case may be. The Senator also breaches Sections 21, 22 and 23 of the Child Rights Act 2003, which is operational in FCT and liable on conviction to a fine of ₦500, 000.00 or imprisonment for a term of five years or both.”

Considering that Mr. Yerima was also alleged to have encouraged foreigners to breach the laws of Nigeria, raising the need to share intelligence with the government of Egypt, the Nigeria Police was urged to join in the prosecution. Asked what the police was doing on its end, the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Force, Abuja, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the police do not have to duplicate the duties of NAPTIP, which is in charge of the case.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5602499-146/yerima_to_face_prosecution__.csp

Presidential aspirant and Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau yesterday declared that the ambition of General Muhammadu Buhari to contest the presidency in 2011 would not in any way dimish his chances of winning the election.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential aspirant also said the departure of the former Head of State from the ANPP helped to put the party in a better position to reorganize itself with a view to facing the challenges of the future.

Governor Shekarau who spoke through the Director General of the “Shekarau For Nigeria Campaign Organization,” Alhaji Khaleel Bolaji said the presence of the former Head of State in the party was a minus for the growth and stability of the main opposition party.

Alhaji Bolaji said Governor Shekarau wanted to rule Nigeria to effect the desired change in the country as against the business of non-performance and nepotism which had been the order of the day in the past 11 years.
The Director General further said for Governor Shekarau to have successfully governed Kano State with a population of about 12 per cent of the entire country for a record two terms means that there is so much he has to offer the nation.

According to Bolaji; “Governor Shekarau has remained the only person that has governed Kano State for two terms since the creation of the state. It goes to show that he has so much to offer considering the enormous work he carried out in the state.”
Alhaji Bolaji stressed that the departure of General Buhari from the ANPP could not in any way be a threat to the presidential ambition of Shekarau, noting that the presence of the former Head of State in the party was more of a liability than an asset.

Alhaji Bolaji who spoke at a pre-declaration of intent press conference in Abuja noted that by the time Buhari joined the ANPP, the party had nine sitting governors adding, however, that by the time he decided to leave the party, there were only three governors left.
In the words of Alhaji Bolaji, “General Buhari with every due respect was not an electoral asset to our party. It is a different game with Governor Shekarau who has been building and galvanizing the structures of the party for a greater future.
“Mallam Shekarau wants to offer himself for service in order to salvage the country from the stranglehold of the Peoples Democratic Party, which has not produced any positive result for the people of this country.

“We want to make Nigerians proud of their country again. We want things to work in the country. We want Nigerians to have the basic things of life. We want Nigerians to feel the presence of government at all levels and not just sloganeering. That is the desire of the Shekarau for Nigeria campaign.”
Alhaji Bolaji described Governor Shekarau as “one of the most detribalised Nigerians,” adding that he was determined to bring his knowledge of the country to bear in governance.

“Governor Shekarau as a teacher, who rose to become the head of association of principals, knows every part of this country and their problems which he will tackle if elected,” he said.
The Director General of the Shekarau for Nigeria Campaign Organization explained that with the zoning problem in the PDP, the ANPP remained the only viable platform for Nigerians to put their trust, stressing that with the volume of work in terms of infrastructural development, Governor Shekarau stood a better chance to rule the country.

The Kano State Governor is scheduled to formally declare his intention to contest for the Presidential ticket of the ANPP in Abuja tomorrow after which he is expected to proceed on a nationwide tour to sensitize supporters of the party of his intention before the national convention of the party which has been slated to hold between September 17th and 18th 2010.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/04/national-28-07-2010-005.htm

Former Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr. Erastus Akingbola, yesterday returned to the country after 12 months in self-exile following his sack by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the wake of a banking reform last August.

A family source said he returned to the country to face charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) over his alleged role while piloting the affairs of the bank.
Akingbola, who had been in the United Kingdom in the wake of the CBN banking reform last year, according to the source, arrived in Abuja Tuesday morning and was received by his lawyer, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe, (SAN), and close family members.

In a statement earlier this year, Dr. Akingbola’s lawyer, Mr. Charles Nwajagu, had indicated that Akingbola was ready to come back to Nigeria as soon as the suit in London would have been given mention in court. He said the suit required his personal attention. The case was mentioned in a London court on July 14, 2010 where it was adjourned till December, 2010.
The source confirmed that Dr. Akingbola’s voluntary return to the country was to defend himself of all allegations against him in court, stressing that his return shows that he was not afraid to face trial.

It further added that the ex –bank chief was consulting with his legal team and the outcome would determine his next steps.
The source added that Akingbola denied all allegations of wrong-doing or improper conduct and has challenged the legal validity of his removal from office by way of Judicial Review.

Commenting, EFCC’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, admitted that the commission learnt of his return Tuesday morning, but that he was yet to report to its office.
Babafemi said: “We are looking for him and we have set a manhunt for him.”
Akingbola was sacked by the CBN alongside four other former bank chiefs on August 14, 2009 alleged insider abuse and non-performing loans of about N747 billion.

Following the sack, Akingbola went into self-exile while his colleagues were detained on August 18.
The EFCC had boosted that his arrest was only a matter of time and in January 2010, the commission, armed with an order granted by Justice T. Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Lagos, sealed his Lagos and London mansions with several cars .The EFCC also ordered eight banks to freeze over N346.1 billion and £11 million, allowing him limited access to only N1.4 million per month.
After the freezing of his shares in 11 companies, Akingbola promptly informed a Federal High Court in Lagos through his lawyers that the seized assets were legitimately acquired by him, a bid he lost.

Among the 28-count charge preferred against him were that he gave out $10,000 travel allowance to non-executive directors of Intercontinental Bank, contrary to the CBN code of corporate governance.
The code limits remuneration to only sitting allowance for that cadre of directors. The EFCC was also said to have discovered ‘‘discrepancies between the value of shares in the bank’s customer file and the valuation records supplied to the CBN.’’

Akingbola was also said to have listed loans advanced in 2007 against 2009 in a frantic bid to deceive the apex bank. Besides, a whopping N20 billion, of the N27 billion non-performing loan portfolio was said to have been advanced to the bank directors, while the bank was also said to have massively cooked its books to hoodwink regulators.

While the storm raged, four top officials of Intercontinental Bank were detained for allegedly transferring N12 billion to Akingbola’s local and foreign accounts. Of the N12 billion, the suspects were said to have offset N10 billion loan owed the bank by Akingbola’s company.
Only last month, the Federal Government made an extradition request to the British authorities. This followed a request by the EFCC which is pressing a case against Akingbola.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/04/national-28-07-2010-001.htm

My guy's Nairaland is cool and fun to be part of Enjoy

Why is Nwodo speaking from both sides of his mouth? He seems to be creating impression that he is committed to internal reforms especially letting the PEOPLE,ordinary people so to speak to have a say in the party.On the other hand, he acts exactly the opposite of his public statements.How has he allowed Abia people to own their PDP?

The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Dr. Okweseilieze Nwodo, has begged the Nigerian media to change the party itself and return it to Nigerians if democracy must survive in the nation.



Nwodo told a gathering of journalists in Lagos that a few individuals had hijacked the party and made it impossible to involve the average Nigerian in its politics.



He said, “My knees are before you to come with me to unchain this party and return it to the rightful owners, the Nigerian people.



“I have come to Lagos to see you and to plead with you to join me in this crusade to break the barrier and make PDP a party of the people with a conscience to do the right thing and not just a winning machine.”



He itemised all the areas he felt the party needed to make changes but noted that it would only come through if journalists compelled PDP to amend its constitution and embrace justice, equity and fairness in its activities.



When asked if he was not a lone ranger in the crusade, Nwodo said that before making the plea, he had convinced his colleagues of the dire need to make changes.



Also, he reiterated the party’s zero tolerance to any form of electoral malpractice, pointing out that PDP under his watch would ditch any candidate, found to encourage electoral malpractice.



Nwodo also used the occasion to sign an agreement with a consortium of five banks for the electronic registration of PDP members.



