₦airaland Forum

Col. Dasuki said: “Is that what the CDS said (that I am the one to talk)? Ok. I am now saying ‘go back to the CDS.’”

There are jitters among the Northern political establishment over the sort of political accord between President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark as far as determination of the 2015 Presidency is concerned, confirmed sources can reveal.

Sources close to a recent meeting of some Northern political bigwigs confirmed permutations towards the 2015 presidential race have continued to assume varied dimensions as the far North is said to be ruing the possibility of Senate President David Mark being drafted into the race.

It was gathered that though many Northern leaders have not ruled out the possibility of President Jonathan joining the race, many of them are now concerned that the Jonathan camp could be perfecting a plot to foist Mark as his successor.

antsut: Obama is Illuminatus and many ppl are so blind to see it even in the present of overwhelming evidence. The greatest con the Devil will ever pull is to make you believe he doesn't exist!

THE names of two former military chiefs: General Alexander Ogomudia and Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, have surfaced as Nigerians await the Federal Government on its choice as the next Minister of Defence.

Dr. Bello Mohammed Haliru was relived of the post penultimate Friday by President Goodluck Jonathan, alongside the National Security Adviser, Major General Patrick Aziza.


While Colonel Sambo Dasuki [retd], was announced as Aziza's replacement as NSA, the Presidency was kept the public guessing on the likely successor of Bello.


Saturday Tribune that though the president was reportedly not in haste to make the final choice, some interest groups were said to be lobbying that a particular political zone produced the next defence minister.


The source claimed that because of the sensitive nature of the defence sector, the president reportedly, favoured a military technocrat heading the ministry, instead of a politician again.


Towards this end, the names of the two retired senior military officers from the South-South were being touted by some high level quarters and influential groups in the polity.


Ogomudia is a former Chief of Defence Staff, a similar post once occupied by Dike, who was also the first Air Force officer to attain the rank of an Air Chief Marshal.

It was learnt that the chances of the position of defence minister going to the Northern part of the country were remote because of what the source described as the need for balancing in the distribution of power at the centre.


According to the source, the appointment of Dasuki, the former Aide De Camp [ADC] to former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida may have disqualified it [the North] from retaining the ministerial portfolio.


The source claimed that, at the initial stage, the name of a former NSA, Gen. Aliyu Gusau featured prominently following Aziza's sudden removal, but that it became clear that it would be politically unwise to favour a section of the country with key appointments into the top echelon of the nation's security network.


The Acting Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar is also from the North.

AS over 9,941 Nigerians are serving various jail terms abroad, the Federal Government, alongside the legislature, has said that it will not condone illegality by its citizens living abroad.



This was the consensus reached between the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs led by its chairperson, Honourable Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a meeting in Abuja.


The meeting, which reviewed the activities of Nigerians abroad as they affect the image of the country, said that though the ideals of citizen diplomacy was still in operation, it would not support illegality by any Nigerian abroad.

Speaking at the meeting, Elendu-Ukeje said the number of Nigerians serving various jail terms abroad was a source of concern to the committee, as it affected the image of the country.


Ukeje said that though the committee would not support illegality, it would appreciate any support the ministry as well as the embassies and Nigeria missions abroad can do to them as citizens of Nigeria.


She said that the information at the committee's disposal showed that a majority of them are in various jails abroad for consular and drug-related matters, wondering what the ministry could do to minimise the upsurge.


Responding, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Gbenga Ashiru, said that a majority of Nigerians in jails were for consular offences and in most cases, were at fault.


"What is illegal is illegal. Nigeria cannot support illegality. If you have six months visa, do not overstay but operate within the limits."


"If your stay has expired, and you are not through with what you are doing, please, come back home and renew your visa, as against violating the laws of another country," he said.


The minister said that the best the Nigerian embassies and missions could do was to go and visit the Nigerians in prisons and see how they were faring.


Ashiru said that the ministry was constrained by paucity of funds occasioned by the cut in the ministry's budget, and such, could not do much in terms of financially assisting Nigerians in jail.


