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February 28, 2005

Atiku in Kano’s warm embrace

TRUE to the spirit of the age-old hospitality known of the people of Kano and an earlier call by the Ibrahim Shekarau administration in Kano state to exhibit this enviable and amiable culture, last Saturday, thousands of people cutting across the political strata in the state came out to receive the Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Turakin Adamawa) on a one-day visit.

By ADAMU ABDULLAHI

The warm reception accorded the number two citizen according to watchers, was unprecedented in recent times especially if cognizance is taken of the fact that it was totally free from any hitch, more so that the state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau even though an ANPP governor, was said to have exhibited one of the highest regards to an opposition.

The Vice President who was among the important dignitaries at the wedding fatiha of two daughters of former Kaduna state military administrator, Brigadier-General Lawal Jafaru Isa (rtd), was given a rousing welcome to the ancient city.

The Vice President was received by a mammoth crowd of both the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) supporters and those of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) led by Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Bayero.

At the emir’s palace, Alhaji Abubakar expressed his delight over the reception accorded him by the emir, saying that he would continue to respect the traditional institution.

The vice president also thanked Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and the entire people of the state for the warm reception.

Introducing the vice president, Governor Shekarau stated that the vice-president was at the palace to pay the traditional homage to the emir as part of respect for the institution.

Responding, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Bayero expressed his appreciation over the recognition shown to the emirate by the vice president.

Meanwhile, the warm reception accorded the vice president in Kano by PDP supporters alongside the ruling ANPP supporters as they cheered their governor during the occasion, had indicated restoration of peaceful politicking and Governor Shekarau’s large heart and level-headedness as a leader in the state.

Among those who accompanied the vice president included Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, Governor Boni Haruna of Adamawa state, Sports minister, Col. Musa Muhammad (rtd) and former Kano state deputy governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Posted by Publisher at 03:21 PM | Comments (0)

Confab delegates expected to resume work today

DELEGATES to the National Political Reform Conference who left for a compelling week’s recess to allow federal government fully prepare their secretariat, accommodation and transport fares, are expected to resume sitting today to face the task ahead.

From KABIRU YUSUF, Abuja

The 391 delegates had to leave Abuja in annoyance due to what they said was federal government’s inability to provide them a secretariat, working materials among other documents that could guide them on the challenging national assignment.

To facilitate their inauguration, the federal government had only provided them with accommodation, feeding and part of the transport fares for two days but failed to pay them their two days sitting allowance.

Despite these problems, the delegates had, however, briefly resolved to sit from 9 a.m. to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm from Monday to Thursday.

Last Friday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette was quoted as saying that the federal government had concluded all necessary arrangements for the delegates.

According to the report, government had decided to pay the 391 delegates all their daily entitlements fortnightly, while the chairman of the conference, his deputy and secretary are to enjoy accommodation and official vehicles throughout the duration of the conference.

The delegates are expected to deliberate on six central elements of the reform agenda which include constitutional reform, political party reform, electoral reform, judicial/legal reform, civil society reform and consultation and consensus building.

As outlined by Makarfi report, the proposed reform conference should also seek to critically examine Nigeria’s political framework and practices so as to consolidate democracy, facilitate good governance, promote development in the context of social justice so as to ensure peace and stability under the rule of law.

Posted by Publisher at 03:21 PM | Comments (0)

At Tijjaniyya Movement Zikiri… Emir Bayero, Governor Shekarau admonish on confab

THE Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Bayero has advised participants of the National Political Reform Conference to put aside all differences to make the assignment a success.

By ADAMU ABDULLAHI

“It is necessary for us to be united and put behind us all our differences,” the emir said, adding: “This is the only way Muslims and the religion of Islam can face the challenges squarely”.

Dr. Bayero was speaking during this year’s annual Zikiri (special prayers) marking the beginning of first month of the Islamic new calendar year organized by the Tijjaniyya Movement, at the emir’s palace last Friday.

The royal father stated that there are a lot of lessons to learn from the life of some of our great leaders which according to him, could lead to Muslim Ummah’s triumph in life.

Alhaji Bayero who traced the history of Sheikh Ibrahim Inyas and Sheikh Ahmadu Tijjani, said they all taught Muslims on how to live a life in accordance with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

To this end, the emir enjoined Muslims to desist from envy and jealousy among themselves rather, they should come together and forge ahead to face the new challenges in the current global order.

He also called on them to participate fully during the forthcoming national census, while urging them to donate generously when the appeal fund for the renovation of the Abuja National Mosque comes up.

On his part, Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau called on the Ulamah to be united and work towards the proper spread of the Islamic religion.

Malam Shekarau who lamented the moral decadence and indiscipline among some Muslims, advised them to restrict their lives to the teachings of Islam in order to ensure that no problems bedevil the society.

He advised Muslims to uphold the virtues of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, so as to reap the mercies of Almighty Allah.

Among the dignitaries who attended the prayer session were, the Bauchi state governor, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, his host, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and the representative of Nassarawa state governor among others.

Posted by Publisher at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)

V-P appreciates role of traditional rulers

VICE President Atiku Abubakar has said that the federal government will continue to appreciate the role traditional institutions play in the sustenance of peace and unity in Nigeria.

From KABIRU YUSUF, Kano

Alhaji Abubakar who stated this at Kano emir’s palace when he paid the traditional homage to the emir, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Bayero, explained that traditional institutions remain a symbol of unity, progress and peaceful coexistence in the country.

The vice president who was in Kano to give out hands of two daughters of former military governor of Kaduna state, Brigadier General Lawal Ja’afar Isa to marriage, commended the efforts of Emir Bayero for being so patient to receive him despite his tight schedule.

He further said that he was in Kano for the wedding fatiha which took place at Umar bin Khattab Juma’at mosque, Kano. In attendance were Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and that of Adamawa state, Mr. Boni Haruna among others.

From the emir’s palace, Abubakar proceeded to Kano Government House, where he took his lunch and performed his Zuhr prayer before he left for Abuja via Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano.

Posted by Publisher at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

Government ministries, parastatals defy clean-up exercise ... In Kano

UNTIL Kano state government takes concrete measures, the monthly clean-up exercise at government ministries and parastatals slated for every last Friday of the month may be soon be paralysed as most of these establishments are not complying with the directive.

By NASIRU MUHAMMAD

Investigation by Daily Triumph has indicated that in most of the places visited last Friday, the exercise was not holding as most workers went about their normal office businesses or in some places were even absent.

At the ministry of commerce for instance, Daily Triumph observed that most of the staff were absent as they were said to have undertaken the exercise a day earlier, to enable them travel to Kaduna in connection with the International Trade Fair which took off last week. While at the health ministry, only few members of the junior cadre were seen partaking in the exercise.

As for the ministry of land and physical planning as well as that of information and KASEPPA the story was the same.

Our correspondent reports that there were no senior officials of the land ministry to comment on the exercise, while at information ministry, some staff even expressed surprise that the exercise was still being enforced.

Most ironical however, is the ministry of environment, where the exercise was also not holding and the commissioner was not available to comment. However, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Salamatu Garba told Daily Triumph that such attitude of shying away from the directive must change.

“Of course, we notice that most of the workers are not participating which is worrisome, but we have been publishing announcing the exercise in the media, but honestly the monthly sanitation exercise is in our heart,” she said.

While at the Board of Internal Revenue, the exercise was also not holding, and the chairman was said to have gone to the airport to receive a visitor from Abuja, whereas, Daily Triumph observed that both the staff and managing director of Rural Electrification Board (REB), Engr. Ali Muhammad Wudil were visibly seen partaking in the exercise.

Commenting, Engr. Wudil told Daily Triumph that they were complying with the directive, noting that even Islam emphasizes on cleanliness, and urged all ministries and government departments to comply with the directive.

Some concerned citizens who spoke to Daily Triumph advised government to either take serious action against erring ministries in future or cancel the exercise.

Posted by Publisher at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo: Between third term and succession bids

TO a few pessimistic Nigerians, the prospect of having President Olusegun Obasanjo at the helm for another term after 2007 is just unthinkable.

Not so much because of lack of performance by the incumbent or even the constitutional implication, but rather, because they feel that they had either waited for too long at the corridor, or that their rights to reclaim what gun-fully belonged to them is being trampled.

As controversial as the idea of an Obasanjo third term may appear, it would seem as the only sensible option left for Nigerians to ponder. If the seismic reading of the current political climate in the country were to be measured and released to the public, not a single soul will remain under its territory. We would have all made a run for higher grounds, or even made it as far as to our neighboring countries for fear of Tsunami scale political tidal wave and its attendant consequence.

Nigerians, unfortunately have been under-estimating the scale of the bad political landscape our politicians, particularly those eying the 2007 presidency created for us. The giant-trio of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; ANPP presidential candidate in the 2003 elections, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar have become fighting elephants, trampling on the already withered short grass called Nigeria.

It is no secret that Babangida does not see eye to eye with either Buhari, or the Turaki whom he considers the main obstacle to his ambition of becoming a civilian president; a privilege that he seriously believes he earned by doing us the favor of “stepping aside” in 1993 and for inviting President Obasanjo to temporarily step-in to appease the “bloody Yorubas” who would have forgotten all about June 12, 1993 in a mere four years. For the children of the great Odudua however, time is no healer.

Apparently, gauging by the negative reaction of the people of the south-west to the news that the Maradona will contest in 2007, one can easily predict that the Afenifere and YCE, the two socio-cultural groups that are the heart-beat of the Yoruba political base, did not give their blessings. The disenchantment to the prospect of a Babangida presidency is not limited to the south-west alone. In the north, only Niger state can be said to be Maradona territory. The rest of the region is shared between Atiku and Buhari supporters.

The poor people of the North, easily the most docile on earth, have this time, after being pushed to the wall, through years of hardships, particularly during his imperial reign as military president, would not want to turn back the clock. They contended with more than fair-share of misfortunes like having to lose overnight, their life savings through Naira devaluation and other economic reforms that had poison written all over them.

Though the Vice President may have had his shortcomings in the discharge of his office; he may even have stepped on the toes of his boss; but in all honesty and fairness, show me one politician in this country or indeed anywhere in the democratic world, that would have had the support of virtually all the PDP governors and party leadership at the primaries as the vice president did, and then concede the honor to his boss? Only Atiku Abubakar could do that. Yet, instead of applauding him for his magnanimity and respect for the president, he is being picked on for an impromptu statement made under political duress from the governors, their supporters and some hounding mercenary reporters waiting for such political hick-up to draw their headlines.

The Vice President had also willingly on various occasions, out of loyalty I believe, served as fall-guy to the president, taking the heat off his boss, even when he did not have to. The Sharia debacle had for instance, taken a great toll on the political and moral standing of the Turaki in his primary constituency, the North.

As the chairman of the federal government’s privatization programme, the vice president was yet, shouldered with a responsibility that earned him curses and bad name from majority of Nigerians who are opposed to it; and did not bother with the fact that the Turaki was only carrying out an assignment that was deliberated at the Economic Council and Council of State meetings. If the President did not want privatization to take place during his tenure, it would certainly not take place, even though we are all aware of its inevitability. But the fact that Atiku was the chairman saved the president all the headaches and the accompanying bad press.

Over all, despite stern accusation from certain quarters that the vice president had not been loyal to his commander-in-chief, it is on record that apart from facilitating chief Obasanjo’s second term, the Turaki was also able to foil the alleged security breach against the government, while all the others on the list of the presidential race, had the record of either bringing down a democratic government or annulling what was adjudged as the fairest-ever general elections in the history of this country; and even palace coups against each other. They, therefore, lack any democratic credential or the moral rectitude to ask Nigerians to put them into the nation’s highest office.

Nigerians also know that the much speculated widening gulf between the president and his vice is nothing, but a creation of the opposition to bring anxiety and tension into the Atiku camp, with the ultimate aim of winning-over the victims of such propaganda. The President himself had at various times refuted such allegation and assured Nigerians that all had been well between them. The bottom line here is that, there is nothing too serious as to warrant Chief Obasanjo to call for the Vice President’s head. In other words, those who advance such speculations are in a way, questioning the President’s political mind and clout, when it is obvious that he is, today, a better politician than even those who drafted him into the game.

At any rate, I genuinely believe that Nigerians have had enough of the Babangida years to even contemplate the thought of his return. We do not have to be reminded that it was during his rule that the ethno-religious harmony and the wonderful co-existence between particularly the peoples of the north got shattered and which after effect, the Obasanjo administration is still struggling to manage. I know some people may try to argue that the Maitatsine calamity of the Shehu Shagari era was the first. To the contrary, the group was nothing, but a cult that took on mostly on its Muslim brothers, and any soul that happened to be within the strike area irrespective of religious consideration.

Therefore, the question of president Obasanjo rooting for a Babangida presidency or for any former military ruler for that matter does not even arise. Because in most advanced democracies, including our role-model, the United States of America, the Vice President is the natural heir to the departing president (at party level). Besides, if the constitution can allow a former Junta that led this country for eight years to still lay claim for another eight under democratic mandate, there is no reason why the same constitution should not allow President Obasanjo as a democrat to go for a third term. He will surely.

Posted by Publisher at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria may deploy troops to Cote d’ Ivoire, Congo, Somalia — Obasanjo

Nigeria may send troops to three troubled African countries, President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said.

Obasanjo gave the hint last week at the closing ceremony of a one-week Nigerian Army training at the newly “revived” Army Training Centre, Kontagora in Niger state.

He gave the names of the countries as Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

The president said that the role of the military should not necessarily be that of waging wars, but maintaining peace globally like what happened in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“We may have to send troops to these countries in addition to what we have in other African countries and the Middle East. I believe that our soldiers are equal to the task,’’ he said.

Obasanjo charged the soldiers to be ready for non-war operations which would involve making and keeping peace, saying that the military training should focus on world peace.

“Our training, equipment and preparations should be geared toward ensuring peace the world over,’’ he said.

Obasanjo promised that the training centre which was abandoned for a long time would be equipped to ensure professionalism in the Nigerian Army.

He said that in democracy the function of the military was to ensure defence and security as well as to make and keep peace in conflict areas.

In his address, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai, said that it was part of Nigerian Army’s plan to ensure realistic training at unit and formation levels.

Agwai said that the headquarters decided to revive the Kontagora training center while various levels of equipment and logistics would be centralised there.

He said that formations and units would be required to take turns to camp and use the centre for various exercises.

Agwai said that when fully developed the centre, which was acquired in 1996, would provide ideal setting for realistic training, which, he noted, had been neglected for so long.

He said that the end result would be a well trained, highly skilled, more disciplined, motivated and competent cadre of officers and soldiers.

Agwai further pledged the continued loyalty of the Nigerian Army to the growth and stability of the nation’s democracy and to uphold the tenets of human rights and the rule of law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was code-named “Exercise New Dawn’’.

Posted by Publisher at 03:14 PM | Comments (0)

Starcomms offers mouth-watering bonanza

THE ongoing promotion of fixed wireless phone embarked upon by Starcomms Limited in Kano is aimed at enhancing communication in the state, so says Mrs. Wunmi Sabiotimo, manager serving centre, Kano.

By Abdullahi D. Abdullahi

Mrs. Sabiotimo who was explaining the promotion tagged: "Unbeatable offer" told newsmen in an interview that for any customer who buys fixed wireless phone at the cost of N 14,950 (WS-1000/300) plus N1000 free airtime, a westec phone set is given out to either a friend or relative in Maiduguri.

The manager revealed that the choice of Maiduguri for free phone set was intentional, especially in the drive to win more customers because the patronage there is poor.

She said phone sets, apart from having N1000 free airtime (pre-loaded), also have free call minder (voice mail) and free instant messaging (SMS).

Mrs. Sabiotimo while urging for patronage from Kano people, assured that the tarrif charged by Starcomms is affordable, no negative billing, no access charge since June last year, no credit charge, adding: "There is also clear voice, international direct line where you are connected straight and it charges N39 for any international call just like what NITEL charges and connectiviy is perfect."

The serving center, manager further assured that Starcomms would cover all the 44 local government areas in the state before the end of the year and that already it has sets up customer support/friendly centre to assist any customer anytime, any day.

She maintained that apart from internet facilities, Starcomms phones manufactured by LG electronics are user friendly.

Also commenting, Mr. Kayode Mudasini the financial manager, Kano office said the emergence of Starcomms helps in no small scale in trimming down telecommunication prices in the country.

"We are undergoing long term extension exercise and have started with Zone I and by the end of the year, we are going to extend to four more state, two in the North and two in the East," he explained.

He said Starcomms had also provided job opportunities and business to teeming Kano people.

Meanwhile, Malam K.F Umar of marketing unit has urged Kano to make good use of the ongoing bonanza to benefit from efficient and effective service.

He recalled that Starcomms had expanded its network to cover Kano in December 2003 and within two years, the company has become leader in the Nigerian telecommunication market

The ongoing offer will last until March 15, 2005.

Posted by Publisher at 03:13 PM | Comments (0)

Ogun establishes 3 agric centres

Three agricultural centres have been established in Ogun state to reduce unemployment, encourage farming and boost food production.

The state commissioner for Forestry, Chief Dele Onalaja, told newsmen that the centres, established last year, were located at Ilaro, Olokemeji and Area J6 and that the project would create job opportunities for youths and alleviate poverty in the society through employment generation.

The commissioner explained that the ministry accorded priority attention to the promotion of self-employment by encouraging the establishment of wood-related business ventures statewide, noting that there were 310 registered sawmills in the state.

Similarly, a total of 1,673 property hammers were registered out of which only 1,200 were renewed in 2004, while in order to manage, protect and regulate exploitation of timber and allied forest products, some registered timber contractors were given allocation in various forest reserves.

He disclosed that 100 new motorcycles were purchased for distribution to forest field officers by the state government to enable them police the state’s forest reserves adequately.

Posted by Publisher at 03:13 PM | Comments (0)

Anambra awards N980m road contract

Anambrastate government has awarded a N980 million contract for the construction of 11 roads in Awka.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony in Awka, the commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Emeka Ejikeme, said the contract would be executed in phases.

He said the first phase of seven roads would be constructed at the residential areas of the state capital, while two would be constructed at the commercial part of the city.

The commissioner said one of the roads in the commercial part of the city, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue, would be dualised, while the second road, Arthur Eze Avenue, would be expanded.

He said all the roads would have street lights and culverts and would be built with asphalt overlay.

Ejikeme said since the creation of the state in 1991, this would be the first time roads in Awka would be getting serious attention.

He said government would not pull down houses along the roads during the dualling, but warned that any house which contravened the building bye-law would be pulled down.

In his speech, Mr Salim Aoude, Managing Director of Sagez Nigeria Ltd., the company that won the contract, said the company was already on site.

“We are going to work day and night to complete the project in record time. We will use the project to prove our competence and ability.

Posted by Publisher at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)

NATIONAL CONFAB: Presidency queries Nenadi Usman over funding

The Presidency has queried the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi E. Usman, over a media report credited to her last week saying that the fed-eral government is drawing the N981 million required to fund the on-going National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) account.

By Ahmed I. Shekarau, Group Business Editor

The minister of state for finance, Mrs. Usman, was reported last week Monday by Punch newspaper to have said that the federal government will source money to fund the conference from the CRF, which belongs to it only (as a tier of government) and not from the Federation Acc-ounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) as widely speculated. The FAAC’s funds belong to the three tiers of government in the federation.
Specifically, Punch in its edition of Monday, Febr-uary21, 2005, reported Nenadi Usman as saying: “It is not true that the FAAC is providing funds to fund the national political reform conference.
“You will recall that the President had gone to the National Assembly for approval of the sum of N932 million for the conference which was not approved.
The federal government is going to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is the federal government’s acco-unt in the Central Bank of Nigeria,” she said.
Daily Trust gathered from sources that the news report has generated a lot of contr-oversy as the appropriation committees of the Upper and Lower chambers of the National Assembly have begun investigations, trying to ascertain the veracity of the report with a view to querying the presidency over the matter.
It is illegal for the federal government to draw from the CRF and spend on any pro-ject or programme that is not appropriated, even though the account belongs to it as a tier of government.
A dependable source in the presidency told Daily Trust last week that on the basis of the news report, “the minister (Nenadi) has been issued a query, asking her to explain why she made that public statement.”
The source disclosed further that “that report embarrassed the presidency, particularly now that we understand that members of the Senate and House of Representatives, most of whom have not hidden their opposition to the confab, are trying to probe the Presi-dency, trying to find proof that the money was drawn without appropriation”.
When contacted by Daily Trust over the issue weekend, the chief press secretary to the minister of state for finance, Ogaziechi C. Theo-dore, said “at no time did Ma-dam (Nenadi) say thro-ughout the interview session she had after the FAAC meeting of that day (Friday, February 18, 2005), that the government was going to draw the confab’s money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, stressing that “he (the Punch reporter) was not the only journalist that interviewed Madam. Other reporters, including your man (Daily Trust reporter) were there (at the interview session), why didn’t any journalist report that angle except him?”
Similarly in a press stat-ement he signed and issued on Saturday, the chief press secretary to the minister of state reiterated his denial, saying that “the information was wrong and misleading”.
According to the two-page press statement: “It is true that on the 18th of February, 2005, the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman granted a press interview to Finance Correspondents from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Daily Trust, the Sun and the Punch newspapers where she summarised the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.
“It is also true that a question relating to where the federal government would source funds for the National Political Reform Conference was asked by the same reporter (of Punch). It is also true that the Honourable Minister responded noting that as long as FAAC is concerned, the FG had no absolute control over the funds and as such cannot source funds from this purse.
“However, she explained that the FG has a range of avenues where it can source for funds for its projects, which included the Consolidated Fund,” stressing that “at no time did the Honourable Minister categorically state that the funds for the Conference will be or has been sourced from the consolidated fund”.
Section 80 (2) of the 1999 constitution says: “No monies shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Rev-enue Fund of the Federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by this constitution or where the issue of those monies has been authorised by an Appropriation Act, Supplementary Appropriation Act or an Act passed in pu-rsuance of Section 81 of this Constitution”.

Posted by Publisher at 03:09 PM | Comments (0)

Presidential system best for Nigeria - Obasanjo insists

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday insisted that the presi-dential system of government was the best for Nig-eria but said the ongoing political reform conference and subsequent constitutional reforms are geared to give the country a unique presidential system.

By Reuben Yunana, State House Correspondent

Speaking during the monthly presidential media chat yesterday, Obasanjo said “no two presidential systems in the world are the same.”
He said it was wrong for people to say that premiers in the first republic had more powers than state governors now have, adding: “the governors today are more powerful than the premiers of those days who had gove-rnors in addition to their own premiership. Today the power of governor and premier subsists in one person. There is nothing a premier could do that a governor cannot do today.”
He said it was wrong for Nigerians to compare the Nigerian federation and pres-idential system of gover-nment with that of America because of what he called differences in historical perspectives.
“In America, the states were in existence before they agreed to come together. In Nigeria, the country was in existence, we decided to break up. You must bear that in mind,” Obasanjo said and likened the position of Nigeria with that of India.
He said it was wrong for people to castigate him for supporting presidential system of government for Nigeria. “I talked about presidentialism and some people went to war.
Look, there is no two presidential types of govern-ment in the world that are exactly the same,” Obasanjo said.
Once Nigerians decided they want a presidential sys-tem, then they must decide on what type they want, he said.
“Ghana is a presidential system and picks his mini-sters from the parliament. The ministers have the right to go and address the parliament at will. South Africa is a presidential system. The president is elected by the parliament and he is a member of the parliament. The French and American systems are also different. So we must decide what is good for ourselves,” President Obasanjo emphasised.
He said Nigerians had devised, “a particular system for ourselves to be able to meet with our peculiarities,” he emphasised.
On the issue of the low representation of women in the list of conference delegates, President Obasanjo blamed state governors for the anomaly.
“I sympathise with the position of the women. The governors must say if the non inclusion of women among their delegates was an oversight. They owe the women an apology,” he said.
On the forthcoming national census, President Obasanjo said he was distressed that “while you are trying to blunt the edge of religion and ethnicity so that we sharpen the edge of Nigerianess, the same people who want us to blunt this edge for population census are the ones who are sharpening it for representation.”
Describing the situation as unfortunate and contradictory, Obasanjo pointed out: “when you go out of here (Nigeria) the thing they ask you is where are you from? And you reply I am a Nigerian. They don’t ask you if you are Ibo or Yoruba.”

Posted by Publisher at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)

Confab reconvenes today

Following a week’s recess, the national political reform confe-rence is due to reconvene today at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

By Habeeb I. Pindiga, Political Reporter

The conference adjourned Monday last week, shortly after President Olusegun Obasanjo’s inaugural address. The recess was to give time for the secretariat to fully prepare and working documents made available to delegates.
It was not clear yesterday evening whether the secretariat was ready. But an official at the centre told Daily Trust that by this morning, all would be set for smooth sessions of the conference.
Daily Trust could not, however, confirm whether all the working documents were produced for distribution to participants.
Obasanjo had said that the conference would be provided with copies of the constitution, report of the presidential panel on constit-ution review and the Oputa panel report, among others.
Some of the documents were distributed last Monday, but the Oputa panel report was not made available before the recess.
The conference is expected to reconvene in the former chamber of the House of Representatives.
Delegates complained last week that the Africa Hall, venue of the maiden session was not proper for sittings because of poor lighting and arrangement of seats. Chairman, Niki Tobi, promised then that the venue would shift.
When Daily Trust visited the new venue yesterday evening, officials were still putting the place in order.
A notice was seen pasted on the entrance to the chamber, which informed delegates that “sitting not necessarily according to delegation, free sitting is allowed.”
This means that contrary to sitting order according to delegations as observed at the first day, today’s resumption would feature delegates sitting freely.
The 660-seater chamber was well-lit as at yesterday, but only three microphones were provided in front of three of the five rows.
Some delegates were also seen making inquiries at the protocol desk.

Posted by Publisher at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)

General Adisa buried in Ilorin

A record crowd of admirers, political associates, relations and prominent Nigerians including former Nigerian president, retired General Ibrahim Babangida and Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara state, Chief of Staff to President Obasanjo, retired Gen-eral Abdullahi Mohammed attended the fidau of late General Abdulkarim Adisa, who was buried at his GRA residence in Ilorin yesterday.

By Ahmed I. Shekarau, Group Business Editor
& Hamisu Muhammad, Business Reporter

Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashar, assisted by his deputy Alhaji Abdullahi Hameed led the fidau prayer of General Adisa held at 12 noon.
Body of late retired General Adisa was flown into the Ilorin international airport at 10.05 a.m. in an aircraft marked EAS FN BEY led by retired General Raji Rasaki, former military governor of Lagos and General Tajudeen Olarenwaju and the Chief Medical Director of Unilorin Teaching Hospital, Dr Suleiman Kuranga.
Moments after the corpse in a casket neatly wrapped with a sack was discharged from the aircraft, a Peugeot station wagon ambulance registered FG 16 H12 of the Unilorin Teaching Hospital moved in to covey the body to his GRA residence, amidst chanting of Lailallahu by the teaming crowd waiting to witness the arrival of the body of General Adisa.
The security men on duty had a hectic time controlling the crowd as people strug-gled to catch a glimpse of the casket, while those who could not enter the residence hung on buildings to witness the ceremony.
Speaking to newsmen after the burial, President Babangida said Adisa would be remembered as a loyal person adding that “the country has lost one of its very fine officers and a patriot who lived his life providing services to the nation.”
General Babangida who described Adisa’s death as a necessity said “we expect everybody to eventually die at the end of the day.”
In his reaction, the chairman of the anti-corrup-tioncommission, retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi said General Adisa’s death was a big loss to everybody and the country considering what he has been able to do for the community.
Justice Mustapha said his scholarship scheme for the needy in the society had impacted on the people and hoped that the legacies he left behind would be cheri-shed in good memories.
“On that very day he was travelling, we were together in Ogbomoso and we sat side-by-side. He left late in the afternoon. I did not know that was the last I was seeing General Adisa and we had a lot of jokes before he left,” Justice Mustapha recou-nted.
Also reacting, the former Nigerian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alhaji Abdulwahab Adeyi who described Gen-eral Adisa as a kind, generous and progressive gentleman, said the Ilorin community would miss him dearly.
While praying to Allah to grant him eternal rest, Amb-assador Adeyi said what he has contributed to the state and Nigeria would continue to be his legacy.
Former governor of Kwara state, Alhaji Moha-mmed Lawal, who described General Adisa as a close friend and a major pillar of Ilorin community and the state, prayed for sustenance of the members of the family.
Among personalities who witnessed the fidau were retired Brig-General David Mark, retired Major General David Jemibewon, retired General Lawrence Onoja, Mr Barnabas Germade, former PDP national chairman, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Victor Malu, Oba Timi of Ede, Governors of Niger and Abia states, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure and Orji Uzor Kalu and Walin Ilorin, Alhaji Akanbi Oniy-angi, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq, and minister for communication, Chief Cornelius Adebayo.
Others include the Chief Justice of Kwara state, Justice Timothy Oyeyipo, Grand Khadi of the state Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Mu-talib Hambali, former governor of Kwara State, retired General David Bamigboye, the former governor of Ba-uchi and Osun states, retired Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye and former IG, Chief Sunday Adewusi.

Posted by Publisher at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)

World Bank doubts N25bn capitalisation

There are strong indic-ations that the World Bank is doubting the feasibility of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) determination to make the nation’s banks meet the N25 billion capitalisation by end of December this year.

By Ahmed I. Shekarau, Group Business Editor & Hamisu Muhammad, Business Reporter

As a pointer to this, the World Bank last week sent a team comprising some of its lead financial economists in Africa and consultants to sample views of key stakeholders on the reliability or otherwise of the apex bank’s policy.
The team led by one of its financial economists in the Africa regional office last week Monday met separately with members of both the Senate and House of Repres-entatives committees on banking and currency behind closed doors.
One of the lawmakers confided in Daily Trust last week, that “the World Bank’s fear, according to members of the team who came and inter-acted with us, was informed by two key reasons – the complaints by many banks and financial analysts in the country that the 18 months given by the CBN for the N25 billion recapitalisation was too short a time, as well as the senate’s amendment to the CBN Act which provided for categorisation of banks.”
According to the lawm-akers, “the World Bank team tried to gauge our sincere views with regards to the recapitalisation policy and we told them.” The lawmaker did not tell Daily Trust what the lawmakers’ “sincere” po-sition on the policy was, say-ing that “the team pleaded with us not to make public the opinions we expressed and promised not to make public whatever we told them.”
Our reporter who got contacts of some members of the team sent an e-mail last Tuesday to one of the World Bank’s lead financial econ-omists trying to find out what informed the bank’s pessi-mism about the Central Bank of Nigeria recapitalisation policy.
Till today, however, no response came to our repo-rter’s mail. When contacted on the issue last week Thur-sday, Mr Obadiah Tohomdet of the external commun-ications unit of the World Bank group’s country office in Abuja, said our reporter’s e-mail was forwarded to him for advise, but he has no comments on the matter.
But when contacted for the CBN”s response to the seeming apathy of the World Bank, the deputy director and head of corporate affairs of the apex bank, Mr Tony Ede, said while he doubts if the World Bank will take that position, “it does not run the Nigerian economy and can-not dictate for our country what we should do.”
Mr Ede said “the World Bank has been very supp-ortive of our (recapitali-sation) policy right from day one and we know their position on that. I don’t think they will doubt it.
“But even if it does, it does not run our economy. The good news I have for you is that so far, we have over 15 groups of banks that have agreed to merge apart from several that have met the N25 billion capital base. Besides, I’m sure you’ve read in the news that Union Bank is even planning a N100 billion capitalisation which is good for our economy,” he added.
The CBN spokesman said the whole essence of the recapitalisation, as Soludo harped repeatedly, is to enable Nigerian banks fund productive activity in the real sector of the economy. “How can foreign banks be funding even exploration activities in the petroleum sector? What are our banks doing?” he queried.
Mr Ede said further that, “let me remind you that when Soludo came in as governor (of the CBN) about 11 banks were about to be liquidated. But he said no, let’s allow them to be acquired by other bigger banks so that we can save their customers the trouble of having to be paid only some part of their savings after these banks were liquidated.”

Posted by Publisher at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)

Hajj 2005: Jigawa pilgrims board denies shoddy deals

The Jigawa State pilgrims welfare board has denied any shoddy deals in respect of the 1000 sponsored pilgrims to the holy land.

By Hassan A. Kaforfi, Correspondent (Dutse)

In a press conference addressed by the executive secretary of the board, Alhaji Abdulkadir A. Maje, the board described as false, allegations that the board had fictitiously compiled names of pilgrims to be spon-sored and subsequently sold their seats to interested pilgrims.
According to the board’s secretary, the state government had initiated the spo-nsorship to enable benefi-ciaries who could not pay for themselves have access to the fulfilling of the funda-mentals of Islam.
He said a total of 1,000 pilgrims were sponsored by the state and these were drawn from NGOs, medical staffs, security agencies, politicians, associations, the Ulama traditional and local government councils as well as many others from across the country.
Alhaji Maje said the rationale was to assist the less privileged in the disc-harge of God’s religious obligation.
He added that all relevant passports, visas etc were processed, payment of accommodation and royalties made including payments of US $500 to all the pilgrims.
Alhaji Maje said altho-ugh some isolated cases of 120 of the 1,000 people scheduled to travel could not due to problems associated with visa and absenteeism during distribution of documents as well as mix-up of names, the entire operations was successful.
“It is on record that none of the pilgrims spent more than 12 days in the holy land,” he added.
The executive secretary said the issue of Hajj sponsorship to Mecca and Israel is an annual event all gov-ernments carry out, adding that “it is quite unfortunate that some people are out to cause mischief in an oper-ation that deserves comm-endation.”
He equally challenged those accusing the Jigawa state government to fear Allah as whatever they say will be judged in the hereafter.
In any case, however, he said expenditures are unde-rtaken by governments in the field of sport jamborees, political gatherings like the national dialogue, burials and other ceremonies.”
The executive secretary also challenged the accusers of misconception and mischief which he said cannot deter the good intention of government.
It could be recalled that governor Ibrahim Turaki has since announced the cancellation of further Hajj spons-orship and announced government’s decision to re-channel the funds being used for the provision of infrastructures.

Posted by Publisher at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)

Plateau creates 29 DAs

Plateau has set modalities for the creation of 29 Development Areas (DA’s) out of 16 of its 17 local government areas. Only Jos North is left out of the exercise that has created discontentment in some quarters.

From Jubril Daudu, Regional Editor (Jos)

Government ‘s spokesman and information commissioner, Yakubuh Dati, could not be reached for explan-ations on the omission of Jos North from the list submitted during the week to the state House of Assembly for approval.
It could however, be recalled that Jos North local government elections were not conducted last year for what the government described as security reasons. While the 16 other local councils have democratically elected chairmen and councilors, Jos North’s still being supervised by a sole admin-istrator.
According to the list submitted by Governor Joshua Dariye to the state House of Assembly which has concluded public hearing on the matter, Bokkos, Pankshin and Shendam LGA’s top with three proposed DA’s each, while Bassa, Jos South, Qua’an Pan and Wase have two each.
The other six LGA’s, Jos East, Barakin Ladi Ringimi, Lantang North, Lantang South and others have proposal for one each.
The list shows that Pengana and Miango with headquarter at Jengre and Kwall respectively; Rabob from Barakin Ladi with headquarters at Rabob; Giring and Jos-South East from Jos South with headq-uarters at Giring and Kwang respectively; Jos South East from Jos East with headquarters at Zanadi and Gana-wuri from Riyom with headq-uarters Ganawuri.
Bokkkos has three DA’s at Walshak, Daffo and Sikyan with headquarters at Horrop, Daffo and Sikyan respe-ctively Dogon Ruwa and Khintang with headquarters at Dogon Ruwa and Yugur respectively will be created out of Kamam LGA; Gindiri and Mangum out of Mangum LGA while Pankshin North, Jing and Longkaf with headquarters at Jingkaf will be cre-ated out of Pankshin LGA.
From Kanka LGA will be created Angar and Kanka South DA’s with headquarters at Amper and Man-nok respectively; Gwamtim with headquarters at Gazum from Langtang North; Lang-tang South that with head-quarters at Judadi South and Doroki, Puanka and Nshar with headquarter at Mankaaf, Poediet and Lukwapjur respectively from Shandam LGA.
Qua’am and Nama DA’s will be created out of Qua’an Pan with headquarters at Kwande and Namu respe-ctively, Wase has Bashar and Wase South with headq-uarters at Bashar and Kad-urke respectively, Mikang has Garkawa with headquarters at Garkawa.
Already, the proposed creation of the development area in Kanam LGA has divided the Bogglom people in the area. While a group, concerned Bogghom citizens have kicked against the creation, preferring to remain with the present emirate system under the Emir of Kanem, the Boghom Develo-pment Association is in firm support of it.

Posted by Publisher at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)

Shagari bares mind on birthday celebration

The first executive president of Nigeria, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari said birthday celebrations is not in their history, religion and character, but people across the country forced him to celebrate his 80th birthday.

From Abdulfatai Abdulsalami, Correspondent (Sokoto)

He was speaking over the weekend in Sokoto while receiving Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim who was at his residence to deliver a goodwill message from Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
In his words “I don’t want to celebrate but people forced me especially Daily and Weekly Trust newspapers, but I must confess that I thank them most sincere for the wonderful job.
President Shagari said he admire the messages from his friend and that it has been cut and glaced for record purposes, pointing the attention of his visitors to it right inside his parlour.
The first executive president remarked that what he liked most about in the celebration was the prayers offered by Malams, adding that Daily Trust made the occasion big.
The first executive president explained further saying may the day the day praises never come adding that people want to praise you when you are gone noting that he thanks good that it was done when he was alive.
Alhaji Shagari thanked all well wishers who have been coming to rejoice with him at home and on the pages of newspapers, praying that may the Almighty Allah let all see many returns of the day.

Posted by Publisher at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

The scramble for Nigeria

The main issue that the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) has to decide, for better or for worse, is, if and how, this country can be restructured to ensure greater autonomy for ethnic and regional groups.

