ABUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, began a probe into the alleged N4,000 to be collected by the management of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, as registration fee from corps members.
Tambuwal and the others
Also, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre, NFIC, Bill scaled through third reading in the House.
The House, based on the allegation, urged NYSC to suspend forthwith the policy requiring prospective NYSC members to pay the amount with effect from 2015 before accessing their call-up letters.
Hassan Saleh (PDP, Benue), who sponsored the motion, expressed concern over “recent advertorials in some national newspapers that with effect from 2015, corps members will be required to register online with a fee of N4,000 to be able to access their call-up letters as an alternative to going to their various schools to collect the letters.”
He said: “As laudable as the idea of sending call-up letters through the internet may be, the decision requiring fresh graduates to cough out N4,000 to access letters appears insensitive and exploitative.”
However, just as the presiding officer, Emeka Ihedioha was about calling for voice vote on the matter, Uzo Azubuike (PDP, Abia), came up with a Point of Order, saying the Public Petitions Committee, which he chairs, was already on the matter.
After this observation, Ihedioha called on the Chairman, Rules and Business Committee, Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP, Taraba) to guide the House.
Sam-Tsokwa explained that since the public petitions committee had began investigating the matter, the honourable thing to do was for the motion to be withdrawn.
Ihedioha ruled that Commi-ttee on Youth Development and the sponsor of the motion be invited to be part of the panel that will conduct a session on the matter.
NFIC Bill
Also, a bill that seeks to establish NFIC, yesterday, passed third reading at the House of Representatives.
Moving a motion for its third reading, House Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola, said when established, NFIC would be responsible for receiving, requesting, analysing and disseminating financial intelligence reports and other information to law enforcement, security, intelligence agencies and other relevant authorities.
Majority of the lawmakers voted in favour of passing the bill for third reading.
The House had last Wednesday adopted a report of the Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, which recommended establishment of the centre.
Subsequently, the House had on Thursday raised a six-man committee to meet with the Senate with a view to harmonising the positions of the two chambers on the adopted report.
The harmonisation committee would be led by Sam-Tsokwa, while members of the committee included Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Emmanuel Udende, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeju with two other lawmakers.
The committee was given two weeks within which it should meet with the Senate and get back to the House.
Lagos—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till October 16, 2014 hearing in the an application, seeking to set aside the suit challenging impeachment of former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Murtala Nyako.
Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako
Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, a lawyer, had filed the suit in August, challenging the legality of Nyako’s impeachment on July, 15.
Ogungbeje in his suit had argued that Nyako’s impeachment was a clear derogation from the due process of law, and prayed the court to reinstate him as governor.
Respondents in the suit are: Acting governor of Adamawa State, Mr Umaru Fintiri, Adamawa State House of Assembly, the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, Justice Buba Kajama, (Chairman of the seven-member panel that investigated allegations of gross misconduct against Nyako), Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the Inspector General of Police, IG.
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang had taken arguments from parties on September 11, and had reserved judgment till September 30.
At the resumed hearing of the case, yesterday, Ogungbeje reminded the court that the business of the day was for the court to deliver its judgment in the suit, having entertained argument from parties.
But Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, representing the first, second and third respondent respectively, drew the court’s attention to his pending application before it.
He argued that the originating processes were not served on his clients, adding that when the lapses in the proceedings were brought to the court’s attention, the court directed counsel to adopt their written addresses.
He had prayed the court for leave to move his application.
The applicant in opposition, insisted that the business of the court was to deliver judgment, adding that the application should not be entertained.
Justice Abang in a bench ruling held that although the court had adjourned the matter for judgment, it was in the overriding interest of justice to hear the application of counsel to the respondents.
“On September 11 during the court’s vacation, I adjourned this matter for judgment, having heard parties in the suit. However, on September 22, the court registrar drew my attention in chambers, to an application by the first, second and third respondent; I then fixed it for hearing on September 26, and ordered hearing notices to be issued on parties.
“On the return date, the first to fifth respondents were present in court but the applicant was absent. I checked the court’s file and found that he was not served with a hearing notice. Issues arose, as to the need to hear the competiting rights of parties, before judgment is delivered.
Lagos—A Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, sentenced three alleged Boko Haram members, to 25 years imprisonment each, for acts of terrorism.
Boko Haram
The convicts were among 17 accused, who were earlier charged before the court on November 27, 2013.
The 17 accused were: Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi, Ibrahim Usman, Bala Haruna, Idris Ali, Mohammed Murtala, Kadiri Mohammed, Mustapha Daura, Abba Duguri, Sanni Adamu, Danjuma Yahaya, Musa Audu, Mati Daura, Farouk Haruna, Abdullahi Azeez, Ibrahim Bukar and Zula Diani.
The Lagos State Government had arraigned the accused on an eight-count charge of acts of terrorism and possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition.
Trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, however, delivered judgment in camera, as journalists, and other lawyers were ordered to vacate the courtroom, leaving the prosecution and defence counsel.
The judge had earlier sought the views of lawyers in court, if it was within the law to deliver the judgment in the open court.
The Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, had responded that since the trial was conducted in camera for security reasons, judgment should also be delivered in the same manner.
But Justice Buba who noted that even judges learn everyday, said he will like to do a brief research on the subject, and rose at 11.30a.m., with a promise to return by 12p.m.
At the resumed hearing, the judge again asked the parties to address him on the legality of giving judgment in camera.
The Attorney General of Lagos State Mr Ade Ipaye in response, said that if the trial was conducted in secret, the judgment should also be delivered in secret as the judgment was also an inherent part of the proceeding.
The defence team also maintained the same position.
Justice Buba subsequently ordered everyone except the parties and the security operatives to vacate the courtroom to allow him deliver his judgment. Newsmen who were ordered out of the courtroom, then approached the Deputy Chief Registrar and the Administrative Head of the Court, Mr. Bello Okandeji to complain that they were not allowed in the court, while at the same time they were required to give an accurate account of the judgment, which they were not allowed to witness.
Okandeji then led journalists to the court but was restrained by security men who told the DCR that they had specific instructions not to allow anyone into the courtroom.
After the court had risen, journalists also approached one of the lawyers, who witnessed the judgment.
It was gathered that although 17 of the accused had earlier been arraigned, the A-G had discontinued proceedings against 13 of them.
According to a source, the court had found the first three accused guilty of the offence as charged, and had accordingly sentenced them to 25 years imprisonment each.
“The fourth accused who, was charged with allegedly sponsoring the sect, was however, discharged and acquitted, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish his guilt,” the source said.
It will be recalled that after the arraignment of the accused in 2013, journalists had also been barred from covering the proceedings.
COLOMBO – Nigerians living in Sri Lanka have expressed disappointment over the refusal of the Nigerian Embassy to celebrate Nigerian Independence.
S. U Ahmed, Nigerian Ambassador to Sri Lanka
They said independence day is one of the days Nigerians come together and proudly represent themselves as ambassadors of the nation, particularly those out of the country.
Despite the several complains from Nigerians against the former Ambassador, F. A Rotimi who retired early this year, he never missed the celebration and a get together for all Nigerians living in the country.
Meanwhile, the Head of Chancery, Boco while speaking with NAIJA CENTER NEWS on phone yesterday concerning the issue, stressed that the embassy decided not to celebrate Independence due to the insecurity and regular reports of deaths in Nigeria, particularly the northern parts of the country.
An attempt to convince him by our correspondent since some aggrieved Nigerians visited our office, yielded negative response as the embassy insisted that nothing would change what was already decided.