He appealed to the lawmakers to assist the ministry in mounting up a campaign for Nigerians to be good citizens when they travelled abroad and not do anything capable of tarnishing the image of the country.


The minister, however, said that the ministry had directed all its missions abroad to defend and protect Nigerians to any level if their rights were being infringed upon by the visiting country.


"We owe it a duty to protect our nationals anywhere in the world where their rights were infringed upon. It is our responsibility," he said.


Ashiru, who recalled the recent illegal deportation of 125 Nigerians from South Africa, said that as part of the apologies tendered by the country to the Federal Government, all the South Africans involved had been transferred and punished.


He also said that as part of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) discussion with the South African government, the said deportation did not take place as it was an illegal deportation.


"I am happy to inform you that we have seen the end to consular problems in South Africa. President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has expressed his willingness to visit Nigeria soon as a follow-up," he said.

BENIN CITY-THE Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, frowned at what he described as the encroachment on lands belonging to his kingdom by some Ijaw youths in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.



He urged the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, zone 5 Benin, Mr Hashimu Argungun to find solution to the problem.

The Oba, who spoke when the AIG paid him a courtesy visit, at his palace, also commended the state Police Commissioner, Mr Olayinka Balogun for his efforts in combating crime in the state.

The monarch lamented that some Ijaw people were stubbornly occupying large expanse of land, even when the Supreme Court had ruled against them. He delegated the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe to liaise with the AIG to find lasting solution to the issue.

He expressed confidence in the new AIG Argungu, saying "from your qualifications and working experience, I am happy your quality is deployed to zone 5 and I wish you success in fighting crimes in the state.

"The CP in Edo State is doing well in trying to wipe out all forms of crime, including kidnapping. He is open to public discussion and interaction as a way of finding solution to insurgent of crime in the state."

Meanwhile, AIG Hashimu has promised the people of hitch free election, come July 14, gubernatorial election in the state, assuring the monarch of getting to the root of the matter in Ovia South West and other areas, where people had encroached on the land.

The death of a showbiz promoter, George Oni, at Nanet Hotel Club, Abuja, has been attributed to a push which led to a fall and resulted in cerebral haemorrhage.



A post-mortem carried out at the National Hospital indicated that the deceased was either pushed or hit hard on the right side of the head and he fell hitting his head on the floor.

He suffered scalp laceration on the left part of the head, and cerebral edema, according to the autopsy dated April 14, 2012.

The report showed that the deceased was healthy before the fall in the early hours of April 7, 2012.

It reads, "The subject (George) suffered head injury from traumatic fall and had scalp laceration on the left temporal areola, cerebral edema (brain swelling) and intra-cranial haemorrhage (bleeding within the skull)."

The autopsy brings a new dimension to the incident, suggesting that there might be a foul play in the death of the proprietor of Event Circle.

George had visited the club in company with friends. He was reportedly dancing with two ladies and a friend, Gbenga Adeyinka, when he fell and subsequently died.

The post-mortem raises questions about the earlier claims that George simply slumped as he danced with an unnamed lady. It is also ironic that the deceased did not fall into other dancers since he was not alone on the dancing floor.

His brother, Osimeme Oni, said the family would not relent until they unravelled the circumstances behind George's death. He added that it was imperative that the police exposed the person that pushed George.

Oni said the police had invited six persons that witnessed the incident namely Fred Bright, Adeyinka, Bimbo Kodumi, an unnamed lady and two of the club's bouncers.

He said while Bright and the club's bouncers had made statements to detectives, Adeyinka, Bimbo and the unnamed lady had not honoured police invitation.

He stated that as soon as the remaining invitees honoured the invitation, the police would proceed with their investigation.

Oni wondered why the club manager initially denied the incident when he was questioned about it before he later admitted that it happened at the club.

"I don't know why the club manager had to deny the incident and am troubled by this," he said.

The hotel's Manager, Mr. Patrick Onyiloke, had refuted the allegation that they denied the incident, insisting that they lodged a formal report with the police on Easter Monday.

But Bright stated that he was at the bar ordering drinks when someone called his attention to George who was lying on the floor. He explained that he did not know why Adeyinka had not honoured police invitation.