The chairman explained that electronic registration was important to the desired reforms of the party since it would bring the party closer to the people and help the party finance itself without depending on donors who would want to unduly influence it.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008035585532

Daniel should not have been at the commissioning at all the roads in Ota were worse now than they were before he came on board despite spending so much to tarred about six of them by his OGROMMA Agency.The road are wipedoff after a maximum of six weeksWhat a good way to spend tax payers money.Both the governor and speakers don’t know why they are in government(they are both under investigation for looting) The town Chiefs,people and opposition are cowards,suffering and pretendingi no wan die.

The Ogun State chapter of Action Congress has described as a “show of shame” the reported face-off between the state Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, at the inauguration of Ota Bridge on Thursday.



The party, which reasoned that the reported action was a continuation of a “raging power tussle” between the duo, however, declared that “this unfortunate incident” was “another one in the array of such misdemeanours” of the principals of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.



A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the AC in the state, Mr. Sola Lawal, on Sunday, alleged that the disagreement, which the party described as embarrassing, erupted over who, between the governor and the speaker, should take the glory for the completion of the bridge.



Lawal said, “Our party finds it unsurprising that a public brawl of this nature happened at the inauguration of the long-abandoned Ota bridge as such affray has become the in-thing among public office holders of the ruling PDP stock.



“However, the motive behind this particular one jolted our consciousness. There is no doubt that the disagreement erupted over who between the two should take credit for the project, which was conceived by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and this has raised questions as to what the PDP considers its responsibilities to the masses.



“Instead of coming together to see to the provision of basic amenities which the people yearn for in the state (where the speaker and the governor hail from), they were more concerned about who cuts the tape at an inauguration.”



The AC wondered what should be the priority of public office holders, questioning their competence to deliver the dividends of democracy to the populace when the leadership quality of the principals was in doubt.



It recalled the face-off between Osun and Oyo state governments over the ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.



Also, the President, Changing the Face of a Nation Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation, Mr. Femi Adedurin, has said that the quarrel between Bankole and Daniel was a national disgrace.



He added that the face-off was uncalled for and urged the electorate to consider the pedigree of candidates before electing them into office.



He said there was the need for a national reorientation and attitudinal change so as to fast-track the political, economic and social development of the country.



Speaking in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Monday, Adedurin said the NGO would address the attitudinal change and national reorientation need of the country through seminars, trainings and other advocacy mechanisms.



He added that the national reorreintation was necessary for a credible election in 2011.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008034314331

The Falconets arrived home to a rousing welcome on Monday after their heroic performance at the FIFA U-20 Women‘s World Cup in Germany.



The team made history as the first African side to reach the final of the cadet women’s tournament where they lost 2-0 to hosts Germany on Sunday.



The team arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport aboard a KLM airline by 7.35pm. They came out of the arrival lounge at 9.10pm and left the airport at 9.20pm in three vehicles – a government vehicle and two commercial buses.



The team are expected to be the guests of the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, on Tuesday in Abuja.



Members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club arrived at the airport as early as 5pm to receive the team.



It was the fourth time the Falconets would feature at the event, failing to progress beyond the group stage once since the tournament was introduced in 2002.



The Falconets conceded six goals and scored six in the six matches they played at the tournament in Germany.



Out of the 104 shots taken by the players, 50 were on goals. Helen Ukaonu‘s goal against the USA in the quarterfinals was rated as one of the best of the tournament.



No Nigerian player won any individual award but their performance is seen as the best ever to come out of Africa.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008033372798

Acting Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen has given up hopes of fielding Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Joseph Yobo against South Korea in their friendly game in Seoul, South Korea on August 11.



Eguavoen has allegedly been in talks with the Nigeria Football Federation to include the Everton duo in his team for the encounter, as he believes they will add experience to his team that will be largely made up of home-based players.



But Yakubu and Yobo are still under intense criticisms from some Nigerians for their below-par performances at the World Cup and the NFF officials do not want to incur the wrath of the fans.



Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone on Monday, Eguavoen said he had settled for a game plan that would bring the best out of the players picked for the game.



The former Eagles coach dismissed the suggestion that Yakubu and Yobo were no longer relevant to the national team.



He said, ”Despite what happened at the World Cup, Yakubu and Yobo are still very good players. What happened to them could‘ve happened to any player.



”We saw what happened to Arjen Robben in the final against Spain. He could have won the match for Holland but he failed to take the two clear chances that came his way. And the Dutch have not crucified him for the sad misses.



”There were defenders whose mistakes cost their teams at the World Cup. It happens in football.”



”We would‘ve loved to have them but we‘ve decided to give other players a chance.”



Eguavoen, who praised the NFF for having confidence in him, insisted the friendly game could unveil a new generation of players for the national team.



”We need new players in the Super Eagles and the game against South Korea offers an opportunity,” the Tunisia‘94 Nations Cup winner said.



”Seyi Olofinjana and Vincent Enyeama came into the limelight when I featured them in the friendly game against Senegal in 2002. We want to do the same in Seoul,” he added.



The Koreans held Nigeria to a 2-2 draw in their South Africa 2010 World Cup group game.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008033311685

Telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, has announced free weekend calls for its subscribers as part of its new value added offerings.



Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade, who spoke at the inauguration of the new Value Proposition Packages, noted that the VPP would ensure that MTN customers enjoyed more call time at highly reduced costs across its market segments.



According to him, the VPP which replaces the value offerings introduced by MTN in 2006, consists of five unique value plans and product bundles that will cater for all its customers in the various market categories.



The new market segments, Akingbade said, included Smartlink for accomplished individuals, Prolink for up and coming professionals, Funlink for the young and trendy, Bizlink for active entrepreneurs and the Happilink for the families and the working class.



The free weekend call package is a new development in the Nigerian telecommunications environment.



According to the firm, in the Funlink segment, a customer is able to make free calls all through the weekend to a registered ”best friend”. Both registered ”best friends” will be charged only N100 each for the service, which runs from 12.01am on Saturday to 11.59pm on Sunday. The other market segments offer discounts of up to 80 per cent on calls and services.



Akingbade said, ”The ongoing customer reward components differ by segment. They all carry a common message for all MTN customers - that you get more for less; that you can go on to express yourself without the worry of creating holes in your pocket.”



The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, Mr.Kola Oyeyemi, said customers on all the new value added platforms would enjoy cheaper tariff plans.



He noted that MTN was the network of choice and would always remain committed to enriching the lives of its customers in different ways.



With the new value offerings, MTN is consolidating on its leadership in the industry by giving customers services that will guarantee them greater value for money.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008031211693

Telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, has announced free weekend calls for its subscribers as part of its new value added offerings.



Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade, who spoke at the inauguration of the new Value Proposition Packages, noted that the VPP would ensure that MTN customers enjoyed more call time at highly reduced costs across its market segments.



According to him, the VPP which replaces the value offerings introduced by MTN in 2006, consists of five unique value plans and product bundles that will cater for all its customers in the various market categories.



The new market segments, Akingbade said, included Smartlink for accomplished individuals, Prolink for up and coming professionals, Funlink for the young and trendy, Bizlink for active entrepreneurs and the Happilink for the families and the working class.



The free weekend call package is a new development in the Nigerian telecommunications environment.



According to the firm, in the Funlink segment, a customer is able to make free calls all through the weekend to a registered ”best friend”. Both registered ”best friends” will be charged only N100 each for the service, which runs from 12.01am on Saturday to 11.59pm on Sunday. The other market segments offer discounts of up to 80 per cent on calls and services.



Akingbade said, ”The ongoing customer reward components differ by segment. They all carry a common message for all MTN customers - that you get more for less; that you can go on to express yourself without the worry of creating holes in your pocket.”



The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, Mr.Kola Oyeyemi, said customers on all the new value added platforms would enjoy cheaper tariff plans.



He noted that MTN was the network of choice and would always remain committed to enriching the lives of its customers in different ways.



With the new value offerings, MTN is consolidating on its leadership in the industry by giving customers services that will guarantee them greater value for money.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008031211693

•This is this Atikus. game plan. It will only further increase the political tension in the country. Atiku has not returned to PDP to win election but to destroy the party. Atiku must be stopped by all means if peace will be in Adamawa and Nigeria. Atiku and his co travellers are politically leperous they will do anything to put Nigeria on fire. PDP stop him

Indications emerged on Monday that the threat of impeachment may be hanging over Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako, as loyalists of a former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have taken over the state house of assembly.