MONDAY COLUMN
By Kabiru A. Yusuf
kabiruyusuf@dailytrust.com

200 years after the European scramble for Africa, 45 years after independence and 13 years after the cancellation of the June 12 election, proponents of “true federalism” have at least half a chance to make their dream come true. The main push is coming from the Yoruba, who already occupy a region and have the numbers and the economic backbone to strike out on their own. Other regions and ethnic groups are not that well-positioned, but they nevertheless seem attracted by the siren songs of regionalism where each group, they say, can develop at its own pace.
You would have thought that there would be loud cries of amen from the Northern region to this proposal. After all a huge chunk of the north, from Sokoto to Ilorin, Borno to Adamawa, used to belong to the same flourishing empire, which had a coherent ideology and functioning political structures. Some of these institutions, and certainly their cultural underpinnings, have survived colonial rule, and as the debate on the Shariah legal system demonstrated, are coexisting uneasily in the post-colonial state. A regional structure would give its people freedom to develop as they wish and not at the dictate of Western paradigm that seems to be the accepted model of other parts of Nigeria.
Indeed there are Islam-only activists in the region who for years have been campaigning for just such a break, but in the face of a consensus by the elites, they are keeping their heads down. But what explains the opposition of the northern political elites to calls for collapsing the 36 states into six, eight or twelve regions? The first problem is the perception that the proposal is not made in good faith, but is another ploy by the elites from the South to deny the north its due.
When Nigeria had, first, three, then four regions, in the 60s, some of the same voices now demanding for a return to federalism made their names by attacking an “omnibus north” on the pages of Lagos newspapers. In those innocent days after independence, southern politicians, with their law and philosophy degrees from western universities, thought that in spite of the advantages of numbers, they could get the better of their poorly trained northern counterparts. But they forgot that leadership is not just about education, but it is also about character and so a Grade-two teacher from Katsina College could do much better than alumni of Lincoln Inn.
So when the barrage of propaganda and campaigning by helicopter failed to deliver the goods, the south began to demand for ‘power-shift’, which is Nigeria’s contribution to the lexicon of democracy. It means that since the south cannot legitimately win power through the ballot box, the presidency of the country should be conceded to it so that its people (who have been highly mobilized through propaganda) could feel a sense of belonging to the federation. Now faced with the prospects of a northerner winning the presidency in 2007, our ever-shifting brothers are changing tack. They want the country to be broken into bigger regions, with a weaker centre, which by the logic of modern politics will eventually become no centre at all.
From the northern point of view, the advocacy for regional autonomy has less to do with a desire for economic or cultural independence, but is all about the fear of so called “northern hegemony”, which ironically is to translate into an effort to impose “hegemony” on the north. One other problem is that the north has for centuries been multi-cultural; that within it, as in the wider Nigeria, tribes and tongues do differ, though the majority speak Hausa as a ligua-franca and adhere to Islam as a religion. Unfortunately the revival of Islam that followed the Iranian revolution in the 80s has sharpened religious sensibilities in the region, with the substantial Christian minority often at daggers drawn with their Muslim neighbours.
I suspect it is not only in the north that when the chips are down people must face the reality, that while it is difficult to live together; it is perhaps even more difficult for communities to be broken and rearranged into regions. Decades after the creation of States in all parts of Nigeria, including the western part of it, the sharing of assets has not been concluded. Imagine the scenario of a more through-going restructuring where for example Kaduna town is included in a Middle belt region, Ilorin is made part of the West and Port-Harcourt part of the Eastern region.
But advocates of such restructuring from the South seem to think that the main concern of the north is the potential loss of revenue from the Federation Account that is kept active by oil exports. That is why inevitably in the mind of most commentators restructuring goes together with “resource control”, again a peculiar Nigerian terminology, which means that the Southern minorities should keep proceeds from oil exports since most of it comes from their localities.
The sudden loss of oil revenue will indeed have a huge impact on most states in Nigeria. That explains the rare cooperation between governors in the north and south-west in challenging the resource control suit brought to the Supreme Court by the oil-producing states. The lifestyle of our elites has been funded by this oil windfall, so governors from non-oil producing states should be expected to defend the status quo because it makes life easier. But it is clear that we cannot continue to live at the expense of tomorrow and if it would take the loss of oil revenue to bring us back to our senses, so be it.
So as the Political reform conference resumes this week, two meetings of governors from the north and south have highlighted the main issue it will grapple with. The southern governors in their “Lagos Summit 2005” over the weekend, while insisting on national unity, “urges members of the conference to also ensure that true federalism is entrenched in all facets of our constitutional law and practice”. The northern governors, who had met in Kaduna last Friday, asked the delegates they nominated to the conference, to remain within the agenda set out in President Obasanjo’s speech while opening the conference. According to the NGF “the present states structure should be retained and the current presidential system of government should equally be retained”.
I learnt on good authority that some of the northern governors, including Makarfi, who is now chairman of the group, had earlier favoured the parliamentary system of government, which many of the old-timers that are representing the states at the conference hark back to with nostalgia. But after Obasanjo’s ringing endorsement of the presidential system, it seems the governors have accepted it as a no-go area. Whatever it is I thought Makarfi’s welcome address to his colleagues captures my sense of the mood in the north pretty well.
He said “northern respect for and belief in Nigeria remains unshakeable and we will continue to do all that we can for the continued wellbeing of the country but not at the perpetual expense of our people”. In other words nobody should assume that we pay any price for the unity of Nigeria and if the north makes a concession out of respect and regard for the feeling of compatriots, this should not be used against it.
Perhaps it is too much to expect gratitude and good fellow feeling , but if one good turn does not deserve another, we risk eroding the very basis of our living together. As for those who imagine that when they succeed in creating their little Kingdom by the sea they will be free of the “Nigerian factor”, I say look again. The virus may be closer to you than you think. It was St Augustine, I think, who said “more tears are shed over answered prayers than over unanswered ones”. In other words, sometimes it is risky to fervently wish for a particular outcome, because God may grant your prayer and then your trouble is about to begin!

Posted by Publisher at 02:53 PM | Comments (0)

Confab: delegates form new groups

A new dimension is crystallizing at the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) with delegates from different zones beginning to network and form groups targeted at influencing decisions at the confab.

SIMON IBE, Snr Political Editor and MATTHEW OGWUCHE, Bureau Chief, Abuja

Federal Government moved to address some of the logistic complaints of the confab leadership by providing four official vehicles one each for the chairman, Justice Niki Tobi, Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Sule Katagum, Secretary, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah and the Deputy Secretary, Mr S. Arikarwe.

Contrary to widespread belief that decisions at the confab would be solely based on ethnic or geo-political bloc interests, most of the new groups emerging are pan-Nigerian in outlook, with members drawn from the different ethnic and geo-political zones.

One of the major groups that is emerging, according to a delegate to the confab, is called The Nationalists, comprising mostly young delegates drawn from across the country, whose loyalty is largely to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The arrowheads of this group, are alleged to be Alhaji Mohammed Waziri, chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), who is also chairman of the Finance Committee of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Chief Greg Mbadiwe, a former Ambassador to the Republic of Congo, who was also a director in "Legacy House", President Obasanjo’s 2003 re-election campaign organisation.

According to the source, pro-Obasanjo delegates are coming together on the platform of the Nationalists to advance whatever agenda the president would want to pursue using the conference. Though the source could not confirm whether the president was behind the formation of the group, he said that there was nothing wrong in anybody, including the president, having an agenda for the confab and pursuing it through such platforms.

A group being put together by Dr Olusola Saraki, the convener of the Northern Union (NU), is also working at establishing a pan-Nigeria network through which the NU can bargain with other geo-political or ethnic groups to ensure that everybody and every group gets something that would satisfy the group or bloc.

The camp of the progressives are also said to have started working outside their geo-political zones’ agenda to finetune a position that would be pushed by the progressives camp at the confab.

Prior to the inauguration of the conference, the different ethnic and geo-political zones had held meetings in different locations across the country, trying to arrive at common agendas that they would canvass at the confab.

The latest development, a delegate told Daily Champion, "would represent the reality as there would be serious negotiations that most times, would result in the ethnic or geo-political agenda giving way to a pan-Nigeria, ideological or class interest."

Hearkening to the demands of the confab leaders, government admitted that they needed working tools to enable them perform well.

The vehicles were routed via the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ufot Ekaette.

Spokesman of the SGF, Mr Eric Teniola, confirmed that the four official cars have now been provided for the chairman, his deputy, the secretary and his deputy.

Teniola also disclosed that almost all the other requirements demanded by the delegates are now ready ahead of their resumption on Monday.

Posted by Publisher at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)

...S/East demands justified ––Azike

MORE light was shed on the South-East agenda for the National Political Reform Conference as the zone is said to be set to table issues pertaining to "true federalism and regional government."

NDIDI OKAFOR, Abuja

One of the delegates, Chief Chibuzo Ziggy Azike (Imo) disclosed the position of the zone to Daily Champion, stressing that it was jointly agreed on after several meetings.

Another delegate and former deputy governor of Imo State, Dr. Douglas Acholonu had said Civil War reparation to Ndigbo, which is inextricably tied to the vexed issue of Igbo property abandoned and officially acquired by some state governments, would be a major fulcrum of the South-East presentation at the confab.

Chief Azike noted that "some of the issues contained in our position document include true federalism, regional government, infrastructural federal character, proper census and enhanced revenue formula."

Azike said that the listed issues would be pursued by the delegates from the zone once the conference resumes, today.

Asked why the zone is going against the "no-go-areas" identified by President Olusegun Obasanjo in his inauguration speech, especially as it has to do with federalism and federal character, Azike said "the President said nothing should be done against the unity of the country and we agree. We believe in the unity of Nigeria. But what we are asking for is true federalism; we are also asking for infrastructural federal character so that the sidelining of the South East zone in terms of federal infrastructure will stop."

On what he meant by the demand for regional government, he said: "We demand true democratic practices, the system as it is now, is almost like a unitary government. What the Igbo are asking for is justice."

He further said that "proper census" is one of the demands of the zone.

By "proper census" Azike said, "we want a proper census where the necessary demographic indices of religion and ethnicity will be used; we also want an enhanced revenue formula; in other words, a review of the revenue formula."

Dwelling on whether the demand for an enhanced revenue sharing formula was not a tacit support of the zone for resource control, Azike said "the South East is not against resource control. The South-East delegates are not against resource control."

The conference took a one-week break on Monday, February 21, 2005 to enable government put in place materials for work.

Posted by Publisher at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)

IBB, Kalu, Malu honour Adisa

A GLITTERING array of prominent Nigerians yesterday witnessed the interment of former Works and Housing Minister, Maj. Gen. Abdulkarim Adisa (rtd) who passed on in a London hospital last Friday.

FELIX NWANERI, Lagos, VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin, and JIDE BAKARE, Ilorin

Remains of the deceased were laid to rest in his private home at the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Dignitaries on hand at the burial included former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Govs Bukola Saraki, (Kwara), Orji Uzor Kalu, (Abia), Rashidi Ladoja, Oyo, and Abdulkadir Kure, (Niger).

There were also Communications Minister and former governor of old Kwara State, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Chief of Staff to the President, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi (rtd), former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Victor Malu and former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Chief Sunday Adewusi.

Former military governors and administrators who attended core Maj. Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd), Brig. Gen. Raji Rasaki (rtd) and Col. Theophilus Bamigboye.

Also in attendance were former National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Barnabas Gemade, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko, chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd), and business tycoon and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao.

The late Minister’s body had arrived Ilorin International Airport aboard EAS Airlines placed with registration number 5N-BEY, about 10.55 a.m.

The body was accompanied by London-based daughter of the deceased, Moriamo, as well as the Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Dr. Suleiman Kuranfa.

Adisa was rushed abroad from UITH following injuries he sustained in an auto crash.

Before the internet, Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, led the 10-minute funeral prayers.

Gen. Babangida, who spoke with journalists later, eulogised the late Gen. Adisa as an officer who served Nigeria all his adult life.

Gov. Saraki, earlier, described the deceased as a frank and brave Nigerian.

Said he: "He was the one that would say his mind. You may not like him and his politics, but you cannot deny him one fact that, unlike others, he will let you know his position on any matter. Take it or leave it."

Gov. Kalu, on his part, described Adisa as a good friend, generous and loyal to Nigeria’s cause.

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased yesterday arrived Lagos from London, from where it was immediately flown to Ilorin for burial according to Islamic injunction.

Major Gen. Adisa’s body arrived aboard a Virgin Atlantic Airways flight around 5.25 am and was flown to Ilorin.

Also accompanying Adisa’s body Group Capt. Patrick Ugbana (rtd), Senator Musa Adede and Gen. Sam Tiedi (rtd).

In their separate tributes, former Communications Minister, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, former Military Administrator of Imo and Lagos States, Brig-Gen. Muhammed Buba Marwa and Governor Lucky-Igbinedion of Edo State, on different occasions, described the late former military Governor of the Old Oyo State as a gallant soldier, accomplished administrator and a man of strong covictions.

In a statement, Gen. Olanrewaju who is also the Lagos State Co-ordinator of Project 007, a political movement of the former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), said the death of Gen. Adisa "is a great loss to the country and Kwara State in particular, where he played leadership role in the community."

Posted by Publisher at 02:43 PM | Comments (0)

Army explains invasion of Odioma

OPERATION Restore Hope, the Joint military Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta, yesterday explained its recent invasion of Odioma, Brass council area of Bayelsa State, saying it took the action to curb the rising wave of cultism and armed militancy in the area.

SEGUN JAMES, Warri

JTF alleged that the cultists "known as Isena Asawo led by Mr Clever Osei Farekuma" had constituted themselves into armed escorts to illegal oil bunkerers and pipeline vandals in the area.

Scores of people were said to have been killed and several buildings in Odioma destroyed during the invasion, which has risen to the centre stage of national controversy.

Apparently buffeted by criticisms of the action, which was also debated in the Senate last week, JTF in a statement signed by its public relations officer (PRO), Major Said Hammed, said Ferekuma should be blamed for the task force’s action.

Although the JTF was silent on the casualty figure after the invasion, it said that the three communities of Odioma, Ibedi and Obiaku had maintained a strained relationship over an oil rich, disputed parcel of land which subsequently, served as hide out for the dreaded cultists.

Hammed, who signed the statement on behalf of JTF commander, Brig. Gen. Elias Zamani, disclosed that soldiers were drafted to the area following reports that the cultists were serving as armed escorts to the bunkers and pipeline vandals.

But the situation got to a head, the spokesman said when the cultists who "have maintained a track record of criminal activities" killed 11 persons including four councillors of a local government in the area on February 3 this year.

He said that consequently soldiers were deployed to the three communities.

According to Maj. Hammed, while Ibedi and Obiaku cooperated with the soldiers and were spared in the ensuing invasion, the youths of Odioma allegedly ambushed the JTF in the mangroves and in the ensuing battle, they (youths) were subdued and the soldiers "gained access into the community."

Hammed stressed that it was in the cause of gun battle that some houses in which dynamites and petroleum products were stored went up in flames leading to the razing of buildings in the community.

The JTF spokesman revealed that following the vanguishing of Odioma, the soldiers recovered two boats mounted with General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) tripods belonging to the leader of the youth gang, smoke grenade, four long chain explosions, two cartons of dynamites, seven thunder flash and binoculars.

Other items recovered were 103 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, three rounds each of .38 mm, .58 mm and 7.62 mm (NATO), two cartridges, four AK rifle magazines and one single barrel gun.

The task force also said that the deployment of troops to the area was meant to guarantee the safety of lives and property of people in the place.

The JTF urged all law abiding person living in the area to return to the affected communities assuring that they have no cause to fear.

Posted by Publisher at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)

FG won’t release Lagos LG funds until...Obasanjo

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obsanjo yesterday insisted that the Federal Government will not release the Lagos local government’s funds being withheld since last year until Gov. Bola Tinubu reverts to the 20 councils recognised by the constitution.

BISIRIYU OLAOYE, Deputy News Editor and FELIX NWANERI

President Obasanjo also said the ongoing government’s National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) is an alternative to the Human Rights Violation and Investigation Commission (HRVIC) (a.k.a. Oputa Panel) the release of which report, he said, was frustrated by court injunctions.

According to President Obasanjo, the withheld Lagos local governments’ allocations would only be released to the 20 local governments recognised in the constitution and not the 57 councils created by the state government.

He spoke on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme, Media Chat.

"This is not a matter of when two elephants fight. When I took the oath of office, I promised to abide by and defend the constitution. Twenty local governments listed in the constitution are recognised.

Posted by Publisher at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo raises hope on 2nd Niger bridge

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo last night reiterated his administration’s resolve to refurbish the River Niger bridge and also disclosed that work on the proposed second bridge will commence soon.

FELIX NWANERI

President Obasanjo revealed these while speaking during the monthly media programme.

Noting that the government cannot afford to ignore the existing bridge, President Obasanjo said work on the proposed new six-lane bridge will commence in the next six months once the National Assembly passes the law which will protect private sector investments in the country.

"You don’t ignore refurbishing a bridge until you have a new one. We have to refurbish and strengthen the existing bridge to avoid calamity.

"A new six-lane bridge to be built by both the public and private sectors is coming soon. A bill to protect private investments is already in the National Assembly. Within six months of signing into law of the bill, if it is not the raining season, the second Onitsha-Asaba bridge will commence," President Obasanjo explained.

On the Onitsha-Owerri road, the president expressed optimism that work on the road project will soon be completed, explaining that the project has been awarded to two contractors with each working from the Onitsha and Owerri axis respectively.

Commenting on the incessant power outage being experienced across the country, President Obasanjo assured of an improvement in power supply within the next few weeks as government will soon commission the 350 mega watts already generated by Agip Oil.

In his words, "Once we commission the 350 mega watts in March, these will be an improvement. Outage will not go but we will see an improvement.

Identifying water shortage at the country’s major dams at Kainji and Shiroro as well as vandalisation of National Electric Power Authority’s (NEPA) installations as major causes of the present erratic power supply in the country, President Obasanjo boasted that the nation will generate about 10,000 mega watts of electricity before he leaves office in 2004.

Posted by Publisher at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)

Presidency stops police transfers

THE Presidency may have stalled the plan of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Sunday Ehindero, to redeploy certain categories of officers as part of his plan to reorganise the force.

LUKKEY ABAWURU

Mr Ehindero had already warned officers and men of the force to desist from extorting money from motorists on the highways or risk being arrested and prosecuted for armed robbery.

To follow up his determination to cleanse the augean stable in the force, the acting IGP was said to have tried to effect the transfer of some officers. One of the redeployments, it was learnt, involved the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr Ade Ajakaiye, who was expected to move to Lagos to replace his counterpart, Mr Israel Ajao.

But Daily Champion learnt that the exercise was stopped by the Presidency which was also said to have directed that the Commissioner of Police, Operations, at the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Abuja, Mr Lawrence Alaobi, who would have been redeployed, be rather assigned to oversee security at the on-going national conference in Abuja.

Mr Alaobi was said to have been penciled down to replace John Haruna, the incumbent Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Lagos, while Mr Haruna was to have been replaced by a newly promoted deputy commissioner of police serving as Area Commander at Lion Building, Area A, Lagos, Mr Fabian Ojiri.

At a recent function in Lagos, Mr Ojiri, told our reporter that he was aware of the plans to post him out of Lagos but did not know where.

"I know I will be posted out soon, but I have not known the place," he had told our reporter.

Daily Champion gathered that the Presidency’s directive to the acting IGP to put on hold the planned redeployment may be political rather than logistics problems.

Already some police officers who are aware of the plans of the acting IGP to effect changes in the Force have started expressing worries that the interference from the Presidency may weaken Ehindero’s determination to fight the ills in the force.

Some police officers and men who spoke with Daily Champion on condition of anonymity, said that "the president’s interference may affect IGP’s direction and success."

However, all efforts to get the Force Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Emmanuel Ighodalo, to comment on the issue proved abortive as he was said to have gone out on tour with the IGP.

Posted by Publisher at 02:37 PM | Comments (0)

Omoruyi warns PRONACO on parallel conference

FORMER Director General of the scrapped Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), Professor Omo Omoruyi at the weekend warned delegates to the national conference against manipulating the exercise to assume a sovereign coloration, as that amounts to "a civilian coup."

VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin

Professor Omoruyi also counselled the Pro National Conference Organisation (PRONACO) against convoking its Sovereign National Conference (SNC) billed for next June, pointing out that such would also amount to a civilian coup.

The former CDS boss spoke in Benin, the Edo State capital, while delivering a paper at the state’s mini-confab.

The forum was organised to enable Edo citizens to present a common thrust to be made public at the national exercise.

"If the national conference such as yours declares itself sovereign, that would amount to a civilian coup. This means that your act should be made applicable to the other levels of government," he said.
Professor Omoruyi, disclosed that the fear expressed by President Olusegun Obasanjo over the safety of his office is legitimate because past experience in some African countries where such sovereign conferences were held, had shown that it is always a threat to the office of the President.

He cited instances such as in Republic of Benin, the delegates declared the conference sovereign, dissolved the National Assembly and stripped President Kerekou of most of his powers and appointed an interim Government.

In Congo, delegates declared the conference sovereign and stripped President Debi Sasso Nguesso his powers and appointed a World Bank official, Prime Minister and Head of Interim Government.

According to him, in Niger, delegates declared the conference sovereign, suspended the constitution, stripped General Ali Saibu of all powers, dissolved the National Assembly e.t.c.

If the President bestows his power that he has in Section 5 of the Constitution on the National Conference that would mean that the President is abdicating his power. It will be unthinkable that President Obasanjo, short of impeachment, death or resignation, would abdicate office for other reasons.

Speaking at the opening of the mini-confab, Gov. Lucky Igbinedion stated that

As Edos, today, we are embittered by the brazen injustice meted out to us in the federation of Nigeria especially by the operators of the Central government. Take a look at the map of Nigeria today, and you will discover that Edo State is landlocked through manipulation of boundaries
. In a one page communiqué issued at the end of the one day mini-confab, stakeholders agreed that each nationality should be allowed to exist within the federation, with full representation at the Central and regional government and that problems of each ethnic nationality should be given priority attention by Central and regional government.

That the federation be re-structured along strong regional government and weak center The state also resolved that the creation of local government should be controlled entirely by the regional/state government. Elected members of the local government council should be on part-time basis in order to reduce cost All the delegates nominated by the state government attended the mini-confab.

Posted by Publisher at 02:36 PM | Comments (0)

NAFDAC sues drug dealer

NATIONAL Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has dragged a 26-year-old drug dealer, Mr Nonye Iwunze before the Federal High Court Kano on a two-count charge of illegal manufacture and possession of two different brands of fake and counterfeit drugs.

ADEZE OJUKWU, CAJETAN MMUTA

Mr Iwunze was arrested last year by the NAFDAC regulatory officers at his residence in Bachalawa quarters, Kano which he allegedly uses for producing fake Barbicillin Ampicilin syrup and Rampicillin Ramsey syrup (powders).

Also in the net of the agency is a middle-aged woman, Mrs Taiwo Osibodu for allegedly revalidating expired caned Coca Cola drink containers.

According to the charges levelled against Mr Iwunze, his action contravenes section 1(a) of the counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed food (miscellaneous provisions) Act Cap C34 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under section 3 of the same act.

He was put in the dock before Justice Adeniyi Ademola Adetokunboh and pleaded guilty to the charges even as he had no counsel to represent him in the case. Prosecuting counsel and NAFDAC’s deputy director of Legal Services, Mr Kingsley Ejiofor had prayed the court to commence immediate trial of the case since the accused had pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to the agency’s deputy director, Legal Services, there were six prosecution witnesses to testify against the accused with evidence of samples of the fake drugs and materials used by the accused tendered before the convict, Mr Iwunze, following the testimonies of the two witnesses, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Attande Elijah and NAFDAC Chief Regulatory Officer, Mr Kehinde Mamudu who effected the arrest of the accused.

Justice Adetokunbo had on listening to the submissions of the prosecuting counsel, posited that eventhough the case professed against the accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt there was need for the NAFDAC laboratory experts to come up with proof before the court for confirmation that the products were fake.

The case was adjourned till March 3 this year and Mr Iwunze risks a maximum of five years jail term or payment of five hundred thousand naira option of fine if found guilty and convicted by the court.

Meanwhile, the agency in a statement issued weekend by its Public Relations Officer Christy Obiakwozor said the agency’s enforcement team swooped on Mrs Osibodu at the premises of 189 A Cooperative drive in Dolphin Estate Ikoyi, Lagos, following a tip off.

The team led by Mr Shaba Mohammed caught the workers in the act of changing the dates on the soft drinks from the production date of January 2004 and the expiry date of December, 2005 to production date of December 2005 and expiry date of January 2006," it revealed.

NAFDAC’S director of enforcement, Mr Dioka Ejionueme, lamented "the deleterious effect the release of such a large quantity of expired products would have had on the health of consumers," warning that likes of Mrs Osibodu to desist from acts capable of endangering the public or face the full weight of the law."

He called on members of the public to be on the look out for tell-tale signs of faking or counterfeiting and to report any untoward incident to the nearest NAFDAC office."

He noted that "many of the coke cans were rusting and bursting yet the workers continued cleaning the old dates and re-inserting new ones."

According to him, the accused tried to negotiate with the agency’s officials which was promptly rejected by the team.

He assured of the agency’s determination to intensify the battle against adulteration in the country.

Posted by Publisher at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

2007: Abia govt urged to respect Charter of Equity

A socio-political group-Old Aba Divisional Forum in Abia State, has called on the state government to respect the Aba Charter of Equity and allow Ukwa-Ngwa area to produce the next governor, chairman of the forum, Dr. Rowland Ubani-Ukoma, argued that political parties should consider the prevailing nuances, sensibilities, and peculiarities of the state while nominating candidates for 2007.

JAYNE UCHE-UKONNE, Aba

Ukoma said the recent experiences in Nigeria’s political history, where the zoning of the presidential position to the South West by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Nigeria Peoples Party, Alliance for Democracy (APP/AD) attest to this.

"This was clearly reflected in the response and in respect for circumstances and considerations which informed the stated decision and declaration of Abia state government with regards to 2007 Governorships of the state.

"Furthermore, the Abia state government’s decision in reference here, deserves further commendation because it is like standing to uphold basic declarations and provisions in the icing PDP’s resolution of July 28, 1998 by the founding fathers of the party", he said.

He noted that the people of old Aba Division believe that Abia State government is appreciative of the need for creating socio-political conditions, conducive for peace and unity in the state.

He said this will bring about the much needed harmony and good neighbourliness between the two geopolitical groups in the state: Old Aba zone and Old Umuahia zone.

He urged Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to willfully resist every wind of temptation to either renege on this decision or to contradict himself and his government

Posted by Publisher at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

ICPC prosecutes 5 ex-LG bosses

AT least five former chairmen of local government councils in the country are presently being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) following allegations of graft against them.

NNAEMEKA MERIBE

Also, the commission has lamented that the absence from the country of former state governors, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju (Anambra) and Alhaji Abubakar Audu (Kogi) is frustrating investigations into allegations of corruption running into billions of naira levelled against them.

ICPC put the totality of fraud committed in the banking sector since 2002 at N33.546 billion even as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has moved to acquire legal backing to dispose of seized property of detained persons under investigation.

Both ICPC and EFCC made these pronouncements on Saturday at a retreat organised by Project Edge, a firm, for joint managers under the theme: "Antic - corruption Reforms; Imperative Code of Operational Due Diligence for Bank Managers," at Ikeja, Lagos.

Head of the Lagos zone of ICPC, Mr Akeem Lawal, said the five past council bosses being prosecuted include two from Ebonyi State, one from Rivers one from Lagos, and one from Ogun State even as the trial of an unidentified former local government chief from the same Ikorodu is to commence this week.

Mr. Lawal also noted that the absence of ex-governors Mbadinuju and Audu has posed a cog in the wheel of efforts to charge them for alleged corrupt enrichment.

Besides, the ICPC Chief said, the commission has found the immunity clause in the constitution an impediment to the task of bringing adjudged corrupt high political office holders to justice.

According to Lawal, the constitution only empowers the ICPC to, upon receipt of allegation of graft against such officials, merely authorise an independent counsel to investigate and report his findings to the National Assembly, in the case of the President or Vice President.

Findings on allegations pertaining to state governors or their deputies, he said, are passed on to Houses of Assembly.

Chairman of ICPC, Justice Mustapha Akambi (rtd), in a paper on "Anti-Corruption Reform Initiatives in the Banking Sector: The ICPC Perspective," presented on his behalf by Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, head of education unit of the commission, however, urged bankers, as an imperative, to inculcate high ethnical standards in their operations.

Corporate governance in banks, he said, will be incomplete without mainstreaming issues of ethnics, integrity, transparency and accountability especially "as bankers are entrusted with other people’s hard-earned money."

He regretted that the banking sector, in the last three years, has had incidences of fraud "involving a whopping sum of N33.546 billion through the active connivance of some supervisors and managers."

Director-General of EFCC, Alhaji Nulu Ribadu, whose paper was presented by Mr Emmanuel Akomaye, disclosed that the commission has no right to dispose of seized property of those under investigation, but noted that it was already taking steps to be granted such powers.

He said that when granted such powers, the commission would lodge proceeds from such property into a special account, adding that the proceeds would be released to the Federal Government if the owners are convicted, but if discharged, such would be released to them.

The commission, he noted, acknowledges the possible depreciation, in value, of such property overtime, hence it is taking such steps.

In his paper titled "Banks and Other Financial Institutions in the New Reforms Initiatives of Government," Executive Director, Operations, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Prof. Peter Umoh noted that the proposed reforms for the financial sector were timely, given that the alternative would have been the massive liquidation activities as witnessed in 1988.

He maintained that industries may be able to stave off liquidations if the reforms, particularly in respect of mergers and corporate good governance, are faithfully implemented.

Speaking on "Anti-Corruption Reforms: Imperatives, New Code of Ethnical Due Diligence in Dealing with Politically Exposed Customers," the immediate past president, Chastered Institute of Bankers (CIBN), Mr O.C.K. Unegbu, represented by Mr Emeka Okoh, listed politically exposed customers as government officials and other individuals in positions of authority as well as their family members.

He noted that dealing with such people required enhanced customer due diligence of account opening and on-going transactions review.

Unegbu urged bankers to conduct risk assessment on them and ensure that controls are proportionate to the customer’s risk level.

Earlier, in his remarks, the national coordinator, Project Edge, Mr Ike Onyechere, had noted that since banks are repositories of money, and bank managers the gate keepers, they are natural attractions to fraudsters and criminals.

He added that the "fact that every Nigerian is now regarded as guilty in the matter of corruption puts bankers particularly on the spot."

For him, the safest thing for any banker therefore is to keep their mistakes at minimal levels saying this means that the banker must be knowledgeable, current and must acquaint themselves with the new rules, regulations and laws.

Posted by Publisher at 02:29 PM | Comments (0)

Labour asks confab to reduce powers of President, governors

WHEN the National Political Reforms Conference begins full debate today, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will press for a reduction in the powers of the President and state governors.

From Mike Osunde (Benin) and Yetunde Majekodunmi (Lagos)

The workers, who unfolded their agenda at the weekend in Benin, Edo State, also asked its delegates to canvass that the talks should not be restricted to political reforms.

NLC President, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, told journalists that the new constitution, which would receive input from the conference, should cut the enormous powers of the President and governors, especially in the appointment of ministers and special aides.

Oshiomhole said that although the NLC endorsed the retention of the presidential system of government, the envisaged constitution should specify the number of ministers and aides that should form the cabinet.

He argued that the freedom given the President to pick his team had resulted into an over-bloated cabinet, with its harmful consequences on the economy.

"We believe the constitution can be reformed in such a way that the discretionary powers of the President to determine the number of ministers and advisers should be limited by law. The same is valid for states," he said.

In his opinion, the problems inherent in the system were with the various actors, because the presidential system did not say the "president must have 40 ministers and God knows how many special advisers and special assistants."
Oshiomhole said the congress also believes in the principle of federal character but that it was being abused and so had made it suspect on the part of many Nigerians.

He suggested that the principle should be applied more justly, given the fact that there was no part of Nigeria that could not boast of competent men and women in all fields of human endeavours.

He said the problem in implementing the principle had been that of nepotism, undue favouritism and corruption.

Oshiomhole also commented on the separation of powers and said the NLC would canvass a reform that would insist that the Executive arm must not ignore judicial pronouncement of the legislature, and that money should not be spent when such amount had not bean appropriated.

The NLC also discussed the issue of federalism and concluded that Nigeria could benefit from the principle of true federalism as well as downsizing the centre in favour of the states by putting more resources in the states and less at the federal level.

"In other words, even the principle of federalism must also take on board the principle of fiscal federalism. So you cannot practice one and leave the other," he said.

Oshiomhole added that the NLC subscribes to the retention of the constitutional provision that cover directive principles on state policies, but argued that the principle could be of doubtful, value if the issues contained were not justifiable.

He advised that constitution should be amended to make economic and social rights justifiable, otherwise they would have no value to the ordinary Nigerian.

He also said that since the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) document was one of the working papers of the confab, it behoves on the delegates to critically review NEEDS with a view to assisting the government to evolve an economic policy that favours most Nigerians.

The NLC also opposed calls for state police, adding that for democracy to survive, the electoral system should undergo radical changes that would make the agency independent of the executive.

Oshiomhole noted that if the discussions were limited to political reforms, ordinary Nigerians would not gain from them.

Oshiomhole said: "If we reduce the confab merely to political issues without the economic content, for majority of our country men and women, they will not really see the relevance between this debate and their material conditions."
The NLC President who spoke just before the end of a two-day meeting of NLC's Central Working Committee (CWC), said that Labour preferred an all-inclusive approach to the debate at the conference.

Oshiomhole said that the CWC, which discussed various issues was unanimous that the delegates should not be teleguided through the "so-called no-go areas."
"All the issues must be discussable," stressing that the NLC believes in the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria as a nation, and would therefore continue to champion the cause of its unity.

He, however, said that those who have contrary views should be accommodated, arguing that to deny them the opportunity would not be helpful to Nigerian cause.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

PRONACO free to hold confab, says Obasanjo - Forecloses release of Lagos council funds for now

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday declared that the Pro-National Conference Organisation (PRONACO) headed by elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Professor Wole Soyinka and others can go ahead with their planned alternative national conference.

From Martins Oloja and Madu Onuorah, Abuja

The President, who spoke during the month's edition of the Presidential Media chat yesterday, observed: "Let me deal with this PRONACO thing. We are in a church and you say we establish a choir so that the church can have melodious hymns. Somebody says I have a very good voice, I want to go solo. You don't stop him from going solo. The good thing is the conference presupposes we have alternative views. We bring the different views, harmonise them. Everybody has the right to call a meeting, they can go ahead and call their own conference."
President Obasanjo also foreclosed, for now, the release of council funds to Lagos State, insisting that he was only following the judgment of the court.

Said he: "It is not an issue of two elephants fighting. As far as the constitution is concerned, all the local governments` are spelt out in the constitution. Five governors, four of them reverted. One of them decided not to. What do you expect me to do. The judgment said give the money to 20 local governments. What do you expect one to do. Let the governor of Lagos State do what his fellow governors have done. For me, I will do what is only constitutionally right."
The President also gave more insight into why his government convened the National Political Reforms Conference, which begins deliberations today.

According to him, he expects the delegates to "come up with decisions that will strengthen our system of government."
The President said the second thing he expects is a "new legislation for electoral act or amendment to existing legislation to ensure justice, unity, gender equity."
President Obasanjo, who has been reported as having imposed no-go areas, said the third expectation is "we have to go to how the constitution can be amended."
The fourth one, according to him, "are things the executive can undertake on its own", noting that "the first three we will execute with the legislative."
He did not explain what he called "those things that will not be of constitutional nature but will enhance our unity, practice of governance."
The President said the inclusion of the Oputa panel report as reference matter is not illegal as the government has obeyed the court's injunction.

He said the report is not a wasted effort as "now we have found a way to bring it out in the open."
On the sovereignty of Nigeria, he said: "I have not minced my words about the sovereignty of Nigeria. We are not averse, but it must be a purposely planned and focused conference. Also, I have found out privately what people want. Three years ago, I called all the zones to find out what they want. And they all want equity, fairness and development. No zone talked about breaking up Nigeria or diminishing the bond that holds us together. So, the time has come for the exercise we have put in place. We also consulted people on why they want a conference. One said we want to produce the next President.

"He said he wants it in his lifetime. The other said the constitution we have now said we, the people of Nigeria..." but he doesn't like that. Another said, what we have now is good, nobody is complaining too much; that what we have now continues but people have a sense of participation for development. You have different people asking for national conference. But for it is to strengthen the bound of unity of Nigeria."
On the reported 'no-go areas, the President noted: "What you call no-go-areas, I don't regard it as such. I said with the experiences we have, attempts at constitution making after independence, we must take certain things as given. It's like a wife and children. Unless you accept your marriage is given, there is no point sitting down to talk about it. Then, if you accept your marriage as given, you can't sit down and talk about it. If you don't accept Nigeria as given, why are you sitting down to discuss? I don't say don't discuss. I say we should regard some things as given..

"I hope this conference will be the mother of all conferences. The speech was to leave nobody in doubt as to the aims and objectives. A leader is to lead. The purpose of leadership is to lead. And if I cannot lead, I should go back to my farm."
On the National Assembly's attitude, he said the National Assembly has right to take its own decision, adding that he "consulted them all the way. Should we establish the conference by legislation or not? We talked about all the problems we will have. We agreed we are not establishing the conference by legislation. They said the way we have been managing your budget go and manage it that way. Democracy is the leeway to abuse and all that. I have called meetings. They believe if they don't establish it by legislation, they cannot approve the budget for it. They asked me to look inwards and be creative for funding not specifically budgeted for."
On the Oputa panel, he noted: "It is up to you; that Oputa panel was meant to be for reconciliation, an opportunity to open up to let the truth be known. The fact that today we have a democracy, to nurture it, to widen it, you got to be reasonably satisfied that what we suffered for is coming with fruits."`

Posted by Publisher at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)

Govt to treat 250,000 'persons with AIDS' by 2006

PLANS have been initiated by the Federal Government to treat 250,000 persons living with the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) by June 2006.

By Chukwuma Muanya, Senior Health Reporter

The scheme will be executed under the National AIDS Treatment Programme.

The government has said however, that it would not be able to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO's) target of treating 400,000 infected persons by the end of this year.

WHO, through its "3 by 5" initiative hopes to provide three million AIDS sufferers in developing countries with life-prolonging anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs by end of 2005, with Nigeria billed to cater 400,000 of the infected persons.