It could be recalled that even the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan celebrated Nigeria 100 years during the period the kidnapped of the more than 200 Chibok girls were causing the country great embarrassment.
A 30-year-old man, identified as Timlok, was on Tuesday electrocuted during his attempt to siphon fuel from the base station of one of the mobile telecommunication providers.
The incident took place at the Old Cemetery Street in the heart of Jos metropolis.
Eye witnesses said the suspect was trying to escape from the base station when light was restored, leading to his electrocution.
He was said to have been burnt beyond recognition.
The suspect was alleged to have on occasions, been caught on suspected theft-related offences, including vandalism of power
installations.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Emmanuell Abu, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
He said three young men were at the GSM installation on criminal mission.
He explained that the first person entered to cut the wires but was electrocuted while the others fled.
Abu advised youths to engage themselves in productive business, rather than resorting to actions that could be injurious.
The Department of State Services, has said it would appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court, Awka, which ordered it to apologise and pay N2 million to a former FCT Minister, Nasir el-Rufai, for restricting his movement during the governorship election in Anambra State in 2013.
Marilyn Ogar, Spokesperson, DSS
The service rejected the order, saying some facts may have been overlooked in the case, noting that it would therefore appeal the judgment.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations, DSS, Marilyn Ogar, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the 1999 Constitution empowered the service to detain any suspect for not more than 48 hours before recourse to a court of law.
According to her, the department would be operating like a ministry if it cannot intercept, detain and investigate suspects.
She said, “As a responsive Service, we hold the Judiciary and its sanctity in high esteem, but when you disagree with certain pronouncements of Court, you have the right to appeal and in this case, we will appeal.
“The Instrument setting up the Service and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended gives the Service statutory powers to detain and investigate any suspect for not more than 48 hours before recourse to a Court of Law. In this instance, the complainant was not confined or ‘detained’ for more than two hours.
“If we cannot intercept, detain and investigate, then we would, with due respect, be operating like any Ministry of the Federal Government.”
Ogar denied that the DSS imposed a general restriction on movement during the elections as averred by el-Rufai, noting that it was the duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission, to take measures necessary for the smooth conduct of any election, “and in this case they deemed it proper to restrict movement during voting hours,” she added.
A British man has been arrested in Bangladesh on suspicion of recruiting people to fight alongside Islamic State militants in Syria, Sky News reports.
Samiun Rahman, who is from London, arrived in the country in February to find fighters for both IS and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, according to Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division.
“He has plans to recruit and send a team from Bangladesh to fight in Syria,” Commissioner Monirul said.
Rahman, whose parents are from a town northeast of the capital Dhaka, has confessed to trying to recruit fighters for the groups, police said, although it is not clear if his efforts were successful.
He told police he had joined the Nusra Front in Syria last September and fought with the group until December 2013.
Police say Rahman returned to Britain at some point and visited other countries to recruit jihadis before going to Bangladesh to do the same.
IS has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in recent months, and fighting is reportedly continuing around the capital, Baghdad.
An explosion at a makeshift IS hospital has killed at least three fighters in Baquba, Diyala province on Monday, according to Sky sources.
There has also been intense fighting between Kurdish rebels and IS militants close to the Turkish border.
The US has been conducting airstrikes in Iraq since last month in a bid to reverse IS gains, and recently expanded their campaign to neighbouring Syria.
Britain joined the mission last week when MPs approved military action against the Islamists in Iraq.
Although RAF Tornados have flown a number of missions over northern Iraq since then, they have yet to fire any missiles.
When things like this happen every time, one will begin to ask questions like why our celebrities do this all the time?, it’s so painful.
According to the information reaching NAIJA CENTER NEWS, Nigerian actress, Ini Edo marriage to her America based husband Philip Eghiawina has ended.
Ini and Philip got married in the US in a beautiful ceremony in 2008, and the union produced no child.
The source who close to the actress has revealed that the marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences from strong allegations of “serial cheating with strong evidence” and that the couple are just pretending to still be on talking terms
It is also been alleged that Philip Eghiawina demanded to have back the bride price he paid to the Actress family to marry her, and the family of Ini Edo granted his wishes.
The wise King Solomon rightly posits that, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverb 29:2). It goes without saying that Nigerians are groaning day and night under the wicked rule they are being subjected to through a government that has abdicated its responsibility to the people, and in every way possible shows the wickedness of its reign.
To say that Nigeria is currently at the cross roads – confused and not knowing what tomorrow portends, occasioned by the visionless and misguided leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre – is to say that appropriate words to describe the state of our nation under an uncaring and corrupt government can’t be found. Today, we have a government that cannot protect or guarantee our security as contained in the Constitution. Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka recently stated that Nigeria practises ‘Government of Impunity.’ And, according to Dr Peregrino Brimah, Nigeria occupies the first position in the ranking of nations with the worst governments in history. He pointed to a report from the World Bank in April which listed Nigeria among the five poorest countries in the world, with the largest number of people said to live on less than $1.25 a day. The others are India, China, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Goodluck Jonathan instead of addressing the issue on poverty as raised casually dismissed the report by saying: “Nigeria is not a poor country.”
The rebasing of Nigeria’s economy, setting Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, while revealing the true economic position of Africa’s largest nation, simultaneously re-certified Nigeria as the nation in the top position for worst leadership in social welfare and opportunities for the people. With 70 per cent of the nation’s population living under a-dollar-a-day; economically factored, Nigeria has the poorest people of any nation in the world today. With the rebased economy rating, Nigeria has unparalleled HDI (Human Development Index) to revenue and economy ratio of all nations. Poorest people, in the case of Nigeria, are derived from or correlate with poorest leadership.
Is it not surprising that Nigeria, at the end of 2013, surpassed Mexico in kidnapping, recording the cruelest and second highest single abduction events in recent history? By the end of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, Nigeria surpassed Syria, Libya, Iraq and Central Africa Republic (CAR) in deadly acts of terrorism and sectarian violence. The Nyanya bombing was ranked the fifth worst bombing of its kind in world history, post-1970, by the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI). The Jos bombing, with over 200 reported dead in one attack, is second only to 9/11 and the disputed Syria chemical weapons attack.
According to the report, “In combined values, with about 80,000 people killed in four years of largely unchecked Boko Haram violence, and with over 4,000 killed in the first quarter of 2014 alone, Nigeria has fast outpaced other nations of the world in deadly terror. Nigeria’s leadership in December 2013 secured the world’s top position rating in insecurity and failure to protect life, and discourage terror. Current rankings put Nigeria’s leadership second only to Hitler, after surpassing Saddam Hussein, in the current century, in terms of deliberate internal wastage of life.”
A recent report on global life expectancy by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has rated Nigeria low in its report titled, “World Health Statistics 2014”, and published few months ago. According to that publication, life expectancy for both men and women is less than 55 years in nine sub-Saharan African countries, namely: Nigeria, Angola, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Mozambique and Sierra Leone. The yearly report is the definitive source of information on the health of the world’s people. It contains data from 194 countries on a range of mortality, disease and health system indicators, including life expectancy, illnesses and deaths from key diseases, health services and treatments; financial investment in health, as well as risk factors and behaviours that affect health.
Speaking at an event in New York City, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, said the Nigerian government under President Goodluck Jonathan squandered its oil resources, and indirectly helps corruption to fester in the troubled country. Her words: “They have squandered their oil wealth; they have allowed corruption to fester, and now they are losing control of parts of their (own) territory because they would not make hard choices.” The former U.S. Secretary of State at the function organised by the International Crisis Group also noted: “The Nigerian government has failed to confront the threat, or to address the underlying challenges. Most of all, the government of Nigeria needs to get serious about protecting all of its citizens, and ensuring that every child has the right and opportunity to go to school.”