The sudden resignation of the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Mr. James Barka, on Monday and impeachment of his deputy, Aliyu Ahmadu, by a two-thirds majority of members of the house of assembly led to the loss of control by Nyako.



The new Speaker, Mr. Gibson Nathaniel, who represents Guyuk constituency, had until his recent return to the Peoples Democratic Party, along with supporters of the former vice-president, been a member of the Action Congress.



Gibson was also said to be a member of the defunct Patriotic Front, whose leadership was inherited by the former vice-president on the death of its founder, Gen. Shehu Yar’Adua.



Also, the new Deputy Speaker, Alfa Umar Belel, is said to be an Abubakar associate, while the lawmaker tipped to become the new Majority Leader, Ahmed Mahmud, from Yola South is said to be in the camp of Senator Jibril Aminu, who has now reconciled with the former vice-president.



Nathaniel thanked his colleagues for electing him as the speaker and promised to carry all members of the assembly along. He also pledged loyalty to the leadership of the party and Nyako.



Meanwhile, angry youths besieged the gates of the assembly, to protest the developments in the house. They were, however, dispersed by riot policemen.



Meanwhile, one of our correspondents learnt that Barka’s sudden resignation may not be unconnected with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s investigation of his alleged involvement in a N1bn contract scam in the state.



The PUNCH had on July 30 reported that the EFCC uncovered a N1bn scam allegedly involving the ex-speaker and the Chairman of Demba Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Felix Tangwami.



The commission had last Thursday arrested and detained Tangwami, who is also the chairman of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria.



As at Monday, Tangwami was still in the commission’s custody, where he has been undergoing interrogation for alleged involvement in money laundering and the award of phoney contracts.



Our correspondent learnt that the N1bn scam was linked to the brief period when Barka served as the acting governor of the state in 2008. This was after Nyako’s election was nullified by the Court of Appeal.



Also being investigated are Barka’s former personal assistant, Mr. Richard Abanyi, and a storekeeper in Demba Local Government, Mr. Haruna Hamalal.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008034445220

The daughter of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, Hajiya Maryam Yar’Adua, and three others, were on Monday inaugurated as special advisers to Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State.



Maryam was inaugurated as Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental Affairs, while Halilu Yahaya, Aminu Ibrahim and Rabi’u Ruma were inaugurated as Special Advisers, Special Duties, Environment and Resources Development respectively.



Also inaugurated were the new Commissioner for Works, Mr Musa Na-shuni, and the Chairman of Bakori Local Government Council, Alhaji Aminu Magaji.



Speaking while inaugurating the appointees in Katsina, Shema advised them to take their appointments as a challenge to move the state forward.



He said their appointments were based on merit and they should protect the confidence reposed in them by the administration by contributing to the development of the state.



``Fear Allah and be fair and just in whatever you do in discharging your responsibilities,‘‘ Shema advised.



The governor prayed to God to guide the new appointees in their duties.



The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the appointment of Mr Musa Na-shuni as Works and Housing Commissioner followed the appointment of the former Commissioner, Mr Musa Sada, as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100803611548

President Goodluck Jonathan has banned his aides from campaigning for his candidature in the 2011 presidential election.



A source close to the president told one of our correspondents on Monday that Jonathan, at a meeting with his aides in Abuja on Sunday, told them to wait till the outcome of his consultations .



The President was also said to have directed the aides to face issues of governance.



Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Research and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, confirmed the development to journalists in Abuja.



He said, “I am aware that Mr. President has told all of us, his aides, to steer clear of partisan politics and commit ourselves to governance.



“The President has said that he wants to consult with Nigerians on the 2011 issue; and he is still consulting. In fact, I am aware that he has intensified his consultations and he has ordered all his aides who have been linked with the clamour for him to contest to steer clear of politics and allow him to complete his consultations.”



Douglas assured that “Nigeria’s interest will be paramount” whenever Jonathan decided to offer “himself for continuous service to the nation.”



He said, “I know that the President is an inclusive person, consultative and broadminded. He will anchor his decision on the total interest of Nigerians.



“The President believes that the journey of Nigeria is not an individual affair; it is not a sectional affair; it is not a religious affair; and it is a national matter. The Nigerian character is not exclusive.”



The presidential aide added that Jonathan was of the opinion that those “orchestrating division along sectional lines” needed to have their commitment to Nigerian unity examined.



Our correspondents gathered that the President was concerned that several people were taking the issue of zoning too far and that some people were trying to use it to cause division among Nigerians.



Another presidential aide who spoke on the matter, after pleading anonymity, said, “The President believes that this is a country of more than 140 million people with diverse interests and peoples.



“Several interests are playing up but it is our duty to maintain a united nation, a united front and avoid orchestrating issues that only widen the gulf between the sections of the country.”



In the last few weeks, two aides of Jonathan – Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji and Mr. Cairo Ojougboh – had openly encouraged the President to participate in the presidential election.



Abba-Aji, who is the President’s Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, and Ojougboh, who is special assistant with the same portfolio, are behind a group, the ‘Friends of Democracy.”



The group comprises people serving in the Jonathan administration and some former public office holders, including ex-Deputy President of the Senate, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu.



Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, has said that the N74bn requested by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the compilation of a fresh voter register is on the high side.



Ekweremadu, who fielded questions from journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Monday, said it would be difficult for the commission to justify the amount considering the high level of poverty in the country.



He, however, said that the Senate would look for ways to reduce the N74bn by taking into cognisance, the benefits Nigeria would derive from the registration exercise.



Ekweremadu said, “We should be talking about how to save money from that figure and focus on other areas. I think for the purpose of the election, it is reasonable. But for a country such as Nigeria, where we have so much poverty, the amount is on the high side.



“INEC may have to adjust it to be more realistic. We believe there are other ways we can adjust this because that figure is much.



“INEC is looking at one data capturing machine per polling booth and we have 120,000 of such booths. So if there is anyway we can deal with it in such a way that there could be like two polling booths per DCM, I am sure it will reduce the sum.



“We will work it out with the commission but it is going to get all the support it needs from us.”



The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had, on July 23, said that between N55bn and N74bn would be needed for the compilation of a new voter register.



He also said that the Electoral Act 2006 must be amended to extend the deadline for the voter registration from September to November.



Jega had said, “If we can deploy DDCMs in every polling unit, in a period of two weeks, we will need between N55.1bn and N74bn. We can use N55bn as the cost of the equipment alone. We have done our research. If we buy directly from the manufacturers, it will cost $2,000 per unit.”



The INEC chairman disclosed that the most credible voter registration was the model used by Bangladesh. He added that there were comparable demographies between Nigeria and Bangladesh which, with a population of 180 million deployed 30,000 DDCMs for the exercise.



Reuters, in its report on July 23, 2008, said that Bangladesh spent $65m (about N9.7bn) to register over 80 million voters.



The sum is about N65bn less than the sum requested by INEC for the registration of 70 million voters.



Ekweremadu also said he would not comment on the rumours that the dates for the 2011 poll would be extended.



The Deputy President of the Senate said, “Prof. Jega has been consistent that he is going to play by the constitution; he is not asking for any extension of dates. It is people that are asking for an extension of dates.



“ He (Jega) personally has not asked for extension of dates. What he asking for is to adjust the period of registration of voters from 120 days to 60 days minimum, which we have done under the new electoral Act. He is asking for money to do that.”



On the quest for more states in the country, Ekweremadu said the National Assembly would not jump into creating states like the military, but would adhere by the constitution for equality.



He said, “We have a number of requests for new states. I don’t have the figures here. This is not a military regime where you just wake up and say you are creating states. You have to go through a series of procedures laid down in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution.



“But we are going to set up a small committee within our main committee to advise us in terms of those that meet the requirements; those that are viable so that we will be able to make further recommendations to the National Assembly.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008034531071

The Action Congress has called for the immediate suspension of the chairman of the recently-dissolved Senate Committee on Communication, Sylvester Anyanwu. In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the dissolution of the committee, while commendable, does not constitute adequate sanction for Mr. Anyanwu’s act.

The senate, had last week Thursday, disbanded the Anyanwu-led committee on communication over alleged fraud in the committee’s screening of the recently appointed chairman and members of the board of National Communications Commission.