Health Minister, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo had on Wednesday last week announced plans to treat 100,000 Persons Living With AIDS (PLWHA) by June this year.

But, the Chairman of the National Action Committee on AIDS(NACA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, at a press conference at the weekend in Lagos, said the government had scaled the figure to 250,000. The forum was addressed by the Global Funds Chairman, Prof. Richard Feachem and Dr A Nasidi of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Lamb said: "with grants from Global Funds, President Bush Relief Project for AIDS in Africa (PEPFAR) and the Federal Government, the country will be able to treat 250,000 PLWHA by June 2006.

"The target of meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative of treating three million PLWHA in developing countries by the end of 2005, that is treating 400,000 in Nigeria is ambitious. I am not sure we will be able to meet that plan."
"We are beginning to move beyond the 15,000, we are adding an additional 50,000 from the PEPFAR grant. We have a situation that we hope by the end of the year we will be treating at least 100,000. With the Global Fund we hope to treat 50,000, and another 50,000 with PEPFAR grant. The Federal Government also gave money on Wednesday last week, and we hope by June next year, we will be able to treat at least 250,000 PLWHA."
Nigeria currently treats only about 15,000 PLWHA, of the 400,000 that are eligible for treatment under the highly subsidised scheme of N1,000 per patient monthly for anti-retroviral drugs under the National AIDS Treatment Programme.
Osotimehin further said that plans had been concluded to establish 774 Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres (VCTC) nationwide. The government is also collaborating with Ranbaxy, a drug firm, to provide paediatric AIDS drugs to 1,200 children by April 2005.

"We believe that by the end of the year, every local council in Nigeria should have at least one VCTC. We are now using Cross River State as a test case. We are to establish 774 VCTC around the country, in every local council", he said.

The NACA chief said the agency had problems presenting ARV to children.

Osotimehin said that a survey by NACA showed that three million Nigerians are unaware they have the virus, adding that the result of aNigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) commissioned study on drug resistance HIV would soon be published.

"We are very conscious of emerging multi-drug resistant strains of HIV around the world. We have commissioned a study on drug resistance in the National AIDS Treatment Programme. This is being conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr Oni Idigbe of NIMR. The results will be available in the next five weeks. Most funds for the study came from Global Fund," he said.
A report from the Global Fund also shows that India, South Africa and Nigeria top the AIDS table, with the disease and malaria killing 300,000 Nigerians yearly.
The Global Fund is a multilateral international organisation established in 2002 by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, with support from President Olusegun Obasanjo and other African leaders to mobilise large scale funds for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in developing countries.

So far, the Global Fund has approved S201 million as grants to Nigeria to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria over the next five years.

Feachem said that India, South Africa and Nigeria are at the top of the AIDS table with 41 per cent of their nationals needing ARV drugs.

Feachem further said that: " HIV/AIDS and malaria are killing about 300,000 Nigerians. We are very concerned about this. This is part of the reasons why I am here. I had a 110 minutes talk with President Obasanjo on Friday last week on how best the Global Fund can assist Nigeria. Nigeria has successfully completed five programmes which will be sponsored by the Global Fund with about S200 million - three on HIV/AIDS and two on malaria."
He added that the fund had budgeted $8 billion for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with 60 percent of the money going to Africa.

Feachem said that Nigeria has the highest compliance to AIDS drug in Africa and Global Fund had developed strategies against drug resistance.

" The goal of Global Fund is to minimise drug resistance and slow down the pace with two strategies. First, is by using multi-drug therapy and encouraging compliance by helping the patient to take the drugs everyday. We have good data from Botswana and South Africa, but compliance to AIDS drugs in Nigeria is the highest in Africa."
Lambo had told reporters late on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that: "Council today decided that we should scale-up the treatment to 100,000 HIV-positive patients this year,"

Posted by Publisher at 02:24 PM | Comments (0)

MTN to refund N400m illegal charges to customers

ABOUT N400 million is to be refunded by telecommunications operator, MTN, to its customers who were illegally charged N100 each to migrate to per second billing (PSB).

From Berthrand Nwankwo, Abuja

The Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM), operator's acceptance to refund the money is in response to an ultimatum by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Also, at a workshop organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and USAID in Abuja, the Federal Government assured of its commitment to rural telephony.

Last year, the NCC gave MTN an ultimatum to refund all monies charged on migration from per minute to PSB or risk a N10 million sanction and a daily charge of N100,000.

MTN officials, at the African ICT Consumer Parliament held in Abuja at the weekend, expressed the readiness of the network to start refunding the money from next week.

The GSM operator, which came under attack for poor services and what consumers called "penchant for draining its subscribers," apologised for the inconveniences suffered by customers in the past.

Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, the network's legal and regulatory adviser, who was at the parliament, had to abandon her seat in the audience to assist her colleague who was answering queries as he was consistently jeered for trying to dodge the questions from consumers.

"I will enjoin MTN to keep to that next week and let their next week be next week in refunding the PSB money to its customers," the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Chief Ernest Ndukwe, said.

The NCC had directed MTN to advertise the stoppage of N100 charge for PSB and refund the collected amounts to subscribers in December.

MTN complied with the directive by placing adverts in papers to announce that it had stopped collecting money for migration within its network, but it is yet to advertise the refund to customers.

Sources in the Ministry of Communications who attended meetings between MTN and NCC on the PSB issue said in Abuja that the regulatory body ordered the network to refund N100 to all customers when it claimed that it did not have detailed records of those who had migrated to the PSB.

Some of the consumers at the parliament said they were not satisfied with the N100 refund through SMS as directed by the NCC, claiming that they hardly made use of the short message facility.

An NCC source said the regulatory body had insisted on either a voice refund to customers or to keep the options open, but officials of the network had pleaded that such a compensation could crash its systems as several people would make calls at the same time.

Abazie urged customers to patronise established distributors and vendors and not to pay extra for recharge cards.

According to her, many businesses hook unto the MTN distribution chain and some smaller ones charge above the face value of some cards, like the N750 which many sell for N800 because of the mode of collection.

Abazie also said the N400 electronic recharge system would soon be extended to more vendors to ease access, as the network had started work to popularise its virtual Top Up facility.

For some of the customers who complained that they bought sim packs and could not send SMS, Abazie said they should go to the customer centres for replacement, pointing out that it was a technical fault in manufacturing which the operator was still trying to rectify.

Also at the ITU and USAID conference, the Federal Government restated its commitment to the on-going national rural telephony programme (NRTP), which is expected to began in about 218 Local government areas across the country at its pilot stage.

Opening a workshop on "Rural Access Policy," at the weekend in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo said the major objective of the National Rural Telephony Programme (NRTP) of the Federal Government was to provide telecommunication services to rural communities in fulfilment of the Universal Access service obligation, which stipulates that every citizen is entitled to telecommunication services irrespective of where they live.

To achieve the Universal Access, which is the objective of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Minister disclosed that his ministry had began the implementation of the NRTP through two Chinese companies, Alcatel Shanghai Bell and ZTE Corporation, through a concessionary loan of US$200 million secured from the Peoples Republic China.

Posted by Publisher at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)

Governors, Babangida honour Adisa at burial

PROMINENT Nigerians among them three state governors and former military rulers yesterday paid their last respect to the late one-time Works and Housing Minister, Maj.-Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, who died in a London hospital at the weekend.

From Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin) and Wole Shadare (Lagos)

At his burial in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the leaders, including former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida could not hold back their emotions as they wept profusely when Adisa's remains were committed to mother earth.

Adisa's death came barely three months after his father, Alhaji Adisa, passed on in Ilorin.

Babangida was forlorn in looks and refused to be consoled.

The two hours burial journey started at 10.00 a.m. when the body arrived at the Ilorin International Airport amid wailings of associates of the deceased, who had thronged the airport as early as 7.00 a.m.

After the aircraft bearing the casket had touched down on the tarmac, the friends of Adisa, including former Minister of Police Affairs, Maj.-Gen. David Jemibewon, former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Barnabas Gemade and the former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Prof. Olurotimi Fakeye, moved towards it and paid their last respect.

The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Chief Azeez Alao Arisekola, the Chairman of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), Chief Yemi Farounbi and Adisa's last child, Abidemi, followed suit.

Arisekola, while condoling Abidemi could not hide his emotions but managed to force back tears occasioned by the striking semblance of Adisa and the child.

Alighting from the plane were the Chief Medical Director of the UITH, Dr. Suleiman Kuranga, the only daughter of the deceased, Miriam, former Lagos Military Governor, Brig.-Gen. Raji Rasaq (rtd), Lt.-Col. Theophilus Bamigboye (rtd) and the publisher of Source magazine, Comfort Obi.

The brown sealed casket was promptly lowered into a white 504 Station Wagon ambulance, marked FGN 16H 12. The ambulance is owned by the UITH.

The body eventually arrived at the Aderemi Adeleye residence of Adisa at 10.54 a.m.

Persons suspected to be members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), cordoned off the premises as they rendered various dirge tunes in honour of Adisa.

Babangida and the former governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, shed tears after the Ghusul-Janazat (the last spiritual birth for the dead). But the weeping of Miriam, Adisa's daughter, wracked the spines of the dignitaries.

The burial, which brought seven chartered aircraft to Ilorin was also attended by Chief of Staff to the President, Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, his Oyo State counterpart, Rasheed Ladoja, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Samuel Afolayan, the Minister of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Senator Suleman Ajadi, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu and former Inspector-General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi.

After the prayer for the dead by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, the remains were lowered into the grave within the residence at noon.

To Bashir, "the choice of the grave was that of Adisa in his life time."
Regretting Adisa's death, Babangida told reporters that the nation has lost one of its finest officers, a dedicated, loyal and selfless personality, who used his resources for the benefit of the people.

Arisekola said: "What do you want me to say? Just pray for him, that is all."
Afolayan noted: "Life is short and brutal but as a soldier, you have played your part, as a politician, you left a mark in Kwara State. As a patriot, kept no malice, you were warm, and forthright, may your gentle soul rest in peace."
At the event where Lawal and his successor, Governor Bukola Saraki, met for the first time after the last governorship election, Lawal bemoaned the loss of a confidant.

He said: "I received the news of his death with a great shock. I have lost a confidant and a friend. It was indeed shocking."
The General-Secretary of Kwara Progressive Movement (KPM), Chief Wole Oke, regretted the departure of "a major pillar" within the movement. Adisa was the vice-chairman of the group.

Oke said that "the greatest victims of his death are the poor people of this state for whose cause Adisa devoted the latter part of his life. These are people whose children have been beneficiaries of Adisa's Education Endowment Fund through which thousands of children have enjoyed bursary award/scholarship yearly for the past several years.

As the sympathisers departed from the residents after the burial, employees of the deceased gathered together apparently to discuss their fate.

The state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared a three-day morning in honour of Adisa, who was one of its patrons.

The chairman of the council, Alhaji Mustaph Lamidi yesterday in Ilorin, said the mourning period would start today, as condolence register had been opened at Ahmudu Bello Way Secretariat of the Council.

The body of the former Military Governor of Oyo State, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos from London aboard Virgin Atlantic Airways early morning yesterday.

Adisa died in a London hospital from injuries sustained in an accident he was involved in in Kwara State about nine days ago.

The aircraft bearing his body touched down at the airport, Lagos, at about 5.25 a.m. in company of his daughter, Miriam, Group Captain Patrick Ugbana (rtd), Senator Musa Adede and Gen. Sam Tiedi (rtd).

On hand to receive the body were Maj.-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd), Senator Tunde Ogbeha and a few family members with Ogbeha and Rasaki co-ordinating how the body would be moved to Ilorin.

After the airport formalities, the remains were taken out of the tarmac in a military ambulance for onward transmission to the domestic wing of the airport en route Ilorin.

Adisa's body was flown out of Lagos in a Downier 228 aircraft, accompanied by several retired Generals and other well-wishers to Ilorin at exactly 9.00a.m. while his associates were conveyed in a chartered EAS B737-200 aircraft.

Many of the Generals declined to comment on Adisa's death but a few who spoke said they were shocked by the incident. They tried to stop reporters from speaking to the deceased's daughter, Miriam, who was reportedly by her father's bedside until he finally breathed his last.

Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was on his way to Abuja, had a brief exchange with the Generals at the VIP Lounge of the local airport, where he also commiserated with Miriam.

According to Oyinlola: "He was my friend, my boss and a great confidant. It is a great loss".

Also, a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State under Rasaki, Mr. Adesola Macaulay, described Adisa as a humane and compassionate person. "Adisa meant many things to us. Apart from the fact that we were all involved in Project 2007, he had offered us a lot of reasonable leadership. He may be brash in his ways, but beyond that, he had those elements of humanism in him. He was compassionate, very loyal when he believes in you, especially when he believes in a certain cause, he does not deviate. He was a strong-willed person".

Among those who accompanied the body to Ilorin yesterday were Malu, Bamigboye, Maj.-Gen. Ishaya Bakut and Alhaji Muri Okunola, chairman and chief executive officer of Muri Television (MITV).

Others were Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Onoja and Maj.-Gen. Timothy Shelpidi.

In his condolence message, the Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion described as shocking and unfortunate the sad news of Adisa's tragic death.

Igbinedion said that Adisa was not only a gallant soldier but an accomplished administrator.

The governor added he was an "astute politician who has left indelible marks in his immediate community and the nation as a whole."`

Posted by Publisher at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)

NEPA to end epileptic power supply in April; Five more stations under way

HOPES of an end, by mid-April, to the current epileptic power supply nation-wide were raised at the weekend by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). The authority also disclosed that five new power stations are in the offing as part of efforts to bring the country's power generation to 10,000 megawatts.

By Yakubu Lawal, Asst. Energy Editor

Managing Director of the Authority, Mr. Joseph Makoju, in an interview with The Guardian in Abuja appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and bear with the authority in this trying moment.

"Certainly, the major positive development we are now waiting for is the Agip power plant at Opkai, that should give us 330megawatts MW. If you add that to what is going to come from Afam, I am in a position to confidently predict, barring any accident, by mid-April, that the power situation should begin to stabilise," he stated.

Makoju added: "My appeal to Nigerians is to bear with us. Over the next five weeks, there will be load-shedding certainly into April. I will hopefully say people will start to notice some stability bounce back into our system then".

According to him, with the rehabilitation works going on and the Agip power plant coming on stream, the authority would be able to operate at its peak generation level of over 3000MW and that, he said, will bring the required stability.

"That was where we were in August, September and October last year and people were happy with the level of our performance. We will get there in April and there will be further improvement on that till the end of the year" Makoju stated.

The Managing Director pointed out that the ultimate objective of the authority is to achieve 10,000MW by the year 2007, stressing that already machineries had been put in place to achieve this.

He said five new power stations were in the process of being constructed to add about 2000 MW to the grid system.

"This is not just a proposal, contracts have been awarded, down-payment made and in some cases, work has reached 30 per cent or 50 per cent level," he said.

These power stations, he said, are being built at Papa Lanto in Ogun State, Omotosho in Ondo State, Ugheli in Delta State, Alaoje near Aba, Abia State and Geregu in Kogi State.

Said he: "So when you combine all that, that is what will move us to 10,000MW target, which I have mentioned."
He added that contributions would also come from oil companies who are now planning one power station or the other, and the Independent Power Projects IPP.

The NEPA boss attributed the cause of the current epileptic power situation to several factors, including low water level at the hydro-power stations and breakdown in some of the thermal plants.

"I know people don't like hearing it but one of the problems is the issue of low level of water".

He said that the result of this low water level is the fact that some 200mw or 300mw which should have come from hydro are lost.

" The second reason is breakdown at thermal stations in Afam, Delta, and Egbin.

Luckily we have been able to put Egbin right .It is running full blast now" he stated. Egbin has 1320MW capacity.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Gas Company limited (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had stated that it has supplied between 300 to 340 million standard cubic feet of gas mmscf to NEPA against about 200mmscf contained in the purchase and sale agreement signed by the two organisations.

NGC Managing Director, Mr. Ladi Fadayomi, stated that apart from problems arising from the gas producing companies which is often responsible for the company not being able to meet the required volume of gas to the end users, NGC has given priority to the need of NEPA due to its strategic role in the economy.

" I can tell you that we are even giving more gas to NEPA than the volume we signed with them" Fadayomi stated.

He added: "We are giving them between 300 and 340 now which is even higher than the 200 we signed in our agreement with them."
NEPA had, in a statement issued on January 6,2005 blamed its poor performances in electricity supply to reduction in gas supply to its facilities by NGC.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

Global anti-smoking pact takes off

A GLOBAL anti-tobacco treaty aimed at stopping children from smoking and helping adults break the habit came into force yesterday. The treaty could save millions of lives, the United Nations (UN) has also observed.

By Ben Ukwuoma and Anson Ekechi Chukwu

"Its entry into force is a demonstration of governments' commitment to reducing death and illness from tobacco use," said World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Lee Jong-wook, in a statement to mark the event.

Tobacco, the second leading cause of preventable deaths globally after hypertension, kills 4.9 million people a year, the UN agency says.

And the yearly death toll from tobacco-related diseases -- lung cancer, heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases -- could soar to 10 million by 2020, with 70 per cent of the deaths in developing countries, it adds.

The treaty, known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, gives members three years to slap strong health` warnings on tobacco packages and five years to ban advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

It also recommends tax increase on tobacco products, a crackdown on smuggling, and reducing exposure to second-hand smoke.

Approved by the WHO's 192 member states in May 2003, the pact became law on Sunday, 90 days after the 40th state had ratified it.

It will only carry legal weight in those countries, which have ratified it, now numbering 57. In total, 167 countries have signed the pact -- but have not necessarily sent it to parliament for ratification.

Nigeria is one of the countries yet to ratify the treaty.

WHO officials and activists say the powerful tobacco industry is lobbying intensively to restrict the number of countries applying the treaty, including the United States (U.S.), which has signed up but not yet sent it to the Senate.

"The tobacco industry wants to be free to sell and market their deadly products in such a way that they have more and more profits. This is the only language the tobacco industry knows," Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, director of the WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative, told journalists.

"In Brazil, my country, the tobacco industry is furiously lobbying the Congress and the Senate in order not to get the treaty ratified. They are using the tobacco farmers to make the case, saying that they will lose their jobs."
Activists accuse American President George Bush administration, which signed the pact last May, of having worked hard to dilute it.

"U.S. ratification of the treaty would send a strong message to the rest of the world that we will not support these efforts and instead put protection of public health ahead of tobacco industry interests," the U.S.-based Tobacco Free Kids lobby group said.

Douglas Bettcher, treaty co-ordinator, was upbeat. "We are happy to report that industry is not winning this game."
Some of the largest tobacco growers -- India, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey -- as well as cigarette - producing countries such as Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey are among those which have ratified the treaty, he said.

Dr. Kingsley Akinoye, Vice President, Nigeria Heart Foundation Lagos, expressed regret that the Nigerian government is yet to ratify Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which was signed in 2004.

He explained that although many aspects of the Treaty, such as prohibition of smoking in public places and banning of advertisement of smoking without strong warning are being implemented in the country, the ratification by government would save millions of lives.

He insisted that the health benefit of dissuading children from smoking far outweighed whatever commercial benefits the country will derive.

Similarly, a non-governmental organisation, Environmental Right Action (ERA) has urged the Nigeria government to promptly ratify the treaty as a demonstration of its commitment to public health.

"This is a great milestone in public health and corporate accountability.

"The treaty will save millions of lives and it demonstrates that working together, nations of the world and their Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) allies can protect people from irresponsible and dangerous actions" it said in a statement signed by the programme manager, Akinbode Oluwafemi.

"This is about the health of our people. The treaty is to save them from death, diseases and poverty. Nigeria cannot afford not to act now". Mr. Nninmo Bassy, ERA's director said the FCTC treaty, negotiated under the auspices of the WHO, is a multisectoral international instrument for the control of Tobacco manufacturing, marketing and distribution.

The convention addresses every aspect of the tobacco trade, including advertising, promotion, smuggling cessation and protects health policy from tobacco industry interference.

Globally, WHO estimates that about five million people die yearly from tobacco use.

Nigerian home video and film producers have also been enjoined to stop smoking scenes, as they are being used by the tobacco industry to recruit youths into cigarette smoking.

This was the view of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) at the weekend.

The group, in a statement issued to commemorate the International Day of Action, an event organised by the Smoke Free Movies Action Network, a coalition of NGOs in over 20 countries, called on the home videos and film producers to stop taking pay-offs from tobacco companies to promote smoking scenes which ultimately glorify tobacco smoking.

The group noted that since governments started banning all tobacco advertisement, the tobacco industry have shifted focus to product placements and actors' endorsement of their products.

ERA speaking through Oluwafemi Akinbode said: "We are worried that from films produced in Hollywood to those from our own Nollywood, there is an alarming increase in the occurrence of smoking scenes, tobacco product brands and imageries. Of course, youths see actors as role models".

A survey of 800 youths between the ages of 13 and 18 in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe found that all the 10 most popular U.S. movies stars named by them have smoked on screen, and half of them frequently.

Ken Dahlgren who supervised the survey for the Smoke Free Movies Action Network, said: "Teens everywhere like Hollywood movies. So if they have the same effect on adolescents in other countries, then the movie industry with the current glorification of smoking by film producers and actors has become a big tool for youths' initiation into smoking and piling up tens of millions of deaths".`

Posted by Publisher at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria, others meet in Lome today on Togo's elections

NIGERIA and four other African countries will meet today in Lome, the Togolese capital, to discuss elections slated for April in the country.

They will also deliberate on ways to strengthen democracy there.

Faure Gnassingbe, son of the erstwhile President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who was sworn in as President after the father's death in office stepped down on Friday.

Gnassingbe, who had been under growing pressure from the United States, the United Nations and West African leaders to resign, said he was stepping down "in the interest of Togo." He promised that elections, in which he will run, would "guarantee transparency and offer an equal chance to all the other candidates."
Parliament later met in a special session and named Deputy Speaker Bonfoh Abbass as interim President until an elected leader takes office.

The military's appointment of Gnassingbe as President and the subsequent retroactive amendment of the Constitution to make the move technically legal had caused widespread outrage and clashes between protesters and security forces.

But a week ago, Gnassingbe bowed to domestic and international pressure and announced that presidential elections would be held. He also lifted a two-week-old ban on political activity, allowing demonstrations and other events if plans were submitted first to the government.

Togo, a former French colony, which gained independence in 1960, has an annual per capita income of $270 from an economy based on cocoa, coffee and mining. The country sits between Ghana and Benin on the Gulf of Guinea on the west coast of Africa.

ECOWAS had led the campaign against what it called a military coup that installed Gnassingbe, and shortly before he stepped down, the larger African Union had adopted the ECOWAS sanctions regime.

It was not immediately clear if the AU would now lift sanctions, but the 53-nation organisation said Togo had "cleared the path for a return to constitutional order." Nevertheless, the group said, Togo needed to do more to ensure "the success of a democratic process, notably the organisation of free elections that are transparent and open to all."
Gnassingbe held an election rally in Lome on Saturday, while opposition party supporters marched in a separate part of the town along a carefully negotiated parade route designed to keep the rivals apart.

Posted by Publisher at 02:19 PM | Comments (0)

Speakers urge Obasanjo to release Lagos council funds

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has been urged to release the withheld funds belonging to local government areas in Lagos State.

The appeal came from Speakers of Houses of Assembly in the country's 36 states at a two-day conference, which ended in Yenagoa Bayelsa State at the weekend.

In a statement, the speakers urged Obasanjo to obey the ruling of the Supreme Court and order the immediate disbursement of the funds.

"We appeal to the Federal Government to obey the court order and release the Lagos council funds", said the speakers in the statement read to reporters by the conference chairman and Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rotimi Amaechi.

The conference's four-point statement also urged total respect for the rule of law by all tiers of government for good governance and stable democracy in the country.

The Speakers declared their support for the ongoing National Political Reform Conference in Abuja and expressed the hope that it would move the nation forward. The Speakers also restated their commitment to the unity and oneness of the country.

Meanwhile the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Jokotola Pelumi has hailed the Conference of Speakers' resolution on the withheld funds. Speaking to reporters in Yenagoa after the meeting, Pelumi said, "I commend their courage and frankness for being on the side of truth, justice and equity. I urge President Olusegun Obasanjo to demonstrate his statesmanship and order the release of the funds unconditionally."
President Obasanjo, has since April 2004 stopped allocations to Lagos councils from the federation to force the Lagos State government to revert to the defunct 20 councils. The seizure came almost two years after the Lagos State House of Assembly created 37 new councils.

Posted by Publisher at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

Iraqi forces capture Saddam's brother, adviser

FORMER adviser and head of a special task force in the ousted President Saddam Hussein's administration, Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan has been captured by the Iraqi forces.

According to a report, al-Hassan, who is also a half brother to Saddam and was suspected of financing insurgents after the United States (U.S.) troops changed the leadership in Iraq, was arrested at the weekend.

A statement from the Prime Minister's office reads: "The arrest shows the determination of the Iraqi government to chase and detain all criminals who carried out massacres and whose hands are stained with the blood of the Iraqi people, then bring them to justice to face punishment."
Al-Hassan is No.36 on the list of 55 most-wanted Iraqis released by U.S. authorities after troops invaded Iraq in March 2003, and one of only 12 remaining at large. He is also suspected of financing insurgents in the post-Saddam era, and Washington had put a $1 million bounty on his head.

The government statement said al-Hassan had "killed and tortured Iraqi people." It also said he had "participated effectively in planning, supervising and carrying out many terrorist acts in Iraq."
Officials in interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's office, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed al-Hassan's capture but gave no details on where it took place or when.

According to Capt. Ahmed Ismael, an intelligence officer in the Interior Ministry, Sabawi was detained early Sunday.

It was also not immediately known whether U.S. troops had played any role in the arrest. In Baghdad, the U.S. military had no immediate comment.

Under Saddam, al-Hassan served as head of the feared General Security Directorate, which was responsible for internal security, especially cracking down on political parties that opposed Saddam. Al-Hassan had been accused of torturing and killing political opponents when he was head of the body. He later became a presidential adviser, the last post he held in the former regime.

Besides being on the list of the 55 most wanted, al-Hassan is among the 29 most-wanted supporters of insurgent groups in Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command.

On December 28, Qassem Dawoud, Iraq's national security adviser, claimed that al-Hassan had taken refuge in Syria sometime after the U.S. invasion in 2003. From there, he was reportedly supporting insurgents in Iraq, Dawoud told journalists.

Saddam's two other half brothers, Barzan and Watban, were captured in April 2003 and are expected to stand trial along with Saddam at the Iraqi Special Tribunal. Both appeared before the special court in Baghdad with Saddam and a handful of others to hear preliminary accusations against them.

Posted by Publisher at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)

As National confab reconvenes today: Why Nigerians don't trust Obasanjo —Na'Abba * NLC lists agenda, pushes for all-inclusive talks

ABUJA — FORMER House of Representatives Speaker, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba, says Nigerians’ suspicion that President Olusegun Obasanjo has a hidden agenda in convoking the National Political Reform Conference is not entirely misplaced.

By Sufuyan Ojeifo, Bolade Omonijo, Emmanuel Aziken, Victor Ahiuma-Young & Simeon Ebugbelem
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

This, according to him, is because the president believes that there is no worthy Nigerian to succeed him. But the Presidency for the umpteenth time insists that the president will go in 2007.

And as the conference reconvenes today in Abuja, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has unveiled its agenda at the talks, and declared that Nigerians who do not believe in oneness of the country should be allowed to canvass their position there.

Also, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has faulted the Northern governors for dismissing its (MBF’s) call for Nigeria’s return to regionalism.

Alhaji Na’Abba, fielding questions at Vanguard Roundtable in Abuja, said alleged manipulation of the 2003 general elections and other acts of suppression of people’s freedom by government were responsible for people’s lack of trust in the national conference.

He said suspicion by many Nigerians of a hidden agenda in the convocation of the conference, which begins full business today, was also fuelled by President Obasanjo’s alleged inconsistent positions on some national issues.

"How many times has the President said he was not going to do something and he did it? Even the conference, he said he was never going to hold this kind of conference and he is doing it. I do not trust that hidden agenda is not there until the outcome of the conference," Alhaji Na’Abba said, adding: "Talking about hidden agenda, there have been speculations that the President wants to continue in office. This is predicated on the fact that the President does not believe that there is any worthy person to succeed him in Nigeria.

"In a meeting, he had said that some African leaders are skeptical about that, that after him, who will rule Nigeria? For South Africa, after Thabo Mbeki, there is Zuma; but when he was asked, he was said to have replied that after him, he did not see anybody that is qualified to become President.

"So many things that have been done informally suggest that there is this agenda. There was a time the National Assembly took up the review of the constitution very seriously. All that were reviewed were things that were accepted by us. At the beginning of this National Assembly, the idea of the review came up again and it was alleged that what they wanted to do was to amend the constitution to make room for a third term for the President.

"Given the nature of the leadership of the National Assembly and their emergence, Nigerians could not help but think that that was the agenda. Maybe when they thought over it and realised that it was not going to be possible, they started some other experimentation and this idea of a conference might be one of such experimentations."

Asked to clarify his recent position that there might not be 2007, Na’Abba said: "Well, in addition to being a politician, I am also a social scientist. I know that every policy is a social organism. It is just like the human body. When you prick it, it reacts. Under a democracy, you find out that most of the variables are being violated.

"There are many members of the National Assembly, for example, whose elections were not legitimate. Even some members of the leadership of the National Assembly, their elections were not legitimate. Even the Court of Appeal questioned the legitimacy of the presidential election and many people were prevented from winning their elections in a manner that were not legitimate.

"All these have made Nigerians skeptical about voting. When people become skeptical about whether their votes count or not, that gives fertility to what political scientists call the devil’s theory of politics. When people are asked to vote and they decide not to vote because their votes do not count, you have a situation where things become difficult for democracy.

"A situation whereby the police, the military and the electoral commission would be used to suppress elections or rehabilitate somebody who has failed in an election does not augur well for democracy; these things have combined to make Nigerians skeptical as to whether in 2007 what happened in 2003 would not repeat itself.

"Increasingly, freedom of Nigerians is being subdued. People are getting to a point where they believe they do not have anything to lose. I believe that Nigerians will not allow what happened in 2003 to happen in 2007. The impulse will be to use the military or the police but when such things happen, there will be a conflagration. That was why I said that 2007 brings a lot of skepticism.

"If the President wanted to embark on a third term by amending the constitution, it is quite simple. What he needed to do was to prove to Nigerians that he can lead Nigeria and Nigerians will not hesitate to support him. All that Nigerians want is a leader that they can follow. The number of years he stays is not important.

"When somebody has a hidden agenda, it is hidden because the man who has the hidden agenda does not possess the prerequisite to be allowed to continue to be in power. There are times when people in power think they can impose their will on people. What I see from the composition of the people who are going to the conference, there are people I can trust can never be used. There are also people that are there, of course, that are going to be used.

"What is going to decide is the balance of forces of people that are going to be there. When you look at the manner of the emergence of the delegates, there is no reason why the President should nominate 50 people. We know that a lot of them are in the corridors of power. What are you sending these people there for?

"From the appointment of delegates, I subscribe to the fact that there could be a hidden agenda. From the composition of the people who are going to participate in the conference, in my own estimation, may not be amenable to the kind of arrangement that the President wants."

* Obasanjo will go in 2007 —Fani-Kayode

In a separate interview, however, President Obasanjo’s Special Assistant (Public Affairs), Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, said the President would not be available for the job at the expiration of his second term in office on May 29, 2007.

"In 2007, the President would go; he would leave the office, but he would still be our leader, and this is very important; he would leave in 2007; he would leave the presidency when he has finished his term; but as far as we are concerned, I am concerned and a number of others that are close to him are concerned, he would continue to be our leader and we would continue to consult with him and take leadership from him wherever he is.

"He does not have to be President to be a leader; he is already the elder statesman of the African continent as CNN referred to him the other day in the presence of Thabo Mbeki and others and nobody disputed it. He would be even more than an elder statesman at that time; he would be the way Mandela is today in South Africa. He would still be our leader because the PDP has got to where it is because of him and we will continue to follow him and we will continue to love him," Fani-Kayode said at Vanguard Roundtable, Abuja last Tuesday.

Asked whether President Obasanjo was worried about his successor and the fate of his package of reform agenda, Fani-Kayode said: "I do not believe that it is right to say that the President is worried, because just as the Lord raised and lifted him up in 1998 to assume office in 1999, the Lord would raise somebody else to continue where he has stopped. A man of faith does not worry. The Bible says be anxious for nothing. We have no fears about anything, least of all 2007. The Lord would ensure somebody comes in to continue the good work that the President started, to build on the foundation that he is establishing today."

*NLC unveils agenda

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said Nigerians who do not believe in oneness of Nigeria should be allowed to canvass their position at the political reform dialogue. Congress at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting in Benin, weekend, said it would push for the appointment of the Inspector-General of Police and Chairman of the electoral commission by all the political parties and other stakeholders, especially the legislature.

Addressing journalists after CWC meeting which lasted two days, President of the NLC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said the conference must include in its agenda economic reform for the conference to have meaning to the ordinary Nigerians, hence, labour is pushing for all inclusive dialogue instead of an exclusive conference.

He said: "NLC believes in the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria as a nation and we would continue to champion the cause of Nigeria’s unity. We believe that the cause of our people would be better preserved in a united strong and virile Nigeria. But it must be a Nigeria that truly gives every Nigerian equal basis for participation so that people can actualise their potentials and earn their living in a safe and secured country. But it goes without saying that if there are people who do not believe in the oneness of Nigeria, they should be given a hearing. They should be encouraged to tell us why they do not believe in the oneness of Nigeria or what they think must be done to buy into the Nigeria project. To deny them the platform to canvass their grievances against Nigeria, if there are any, will not be helpful to the cause of unity and of transforming our diversity into strength.

"NLC believes that the Presidential system of government is suitable for Nigeria, but that the problem inherent in the present practice is not in the system, but the actors. It is not the presidential system that says that the president must have 40 ministers and several special advisers and special assistants. In the light of this, we believe that the constitution can be reformed in such a way that the discretionary power of the president to determine the number of ministers and advisers should be limited by law. The same thing is also valid for the states.

"However, we believe that it would be wrong to deny those who prefer parliamentary system to have the opportunity to canvass their case. The forum should encourage them to canvass their case. Let there be a battle of ideas and let those with superior argument prevail on the basis of what appeals to the majority. That is what democracy is about. Democracy does not allow one person to impose his conviction on another person without giving such a person a hearing. Democracy allows all people right or wrong, wise and unwise, intelligent or foolish to canvass their positions provided that at the end of the day, the will of the majority would prevail.

"The congress also believes in the principle of federal character. But it is also clear that the principle is being abused and it is that abuse that has made the principle to be suspect on the part of many Nigerians. We reaffirm our support for the federal character principle, but we believe it should be applied more justly given the fact that there is no part of Nigeria today that cannot boast of skilled men and women in all fields of human endeavour. The problem has been that of nepotism, undue favouritism and corruption."

* Middle Belt Forum tackles Northern govs

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has faulted the opposition of the Northern Governors’ Forum to its call for a return to regionalism at the ongoing national political reform conference, saying regionalism would foster more unity in the North.

Responding to the caution expressed by the Northern Governors’ Forum to delegates at the National Confab against regionalism, Mr. John Dara, National Organising Secretary of the MBF, said a reduction to six regions would also drastically reduce the points of corruption in the 36 states to less than one quarter.

Mr. Dara, himselfMBF’s delegate to the national conference, however, said the current set of governors would not be affected by any decision of the conference reducing the number of states, as he said, confab decisions would not be effective until 2007.

Meanwhile, conference delegates returning for resumption of sitting today were yesterday being paid accommodation allowances of N280,000 per delegate to sustain them in the federal capital for the next two weeks.

Governor Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State had last Friday read a communique of the Northern Governor’s Conference, which among others cautioned delegates to the ongoing national conference against choosing regional form of government for the country.

Earlier, the Middle Belt Forum had on its part through Mr. Dara affirmed its determination to advocate a regional form of administration for the country.

Faulting the caution from the Northern Governors’ Forum, Mr. Dara told Vanguard yesterday: "Evidently, they are out of touch with the yearnings of the electorate that put them in power. The 36 states of Nigeria have become 36 stations of corruption and by reducing the states to six or eight regions we would have reduced the avenues of corruption by three-quarter," he said.

"Definitely a classical way of reducing corruption is by reducing the points of demanding gratification. By reducing them, we would have definitely reduced vice in the nation. More than that, there is advantage in size which brings economic of scale and it also fosters more unity," the MBF national organizing secretary said.

* Delegates on procedure

However, delegates are expected to consider today the Rules of Procedure prepared by the secretariat to guide deliberations. At the first plenary session, delegates had complained that there could be no sitting without the appropriate rules approved. Sources close to the secretariat said the rules had since been prepared and would be presented today.

According to the sources, issues relating to funding and logistics which forced the adjournment last Monday have been sorted out between the conference leadership and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Contrary to the expectation of some delegates, the Federal Government is said to be sticking to its position that delegates fend for themselves in terms of accommodation, feeding and transport as the conference fully resumes. For this purpose, a daily allowance of N20,000 has been provided while the monthly sitting allowance remains N20,000.

While agreeing with the Federal Government that delegates have to put the interest of the country first in all their demands, Mr David Serena-Dokubo from Rivers State said government ought to have been more forthcoming with information. In an interview shortly after last week’s adjournment, Mr. Serena-Dokubo said: "I agree that the government has not done very well in terms of making information available to members. I came in from Port-Harcourt and after the adjournment, I am going back to Port-Harcourt. I will be back on Sunday. Yet, no one has asked me how much I have spent on ticket or when and how the money would be refunded. I am a lawyer, it is great sacrifice accepting to leave my chambers for three months. In any case, I think these are teething problems. they will be sorted out in due course."

The conference secretary, Rev. Father Matthew Kukah ,also confirmed that there were teething problems of logistics last week, but said the Conference was ready for full take off. He said the problem of office accommodation and furnishing had been laid to rest. He also hinted that there could be a move of the venue of the conference sittings to a more comfortable wing of the International Conference Centre complex.

A source close to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation hinted that papers and publications needed by the conference delegates to have fruitful deliberations have now been assembled and would be made available to them as they return today.