That is not all, according to Sarah Seawall, U.S. Under Secretary of State, “Corruption prevents supplies as basic as bullets and transport vehicles from reaching the front lines of the struggle against Boko Haram.” Back home, former president, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, in his assessment of Jonathan’s performance in office posited: “I don’t believe he has performed to the expectation of many Nigerians, not just me.” While U.S. Senator John McCain, in his view, submits that Nigerians don’t even have a government in the right sense: “We shouldn’t have waited for a practically non-existent government to give us the go-ahead before mounting a humanitarian effort to rescue those girls. Mr. Jonathan, who leads a corrupt government that has little credibility, initially played down the group’s threat and claimed security forces were in control. It wasn’t until Sunday, more than two weeks after the kidnappings, that he called a meeting of government officials.” (NewYorkTimes).
To worsen the nation’s situation, President Jonathan has proven himself as incapable of running this country as his six years of administration have been most disastrous to the country. Our hospitals have become more of a consulting and mortuary centres; our federal roads are now death traps, after billions of naira had been budged and wasted and looted. We have an elected Government that hates democracy, but prefers ‘lootcracy’! Under this administration, the civil war years can be described as haven, as Nigerians are killed in droves today, without any solution at sight! Under this administration, Nigerians are so divided in both tribal and religious matters! Salaries of civil servants are not paid! Graduates are produced in millions yearly without any plan of employment for them. Instead of allowing these unfortunate graduates to live in peace, they are being defrauded by government agencies, while a good number has lost their lives in their search for nonexistent jobs! We now have a government of deceit, which major achievement is making our nation a laughing stock before the international community.
A government that has succeeded in making us a mockery before the international community and African leaders; which major achievements are trumatising and transforming the nation into darkness as well as digitalising corruption to such a level where a whopping sum of $10 million can be said to have developed wings, and unaccounted for.
The latest in the series of global ridicule to which the scandal-prone Jonathan Administration has subjected Nigeria to is the recent impounding of a whopping sum of $9.3 million cash, against every norm of international transaction; allegedly for the purchase of arms by the President Jonathan government. The South Africa Government is currently investigating the shameful act, alleging that this is just a monetary laundering exercise.
My good friend, Hon Nebukadineze Adiele, while commenting on this latest scandal stated: “Notwithstanding whatever excuses that Nigeria is making today, the transporting of $9.3 million into South Africa alone is a criminal act of money laundering. It violated the various monetary policies of the entire world: it violated currency laws in Nigeria, South Africa, U.S. (it is its currency), and any nation whose airspace was passed as the money moved. That the money was for illegal arms purchase is another violation of the laws of the entire world. It violated almost every anti-arms trafficking laws of Nigeria, South Africa, and all the nation’s whose airspace was entered throughout the journey. It was also a violation of any international treaty entered into by Nigeria, with respect to arms control or illegal trafficking in arms. Through this transaction, Nigeria has disgraced itself and President Jonathan has (once more) brought his incompetence to the international stage.”
Capturing the present state of our nation under the present administration of President Jonathan aptly, Senator David Mark, most successful president of the upper chamber, affirmed that Nigeria is at war. His words: “The escalation of violence and the heinous crimes daily perpetrated by insurgents and terrorists, including the declaration of a Caliphate, has reached alarming proportions. Regrettably, the Boko Haram sect, these harbingers of death, have become more emboldened and daring, killing innocent Nigerians and destroying property at will.
“From abductions, kidnappings and bombings, the situation has now degenerated to capturing and occupying some parts of Nigeria. In what is obviously intended to humiliate us as a sovereign nation and test our resolve, the terrorists have brazenly hoisted their flags to confirm their assault and affront on our collective will as a nation. The Boko Haram sect has in no unmistakable terms declared a total war on Nigeria and Nigerians. Their ideology is alien to our culture.”
But sadly, after few days Senator Mark made this remarkable statement, he was among the shameless PDP leadership that nominated President Jonathan, who has demonstrated incompetence as a hobby, to fly the PDP flag during the 2015 general election. So, who is deceiving who?
Ironically, Nigeria is certainly more divided under this (democratically elected) administration than ever. And only Divine intervention can enable us survive the visionless and clueless leadership that now pervades our nation. Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, last Thursday, observed that Nigeria was moving backwards, saying: “There was never a time the nation passed through the challenges it is currently facing, especially in terms of insecurity, corruption and other vices that have been on the increase in this country.”
For leading Nigeria to its present comatose state, one cannot be far from the truth if one says that President Goodluck Jonathan is a colossal failure, in terms of his leadership style.
Notwithstanding the foregoing woes backed by facts and figures, a notorious group that calls itself Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), which I prefer to call Tragic Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), led by a notorious subsidy thief, and made up of scammers, rouges, vampires, vultures, scavengers, looters, plunderers – all seeking the continued ruination of Nigeria by the most corrupt and inept regime that has ever infested Nigeria, headed by clueless President Jonathan in order to continue the looting spree and impunity associated with this administration.
Correcting the Abnormality Caused By GEJ Over PDP’s Zoning
The fact remains that the founding fathers of PDP in their wisdom, enacted in its constitution with a Gentleman’s Agreement, that power should rotate between the predominantly Muslim North and Christian South every two terms. General Olusegun Obasanjo, from the southern part of Nigeria benefitted from this arrangement for eight years (1999 to 2007). The 2007 presidential election witnessed power shifting to the North, but after the death of President Umar Yar’Adua, a Northern Muslim, then Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, a Southern Christian, took over as acting president.
The former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, said he was present at the meeting where Dr Jonathan, then acting governor of Bayelsa State, signed the agreement in 2003 that the North would produce the president between 2007 and 2011; and that Jonathan, who was the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, signed as number 43. But sadly, President Jonathan went ahead to scuttle this policy designed by the founding fathers, by contesting the 2011, which he won. And after spending six years in office by 2015, he is still offering himself to contest the 2015 presidential election, which if he wins, will make him to rule the country for ten years; against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that stipulates that nobody should rule the country exceeding eight years.
Throwing light on the above, former Governor Abdullahi Adamu, one time National Secretary of PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), in a recent media interview, stated that President Jonathan’s running for the 2015 presidential election, is absolutely reneging on an agreement. According to him, at a meeting with party leaders at the Conference Room of the Office of the First Lady, Presidential Villa, the President agreed not to seek re-election, after conceding that it was the turn of the North to produce the president on the platform of the ruling party, following the demise of former President Umaru Yar’Adua. According to him, at the meeting, which he attended in his capacity as the then secretary of the PDP’s BoT, virtually all the PDP governors then were present. The former governor recalled: “I was there. I was the secretary of the Board of Trustees of the party. The president himself was there. Some state governors were there. Samuel Ogbemudia was there. Virtually all the PDP governors were there. Mr. Jonathan would be violating the agreement if he decides to enter the presidential contest, which holds in February next year.”
Undemocratic adoption of President Jonathan for the 2015 elections by the PDP Leadership
In the Guardian News Paper Published on July 29, 2011. President Jonathan, said and l quote “l won’t stay in office beyond 2015″ Not minding the massive failure in all sectors of our economy, the immorality and the political implication on our nation of President Jonathan contesting the 2015 general elections; the various echelons of PDP Leadership have adopted him as the party’s sole-candidate for the 2015 presidential election. With this development, Nigerians have no option than to rally together and ensure that this evil calculation is not allowed to see the light of the day as extra day after May 29, 2015 with PDP Leadership at the centre will be hellish for all of us.