The disbandment of the committee followed allegations that the chairman of the committee, Sylvester Anyanwu (PDP, Imo State) conducted the screening for the appointed chairman and members of the board of National Communications Commission (NCC) alone,

at night, and later claimed that six members of the committee were involved.

According to the opposition party, “First, the chairman allegedly conducted the screening alone, and at night, only to claim that six members of the committee did so. Then he signed the screening report on behalf of two of the committee members whom he claimed attended the screening, without their consent,” said the party.

Describing the act as “outrightly fraudulent and criminal,” it however called that the act “must not be allowed to go unpunished if the integrity of the Senate is to be maintained.” The party is also calling for an investigation into the fraud allegations against the senator.

“His apology and appeal for leniency are an afterthought and should not stop the Senate leadership from sanctioning him to serve as a deterrent to others like him,” the AC said. “The dissolution of the committee is not enough.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5601828-147/ac_calls_for_tougher_disciplinary_action.csp

The former vice-chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Bashir Gwandu, yesterday denied that he played any part in last week’s events which led to the disbanding of the Senate Committee on Communications. Online reports had alleged that Mr. Gwandu paid members of the committee, including its chair, Sylvester Anyanwu, up to N230 million in bribes. It alleged that he paid the monies in an effort to delay the confirmation of the new NCC boss, Eugene Juwah. The committee was dissolved last week Thursday following allegations of failing to adhere to due process.


No award of contracts

In an interview with NEXT, Mr. Gwandu however stated that he had never given money to Mr. Anyanwu or any other member of the committee.

“I know Sylvester very well, of course, and I have cooperated with the committee whenever required,” he said. “But I have never given money to him or anybody to influence anything. Where would I even get that kind of money from? The biggest contract I have given is for my complimentary cards.”

The communications commission has been at the centre of a huge power struggle since Ernest Ndukwe retired some months ago. Following Mr. Ndukwe’s departure in April, Stephen Bello was brought in as the acting executive vice chairman but his tenure lasted only two months. It was alleged that Mr. Gwandu blackmailed Mr. Bello over age clarifications effectively forcing the government to appoint him as the acting NCC boss.

“I had no problems with Mr. Ndukwe or Mr. Bello,” he said. “There are new public service rules at the commission and these are quite clear especially in respect to non-political appointees. Under these rules, Bello turned 60 last year and therefore had to retire. I did not force anybody out.” In spite of the delays to last week’s screenings, Mr. Juwah, a systems engineer, was named as the new substantive head of the communications commission and is expected to resume work immediately.

Mr. Gwandu added that he is looking forward to working the new executive vice-chairman and welcoming him to the commission.

“We will need to work closely together to move the commission forward. My main priority is helping us to achieve our targets and there remains a lot of work to be done.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5601892-147/gwandu_denies_bribing_senator__.csp

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has pegged borrowing next year to $7.1 billion in a bid to control public borrowing and keep Nigeria’s debt within sustainable threshold.

In its latest report on the national debt sustainability analysis (DSA), the debt office stated that the Net Present Value (NPV) of the country’s debt, currently at 16.2 percent of gross domestic product, would crash to about 2.2 percent by 2020 and 0.9 percent by 2029, if effective debt management practices are put in place.

Abraham Nwankwo, director general of DMO, said with this forecast, total public debt is expected to grow from $31.4 billion presently to about $38.5 billion next year, to be sourced from both domestic and external institutions in a 60:40 proportion respectively, in line with last year’s DSA.

“Nigeria’s debt is sustainable, as current NPV of external debt-to-GDP ratio estimated at about 3.1 percent is expected to decline to about 1.1 percent in 2020, with the ratio maintaining an average of 0.5 percent thereafter over the medium-to-long term,” Mr. Nwankwo said.

“The maximum government borrowing for 2011 is put at about N639 billion and $2.84 billion to be obtained from domestic and external sources respectively,” he said, adding that government is at liberty to explore other financing options for projects, including accessing International Capital Market (ICM), domestic debt market, and private sector investments, under the public-private partnerships (PPP).

According to the report, NPV as a percentage of total revenue, would remain within sustainable limits, with a peak of 129.4 percent this year, which is still within the 250 percent threshold.

“The NPV of total debt ratio is 42 percent of GDP by 2015, marginally exceeding the 40 percent threshold, while total debt-to-revenue ratio will exceed the 250 percent mark by 2012, indicating that under the most extreme stress test condition, Nigeria’s total debt would not be sustainable in the medium to long terms,” the report said.

Similarly, liquidity indicators show that the NPV of total debt service-to-revenue would peak at about 21.9 percent in the next two years, before maintaining an average of 9 percent between 2013 and 2029, and still remain within the 30 percent sustainability bracket.

It was learnt that one of the most significant recommendations from the DSA exercise was the need for a sound fiscal management policy, particularly in the face of a likely rise in capital expenditure as a result of an envisaged accelerated economic growth and poor revenue earnings from non-oil sources.

Other recommendations include the pursuit of policies that would promote macroeconomic stability; acceleration of non-oil growth and concentration on growth enhancing infrastructure, as well as expanding the sources of internally generated revenue (IGR) and improvement on the efficiency of revenue collection process.

The DSA also stressed the need for an aggressive marketing of the federal government bonds to Nigerians in the Diaspora to diversify the investor base and reduce the pressure in the price of the Federal Government bond.

The DMO in December last year raised similar concerns about the sustainability of Nigeria’s domestic debt. In its report entitled ‘National Debt Management Framework: 2008 to 2012’, the office stated that though Nigeria seems not to have any domestic debt sustainability problems over the medium term, the country may face challenges servicing the debt by 2010.

“Interest payments/domestic budget revenue is within the threshold boundaries in the medium term. The only exception is the interest payments/domestic budget revenue ratio in the year 2010. Its value is higher than the upper boundary of the threshold,” the framework report added.

Nwankwo said as part of effort to adopt sound debt management practices, the federal government will continue to subject itself to the discipline of the market by raising funds from the domestic bond market, instead of the initial practice of ways and means to sustain government funding.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5601916-146/nigerias_debt_is_unsustainable.csp

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, took his message of change in the party several octaves high on Sunday night when he threatened to disgrace those who still bring “Ghana-must-go bags” to him. He also warned PDP governors and other aspirants for political offices to stop visiting him in his house.

He spoke to an elite gathering of party chieftains and editors in Lagos on his 40th day anniversary in office.
Nwodo, who was agitated, spoke with revolutionary fervour. He said: “In spite of my directives on my inaugural day that people should not bring “Ghana-must-go” bags to our office, they are still doing that. Anyone, who tries it again, I’ll disgrace him publicly.

“I have told our governors not to come to my house. If they want to see me, let them come to the office. Aspirants should not come again to the secretariat. Let them go and campaign, win the people’s hearts. Our primary elections’ll be transparent. You don’t need to see anybody, and nobody will change your result,” he said.
Unveiling his new agenda for change, Nwodo, who was National Secretary of the party for three years, said a mini-convention is being planned for next month to give bite to the new vision and “remove the last vestiges of the cabal” that has made it impossible for the best materials to fly the banner of the party.

He regretted that a few people have held the party and country to ransom over the years, despite the lofty dreams of the founding fathers.
Affirming his burning desire to get the party back on track in the best traditions of democracy, he spoke of far-reaching plans to halt the image of a “winning machine” which it has earned for itself, saying: “We won elections, but not the hearts of the people.

“We now want to win their hearts – no more a winning machine, and running civilian dictatorship.”
He said the envisaged reforms would be all-encompassing, beginning from the national secretariat with the soul aim of re-inventing the PDP.
“We want people to know the meaning of the colours of the party, its manifestos, and the umbrella symbol.
“We chose the colour white because this country has seen blood through colonialism and civil war. We want peace. We chose red because of the sacrifice of our leaders past, who fought and died for its unity.”

He warned that those basking in the magic of godfatherism, or use of national might to write results for them have missed it; advising all political office aspirants to work hard, campaign and win.
He lamented that the dream of making Nigeria a referral centre on health matters conceived in 1998 was aborted.
On the primacy of the party manifestos in the new scheme of things, Nwodo warned that nobody will fly the party’s banner again without reading and comprehending its manifestos.