Posted by Publisher at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)

PRONACO's confab doesn't bother me, says Obasanjo * Tasks Tinubu on seized LG funds

LAGOS—PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo said last night that he was not bothered by moves by PRONACO to hold a separate national conference.

Fielding questions during his monthly television programme, Media Chat, the president said: "Everybody has a right to call a conference. If I have provided a conference where different views can be collated and debated, what else do you want me to do?" He was optimistic about the ability of the national political reform confernece to live up to the expectation of the generality of Nigerians, because, as he said, "they are people of stature, they are responsible."

On the seizure by the Federal Government of funds due to local governments in Lagos State, he said his action was purely in defence of the constitution.

He said apart from Lagos State, four other states failed to follow the constitution in creating councils and that while four have backed down, Lagos has not.

"It is the governor of Lagos State who should do what the other four have done. Until then, I will do what is expected of me constitutionally," he said: He said government would continue to refurbish and strengthen the Asaba-Onitsha bridge until a new bridge was built."You don’t ignore a bridge until you have a replacement. If I don’t refurbish and strengthen it, one day I will have disaster on my hand."

He said since the building of a new bridge across the Niger would involve partly private funds, a law had been sent to the National Assembly to protect such private investment, and promised that within six months of passing the law, work would commence on the project.

He also said power generation in the country would be increased to 10,000 megawatts by 2007.

Posted by Publisher at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)

CBN begins second round of consolidation in 2006, says NDIC chief

LAGOS — Banks that meet the N25 billion minimum capital base this year will be required to merge next year in the second round of consolidation planned by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Professor Peter Umoh, Executive Director, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) at the 2005 Project Edge Ethics Retreat held in Ikeja said:

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

"On Tuesday, February 22, 2005, the CBN Governor at the Bankers’ Committee meeting held in Lagos reported that 15 banks had met the N25 billion target although the CBN was still verifying the sources of the recapitalisation.

"To underscore that N25 billion would be inadequate shareholders’ funds for Nigeria’s bank of the future, the Governor averred that the next round of consolidation as from next year would involve the merger of the banks that have met the N25 billion target this year. That would obviously leave no room for small and medium sized banks as canvassed in some quarters."

Prof. Umoh said whilst the 15 banks should be commended for sourcing the required capital before the deadline, "it is pertinent to observe that some had done so using tactics that had tended to impair the image of banks.

"Such banks set targets for staff to source shareholders for the banks’ Initial Public Offers (IPOs) in a manner reminiscent of deposit targets set for staff. The latter had tended to taint the image of the banks as such staff did whatever was necessary to meet their targets because their confirmation of appointments and promotions were based on meeting such deposit targets."

He said the Bankers Committee had deliberated on the issue and condemned it in very strong terms. Today, he said "one can happily say that most of the banks have come to accept the reality of their under-capitalisation and the inevitability of the reform. Some banks are now aiming at shareholders’ funds way in excess of the N25 billion stipulated by the CBN."

Prof. Umoh lamented the sharp practices in Nigerian banks, saying that some bank chief executives and a chairman and her two staff were forced out of the banking system for falsification of returns to the monetary authorities. According to him, "The rendition of false returns by banks to the regulatory authorities had been with the banking industry for quite some time. In the past, modest monetary fines were imposed on the erring banks but such fines had not been enough to deter the banks. The gains from the malpractice, for example, rendering returns that purportedly met the Cash Reserve Ratio, Liquidity Ratio, Single Obligor Limit and reduced deposit insurance premium were seen to be greater than the monetary penalty.

"Whilst the banks may have made monetary gains on balance, such banks failed to reckon with the reputational risks which their institutions and management faced as a result of such malpractice."

Posted by Publisher at 02:06 PM | Comments (0)

Experts hinge ICT growth on energy sector reforms

ABUJA—WITH a foretaste of the deplorable state of Nigeria’s energy sector, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts who last week gathered in Abuja for the 4th Africa Internet Summit and Exhibition, AFRINET 2005, have warned that except something was done about reforming the energy sector, ICT would never grow in the continent.

By Okoh Aihe
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

Although previous attention had been on how to make the ICT sector grow with a view to closing the ever expanding digital divide between the developed and the developing countries, it became obvious in Abuja that no reasonable progress could be made except corollary sectors were tackled immediately.

This is coming at a time NEPA is performing at its worst, with the organisation’s boss, Mr. Joseph Makoju, confessing on national television that gas supply to enable him do his job has dropped significantly.

But the conference with the theme, Sustaining the Growth of ICT Access in Africa, drew participants from all corners of the world. It was organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Internet Group (NIG), Federal Ministry of Communications (FMC), Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU), and the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Association (WATRA).

The participation of the foreign organisations was seen as a mark of endorsement for the Nigerian telecom market regarded as one of the fastest growing in the world. At the programme attended by regulators from different parts of the world, including the United States and most countries in Africa, participants noted among others that African nations have witnessed considerable progress in the growth of ICT, particularly in the area of digital mobile telephony services.

However, the huge ICT potentials remain grossly under-explored. In spite of perception that Africa is a high-risk investment zone, the continent has enormous potentials to generate local and foreign investments.

At the end of deliberations, participants urged African leaders to match words with action otherwise they would eclipse their citizens from the good that technology has to offer.

In a world that is daily compounded by the ever exploding ICT sector, participants observed that African countries could only be part of the modern world by taking some drastic steps.

Posted by Publisher at 02:06 PM | Comments (0)

C-River's Tinapa project to gulp N26b in Phase I

LAGOS — Cross River State initiated project, Tinapa Business Resort Limited (TBRL), Africa’s premier business resort, is estimated to cost N26 billion in the first phase and create 3,000 additional jobs.

By Peter Egwuatu
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

Mr. Sam Anani, Chief Executive Officer of Tinapa Business Resort Limited (TBRL), the holding company engaged in the establishment of Tinapa, told newsmen in Lagos "the project which is estimated to cost about N26 billion (US$184 million) has an indicative internal rate of return of 31.81 per cent with a payback period of about six years. The Resort, after the first phase, will create 3,000 direct jobs.

"TBRL, though a government initiated project, is being handled by the private sector as Cross River State Government has divested its majority stake," he said.

The Board of TBRL parades illustrious Nigerians and expatriates, such as Chief Festus Odimegwu, MD/CEO, Nigeria Breweries Plc as Chairman of the Board. He is assisted by Mallam Ahmed Dasuki, a Director of Investment Banking Trust Company (IBTC), and MTN Nigeria Communications Limited.

Commenting on the capital structure of Tinapa, Anani said: "A capital structure of 30 per cent ordinary shares, 30 per cent preference shares and 40 per cent debt has been adopted towards ensuring the successful establishment of Tinapa. Foreign banks have already expressed keen interest in providing the requisite debt finance."

He further explained that the private placement issue to raise funds for the project was ongoing and that upon completion of the private placement, the plan is to list TBRL by way of introduction on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Leadbank Plc and BGL Limited are the issuing houses for the private placement with First Bank of Nigeria Plc as Debt Advisors. Mr Anani who expressed optimism with respect to the Private Placement said an institutional investor had already invested N1 billion in the equity of the project.

Anani explained that progress was being made towards the realisation of the Tinapa vision. He indicated that earthworks and piling have since commenced on site and that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the leading construction company in Nigeria, has been awarded the construction contract for infrastructure and the shopping and entertainment complexes, adding that Standard Trust Bank Plc has provided a N5 billion bridge financing facility to ensure timely commencement of construction work.

On management, Mr. Anani said international operators such as Broil Property Group, the largest South African property and facilities management company, and Southern Sun Group, a leading South African hotel group, will provide the requisite skills and management expertise to ensure the smooth running of Tinapa post-construction.

In terms of tenants, Anani said "commitments have been received for 30 per cent of the Iettable space. Anchor tenants include Nigerian concerns such as ICC, ASPAMDA, Alaba Electronics Traders. Others are South African operators -Games & Deon, Massmart, Shoprite Checkers and Johnnic. Nigerian Breweries Plc has indicated interest in taking space in both the retail and warehouse complexes. The other prospective warehouse tenants are the Nigerian Anchor tenants and Nigerian Bottling Company."

The first of its kind in Nigeria and the greater West and Central African subregions, Tinapa is modelled after similar re-export centres in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Bombay and Bangkok.

The project is established as a mixed-use business and resort development in Calabar, which has been designated a free trade zone and is adjacent to the free port to capitalise on wholesale/retail/manufacturing, import and export opportunities.

Anani said: "Tinapa’s tenants will not only have the benefit of standard world-class infrastructure, large and diversified captive market for products, but will also enjoy other incentives based on its Free Trade Zone status, which include exemptions from taxes and duties, and unrestricted repatriation of capital."

Posted by Publisher at 02:05 PM | Comments (0)

Roads: Imo warns contractors against defaulting

OWERRI — IMO State Government has warned the contracting firms handling the Amaraku-Umunkwo-Umundugba Road, the Amaraku-Agbaja-Nwangele Road and Eziama-Abba-Owere Nkworji Road, that it will not hesitate to revoke the contract should the firms fail to perform to satisfaction.

By Chidi Nkwopara
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

The Commissioner for Finance, Chief Charles Ekwegh, on an unscheduled inspection tour of the affected roads said: "The pace of work on these roads is not encouraging. It is abysmally slow. Government wants to get the jobs done before the rains set in. The contractors are advised to increase their pace of work or risk the possibility of not only losing the jobs but also getting blacklisted by government." The story was different when he arrived the 15 kilometer Obollo-Umueze-Afor Oru road, where over five kilometers have been asphalted, barely six weeks after signing the contract agreement with New Idea Construction Company Limited.

Showing the Governor’s representative round the project, the firm’s Chairman, Prince Lemmy Akakem, said that they are waiting for the special design to cut down the slope at the Obollo end of the road, from the State Ministry of Works. "The devastating gully erosion along the road is a serious problem. It was originally taken care of in the initial design. We are prepared to deliver this road before the completion date, if we are encouraged financially", Akakem said.

While commending Akakem for "doing a good job so far", he however expressed displeasure that the initial monies given to the contracting firms handling the other roads "are not reflected on the projects, adding that there was no reason why the firms should not deliver the work as scheduled."They cannot say that government has not been keeping its own side of the contract.

We are not owing any of the contractors for any certificates earned and I must add that the slow contractors have not really earned any certificates. They should either work or return all the monies paid to them before packing and leaving quietly", he fumed. The contractor handling the Amaraku-Umunkwo-Umundugba road was absent during the visit and government ordered that he should report unfailingly today.

Answering questions thrown at him by the Commissioner, Engr. John Asuquo, the Site Agent of Monier Construction Company, handling the Amaraku-Agbaja-Nwangele road, agreed that the firm "is slightly behind schedule" but promised that the Company would hasten up in the coming weeks.

Posted by Publisher at 02:04 PM | Comments (0)

300 held for violating sanitation edict in Ebonyi

ABAKALIKI — OVER 300 persons, vehicles and motor-cycles were arrested Saturday for violating this month’s environmental sanitation exercise in Ebonyi State.

By Eric Ugbor
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

General Manager of the State Environmental Protection Agency (ESEPA), Engr. Onwukaike Nwambam, speaking at the end of the exercise expressed delight at the response of people to the sanitation programme.

Engr. Nwambam said Government spends over the sum of N7m monthly to manage environmental sanitation problems in the state.

He stated that the result of the amount spent is already glaring in the state with the improved disposition of refuse dumps all over the state.

He called on the people to imbibe the culture of keeping their environment clean explaining that cleanliness is next to Godliness. Engr. Nwambam restated the commitment of the state government to make the entire state clean and make life more meaningful for the residents of the state.

He noted that Kpiri-Kpiri area in the state capital remains the dirtiest and called on the people of the area to imbibe the culture of daily clean up of their environment.

Engr. Nwambam stated that ESEPA would not spare any organisation or individual found to be violating the sanitation exercise in the state.

The General Manager commended the State Governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, for his prompt attention to all programmes involving ESEPA in the state.

He praised the state governor’s determination to support the activities of ESEPA in the state and appealed to the Governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, not to relent in his efforts to keep the entire state clean. Engr. Nwambam also solicited for more fund to enable his agency effectively implement all its outlined activities in ensuring the Agency’s determination to make the state the cleanest in the country.

Posted by Publisher at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

Ohanezi: Top Anambra officials undergo questioning in Abuja

AWKA: THREE top Anambra State Government officials have been quizzed in Abuja by security operatives over the attack on January 7, 2005 of the home of Dr. Harry Ohanezi, currently representing Nnewi North/South in the House of Representatives.

By Anayo Okoli
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

A mobile police constable, Mr Patrick Anugba, guarding the home of Ohanezi was killed during the attack.

Government was fingered as instigating the attack, an allegation which was vehemently denied by Governor Chris Ngige’s Media Adviser, Fred Chukwuelobe. Chukwuelobe said the government did not have any hand in the attack, saying: "We don’t engage in such irresponsibility".

The officials interrogated by security agents were a Commissioner, a Special Adviser and a Consultant to the Government. The three are believed to be very close to Ngige as one of them is his blood relation. However, the consultant is said to still be on the run, though effort, Vanguard learnt, has been intensified to get him to anwser some questions on the attack.

"The security operatives are ready to get to the root of the attack on Ohanezi’s house.We want to end this politics of bitterness among our politicians.We cannot allow them to continue to kill themselves,even security personnel attached to them", a senior police source sgovernment officials were quizzed in Abuja.

But the government has denied any involvement in the attack. According to Chukwuelobe, the officials in question were quizzed on account of a petition allegedly written by Ohanezi which probably accused them of playing a role in the attack.

"They were quizzed following a petition by the fellow you talked about. It is not true that government had a hand in it. The bias is obvious. Have the police invstigated the wanton destruction of property [allegedly] by people like the complainant? Have they investigated our own petition? This is double standard, but I can tell you our government has nothing to do with the alleged attack.We don’t engage in such irresponsiblity", Chukwuelobe said.

Ohanezi had before the attack petitioned the police, alleging threat to his life and other politicians in the State opposed to Ngige’s administration.

Posted by Publisher at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

Northern PDP stalwarts converge in Abuja to find replacement for Ogbeh

ABUJA—AS leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the North Central zone converge at Abuja on Tuesday, this week, to elect a replacement for the party’s National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, whose resignation takes effect today, there are indications that the presidency has taken a decision on its preferred candidate for the position.

By Sufuyan Ojeifo
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

Vanguard gathered authoritatively yesterday in Abuja that the Presidency’s lot has fallen on a Third Republic Senator from Kogi State, Senator Ahmadu Adah Ali as successor to Ogbeh.

Besides, it was gathered that his emergence at the planned shadow election tomorrow might be through a consensus arrangement that will see other contestants stepping down for him.

The Medical Doctor and former Federal Commissioner for Education (1975-78) is also said to enjoy the strong backing of his State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, unlike others who are jostling for the party’s plum position. But the Presidency’s support, as learnt, was what swung popular support for Senator Ali, who enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1964 as a non-combatant soldier. He was then appointed Medical Officer, 68 Armed Forces Hospital, Yaba, Lagos from 1964 to 1965.

Checks disclosed that, in the event of other contestants settling for election at the shadow election, arrangements have been perfected to ensure the victory of Ali at the North Central Zonal Working Committee meeting, which will be held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja and presided over by the National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Mogaji.

All leaders of the zone, namely, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Governors from the zone, members of the Zonal Working Committee and others, are expected at the meeting, which decision would be communicated to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party holding either Wednesday or Thursday, this week for ratification.

But, it was learnt that given the direction from which Senator Ali is coming, other contestants might drop their guards and withdraw from the contest, as forging ahead would be tantamount to challenging the Presidency and which they do not want to be seen as doing.

Others who have shown interest in the position, which is ceded to the North Central zone until the November/December National Convention of the party this year, are former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi, former Plateau State Governor, Chief Fidelis Tapgun and former Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of General Staff, General Lawrence Onoja (from Benue State). The position of National Chairman may shift from the zone at the expiry of Ogbeh’s un-expired term, which Ali is set to complete in November/December, this year.

Vanguard learnt weekend that Senator Ali, on his endorsement by the Presidency, was charged not to grant press interviews or join issues with others on the succession race for Ogbeh’s position, a directive to which he has strictly adhered.This, as learnt, was aimed at eliminating rancour and acrimony that could make the process and the ruling party look ridiculous and undignified.

Posted by Publisher at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)

Traditional ruler advises parents to take immunization of children as priority

OWERRI— PARENTS have been urged to take the on-going National Programme on Immunization (NPI) as a priority in the health care of their children, "if our collective quest to eradicate polio and other childhood killer diseases will be achieved".

By Chidi Nkwopara
Posted to the Web: Monday, February 28, 2005

The traditional ruler of Awo Mbieri, Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State, Eze Emmanuel Umez-Eronini, a consultant physician and nephrologist, made the passionate appeal while addressing his people during the conferment of Ezinne title on his 83 year old mother, by All Saints Anglican Church, Awo Mbieri."

While our fore-fathers linked cases of crippled children to the alleged sins of their parents, we now know that polio has nothing to do with the sinfulness of parents. I must, however, warn that parents of this day and age will be guilty of the sin of neglect, stupidity and carelessness, if they fail to immunize their children", the royal father said. According to the traditional ruler, government has made the entire exercise very simple by engaging some ad-hoc medical staff to go round the communities, schools and even private homes to immunize the children."

Government has brought the immunization exercise to our door-steps. You are not expected to pay any bills for getting immunized but you will pay heavily to treat your children if they contract polio or any other childhood killer disease. You are advised to immunize your children or stand the risk of losing them to these killer diseases. The choice is your own", Eze Eronini pleaded.

Continuing, the royal father appealed to his people to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis for worthy enterprise, especially the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service. He called for high ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each person’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society. "This community places a very high premium on education and this is why we have been sponsoring scholarship schemes for our children", he said

Posted by Publisher at 01:56 PM | Comments (0)

Our Expectations from Dialogue, By Obasanjo - NLC unveils 8-Point agenda

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday, said he expects from the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC), upon the expiration of its assignment three things that will strengthen the nation's fabric by institutionalising equity, fairness, justice and unity.

From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Chris Nwachuku and Ndubuisi Ugah in Lagos, 02.28.2005

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it will use the National Dialogue to campaign for the wittling down of the discretionary power of the President which it said has the capacity to undermine the current democratic project.
Obasanjo said the three key results will come through the amendment of the constitution, reform of the system of governance, review of the Electoral Act and introduction of measures which will create a conducive relationship between the executive and the legislature.
Obasanjo, who spoke last night in the monthly presidential media chat on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), said it was wrong for Nigerians to dismiss the objectives behind setting up of the conference when it was obvious that the conference was going to address fundamental issues which border on Nigeria's development.
"I expect Nigerians to congratulate the present administration for setting up the conference as I expect three things from the conference. First, I expect the conference to come up with amendment or deletion from our constitution that will strengthen the unity, harmony, prosperity, transparency and our system of governance.
"Secondly, I also expect to come out of the conference new legislation like Electoral Reform and Electoral Act or Electoral Bill or amendment to existing legislations that will again strengthen our unity, ensure equity and justice.
"The third one which are constitutional and legislative in nature will have to be on how constitution can be amended and how laws can be made in this country. That is how it will go. The third one is on those things which may not be of constitutional nature or of legislation but which we need to put in place that will also enhance, strengthen our unity, our harmaony, our prosperity, our practice of governance in every sphere and at every level. These are the three things I expect", he said.
He said he expected the executive arm of government to shoulder the responsibility of the third issue from the conference and added that the first and second issues should be effectively handled by the executive and legislature.
"The third is what I expect the executive to undertake on its own, the first-two, I think the executive and the legislature will have to handle on their own. By that, I don't think we should disturb ourselves so much", he said.
The President, who reiterated that the conference was not conceived to dismember the nation, however said, the purpose for establishing the conference was to address some of the fundamental issues affecting the growth of the nation.
"We did not establish the conference to blacklist anybody or part of the country. Actually, the government decided to establish the conference owing to the need to look into some of the problems facing the country presently, as well as look for a way of addressing them collectively", he added.
On the controversies that have trailed the recommendations of the Human Rights Investigation Commision (HRIVC) otherwise known as Oputa panel, Obasanjo expressed dismay over the attitude of Nigerians with regards to the panel's report. He said what delayed the release of the report was more of constitutional interpretation than what most observers thought.
He said what informed the establishment of the panel in the first place was to initiate moves that will engender total reconciliation and the enthronement of truth in all the issues raised during the commssion's sittings.
"I think if anything, we should congratulate this government for finding a way out of almost no way about Oputa panel. If you have to obey the rule of law, once a court gives an injuction, unless you can set it aside, so what the Federal government has simply done was to obey the court order that government could not discuss the report, then we decided on finding a way of getting it in a larger form to make it a larger conference which we have now", he stated.
He noted that it was wrong for Nigerians to compare what was obtainable during the First Republic to the present day, and that it was equally wrong to use nostalgia to run an administration and that "it is an illusion to think so".
He said "the Federal Government has improved tremendously upon what it met" on assumption of office, and urged Nigerians to support Federal Government's policies rather than discredit them.
"No two presidential system of government is the same. We have tried to define a kind of system of government to meet the peculiarities of our country and people", he advised.
On the recurring power outage often experienced in the country, he said Nigerians needed to complement government's efforts in finding lasting solution to the erratic power supply in the country.
According to him, there was need for Nigerians to pay their electricity bills as at when due in order to facilitate the efforts of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) officials in meeting to the day-to-day power supply of consumers in the country.
"I urge those vandalising to stop vandalising and those not paying to start paying their bills promptly", he said.
He commended the National Assembly for passing the Electricity Return bill. He also said that once the 3,500 Mega Watts is commissioned, epileptic power supply in the country will be a thing of the past.
However the NLC in its eight-point agenda agreed noted that there must be fresh constitutional check on the presidency to avoid the many crises plaguing the nation as a result of its overbearing power.
Among the president's discretionary powers that NLC wants checked are the appointment of the Police Inspector General and Electoral Commissioners, the number of ministerial position and special advisers, among others.
At the end of the two day Central Working Committee meeting held exclusively to workout the agenda for the political conference, NLC President, Adams Oshiomhole said much as the organisation endorsed the presidential system of government, the overwhelming discretionary power of the presidency poses a serious threat to its success.
According to NLC, “in the present political practices, the problem is not with the system but the actors because it is not the system that says the President must have 40 ministers and God knows how many special advisers and special assistants. In the light of this, we believe that the constitution should be reformed in such a way that the discretionary power of the president to determine the number of ministers and advisers be limited by law. The same thing is also valued for the state”
On the issue of separation of powers, NLC said the doctrine remains relevant to ensuring a healthy democracy, but noted that it would mobilise the delegates at the conference to finetune the entire process to avoid the current pitfalls being experienced especially in relations to the attitude of the executive.
“The constitution must be reformed in such a way that the president or executive cannot ignore the pronouncement of the judiciary or legislature, while money not appropriated for cannot be actually spent. In other words the system must be finetuned” said Oshiomhole.
NLC said it would also advocate for a radical electoral reform that will involve curtailing the influence of the President in the appointment of the electoral officials. According to NLC president , the officials must not only be acceptable to all political parties and certain interest groups, but must owe their alliagence not to the president , but to Nigerian people.
NLC noted that the electoral commission must not be under the control of the executive. “We believe that for democracy to survive in Nigeria, they must not be under the control of the executive. The electoral processs must be one that is acceptable to all parties and other social groups. The executive must not have the discretion to determine who becomes the electoral officer,” the NLC president stated.
Other issues which NLC took position on included the recurring campaign for state police, regulation of civil society, federalism, unity of Nigeria and economic policy of the state.
On demand for state police, organised labour said conceding to such request will reduce the management of the police force to the whims and caprices of few individuals who may use it to intimidate their political opponents. According to labour, if such demands are granted, governors will turn them to thugs.
‘In view of the character of our political class, federal police is still to be preferred . We feel that governors will use the police as thugs against their social, economic and political opponents. However, it is also clear that the federal police can be abused by federal executive, therefore the appointment of the police chief must be done in such a way that it should not be at the discretion of the president. It has to benefit from the input of the various political groups, institutions including the parliament so that the inspector General of Police will be accountable to the people and not to the federal executive” Oshiomhole said.
Although labour endorsed the concept of political and fiscal federalism, it noted that it would be wrong to deny those who prefer a parliamentary system the opportunity to canvass their case.
It also shares the belief in the indivisibility of one Nigeria, but declared that all shades of opinion must be allowed in the conference to ensure that the benefits are maximise. Noting that democracy flourish where everyone is allowed to air his opinion.
Meanwhile, members of some youth groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on the party leadership to sanction Governor Chris Ngige and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha for anti party activities.
Ngige and Alamieyeseigha recently criticized the part of the President's speech while inaugurating the reforms conference where he said certain issues are settled in the Nigerian state.
Such issues included federalism, presidentialism, and constitutionalism.
The Anambra Governor took a swipe on Obasanjo for barring delegates from discussing issues relating to the Federal Structure, while the Bayelsa Governor also faulted the President for the inclusion of federalism as part of the no go area at the conference.
According to the PDP Youths in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ahmed Yussuf, while it is the right of Nigerians to hold divergent views, “it is our opinion that such should be carried with decorum and restraint. As party chieftains, the governors should know of the existence of the recognized channel of communicating grievances to the party hierarchy.”

Posted by Publisher at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

PDP NEC Meets, May Dissolve Exco - Ali tipped as caretaker chairman

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is runs the day to day affairs by the party may be dissolved to pave way for the constitution of a caretaker committee as the notice of resignation submitted by the National Chairman Chief Audu Ogbeh expires today.

By Tokunbo Adedoja, 02.28.2005

Already, a meeting has been fixed for Wednesday in Abuja, where the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), comprising of the President, Vice President and the 28 governors elected on the party's platform would meet to select Ogbeh's successor.
THISDAY also gathered that President Olusegun Obasanjo may have settled for retired Colonel Ahmadu Ali (rtd), from Kogi State as the caretaker chairman of the party.
Ogbeh's successor would administer the affairs of the party until an elected leadership emerges at the national convention of the party billed to hold in November.
The chairmanship slot of the party, which is currently zoned to the North-central has Ali, Third Republic Governor of Plateau State, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun and his counterpart in Kwara State, Alh. Shaaba Lafiagi as contenders.
Although, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is said to be highly interested in who emerges as the new chairman of the party because of his speculated presidential ambition in 2007, sources said he has however, not expressed any opposition to Obasanjo’s choice on the issue so as not to rupture the new peace deal between him and the president.
Sources within Atiku camp also said that his group hold the view that it would in the interest of Atiku’s presidential aspiration to allow Ali to emerge as chairman, because that would create a difficult situation for the emergence of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who is also believed to be interested in becoming the presidential flag bearer of the party.
With Obasanjo, a general and Ali, a retired colonel, the emergenceof Babangida as PDP presidential candidate would make the party's succession line appear like an"army arrangement," sources in the Atiku told THISDAY.
The chances Tapgun a former ambassador in the Obasanjo administration became bleak following the decision of the zonal chapter of the party to narrow the states which can field candidates for the chairmanship slot to Kogi and Kwara, neither of which has produced a national chairman for the party.
The chances of Ali further brightened with the inability of Lafiagi to secure the backing of his state government and the state chapter of the party. Already, Kwara State chapter of the party and the state government have declared that the state does not have any candidate for the slot.
Also, Niger State governor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, who was backing Lafiagi because of the kinship between them has also withdrawn his support so as not to antagonise the Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
However, criticisms have continued to trail the moves to pick Ogbeh's successor from outside Benue state. Such criticisms are hinged on the fact that since Ogbeh has not completed his term, a successor ought to have been picked from Benue State where he hails from.
The emergence of Chief Ake from Rivers State as the successor to the late National Vice Chairman of the party in the South-south, Chief A K Dikibo to complete the slot zoned to Rivers State, despite opposition from four of the governors of the South-South is also cited as precedence.
Picking Ogbeh's successor from Benue State, is however problematic as Obasanjo's choice from the State, Major General Lawrence Onoja (rtd), is not likely to get the support of both the party in the state and the State Government because he is one of the major opponents of Governor, George Akume.
Chief Solomon Lar, Second Republic governor of Plateau State was the foundation chairman of the party. He was replaced by Chief Barnabas Gemade from Benue State in November 1999.
Gemade left office in 2001 and was replaced by Ogbeh who has since been in office.
The immediate past chairman resigned early last month following a face-off with Obasanjo over the leakage, to the press, of a letter written by him to the President on the Anambra crisis.
His notice of resignation, which lapses today, created a fierce power-play among the various tendencies within the party, all seeking to control its machinery ahead of the national convention slated for the last quarter of this year and the presidential primaries due to hold in 2007.

Posted by Publisher at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

Customs Relieves 31 Banks of Duties Collection

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) at the weekend dropped 31 banks over fraudulent practices, ranging from delay to outright refusal to remit customs duties collections to the Federation Accounts.

From Kunle Aderinokun in Abuja, 02.28.2005

The figure represents more than 50 per cent of 56 banks collecting duties on behalf of the Service. The NCS which blacklisted five of them specifically for non-remittance of collections, declined to mention the names of the erring banks.
However, after thorough and extensive screening, the Service appointed 25 banks as collecting banks out of 80 that applied. The banks appointed included First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Afribank Nigeria Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, and Zenith International Bank Plc. Others are Intercontinental Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Standard Trust Bank Plc, Nigeria International Bank Limited, Oceanic International Bank Plc, FSB International Bank Plc and Chartered Bank Plc.
Speaking at the weekend in Abuja during the signing of Customs Duties Collection agreement with chief executives of the newly appointed 25 banks, Comptroller-General, NCS, Mr. Jacob Gyang Buba warned the banks of grave consequences if found to be engaged in fraudulent malpractices in the duties collections. According to him, no bank found wanting would be spared.
Buba said that his monitoring team will keep an eye on the operations of the banks warning that anyone caught in sharp practices with regard to delayed remittance would be summarily de-listed and that there would be no second chance.
He said that lodgment of fake cheques would not be condoned, adding that in the event of such lodgment in any bank, the managing director would be held responsible.
He observed that in the past, desk officers responsible for lodgment of such cheques were disowned by defaulting banks, with the management feigning ignorance. He vowed that Customs will, henceforth, not condone such.
He asked the banks to send the signature specimens of their staff charged with the responsibility of collections to the Customs headquarters, to enable the service authenticate such signatures.
Buba who said the list was final, explained that the Service had worked for six months to do a thorough job and ensure that only banks that had clean records of remittance and best banking practices were chosen to undertake the collection of duties.
He stated that the banks were chosen because of the confidence reposed in them by the Service urging them to strictly adhere to the provisions of the guidelines and ensure prompt remittance.
The Customs boss disclosed that the Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC) which was suspended due to abuses, will be re-introduced after appropriate safeguards had been put in place. According to him, the NCS was working on the new guidelines, due to be released soon.
Managing Director, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr. Erastus Akingbola, said the banks’ chief executives have resolved not to disappoint the Comptroller-General, and the nation as a whole. He considered it a privilege to be selected pointing out that his bank will undertake the collection and remittance in a transparent manner.
According to him, “the Comptroller-General reminded us of our obligations that we have to protect the nation’s investments as banks that have been privileged to be chosen to collect revenues on behalf of Customs.The banks pledged that they will try their best to ensure that there are no abuses and to remit the collections promptly.We believe that the arrangement put in place by Customs that you have to pay your duties through the banks and that you have to open a Letter of Credit through the banks will be very efficient.
“Since the Customs said if you don’t remit the revenue promptly they will strike off your name, I am sure the banks would ensure that they remit promptly.The way we operate we have branches throughout the country and we encourage importers to pay through our branches. And of course we have a coordinating spot, in Ikeja, where by all the duties collected are remitted very promptly”.

Posted by Publisher at 01:52 PM | Comments (0)

IBB, Four Governors Bid Adisa Farewell

It was a roll call of political heavy weights and retired generals in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital yesterday as the remains of the former Minister for Works and Housing, Major General AbdulKarim Adisa, was lowered into the grave.

From Tunde Sanni in Ilorin, 02.28.2005

Among those on land to pay their last respects were former President Ibrahim Babangida whose yet unannounced bid for 2007 presidency. Adisa had persistently championed, Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Major General Abdullahi Muhammad, a former Inspector General of Police, Chief Sunaday Adewusi, four state governors, Bukola Saraki, (Kwara), Orji Uzor Kalu, (Abia), AbdulKadir Kure (Niger), and Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo).
As at press time, Osun’s Olagunsoye Oyinlola was still being expected while the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sunday Afolayan was also present.
Others included former governors Kolapo Ishola (Oyo), Brig. General David Bamigboye (Kwara), Muhammad Sha’aba Lafiagi (Kwara) Muhammad Lawal (Kwara), Theophilus Bamigboye (Osun), Raji Rasaki (Lagos), David Medayese Jemibewon (Oyo), a Federal Government nominee into the National Political Reforms Commission, (NPRC), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede as well as Senators David Mark, Tunde Ogbeha, Sulaiman Makanjuola Ajadi and Is-haq Salman.
There were also Ministers Eyitayo Lambo, (Health) and Cornelius Adebayo (Communications), President of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA). Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Justice Mustapha Akanbi, Are Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao, and Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Timothy Adepoju Oyeyipo,
The remains of the former minister had arrived the Ilorin International Airport at exactly 10:05, accompanied by his daughter, Mariam and other close associates aboard a chattered aircraft marked 5N-BEY with the corpse quickly transferred into a waiting ambulance provided by the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).
From the airport,the ambulance conveyed Adisa's remains to his GRA residence with an FRSC mini-bus clearing the way while commercial motorcyclists acted as the outriders for the convoy. Also on the entourage were three buses hired by various students’ union outfits with black bandana tied on their heads in mourning.
Security personnel comprising of the police, army, navy and the State Security Service (SSS) had hectic time controlling the crowd that took over the road to his residence, pushing and surging to have a lapse glimpse. Some had to seek shelter in an uncompleted building overlooking his residence.
Babangida, Kure, Lawal and Alao who all wore black glasses to conceal their emotions received the corpse at the GRA residence. Other associates of Adisa were also on hand to welcome his remains which was taken to his private room for the Islamic ritual bath for the dead (ghusul janazat).
By 11.50 a.m, the corpse was taken out for the last prayers for the dead (salat janazat) and this was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Salihu. Other Islamic clerics around included the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Alhaji AbdulHameed Hamed, Sheikh Saadudeen Ajara and Alhaji Muhammad Bashir AbdulSalami
With the prayers over, Adisa’s associates carried his corpse to his final resting-place amidst the shouts of "Lailaha ilah Allahu". Shortly before the interment, beneficiaries of his various education endowment funds had massed round the grave to supplicate for the repose of his soul.
Babangida, described Adisa as a fine, loyal and dedicated officer. "Everybody is sad today and that is because this country has lost one of its very fine officers who had lived all his life providing services to this country. He will be remembered for his devotion to duty, his loyalty to the nation and the devotion of his resources for the benefit of the people."
Lawal said, "It was tragic because it was a premature death. Personally, I have lost a friend and a confidant."
To Bamigboye, Adisa was a detribalised Nigerian and someone who stands by friends in days of need. "He was a man my family would never forget."
The NBA President who Adisa hosted to a dinner last December to mark his election told newsmen that he was yet to get over the shock of his death. "He was somebody who touched so many lives. We will surely miss him. His memory would linger for a long time to come. He was a problem solver."
Lafiagi described the deceased as a consummate pursuer of truth while his death would be a great blow to foundation members of the PDP in the state.
Kalu said that he had to call off an official engagement to attend the burial "of a personal friend because he supported me in all aspects of life and I feel so bad that he is no more today. He was a great man who would be remembered like a hero. I thank God for His mercies on him and those he is leaving behind and I believe that his soul would rest in peace.
"I want to charge the family to continue to live as one. They should not quarrel because the head of the family is no longer there."
Adisa died on Friday in London where he was taken for treatment following an accident on the Omuaran-Ilorin road.

Posted by Publisher at 01:51 PM | Comments (1)

JDZ Awards: Nigeria, Sao Tome Await ExxonMobil - Conoil, others to wait

Final decision on the award of five oil blocks in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) of the Gulf of Guinea, now depends on US oil firm ExxonMobil, exercising its preferential rights in the blocks put on offer by Nigeria and the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

By Mike Oduniyi, 02.28.2005

Anxiety had mounted, especially among Nigerian indigenous oil companies that bidded for the oil blocks named 02, 03, 04, 05 and 06, over the delay in the award, which according the Joint Development Authority (JDA), the body managing hydrocarbon resources within the zone, should have been announced mid last month.
Sources at the JDA disclosed to THISDAY at the weekend that
the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) made up of representatives from Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe, could only meet to decide on the winners after ExxonMobil had exercised its rights.
By virtue of an agreement reached by all parties with interest in the JDZ, ExxonMobil has the right to first exercise rights in three of the nine blocks in the zone. The oil firm exercised its rights by claiming 40 percent interest in Block 01, awarded last year by the JDA.
The oil firm still has to exercise another 25 percent priority rights in two two more blocks.
"The JDA has now notified ExxonMobil to exercise its rights in the remaining two blocks. Once the company does this, the JMC can them convene and decide on the award.
ExxonMobil has 45 days from the time of the notification to exercise its rights or forfeit same.
The award process had earlier been delayed after the two countries disagreed over signature bonuses to be paid by winners for the oil blocks.
While Sao Tome, which is entitled to 40 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the blocks, insisted on favouring companies that offered higher money, Nigeria had laid emphasis on technical competence and more importantly, local content advantage in the work programmes submitted.
A JDA official however, said last night that the disagreement had been resolved.
Industry analysts hinted that ExxonMobil would end up exercising its 25 percent interest in the much sought after Block 04, leaving indigenous oil company Conoil to battle for the remaining 75 percent shares in the block, with five other companies.
Nigeria and Sao Tome last month, received $123 million for awarding Block 01 to ChevronTexaco (operator), ExxonMobil and Dangote Energy Equity Resources.
Conoil led the pack of local firms seeking to grab one or two of the licenses, offering to pay a signature bonus of $150 million (N20 billion) for Block 04.
Also in the race for the Block 04 with, seen as the most prolific of the acreages, is Environmental Remediation Holding Corporation (ERHC) in which another indigenous company Chrome Energy holds 50 percent stake, which will exercise a preferential right in the block.
Other indigenous oil companies bidding for the same block are Anardako Petroleum and Hercule Oil/Centurion Energy which offered $90 million and $81 million, respectively, as well as two US firms, ECL International, which offered a signature bonus of $175million and Vintage Oil and Gas, offering $135 million.
A total of 26 oil companies submitted bids for the five oil blocks in the JDZ as at the close of the 2004 Licensing Round.
Details of the applications showed that the companies offered various amounts totaling more than $1.8 billion as signature bonuses for the blocks. Nigeria and Sao Tome will share the proceeds from the licensing on 60:40 ratio.
For Blocks 03, 05 and 06, had Energy Equity Resources, I.C.C.-O.E.O.C. consortium and Filtim Huzod Oil and Gas Limited offering $37 million, $41 million and $45 million respectively.
Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum and Energy matters, Dr. Edmund Daukoru had actually cautioned at the opening of the bids last December that signature bonus alone might not confer automatic victory to any of the biding companies.