The son of Nigeria’s First Republic Prime Minister, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa, captured the illegality of this plot thus, “What type of democracy do we have? Is the PDP a communist party? Where is the place of internal democracy? What Nigerians need and where they want the country to be in future are paramount issues. We need to put our ideas before the people and allow them to decide”.
Implications of GEJ Contesting the 2015 Poll
Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, former Archbishop of Lagos and first president of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other Nigerian leaders knowing that President Jonathan is an embodiment of failure in leadership have spoken against his third term bid but Dr Umar Ardo, an Adamawa State PDP stakeholder, captured aptly the ineligibility of President Jonathan in the 2015 general election in an open letter to the National Chairman of PDP. He wrote: “Any person of average intellect who read the 1999 Constitution (as amended) along with four key judgments of the Supreme Court (INEC Vs Boni Haruna; Peter Obi Vs Chris Ngige; Ladoja Vs INEC, and INEC Vs 5 PDP Governors), would easily conclude that President Jonathan’s eligibility to contest for another four-year term in 2015, or at any other time thereafter, under the present constitution is impeded. This argument is premised on the fact that what constitutionally applies to the governor on the issue of eligibility or otherwise to contest elections is ipso facto applicable to the president.
“In those judgments, the apex court had established the relationship between the governor and his deputy on the issue of succession (Boni Haruna); determined the holding of office in a term at four years (Peter Obi); affirmed that a governor can stay less but not more than four years in a term (Ladoja); and declared that tenure of the executive in office is a cumulative maximum period of eight years, and not a day longer (five PDP governors). By 29 May 2015, President Jonathan would be five years 23 days as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If the president contests and wins the 2015 presidential elections or at any other time later, he will exceed the cumulative tenure of eight years maximum period as interpreted by the Supreme Court. Therefore such a contest will be unconstitutional.”
Nothing else will be far from the truth than this truism, but NEC, BoT, and the leadership of PDP are well aware of all these facts. But in demonstration of their hatred for our nation, they are ready to wreck our Constitution, in their drive to achieve the misguided vision and mission of their party.
Options, Way Out of PDP’s Evil Trap
Are Nigerians actually tired of these evil cabals that have hijacked governance in the country? If yes is the answer; how to correct these anomalies associated with the poor leadership of our country by PDP lay in their hands. The fate of our country can only be ratified and put back on track if Nigerians rise and get PDP sacked by 2015. If not, the woes ahead on all of us may not be described. We have done too much talking!
The Next Question: Is APC Leadership Ready to Bail out Nigeria?
All Progressives Congress (APC), to the understanding of some of us, was divinely formed to find solution to the abnormality that PDP has become and the quagmire state we have found ourselves as a nation. If this is the case, the challenge before APC, therefore, is enormous; and Nigerians will hold the leadership responsible should they for any reason fail to rescue our nation from the 16 years of ruination of our country by the inept leadership of PDP Government at the centre.
The Obasanjo Solution
I have read the statement of our statesman and leader, General Olusegun Obasanjo, in his recent reaction to the PDP nomination of President Jonathan as its sole candidate, entitled, “Obasanjo To President Jonathan On Second Term”. He said: “Your word must be your bond.” With respect to Gen Obasanjo, the fact remains that he created the monster in President Jonathan, and should find how to get this puzzle sorted out and save our nation from the doom that awaits her should this man succeed against all odds to be re-elected by 2015
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APC Presidential Candidates
One is happy with the no zoning policy adopted by the leadership of the party and with the presidential aspirations of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Adams Oshimhole of Edo State, Okoroacha of Imo State and Kano Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso, without post-primary crisis. Also, to add Tambuwal’s under the platform of APC; I am sure that any of them can send the present inept leadership of PDP to the cleaners. But the challenge is that should there be any crack in this team, the plans and plots of PDP will easily sail through. In this regard, I wish to appeal that a sort of college be formed among these aspirants; to include our governors and BoT members, to select a candidate from among them, so as to avoid any sort of crack. This will enable us forge a united, virile campaign that will send this enemies of Nigeria out from power. But should any of these candidates, for any reason, decide to break this accord, and PDP succeeds, then we all should wait to see the true President Jonathan.
Conclusion
Many of my friends have come against me asking why I should be postulating this position against a fellow Southerner, but I will take consolation from the stand of the great Irish political philosopher, statesman and the father of conservatism, Edmund Burke, who died in July 9, 1797. He may have had the messy state of our nation in mind when he stated, and I quote: “All that is needed for the forces of evil to succeed is for enough good men to remain silent.”
The point that I have been in the centre of the struggle for a better Nigeria is not in doubt, prompting the penning down of this article. So it will be sad should anybody dare suggest that I was either influenced or motivated in writing this article for any other consideration, if not for patriotic reasons.
The fact remains that should APC loose out in the 2015 general election, but God forbid, the true colour of President Goodluck Jonathan will be revealed to Nigerians. And the heat may be unbearable. The ball is now in your court to do that which is necessary to rescue Nigeria from the imminent doom that awaits her, should we fail in this mission.
Let me; therefore, conclude this thesis by asking you all to listen to what the most outstanding African, both dead and living, Nelson Mandela, said about our present predicament: “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then, people will appreciate your leadership.”
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze was the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New PDP
Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, is set to go back to school for a higher degree in Christian Theology.
Olusegun Obasanjo registering for NIC
Mr. Obasanjo will on Tuesday formally enrol as a graduate student at the headquarters of the National Open University of Nigeria in Lagos.
Having obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in 2009, Mr. Obasanjo will now be working towards a doctorate degree, beginning first with a Masters degree, an associate of the former president told PREMIUM TIMES.
When contacted Monday night, Mr. Obasanjo confirmed he was returning to school.
He said it was important for him to make some commitments towards achieving his aspirations in life.
“I’m going back to school because I have to have something to aspire to in every endeavour of life,” Mr. Obasanjo told PREMIUM TIMES. “I always aspire to something new in my farm. I do that in my international activities. I do it in my writing. I do it in the improvement of my academic work which helps to sharpen my brain and strengthen my faith.”
When asked how he was going to cope combining his studies with his tight international engagements, Mr. Obasanjo said he would take advantage of the flexibility of the National Open University’s system.
“Fortunately, the Open University is flexible enough and I will definitely be able to cope. I was able to cope when I did the Post Graduate. I was also busy during the period,” he said.
The National Open University was initially established in 1983 but was suspended by the then military government in 1984. Mr. Obasanjo resuscitated it in 2001.
In November 2006, a few months to the end of his eight-year tenure, the then president enrolled for a post graduate diploma in Christian Theology at the university.
He graduated in January 2009.
At the graduation ceremony, the then Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Olagbemiro Jegede, described Mr. Obasanjo as a hardworking student.
”As a student, Obasanjo vigorously pursued his studies on full time basis…He is a shinning example of how seriously a student should take his learning. Like everybody, he sat for all the examinations using anonymous matriculation numbers, and by our internal quality control and security-proof control measures, his papers were marked by different tutors located in some of our study centres including Damaturu, Minna and Yenagoa,” Mr. Jegede said.
Born on March 5, 1937, Mr. Obasanjo attended Abeokuta Baptist High School; Mons Officers’ Cadet School, Aldershot, England; Royal College of Military Engineering, Chatham, England and School of Survey, Newbury, England.
He also attended the British Royal Engineers’ Young Officers School, Shrivenham, England; Indian Defence Staff College; Indian Army School of Engineering and Royal College of Defence Studies, London.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Army in 1958.