“This is the covenant we have with the people. Time has gone when all those things happened. All they had was a mandate to line their pockets, to remain in office at whatever cost, and to settle their godfathers.
“We are working with experts to reform and update our manifestos, to make it workable. We have to make a change. There’s nothing absolutely impossible to do in this country. PDP has resolved to call upon courageous men and women, who can do it.”
Nwodo said plans were under way to embark on aggressive membership drive and on-line registration of faithful to advance the goals of inclusiveness and independence.

He said, “because elections were no longer competitive, attention was focused on how to get into the cabal and share the resources of our nation.
“No one can run this party anymore as a personal property, choosing, who to belong to the party and who will not.”
He said the membership registration fee of N1,200 and 5 per cent of the salaries of office holders were now compulsory to accelerate its financial leverage.
“Financial independence of the party will make it impossible for some people to control it. He who pays the piper dictates the tune. We will finance our candidates to a reasonable extent. We don’t want interferences by governments and moneybags.” Nwodo noted that the proposed constitution amendment next month will outlaw thuggery with a penalty of instant disqualification for aspirants found culpable.

He said that since President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to deliver credible, free and fair elections next year, no stone would be left unturned in achieving it.
“The culture of indignity must go. If people do it elsewhere, why can’t we do it?
The slogan “power” had been cornered by godfathers and godmothers.”
He appealed to the media to assist in the new drive for a decent democratic culture, vowing to be willing to pay the supreme sacrifice in its pursuit.
“I took an oath in my church in Enugu before the blessed sacrament that a mustard seed must die for a new tree to grow. I offer my life, so that we can have great men to lead this country.”

Link: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/aug/03/national-03-08-2010-001.htm

Two Chinese business men, and a Nigerian clearing agent, arrested last week for their involvement in the illicit trafficking of 450.4kg of cocaine are to be arraigned in Nigeria.

Explaining that all the suspects in connection with the unlawful importation, will be prosecuted in the country, Ahmadu Giade, Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over the weekend, disclosed that the three prime suspects: Richard Wang, 62; Chiusen Fong, 54; and Inua Mohammed, 56, are to be arraigned soon. According to Mr. Giade, the decision to arraign the Chinese in Nigeria may have kept the foreigners in high spirit since the law in their country stipulates capital punishment for drug trafficking. “The agency is not considering extradition for now, for the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed,” he said.

Nigerian claim ignorance

Speaking on how he unknowingly got involved in the illegal trade, Mr. Mohammed, the Nigerian clearing agent, said that Mr. Wong requested him to clear the container and convey the consignment to Ibadan before his was nabbed by the NDLEA. “I am a clearing agent. Richard Wang came to me to clear a container. He told me the container contained cigarettes and gave me N3 Million for the clearance. It was after my boys cleared it out of the port that NDLEA officers intercepted them,” he said in a statement made available by the anti-narcotics agency.

The NDLEA, however, disclosed that the seizure of 450.4kg of cocaine, worth about N4 Billion, which was imported from Chile at the Tin can Island Port, Lagos, was masterminded by an international drug syndicate that smuggles cocaine from South American countries to West Africa. “The agency had kept tab on the consignment which originated from Chile and passed through Peru, Bolivia and Antwerp to Tin Can Island Port,” said Mr. Giade. “The drug was neatly concealed in customized floor wood inside a container which was cleared and taken to a private warehouse at Iganmu, Lagos.”

Kudos to the Americans

The agency also commended the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for supplying the intelligence that led to the crackdown. “I am also happy with the role played by the Serious Organized Crime Agency of Britain,” said Mr Giade. “What this signifies is a good and cordial working relationship based on mutual trust and respect. The agency is determined to send all drug barons out of circulation to prevent criminal acts capable of disrupting peace and stability in the country.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5601624-146/chinese_drug_suspects_face_trial_in.csp

In a message to the team after yesterday’s final, President Goodluck Jonathan saluted the “immense courage, determination, doggedness, stamina, skills and sense of national pride which were a very visible feature of the team’s performance in all the matches they played in the tournament.”

Noting that doing one’s best whenever the opportunity presents itself to serve one’s nation is the most any country can ask of its people, the president said that the entire nation was proud of the Falconets in spite of their loss to the hosts in the final because they tried, against all odds, to win the ultimate prize of the competition for the country. “Wearing our national colours as you did in Germany, with self-belief, patriotic commitment, discipline and a burning desire to achieve victory for our dear nation is what we expect from all our sportsmen and women,” he said. “The entire nation followed your matches with keen interest and we were all positively inspired by your very apparent dedication and commitment to national service. I fully believe that with the great human and natural resources our country is blessed with, there can be no limits to our progress as a people if more of our compatriots follow your fine example and put their very best effort into all that they do in whatever area of human endeavour they are called upon to serve Nigeria.” He added that he looked forward to receiving the Falconets on their return.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5601648-146/goodluck_hails_team___.csp

Why South South Govs met in Secret, The reelection deal with South South Govs, S/East, S/West PDP to endorse Jonathan
THE reason why President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to make public his ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election, despite suffocating pressure on him to do so, in the past two months, is that he wants to be certain of at least, 50 per cent of the votes of his party’s delegates to the forthcoming National Convention from across the six geo-political zones before his declaration, Saturday Vanguard can now reveal.

Some South-South leaders who were at the Monday meeting in Port-Harcourt where the South-South governors and leaders formally adopted President Jonathan for the 2011 election confided this exclusively to Saturday Vanguard.

“So many leaders from different parts of the country, including two ex-Presidents and governors have asked President Jonathan to run but he does not want to contest and fail. That is why he wants to be sure of the delegates, who control them, their number in every state of the country and be sure of a victory strategy before throwing his heart into the ring”, our source said.

“Also, Mr. President is mindful that God has been the One leading him since he started his political career and wants to be sure that he is not going against the will of God. He had been told before now that if it is God’s plan for him, the process will naturally fall in and that he should not force himself to contest, otherwise, he will not succeed”, the source added.

It was learnt that political strategists working on Jonathan 2011 project and who have been liaising with their Northern , South-West and South-East counterparts reported that an inroad had been made in the Northern states and it was time for the South-South, which is the President’s zone to formally adopt him so that political horse-trading could start in earnest.

We gathered that the former chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Tony Anenih, who came out boldly to announce that zoning was dead in the party, played a crucial role in galvanizing the South-South leadership zone to meet and take a common stand on Jonathan presidency.

He had the support of the former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark and other leaders after which the governors, who are regarded as the political leaders were called upon to give expression to the desire of the people.

The governors took total charge thereafter and decided that 40 delegates should be invited to the meeting per state.
Senator Aniete Okon from Akwa-Ibom state who was in Port-Harcourt, however, told Saturday Vanguard, “What matters is not who convened the meeting. The issue of adopting Dr. Jonathan for 2011 was long overdue and the people were waiting for it.”

It was reliably learnt, on the other hand, that back home in Edo state, the matter reverberated, as members of the camp of the two-time governor of the old Bendel State Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia were not in the Port-Harcourt meeting.

“As a matter of fact”, said one of the South-South leaders, “Information about the meeting was secretive. In one of the states, the governor called some persons by himself and some others were contacted through some other persons to get set for the Port-Harcourt meeting. We did not know what the meeting was all about up till Sunday when some of us arrived in Port-Harcourt. But we know it is about Jonathan.”

South-South governors are expected to play a fundamental part in the project by getting their colleagues from the other zones to influence their respective state delegates to support Jonathan.

In doing this, Saturday Vanguard was told that some compromises may have been made to the South-South governors to guarantee their re-election before embarking on the project.

For instance, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State is having a strong challenge from Chief Clark, who is interested in pushing forward the present Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Godswill Orubebe to contest the 2011 governorship against him. While

Clark supports Jonathan presidency, he is not in favour of Uduaghan’s governorship and such differences had to be sorted out before they could work together as a team for a South-South dream.

An unconfirmed source said President Jonathan would have bowed to political expediency to support Uduaghan for 2011, while Elder Orubebe should retain his position as Minister.