Posted by Publisher at 01:50 PM | Comments (0)

‘Why Enahoro Shunned OBJ’s Invitation’

Clear facts have emerged on why elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, decided to ignore the special invitation extended to him by President Olusegun Obasanjo to join the National Political Reform Conference in Abuja.

From Omon-Julius Onabu in Benin-City, 02.27.2005

The Enahoro-led National Reformation Party (NRP) has, in conjunction with his Movement for National Reformation (MNR), observed that the motive and manner of convening the conference leaves many questions than answers concerning the total emancipation and advancement of the interests of Nigerians.”
According to the groups, the joint meeting of the MNR and NRP was prompted by the invitation of the president to Enahoro, but regretted that the conference was doomed to fail, on account of its insincerity about fundamental issues on the national question.
It is unpatriotic of President Obasanjo to attempt “to subvert the will of the people of Nigeria by deliberately lumping obstacles in the way of an honest and potentially more beneficial People’s National Conference, which the MNR has consistently canvassed for over 12 years," the groups said.
It said identification of certain “no-go” areas was simply outrageous, to the extent that it was a clear attempt to continue to promote and protect issues that have been at the bottom of the many problems that this country has been faced with over the years.
A communiquй at the end of the meeting said, “indications are clear that the dialogue was designed to undermine genuine efforts by our national chairman, our organisations and other patriots, who have vowed to continue the struggle for total emancipation and advancement of the interests of Nigerians.
“That it is only a genuine Peoples National Conference, composed of representatives of stakeholders (including ethnic nationalities, traditional rulers, students, women leaders, civil society organisations and professional bodies freely elected by their own people and institutions that can ensure the return of Nigeria to the path of peace, unity and progress.”

Posted by Publisher at 01:48 PM | Comments (0)

Goje Warns Against 'No Go' Areas

Governor of Gombe state Danjuma Goje, has warned delegates to the national conference on political reforms against venturing into areas declared by President Olusegun Obasanjo as settled areas.

From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 02.27.2005

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Goje commended Obasanjo for restricting the conference from discussing the unity of the country, practice of presidentialism and the federation principles.
He said, “in restricting the conference from discussing among others the issue of the unity of the country, President Obasanjo has allayed the fears of some sections of the country on the conference”
“The north is firmly in support of the country remaining as one, we are fundamentally opposed to disintegration of the country, we think it is in the interest of every one that we remain as one” he said.
The governor warned also the leadership of the conference against allowing it to go beyond the areas specified by the President for discussion.
“Mr. President has given a guideline, so not forget that this conference is not sovereign, whatever they will decide is just a mere advice, if you want to advice me and I say this area is settled, why do you now waste your time to discuss areas that would not be acceptable” he queried
“Anything that Mr.President says he does not want, should be of no relevance to the conference because the entire deliberations are just advice to him”
While looking forward to a better Nigeria emerging at the end of the conference, Goje supported calls for the conference to resolve all contending aspects of the resource control controversy.
“I m in support of the conference discussing the resource control issue, let us see the distribution of infrastructural facilities in the country, let us see which areas are truly marginalized in the citing of federal government projects, let us see for example, how much is allocated to agriculture and which area of the country are agricultural in nature and what is allocated to the various produce”
He added, “I believe the conference is going to help Nigeria in finding solution to the enormous problems facing us”
On the desirability or not of the state independent electoral commission in the conduct of elections in the country, he urge commentators to rise above hysteria in making their opinion known.
“If the national independent electoral commission is desirable then the state one is also desirable, whatever you may have against the state, you should also have against the national”
Speaking on the last flood disaster in the state, he said the government had embarked on measures to ensure that similar loses are never recorded again.
“First we have been able to give immediate assistance to people affected, we received donations totaling about N94 million, and we have constituted a fresh committee with respected elders that are not part of government to manage the money”
He said the government has also commenced the construction of canals in areas most prone to flood to ensure that when the rains come again, its flow would be controlled.

Posted by Publisher at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)

Goje Warns Against 'No Go' Areas

Governor of Gombe state Danjuma Goje, has warned delegates to the national conference on political reforms against venturing into areas declared by President Olusegun Obasanjo as settled areas.

From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 02.27.2005

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Goje commended Obasanjo for restricting the conference from discussing the unity of the country, practice of presidentialism and the federation principles.
He said, “in restricting the conference from discussing among others the issue of the unity of the country, President Obasanjo has allayed the fears of some sections of the country on the conference”
“The north is firmly in support of the country remaining as one, we are fundamentally opposed to disintegration of the country, we think it is in the interest of every one that we remain as one” he said.
The governor warned also the leadership of the conference against allowing it to go beyond the areas specified by the President for discussion.
“Mr. President has given a guideline, so not forget that this conference is not sovereign, whatever they will decide is just a mere advice, if you want to advice me and I say this area is settled, why do you now waste your time to discuss areas that would not be acceptable” he queried
“Anything that Mr.President says he does not want, should be of no relevance to the conference because the entire deliberations are just advice to him”
While looking forward to a better Nigeria emerging at the end of the conference, Goje supported calls for the conference to resolve all contending aspects of the resource control controversy.
“I m in support of the conference discussing the resource control issue, let us see the distribution of infrastructural facilities in the country, let us see which areas are truly marginalized in the citing of federal government projects, let us see for example, how much is allocated to agriculture and which area of the country are agricultural in nature and what is allocated to the various produce”
He added, “I believe the conference is going to help Nigeria in finding solution to the enormous problems facing us”
On the desirability or not of the state independent electoral commission in the conduct of elections in the country, he urge commentators to rise above hysteria in making their opinion known.
“If the national independent electoral commission is desirable then the state one is also desirable, whatever you may have against the state, you should also have against the national”
Speaking on the last flood disaster in the state, he said the government had embarked on measures to ensure that similar loses are never recorded again.
“First we have been able to give immediate assistance to people affected, we received donations totaling about N94 million, and we have constituted a fresh committee with respected elders that are not part of government to manage the money”
He said the government has also commenced the construction of canals in areas most prone to flood to ensure that when the rains come again, its flow would be controlled.

Posted by Publisher at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)

Dariye Tasks Plateau Delegates

Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State has asked delegates of Plateau State to the National Political Reform Conference to examine the issue of the structure and control of the Police, the fear of minorities as regards the issues of Federal Character, Indigeneship and Citizenship and Quota System.

While clothing themselves with the garment humility as they take the task with all the seriousness required of it. He said it is not just a duty to fatherland.
It is also a call of service to motherland, he encouraged them to carry the people along in the course of their assignment as this is the only way they can call themselves true representatives of the people, the Governor made this known at the One Day Roundtable for Plateau State Delegates to the National Political Reform Conference.
The Governor also said that a Think- Tank is being constituted which will work in concert with the secretariat provided for the delegates in Abuja.
This he said is being done to ensure that the delegates stands out at the conference and to guarantee that the fears, hopes and aspirations of the people are kept on the front burner during the conference. He asked all communities and interest groups to therefore submit memoranda on all issues bothering them to the delegates through the Think-Tank.
He called on the delegates to be sensitive to the needs of the people in this part of the country for a cultural identity while discussing the structure of the Federation.
Dariye told the delegates that as others cry for resource control they were expected to remind them that the State was denied control of her resources when our Tin-ore and columbite stood as the mainstay of the nation’s economy.
While coming to terms with the reality of the practice of Federalism which, in due course may be fiscal, the nation should be made to see the wisdom in adequate compensation to lands that were bastardized in the course of history.

Posted by Publisher at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)

'You Need Prayers to Succeed'

President of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) worldwide, Pastor Elijah Oluseye has tasked the delegates to make use of fervent prayers in order to achieve their desired result at the conference.

From Hammed Shittu in Osogbo, 02.27.2005

Oluseye disclosed this at the weekend during the dedication of a new church built by Pastor Lawrence Ogunkola of CAC Miracle Centre, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, Osun State.
According to him the tasks before them are enormous and it is prayers that would assist them to address various issues befalling the political repostioning of the nation.
He said that, the delegates should realise that Nigerians have set their eyes upon them and the only way they could suceed is to turn to fervent prayers because it is the pedestal that could make them to reach the promised land.
Pastor Oluseye added "that they should not allow any issue to divide them but work together towards promoting the peaceful and corporate existence of Nigeria"
He state further that, "the CAC has committed a whopping sum of N1.8billion so far towards establishing its own university to be named Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Ijesa"
The cleric said that "by the time the univeristy commences operation, it will tackle all the social evils that have been affecting the standard of education in Nigeria"
Pastor Oluseye who commended the founder of CAC Miracle Centre, Alekuwodo Osogbo, Pastor Ogunkola for his divine way of propagating the work of God however called on the people of the church to continue to support the gesture of Pastor Ogunkola in order to move the church forward.
Speaking earlier, Pastor Ogunkola, traced the building of the church to the cooperation and support of the church members which he said has helped the church to complete the multi million naira edifice.
He then called on well meaning people in the society to continue to contribute their widows mite towards maintaining the edifice as well as in propagating the faith.

Posted by Publisher at 01:44 PM | Comments (0)

Accommodate More Women, FG Urged

President Olusegun Obasanjo has been urged to accommodate more women, less privileged, disabled and all classes across the federation into the on-going National Political Reform Conference to allow holistic and inter-group approach to the making of a new Nigeria.

By Gboyega Akinsanmi, 02.27.2005

Indications also emerged that 10 women civil society organisations led by a renown University teacher, Professor Jadesola Akande, (SAN), of Women Law and Development Centre Nigeria (WLDCN) would soon begin processes to challenge President Obasanjo in the appropriate court for alleged discrimination in the nomination of delegates to the confab.
A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Comrade Bamidele Aturu and Chieftain of Alliance for Democracy, Elder Bankole Oluwajana made this call following the dismissal of an application ex parte filed against President Olusegun Obasanjo in a Lagos High Court, Igbosere for allegedly under nominating women in the on-going National Political Reform Conference.
Aturu, while speaking in Lagos yesterday, disclosed that the ruling of Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour of the Lagos High Court was proper, legal, lawful and constitutional, but it was most devastating to have stressed legalism above substantive rights of the citizens.
His words: "in my view, the matter of jurisdiction calls for judicial reform. The issue is whether the people have a right or not and if not, should there not be a way or provision in our laws allowing a State High Court judge to transfer the case to a Federal High Court?

Posted by Publisher at 01:42 PM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2005

AU Members Oppose Permanent Seats For Africa

Nigeria's Law Campaign Worries Observers

Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt Intensify Lobby

FROM LAOLU AKANDE,
NORTH AMERICA BUREAU CHIEF

A 15-NATION African Union Foreign Ministers' panel concluded their meeting last week in Mbabane, Swaziland side-stepping the issue of which countries would be representing the continent in the proposed reform of the United Nations Security Council.

However, according to sources, the meeting resolved that Africa would demand two veto-wielding permanent seats in the Council.

Just before the meeting concluded on that option, opposition to the quest by Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt to represent Africa in the Council had mounted from within the continent.

Diplomats disclosed that certain African nations, which know they have no chance of emerging as the two African nations, started playing "the spoiler role."
According to one of the diplomats, the countries argued that instead of Africa asking for two permanent members on the Council, the continent should favour the second proposed option of having African nations rotate the slots on four-year terms.

Two options were offered by the High Level panel set up by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for the expansion and reform of the Council. The first one is to add six new permanent members to the Council, with two of them coming from Africa.

Although the new additions would become permanent members, the panel did not recommend them as veto-wielding permanent members.

The second option, which some African countries were subtly hoping for, is to add eight new seats to the Council, which would serve for four years, renewable.

Under this second option, several African nations can rotate the two seats due to Africa, instead of having only two African countries in place permanently.

Sources said the nations that mooted the idea felt that was the best way to have more African countries get a shot at the elite membership of the UN Security Council.

But at last week's Mbabane meeting of the AU 15-nation panel, set up to decide Africa's position on the proposed UN reforms, it was agreed that Africa as a continental group in the UN would seek two permanent seats. And unlike the recommendation of the High Level panel, those two seats due to Africa must also wield veto powers.

This option effectively removed the obstacle being put in the way of Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt, which are the clear contenders for the two seats.

However, there are rising concerns that Nigeria was yet to launch its campaign machinery at the UN, where four nations - Japan, Germany, India and Brazil - have been meeting together, hoping to support each other as candidates for the enlarged permanent seats in the Council.

Indeed, last week a leading Japanese newspaper reported that Japan, the second biggest financial contributor to the UN, after the US, plans to move a resolution in July for the expansion of the Security Council without naming countries that should join.

But the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported that in that resolution Japan would specify a number. If that motion is passed, then Japan is said to be planning a second resolution, to mention the names of countries that would benefit from the expansion of the Council.

Japan's plan to move for a resolution in July would clearly pre-empt Kofi Annan's report on the issue, which is due in September. But sources said the Japanese want the matter discussed not in the heat of UN business that is always characteristic of the month of September, when several things are going on at the same time at the UN.

No major UN member-nation has said anything publicly to support any of the three African contenders, but diplomats said there is still room for lobbying, especially with Japan's intention not to name names in its proposed July resolution.

The Guardian learnt that the African Union ministers would meet again next week and conclude the work of the 15-nation panel. The ministers would then forward the African position to the UN Secretary General, who is expected to table it as part of a comprehensive UN reform proposals to the September 2005 UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

Reports said the 15-nation AU panel meeting in Mbabane started on a very tense note, although the panel decided ultimately not to deliberate on which countries to represent Africa.

The panel membership was drawn by picking three countries from Africa's five regions. Nigeria is the only contender for the seats, which is also a member of the panel. Other members are Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Senegal, Rwanda, Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Ghana, Libya and Niger.

South Africa and Egypt were not named to the panel, but Libya and Algeria are perceived to be pro-Egypt.

South Africa's Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma addressed a press conference about the time of the panel's meeting, advancing his country's chances to clinch the Council seat.

Nigeria, the highest contributor of troops to the UN from Africa, and one of the top 10 from the world, has also put up a committee, headed by Chief Emeka Anyaoku to anchor the nation's campaign for the seat.

But there are concerns among diplomats that membership of the committee should be expanded to include someone, who understands the inner workings of the UN.

Posted by Publisher at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

Why we refused to legitimise confab – Masari

As members of the National Political Reforms Conference (NPRC), which was inaugurated in Abuja last Monday by President Olusegun Obasanjo, reconvene tomorrow after a one-week break, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, has poured cold water on the otherwise smouldering enthusiasm that followed the inauguration of the August body, saying their activities remain unconstitutional and bereft of force of law.

Ikechukwu Amaechi, Lagos
Godwin Egbara, Bauchi

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sunday Independent in Abuja on Thursday, Masari also revealed why the National Assembly refused to appropriate funds for the confab as requested by the President, insisting that to do so would have amounted to investing the conference with an underserved legitimacy, even as he asserted that the federal lawmakers were not opposed to the idea of the conference. “I don’t think the National Assembly ever opposed the confab. What we said was that we would not give it any legal backing or legal teeth. And we felt that by allowing it to appear as an item on the Appropriation Act, it would look as if we were in a way legitimising it.”

Describing the conference, which has taken the country by storm, as an “administrative gathering” and its members as “representatives without constituencies”, Masari said the fears expressed in certain quarters that it would either diminish the status of the National Assembly or usurp its functions were misplaced. He said while the National Assembly would give its blessing to the confab, “if their gathering will help in promoting peace in this country” arming it with a legal teeth would be an infraction on the 1999 constitution.

“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear. It has the National Assembly, the State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils. The constitution never envisaged a fourth Assembly that requires a legal backing. If you give it (National Confab) legal backing, then how do you elect delegates to the conference and on which platform?”

Arguing that Nigerians are still confusing military regimes with constitutional government, Masari queried, “If you give the them (delegates) legal teeth, what would they do with it? Whatever they do, however legal it is, it is not constitutional and it is not law. It is merely a suggestion to the executive. So, what kind of legal teeth do they want for that?”

In the same vein, Masari, while admitting that the President intimated them before-hand, said the presence of the leadership of the National Assembly at last Monday’s inauguration did not detract from their position. His explanation: “I always get invitation to attend one function or the other of the executive. Depending on my convenience and my schedules, I attend those I have time to attend and forgo others. So, the fact of the matter is that we have made our position clear. We don’t oppose for the simple reason of opposition.

“We said this is the procedure, we are not giving money because if we give, we feel we are indirectly legitimising something which is purely administrative. Our being there (inauguration) was because, we were invited to an executive function of which eminent Nigerians were there. I think it will be discourteous of us to snub such people. We are not against the progress of this country or against people discussing. What we are saying is that this is the way it should be done.

“Besides, that day was a Monday and we (House of Representatives) don’t sit on Mondays. Moreover, there was no resolution in the House that said we should not attend.”

Also, throwing more light on the one-month suspension slammed on Honourable Haruna Yerima, who penultimate week accused his colleagues of corruption, Masari said contrary to views held by many, the All Nigeria Peoples Party lawmaker from Borno State was suspended not necessarily for accusing his colleagues of graft, but the method adopted in making the allegation.

Said he: “You don’t grandstand when it borders on the integrity of others. He was not suspended for the merit or otherwise of his allegation, but the methodology. We have a code of conduct. We have an Ethics and Privileges Committee. There are certain procedures of writing to the Speaker or the Ethics Committee that there are complaints against Hon. ABC or against committee X,Y and Z. It is up to the Committee of Ethics and Privileges to investigate and report back to the House, but if on mere allegation, I go to the next radio, television station or newspaper house and condemn all journalists in Nigeria, how will you feel?”

Meanwhile, contrary to widely held opinion that the Political Reforms Conference would break up the country, former First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Babangida, has expressed support for the conference, noting that it will help unify the nation.

Speaking at the 5th Annual All Nigeria NGO Summit and Exposition held in Bauchi, Mrs. Babangida expressed her confidence in the conference, noting that rather than dividing the nation, “the conference will make us stronger and more united.”

The initiator of Better Life for Rural Women programme pointed out that Nigerian politics is unpredictable and diversionary. According to her, it is more of ethnic and religious politics. As a result of these factors, she said ethnic and religious politics occupy the front burners.

Aware of these problems, she tasked politicians to adopt a reconciliatory approach in order to bring other groups to present a common agenda. She also noted that the views of other less dominant ethnic groups should equally be heard.

For the survival of our nascent democracy, Mrs. Babangida suggested that respect should be accorded to all stakeholders, and they should be given the right to participate. Besides, she said, “we must respect the rule of law."

On strengthening the institutions of democracy, she charged political leaders and those in corridors of power that government policies and programmes should reflect the needs of the relevant stakeholders.

Posted by Publisher at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

Basu: Women's rights wrongly ignored

In Nigeria, it's legal for men to assault their wives in order to "chastise" them. In Haiti and Syria, a man can kill his wife with impunity for defiling his honor.

By REKHA BASU
REGISTER COLUMNIST
February 27, 2005

Without laws on our side, women have little ammunition to fight inequality, but even with them, discriminatory practices persist. Here in America, for example, rape and domestic violence are at epidemic levels despite laws forbidding them.

Since March brings International Women's Day, let's remember that women aren't allowed by law to drive in Saudi Arabia, or vote in Kuwait. And while American women can vote, American voters have never put a woman in the highest office, though a majority say they're ready to. We're surpassed by Turkey, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Great Britain, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Israel and most recently Ukraine, all of which have.

Ten years after international delegates gathered in Beijing for the much-heralded United Nations conference on women, they'll convene again, at U.N. headquarters in New York, for the Beijing Plus-10 Conference, to see how far we've come.

Which, according to Equality Now, a non-profit women's rights organization in New York, is not very far.

The most blatant forms of state-sanctioned sex discrimination endure, condoned and even enforced by governments, it contends. For all the fanfare, debates and resolution adopted by 189 countries, women around the world are still lawfully persecuted and discriminated against. It ranges from "wife obedience" laws in countries like Sudan and Yemen to legal polygamy in Mali and Tanzania.

What's worse, thanks to the growth of religious fundamentalism that opposes women's rights, some countries want to renegotiate the Beijing resolution to weaken it, says Taina Bien-Aime, Equality Now's executive director.

As the world's only superpower, the United States has a unique burden of leadership. Buoyed by the American women's liberation movement, women around the world look to us to lead the way.

But will we?

Nodding to fundamentalism at home, the administration has sent mixed messages. It's halted funding to the United Nations Population Fund, claiming the agency supports forced abortions in parts of China - though it insists it doesn't, and a 2002 State Department report agreed. Even so, the White House has threatened to also withhold aid to other U.N. and private agencies with ties to UNFPA, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

It's also tried to persuade other governments to back away from the "Cairo Consensus," which was endorsed by 179 countries, including the United States, at a 1994 population conference, says Bien-Aime. That resolution established that promoting women's reproductive rights and services is essential to economic development.

In recent regional gatherings, while affirming its commitment to the empowerment and rights of women, U.S. delegates have stressed "promoting behavior change" - abstinence and fidelity - to fight AIDS, and rejected the notion of "sexual rights."

Compounding the mixed messages is the Senate's refusal to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, signed by President Carter in 1980. Without ratification, the United States can't take part in monitoring progress and encouraging other countries toward greater women's rights. Only 10 percent of U.N. member nations haven't ratified it. Even Afghanistan and Syria have. Iraq, too.

America needs to abide by a consistent set of principles when it comes to rights. Yet every time there's a change of parties in the White House, the rules on global women's rights get rewritten. That sends a confusing message to the rest of the world. Now that the Bush administration claims leading the world to democracy as a cornerstone of its agenda, it needs to be mindful that there can be no real democracy without equality.

Posted by Publisher at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

Confab: Obasanjo, Soyinka Clash Again

Kukah: We Shall Make This Conference A Successs

ASUU's Monopoly To Be Broken Says President

AS the National Political Reform Conference begins its first plenary session tomorrow in Abuja, President Obasanjo has assured that its outcome would fulfil his administration's dream of having its political and economic reform programmes accommodated in the Constitution.

BY EMMA EKE AND KAYODE OGUNBUNMI

However, assessing the inaugural speech of the President to the conference on Monday last week, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka predicts that the gathering may not achieve its purpose.

This is however at variance with the optimism of the Sceretary to the conference Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, who said that though there is general apprehension in a section of the public, the conference will eventually yield positive results. Kukah spoke exclusively to The Guardian.

In a strong and exquisitely crafted language, Soyinka condemned the President's address for its "disproportionate attention devoted to absent dissenters,". This is an apparent reference to himself and elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, who turned down invitation to the conference.

Soyinka said the address portrayed the conference as an act of political opportunism and necessity rather than one of conviction.

Fielding questions on this year's first edition of the periodic phone-in radio programme, "Mr. President Explains", Obasanjo said his administration's reforms must embrace all aspects of the nation's life, including unionism in tertiary institutions.

On this score, he spoke of his administration's resolve to break monopoly of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), by ensuring that each university has its own academic staff union.

The President said there are so many things to be derived from the ongoing dialogue, part of which could form amendment of the Constitution.

The conference, a variant of the national discourse, which diverse interest groups and individuals, had clamoured for over the decade, was inaugurated by the President on Monday last week. A Justice of the Supreme Court, Niki Tobi, chairs the conference, with Rev. Kukah as secretary.
But due to logistic problems, such as office accommodation and secretarial materials, the conference was adjourned for one week even as criticisms trail its composition and the "no-go areas" the President imposed on its deliberations.

Still, when the conference resumes tomorrow, its main assignment would be a deliberation of the President's speech at its inauguration.

On the gains of Nigerians since the return of democracy, the President maintained that the country has been managed very consciously in a way that it is gradually getting out of the situation that it found itself before the present dispensation.

According to him, Nigerians now reside in any part of the country without entertaining any fear, as exemplified by the spread of people who, he said, "phoned in to the programme live from places not necessarily their states of origin."
However, Prof. Soyinka thinks the national conference, as presently constituted, offers no hope of solving the nation's problems.
In an essay entitled, "Deconstructing a diatribe," sent to The Guardian at the weekend, he condemns the manner of picking representatives for the conference, saying the preponderance of delegates from the President's constituency already put a lie to talks of democracy at the confab.

He noted that the mode of representation and the stated agenda of the conference were deliberate actions to hijack its proceedings.

On the radio programme yesterday, the President said, "Nigerians today reside freely in different parts of the country and without fear of any deprivation. The conference is going to strengthen this virtue."
Obasanjo, however, craved for understanding of and time for the various programmes of his government to bear the desired fruits.

He said: "The economic reform and other reforms so far introduced should be seen as an ongoing thing. It is wrong to start assessing the reform from how many villages have got pipe water, or how many have got electricity.

"We are also looking in terms of other economic indicators, ranging from a totality of the benefit of the reform since its introduction and what the nation stands to gain in the future. Our life as a nation must be brought into focus if we are talking of reform.

"So, we can break it into various areas where the reform is needed and they include political reform from. The way the economy is growing, more job creation will be available as at the time the petrochemical industry comes on stream."
Reacting to a question on the current government industrial row with ASUU, Obasanjo stated that besides enforcing the policy of "no-work-no-pay", the government was working out a policy, which would see each tertiary institution having its own union.

His words: "It is unfortunate, that things have been the way they are regarding ASUU relationship with the government. I have said time without number that there is nowhere in the world where one union paralyses the whole tertiary institutions of a nation.

"Each university will have its own union and if the union of any university wants to close down its institution, good luck to it.

"We will stick to 'no-work-no-pay' policy and it does not matter whose ox is gored and it does not matter if there is any threat or intimidation. If you do not work, you will have no pay. It is the law of the land and we will obey that law to the letter."
Though the leadership of ASUU is yet to make its position known on government's new stance over the union's threat to embark on nationwide strike, officials said nothing would stop them from downing tools.

"If by next month government failed to address our plight, which includes paying lecturers, who participated in the last year's ASUU strike, we will resume the suspended strike action," said an official of ASUU at the weekend.

However, speaking further on the state of the nation, President Obasanjo noted that right from the inception of the administration, there were six-point areas of focus.

He said: "When we came in as a government, we indicated six areas that we shall pay attention to. They include agriculture and food security because that is the ultimate.

"Two, oil. And we divided oil sector into oil and gas, the reason being that oil is having a quota from the Oil Producing Exporting Countries (OPEC), while gas has no quota. And people even said that we are more of a gas country than oil country. So, we have to pay attention to gas.

"While we are after oil and gas, there are other minerals that are not oil and gas in nature but also need to be developed. We believe that if we are doing well in oil and gas, solid minerals and agriculture, manufacturing automatically comes up.

"Because if you get the agriculture products, what you need for polishing what you get from the solid mineral and agriculture is manufacturing.

"The last one is tourism; we actually gave tourism as much attention as we have given those that I have mentioned."
The President said there was no letting up on government's predetermined goals. "It is like saying there is no rest yet. We are making progress and things are beginning to change.

"People are looking at us differently from outside Africa, outside Nigeria, and those of us here at home must just device new spirit, new attitude, new orientation; new approach to the changes.

"We must be our brother and sister's keeper. Wherever you live, you should feel at home, irrespective of where you come from."
However, the President tacitly acknowledged the epileptic performance of the power sector, stating that, "we have two areas of concern to this administration and still very concerned, which is our power generation, transmission and distribution."
He contended that security was not just for its own sake "but for tourists, for people in their homes and other ramifications.

Posted by Publisher at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)

Ojukwu has over-stayed in the polity – Chekwas

As the face-off between Victor Umeh-led faction of APGA and Chief Chekwas Okorie’s national executive deepens further following Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s pronouncement that Okorie’s matter has been concluded, Okorie, in this interview with SAM EGBURONU, spoke on the APGA crisis, the agenda of the smaller parties at the National Dialogue and his relationship with Chief Ojukwu, who he insisted has over-stayed in the polity.

Excerpts:

You were recently accused of various anti-party activities by Chief Victor Umeh’s faction of APGA and Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the party’s Presidential Candidate. How would you react to these allegations?

Let us put it this way, what Ikemba did was to become my prosecutor and my judge. In my absence, he called a group of people at Hotel Presidential, with Victor Umeh presiding, and he called one Obi Nwosu to read out charges. I heard he read about nine charges. I can only remember those I read in the papers, since I don’t have a copy of the charges. The Ikemba, the judge, crucified me in my absence.

In the first place, all the allegations were false; they have no basis. They were not substantiated. Everybody knows that a common principle of justice maintains that an accused remains innocent until he is proved guilty. The second principle is that the onus of proof of allegation rests with the accuser. So, how Ikemba will now expect me, who was accused of signing APGA’s cheque leaflets alone, to bring evidence showing that I did not, is strange. It is absurd to me because I thought it was his new ally, Victor Umeh, who made the allegation, that would have provided the evidence.

One will therefore wonder, if at 72 years old, this is Ikemba’s sense of justice. If it is, then at 33 or 34 when he was the Head of State of Biafra, you can imagine the level of justice that prevailed then. I mean, when as a Head of State, he had the power to determine who would be shot and who would live.

Are you insinuating that Ojukwu did not dispense justice during his tenure as Head of State of Biafra?

I was too young then to know, but I am saying that if at 72 this is what his sense of justice tells him, then he leaves much to the imagination on how Biafra was managed. I say this because in Igboland, anybody who calls himself a leader tries to mediate whenever there is misunderstanding, and the place to mediate is the Obi, which is the leader’s home and not in the market place like the Hotel Presidential, where he gathered the people.

Again, Ikemba accused me of arrogance and dictatorial behaviour. When I heard that, I said, oh my God, who knows whether I have in the course of my long association with him acquired some of these his tendencies? I say this because the only minus on his part are these arrogant and dictatorial tendencies. All his former associates, like Professor Ben Obumselu, who wrote speeches for him, Chief Jerome Udoji, Col. Gbulie, in fact, all those who have written on their experiences with Ikemba have emphasised these notorious aspects of him – that is arrogance and dictatorial tendency. So, it’s like the kettle calling the pot black!

Recently, you reportedly alleged there were plots to kill you.

Yes! There were some young men who came here. I distributed the ultimatum they gave me.

We believe you are not implying that Chief Ojukwu was behind it?

Of course, definitely, they went to his house. These were young men who have violent record.

Oje Ozindigbo, are you saying it was Ikemba Nnewi that sponsored the boys who allegedly threatened your life?

I am saying it loud and clear. Do you want me to repeat it how many times? They came to my house, it was not hidden and they told me they went to him. They went back and formed a group called APGA Youth Volunteers, whereas these people belonged to a cultural association called Igbo Youth Alliance. They wrote me a letter giving me ultimatum and telling me what I must do, must!

Have you reported all these to the Police?

Why not?

But for over 22 years now, you have been a good friend of Chief Ojukwu. Are you not surprised at this development?

I am not surprised. When I look back now, I remember somebody like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. He played a major role in Chief Ojukwu’s early life. How was this rewarded? Once he became the Head of State of Biafra, the first thing he did was to humiliate the old man in Nsukka. The records are there. I also remember most of his old associates who are no longer with him. It was not as if I was not warned. I was warned severally. But because I am an incurable optimist, I thought mine would be different.

He even queried my chairmanship of APGA and said nobody elected me as chairman of the party. I kept wondering if anybody elected him Head of State of Biafra, or if anybody elected Christopher Columbus the founder of America. How can he ask such a question, when I founded the party called APGA?

The picture you have painted of the respected ex-Biafran leader is that of somebody that stabs friends in the back.

Well, that is what his life story has turned out to be. Look at it this way: the man just pronounced me finished, politically; whereas everybody knows that everything I did for Ikemba, I did not do behind closed doors, I did not do in the dark. Everything I did for him, I did in the open; and so when he makes this type of pronouncement, people shudder at what would make a man like him, who has benefited so much from me, move against me with such malice. I can say without any fear of contradiction that I picked up Ikemba from a state of political oblivion and lifted him to political relevance –the highest point in his political career is being a presidential candidate of APGA, and everybody knows that I did everything humanly possible to sustain and protect the Ikemba’s name at great personal risks and cost, and now, he has done what has obviously brought out the ordinariness in him as a man. So today, I challenge him (Ikemba) to re-enact what I have done for him. I am not even urging him to surpass it, let him just get to that level.

Is it not ironic that the same person who pronounced me politically finished was not recognised that same day, when the Federal Government recognised me, not only as the APGA delegate but also as a representative of 26 other parties, and his name was omitted? It was not my making, I didn’t even expect it. So, if anybody told Chief Ojukwu that 400 eminent Nigerians would be elected to discuss the future of Nigeria and his name wouldn’t be there, he wouldn’t believe it.

The current misunderstanding between you notwithstanding, don’t you think that his non-inclusion in the National Dialogue delegates list is a bad omen to Ndigbo?

It is not a bad omen to Ndigbo. It is said that when salt loses its taste, it ceases to be salt; and if a masquerade stays too long in the arena, children begin to make caricature of him. The issue here is that of a man knowing when to bow out, and a strategic person bows out when ovation is loud; but unfortunately, he may now forcefully retire from polities.

You are saying Chief Ojukwu has over-stayed in Nigerian political arena?

Yes! He has over-stayed. In fact, I did everything to make him have an honourable retirement when I started dropping the hint, even before the current misunderstanding, pointing out that by 2007, he would have become too old to run for the office of the president, and that he would instead be looked upon then as an oracle that every person would like to consult, irrespective of party. I personally created Igbo National Assembly to give him a platform to speak. I created it, I appointed him President-General of Igbo National Assembly. I also appointed Onwuka Ugwa, Secretary-General. I facilitated Igbo National Assembly to the best of my ability. And, all these were done to create a platform for Chief Ojukwu to use and speak as a non partisan Elder Statesman. But his interest was more to appropriate and acquire APGA and subordinate the office of Chairman to the office of an imaginary leader that does not exist in our constitution- that is to say that it was because of an inordinate ambition to reap where he didn’t sow that made him to join the Umeh group, who offered him the position of leader that does not exist in our constitution.

From the man you know, how do you think Chief Ojukwu will feel that he was not nominated to the National Dialogue?

He felt humiliated, because what he did before the final list came out was to boast to the whole world that he would be going there to speak for Igbo people and he also said that it didn’t matter whether he was nominated, appointed or elected, that the important thing was that he would be going there to speak for Ndigbo.

I am also aware that he even prepared a list of 50 other delegates who he promised that his friend, Mr. President, would include in the final list. So, when his name was dropped, not to talk of all those that he had assured, he felt terribly humiliated.

He felt humiliated mainly because he now saw that 50 Igbo people could be selected from different states, using different criteria and platform to discuss the future of Nigeria and he, the Ikemba, left behind. To him, it was far more humiliating that Anambra State would be sending eight people and he is not one of them.

In his typical way of doing things, he then signed a communiqué with ethnic nationalities forum, in which he turned around to cast aspersion on the National Dialogue. In fact, he said it was a colossal waste of public funds to go and have a meeting with handpicked delegates. That is the character of the man that we had to contend with.

Is there any room for reconciliation between you and him?

It is all left to him. Igbo people said that if a father slaps his son with one hand, he will bring him back with the other hand. There is no doubt that he had slapped me very, very severely, and all I am doing now is to cry and in the process, I am only defending myself. I have not even joined issues with him. So, the onus is on him. If he feels there is room for reconciliation, it is the father that slapped the son with the right hand that should draw him back with the left hand; and if that happens, I can assure you that I will be willing to forgive and forget.

Your opponents also accused you of collecting money from Ngige and the Governor of Sokoto State, Bafarawa. How do you react to these allegations?

It is just like when people want to plan a coup, they fabricate all sorts of things. What will be the purpose of collecting money from Ngige? Some of them said it was to bring Ngige to APGA, and that looks to me like one of the most stupid allegations anybody can make. If Ngige cross-carpets from PDP to APGA, you can be sure that within a very short time, the Presidency or PDP will simply go to court and he will lose his seat. So, it is only an ignorant person that would propose that type of thing. So, if I collect that money, of what purpose will it be? Will the money I have collected help to change the discretion of the Tribunal? As for Bafarawa, will it be for what purpose, after we have zoned the Presidency to South-East and South-South? Some of them said I collected N200 million in order to become his running-mate. I say they are just mad. Which Governor will give you money to come and be his running mate? Has Bafarawa even said he want to contest the presidential election?

As a representative of APGA and the other 26 smaller parties, what will be your agenda at the National Dialogue?

I am not going to the confab as an opposition. I am going there as a patriotic Nigerian to work with other compatriots to make Nigeria a better place.

On our agenda, it is the position of the political parties that Nigeria is not properly structured. It is lopsided against ethnic sectors. So, for the political survival of this country, the revenue allocation formula and the various factors that are factored in the revenue sharing must be reviewed. Nigeria is not a true federation. So, we shall work towards achieving a true federation.

But also of particular importance to political parties is the issue of electoral reform. We want a situation that will restore the sanctity of the ballot box and give back to the Nigerian people their inalienable rights to determine their leader. In looking into that, we will like a truly independent electoral body, INEC, which is totally detached from the executive arm, in terms of funding, appointment of INEC, including mode of announcing election results and management of elections.

Posted by Publisher at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)

FG seizes Tafa Balogun’s loot

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday, Saturday, February 26, 2005, formally confirmed that former Inspector- General of Police, Tafa Balogun, was removed from office because he corruptly enriched himself.