He said, "Adeyinka was supposed to make a statement to the police along with the two girls, but we didn't see them last week. We waited for them, but they didn't show up at the police station; I can't say why he didn't come.

"George was my very good friend and there was no way someone would push him while I was there."

Doris Egberamem, a worker with George's company, expressed shock at her boss' death, saying she chatted with him on BlackBerry messenger a few hours before his tragic end.

She said, "George was an inspiration to a lot of young talents in Abuja and Ghana. A few weeks ago, he organised a show for the student community in Ghana where he made a lot of contacts.

" I left Accra about three weeks ago abandoning my education and business just to condole with his family. We want to know the cause of the death of our mentor; we are not satisfied with the explanations given to us about the cause of death."

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Moshood Jimoh, stated that investigation was continuing.

Friday, April 27, 2012


The South-West may be fast assuming its old appellation of a wild political theatre as political forces within and outside the zone are now engaged in a frantic and frenzy game of control.

A year after the takeover of the zone by the Action Congress of Nigeria, the ghost of that transition still hunts this politically volatile region.

The stakeholders in the political future of the zone are no longer restricted to the Yorubas, but Northerners and Niger Deltans also see the region as pivotal in the unfolding national political drama.

While Niger Deltans are clutching tight to pre-2011 relationships, the Arewas are looking towards a new pan North-South-West alliance in future political contests.

The deals of the past appear not properly firmed up though. For example, nothing is as yet clear as to what actually happened in the last presidential election which saw the opposition allegedly working and voting for a PDP presidential candidate. The rumour of that period was not quashed and the impression still remains that the ACN, indeed, had an unspoken alliance with the president.

Some insiders still harbour the feelings that the deal, if any, was hammered out without the involvement of South-West caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Friday, April 26, 2012

Trust politicians. They have diverse but clever ways of breaking unpalatable news whenever things go awry, especially news concerning sensitive issues of public interest. The commonest way is speaking with forked tongue or speaking tongue-in-cheek next to which is taking a tactical bow from their locality in order to piss in from outside.


Some politicians deftly combine both methods just like the distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu did recently via a lecture he delivered in faraway Canada. In the lecture entitled “Nigerian Federalism a case for a Review” delivered at the Osgood Hall Law School, York University in Toronto, Canada, Ekweremadu who is supposed to be the midwife of the anticipated batch of new states in Nigeria, surprisingly made a complete U-turn and urged Nigerians to spare a thought on a possible return to “regionalism” where the six geopolitical zones in the country will become the new federating units.

A return to regional system he said “seems a major plausible thing to do if we are to nurse any hope of reversing the dwindling fortunes of our federalism”. Keen observers of the Nigerian scene, as result of this veritable bombshell, have since concluded that the unfolding scenario cannot but mean one thing-- once again the post is being removed or shifted when the southeast is about to score a goal; just like what happens whenever they are about to produce a president for Nigeria.

It is unfortunate that postwar rulers of this country, who arrogated to themselves the power to create new states and to crown new kings, have not only played God in their vindictive display of high-handedness against the South-east, they have also sadly vindicated John Fuller's contention that “democracy is not love of one's neighbor but hatred of all those who are outside one's own tribe, group, party or nation”.

After reading all what Senator Ekweremadu had to say in his controversial lecture the first thing that flashed through my mind was whether Chief Awolowo's prediction of 1978 was coming to pass at last? Is Ekweremadu the Garibaldi or Bismarck of Nigeria ? I asked myself. Chief Awolowo had warned in 1978 that if care was not taken in our unrestrained quest for new states, we would get to the point where a Garibaldi or a Bismarck could emerge in Nigeria to put a stop to the whole exercise and knock all the existing states together once again. Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-82) was the military arrowhead of the revolution that finally unified the disparate states in Italy in 1870. In the same vein Otto Von Bismarck (1815-98 ) was also the man who executed a similar unification task in Germany between 1856 and 1871.