He was Nigeria’s Head of State between 1976 and 1979 when he voluntarily handed over to a civilian administration led by Shehu Shagari. In 1999, he was elected president. His tenure expired in 2007.
A former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, says there is a need for the country to undergo a “common sense” revolution.
Bola Tinubu arriving yesterday
Tinubu, who is a national leader of the All Progressives Congress said the many years of misrule by successive Peoples Democratic Party presidents had continued to sink the country further into crisis.
The former governor said this in a statement titled ‘A Return to Decency’, on Monday.
He described the 16 years of PDP rule at the federal level as a period of steady decline into disaster.
He said, “The longer they rule, the less benefit the people derive. Nigeria now needs a ‘common sense revolution,’ a revolution that calls forth a return to decency, probity, transparency of process and fairness in outcome.
“This is done not by subterfuge, divide and rule and turning Nigeria in a field of discord or a street of broken institutions. It is accomplished by honouring the principles of democratic good governance and economic justice. It is done by persuading the people they are better off as one instead of better off tearing at one another’s throats.
“Nigerians should be prepared for change. We must rescue Nigeria from those set to cause it irreparable harm. The change I talk about is the only route to our deliverance from 16 years of the PDP locusts. Nigeria is ours to keep and its democracy is ours to save.”
He advised that this year’s Independence Day should be a time of sober reflection because other countries that received independence at the same time as Nigeria had since surpassed the country.
He described the Nigeria of today as the nightmare of its founding fathers. Tinubu further berated the PDP-led Federal Government of using religion to divide Nigerians.
He said, “We commemorate this Independence Day because the nation has survived despite its many challenges. We dare not celebrate because the nation has not flourished as it should. Fifty four years our national trek began with hope and promise, peace and unity.
“Today, the nation staggers beneath the weight of trouble multiplied by hardship. Peace and unity seem to have yielded the moment to violence and discord. We exist as a political unit on a map but we do not prosper as brothers and sisters in one nation, under one flag and pursuant to one accord.”
“Never has an elected government in Nigeria employed religion as a tool to divide the people, setting Nigerian brother against brother in a manner that allows this administration to function at the basest level of governance while seeking to establish a political domination that seeks no greater purpose than its self-perpetuation.”
He described attempts to stigmatise and physically intimidate the APC and the militarisation of elections as features of a perverse democracy.
He described President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda as an avenue to siphon funds through a dubious blueprint.
“They do not have a national blueprint or vision. They do have a blueprint and vision for excessive self-enrichment. Their equation is simple: You work, they feast. You toil, they grow fat. You seek a decent wage; they pilfer the collective treasury to enjoy a king’s ransom,” he said.
He said rather than promote religious tolerance and harmonious living, Jonathan’s government believes its electoral chances are enhanced by promoting ethnicism, internal divisions and religious suspicion but “successful nations are not built this way, have we not learned the lesson that we paid the high price of civil war to learn.”
It’s possible to be poor, live a life of honour, dignity, says Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has said that it is possible to be poor and live a life of honour and dignity.
The president made this statement on Monday while speaking at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, venue of the 2014 National Honours Award Investiture ceremony being performed by him.
Read Full speach below
His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR On the Occasion of the Conferment of the 2014 National Honours State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja Monday, 29th September, 2014
PROTOCOLS
1. It gives me great pleasure to once again perform the function of honouring our deserving citizens with National Honours for 2013 and 2014. The conferment of these honours is a yearly undertaking in conformity with our laws. The National Honours ceremony is an annual ritual of renewal in which our society constantly connects with its higher values.
2. A nation is void and soulless if she does not have those sacred values it holds dear and individuals who project them. It is in such men and women that you find the authentic inheritance of the generations and their nurturing. That is why a nation is poor that is not rich in people who carry noble values that are transferred from generation to generation
3. No great nation will toy with honours that constitute her trans-generational character code. This was why I insisted last year that our National Honour must never be seen as a piece of paper or garland round the neck which individuals not worthy of honour can pick up and continue to project wrong values that diminish our heritage.
4. I also directed the National Honours Committee to always cast their net wide to ensure that all strata of our society where honourable Nigerians are excelling should be brought into the honours’ fold.
5. I want to use this opportunity to urge all Nigerians to actively participate in the nomination process so that the worthy get their recognition. For only the nominated can stand the chance of being honoured by our great country.
6. Very distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to note that going through this year’s list of honourees, there is a broader and more salutary spectrum. This demonstrates clearly that our nation is rich in men; rich in women; rich in youth; rich in the professions!
7. Indeed, we have many individuals who stand out in service accomplishment and dedication in their fields of endeavour.
8. I believe, one of the reasons why our society is not at ease is because we have neglected our ennobling traditional value system. There was a time in our country that when you were honoured with traditional or religious titles in any community, you were deemed to personify the highest ethos of that community.
9. It was a period when a teacher was the hallmark of the most honourable values in a settlement. The Bank Manager in any community was a man of high probity in whose care people trusted the
10. It was a period when people kept quiet and walked gently when they approached a place of worship for the fear of God in their heart, not now that people throw explosives in places of worship.
11. We must get back those time-honoured values that shaped us for good so that we can live right. This is what the National Honour in its truest essence seeks to do. To identify and celebrate men and women whose lives depict the very essence of societal existence. Therefore, at all times, our honourees must be sincere men and women who point society in the right direction and mirror the possibilities of greatness unlimited.
12. I congratulate all the awardees and enjoin you all to realize that the honour your country bestows on you today is an additional responsibility to continue to demonstrate the strength of character that has brought you to the hall of fame. Your lifestyle must be exemplary and reflect that of a truly honourable man or woman who at all times projects the noblest of virtues.
13 . To all our country men and women, my challenge to you is to strive to do the best in whatever endeavour you are in, that would recommend you for the recognition of your nation. It really does not matter what you do.
14. Take Mr. Ime Usuah, the Taxi Driver whose daily income was not more than ten thousand naira. A passenger forgot eighteen million naira in his taxi, and went away.
15. The man did not have Mr. Usuah’s name or his phone number. The honest Nigerian spirit in Mr. Usuah led him to go hunting for the owner of the eighteen million naira and he delivered it to him, intact. This is how it should be.
16. For many of you in Abuja or who visit our Nation’s capital, you must have seen a hard working traffic warden who does his job with great dexterity, glee and happiness. As a traffic officer, he delights in entertaining commuters by graceful gyrations and gesticulations as he efficiently directs traffic.CPL Solomon Dauda carries on his job with evident pride and dignity!
17. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we all enjoy Nollywood, but one man experimented with the idea of telling stories in ways that have revolutionized the movie industry in Nigeria. His name is Kenneth Nnebue. Through him, many stars including those whom we have honoured, stand tall on the global stage of acting today.
18. Democracy Campaigner, Joe Okei – Odumakin, Environmental Activist Nnimmo Bassey, and Mr. Michael Isaac Onuh, a very dedicated steward who has served every Head of State loyally since President Shehu Shagari (it is quite a feat for a steward to have survived nine Heads of State and nine First Ladies) – are all here to receive honour for their hard-work in service of our Nation and humanity.
19. Looking at the list of honourees today, you will see among them some who are Nigerians not by birth but by naturalization; and some others who are non-Nigerians: they have distinguished themselves in the realm of private enterprise and are demonstrating their faith in Nigeria by contributing meaningfully to the growth of our economy and creating jobs for our youth. We appreciate them all.