Charles Okogene
Lagos

Speaking at the monthly Radio Nigeria programme, The President Explains, a programme in which Mr. President provides answers to questions on issues agitating the minds of Nigerians, Obasanjo said the fact that Balogun was removed from office and all the money found in his account seized is a clear indication that his administration is not relenting in its war against corruption and corrupt public office holders.

According to him, this is the first time that a serving Inspector-General of Police would be removed from office in Nigeria on grounds of corruption. He, therefore, said it was a feat that should be applauded.

The war against corruption, he reminded his listeners, has led to the removal and prosecution of a serving minister alongside a former minister, the late Chief Sunday Afolabi, former PDP Secretary, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, and other top officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs over their alleged involvement in the National Identity Card scam.

“The fact that Tafa Balogun was removed or asked to resign and the money found in his account seized; the fact that two ministers – one former and one serving – were charged to court over corruption should be applauded. I believe that we are doing well as far as fighting corruption is concerned,” he said.

On the argument over immunity of top political office holders, Obasanjo said there should not be immunity for any corrupt governor.

But surprisingly, the President was silent on whether the former Inspector-General of Police will be prosecuted when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concludes its on-going investigation.

In the two-hour programme broadcast live throughout the country and beyond, the President also explained that the decision of the 16-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to impose sanction on the tiny country of Togo was to discourage hereditary system of government, which was gradually taking roots in Africa and which was giving the continent bad image.

According to him, the African Union (AU) is not only in total agreement with ECOWAS on the sanction imposed on Togo, but has already informed the UN and the Western world of the development in Togo in case there is need for a UN-imposed sanction.

He described what happened in Togo as a military coup dressed in democratic garb, against which ECOWAS leaders stood their ground, because “we do not want a situation where after me, Olusegun Obasanjo Jnr or Gbenga Obasanjo or Iyabo will want to succeed me,” he said.

The President also spoke on his administration’s effort at improving electricity supply in the country.

According to him, a Power Bill that will allow for Independent Power Production was given to him two days ago, while AGIP’s Independent Power Production Project will be commissioned next month in Kwale to complement that of NEPA.

Other oil companies, he said, are also interested in the provision of alternative source of electric power. He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with his administration as far as energy was concerned, because “there is a silver lining in the horizon.”

The President, who exchanged banters with his callers all through the duration of the programme, however, shocked a police constable who called from Akwa Ibom State.

The constable, who had complained about how difficult it was for him to keep body and soul together with his monthly salary with the hope of promise of increase in salary, was shocked when the President told him that the salary structure of the police was comparable to that of other civil servants.

Obasanjo urged him to cut down on his expenditure and lifestyle or seek employment elsewhere.

Posted by Publisher at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)

... Obasanjo, Atiku loyalists take battle to venue

Loyalists of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar have taken their perceived supremacy battle to the national conference in the run up to the 2007 presidential elections.

Bukola Ojeme

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is at the moment polarized along the lines of those in support of an Atiku Presidency in 2007 and those opposed to his candidacy.

Both the President and his Vice have, however, consistently debunked claims of political differences over the 2007 elections.

Sources close to the PDP on Thursday revealed to Sunday Punch that, most nominees of some state governors loyal to the Vice President were purposely chosen, because of their anti-Obasanjo sentiments.

The source, who pleaded not to be named, said, ・Up to the very last moment, nobody was quite sure of the mind of Mr. President on the National Political Reform Conference.

摘ven the Vice President could not say with absolute confidence that he knew the mind of Mr. President on the conference.

擢or instance, we have heard that a new political party may emerge after the conference, ostensibly to break the strangle-hold of the Vice President on the PDP machinery.

的t has also come to our knowledge that those loyal to the Vice President and those sympathetic to his ambition in 2007 thought it was of no use fighting the President over the conference.

鄭s a safeguard against any surprise, most of the governors loyal to the Vice-President met and decided to send delegates to the conference that cannot be intimidated to do the President痴 bidding,・he added.

哲ow whether they have received specific briefs from their state chief executives, I don稚 know. Their personalities and their strong sentiments, whether misplaced or otherwise, may have been taken advantage of their respective governors to use them, perhaps without their knowledge to stand as a wedge against any plan that may truncate the ambition of the vice President,・he stated.

Findings by Sunday Punch revealed a clear pattern, in which were believed to be loyal to the Vice President, sent delegates from opposition political parties or those known to harbour very strong anti-Obasanjo sentiments.

Further investigations revealed that a retired army general from one of the North Central states, whose name was tipped to replace Chief Audu Ogbeh as PDP Chairman was dropped as a state delegate, because of his alleged loyalty to President Obasanjo.

A source privy to the meeting said, ・He was dropped at the last minute, because the governor痴 kitchen cabinet thought he was too loyal to the President to be independent minded enough to represent the state well. But the truth is, His Excellency is an Atiku man, and the general is very well known to be 100 per cent loyal to the President. In fact that was why, when the issue of Ogbeh痴 successor came, the governor refused to endorse him and the general too, knowing the position of the governor, did not make any move to see him.

添ou know, as the leader of the party in the State, the governor should be the one selling the candidacy of the General, but this is not the case.・

Meanwhile, opposition party chairmen in the national conference are to meet to form a caucus to advance a common agenda of ensuring a level-playing field in future elections.

Sources close to one of the chairmen informed Sunday Punch on Wednesday that the promoter of the idea, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie had preliminary contacts with other party chairmen that are delegates to the conference.

的 am aware that before the week runs out, Chief would have reached out to other chairmen. They want to form a caucus in order to advance the agenda of the other registered political parties,・he said.

Confirming the development, the Chairman of APGA told Sunday Punch that he planned to reach out to other chairmen in the conference to make a case for a conducive environment to play party politics.

展e will constitute ourselves into a committee to look at what will benefit party politics in Nigeria generally, so that other parties that are not present would be happy that we are representing them.

典he answer will be to have a conducive environment for party politics to thrive. So, I would like to see us working in concert in that direction,・he added.

Sunday Punch, February 27, 2005

Posted by Publisher at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

Confusion among zones over agenda, as confab delegates resume tomorrow

A MAJOR crisis is rocking the power blocs across the federation on their agenda for the national conference following the perceived rigid position of the Presidency onthe 'no go areas.'

Kunle Oderemi, Musa Simon Reef and Stanley Yakubu

Among the contentious issues are restructuring, true federalism, regionalism and parliamentary system of government.

Sunday Punch learnt that the development has literally thrown spanners into the works of the power blocs, necessitating fresh consultations among the leaders in the last three days.

Sources hinted that the threat by the 19 governors from the North on Friday to withdraw their delegates from the conference if the South pushed for a return to regional government was predicated on feelers that some zones in the South had it as part of the agenda for the conference.

According to a source at the meeting of the governors held in Kaduna, the North was particularly worried by the alleged moves by the South-East to push for a regional arrangement as part of its proposal for the restructuring of the federation.

Sources hinted that stakeholders from the various geopolitical zones were still making frantic efforts on Saturday to articulate a fresh agenda to guide their delegates at the conference.

The Chairman of the conference, Justice Niki Tobi, had shortly after its inauguration on Monday by President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abuja also threatened to vacate his seat if any attempt was made to raise the issue of restructuring at the conference.

Incidently, virtually all the three zones in the South and the Middle Belt are canvassing for restructuring and true federalism because of what they regard as the lopsidedness in the present federal arrangement.

The issues featured prominently in the initial agenda of the South-West prepared by a coalition of pan-Yoruba organisations.

Intense consultations that trailed the inauguration of the conference last Monday, have pitched some zones against certain interests.

Sunday Punch reliably gathered that the North, spearheaded by Dr. Olusola Saraki of the Northern Union Group (NUG), has been lobbying ethnic minorities to abandon the search for identity to the pursuit of common interest affecting the North area.

Throughout last week, Saraki was involved in a series of meetings with various groups in order to evolve a common agenda for the North.

Sunday Punch reliably learnt that efforts by the Strongman of Kwara politics to bring peace to the North and its ethnic minorities are yet to bear fruits.

Last Tuesday, Saraki had agreed to meet with selected media practitioners at the NICON Hilton Hotel but the meeting was cancelled due to tight schedules of the meetings.

An aide of Saraki, who requested not to be named, confirmed the former Senate Leader had been involved in series of meetings with representatives of various geo-political zones.

But hopes that the North would speak with one voice might have fizzled out as advocates of the Middle Belt region have vowed to sustain their campaign for a separate identity.

Mr. John Dara, a representative of the MBF at the conference, maintained that the forum was committed to the quest for a just and equitable system where all ethnic groups would have a sense of belonging and respect.

的 believe strongly that ethnic minorities have every cause to act in unity. As a region, we are canvassing for the return of regional autonomy and the empowering of the people through taking common decisions for our overall good.

的 believe that a return to regional autonomy would lead to enhanced economic development and the exploitation of our resources for genuine development. We stand in agreement with all ethnic minorities that seek for regional autonomy and devolution of power,・Dara explained.

It was gathered that with the North exploiting all avenues to frustrate the resource control issues, the South-South might have agreed to carry to the conference its agenda for more increased funding and a review of the derivation principle.

A source told Sunday Punch that apart from the resource control that is at the heart of the South-South, the issue of producing a president in 2007 is also an emerging demand that is capable of giving the region a sense of belonging.

展e know the fears of the North and all those opposed to the issue of resource control. Their fears about the resource control demand are founded on lack of knowledge. The South-South region is not talking about the complete control of the resources but demanding increased funding for the region.

典he South-South believes in a united and stable Nigeria and the region would continue to work with other stakeholders of the Nigerian state to table issues that could engender the understanding of issues among all the regions that make up Nigeria,・the source maintained.

Speaking to Sunday Punch last Thursday, a delegate to the conference and former President of the Senate, Dr. Joseph Wayas confirmed that his zone, South-South would seek the enhancement of the area through active demand for increased funding.

典he South-South is a peculiar zone and it is made up of various groups and ethnic entities. There is need for us to understand that what we are trying to do there is to unite these groups so that they speak with one voice.

典he efforts to bring all these ethnic groups into a united platform have been painful but the efforts have been worthwhile. I am happy that other ethnic groups have sent representatives to the conference,・he said.

In the South-West, a committee headed by the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), was raised by the stakeholders in the zone, including the six governors from the area, to prepare an agenda for the zone.

But the report of the committee was also later assigned to a technical committee headed by an ace broadcaster, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, with the Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide, as secretary.

The activity of the body was, however, cut short, following the sudden announcement by the Federal Government that Obasanjo would inaugurate it last Monday.

A source attributed the inability of the leaders to produce a widely acceptable agenda for the South-West to muscle flexing by some influential political caucuses in the area.

According to the source, some of the leaders were suspicious that the current agenda seems to have drawn most of its contents from the agenda of the pan-Yoruba organisation ,Afenefere, which has consistently called fo r a Sovereign National Conference (SNC).

典hat was why the first committee・ headed by Akinjide, was set up. But the committee still came up with a similar agenda that the Yoruba should canvass for true federalism, parliamentary system of government, among other crucial national issues.・

Another source, who corroborated the claim, said some influential stakeholders who still felt dissatisfied, pushed for the setting up of the technical committee, but were reportedly surprised that its report was not substantially different from that of the Akinjide committee.

典he one-week break by the conference a day after it was inaugurated is a blessing in disguise. This is because it has given leaders of the zone sometime to gather their acts together so that the zone can have a common agenda. It is the primary objective of tomorrow痴 (Saturday痴) meeting by the leaders in Ibadan.・

Reports also indicated that leaders of the Middle belt Forum (MBF) had gone back to the drawing board over their agenda to the conference, following perceived threats from the new pro-northern group, the Northern Union Group formed by Second Republic Senate leader, Dr Olusola Saraki.

The MBF was said to be working out ways of liaising with groups in other parts of the federation having similar aspirations to pursue a common front at the conference.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had criticized the formation of a parallel organisation by Saraki.

Sunday Punch, February 27, 2005

Posted by Publisher at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)

Electoral Reforms: INEC Seeks Constitutional Amendments

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking constitutional amendments on the appointment of Resident Electoral Commissioners and Ad-hoc staff for use during elections in the country.

From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 02.26.2005

INEC in a bill that will be submitted to the National Assembly soon said that it wants constitutional amendments that will replace Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the state with career civil servants.
Also, the commission wants constitutional am-endments that will stop the use of ad-hoc staff and the use of civil servants as personal staff as operation staff in all elections.
According to a source "the constitutional amendments is basically to stop the appointment of Resident Electoral Commissioners in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. In its place, directors who are career civil servants would be appointed."
The source explained that the aim was to instill discipline within the commission as the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the states are political appointees whose loyalty is usually in doubts.
"What we are doing is to appoint directors in the states, these directors would be staff within the civil servants and are cautious of what they are doing to avoid dismissal and in the process forfeit their pensions and gratitiuty. A situation where RECs who are mostly retired civil servants and politicians are appointed would be difficult to control them and ensure their loyalty to the commission." The source said.
In the same veins, INEC is also planning to stop the use of ad-hoc staff as operational staff during elections. The aim, according to a source close to the commission is to ensure as well that they can answer for their actions even after elections.
"As civil servants from the various ministries, the commission can trace them to answer for what ever electoral offence they may have committed during elections. Under the circumstances, the commission finds it difficult to trace the ad hoc staff after elections.
"Also, most of the ad-hoc staff are usually planted by politicians for the purposes of committing several electoral offences. But where we have civil servants as ad hoc staff, they could be traced and bearing in mind that they are pension able staff, they would certainly not like to do anything that could result in their sack and consequently loss their pensions."
THISDAY was told. Apart from this, the commission is seeking a constitutional amendment to the constitution to ensure that only six national commissioners are appointed in line with the six-geo political zones.
At the moment, the constitutions stipulate that twelve national commissioners be appointed.
It was gathered that this was the case in both India and Ghana where INEC Chairman, Dr. Abel Guobadia led the commission to monitor elections recently.
The INEC Chairman in charge of Information, Publicity, Chief settley Daze confirmed this position of INEC on constitutional amendment.
According to Daze "INEC will soon submit to the National Assembly a bill seeking an amendment to the 1999 constitution.
We believe that when the constitution is amended, it will place the commission in a better position in the operations of its duties.
He spoke in Abuja yesterday during the one-day media workshop organized by IFES/INEC on the draft electoral bill 2004.
Also during the seminar, journalists called on INEC to withdraw the bill from the National Assembly as it is not comprehensive enough.
Journalists who picked holes in the electoral bill said that the bill did not address some of the lope holes of the 2003 elections, like the question of independent candidates, funding of the commission and duration of election tribunals.
At the workshop, the IFES Country Director, Charles Lasham suggested that INEC should be funded from the consolidated fund, while making case for Independent Candidates.
On the average, Lasham said that the Electoral Bill 2004 satisfied international perspective for electoral laws.

Posted by Publisher at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)

Togo: Faure Steps Down Amid Pressure; ECOWAS lifts sanctions

Faure, son of the late President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, stepped down early yesterday in the wake of international pressure against his enthronment.

From Moses Jolayemi and Iyefu Adoba in Abuja with agency report, 02.26.2005

Faure, who was hurriedly sworn in three weeks ago to “complete his late father’s tenure” said he was stepping down to provide a level playing field for all candidates in the fresh election to pick a new Togolese leader.
Following Faure Gnassin-gbe's decision on Friday to step down as Togo's military-installed leader, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has announced an end to sanctions earlier slammed on the country.
In a statement, ECOWAS welcomed Faure's decision to "leave the post of president of the republic, in line with the demand made by ECOWAS leaders".
"The resulting election of Mr. Abass Bonfoh as Parliament Speaker and Interim President of Togo constitutes a positive step forward which will allow the full return to constitutional legality," the ECOWAS statement said.
The body urged "the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and the other partners to provide the necessary assistance in organizing these elections."
Sanctions imposed on Togo by ECOWAS included its suspension from the regional bloc and an arms embargo showing its displeasure with the political situation in the country.
Also, there was a travel ban on Togolese leaders as well as the recall of most Ambas-sadors in Togo to their respective home countries.
However, Faure, installed immediately after his fathers death nearly three weeks ago assured of his place as a candidate in April elections told his countrymen that he would step down to ensure transparency at the forthcoming poll.
"Today the ruling party doubly honored me by electing me its president and nominating me as its candidate for president of the republic for the election which will take place in coming weeks," Gnassingbe said.
"In order to guarantee the transparency and equitability of this election, and to give the same chances to all the candidates, I have decided to step down from the position of parliamentary speaker, which assured the interim office of the president of the republic."
The 15 member organization had denounced the installation of Faure by the military after the death of his father in place of the Speaker of the parliament.
Chairman of The African Union, President Olusegun Obasanjo, did not mince words as he denounced the move as a coup.
Pressure was equally mounted by the international community including the European Union and others urging the Togolese authorities to act in accordance with tht country's constitution and relevant legislation.
Meanwhile, President Olusegun Obasanjo at the weekend commended his colleague African leaders for standing against the intransigence in Togo.
Following the stepping down of Faure, the ECOWAS leaders would now visit that country on Monday.
Obasanjo spoke during his monthly presidential chat on Federal Road Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) “The Presi-dent Explains” recorded at his Ota Farm in Ogun State.
Answering a question during the programme, the President said Faure had been briefing him almust on a daily basis. “Last night he talked to me before he made his announcement at about 12 midnight Nigeria time that he is stepping him. “I received a message from ECOWAS Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibn Chambers, who was in Togo this morning reporting to me what has happend.
“He also reported to me that the current chairman of ECOWAS Nigerien President wants us to visit Togo on Monday.
“We had thought that if they had earlier moved the way they moved now, we would have visited them today,” he said.
In Lome, the Rally of the People of Togo (RPT) yesterday held a public demonstration in solidarity with Faure who has emerged as the party’s presidential candidate in the election that will hold soon.
The supporters walked peacefully around the major streets before ending up at the Palais Du’ Congress where several speeches in honour of late Gnassingbe Eyadema were made.

Posted by Publisher at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

Adisa left us helpless - Family

As arrangements for the burial of the former Works and Housing Minister, Gen. Abdulkarim Adisa, have been concluded for today, in his GRA Ilorin home, the head of Adisa family, Pa Salawu Adisa, amidst profuse weeping, yesterday, pleaded with the federal government to help the extended family because their bread winner is no more.

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin
Posted to the Web: Sunday, February 27, 2005

Already, fear of mass retrenchment has gripped hundreds of staff who work in various establishments in Ilorin owned by the late Adisa, just as Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, cancelled all official engagaements yesterday as a mark of respect and honour for the deceased even as he sent condolence message to the bereaved family .

Pleading with the federal government to assist the extended family of late Gen. Adisa, Pa Salawu Adisa in an exclusive chat with Sunday Vanguard in the family house at Ile-Aloba compound area of Ilorin said that the late former minister served the masses all his life and was about to start taking care of the families when death took him away.
According to him, “the last time I spoke with him was the other Friday when he came here to the family house. I asked him about the Fulani man that was said to have stolen fifteen cattle from his farm and he replied that the man refused to confess and that he had taken him to court. He said by the time he is jailed, he would know that it is not good to steal. I then told him to be very careful because it was not possible for the Fulani man alone to steal fifteen cattle from the farm without any connivance of an insider and he said he knew. Then I prayed for him.

He told me about his plan to rebuild this Mosque and relocate all of us to another place so that he could rebuild the family compound to a modern state. He never really took proper care of us his family members, but we were always informed of his generosities to outsiders and we never complained. As the only bread winner in the entire family, we have always been praying for long life for him, and in fairness to him, he was about to start taking care of us when death took him away (burst into tears and others joined him). We don’t want to die in poverty and since we know that General Adisa served this country with all he had and all his life, we are appealling to the federal government to come to our aid since Gen. Adisa, our only bread winner is now gone, we don’t know what will happen next”.

Alhaji Adisa, in his late seventies, said the corpse of Adisa which was being accompanied by a team led by Major-General Tajudeen Olarewaju, from London, would arrive Lagos 5am today and that there would be a military parade for him as a mark of respect at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos thereafter.

The corpse, which was billed to arrive Ilorin 10am, would be honoured with a similar military parade followed by a long procession to his family house and then to GRA home for final burial.

* Gov. Saraki, others mourn

According to a press statement issued by Mr. Bisi Abidoye, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Saraki, who received the news of the death while attending a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum in Kaduna, Friday morning, described Adisa as a Nigerian with the passion for service and a man who never hesitated to voice his views or admit his errors.

Adisa was the Chairman/Chief Executive of a conglomerate called DISKABOG GROUP OF COMPANIES. The organisation has within it, a high-class hospitality establishment named BEKANDIMS, Diskabog Farms, AB Petroleum, Diskabog Pharmacy, Diskabog Computer Institute, Diskabog Business Centre, Diskabog Rentals, Diskabog Clinic and Maternity,Diskabog Laundry and Diskabog Amusement Park. He was also the proprietor of the Peoples Voice Communication LTD (Publishers of Peoples Advocate Newspaper) and Oja-Iya Community Bank.

Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Timothy Oyeyipo and a former governor of the state, Alhaji Sha’ba Lafiagi, fought back tears while at the residence of the former minister to sympathise with the family over the loss which they described as “unfortunate and tragic.”

Bidemi, the late General’’s son, who was receiving sympathisers, was short of words when newsmen asked him to speak on the death of his father. He said, “I am short of words but I can tell you that his remains would arrive the country tomorrow (today) and would be buried same day.”

* IBB, Oyo, Osun, Ondo Govs. expected at burial

Meanwhile, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, is expected to lead prayers for the burial while Fidual prayers’ for the late General is already scheduled for next Saturday.
Expected at today’s burial are Governors of Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Niger states while General Ibrahim Babangida is also being expected.
In its reaction, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch described Adisa’s death as a great shock. According to a statement issued by the chairman, Barrister Wahab Egbewole, “I learnt of the death of General Adisa with great shock, he was a valuable friend of the NBA and was so recognised, we’ll miss him”.

Also, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Gbenga Olawepo, who paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased in his GRA Ilorin home said the late Adisa lived a fulfilled life and that they should emulate and sustain the struggles, beliefs and ideals that he stood for. Continuing, Olawepo said, “he was not just an elder of PDP in Kwara, he was also a leader in Kwara. The man would be remembered for his courage, commitment and love for the downtrodden. He was a patriotic Kwaran, one that symbolises absolute loyality. Ilorin is really really sad today, the state would really miss him”.

Similarly, the Executive Director of Global Soap and Detergent Industry in Ilorin, Princess Omolola Olobayo, who is a neighbour of the former minister in GRA, Ilorin, described the late Adisa as a “forthright Nigerian, committed Kwaran and a lover of the masses, the entire country would surely miss him”.

Olanrewaju pays tribute In his own reaction, the Lagos State Co-ordinator of PROJECT 2007, an IBB political movement, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, described the death of Adisa, as a great loss to the country and Kwara State in particular, where he played leadership role in the community.

Olanrewaju, one-time Minister of Communications, said a number of infrastructural developments in many parts of the country today were executed under the leadership of the late Minister, whom he described as a man of strong convictions and always committed to any cause he believed in.

The nation, he said, benefitted immensely through his pragmatic approach to governance, especially as a military governor of old Oyo State, and later as a minister under the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
The former Communications Minister, a close associate of Adisa, said his death had created a vacuum in Nigeria’s political firmament as the nation marched towards year 2007.

He regretted that the late General started a political race that providence did not allow him to conclude, but assured that the agenda set by him would form a major part of 2007 electoral process.
Olanrewaju said Adisa as a community leader believed in democracy and his contributions to the current political discourse in the country could not be wished away.

Posted by Publisher at 10:14 AM | Comments (0)

National ID scam latest: ICPC invites Scotland detectives

Detectives from the Scotland Yard are to act as prosecution witnesses in the on-going $242 million National Identity Card scam trial of two former Ministers, Dr. Mohammed Shata and Alhaji Hussieni Akwanga.

Bukola Ojeme

Already, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has written to the British authorities, inviting the detectives to come to Nigeria for the case.

Also docked are Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ms Turie Akerele and former National Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo.

ICPC has also given the go ahead to the British authority to try a former top functionary in the Department of National and Civic Registration, Dr. Christopher Agidi, who was apprehended in London by detectives last year.

The Chairman of ICPC, Justice Mustapha Akanbi made this known to Sunday Punch on Friday in Abuja.

展e have written a letter to the Scotland Yard to come and give evidence in the Identification Card case. We are still expecting to hear from them,・he stated.

He added, 徹ne of the people was arrested in London in connection with the same ID Card case. He is to face trial there.

展e had a problem of whether to get him repatriated here. But we decided that he should be tried in London because of the legal technicalities and cost of repatriating him here・

Scotland Yard detectives were in Nigeria in April last year, as exclusively reported by Sunday Punch, to seek permission from the Federal Government to have Mr. Agidi痴 estranged wife appear as prosecution witness in his trial.

The bribery scandal was revealed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Mahmud Yayale, who reported an attempt to bribe him by the Nigerian official of the ID Card contractors, Sagem SA, one Mr. Niyi Adelagun.

Adelagun subsequently confessed to ICPC investigators, in a report tendered in court to have given various sums of money to the late Chief Sunday Afolabi, Akwanga, Shata, Akerele and Nwodo.

Investigators・report read in court revealed that, Afolabi was given USD 345,000, Shata USD300,000, Nwodo USD113,000, Akerele USD500,000 and Akwanga USD30,000.

Sunday Punch, February 27, 2005

Posted by Publisher at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2005

Controversial Adisa Dies in London Hospital After Auto Crash in Nigeria

LAOLU AKANDE Former Oyo State Military Governor and one- time Works and Housing Minister, rtd Major General Abdulkarim Adisa is now confirmed dead. He died Friday morning New York time in a London hospital where he had undergone a surgical operation after an auto crash last weekend in Kwara State.

A close source to the late General confirmed the death, but could not tell details of burial arrangement since as a Moslem, the burial normally follows promptly. But his body is expected to be flown back home very soon.

Adisa, a leading pro-IBB 2007 campaigner was flown abroad last Sunday after sustaining injuries in the car crash. He was flown to a London hospital for medical treatment following serious injury he sustained in the accident on Saturday night.

Reports said the accident, a lone one, according to eye witness account occurred when one of the rear wheels of the jeep conveying the former minister bursted between Oke-Onigbin and Edidi at around 8:00pm on Saturday.
Adisa was then rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital[UITH],Ilorin where a surgical operation was conducted. But a decision was taken to transfer him abroad because of the seriousness of the injuries and the incapacity of the hospital to handle the situation completely.

In very recent times, Adisa is another addition of news-making Nigerian names who have died as a result of the inability of Nigerian hospitals to take a conclusive care of them. Several million other Nigerians must face such situations without being heralded. it is a sad commentary on the dilapidating hospitals in the country, where several talented and well trained doctors stand helpless seeing their patients die due to lack of proper healthcare delivery facilities and instruments.

Not too long ago, former Minister of State for Communications, Alhaji Haruna Elewi, was on his way to London for malaria treatment when he died in the aircraft. He had opted to be treated in London for malaria, although his daughter, a pharmacist, and his son-in-law, a doctor, both practise in Nigeria.

Adisa was a controversial military functionary who came to limelight in the late 80s and early 90s as military governor of Oyo State under the Babangida military dictatorship. he later became a federal minister under another military tyranny-the Abacha junta, where he was in charge of Works and Housing.
It was during the Abacha junta that Adisa and others including General Oladipo Diya were accused of planning a coup against Abacha and were sentenced to death by the General Victor Malu-led military tribunal. But before the sentence could be carried out Abacha died and the General Abubakar Abdusalami regime which took over commuted the sentence and later released but Adisa and the others involved were yet to be granted state pardon at the time he died.

Another military officer, General Rufus Ikupolati formerly ECOMOG Commander
also died yesterday in an accident between Lokoja and Abuja.

Adisa was said to be coming from Iyah-Gbede in Kogi State after attending the birthday ceremonies of the mother of the former Police Affairs Minister, Maj. Gen. David Jemibewon [rtd].

In another account, Adisa's aide was reported as saying the Jeep in which Adisa was traveling with his driver and a personal security officer had a burst tyre, which made the vehicle to lose control and hit a tree. But the two aides, however, escaped uninjured.

According to the aide, Adisa was rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital around 10pm where he was admitted at the VIP wing of the Ward Five of the hospital from where he was transported in an ambulance to the Ilorin International Airport for the London trip.

By 6:00pm on Sunday arrangements were already in top gear to fly him out.
The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the UITH, Dr. Gbenga Mokuolu, said the former minister was brought into the hospital around 10pm in a "critical condition."
When newsmen visited the hospital on Sunday, sympathisers, including the former governor of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Raji Rasaki [rtd] were seen in groups discussing the incident.
Also in attendance were Kwara state Commissioner for Health, Dr.. Bola Olaosebikan, his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Lanre Daibu and other government officials.

Posted by Administrator at 09:24 PM | Comments (0)

Electoral Act 2002 illegal, says INEC

INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared illegal the Electoral Act of 2002 under which the last general elections were held.

MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja

The electoral body which yesterday faulted the process of passing the controversial act by the National Assembly, however, differed with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) which demanded for the nullification of all elections conducted under the enactment.

At the resumed hearing of the suit filed at the Supreme Court by APGA, Mr. Alfred Osaro Eghobamber, counsel to INEC said the electoral body agreed that National Assembly violated constitutional provisions in voiding the earlier Electoral Act, but added that in the national interest, the election should not be voided.

President Olusegun, one of the respondents in the matter, had challenged APGA’s legal right in prosecuting the case at the apex court level, when the party was not part of the plaintiff at both the trial and appellate courts.

He stated that for the party to process locus standi (legal rights), it ought to have shown peculiar harm it incurred when the Electoral Act in contention was used to hold the 2003 general elections.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister (AGF), represented by Mr. Olanipekun Adebayo, who also argued in the same direction, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the case as allowing the consequential orders prayed by APGA could lead to chaos in the country.

In the appellant’s brief and reply brief prepared by Mr. James Ezike on behalf of APGA, it was contended that since the Court of Appeal had declared illegal the procedure adopted by the National Assembly in passing the Electoral Act, 2002, the consequential implication was to have declared all the elections conducted under the law void, rather than the sentimental pronouncement that "in national interest, the election would not be voided."

Citing examples with similar judgements in many parts of the world, Mr. Ezike noted that the Nigerian situation ought not apply differently.

Judgement on the matter was fixed for May 20.

"The result of the omission of the Court of Appeal to declare the final Act and the elections conducted thereunder null and void is that subsequent to the said judgement, the government of Nigeria was placed in the hand of the President, state governors and state and federal legislators who were "elected" through the admittedly unconstitutional Electoral Act, 2002 in flagrant violation of Section 1 (2) of the constitution.

"The consequential relief to the finding that the ... Act is null and void ab initio is the declaration of elections conducted thereunder null and void and of no effect," Mr. Ezike stated.

Judgement on the matter was fixed for May 20.

Posted by Publisher at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)

Army chief summoned over Kaduna explosion

• Govt sets up probe panel

• Senate sends team amid bickering

By Sukuji Bakoji (Kaduna), Chris Agbambu, Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Paul Mumeh (Abuja)

President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday summoned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Martin Luther Agwai, and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) I Mechanised Division, Kaduna, Major General Owoye Andrew Azazi, over Wednesday’s bomb blast at the ammunition depot in the city.

Agwai was in Kontagora, Niger State when the incident took place and Presidency sources said he rushed back to Abuja on Thursday morning to answer the invitation.

The source said Obasanjo is sad about the explosion and pledged that something would be done urgently to protect military armoury nationwide.

The blast is reminiscent of the one at Ikeja military cantonment in Lagos on January 27, 2002.

Although military sources on Thursday indicated that the Kaduna armoury caught fire when some unknown persons set the bush around the barracks on fire, Major Abubakar Umar, a former Brigade Major in the First Mechanised Infantry Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, said that it resulted from negligence of the facility by both successive military regimes and military authorities.

Umar, who spent three years at the ammunition dump, maintained that the Central Ammunition Dump being a restricted area, tresspassers stood the risk of being shot on sight. The notion that it was caused by bush fire set by those chasing rats, as far as he is concerned, is not tenable.

As if confirming Umar’s position, Obasanjo, on Thursday directed the immediate removal of all expired ammunition in the nation’s military installations.

He gave the directive while attending the final exercise of the Nigerian Army in Kontagora as he described the Kaduna incident as unfortunate and embarrassing.

The President said Nigeria was fed up with explosion of expired ammunition in military depots and hinted that the ammunition depot in Gusau might be relocated to an Army installation in Kaduna or elsewhere.

However, Defence Minister Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who dashed to Kaduna about midnight on Wednesday still followed the bush burning theory.

After inspecting the scene on Thursday, he enjoined the public to desist from bush burning in search of rodents and warned civilians not to encroach on military land as it exposes them to grave danger and creates problems for the ministry.

He said a committee of military top brass will be constituted to investigate the cause(s) and pledged that measures will be put in place to prevent a recurrence.

Kwankwaso debunked reports that lives were lost in the blast, just as residents of the barracks who fled have started returning.

The Senate has mandated its Defence and Army Committee to proceed to Kaduna to unravel the cause(s) of the explosion.

It was based on a motion by Senate Leader Dalhatu Tafida. But his colleague Mohammed Aruwa (ANPP), representing Kaduna Central where the incident occurred, was upset that the motion was his idea which Tafida hijacked.

Nonetheless, Tafida spoke his mind. He insisted that contrary to reports, no life was lost in the explosion.

“I got in touch with the governor and he confirmed that there was no loss of lives. I, therefore, move that the Senate direct the Committee on Defence and Army, in conjunction with senators from Kaduna, to visit the site and report back to the House next Tuesday”, he said.

But addressing a press conference later, Aruwa picked holes in Tafida’s prayers and said: “The Senate was misled by its own leader in taking a resolution that was defective. I will not go with the committee because I have already visited the site of the explosion. Moreover, what is the mandate of the committee? What the Senate is going to do there should have been clearly spelt out …. I was in my office preparing the motion I had discussed with the Senate president, having intimated him of my intention the night of the explosion. I was not intentionally absent. The Senate president knew why I was absent.

“Besides, the chairman of the committee that has been mandated to go to Kaduna is not around. He is away attending a military exercise. When he gets back, the committee is expected to head to Bayelsa on a senate assignment. I don’t know when the committee will have the time to go to Kaduna before Tuesday”.

Posted by Publisher at 07:39 PM | Comments (0)

Confab: Obasanjo's ‘no-go’ areas unacceptable — Labour, Bayelsa Gov, Alamieyeseigha

ABUJA—THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared as unacceptable to it, the "no-go-area" stipulated by the Federal Government in respect of some issues at the National Political Reform Conference.

By Bolade Omonijo, Emma Amaize, Emmanuel Aziken, Sam Oyadongha, Victor Ahiuma-Young & Simeon Ebegbulem
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State has also faulted President Olusegun Obasanjo’s inclusion of federalism as a no-go-area at the conference, saying if that must be, then federalism as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution should be practised and implemented to the letter.

Secretary of the conference, Reverend Father Matthew Kukah, speaking to Vanguard yesterday in Abuja expressed confidence that neither the National Assembly nor the Presidency would be able to stop the implementation of the recommendations of the decision.

President of the NLC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, at the opening of the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Benin, said Nigerians must have the right to discuss every issue threatening Nigeria’s peace. President Obasanjo, he said, was on his own regarding the issue of no-go-area.

Mr. Oshiomhole assured Nigerians that they should have no fear about the determination of labour representatives to protect and defend their interest. He threatened that labour would not hesitate to pull out from the confab should government or any other force attempt to manipulate the proceedings of the confab. Said he: "Those things Mr president said are settled, are they really settled? If yes, by who and when? The society is better when you allow people vent their anger, air their views for others to share. I do not believe we can strengthen our unity in diversity, if we do not strengthen the differences in the diverse ethnic groups. I believe that everything the president said during the inauguration ceremony, he is on his own."

The NLC president noted that the central agenda of the NLC meeting in Benin was to deliberate on the national dialogue agenda to ensure it has a common representation, adding that "our contribution in the conference is to strengthen the labour force and fight the cause of the teaming suffering Nigerian masses.

"The confab should not prohibit any one from airing his feelings. People should be allowed to canvass their views. I believe we cannot transform our diversity to unity if all diverse interest are not heard and carried along. I do not see any sensible Nigerian who wants the nation to brake into small federations," he said.

Alamieyeseigha tackles Obasanjo

Governor Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, also yesterday, faulted President Obasanjo’s inclusion of federalism as a no-go-area for discussion at the National Political Reforms Conference, insisting that if it must be so, then, federalism as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution should be practised and implemented to the letter.

He also queried the use of number of local government areas as a basis for revenue allocation, saying since the constitution empowers states to create local governments as they deem fit, it would be conferring undue political advantage aimed at appropriating the resources of the Ijaw people, a development, he said, was no longer fashionable in the current political dispensation.

In a keynote address at the three-day Ijaw World Summit in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State governor said: "One of the biggest ironies in history of this nation is that states were created for those who did not request for them and denied those who actually needed them. This anomaly must be redressed. Since the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers states to create local government areas as they see fit, the number of local government areas should not be used as a basis for revenue allocation.

"In fact, the particular schedule of the Constitution under which local governments are listed against states should be expunged. Such undue political advantage aimed at appropriating the resources are no longer fashionable in this political dispensation," he said.

He was equally peeved that petroleum was still placed in the exclusive legislative list, pointing out that "the Ijaw have been put in a severe disadvantage to the extent that we cannot participate effectively in the privatisation process as it affects the oil and gas–based industries that are located in the Niger Delta. As I speak, I do not know of any Ijaw man who is lifting oil. This is tragic.

"We are, therefore, obliged to call upon the Federal Government to grant specific concessions or to evolve a deliberate policy that will provide concessions to enable our people become equity shareholders in the oil and gas business. We should not be placed in a position to compete for resources that God has thought it fit to place in our land," he said.

Governor Alamieyeseigha lamented that "over the years, the Federal Government has been unable to make its presence felt in Ijawland. While they exploit our resources with impunity, they have deliberately condemned our terrain as impossible to develop. That, for instance, accounts for the absence of a branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or a federal secretariat located in any part of Ijawland till date."