In Rivers state, Governor Rotimi Amaechi was said not to be facing any strong challenge in securing a re-nomination ticket. But in Bayelsa state, the president’s home state, the ball is in his court to determine whether to support the re-election of Governor Timipre Sylva, who is now working day and night for him after the initial faux pax when Jonathan was Vice President.

There is no strong contention about the re-election of the Cross-River state governor, Liyel Imoke, who is the chairman of the South-South Governor’s Forum and in Akwa-Ibom, Governor Godswill Akpabio is shaking off opponents to lay claim to the re-election ticket.

The case of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state is different because he is in Action Congress and he is not against President Jonathan running in 2011. But he cannot join at his moment to proclaim Jonathan, who is going to be a PDP flag-bearer if he succeeded when his own party would also present a candidate.

Our source asserted, “Frankly, nobody seems to know the deal that the governors have struck with President Jonathan but what is clear is that they are very much involved in the project now and they will be the contact with their colleagues in other parts of the country, which they are already doing”.

What became the communiqué of the meeting on Monday were essentially decisions that were reached at a caucus meeting of the leaders and governors the previous night before the meeting”, he said.

According to him, “Because of the ambiguity, some of us did not want to speak at the meeting, we wanted to be sure because the meeting was hurriedly convened, as some people were under pressure to ensure the South-South takes such a position quick.

I tried to find out and I was told that since some Northerners had taken a position supporting Jonathan, the South-West people said the South-South, where Jonathan hails from has not come out, and so, it became expedient to take a common stand. They did not want a case of individual persons adopting him; they wanted a more comprehensive position”.

The source, however, said, “We are all in support of Jonathan presidency; after all, it was our declaration in Calabar in 2003 that the South-South should produce the next president. But I don’t like this idea of our BOT members, Chief Anenih and Prof Jerry Gana, who is one of the leaders from the North saying that zoning is dead. That should not be the strategy.

“The fact is that zoning is only a gentleman’s agreement, we cannot say it is not in the party’s constitution, but, by divine intervention, God has changed it in favour of the South-South with the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua. The present chairman of PDP, Okwesileze Nwodo cannot say that he is not aware that he came in by zoning. Why he (Nwodo) from the same South-East as Chief Vincent Ogbulafor if it was not zoned to their region- Was it not the governors of the South-East that met and brought him out. Were we not living witnesses to the time the South-East had exclusive preserve of the Senate President?

The South-South leader said he was of the opinion that the governors were under pressure to convene the meeting, adding, “Well, let us watch and see how those who have control of delegates are going to use their powers.

Prof Benedict Ijomah from Delta State , who presented a position paper on the imperatives of a South-South president in one of the meetings of the zone in 2005, said the South-South governors were not under pressure to do what they did in Port-Harcourt, adding, “They only keyed with the popular feelings in the country”.

He said the South-South took the right step by adopting Jonathan in Port-Harcourt because that is what all Nigerians want and if ex-President Yar’Adua was alive, both of them would have continued under the same ticket till 2015, after which, Jonathan would seek his own mandate in 2015.”

Prof Ijomah urged the North to support the South-South in its bid to produce a President in 2011, as one good turn deserved another.
Prof Julius Ihonvbere, a former Special Adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, also told Saturday Vanguard that he did not think the governors and leaders of the South-South zone were under pressure to adopt President Jonathan, pointing out before they did so, July 26, in Port-Harcourt, the North and some governors had only made statements calling on Jonathan to contest.

He said if anything, it was becoming the talk in political circle that South-South leadership was slow in making its position clear.
With the formal adoption of President Jonathan on Monday, Prof Ihonvbere said the governors and leaders would strategise to put in place structures and machinery to mobilize delegates for a broad support for Jonathan.

He said, “I don’t see any complication in our next target. It is a straight-forward task to reach out and sell our candidate. He is doing well as President and the international community is comfortable with him.

“It is all about dialogue and conversation with other zones, as soon as he declares his ambition, the South-South will go cracking. There is nothing wrong with what we have done. We are Nigerians expressing our rights that a South-South person in the person of Jonathan should run”, he said.

Commenting on the statements by some Northern politicians that they would pull out of PDP if Jonathan secures the party’s ticket, he said he would regard it as comments made out of anger, saying, “As we sit down to look at the pros and cons of his candidacy, I expect they will understand our position.”

On his part, Senator Aniete Okon said, “The South-South governors and leaders were not under any kind of pressure in adopting President Jonathan on Monday. It is the rational thing to do in the circumstance and such an opportunity does not come every time, so we have to grab it.”

He said it was conventional anywhere that if an incumbent was performing well, he should automatically fly the party’s flag in an election and since President Jonathan has been generally adjudged to have done well and is not constitutionally barred from contesting, the party should give him its mandate for 2011, particularly, as his zone has said it had implicit confidence in him.”

Senator Okon said the Monday episode in Port-Harcourt was an event waiting to happen. His words, “It was a desire in the minds of all South-Southerners, the South-South governors and leaders only gave expression to it.”

He stated, “It is a natural follow-up that relevant committees will be set up for mobilization. That will be done soon, as we wait for President Jonathan to formally accept our call on him and endorsement to contest.”

It is also expected that in due course, the PDP in the South-West and South-East would also come up with formal endorsement and call on Jonathan to contest in 2011.

“It is after such exercise that President Jonathan, having confirmed his support base from his political strategists, would publicly declare his ambition, the source said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/31/2011-why-jonathan-hasn%e2%80%99t-declared/

Ever since she lost her husband, Gen. Sani Abacha in 1998, Hajia Mariam Abacha has led a quiet life, unfazed by the avalanche of public criticisms of the tenure of the former military head of state, who presided over one of the most turbulent times in Nigeria’s political history.

After performing one of the unenviable tasks of evacuating her family out of the seat of power on the death of their bread winner, and the spirited battle she waged to save her son, Mohammed, from Obasanjo’s vengeful mission, the matriarch of the Abacha family has simply returned to Kano and settled to a quiet life after power.

Nigerians caught a glance of Hajia Mariam Abacha in May when she joined the other first ladies to condole Turai Yar’ Adua who faced a similar fate of taking her husband home, after his fruitless struggle to stay alive. Sunday, July 4, 2010 was therefore a moment to remember as Hajia Abacha and her family received a gathering of Christians from southern Kaduna, who live in Kano and came to offer their support as well as campaign for the success of Mohammed Abacha in the forth coming governorship contest.

The former first lady, who spoke in Hausa language, told the crowd that she was not surprised by the close relationship her family had maintained with the Christian community, adding that the Abacha family had over the years savoured the relationship of other Nigerians irrespective of the “ethno religious divide.” She said the head of her domestic staff is a Christian who enjoys freedom of worship in a Muslim family. She said apart from learning from Christians on her staff the teachings and values of the Christian faith, they are regarded as relations and members of the extended family. “You are my relations, the head of my domestic staff is a Christian from Kaduna, we allow freedom of worship and from him we have come to learn a lot on Christians values”, Mrs. Abacha stressed.

Mariam Abacha stated that his late husband’s belief in the unity of the country was evident in his appointment of Christian military officers as governors in the Muslim dominated northern states, and the appointment of Muslim officers as governors in the Christian populated south.
She told the gathering how General Abacha influenced the stay of execution of death sentence passed by a tribunal on the former Rivers State governor, Major General Zamani Lekwot and his kinsmen over the Zango Kataf crisis in 1992.
Seven members of the Kataf ethnic group, including Lekwot, had been sentenced to death for murder in connection with religious riots in northern Nigeria, leaving them with no right of appeal against the convictions.

Mariam Abacha explained that the gesture by the late general was propelled by his ‘humane spirit of forgiveness’.

The former first lady stated that the late head of state supported the unity of Nigeria especially the cordial relationship between the Christian Kataf and their Muslim brothers who had for years lived peacefully together.

‘We voted for Nigerian unity, one people one nation, these what my late spouse lived and died for, and we are promoting the legacy for its attendant benefits in a multicultural society’, Mrs. Abacha stressed.

In a speech earlier, leader of the southern Kaduna people resident in Kano, Mr. Ayuba Dangana, described the late General Abacha ‘as a friend and a relation’ whose administration elevated the people to the forefront of Kaduna politics.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/01/mariam-abacha-preaches-forgiveness/

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday, said he is in the 2011 presidential race to make a statement, vowing he would not drop the ambition to return to power.