20. It is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, induct this year’s outstanding honourees: men and women of great character from Civil Society, the Military, the Judiciary, Civil Service, Enterprise, Academia, sports, entertainment, the traditional institution and all other walks of life.
21. While congratulating them all, it is my hope that their richly deserved recognition will inspire other Nigerians and non-Nigerians in our country to recommit themselves to dedicated service to our Fatherland and our common humanity.
22. Let me now at this point specially appreciate three of the awardees: the taxi driver, Mr. Ime Usuah, the traffic warden, Cpl Solomon Dauda, and the steward, Mr. Michael Isaac Onuh, and ask that they should step forward and come to the stage. I read a story in The Vanguard on Sunday yesterday in which Michael Isaac Onuh was described as a pauper in the State House.
You can see that those who take to criminality do not necessarily do so because of poverty; it is possible for people to be poor and live a life of honour and dignity, because some of you here and myself know where we are coming from. We have passed through stress, but we did not take to criminality. It is also why we appreciate these three gentlemen: Onuh, the taxi driver, Usuah, and Corporal Dauda. In addition to the national honours already bestowed on you, I hereby direct the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to give you a gift of a flat each.
23. And by the same token, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should ensure that another awardee who has contributed so much to the history of this country, the person who designed the Nigerian flag, Pa Michael Akinkunmi is placed on the salary of a Special Assistant to the President.
BENIN—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, yesterday, reacted to the boast by President Goodluck Jonathan that his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will recapture Edo State come 2015 and 2016, saying that it was a tall dream to think that “Chief Tom Ikimi, who recently joined the PDP will win Edo State for him.”
President Jonathan and OshiomholePolitics
The President had at weekend’s unity rally of the PDP in Benin City, said that the party would win Rivers and Edo states back in 2015 and 2016, adding that in Rivers State, “We know that the party in charge is PDP, the APC only exists on bill boards.”
Reacting, the APC, through the Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Political Matters and a member of the state APC caucus, Mr. Charles Idahosa, reminded the President that the Binis who constitute over 50 per cent of the population of Edo State have been marginalised in his government, adding that it will, therefore, be a “tall dream” to think that the Esan god- fathers will win Edo for him.
“It is unfortunate that the President is being deceived by the PDP leaders here and people like Ikimi who recently defected to the PDP because he lost out in the chairmanship contest of the APC. It is just a dream they can never achieve. As for Tom Ikimi who spoke during the rally, how many people decamped to PDP with him? None of the defectors can match Oshiomhole’s foot soldiers and they know it.
“Ikimi said he left APC because after cooking the food people came and stole both the pot and the food. But in this case, he forgot that it was Ize-Iyamu who cooked those that left the APC for PDP but he went to the stadium to hijack the show by introducing Ize-Iyamu instead of Ize-Iyamu introducing Ikimi to the President.
“Ize-Iyamu who did all the cooking is now a spectator. The only people who spoke at that rally, in Benin soil were two Esan people, Anenin and Ikimi and that is the continuation of the subjugation of the Binis by the minorities. Dr Samuel Ogbemudia was never mentioned there, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion was seated there, his father Esama was seated and none of them spoke, yet President Jonathan is boasting that PDP will win Edo. That is laughable.”
By Luka Binniyat, Emman Ovuakporie, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Laide Akinboade
KADUNA —President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday for the first time spoke on the controversial $9.3m cash allegedly smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli using his private jet. The money which has been confiscated by a South African court was meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian Intelligence Services. This is just as the #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, has said it will soon drag the CAN president and the Federal Government to court over the money.
Ayo oritsejafor
Following the use of his aircraft to convey the money which was not declared in South Africa until immigration officials discovered it, the CAN president was linked to the arms deal with critics condemning his role in the arms deal.
Explaining his own side of the story yesterday, at an emergency meeting of the expanded National Executive Council, NEC, of CAN in Abuja, Pastor Oritsejafor denied any involvement or knowledge of the deal to buy arms in South Africa, noting that enemies of Christians were fuelling the division of CAN.
He said: “The media has been awash in the past few days about an unfortunate incident involving the movement of funds from Nigeria to South Africa. In the unfortunate news reports, attempts have been made to link me directly with the transaction. So far I have refrained from making any direct public statement pending the time that I would have briefed the leaders of the church and explained my position on the issues to them.
“I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church. Permit me to thank everyone who stood by me these past days by ways of prayers, as well as strongly defending me even though I have not undertaken any public defence of myself.
“I am particularly appreciative of the valuable support of the Catholic Church in refuting a distorted news item by mischievous elements in the media. I wish to assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the image of Jesus Christ or compromise the divine standard of the Church.
The aircraft is mine — CAN president
“At the risk of being seen to be defending myself, I wish to confirm to the distinguished leaders of the church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine.
“The aircraft was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners world wide at the 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry. May I be permitted to stress that the aircraft was not given to me by the President of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or patronage.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the President of the country was a guest in our church during the anniversary celebration when the Jet was presented to me and this has been construed to imply that it was a gift from the President of the country.
“The President of Nigeria has nothing to do with the gift of the aircraft. By the way, I still wonder why all those saying this, still cannot come out to show proof so that the matter can be put to rest once and for all. Let me say that this might be an issue of the court in the near future.
“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintenance of the aircraft, I sought and got permit to allow the aircraft fly in and out of Nigeria.
“Based on this, I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it. It was the leasee that entered into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be attached to me.
War against the Church
“In as much as I am shocked and distressed by the incident, I wish to appeal to Christians in Nigeria to remember that a war has been waged against the Nigerian Church. This war is being fought on many fronts and this unfortunate incident is another dimension in the assault against the Church.
“It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create a schism in the Church. The media hype and the deliberate distortion of information that followed it confirmed that forces that desperately desire to cause division and disunity in the Church are at work. Even the devil knows that a house that is divided cannot stand.
“As Christians, we need unity in the Church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by religious extremists against Christians in the northern part of the country while Christian infrastructure is being destroyed in hundreds.
“If we permit the enemy to divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.
“Distinguished leaders of the Church, please permit me to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today, I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.
“Let me make a passionate appeal to our heads of blocks, heads of denominations and Christian leaders at different levels and spheres of influence to please use your good offices to caution and control your subordinates and followers from making public statements that will further polarise the Church and strengthen the arms of the enemies of the church.
“If I offend you or you offend me, instead of talking to media, let us talk to each other within the house of God.”
#BringBackOurGirls# threatens to sue
Meanwhile, the #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, at its sit-out, yesterday, in Abuja called for more public outcry over the $9.3 million cash found in Pastor Oritsejafor’s private jet in South Africa, saying it has concluded arrangement to sue the CAN president and the Federal Government over it.
According to the group: “We need more pressure more than ever; this is tax payers money, we must speak up any time an injustice is done especially when it is about infiltration of arms because that is what brought us here. There is need for a louder cry about this because quietly people are forgetting about the $9.3 million, it will continue if we don’t do anything.
“By next week you will have something different, we are working with our lawyers to sue Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Federal Government.”
Also, the House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business has said that the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lai Mohammed must have acted out of ignorance for saying that the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha was biased in his ruling over the controversial $9.3million arms deal motion.
Briefing House of Representatives correspondents at the weekend, chairman of the committee, Albert Sam-Tsokwa said “it is glaring that the APC publicity secretary was not conversant with our House rules when he said the Deputy Speaker manipulated the proceedings on the motion bordering on the $9.3m arms deal in South Africa.
“The DS acted as a patriotic Nigerian as he considered the interest of Nigerians above any political lineage following our House standing Orders to the letter.