Obasanjo, Assembly can't stop report,says Kukah

Secretary of the National Political Reform Conference, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah, has expressed confidence that neither the National Assembly nor the Presidency will be able to stop the implementation of the recommendations proposed by the conference.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Fr Kukah said none of the branches of government could dare the wrath of the court of public opinion as the conference was going to make its report reflect the inputs of the public.

Father Kukah also expressed optimism that logistical constraints that forced the conference to suspend plenary sessions would have been overcome before the return of the delegates on Monday.

Father Kukah, a member of the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa-led Human Rights Violation and Investigation Panel, also expressed gladness that the white paper on the report of that panel would soon be released.

"If Nigerians get on the bandwagon and become part and parcel of the process, what is likely to happen is that it will be impossible for the President and the National Assembly to do otherwise," Father Kukah said.

Affirming that the report to be produced by the conference would be a document reflecting the will of the generality of Nigerians, Father Kukah said: "I am not even thinking about what any other person is thinking, people can continue to live today, but it is the supremacy of the will of the people that matters.

"We will leave no stone unturned in trying to see that everybody is carried along even within the three months period, we will do everything possible to make sure that everybody, let me not say everybody, but the door is open to everybody to make his contribution, to have a say in what kind of Constitution, how they want to see Nigeria run, putting this country on the road to becoming what kind of place they want it to be. A Constitution is nothing other than a declaration of intention. To my mind people can say what they want to say, the truth of the matter is that we want to see everybody happy."

Affirming the supremacy of the moral will over the legal arguments that have hindered the implementation of the report of the Oputa panel, he said: "With the Oputa panel and all the legal contentions, my argument from the day we handed in the report, and the President knows my mind and all the people who went to court know my mind, and everybody who listened to me, knows my mind, I am not a lawyer, but I try to make the point, Oputa panel business was a moral responsibility, it was not law and whatever the Supreme Court ruled, I have respect for them. I have respect for them, but there is a problem that I have always had and I used to complain to Justice Oputa, the Supreme Court is made up of fallible human beings, so when they make a mistake, where do people go to, they say there is no where else, but I say no, you can always go to the court of public opinion."

Rebuffing suggestions that the conference was being packaged to fit in with a hidden agenda of the presidency, the Conference secretarysaid he did not join the conference to fit that agenda. "I am in this process because as a Christian my philosophical disposition is that I don’t know what plan God has for Nigeria, but I know that He is a God that is working overtime for Nigeria.

"I believe that God has a plan for Nigeria. I can only jump into this process because it will help to realise what God’s plan is for Nigeria, not what Obasanjo’s plans are. I couldn’t be bothered what Obasanjo’s plans are, but I believe that whatever process is on the ground, so far the survival of our country is involved, I will put my signature hoping that God wants to do great things for our nation," he said.

Posted by Publisher at 07:36 PM | Comments (0)

Obasanjo summons Army chiefs, Minister over Kaduna blasts

ABUJA — PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday summoned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Martin Agwai; General Officer Commanding One Mechanised Division of the Army, Major General Andrew Azazi; and the Defence Minister, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso over Wednesday’s explosions at the Central Military Ammunition Depot, Dalet Barracks, Kaduna.

By Kingsley Omonobi & Emeka Mamah
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

Also summoned are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Jonah Wuyep. They are to shed light on the safety and conditions of other ammunition depots in military locations across the country.

Dr. Kwankwaso on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene yesterday said the explosions were triggered by fire set to bushes around the armoury.

Vanguard gathered that President Obasanjo had to call off his trip to Kontagora, Niger State yesterday for an Army Exercise code named: "New Dawn"on account of the explosions. Dr. Kwankwaso who was to receive the president in Kontagora was directed to proceed to Kaduna. No death was recorded in the incident.

The minister was accompanied to the barracks which houses the One Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army by Governor Mohammed Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State, General Officer Commanding the Division, Major General Azazi and the Air Officer Commanding, Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Olufemi Folayemi to assess the damage caused by the explosions. He said an investigative committee would be empanelled to look into the cause of the fire and make recommendations to the government.

However, military officers at the barracks told newsmen earlier that intense heat occasioned by the current harsh weather caused the bomb explosions. They said some of the bombs had also expired and should have been detonated but this was not done because of bureaucracy

Kwankwaso said specialised contractors had been engaged by the Ministry of Defence to remove and destroy expired ammunition at the depot before the "unfortunate incident." The Central Military Ammunition Depot houses all ammunition meant for use by the Nigerian Army.

His words: "We are all aware of what happened yesterday. We had some expired ammunition here and members of the Armed Forces had contracted some contractors who will remove and destroy some ammunition.

"Unfortunately, from the reports that I have just received, there was a bush fire yesterday (Wednesday) and it affected some of those expired ammunition. I am aware that His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Makarfi, immediately he was informed of the situation with the Army mobilised fire brigade from the Air Force and state government, who were able to curtail the situation immediately.

"I was in Minna on my way to Kotangora yesterday evening when this unfortunate incident happened and Mr President directed that I should come back immediately to Kaduna instead of proceeding to Kotangora where the Army is having an exercise today (yesterday). So, we are happy that from the report on the ground, there was no casualty. The state government is monitoring the situation with the senior officers on ground here, so that at the end of the day, we can have a comprehensive report on what happened so that together, we don’t allow such things to happen here or elsewhere in the country.

"So once again, I want to thank you (press) for co-operating with us; working towards the development of this great nation." After the minister’s brief remarks, the following dialogue ensured between reporters and the minister:

When the explosions at Ikeja Military Cantonment happened, government promised to destroy all expired bombs/ammunition. Why did they not do this before this one happened?

There are dates when ammunition were purchased and dates they are supposed to expire and we have got all these records and as a result of that, the ministry contracted some specialists to come and destroy them. The Ministry of Defence has contracted some specialists to come and destroy those ammunition and it was in the process that this unfortunate thing happened. I am happy to say there was no loss of life and we thank God for that and of course, we will get a comprehensive report at the end of that.

Three years after the Ikeja explosions, one would have expected the Ministry of Defence to take precautionary measures so that similar thing should not happen at any ammunition dump anywhere. Is that not an indictment on the part of the ministry?

I think your question is too negative. I thought you would look at it from the positive angle. I want to tell you that members of the armed forces have decided to take action on this dump and it was while that was in the process that this unfortunate incident took place as a result of the bush fire that you can see for yourself.

When will this committee set up submit its report?

They will do that as soon as possible. The Chief of Army Staff is already in Kotangora and he is the one that will ensure that this report is submitted as soon as possible.

Posted by Publisher at 07:34 PM | Comments (0)

Power output drops to 1500 MW nationwide

LAGOS—POWER generation by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) has dropped drastically to 1500 Megawatts (MW) on account of reduction in the volume of gas supplied to the authority’s thermal power stations nationwide.

By Hector Igbikiowubo
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

It was gathered that the authority may have resigned itself to fate over its inability to meet its power generation obligations while looking up to Agip’s Kwale 450 MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) project to raise power generation.

A top official of NEPA who spoke on condition of anonymity said the drop in gas supply from the Nigeria Gas Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was responsible for the drop in power generation, adding that Egbin was the worst hit.

Vanguard investigations showed that power generation at the Egbin thermal power station fluctuates between 450 and 600MW, depending on the amount of gas it receives. The NEPA source explained that the NGC was demanding an increase in the amount of money paid by NEPA per 000 standard cubic feet of gas supplied to the authority thermal power stations for power generation.

Specifically, the authority currently pays N14 per 000 scf of gas and NGC is demanding payment of N70 per 000 scf of gas. The authority is currently owing the NGC over N3 billion for gas supply.

The source admitted that the authority was indebted to the NGC, saying debts accumulated by NEPA customers, "especially government agencies" have not helped matters.

He said all hydro power stations in the country, including Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba which account for 800MW were currently out of operation for different reasons. "This leaves the authority to make do with the small quantity of gas it gets from the NGC. Besides, we do not get what we used to get from government anymore, so you can see our dilemma," he said.

When contacted, Mrs. Efuru Igbo, General Manager in-charge of NEPA’s Corporate Affairs, debunked the claims, saying power generation level was currently 2,900MW.

Posted by Publisher at 07:19 PM | Comments (0)

Ex-ECOMOG boss, Kupolati dies in road crash

Lokoja-Abuja Road. Eight other travellers died in the crash.

Confirming the incident to Vanguard in Lokoja, Head of Operations, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Kogi State Command, Mr. Sunday Ajayi, said the accident occurred at Crusher Village in Lokoja.

By Ayodele Oluwole
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

General Kupolati, according to Mr. Ajayi, was travelling from Abuja to his home town, Iffe Ijumu in Kogi State when a Pathfinder jeep marked CU 62 EKY had a head on collision with a commercial bus marked XB 396 AUC.

Mr. Ajayi said 13 other persons who sustained serious injuries had been admitted at the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.

The body of the former ECOMOG chief who was Chief of Staff, United Nations Truce Suervision Organisation in Jerusalem was deposited at Ankuri Hospital mortuary in Lokoja.

A close associate of the Army General who is also PDP chairman in Yagba West LGA of Kogi State, Mr. Victor Dada, described General Kupolati’s death as unfortunate and an irreparable loss to the people of Kogi State and Nigeria as whole.

"We’ve lost a rare gem who served his fatherland and his community meritoriously. He would be greatly missed by his close associates and numerous admirers," he said.

Posted by Publisher at 07:18 PM | Comments (0)

Doctors consult over ailing Pope

ROME— DOCTORS treating Pope John Paul II at Rome’s Gemelli hospital were last night consulting whether to perform a tracheotomy on the 84-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church to relieve his breathing difficulties, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported.

By Sam Eyoboka, with Agency reports
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

Doctors treating the Pope, who was re-admitted to hospital early in the day, were "evaluating" whether he should undergo the surgical procedure, which creates a temporary opening in the windpipe to relieve breathing problems, the agency said.

This is his second stay in hospital this month, a Vatican statement said. The Pope in frail health for several years, was taken to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for "specialist treatment and further checks," the Vatican said.

He spent 10-days in the Gemelli earlier this month after suffering an acute breathing problem brought on by a bout of influenza. He returned home on February 10 and the Vatican had previously said he was making a steady recovery. The Pope held a "virtual" general audience on Wednesday, addressing thousands of pilgrims via a television link from his private study.

He was to have appeared at his window to bless crowds in St. Peter’s Square, but a rainstorm in Rome forced organizers to move people indoors to an audience hall equipped with large television screens.

Posted by Publisher at 07:18 PM | Comments (0)

Appeal Court nullifies Okeke's election

AWKA — THE Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday nullified the election of Chief Raphael Okeke currently sitting in the House of Representatives for Anambra East/West Federal Constituency and declared Chief Alphonsus Igbeke as the winner of the election.

By Anayo Okoli
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

Okeke and Igbeke are members of the PDP. Ten thousand Naira cost was awarded against Okeke.

The Court therefore upheld the judgement of the tribunal sitting in Awka which had in November nullified the declaration by INEC through a press statement declaring Okeke as the winner of the election held on April 12, 2003, and in his stead declared Igbeke the winner of the election. The tribunal said that Okeke never participated in the National Assembly election, so he ought not to have been declared winner by INEC in the first place.

The Court of Appeal also upheld the judgements of the second Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the elections of Mr. Keluo Molokwu for Awka South 1 Constituency and Mr. Bona Orakwue for Onitsha 1 Constituency. The court also dismissed the interlocutory appeal filed before it by Mr. Chudi Ofodile against the ruling of the Justice Nabaruma Awka tribunal on fair hearing saying that he (Ofodile) was given fair hearing."He deserved what he got", the court said.

Giving the judgement of the court, Justice J.O. Ogebe who read the unanimous decision of the court dismissed the appeal as lacking merit.

"There is no merit in this appeal and it is hereby dismissed", Ogebe said and awarded ten thousand Naira cost against the appellant (Okeke).

In his reaction to the judgement Igbeke expressed thanks to God and the judiciary. He however called for the amendment of the Electoral Act so that all election litigations would end latest six months after the elections. He assured his constituency of quality representation.

Also, Molokwu of Awka South 1 described his victory at the court as the will of God while Chiefs Okey Nwosu and Ben Ifeanyi Obi praised the effort of the judiciary to clear the political mess in Anambra State in the last elections, saying that the credibilty of the judiciary is once more being restored to serve as the real last hope for the common man.

Posted by Publisher at 07:16 PM | Comments (0)

Census: Presbyterian Church urges FG to include data on ethnic groups, religion

ABAKALIKI — The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to include without further delay, information regarding ethnicity and religion in the planned national census exercise slated for December 2005.

Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

In a communiqué issued at the end of its first quarterly meeting for this year held in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, the General Assembly Executive Committee (GAEC) of the Church said it could not accept as good enough the National Population Commission’s excuse that the various ethnic and religious bodies might seek to inflate their figures if such information was provided on the census forms. The church stated that although ethnicity and religion were sensitive issues in a plural society such as ours, the Government owed its people a duty to conduct a successful census that would provide all the demographic data necessary for good planning.

The church also expressed concern over the fact-sheets released by the Federal Government to the effect that the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) achieved, and even surpassed, its targets for 2004. It stated that although the figures quoted appeared impressive, there had been no significant improvement in the quality of life of Nigerians, the vast majority of who still live below the poverty line.

In the communiqué signed by the Moderator of the General Assembly, The Rt. Rev. U. B. Usung and the Principal Clerk, Rev. Dr. B. F. Fubara-Manuel, the Church said that though NEEDS was a commendable programme, Government needed to fine-tune it and adequately monitor its implementation to ensure that it impacted positively on the lives of the masses of this country.

On national politics, the church commended the Federal Government for responding to the clamour for a National Sovereign Conference by constituting the National Population Reforms Conference.

Lamenting the fact that its membership is appointed rather than elected in conformity with democratic practices, the Church urged the Government to give the Conference a free hand to do its work. It urged delegates to be guided by the principles of equity and justice in their search for a Nigeria where no one is oppressed. The church viewed with concern the inability of the Government to guarantee the steady supply of electric power in the country in spite of Government’s huge investments in that area. It therefore called for the privatization or deregulation of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to ensure the steady supply of power, which is the pivot for industrial development, poverty alleviation, and the transformation of our rural areas.

Posted by Publisher at 07:15 PM | Comments (0)

Court orders LG boss to refund N750,000 to Oguejiofor

ONITSHA — AN Onitsha High Court presided over by Justice C.E.K. Anigbogu has ordered the Transition Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Council, Chief Basil Ejidike to refund the sum of N.750 million being money he fraudulently collected from one Mr. Lionel Oguejiofor with a promise to allocate to him five plots of land at the Akpaka Forest Layout, Onitsha.

By Anayo Okoli
Posted to the Web: Friday, February 25, 2005

The Court also ordered Ejidike to pay 5 per cent interest on the money, and awarded N5000 cost against him.

Oguejiofor had in suit number 0/472/2003 dragged Ejidike to court requesting that the N750,000 he paid to him for the allocation of 5 plots of land at the Akpaka Layout Onitsha, when the defendant served as the secretary to the committee which allocated land in the layout.

Ejidike accepted before the court that he received the said sum but claimed that he collected it on behalf of Anambra State Government. But the court noted that the lodgment in the bank as seen in the exhibits tendered and admitted before the court, indicated that the lodgments bore the name Basil Ejidike, though there was no proof that the money however belongs to the plaintiff.

"The defendant contradicted himself at paragraphs 25 and 26 (of his affidavit). At paragraph 25, he stated that the plaintiff failed to follow up his request for allocation or re-allocation with the government of Anambra State after the committee made its recommendations and handed over to the commissioner for Lands and at paragraph 26, he stated that the plaintiff is presently pursuing his allocation with the Ministry of Lands Awka.

"The contradictory averments have not advanced the defendant’s case. I have not seen anything in the defendant’s affidavit and the exhibit to show that the defendant acted as agent of government when he received N750,000 from the plaintiff. The transaction was directly and personally between the plaintiff and defendant.

Posted by Publisher at 02:52 PM | Comments (0)

Govt asks military to destroy unused weapons

TO avert further bomb explosions in military formations, the Federal Government yesterday directed that all expired ammunition be destroyed.

From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna), Alifa Daniel, Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) and Isa Abdulsalami (Jos)

The order came on the heels of the bomb blasts that rocked Dalet Barracks, Kaduna, on Wednesday.

Also yesterday, the Federal Government and the Senate began investigations into the incident.

The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, disclosed the government's directive when he visited the Central Military Ammunition Depot at the Dalet Barracks.

He was accompanied by the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1st Mechanised Division, Maj.-Gen. Andrew Azazi and other top military officers.

The vicinity of the incident was cordoned off from the members of the public who were curious and visited the barracks to see their relations and friends.

In fact, fierce-looking armed soldiers were keeping vigil at the entrance of the Central Ammunition Dump housing the military hardware yesterday.

The soldiers guarding the barracks attempted preventing journalists, who came to cover the facility tour by the minister, from gaining access into the environment.

It took the intervention of the governor and minister before journalists were allowed into the restricted area.

Kwankwaso, who was earlier briefed by the military authorities on the primary cause of the bomb explosion, said: "I have already directed that a committee should be set up immediately to investigate and report to me what happened so that we can convey the report to Mr. President."
The minister remarked that the members of the armed forces had already been briefed "to contract out the removal and destruction of the ammunition whose life-span have expired in our ammunition dumps across the country."
He explained that "from the report I have just received, there was bush-fire yesterday (Wednesday) and it affected some of those areas around the ammunition dump in the depot."
He continued: "What happened was that we know that these ammunition have dates that they are supposed to expire, and we have all these records. And as a result of that, the Ministry has contracted some specialists to come and destroy those ammunition and it is in the process that this unfortunate incident happened."
Kwankwaso who said that the news of the explosion diverted him from a primary assignment in Kantagora, Niger State, where there was a military exercise involving top military officers, noted: "Mr. President directed that I should come to Kaduna immediately instead of proceeding to Kantagora."
He said: "We are happy that from report on the ground there was no casualty. And the state governor and military officers are monitoring the situation so that at the end of the day, we can have a comprehensive report of what happened, so that we will prevent such happenings here or elsewhere in the country."
Kwankwaso appealed to all state governors who are in charge of places where there are military formations to discourage granting approval for the building of private houses therein.

Also urging the military authorities to disallow bush burning within the vicinity of ammunition dump, the minister said: "It was as if those who were responsible for the bush-fire here were hunting for rats and rabbits."
Kwankwaso also referred to the unfortunate incident of the Ikeja Cantonment, pointing out: "Let me tell you that all that occurred there was as a result of panic, and people ran and fell into a lagoon and so on and so forth, but we are happy that it didn't happen that way here."
Former Brigade Major at the First Mechanised Division, Abubakar Umar (rtd), spoke with The Guardian. He said: "The government should have at best learnt a lesson from the Ikeja Cantonment incident which led to the death of several people, and moved to avert future occurrences."
According to the retired Major: "Most of the ammunition dumps in the military barracks are outdated and they need to be upgraded."
The Senate directed its committees on defence and army to proceed to Kaduna to investigate the bomb explosions.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Col. Sola Akinola, described the bomb blasts as very unfortunate.

Akinola, who ruled out any fool-proof measure against the occurrence, said that the blast could happen anywhere and anytime.

"Nobody prays for bad things. Nobody wants bad things to happen. But this thing can happen anytime, anywhere," he stated.

He said: "The adequate security of our armoury is paramount to us. It is very unfortunate that it happened in Kaduna."
Akinola who said he also heard the report during the network news on Wednesday night, likened it to a traveller on journey.

"The traveller has prepared very well and has put his vehicle in proper order and he then sets out on the journey. And along the way, accident still happens in spite of every precaution taken. Do you say he did not take enough precaution? No, this thing just happens like that. We just pray to God that this thing does not happen again in any military barrack or anywhere in Nigeria," he maintained.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)

Presidency rejects N161b increase in budget by Reps

FEARS over a smooth implementation of the N1.8 trillion budget passed by the House of Representatives were raised by the Federal Government yesterday.

From Mathias Okwe, Abuja

The government through the Budget Office said that an extra budget (N161.35 billion) passed by the Lower House would be impossible to execute because of an ominous shortfall in revenue inflow.

President Olusegun Obasanjo had last year presented a N1.6 trillion Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly for Fiscal 2005 but the Lower House after several debates and consultations with agencies and ministerial heads raised the budget to N1.8 trillion.

The Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr. Bode Augusto, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that it would be impracticable for the government to finance the N161.35 billion extra expenditures included in the instrument by the lawmakers.

Augusto is also a special aide to the President on Budget Matters.

He said: "The Federal Government cannot finance that increment in the 2005 budget. There is no practical way of financing what the House of Representatives has recommended."
The budget agency's chief expressed the fear that the Senate might present a higher budget than the one passed by Lower House.

The President on October 12 last year while presenting the budget earmarked N10.397 billion for the House of Representatives, expenditures and another N5.554 billion for the Senate.

But the House Appropriation Committee, which worked on the bill, reviewed upward the expenditure figures meant for the two chambers of the National Assembly.

While the panel moved the House expenditure from N10.397 billion to N21.892 billion, it also raised the Senate's share from N5.554 billion to N14.719 billion.

With the Presidency making its position on budget known yesterday, there are fears that the passage of the bill might be delayed.

Augusto explained that it would be difficult for the government to fund the budget as proposed by the lawmakers because all revenue avenues had been taken into consideration by the President before the bill was presented to the legislature.

He said the old system of borrowing to fund budget deficit had been discarded and emphasis was now on strict monetary and fiscal discipline.

Augusto said that the vision of the administration was to generate more revenue from the non-oil sector.

A number of reforms, he said, were being undertaken to block the loopholes that had in the past drained the nation's treasury.

To this end, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) would be granted autonomy and allowed to retain four per cent earnings from non-oil taxes to run its operations.

The government has also granted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seven per cent of its collections to boost the officers' morale.

To cut down on public expenditures, the government has resolved to classify its parastatals into commercial nature, semi-commercial nature and social nature.

He said that agencies performing purely commercial functions would either be privatised or provided with take-off grants by the government. They will be subjected to auditing by reputable accounting firms and remit their surplus profits to the government.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)

Kupolati, ex-army chief, dies in car crash

FORMER Economic Community of West African States Military Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) commander and one of the Nigeria Army's top officers, General Rufus Modupe Kupolati(Rtd) and eight others were killed in a ghastly motor accident yesterday at about 11a.m., `on the Lokoja-Abuja road.

Confirming the incident to newsmen in Lokoja, Head of operations, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Kogi state command, Mr Sunday M. Ajayi said the accident occured at Crusher village in Lokoja.

According to Mr Ajayi, Gen. Kupolati was travelling from Abuja to his home town, Iffe Ijumu in Kogi state when his car, a Nissan Pathfinder Sports Utility Van with registration number CU 62 EKY had a head on collision with an 18-seater commercial bus registered XB 396 AUC.

Besides, Mr Ajayi said that 13 other persons who sustained serious injuries have being admitted at the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.

The body of the Former ECOMOG chief, who was also chief of staff, United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Jerusalem has been deposited at Ankuri hospital mortuary in Lokoja.

A close associate of the army general who is also PDP Chairman in Yagba West LGA of Kogi state, Victor Rotimi Dada who spoke with The Guardian in Lokoja yesterday, described General kupolati's death as "unfortunate and an irreparable lose to the people of Nigeria and Iffe-Ijumu in particular."
According to him " We've lost a rare gem who served his fatherland and his community meritoriously. He will be greatly missed by his close associates and numerous admirers" he said.

Posted by Publisher at 02:46 PM | Comments (0)

Britain raises hope on debt relief for Nigeria

BRITAIN has pledged to remain a faithful ally of Nigeria. Its Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr. Jack Straw, said yesterday in London that the United Kingdom (UK) would do more to support President Olusegun Obasanjo's efforts to make Africa free of conflicts.

From Oghogho Obayuwana, London

He said that current moves to get debt relief for Nigeria and other African nations would be intensified.

Straw also promised that Britain would assist Nigeria resolve its border `dispute with its neighbour, Cameroun. Both nations are grappling with the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on the Bakassi Peninsula.

He spoke with a team of African journalists at the start of the Commission For Africa (CFA) meeting called to evolve measures to bail out African economies with the aid of the 2005 British presidency of the Group of Developed Countries (G-8) and the European Union (EU).

Straw also added his voice to those of the CFA commissioners, who said that they intend to hold developing partners accountable to their previous commitments to the continent.

Reacting to a question on the non-committal stance of Britain in the "stalemated implementation" of the ICJ ruling on Bakassi in contrast to France's active role in the dispute, Straw said: "Yes, the ruling is there. We are certainly not standing by. We are very, very committed to Nigeria. It is the largest country in Africa. The country is certainly a very important partner of ours. We have good relations with President Obasanjo. I talk to him very frequently. We acknowledged the role he is playing at the African Union (AU) as well as the initiatives he brought to the G-8."
Straw said the ICJ verdict had generated international concern that countries, which feel committed to Nigeria on account of its pioneering role in conflict resolution and the economic reconstruction of Africa cannot give up on it until it is fairly resolved.

He claimed ignorance of the purported build-up of troops in the area as he said: "Frankly, I don't know where you are getting that from."
The British official also spoke on the debt burden, which is impeding the growth of most African economies. According to Straw, a great deal of discussions with the multilateral partners on the problem points to a quick resolution of all grey areas in giving debt relief to some of the countries. He admits that the United States (U.S.) is now the biggest donor to Africa in absolute terms but notes that with the $62 billion being recommended to the international finance facility to be committed to Africa, the continent would be able to address most of its pressing problems.

"I think we should get somewhere in debt relief with the top level discussions going on. And we are committing one per cent of our national income to this. The way it is, whether it is in form of debt relief or direct financial aid, the British tax-payers will be paying for it," he added.
At yesterday's closed door session of the CFA meeting was British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair.

The CFA commissioners led by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Ky Amoako, stressed that the Commission intends to hold development partners accountable to their commitments, which were freely given.
The other commissioners at the meeting were the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of HABITAT, Tanzanian Anna Kajumulo, the Chairman of the Board of Ugandan Investment Authority, William Kalema, the Governor of the Central Bank of Botswana, Mrs. Linah Mohohlo and the Group Strategy and Development Director, Cote d'Ivoire Tidjane Thiam. Nigeria is represented at the forum by Fola Adeola.

To meet the Millennium Development Goals, the CFA draft paper had recommended that $50 billion would be injected into Africa yearly in the next 10 years to develop its requisite infrastructure.

The group said it would be cheery news if the other development partners toed the line of Britain, which now gives 0.4 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as grants to developing countries.

"It is not enough to say Africans are corrupt. It is enough for us to find out those who are corrupting them. It is not enough to say African leaders are stealing the money. We may have to also do something about those whom are banking it for them," Mohohlo said.

But in a dramatic twist, an influential member of the British Parliament (MP) Roger Gale has described the CFA as "hogwash." He told the African journalists at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday evening that "its just window dressing. For us it is simply a matter of some politicians (Mr. Blair) going about, telling other countries what they want. We do not feel fine with the idea of telling other people how to run their countries. The CFA's business is all about one or two politicians wandering around the world making grand statements."
The conservative MP also deplored the manner the developed partners are going about the debt relief campaign.

"What we have said and I say again is that the practical thing we can do about the debt issue is wipe it off! My view is that it is the people who should say what they want not we telling them and when you ask about the drawback of corruption, you punish the corrupt government, you punish the people alongside. The EU as an institution is corrupt. It can't even sort out itself. If someone blows the whistle, they sack the whistle blower."`

Posted by Publisher at 02:44 PM | Comments (0)

Dilemma in court over suit on electoral law

A SUIT to determine the validity of the side-stepping of President Olusegun Obasanjo's veto of the Electoral Act 2002 by the then National Assembly, may have presented the Supreme Court with a Hobson's dilemma.

From Emmanuel Onwubiko (Abuja)

The apex court is yet to give verdict on the suit. But two of its seven-man panel, including Chief Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, yesterday gave indications that the subject of the suit is volatile.

Uwais, who is heading the panel, and Justice Salihu Moddibo Alfa-Belgore said that up-turning the 2003 elections, which were conducted on the basis of the disputed law could result in social disorder.

The Supreme Court fixed May 20 for judgment in the suit, filed by the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The dilemma is: What happens if the apex court finds in favour of the appellants?
Should the law be strictly applied, in which case a political leadership vacuum will be created in the country, with its predictable negative consequences?
Alfa-Belgore, who interjected while the appellant's lawyer, Joe Ezikpe was making his submission, said:
"The country cannot operate in a state of political vacuum. It is not expedient to declare the elections conducted in 2003 unconstitutional because that is what you are asking in effect."
On his part, Uwais asked the counsel for the Appellant: "Who makes the law then because if the electoral Act 2002 under which the elections were conducted is nullified, then the entire existing institutions like the legislature and the executive would have been annulled. Can you imagine the amount of confusion that will arise from that kind of decisions?"
But the appellant went ahead with his submission. He urged the apex court to annul the electoral law since the Court of Appeal had made a verdict that the process of passing the Bill into law was unprocedural. But the lower court refrained from consequently voiding the elections.

Ezikpe said: "The Supreme Court should be concerned with legal consequences of not following the constitution by the National Assembly while passing the Electoral Act 2002. The court should not concern itself with social consequences that chaos will arise if the Electoral Act 2002 is annulled. Political expediency does not come into this matter. The law must be upheld because Heavens will not fall but will be glorified. If the Electoral Act 2002 is annulled, Nigeria will be applauded."
The appellant's lawyer cited sections 135(5) and 180(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which provide that if the Electoral Act is annulled, the president and the governors will remain in their offices pending the conduct of another election using a law made in accordance with the constitution.

He continued: "The principal issue before this court is that whether the Court of Appeal was right when it held that it was exercising discretionary powers when it found that the Electoral Act 2002 was not passed in strict compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. If an Act is null and void, anything built on it is also null and void."
Both President Obasanjo, represented by Mr. Adebayo `Adenipekun and the National Assembly, urged the Supreme Court to throw out the case, arguing that the Appellant lacks locus standi, and had not shown any special interest or right far and above that of other Nigerians and organisations.

Making his submission in his preliminary objection, Adenipekun, from Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) chambers, stated: "We object to the hearing of this matter because to seek to nullify the election 2003 is an incompetent relief, which cannot be granted. This is because the relief was not part of the prayers sought at the Federal High Court where the matter originated."
Adenipekun also asked that the matter be dismissed because: "The nullification of elections 2003 could never be a consequential relief because at the time the matter went on trial at the Federal High Court Abuja, elections had not taken place. This court cannot grant the relief, which was not before the trial court."
APGA went to the Supreme Court after the current leadership of the National Assembly withdrew a pending appeal at the apex court.

APGA was permitted to go on with the matter by the Supreme Court as an interested party.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja division had on May 12, 2003, in a lead judgment by Justice George Oguntade, said that the process followed by the National Assembly in overriding President Obasanjo's veto and passage of the 2002 Electoral Act was unconstitutional but could not be voided.

Justice Oguntade who is now of the Supreme Court, had ruled thus:
"Section 58(1) of the 1999 Constitution reproduced above states the process by which a bill becomes a law. So how is a bill passed by either of the Houses constituting the National Assembly? Each House passes a bill when it has gone through the first, second reading, the committee stage and the third reading. In the course of these readings and committee stage, the bill is examined in detail and amended if necessary. Law making is therefore a serious business. The court is enjoined to take judicial notice of the course of the proceedings in the National Assembly."
He did not void the Electoral Act 2002 because of the social consequences.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was the original plaintiff at the Federal High Court, Abuja and had cited the former National Assembly leadership headed by Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, President Obasanjo and the Federal Attorney-General as Respondents.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:43 PM | Comments (0)

Court tries Bamaiyi, others for contempt

A Lagos High Court yesterday started contempt proceedings against former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi and others currently on trial for the attempted murder of The Guardian Publisher Mr. Alex Ibru.

By Mustapha Ogunsakin

The court was also told how Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha refused to attend yesterday's court proceedings despite an order of court.

Bamaiyi and others had staged a walkout from court on Monday after the court refused their application seeking to disqualify the trial judge, Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole from trying them on the basis that they cannot get justice in the state.

Others standing trial with Bamaiyi and Al-Mustapha are former Zamfara State Military Administrator, Col. Jibril Bala Yakubu, former Lagos and Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr. James Dambaba, and former officer in charge of the Mobile Police Force Unit at Aso Villa, Abuja, Mohammed Rabo-Lawal.

Based on their unruly behaviour, the court had ordered that they be exempted from their trial until such time that they are ready to show good and proper conduct before the court.

However, on Tuesday, their lawyers apologised for their behaviour, while Dambaba and Rabo-Lawal's lawyer, Mr. Abdul Fatai Alao-Thomas, withdrew from the case due to the conduct of the accused persons in court. Based on the apology, Justice Oyewole ordered that they should be brought to court yesterday where they were expected to show their preparedness or otherwise to respect the court.

But surprisingly while other accused persons were present in court yesterday, Al-Mustapha was not present.

The head of the prosecution team, Mrs. Bisi Ogungbesan, told the court why Mustapha was absent.

She said: "The State Security Service (SSS) personnel informed us this morning that the third accused person (Al-Mustapha) refused to attend court this morning. The reason he gave was that he had seen a copy of the reproduction warrant asking him to come back to court.

"Since your lordship had earlier excluded him from this trial, he would not come to court until such a time that he was shown the reproduction warrant. I understand that this is the first time he was asking to be shown a reproduction warrant, which is usually directed to the authority that has him in custody.

"I also understand that his lawyer had access to him yesterday and had an extensive discussion with him".

At this juncture, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, his lawyer, rose and told the court that the prosecution had not done the proper thing.

Ojo said: "The proper thing is for the prosecution to brief the court on the steps they took to enable the third accused person to attend court this morning. They should have informed the court that pursuant to the order of Tuesday, they should have served the reproduction order on all the accused persons.

"There is also no evidence that the SSS and officers of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) were in court on Tuesday. These lapses must be put in the doorstep of the prosecution. It is therefore unfair for the prosecution to say that he (Al-Mustapha) refused to come to court."
In reply, Ogungbesan tendered a copy of the letter the prosecution wrote to the SSS to produce Al-Mustapha in court. "They were in court this morning and they said that the accused person adamantly refused to attend court," she said.

At this stage, the trial judge faced Bamaiyi and the following dialogue ensued:
Judge: Do you have anything to say on your conduct at the last hearing of this case?
Bamaiyi: I have always been a disciplined and obedient person. I have always submitted myself to constituted authority as long as the law is followed. That is all I have to say.

Do you realise that your said conduct constituted contempt of this court?
I do not intend to show any contempt to this court. May be it is due to some circumstances beyond my control. I have never disrespected a court and I shall never do so.

The judge then directed the same questions to Dambaba.

Dambaba: I have always submitted to the law and I will always do so based on fair hearing. I will never do anything to contradict the law. I did not really realise that I had done such a thing. It just came spontaneously.

The judge also directed the same questions to Yakubu.

Yakubu: All my life, I have been a disciplined person. I have no record of misbehaviour anywhere throughout this case. I have always submitted myself to the law and I will continue to do so. I never knew that what I did was in contempt of this court. To me, it was a natural reaction to what I perceive as injustice.

The same questions also went to Rabo-Lawal.

Rabo-Lawal: My lord, this case started in 1999. There had never been an incident like this before. I will remain law abiding as long as justice, fairness and due process are followed. I will never be in contempt of a court.

After this, lawyer to Yakubu, Mr. Chinedu Ikhegbule, apologised on his behalf.

"The fourth accused is a disciplined officer and I am not sure he did not understand what he did. I will urge the court to please forgive him," he pleaded.

At this juncture, the court adjourned till today so that Al-Mustapha could be brought to court.`

Posted by Publisher at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)

Why Budget 2005 is delayed, by Senate

THE delay in the passage of the 2005 Budget stems from a resolve to avoid mistakes and ensure the highest level of accuracy, the Senate Leader, Senator Dalhaut Tafida, said yesterday in a chat with correspondents at the National Assembly, Abuja.

From Alifa Daniel and Azimazi Momoh, Abuja

The Senate President, Adolphus Wabara had promised that the budget would be passed by last December.

However, according to Tafida, consultation were still on by the Senate leadership with President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Budget office and other stakeholders in the appropriation process.

A member of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation, told The Guardian last weekend that the Senate had reconciled its differences over the budget figures with the Presidency and the budget office, thus paving way for the passage of the bill this week.

But by yesterday, the last official still day of the Upper House, no mention of the bill was made, fuelling speculations that the Presidency may still be pushing for a downward review of the nearly N1.8 trillion the Senate had reduced figures to from the initial N1.88 it planned to present two weeks ago, Tafida said.

According to Tafida, "the fact that the House of Representatives has passed the budget does not mean we have finished. If the Senate has passed it and the House has not, it does not mean we have finished either. Even if both house have passed it, we still have to harmonise."
The Senate leader, however, dismissed speculations that the two Houses disagreed over what should be the actual budget for the National Assembly.

There have been speculation that the House of Representatives was spoiling for fight with the Senate over a huge sum of over one billion set aside for the leadership of the Upper House, while its own leadership was only getting N400 million.

Besides, the Presidency is insisting that since it bowed to the National Assembly's position for the raising of the benchmark or earnings from crude oil to $30 per barrel, among others, the Assembly should not go beyond the figures submitted by the executive.

But the Senate leader said yesterday: "The position is that we are making consultations. We want to make sure that we are sure of our revenue, the sources and the quantum and that we are sure of the expenditure so that when we pass, we pass."
Tafida explained that the National Assembly could not be blamed for the delay, adding that in advanced countries, budget proposals were presented before parliament some six months or more before the end of the year.

"In USA, the budget for next year is already being presented. They take nine months to process it. Our own was presented only at the end of September or even October and when it was so presented, the details of the budget were not presented along with it. It was only later that we got the details of the budget. And I think that we have done well so far" said Tafida.

He appealed for understanding by the public and the media, pointing out that the senate should not be rushed into passing a budget as it was done during the Military era.

"Don't hurry us, don't take us back to the military era, where a budget is read and on the day it is read, it becomes law. This is what we are trying to avoid. Please understand us, understand the problems. We are not in the military era, we are in a civilian era, a budget is presented, the legislature is expected to do its work," he explained.

When President Obasanjo presented an early budget last year October, the Senate President had promised that the National Assembly would pass the budget before the Christmas and New Year break, promising it would be the first in the present political dispensation to be passed before the new budget year.