Babangida, while denying that he was under pressure from former President Olusegun Obasanjo to step down for President Goodluck Jonathan in the race, said his meeting, last week, with Obasanjo and the discussions centred round issues of common interest and shared mutual respect for each other, not about zoning.

According to him, the meeting was also not the reason he stayed away from the rally planned for him in Ibadan, adding that the rally was to open a campaign office for him in the Oyo State capital.

A statement signed by his media aide, Kaseem Afegbua, read: “We have read series of media reports in the dailies saying that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was wooing former President General Ibrahim Babangida for President Jonathan.

“To state the obvious, there is nothing near the truth in the report because the meeting between Former Presidents Chief Obasanjo and General Babangida had nothing to do with 2011, zoning of the presidency or support for the rumored ambition of the President, Chief Goodluck Jonathan. The two former presidents have always exhibited mutual respect for each other irrespective of their different political leanings and ideologies.

“To the best of our knowledge, the incumbent President has not told Nigerians that he was interested in the 2011 Presidential race even though some of his political associates and friends have been on the streets drumming support for him. Till date, it is on record that only General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR, has signified intention to run for the office of President under the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.

“The meeting between the two former Presidents was not a political meeting as being reported. It was a social meeting which was not the first of its kind in recent times, as both of them enjoy mutual and positive relationship. It should be noted that General IBB as a former President has free access to the President, Chief Goodluck Jonathan and does not require a middle man to interface between him and the President.

“General Babangida’s belief in the zoning principle was borne out of his vast experience in the management of the country and understanding of the intricate logic and history of the Nigerian nation as a process that could easily help to stabilize the polity to provoke development and growth”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/01/ibb-i-won%e2%80%99t-drop-presidential-bid/

Minna—Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Aliyu, weekend said the people of the state will resist any attempt to frustrate the former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida out of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP .

Aliyu also cautioned the PDP against attempts to intimidate anyone over the zoning imbroglio threatening the party, adding that, “Nobody should be intimidated, because no one has come up to discuss issues about the zoning or how we can waggle out of it for us to move forward”.

Governor Aliyu who said this during a rally to mark his victory at the Supreme Court in Abuja over the weekend also expressed the resolve of the government and people of the state to support the presidential ambition of Babangida come 2011.

Governor Aliyu maintained that the choice of the state to support the Babangida’s presidential ambition was based on earlier agreement to allow the north have its own fair share of the Presidency for the period of eight years.
Aliyu said he will resist attempts to edge out Babangida from the party pointing out that, “We are supporting IBB because he is our son and since he is looking for the 2011 presidential ticket under the PDP we have no choice but to support him in actualizing his ambition”.

Though he is in support of IBB for the 2011 Presidency going by the earlier PDP arrangement on zoning, Governor Aliyu nevertheless said he is not against President Goodluck Jonathan contesting alongside Babangida on the platform of another political party.

“Whoever is the choice of God will eventually emerge winner, and no matter the pressure from other candidates from the northern extraction from other political parties. We will ensure that PDP has enough supporters to emerge victorious in 2011”.

Governor Aliyu recalled what led to the argument over Goodluck Jonathan contesting the Presidency, adding that, “the PDP arrangements on zoning should be respected. If for any reason it was discovered that the concept is no longer workable, all we need to do is to sit round the table and reviewed our earlier stand and move on so that nobody will be offended.

He said further, “Zoning or rotation of the Presidency is a PDP affair, now that the issue is generating a kind of confusion, it is left for the party caucus to sit on a round table and discuss on how to unravel the matter so that we can move forward.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/02/people-ll-resist-attempt-to-frustrate-ibb-out-of-pdp-gov-aliyu/

The outcome of the recent meeting of the governors of the South-South and stakeholders has further brightened the chances of President Goodluck to pick the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2011 presidential election.



At the meeting, which was held in Port Harcourt, the governors from the zone, except that of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomohle, endorsed the presidential ambition of Jonathan.



Apart from this, the governors from the five states of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers, also asked the president to declare his interest immediately.



Political observers are of the opinion that since Edo State is being governed by a rival political party, which is the Action Congress, it would therefore be difficult to expect the state to throw its weight behind the president through the state governor.



Without Edo, it means that Jonathan can count on total support of five other states from the zone at the party’s primaries.



Even in Edo, it is expected that a former Minister of Works, who is a prominent member of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, will help to mobilise party members to vote for Jonathan.



The former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP had said that there was no zoning in the party and that Jonathan should be allowed to contest the party’s presidential primaries.



The Tuesday’s meeting of the 19 northern states where the governors openly disagreed over the adoption of the zoning formula of the party could as well be beneficial to the president.



The outcome of the meeting, which was held in Kaduna, where 10 states voted for zoning and seven states voted against it, also indicated that the President would still win the party’s primaries.



The states that voted for zoning were, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Kwara, Borno and Kano.



Two out of these states, Borno and Kano, are being ruled by the All Nigerian Peoples Party and are therefore expected to queue behind their party.



This leaves the states that voted for zoning, which are being controlled by the PDP to eight.



Out of this figure, the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State who is also a former Minister of Water Resources is behind Jonathan. In fact, he is a member of the Prof. Jerry Gana’s group, which is neck-deep in the Jonathan aspiration.



However, seven states voted against zoning, stressing that it was the only way to move the country forward. The states are Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Kaduna, Adamawa, Taraba and Nasarawa.



Yobe State, which reportedly abstained from voting, is being controlled by the ANPP, while Bauchi State was not represented due to the death of the Emir of Bauchi. All the same, the position of the Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, is well known as has openly canvassed for the dumping of zoning.



In the case of South-West, though two state governors are known to be allies of a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida(rtd), it will be difficult for them to openly canvass for his candidature in their states.



The governors are Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Ogun and Osun States respectively. Like the governors of Oyo and Ekiti States, they will therefore be compelled to vote for Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose view is still well-respected by the PDP governors.



In the South-East, where the governors have declared that they would make sure that none of them aspires for the office of the president, it is also expected that they would use their influence to canvass for Jonathan.



The zone has five states, which are Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra and Imo.



Thus, from all indications, Jonathan is likely to get support at the party’s primaries from more states than his opponents.



Meanwhile, members of the Congress for Democratic Change on Saturday endorsed Jonathan as their presidential candidate.



Speaking at its national convention, which was held in Abuja, the newly elected chairman of the party, Chief Edozien Madu said the conduct and performance of Jonathan since his days as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State was remarkable.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008023584979

The federal government has revoked the appointment of Mr. Festus Keyamo as a private Lawyer to prosecute a business man, Chief Kenny Martins and three others at an Abuja High Court in Gwagwalada.



This followed the withdrawal of fiat issued to Keyamo by the federal government as its private prosecutor in the criminal case.



The fiat was withdrawn from Keyamo by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).



It was issued to Keyamo two years ago by a former AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) on behalf of the federal government.



Keyamo who has been served with a revocation letter has however filed a notice of withdrawal of legal representation at an Abuja High Court to terminate his bid to put Kenny Martins on trial.



In the notice of withdrawal, Keyamo said that he and his chambers were no longer Lawyer to the federal government in the case based on the strength of withdrawal of fiat in their possession.



The withdrawal notice dated July 26, and filed on July 27 was signed by one Oghenovo Otemu of Festus Keyamo chambers on behalf of his Principal Partner.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2010080117365931

Nigeria is expected to make history on October 1, when its caterers build and unveil the world’s largest cake. The 65,000kg cake, will be unveiled at the National Stadium, Abuja, is expected to beat the current Guinness World Records.

By midnight, October 1, a select group of Nigerian caterers and bakers will begin work on a 65ton cake. By noon, the fruit cake, decorated in green and white colours will be unveiled by President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan will cut the 6ft high cake and Nigerians will have the opportunity to have a share of the ‘national cake’ literally.

The cake, which will be 100ft long and 6ft high, will require the services of at least 2000 persons, and is expected to beat the records of the current world’s largest cake, a 58ton cake which was baked in 1989.