“The motion in question was an investigative one seeking investigation into the alleged arms deal in South Africa which does not need any debate as this might jeopardise the proposed investigation”.
Vanguard recalls that in the wake of the arms deal, the matter came up in the form of a motion on the floor of the House last Tuesday, but Ihedioha, who presided over plenary that day, did not allow debate on the motion, citing ‘national security.’ He later called for a voice vote and majority of the lawmakers voted against it.
This development did not go down well with some lawmakers, most of whom are of the opposition All Progressives Congress ,APC, who staged a walk out from the floor immediately Ihedioha ruled.
The motion, sponsored by Deputy Minority Leader Abdulrahman Kawu Sulaiman,APC, Kano sought for a thorough investigation into the matter.
But Tsokwa argued at the briefing that what Ihedioha did was in line with the relevant rules of the House, which do not allow debate on matters relating to infrastructure, security and investigation.
He explained that “the House is precluded from discussing any issue that is pending in court. Our rules also say motions on infrastructure, security and investigation are not to be debated. The motion on $9.3 million seeks an investigation, so it shouldn’t, couldn’t and mustn’t have been debated. That was exactly what happened,” Tsokwa said.
Tsokwa further stressed that “the mover wasn’t supposed to take it that day, because it wasn’t on the Order Paper. He insisted on taking it because he said he was away on the Speaker’s errand. But any matter that is not on the Notice Paper can’t be included on the Order Paper. Some members were against taking the motion, but the Deputy Speaker allowed him.”
The Taraba state lawmaker explained that going by parliamentary rules, if any member is not satisfied with a particular decision taken, such a member would call for the House to be divided based on the ‘ayes’ and the ‘nays,’ saying walking out was not appropriate.
“The decision wasn’t taken on the basis of party. It wasn’t all APC members that voted against it and vice-versa”, he said.
The United Kingdom has requested the extradition of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Mr. Emmanuel Okomoyon, to face prosecution in relation to an alleged scam involving printing of polymer notes.
A source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission confided in one of our correspondents that the process of extraditing Okomoyon to the UK was being facilitated by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation under a mutual agreement for legal assistance request by the British government.
The Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed on Monday that the British government had contacted the Federal Government to have the former Mint MD extradited.
“There was an extradition request on him by the UK government,” he said.
It was gathered that the EFCC had been investigating Okomoyon since 2012 on the request of the British National Crime Agency in relation to the alleged scandal that trailed the contract for the printing of the polymer naira notes.
Okomoyon, who was the managing director of the NSMPC, was suspended by the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria for the alleged disappearance of N1,000 notes.
The source said that the British National Crime Agency made a request for the investigation in reaction to a discovery by the Australian authorities that some people at the CBN and the NSMC received bribes and kickbacks from a substrate producing company, Securency Pty Limited, to produce the N20 polymer notes for the central bank between 2006 and 2008.
It was gathered that over N750m was involved in the scam allegedly involving officials of the CBN, NSPMC and Securency International Pty of Australia, now Innovia Security Pty Limited.
The source said the investigation conducted by the EFCC revealed a “web of forgery, identity fraud and money laundering, running into millions of naira.”
It was learnt that the British government made a request for the alleged scam to be investigated by the EFCC following the realisation that the bribes were routed through offshore accounts in the UK and other areas of jurisdiction.
Investigation revealed that operatives of the EFCC arrested Okomoyon on Saturday and had been detaining him at the commission’s Idiagbon House Head Office at Wuse, Abuja.
It was further learnt that the EFCC had been involved in moves to get the office of the AGF to formalise his extradition to the UK to face charges bordering on corruption.
Okoyomon’s arrest was confirmed to one of our correspondents by one his close associates.
The source, who did not want his name in print as he was not officially permitted to speak on the matter, confided in our correspondent that the former Mint boss would be extradited to the UK to face prosecution in relation to money laundering.
The source said apart from Okoyomon, other former and serving management staff of the Mint had been placed under surveillance by the anti-graft agency.
The source said, “Information reaching me now is that the man has been picked up by the EFCC. Also, we learnt that the EFCC has placed some former and serving key members of staff, particularly directors, on surveillance.
“Those been put on surveillance are management staff who might have collaborated during the scam. There are also information that the man is to be extradited by the Federal Government to the United Kingdom on money laundering charges.”
The Defence Headquarters has said that it was aware that members of the outlawed Islamist sect, Boko Haram, were in the habit of looting its armoury.
Nigerian soldiers on armour tank seized from Boko Haram in Konduga
The military authorities stated that they were making efforts to secure all armouries in its various formations across the country.
Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, made the disclosure during his first real-time Twitter chat which held on Sunday night.
The army general was, however, not categorical about the grades of weapons just as he did not name the armouries that have so far been looted by the insurgents.
“We are taking measures to ensure that our armouries are secured. We agree and are aware Boko Haram has stolen arms,” Olukolade said while responding to an inquiry by one of the participants of the Twitter chat.
The Defence spokesman explained that the military high command frowned on the proliferation of arms, noting that inter-agency cooperation had recently been heightened to contain the menace.
According to Olukolade, the policing of Nigerian borders with other West African neighbours have been repositioned in view of the security threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgents.
“Interagency collaboration has been heightened; from all indications policing of our borders has increased. Our strategic information-sharing policy considers transparency, security, propriety and accuracy in reporting to the public,” he added.
Warning that the military would deal decisively with saboteurs among its officers and men engaged in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North East, Olukolade said the service chiefs were “monitoring all personnel both in the frontline and rear”, adding that “suspicious people are being vetted.”
Dismissing the insinuation that top military commanders were feeding large on the entitlements of the rank and file of the armed forces, the military spokesman argued that the quality of food being provided for the officers and men at the battlefront are the same.
He claimed that the welfare package for the slain officers and men who die on the battlefield was attractive.
“The food they (officers and men) eat is within standards and best diet design as practicable. All eat the same food, be it officers or soldiers.
“By the way, there are two levels of insurance covering all soldiers and men involved in the anti-terror war. There is the Personnels’ Service Arm insurance, the Defence Headquarters Insurance package which is different from the gratuity, death benefits and children scholarships. On honour for slain soldiers, we do give due and befitting burials,” Olukolade said.
According to him, since Shekau has been killed by the military forces, the Armed Forces would remain focused by maintaining the tempo of “firepower to ensure that we sweep them (Boko Haram) off their nuisance hotspots.”
Insisting that the Defence Headquarters would not concede any portion of Nigeria to terrorists, Olukolade said the surveillance and air operations were ongoing with a view to exerting control and ensure minimum collateral damage.
Olukolade further said that the Nigerian Armed Forces were better armed, responsive and service oriented when placed in comparison with their Cameroonian counterparts.
“We welcome input from allies. It still remains our duty to get best results for our people. We are exchanging ideas and intelligence.
“We have a Nigerian-led Multinational Joint Task Force particularly on the Lake Chad Basin area. Cameroon is inactive in this.
“Any campaign to suggest that our Army is weaker than Boko Haram, Cameroon’s or any other force is a campaign against Nigeria.
“There is so much eagerness to discredit us and make us bow psychologically. I am working for my country. No denials.
“They are trying to pitch the soldiers against the leadership. Any military that loses leadership is doomed for the nation.
“Officers are paid to manage soldiers. Civilians can’t control them. Anarchy looms if authority loses grip.”
Olukolade added that there was no time frame to putting an end to the insurgency as terrorism is usually a long fight.
He, thereafter, warned the media against what he described as the undermining of structures.