Because of its relevance, in the face of Ekweremadu's proposition, may I be permitted to quote Chief Awolowo here in extenso. The federal constitution he said is still the best for a multi-ethnic country like ours. “But there are certain principles which must be observed in creating the constituent states. But those principles have not been adhered to in Nigeria and consequently we have been having a situation where every unit or tribe and (we may even still go to the clan level in the end) is demanding for a state of its own… At the rate we are going, we will stop demanding for states when Ikenne becomes a state.

Take an Ijebu state, for instance, which some people are advocating... When we have an Ijebu state, it is going to be difficult to have a capital. The Remo will not accept Ijebu Ode as capital. The moment you have all-Ijebu state, you are on the road to Remo state … When we have an Ijebu/Remo state, then you are going to have a situation which will make for an Ipara state, Ikenne state, Isara state!” Therefore, in conclusion Chief Awolowo warned: “I hope that they will never return to the exercise which was going on then… with everyone demanding a state of his own. All of that will come to a halt sometime, maybe not in my life time. But I predict that a Bismarck or Garibaldi will arise and will knock all these states together again… The Greeks say that anything that goes too far tends to produce its opposite” (The Guardian, 11/5/87 ).

What I make of Awolowo's argument generally is that he was not against the creation of more states per se but against the inability of successive Nigerian government to adopt the right attitude and principle that should guide the exercise in a typical federation like ours. That principle has to do with cultural and linguistic affinity. And it is interesting that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe subscribed to the linguistic principle, according to him, “in order to enable each ethnic group to exercise local and cultural autonomy within its jurisdiction.” Therefore we may as well give Ekweremadu's proposition a try. But in order to do that successfully we have to ensure that the six geopolitical zones have equal number of states. Luckily for us, the six zones meet Chief Awolowo's linguistic thesis. Hausa is the lingua franca in the North while Igbo and Yoruba hold sway in the South-east and South-west respectively. The South-south will have no problem managing their various languages-

Anyway, it should be pointed out here that every system is as good as its operators. Regionalism may yet confront us with novel problems if not handled properly with open mind-the kind of mind that respects Achebe's dictum: let the eagle perch, let the eaglet also perch; the one that hinders the other let his wing break. I don't know how old Ekweremadu is, but from all indications he was probably not old enough in 1964 when the leader of UPGA Dr Michael Okpara said “the two worst threats to Nigerian unity are the practice of regionalism…and the fact that we have not been faithful to the most important principle of federation, namely, that there should not be any one state so much greater than the rest put together that it can bend the will of the federal government.” Dr Okpara's conclusion was that until these two threats are removed “they labour in vain who labour for Nigerian unity.” UPGA believed in the creation of more states and in fact promised to turn Nigeria into a federation of 25 states based on the old provincial arrangement.

Of course, Awolowo's prognostication was neither a call to stop further creation of states in Nigeria nor an invitation to a revolution a la Italiana. No. He was only sounding a timely warning that we should handle the issue with utmost care and maturity lest we go the ways of those two European nations whose unification processes, according to one historian “illustrate the eternal tragedy of politics-that great ends can often be achieved only by means which rob the ends of a great deal of their worth”.

I personally am not against any fresh arrangement provided we don't step into the new era with old prejudices or injustices which will sooner than later prove our Achilles' heel. For example, there will be no level playing field in regionalism if the South-east should enter it with five states while each of the other zones does so with at least six states. Therefore, in order to ensure an unblemished approach to regionalism let us first of all balance any existing imbalances concerning the creation of states and local government areas.

otokx: is the bomb blast in Abuja or Kaduna?

Four others convicted


WITH four down and one set to go, it is certainly not the best of times for some Nigerian teenagers in London.


Barely three days that four of them were convicted for the mob-attack and killing of a Moroccan boy in London, there were indications yesterday that another Nigerian teenager, Victoria Osoteku, will on Thursday be sentenced for her role in the death of the 15-year-old promising footballer, Sofyen Belamouadden.


The deceased was stabbed to death at Victoria Tube station in March 2010. Belamouadden, a talented footballer had impressed at Chelsea trials and had hoped to play for England before he was killed by the mob.


The four Nigerian teenagers, including a pastor's son, who got 12 years, were last Friday jailed by Judge Christopher Moss at the Central Criminal Court (a.k.a. Old Bailey) over their role in the death of Belamouadden.