One meal one nation

The organiser of the World’s largest cake project, Victor Oluwafemi, says he has tagged the project, ‘one meal one nation’, in line with the philosophy behind the project.

“The project is a private endeavour which myself and my team thought of. We wanted to do something significant for the 50th anniversary project. We wanted something that would give every Nigerian an opportunity to partake in the celebrations. We knew that the average Nigerian would not have the opportunity to eat the cake that will be presented in the villa,” Mr. Oluwafemi said to NEXT in Abuja.

Mr. Oluwafemi’s team of three spoke enthusiastically of the measures that they are taking to ensure that the cake gets to as many Nigerians as possible. First, every state in the country will receive one ton of the cake and the small team also expects that every tribe in the country will be represented in the Abuja Stadium on October 1, and will have the opportunity to have a bite of the cake.

“This project is supposed to turn the national cake that we always talk about to reality. It will give Nigerians an actual cake to feed on,” Paul Sambo, the team’s head of Strategic business said.

Likening the project to the national pride that comes from winning a football match, the team says that the project was designed to boost the emotions of Nigerians despite the current national challenges.

“This project does not gainsay the fact that the nation has problems up till today. But we need inspiration in order to move forward as a nation. This project was designed with a leadership bias, a leader inspires his people no matter what and that is what we hope to do,” Joseph Yakwo, the third member and the operations officer of the project said.

Making the records book

If the team’s cake must to enter the Guinness World Records, Mr. Oluwafemi and his team will have to start and finish the cake within 24 hours; the team plans to do so in 8.

“We are going to bake the cake in about 8 hours. The cake is going to be baked, cooled and iced on the same day,” Mr. Yakwo said.

The team says that it has been in touch with the officials of the Guinness World Records and that a Guinness adjudicator will arrive from New York to inspect the project from start to finish.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5601512-147/nigeria_to_unveil_worlds_largest_cake.csp

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is investigating the source of the £2.7m London mansion allegedly traced to the Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.



The building, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered, is part of the alleged infractions being investigated in the state by the anti-fraud agency.



Our correspondent learnt that Daniel before becoming governor had on March 28, 2000 bought a ”modest bungalow” located at 39A, Park Hill Road, Croydon CRO5NF, United Kingdom.



He was said to have bought the property for £287,500; with title registration no SGL 41007.



He also on February 2, 2005, allegedly bought another property in Croydon for £1.73m.



The property named The Gaters, which the governor is said to have paid for on December 17, 2004, was handed over to ARC 3 Designers in Kent for renovation at the sum of £1m.



However, the state commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, on Saturday said the allegation was not new.



The governor, he said, owned houses in the UK and that the properties were contained in his asset declaration form. Kawonise described the allegation of an illegally acquired UK property by the governor as ”yet another sinister move by the enemies of the state.”



The commissioner added, ”The issue of Governor Daniel owning property in London is not new. I wish to confirm that the Governor owns several properties in the United Kingdom.



“The list of these is contained in the statutory asset declaration the Governor made with the Code of Conduct Bureau both in 2003 and 2007.



”It will be recalled that the Governor was among the few public officials to publicly declare their assets. All that is needed is for any interested person to obtain whatever information or confirmation of this from the Code of Conduct Bureau.”



The state government had already initiated an action in court to stop the EFCC from further prying into the affairs of the state, accusing the commission of pursuing political agenda.



Kawonise, had earlier denied the alleged financial misconduct levelled against the state.



Clarifying that the executive was not averse to investigation of its finances, he said the role should be left for the state‘s House of Assembly.



According to him, the state House of Assembly is vested with the sole powers to investigate the executive.



Kawonise had accused the EFCC of merely allowing itself to be used by political opponents of the governor to pull the government down ahead of the 2011 election.



The Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the London property allegedly owned by the governor had also come under investigation by the commission.



He said, ”There are several issues we are trying to unknot in Ogun State. The London property said to have been bought in the name of the governor is part of it. No further details will be released for now.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201008011295542

The Cross River State government has denied reports that Cameroun is about to take over the Obudu Mountain Resort owned by the government and people of Cross.

Director general of the Cross River Border Development Commission, Leo Aggrey recently warned that there was a need by the Nigerian government to counter the expansionist moves of Cameroon, which he said have started making incursion into Nigeria’s border communities.

He said information reaching his office from the affected communities and even beyond shows that the Cameroonian government was already reaching out to its external allies to curry their support in this fresh onslaught on Nigeria and called for immediate intervention by the federal government.

But convinced that the Obudu Ranch Resort, in Obanliku Local Government Area is within Nigeria, Mr Agrrey described any claim to the ranch which Cameroon might be nursing as an empty threat.

In statement released at the weekend, Patrick Ugbe, the spokesperson to the state governor, Liyel Imoke said reports of a Camerounian takeover of the resort was meant to cause disaffection in the state.

“These are not only malicious, but a well articulated attempt from yet to be ascertained quarters to undermine the tourism initiatives of the state government, incite the passions of the indigenes of the state, including the host community of the Obudu Mountain Resort, and generally cause disaffection and instability in the state,” Mr Ugbe said.

He said the relevant sector of the Nigeria-Cameroon International boundary has been well defined by the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 and other legal instruments, which were upheld by the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of 10th October, 2002.

“Following the judgment, the sector was traced and physically confirmed by the Nigeria-Cameroon Joint Technical Team (JTT), which comprises of technical experts from Nigeria and Cameroon as well as the United Nations in November/December last year,” he said. “The delineation of the boundary line on satellite images map covering the whole boundary length made by the JTT, using the Agreement, does not put the Obudu Cattle Ranch or any of its part in the Republic of Cameroon. Also, during the field tracing, the Ranch was found to be entirely in Nigeria territory. We submit further that though the Obudu mountain range stretches from Nigeria into Cameroon, the portion of this range in Nigeria is what constitutes the Obudu Cattle Ranch.” Standing firm

The Obudu Mountain Resort is one of the prime tourism and hospitality assets owned of Cross River State. The state government has, from 2004-2007, upgraded facilities at the resort, including the construction of an International Conference Centre, as one of several initiatives to bring it to the mainstream of the global tourism circuit.

In 2008, the government placed the Resort under the management of African Sun.

“It should be noted that Cross River State is still reeling in all ramifications from the ceding of Bakassi to the Republic of Cameroun,” Mr Ugbe said. “The government and people of the State frown seriously at this rumour, and call on those behind it to desist from such unwholesome acts.For the avoidance of doubt, the government and people of the state stand ready to resist with all its might any attempt to cede any of its territory to any country or state in Nigeria.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5601651-146/cameroon_not_taking_over_obudu_says.csp

Northern leaders who insist that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party zone its presidency to the North have fixed a meeting for next week in Abuja.

Members of the “G15,” who include former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida; former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau; and former finance Minister, Adamu Ciroma will meet Monday or Tuesday, next week to discuss strategy on ensuring that the presidency is zoned to the north.

“The meeting is going to review the decision by a majority of Northern governors to support the rotation arrangement of the PDP,” said a source close to members of the G15.

The source said attendees will discuss “the resolution of each of the 19 state chapters of the Northern Leaders Forum, the resolution of the Arewa Consultative Forum on zoning, and that of the Northern Union.” Governors of the 19 northern states met last week where majority of them voted that the presidency should still remain in the northern part of the country till 2015.

The source confirmed that members of the group will also discuss the overtures being made to them individually from the camp of President Goodluck Jonathan. This is already a source of worry for the northern leaders as NEXT learnt that Solomon Lar, former governor of Plateau State; and Sa’ad Abubakar, a professor; who were formerly members of the group but have since joined the camp of the President.

Mobilising the zones

As reported exclusively by NEXT, the members will also be discussing their planned mobilization of political leaders from other geopolitical zones, starting from the south-eastern part of the country.

Three of the thirteen remaining members of the “G15”, Messrs. Babangida, Abubakar and Mohammed all want to be President. While Mr. Babangida has declared his intention to run and has set up campaign offices in various states of the federation, Mr. Abubakar as reported by NEXT would formerly declare his ambition on August 15; while Mr. Gusau is yet to formerly declare his ambition.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5601605-146/babangida_atiku_other_northern_leaders_to.csp