“This is not the time to prove that the pen is mightier than the sword. Nigerian media should not undermine structures. We appeal to foreign and the local press to be circumspect and be consistent with democracy and public interests.
“We agree that there is such a need to review its (military) communication mechanism and we have engaged with various stakeholders to maintain robust counter-terrorist communications,” he said.
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 19 persons over the murder of a former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Omolafe Aderiye.
The PUNCH gathered that the 19 persons, including one female, were arrested in a string operation carried out over the weekend.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the arrest to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, did not reveal the identity of those arrested.
He said they remained innocent until investigation proved otherwise.
Babayemi said, “The 19 are being questioned in respect of the killing. This is to determine their level of culpability, it is not that they have been indicted.
“They are helping us in the investigation.”
Aderiye, a staunch supporter of the Governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose, was killed on Thursday in Ijigbo area of the State capital, Ado-Ekiti.
His death sparked violence across the state on Friday leading to the burning of the house and cars of a former state Chairman of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, Rotimi Olabiwoninu.
On Sunday, there was a threat of reprisal attack by RTEAN members in the state.
Meanwhile, the police on Monday held a peace-deal meeting with leading traditional rulers in Ekiti State.
It also held a separate meeting with leaders of the RTEAN, NURTW, market men and women, religious leaders, okada riders and other interest groups.
Babayemi, who confirmed the meetings said the essence was to find a lasting solution to the recurring violence.
The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, appealed to the traditional rulers led by their chairman-the Onitaji of Itaji, Obama Adamo Babalola-to appeal to their subjects to give peace a chance.
He reminded the traditional rulers council that Ekiti remains greater than anybody.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 8, Christopher Dega, assured that the police would be unbiased to all parties.
He expressed concerns over the recurring violence, which, according to him was destroying the image of the state.
A source at the meeting said the traditional rulers all agreed to work with the police to achieve peace in the state.
The council also asked that the mandate of the people should be respected and not be subverted by manipulation.
It also appealed to aggrieved parties in court to follow the natural cause of justice without any rancor.
They asked that parties at the tribunal should conduct themselves in a manner that will not create an impression that they want to subvert the will of the people by manipulating the judiciary and cause crisis in the state.
The Synagogue Church Of All Nation says the collapsed building in the church premises was a controlled demolition, demanding for an investigation into the matter.
| credits: Nairaland
A spokesman for a media outfit of the church, Emmanuel Television, Mr Ken Emeakayi, said footages from the CCTV in the church premises showed that a strange aircraft hovered over the building four times before it collapsed.
He told Channels Television on Monday that the aircraft might have been there to detonate explosive devices that may have been planted in the building prior to the collapse.
“We are investigating the incident for the world to know what actually happened. When you look at the clip you will see that it was not just the aircraft hovering. At the point of the incident, there was explosion.
“It is possible they were either dropped or planted and the aircraft will have to come and detonate it.
“The persons in the building said that the noise they heard suggested that it was an explosion.
“Those involved in the act may not have been aware of the security cameras.
“With modern technologies explosive devices could be detonated without a loud noise.
“There were about four explosives that were detonated in the building from the much the CCTv could capture and because we know that there would be fragments from the explosive, we are calling for an investigation,” he said.
The Emmanuel Tv spokesman said that the presiding priest, Prophet TB Joshua, could have been the target, explaining that the incident occurred after the same strange aircraft had hovered around a prayer ground where the pastor usually holds prayer sessions in the morning.
“A strange helicopter was hovering around the prayer mountain when the man of God was there. It was the time he was supposed to be at the mountain but he had left. They thought he was still there but he has gone back to the church.
“After the man of God left the prayer mountain, this same aircraft came to the church premises. The first time it was sighted was at 11:30am local time at a very low altitude hovering over this story building and we have clips.
“It was about 40 feet from the building. The same aircraft hovered about four times. At an interval of nine minutes, five minutes,” he said.
Mr Emeakayi said that the church had submitted the video clips to security agencies for investigation but that they had not received any news about how far the investigation had gone.
He dismissed allegations that the construction of the building did not follow standard rules, stressing that the church had followed every requirement.
There have been rumours that the approval for the building was for a fewer number of floors, but Mr Emeakayi said that the church had approval to erect a 12-story building in the place but had only stopped at six floors.
Contrary to the claims of the spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency south-west region, Ibrahim Farinloye, that members of the church prevented the agency from gaining access into were the building was, Mr Emeakayi said that the persons referred to as members of the church must be sympathisers.
He further asked the agencies investigating the incident to focus on the whole issue and not on an isolated case of building structure standard, insisting that their story about the strange aircraft and the controlled demolition should equally be investigated.
President Goodluck Jonathan had visited the site of collapsed building, promising to ensure that the cause of the collapse was investigated.
The President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Shehu Sani, has said that 70 per cent of problems bedeviling the North are caused by ex-presidents and leaders of northern extraction.
The remaining 30 per cent, Sani said, should be attributed to President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration’s sectional leadership and neglect of the North.
The CRCN boss described as a “waste” the number of years ex-heads of state and presidents of northern extraction had piloted the affairs of Nigeria.
He argued that they had not only failed to empower the region but ruined it educationally, socially as well as economically.
He said the past leaders such as Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, the late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as the late Umaru Yar’Adua, all from the region only left behind trails of poverty, discords among the people of diverse faiths and ethnicity rather than development.
Sani, who is aspiring for the seat of the Kaduna Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, argued that President Jonathan only compounded the woes of the region while past leaders of the North simply left a region whose future was in doubt.
The activist said this while addressing sacked and unpaid workers of textile industries in the North who gathered on the premises of the Kaduna Textile Limited, in Kaduna State on Saturday.
He added that the President only empowered the people of the South-South on the detriment of other citizens of the country.
He said, “70 per cent of the North is destroyed by northern leaders and 30 per cent is being destroyed by Jonathan. We must take the blame and must tell ourselves the truth. Northern leaders had the opportunity to industrialise, to educate and to uplift the social standard of the region but they left behind a trail of poverty, of discord among people of diverse faiths and ethnic affinities.
“They left behind a region backward educationally and industrially. They left behind a region whose future is in doubt. For over three decades when northerners were in power they used the opportunity to empower traditional rulers and some religious leaders as well as making the rich, richer and pauperised the common man.
“They were not able to do what Jonathan is doing by empowering the young and the Niger Delta militants who are being enriched today. It was a wasted opportunity which I believe should serve as a lesson next time when power is back to the region.”
While condemning the insurgency in the North, Sani noted that the only way out of the current challenges in the region was for its leaders to embark on rapid revival of its industries, agricultural sector as well as to harness the resources of the region, rather than over-depending on federal allocations.
He said, “I must at this junction condemn the ongoing violence in northern part of the country. This act of terror and the discord between the Muslims and Christians and the backwardness of the region must stop.
“We are concern that the northern part of Nigeria is today becoming a theatre of violence and mindless killings. If there are functional industries, educational system and leadership, the North could not have been where it is today.”
Earlier in his address, the General Secretary of the Coalition of Closed and Unpaid Textile Workers Association, Kaduna State, Mr. Ishar Iorngulum, had said the workers had decided to queue behind the candidature of Sani to become the next senator representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly in 2015.
He also said that they would mobilize their colleagues in other parts of the North to vote against some leaders in the region in the 2015 general elections.
Iorngulum, “It is the irresponsibility of the northern governors that led to the collapse of the textile industries in the North so we will vote against them in 2015 elections.”
The president made this statement on Monday while speaking at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, venue of the 2014 National Honours Award Investiture ceremony being performed by him.