A member of staff at the Old Bailey told The Guardian yesterday that 19-year-old Victoria would be sentenced on Thursday.


Victoria, the only girl charged in the incident, was part of a 20-youth mob, who allegedly carried out the attack and killing in the ticket hall of the crowded and popular Tube station in front of terrified commuters during the 5.00 p.m. rush hour.


The killer squad included a pastor's son, Femi Oderinwale, 18, who was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter and the trio of Samson Odegbune, 18, Obi Nwokeh, 19, and Christopher Omoregie, 18, who were jailed each for life but would serve a minimum of 18 years.


Victoria, according to the court, had suffered shocking abuse as a child, used social networking site, Facebook to recruit "troops and weapons."


She was captured on Close Circuit Television (CCTV) kicking the victim as he laid on the ground. The court was told that the mob, whose members were 15 at the time, were armed with an entire set of kitchen knives, flick knives and other weapons that included metal bars and batons.


Jailing the trio of Omoregie, Nwokeh and Odegbune at Her Majesty's Pleasure (life sentence) on Friday, Moss said: "At about 5.15 p.m. during the evening rush-hour in the presence of many horrified commuters, Sofyen was attacked by a pack of teenagers. Within 12 seconds, he was left fatally wounded with no less than nine stab wounds on the body as the attackers made their escape."


After carrying out the deadly attack, the court heard that the killers tried to escape on a public bus, but the bus was stopped by the police, who found a knife in a bag belonging to Omoregie, who was 16 at the time. Another knife with the fingerprint of Nwokeh was found wrapped in a newspaper.


The court heard that Oderinwale, described as "the armourer," also took to Facebook on the night before the attack, urging his friends to buy or bring knives.


The court also heard that Omoregie, who had achieved nine A and B grades in his GCSE had planned going to university before joining the wrong crowd.


Two other teenagers were jailed for seven years each for their part in the killing. The Old Bailey also heard that the attack was sparked by a trivial row between two groups of youths from different schools in West London. A day before the attack, a boy from one of the groups had suffered a bloody nose and this led to plans to carry out a showdown the next day.


The groups sent text messages and also took to Facebook to announce and recruit others.


In a statement from the victim's father, Abdeslam Belamouadden, the Moroccan immigrant described his son as a "talented young man loved by everyone in his life."

Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, there are indications that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), would settled for the former Federal Capital Territory, Minister, Mallam Nasir EL-Rufai, as its presidential candidate in the next general elections. This is coming at a time when CPC presidential candidate in the 2011 polls and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has ruled himself out of the 2015 presidential contest.


Although, El-Rufai is yet to publicly declare interest in the 2015 elections, Saturday Sun gathered that he has, in recent times, been saddled with the responsibility of “repackaging and refocusing” the CPC, ahead of the 2015 polls.

According to a reliable source within the party, Buhari’s latest stance on the 2015 presidential contest is seen as a further boost to El-Rufai’s aspiration, adding: “I agree with you, it is too early to start discussing 2015, but it is not too early to position oneself.

“As you observed, before 2011, Buhari had said he was not going to run again. But eventually, he came out again to run. However, this time, I think the General means well for the younger Turks in the North. If you recall, before his (Buhari) comment last Thursday, that we should start shopping for a presidential candidate, I had told you he was not running and that he was keen on supporting El-Rufai, but you apparently did not believe me. I am glad, you have heard it from the horse’s mouth yourself.”

Meanwhile, Buhari recently, in Kaduna, charged supporters of the party to begin a search for his replacement ahead of 2015 presidential polls. Speaking while receiving party leaders from one of the councils in the state, who had paid him a solidarity visit, Buhari was quoted to have said: “I will remain in politics, even though I may not contest the 2015 presidential election.

“But whatever it is, I will remain politically active for the struggle of bettering the lives of Nigerians. You should also look for my replacement.

“Unless the electorate insist on claiming their mandate, like the people of Igabi (in Kaduna State) are doing, their votes will never count and I am commending you for standing up to defend your votes within the confines of the law.”