Posted by Publisher at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)

ASUU defends absence from national confab

THREE days after the inauguration of the National Political Reform Conference, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday explained its non-participation in the dialogue.

From Iyabo Sotunde, Ibadan

The university teachers said that the action was taken because negotiations between those profiting from a system and the victims of such system cannot lead to any agreement.

ASUU in a statement issued by its president, Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano, and made available to The Guardian said the problem confronting the nation could not be solved simply by a peaceful agreement. It added that it is futile and na•ve to attempt to resolve fundamental problems of property relations through dialogue.

The teachers added: "Nigeria needs transformation to provide for everyone a decent life, education, healthcare and freedom from oppression. No social class has ever negotiated and will ever negotiate its domination of other classes unless on the verge of class defeat."
The working and dominated people and classes in Nigeria will not be a dominant force in any dialogue being proposed. The required transformation will be born through persistent struggles of workers and groups resisting class, gender nationality and oppression," the ASUU stated.

While picking holes in the dialogue, ASUU noted that Nigerians, including those who have been selected as delegates do not know the definite agenda of the conference. He pointed out that "even if they knew, it was set by the sponsors and not the citizenry who do not know the goals, the process and what will be done with the outcome of the parley."
He added, "there is already massive agitation concerning the criteria employed in the nomination of members to the dialogue. Nigerians convene to be divided by the sponsors using tribe, local government, religious, ethnic and geopolitical anti parties. The majority of the federal and state nominees are those directly responsible for the socio-economic political and moral crises of Nigeria."
Continuing, Sule-Kano said, "there is the burgeoning crisis of credibility within the ruling party, with other parties and within and among the ethnic-nationality formations. This crisis constitutes a sufficiently solid ground to confirm that President Olusegun Obasanjo's belated concession to sponsoring a national dialogue is in all probability part of a larger political plot to cause diversion and confusion towards the realisation of an unstated political goal."
To achieve its own desired goal, ASUU announced plans to work in collaboration with other mass organisations and form a political party that will mobilise Nigerians towards contesting and attaining state power for the purpose of building a modern society pivoted on solidarity among Nigerians, public welfare and sovereignty of Nigeria.

Posted by Publisher at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)

Another Anambra House of Reps member loses seat

ANOTHER member of the National Assembly representing Anambra State, Mr. Ralph Okeke, has lost his seat at the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu.

From Chuks Collins, Awka

Okeke, who represents Anambra East/West Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, lost to a fellow member of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Alphonsus Uba Igbeke.

The Representative became the fourth member of the National Assembly from Anambra State to be swept away from the federal legislature in recent weeks. Two Senators, Ikechukwu Godson Abana and Emmanuel Anosike, lost their seats to Chief Ben Obi and Joy Emodi respectively. Also, a member of the House of Representatives, Chidi Offodile lost his seat to Mr. Osita Egwuatu.

In its judgment in Enugu yesterday, the Court of Appeal affirmed the earlier ruling of the Justice G.M. Nabanema election panel sitting in Awka which had last year nullified the declaration of Okeke as winner of the April 12, 2003 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Court of Appeal dismissed Okeke's appeal with a N10,000 cost against him.

According to the chairman, Justice James Ogebe, who read the unanimous decision, the appeal lacked merit.

In his reaction, Igbeke who was present in the court told The Guardian that he was happy to have recovered the "stolen mandate".

Igbeke promised to give his constituency quality representation and a sense of belonging.

He also called for a review of the Electoral Act to peg the period of litigation to between three and six months, to avoid an impostor from holding on to the mandate for too long.

Also, the court has affirmed the election of Mr. Peter Onuorah, Keluo Molokwu and Ben Nwosu, all of whom are in the Anambra State Assembly representing Ayamelum, Awka South 1 and Nnewi North under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In its review of Onuorah's appeal, the court in a unanimous decision upheld his submission and therefore set aside the earlier judgment of the lower tribunal, which had nullified his election.

A cost of N10,000 was awarded against his opponent, Mr. George Okoye. Nwosu was also re-affirmed winner when the motion seeking re-list of appeal by Maduka Okoye (also of PDP) against him was dismissed with N2,500 cost.

Posted by Publisher at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)

Bayelsa chiefs identify killer cult's members

THE Nembe Bassambiri council of chiefs in Nembe Local Council of Bayelsa State has identified members of the killer cult group who murdered 12 innocent persons near the Akanawo fishing settlement a fortnight ago.

From Willie Etim, Yenagoa

The Nembe chiefs, D.F.O. Sokari-Olali, D.J. Erewari-Oruwari and A.L. Digigha-Warri said at a press conference yesterday, in Yenagoa, that the suspected gunmen who carried out the cold-blooded murder were identified as members of the Teme cult group.

The spokesperson of the chiefs, D.F.O. Sokari-Olali, explained that the Bayelsa State government in a swift reaction had made efforts to fish out the culprits through the police but were helpless because the entire Odioma community was militarised by the cult group.

"As a matter of fact, the head of the mobile police unit, Mr. Debekeme (DSP), who visited Odioma, Obioku and its environs in search of peace, was kidnapped and brutalised by the Odioma people," he said.

According to him, the group had become terrorists and committed acts of piracy, issuing threats to launch attacks on Obioku and Nembe in particular as the cult was further empowered by other members from Rivers and Delta states.

He defended the governor's deployment of troops to Odioma.

He said: "The government of the state is justified in its effort at trying to fish out the culprits. We want to use this opportunity to thank the state government for its initial action as no responsible government will fold it arms against such barbaric acts."
The chief hoped that the good efforts of the government in trying to fish out the criminals would not be frustrated by some highly placed persons believed to be aiding and abetting the cultists.

He condemned a motion credited to Senator Inatimi Spiff faulting the action of the state government.

"Perhaps the distinguished Senator has forgotten the sacred duty he owed the electorate, including those who were brutally murdered on February 3, 2005," he noted.

He added that as the elected representative of the deceased, Senator Spiff also owed their families at least that moral duty to sympathise with them and condemn the dastardly act.

Posted by Publisher at 02:38 PM | Comments (0)

FG Can't Finance 2005 Budget – Agusto

•Why Senate has not passed appropriation bill

Director-General, Budget Office, Mr. Olabode Agusto, yesterday said the Federal Government does not have the funds to finance the 2005 appropriation bill, which the House of Representatives has passed with an increased spending of N161.35 billion.

From Kola Ologbondiyan and Kunle Aderinokun in Abuja, 02.24.2005

But there are indications that the Senate delayed the passage of the 2005 budget to enable it harmonise its position with the Budget Office and the Presidency.
Briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Agusto said the bill in which the House reviewed upward government capital expenditure may still get its figures upped again by the Senate.
Noting that the budget was too big for the government to implement, he said the increase in the budget spending will have great impact on Nigerians.
According to him, "the House has passed a bill that has increased spending by about N161 billion. We all know that the Senate will pass a bigger one. But the issue is that what they have passed, we cannot find a practical way of financing it. We don't have the money to finance it."
The House had recently passed the 2005 appropriation bill after reviewing it upward from N1,684,564,679,986 to N1,845,912,755,433 representing an increase of about 9.58 percent. The House Committee on Appropriations increased expenditure in the budget by N161.35 billion based on the benchmark of $30 per barrel and an estimated average production of 2.71 million barrels per day.
Agusto said the $1 billion said to have been taken from the Joint Venture Account to fund the recurrent expenditure has been restored.
When asked if President Olusegun Obasanjo would run the government without a budget as it happened in 2003, he said, "I don't know but the development will have serious impact on the people."
Also, Agusto disclosed that a new tariff regime on importation will be launched on July 1. He said the Federal Government aimed at ensuring that the tariff structure favours those that are importing finished goods.
He said the Federal Government is already considering a proposal which seeks to reduce the number of tariff lines from 20 to five. In addition, he said unweighted tariff rate have been reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.
He added that in the new tariff system, zero tariff band will be charged on items that are called "unnecessary" (goods that re not produced in Nigeria) while five per cent tariff band will be for importation of machines. Intermediate products like complete knocked down cars and finished products will have 10 and 20 per cent respectively. In addition, he said 50 per cent tariff band will be applied to textile products.
On debt, Agusto expressed the belief that, going by its current momentum, the country will get a debt relief in not too distant a future.
"Before I came into government, I had doubt about debt forgiveness. Now I believe that the international community is favouring debt forgiveness.
“It might take us longer time than other people because we have oil, but we should not give up. We should continue to pursue debt forgiveness with those people," he said.
He disclosed that the strategy being adopted by the Federal Government on the foreign debt problem is to negotiate and agree in advance annual sums that will be paid to the Paris Club of Creditors and pay these sums as and when due; meet non-Paris Club obligations as and when due; hold national reserves in a basket of currencies that reflect Nigeria's debt profile in order to provide some hedge against cross-currency risks and continue aggressive pursuit of debt forgiveness.
He explained that to tackle the local debt, the Federal Govern-ment planned to avoid borrowing to finance the federal budget; stretch the tenor of existing debts; pursue prudent fiscal policies that will help lower interest rates and ensure that these debts do not grow relative to GDP.
He explained that the government will ensure that not more than 25 per cent of these debts will still be outstanding by the end of 2007.
Speaking on pension reforms, Agusto said the Federal Government has set aside a "Redemption Fund into which five percent of wage bill is transferred annually. The fund will be used to meet the pension transition costs." He said the government would implement the plan pending the conclusion of evaluation by actuarial scientists of pension liabilities of civil servants that are retiring soon.
"Pension arrears represent amounts due to existing pensioners while pension transition costs are amounts due to current employees who will be transferred from the Pay As You Go scheme to the contributory fully funded scheme with effect from 1 July 2007," he said.
He stated that the first step was to create a central database of pensioners and public servants. The information captured in the database, he said, will then be kept current and used to compute pension arrears, and pension transition costs and repayment programme will be put in place for the pension arrears.
Meanwhile, the Senate is trying to harmonise its position on the budget with the Budget Office. THISDAY gathered that the Presidency and the Budget Office are said to have disagreed with the sources of revenue on which the House of Representatives predicated its version of the 2005 Budget.
When the views of the Senate Committee on Appropriation and Finance chairman, Senator John Azuta-Mbata were sought, he said head his colleagues are working on “straightening the rough edges of the budget so that once it is passed there would be no hoopla.”
But the Senate Leader, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, told newsmen at the lobby of the White House that “we are making consultations. We want to make sure that we are sure of our revenue, the sources and the quantum. We are sure of the expenditure and when we pass, we pass.”
According to Tafida, “we wanted to do the work (of budgeting) properly. We are making consultations, we have been meeting with the Budget Office, with Mr. President and we want to make sure that when we pass the Appropriation Bill, it is assented to without much delay.”
He noted that “if the Senate has passed and the House has not, it doesn’t mean that we have finished. If the Senate have passed and the House have passed but we have not harmonised, it doesn’t mean that we have finished.”
He noted that the Senate did not receive the details of the 2005 Budget when it was presented by Obasanjo last year, and that “it was later that we got the details of the budget and I think that we have done well.
“The press should help us to build a more durable, more transparent and better democracy. This is what we are doing, don’t hurry us up, don’t take us to the military era where a budget is read and on the day it is read, it is a law and you can start expenditure.
“This is what we are trying to avoid, understand us, understand the problems, we are not in a military era, we are in a civilian era, a budget is presented, the legislature is expected to do its work, don’t hurry us up,” Tafida added.

Posted by Publisher at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

Kaduna Explosions: Defence Orders Probe

Minister of Defence, Alha-ji Rabiu Musa Kwan-kwaso, has ordered an indepth probe into the series of explosions that rocked Dalet Barracks in Kaduna on Wednesday evening.

From Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja and Agaju Madugba in Kaduna, 02.24.2005

The Senate also yesterday directed its Committee on Defence to probe the explosions.
Located within the headquarters of the 1st Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, the central military ammunition depot at the barracks had exploded with residents scampering for cover.
After an inspection visit to the depot yesterday, Kwan-kwaso told newsmen that preliminary reports indicated that a bush fire by some people hunting for rabbits and other animals had sparked off the explosions.
However, he said some of the ammunitions had actually expired and the Ministry of Defence had earlier commissioned specialist contractors to evacuate them.
He admitted that there were equally expired ammunitions in various military formations across the country.
Kwankwaso said, "before this unfortunate incident here, the Armed Forces had actually appointed some specialist contractors to remove and destroy these ammunitions that the life span have expired.
"We have a record of the dates of purchase and expiration of these ammunitions and the Federal Government is committed to destroying them."
He said that the panel set up to probe the Kaduna incident would submit its report "as soon as possible."
As Kwankwaso put it, "the Chief of Army Staff is in Kontagora and he is the one that will ensure that this report is submitted as soon as possible.
"I want to appeal to all those concerned not only in Kaduna but all across the country to stop bush burning.
"This barracks was built in the 1940s and it was never envisaged that the growing residential population would migrate to the zone of the ammunition dump.
"There is this problem across the country, civilians always going to encroach where there are military formations, thereby exposing themselves to very serious dangers.
"I appeal to the public and the governors to take note that a situation where people encroach on land where military formations are located, will no longer be tolerated."
Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, accompanied Kwankwaso to the depot along with the GOC 1st Mechanised Division, Major-Gen. Andrew Azazi, Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Idi Faruk as well as officials from the National Emergency Manage-ment Agency (NEMA) and senior military personnel.
A former Brigade Major at the 1st Mechanised Division Major Abubakar Umar, said in an interview yesterday that government ought to have learnt from a similar occurrence at the Ikeja Military Cantonment, Lagos State.
Umar said "most of the ammunition dumps in Nigeria today are outdated and they need to be upgraded.
"Most of the heavy armoury we have were used during the civil war and some of them are outdated and should be disposed of.
"Unfortunately, they are still there and posing a threat to lives and property of the people living around the barracks."
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday directed its Committee on Defence and Army to urgently investigate the explosions and submit its report next Tuesday.
This was predicated upon a motion brought by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, and seconded by the Senate Committee on Privatization chairman, Senator Isaiah Balat, in which they sought the leave of the Senate to investigate the explosions.
Tafida, in canvassing support for the motion, said the blast lasted for about two hours during which the areas in which the barrack was located shook uncontrollably, adding that he had since remained in close touch with the Kaduna State Government and had been told that there was no life lost in the incident.
He, however, admitted that there were damages to public property the level of which, he said, would be known in due course.
Balat, who seconded the motion, noted that ammunition depots across the nation have become obsolete and unsafe urging the Federal Government to urgently do something about this. He said that the handling of arms and ammunition must be of grave concern to the government and military authority.
Contributing to the debate, the Senate Majority Whip, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, described the response of the Senate as “proactive,” urging the Committee charged with investigation to unearth the cause of the incident.
Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, however, stated that the consequences of the blast could be detrimental noting that given a hindsight experience, the Federal Government should take concrete actions against a recurrence.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Lawali Shuaibu, argued that if the Senate resolutions on the Lagos bomb-blast three years ago were implemented, the
Kaduna mishap would have been avoidable even as he charged his colleagues to fashion a course of action that would hasten the process of implementing Senate resolutions.
Senator Tunde Ogbeha, however said the challenge of the blasts was for the Senate to allow budgetary allocations that would allow the military to build better ammunition depots.
However, Senator Moham-med Aruwa, who addressed newsmen at the close of the session, said Senate’s decision in sending a committee to Kaduna was defective arguing that an ad-hoc committee should have been charged with the investigation considering the gravity of the mishap.

Posted by Publisher at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

NITEL: 'Pentascope Squandered N105bn in 20 Months'

•House threatens to order el-Rufai’s arrest

Pentascope International within 20 months of the management of the Nigerian Telecommunication (NITEL) spent about N105 billion without installing even a single line, either fixed or mobile.

From Ahamefula Ogbu in Abuja, 02.24.2005

Mr. Davis Daramola, former Executive Director Mobile Communication, NITEL disclosed this yesterday while giving evidence at the public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Communication probing the contract management agreement between the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and Pentascope.
The committee, however, threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, BPE Director General at the time of the management agreement terminated early this month for not personally appearing at the hearing.
Daramola revealed that the Dutch firm deliberately deposited NITEL's over N1.4 billion in sick banks that later ended up in distress.
Daramola said he refused to sign the ill-fated contract and was retired thereafter for disobeying the orders of the Vice President.
He said his action delayed the effective date of the agreement from February to March.
He said he refused to sign because Pentascope and BPE did not show the management of NITEL a copy of the agreement. He further disclosed that their trip to Amsterdam showed that Pentascope was neither quoted on the country's stock exchange nor did it have any technical knowledge and competence to handle the management of NITEL.
He said that it was no surprise that the fortunes of NITEL plummeted immediately after, throwing the formerly viable organisation into huge debts, notwithstanding over N50 billion was in the coffers of NITEL the time he was retired.
The former Executive Director said that prior to the entrance of Pentascope, NITEL never borrowed either for investment or payment of salaries but that few months after the Dutch company took over, the fortunes of the national carrier changed and it started borrowing to pay.
He said Pentascope may not have acted alone as there were indications that some powerful Nigerians collaborated with them. He advised against the privatization of NITEL now because the new buyers will buy it as scrap.
Daramola observed that although there was a Due Process office within the Board of NITEL, payments were made without passing through audit department, hence the spending of N75 billion on recurrent and another N73.5 billion on infrastructure without any changes or improvement.
"The National Assembly should look more critically into circumstances and how Pentascope International inherited over N50 billion in NITEL account (excluding MTEL), generated and collected over N60 billion, expended over N100 billion within 20 months, left a debt of over N10billion in commitments without any or addition of any one line into the system", he said.
Also giving evidence, Dr. Edwin Omorogbe said money was paid out from the domiciliary account of NITEL with Central Bank without the approval and knowledge of the board such that from April 2003 to December 2004, Pentascope expended N1, 045,175,991.87 and even took over payment for local expenses where they made NITEL to bear the cost of N21, 551,991.87.
According to Omoregbe, Pentascope paid itself $21,000, an equivalent of N2, 789,640.00 as penalty against NITEL for the alleged late payment of third quarter fees, which was stopped during pre-payment audit.
He said that Pentascope was yet to refund N12, 085,605.00 being money used to buy cars from mobilization fees in contravention of the use of such fees. He said the Dutch firm should be made to account for $2 million and called for the recovery of $1,650,000.00 unaccounted sum from the money.
He said that Pentascope, contrary to the practice in taxation, refused to remit withholding tax of $135,000.00 or N17, 309,700.00 and asked that it should be deducted from payments to them in 2005.
He gave a graphic account of how cash position, FGN Treasury Bills and letters of credit suffered a steady decline.
Omoregbe said that despite the lodgment of N549 million in a distressed bank, another N520, 947,232.55 realised from revenue drafts from various collecting banks was lodged in Afex Bank, with the company forced to borrow money to pay salaries subsequently.
As at December 2004, NITEL had overdrawn its account with Zenith International Bank Plc, Abuja by N1, 908,507,678.77, Guaranty Trust Bank N864, 684,197.22 and Platinum Bank Limited by N46, 797,529.79.
He further complained that foreign payments and some local payments were not passed through the Audit
Department including N108, 112,186 to Messers Dare Omosebi & Co, N1, 410,000.00 to DNC business center and mobilisation fee of $2 million to Pentascope. He called for recovery of the sums.
Others are the payment of N37, 026,075.00 to KPN which has dissociated itself from the NITEL contract or any relationship with Pentascope, payment of N436, 933,456.36 customs duties said to have been inflated to the tune of N6 million and N18, 239,188.00 15 percent down-payment to telephone cable Nigeria Limited.
Local contracts awarded in foreign currencies include $166,000 for provision of consultancy support for the expansion of Multi-Exchange Area 250,000 lines plus $48,753.33 as reimbursable; $1,031,890.90 to Computer Warehouse Group for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of hardware for mediation and International Settlement Activation System, and another $241,941.97 to the same company for Interconnection billing system.
Messrs. Foundry Networks was paid $230,244.00 for supply of equipment for phase 1 of IP wholesale project, KPMG received $112,000.00 for forensic investigation while
Management Information System Co. Ltd received $10,784.29 to supply software for anti-virus programmes.
He reported duplicated payments, which were discovered and stopped valued at N1.2 billion.
Meanwhile, the committee threatened to order the arrest of Minister el-Rufai, for shunning the committee's earlier summons to appear before it to explain his role(s) in the management contract.
El-Rufai reportedly turned down the lawmakers' invitations because he had said all there was to be said on the issue. He, however, sent a representaive who was rejected by the committee.
However when the Committee Chairman, Hon Yemi Arokodare, heard that the minister attended the budget defence of FCT, a room away from the venue of the public hearing, he threatened sanctions on all who refused to appear.
Arokodare said that the House leadership has asked him to give El-Rufai another chance to appear before the Committee Thursday next week failure of which the entire House would issue a bench warrant on him.
Others affected by the order to appear next week or be arrested include Akintola Williams and Co., a firm of chartered accountants and auditors; Pentascope Chairman and PricewaterhouseCooper which advised advice the BPE to give the contract to Pentascope.
Also asked to appear that day are Anthony Achimogu and former Board Chairman of NITEL, Chief Vincent Maduka, who was described by members of the committee as "the Nigerian version of Pentascope in the deal."
When confronted by newsmen on his departure from the House, el-Rufai said, "I will come when there is time.
Well, as you can see, I just appeared before one Committee. Maybe I did not get the invitation. The way my office works, when there is an invitation and I cannot come somebody else would come", he said.

Posted by Publisher at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

3 Die as Religious Sects Clash in Sokoto

At least three persons were reportedly killed yesterday, as fighting broke out between rival Islamic sects in Sokoto, Sokoto State.

According to a report on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) online the three persons were killed when fighting broke out between members of the Shia and Sunni Muslim groups at a spot close to the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, who is the president general of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
The first salvo was said to have been launched by the Shia group, which reportedly attac-ked the Sunnis at a mosque.
The Shia attack was said to have been a reaction to the killing of a member of the sect by the Sunnis last week.
Majority of Sokoto’s Muslim populations are said to be Sunnis while the Shias are a minority.
Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate is the official headquaters of Islam in the country and has been very free from secterian violence which sometimes break out in some key cities in the Northern part of the country.
The last major disturbance in Sokoto was in the early 1990s when a successor was to be chosen to the father of the present Sultan, Alhaji Moham-madu Abubakar III. While a praise singer had announced the incumbent Sultan, Maccido as the choice of the kingmakers, the government eventually named Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki as the Sultan.
Violent protests greeted the announcement as people vandalised government properties including Radio Rima, the government-owned radio station which had earlier announced Maccido as Sultan-elect but later reversed itself.
Dasuki who reigned till 1996 was dethroned by the Abacha administration and Maccido was turbanned as the Sultan. Areas of the North which have experienced more religious riots are Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Jos.

Posted by Publisher at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

NEPA, NNPC Face-off Cripples Power Supply

•Gas producers demand 114% hike in price

Indications have emerged that power outages in the country may linger for a long while, as the logjam over the implementation of a gas pricing agreement between the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has further dropped electricity generation.

By Mike Oduniyi, 02.24.2005

While THISDAY checks revealed that electricity generation had declined by 43 percent to 1,700 mega watts (mw) in last one week resulting in unprecedented power outages in most parts of the country, NEPA has officially put power output at 2,900 mw.
It was gathered that the face-off between the two government parastatals, had reduced gas supply to NEPA's thermal power plants, particularly to the $700 million Lagos Egbin Thermal Power Stations.
At the heart of the disagreement, according to sources, was the implementation of a gas pricing regime reached last year by the two parties, where NEPA was required to pay N30 per one thousand standard cubic feet of gas effective from July 2004, representing 114 percent jump over the N14 per thousand standard cubic feet the authority presently pays.
The agreement also provided for a further increase to N70 per thousand standard cubic feet of gas, the price to be paid by NEPA effective from January this year.
However, this pact could not be implemented following the inability of NEPA to get the Federal Government approve its request for upward review in electricity tariff, without which it would not agree to pay higher prices for gas.
NEPA engineers at the Egbin power station informed that the generating units in the plant were being run at about half its capacity following an advice from the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, that gas supply has been reduced.
"All the six units in the station are in perfect condition, but we cannot run all of them due to the drop in the volume of gas supplied," a source disclosed.
A senior NGC official although confirmed yesterday that the company has been unable to implement the agreed price regime, he, however, added that the drop in gas volume to the power stations was from the producers mainly Shell and ChevronTexaco
NEPA sources further explained that while some of the thermal generating plants were under performing, there has been no back up from the hydro power stations in Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba, due to the low water levels at the dams feeding the plants.
Consequently, electricity supply to Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, has hovered between 500 mw and 550 mw since last week as against a requirement of 1,500 mw, which has left the metropolis with over 10 million people in darkness.
The sharp drop in electricity generation when compared to the 3,300 mw achieved at the beginning of this year, was linked to a major collapse of NEPA's network grid last week.
NEPA spokeswoman, Mrs. Effuru Igbo, however, said yesterday that the system collapse was not due to the drop in power supply but because of the tripping of the system at Egbin plant.
Igbo told THISDAY that electricity generation currently stood at 2,900 mw, which according to her was far less than the national demand of 6,000 mw.
"We have explained that the dry season, which reduced the water levels in our hydro power stations, was responsible for the drop in power generation," she said.
She added that NEPA expects an improvement in generation from contributions from the Agip Independent Power Plant in Kwale, Delta State, which will generate 480 mw, another 400 mw plant being built by Siemens in Imo State and the 150 mw plant in Ughelli, Delta State, being built by Marubeni of Japan.
Manufacturers said the cost of goods and services would be increased by 20 percent, with immediate effect following the poor power supply and the high cost of procuring diesel to run private generating sets.
President Olusegun Obasanjo said last week that the Federal Government was looking up to multinational oil and gas production companies to boost power generation in Nigeria.

Posted by Publisher at 02:24 PM | Comments (0)

FG Commits N29bn of Federation Account to UBE

The Federal Government has committed N29 billion being two per cent of its share of the Consolidated Federation Account for 2005 to the Universal Basic Education (UBE).

From Bukola Olatunji and Juliana Taiwo in Abuja, 02.24.2005

The Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Board of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) yesterday.
He said despite the initial constitutional bottlenecks to the passage of the law, the present administration has been undaunted in its devotion because UBE is the main platform for achieving Education for All (EFA) by 2015.
He said that the UBEC Fund is interventionary in nature and that the bulk of it is to be disbursed through states and local governments who are the main implementing agencies of the programme.
"With this approach, the Federal Government has once again demonstrated its commitment to the concept of decentralization in order to promote effective national development. State governments are expected to come up with a matching grant of 50 per cent as well as meet other conditions required to draw down the Fund.
In his remark, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Prof. Gidado Tahir, said the inauguration of the board has given the UBE the platform and secure funding to development actionable programmes. He said the slow pace of work before the passage of the UBE law will now be a thing of the past, adding that it was because the source of funding was not clearly defined that resulted in a lot of uncompleted projects.
"We had no sense of direction because there was no clearly cut or defined system so things were done haphazardly", he said.
In his acceptance remark, the Chairman of the Board, Prof. Anezi Okoro, commended President Olusegun Obasanjo for providing them with the design of the national vision and mission of making UBE the spring-board of Nigeria's leap into genuine development and greatness.
Other members are Alhaji N. Gambo (North-Central), Hajiya Toma Ibrahim (North-East), Alhaji Aliyu Shika (North-West), Prof. Egwu U. Egwu (South-East), Barr. Bolawaji Kunlere (South-West), Chief Eme Ekaette (Sout-South), Chief Mrs. N. Nwabueze (Women Group/ Societies), Dr. O.N.U. Ekennia and Alhaji Mohammed Yelwa Azare (Special Interest).
Others are one representative each from Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), National Parent/Teacher Association of Nigeria (NPTAN), National Teachers Institute (NTI), Natio-nal Commission for Colleges of Education (NERDC), National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), National Commission for Mass Literay, Adult and Non-formal Education (NCMLANE), Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Finance. Also members are Executive Secretary of the Commission, Member/ Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary (technical) and Deputy Executive Secretary (services).

Posted by Publisher at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)

Ibru: Al-Mustapha Refuses to Appear in Court

• Bamaiyi, others arraigned for contempt

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late General Sani Abacha, yesterday defied a fresh court order to appear for his trial, as directed by an Ikeja High Court judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, trial judge in a case of attempted murder of Mr. Alex Ibru, publisher of The Guardian Newspapers.

By Abimbola Akosile, 02.24.2005

Al-mustapha, 3rd accused person in the 6-year old matter, who also had a minor altercation with his security detail from Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and State Security Service (SSS) on Monday, February 21, said he did not receive a re-production warrant, to counter an earlier order the judge barring all the accused persons from physically appearing in courtfor the trial.
However, the remaining four accused persons, who arrived the courtroom to enable Justice Oyewole confirm whether they (accused) are ready to comply with court requirements and conduct themselves accordingly in their trial, were arraigned for contempt of court, and their responses taken for a ruling today.
Other accused persons include former Army Chief, Lt. General Ishaya Bamaiyi, Col. Jubrin Bala Yakubu (rtd.), former Zamfara State military administrator, Mr. James Danbaba, former Oyo State Police Commissioner, and CSP Rabo Lawal, former leader Aso Rock Mopol Unit.
Accused persons had on Monday, February 21, walked out of the dock and courtroom in anger, while a witness was being examined by prosecution counsel. Their action was predicated on what they saw as injustice in a ruling delivered by Justice Oyewole, who refused and dismissed three applications for stay of trial proceedings filed by the accused on grounds that the applications were an abuse of court process.
When hearing began at the courtroom around 10.45am yesterday, accused persons, on whose behalf their various counsel earlier apologised to court, filed into the dock and remained standing all through the entire proceedings. Bamaiyi, who has consistently maintained his innocence, and also expressed readiness to go on with his trial, was the first to enter the courtroom and the dock.
As the suit (No. LCD/ 108/99) was called by court registrar, only two of the four accused persons had legal representation; Mr. Olalekan Ojo for Al-Mustapha, and Mr. Chinedu Ikegbule for Yakubu. Bamaiyi (1st accused) informed court that his counsel, Mr. H. A. Nganjiwa, was ill and thus unable to appear. Both Rabo Lawal and Danbaba told court they were still expecting their counsel, who did not appear all through the proceedings.
Lead prosecution counsel, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, who spoke of court ruling on cross-examination of witness (David Udi) by defence counsel, expressed suprise at the absence of counsel to the 1st, 2nd, and 5th accused persons. He also wanted to know why Al-Mustapha was absent in court.
She narrated how Al-Mustapha, according to SSS personnel, refused to comply with a court order to appear for his trial because there was, no re-production warrant from relevant authorities after the judge barred him and others from physical appearance.
Ojo, in his response, challenged prosecution team and insisted that they failed to put in much effort in ensuring his client was brought to court. According to him, there was no evidence that the DMI and SSS were in court on Tuesday, when the ruling on his client and others was delivered.
Justice Oyewole, after listening to argument between both counsel, turned to accused persons in the dock and commenced contempt proceedings against them.
Following dialogue ensued between judge and the four accused persons.
Judge: General Bamaiyi, do you have anything to say on your conduct on Monday?
Bamaiyi: Your lordship, I have always been a disciplined and obedient person. I have always submitted myself to any court, as long as the law and due procedure are properly followed, and I shall continue to do so as long as I appear in any court. That is all I have to say, milord.
Do you realise that your said conduct is contemptuous of the court, and punishable under Section 133 of the Criminal Code? (Question repeated and explained to a bewildered Bamaiyi).
Bamaiyi: We did not plan to show contempt. I have never done anything to show disregard for the law and I will never do so.
Same questions, put by Justice Oyewole to Danbaba, Yakubu and Rabo-Lawal, generated different responses.
Danbaba: I have always submitted myself to the law and will continue to do so based on fair hearing and justice. I will never do anything to contradict the law.
On contempt, milord, I did not realise I had done such an action. It just came spontaneously.
Yakubu: All my life, I have been a disciplined person, with no record of any mis-behaviour anywhere. Throughout this case, I have been submitting myself to the law based on fair hearing, justice, and due process, and I will continue to do so.
I never knew my action was contemptuous. To me it was a natural reaction to what I perceived as a case of injustice.
Rabo Lawal: Since this case started in 1999, there has never been an instance where what happened that day (Monday) took place. I will continue to be law-abiding under justice, fair hearing and due process. I will never ever contempt (sic) the court.
Ruling on the matter is expected to be delivered today, after Al-Mustapha's own reply to the contempt charge. Trial in the matter is also expected to continue, with cross-examination of prosecution witness, David Udi, Ibru's escort, by defence counsel.

Posted by Publisher at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)

S’Court to Rule on Electoral Act 2002, May 20

The Supreme Court yesterday fixed May 20 for judgment in an appeal filled by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) seeking the nullification of the Electoral Act 2002.

From Lillian Okenwa in Abuja, 02.24.2005

At the session headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, Justice Salihu Modibbo Belgore, one of the Justices on the seven man panel appeared to have given an inkling into their verdict when he said the Court cannot make a pronouncement that could result in social chaos as a result of a consequential nullification of the 2003 election.
The Judge who cut in when APGA’s lawyer, Joe Ezikpe was making his submission said: "The country cannot operate in a state of political vacuum. It is not expedient to declare the election conducted in 2003 unconstitutional because that is what you are asking in effect.”
On his part the CJN asked: “Who makes the law then? Because if the Electoral Act 2002 under which the elections were conducted is nullified then the entire existing institutions like the legislature and the executive would have been annulled. Can you imagine the amount of confusion that will arise from that kind of decision?"
The counsel, however, continued with his submissions urging the court to invalidate the Act since the Appeal Court had given a verdict that the process of passing the bill into law fell short of constitutional provisions.
He also asked the court to annul the Act on the premise that Sections 135(5) and 180(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that even if the Electoral Act is annulled, the President and governors will remain in their office pending the conduct of another election using a law made in accordance with the Constitution.
“The principal issue before this Court is whether the Court of Appeal was right when it held that it was exercising discretionary powers it found that the Electoral Act 2002 was not passed in strict compliance with the provision of the 1999 Constitution.
“If an Act is null and void, anything built on it is also null and void,” the lawyer argued.
Both Federal Government and National Assembly prayed the court to dismiss the suit arguing that aside from APGA not having the locus standi to initiate the action, the party has not shown any special interest or right far and above general interest.
Federal Government’s representative, Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun from the chambers of Chief Afe Babalola, SAN said: “We objected to the hearing of this matter because to seek to nullify the election 2003 is an incompetent relief which cannot be granted.
“This is because the relief was not part of the prayers sought at the Federal High Court where the matter originated.”
He also asked that the matter be dismissed on the grounds that the nullification of Election 2003 could never be a consequential relief since at the time the matter went on trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, elections had not taken place.
He further stated that the suit should be dismissed in its entirety because the entire request made by APGA cannot be granted.
Chief Justice Uwais then fixed judgment for May 20.

Posted by Publisher at 02:15 PM | Comments (0)

Ogbeh’s Successor: PDP Chieftain Urges Support for Lafiagi

As the jostle for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intensifies, a chieftain of the Kwara State chapter of the party, Alhaji Yekini Alabi, has called on members to support Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi.

By Oke Epia, 02.24.2005

Alabi said Lafiagi is capable of providing the right kind of leadership necessary to unite the party ahead of its national convention later in the year.
Following the resignation of Chief Audu Ogbeh as national chairman recently, party leaders have been shopping for a substantive replacement as a Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Safana currently acts in an interim capacity.
According to Alabi Lafiagi's antecedents qualify him for the job and asked party stalwarts from Kwara State to throw their support behind him, because the party "needs a man like him at this time."
He said: "Lafiagi is a leader who can rejuvenate the PDP, broaden the party's foundation and settle differences between contending parties.
Reacting to the purported suspension of Lafiagi by the Kwara State chapter of the party, Alabi who is a former gubernatorial aspirant said such development would only engender greater division of the party. He further described the stand of the state chapter as "the continuation of the failure of the party leadership in the state to unite the party by fostering politics of exclusion."

Posted by Publisher at 02:15 PM | Comments (0)

Tidjani Knows Fate March 9

A cross-border robbery king-pin, Alhaji Ha-mmani Tidjani will know his fate on March 9 as a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, will decide on his application wherein he is asking the court to quash the charge preferred against him over alleged conspiracy and stealing.

By Gboyega Akinsanmi, 02.24.2005

At the proceedings, counsel to the state, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi had however argued that the accused person had a case to answer because there was a prima facie case established against the accused personm, and that the the charge No: LCD/55/04 was not an abuse of court process.
Rotimi also submitted that the offence preferred against him was perpetrated on the Third Mainland Bridge which falls within the territorial boundary of Nigeria and jurisdiction of the court contrary to the position of Tidjani that the offence was committed in Benin Republic.
Her words: "It is obvious that there is no frivolous and vexatious motive against the accused person, and that we have a prima facie with proof of evidence before this court. It is also my submission that the state has not in any way delayed the prosecution of the accused person.
"I further submit that the issue raised in this application is entirely for trial because the preliminary objection is not meant to prosecute the accused person or establish a prima facie case against him. Thus it is not enough to justify maybe he did not know anything about the allegation", he argued.
According to Rotimi, your lordship should therefore in the interest of justice dismiss, strike out and quash this application because the allegation is a breach of Sections 86-89 of the Evidence Act and Section 70 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Lagos State.
Counsel to the accused person, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, however argued that the information filed against the accused person did not disclose any prima facie case and constituted an abuse of court process.
He also noted that the accused person was a national of Benin Republic and the act of offence preferred against him was committed within the territorial boundary of Nigeria.

"Even if we admit the statement arguendo, my lord, the receiving of the stolen cars did not take place in Nigeria. Unless, it can shown that the alleged offence occurred in the territorial boundary of Nigeria, the court can entertain the charge accordingly.
"This court does not have jurisdiction to entertain a matter premised on the receiving of the stolen cars by the proof of evidence that took place in the Benin Republic and consequently the accused person is not answerable to this court", Abayomi further submitted.
According to him, when it comes to criminal law, my lord cannot exercise jurisdiction over an act that occurred outside the jurisdiction of this court. The offence preferred against him independent. It has independent section in the law and also has independent penalty.
It could be recalled that Tijani, in the new charges preferred against him, was alleged of stealing a Toyota Corolla Car with Registration No: CQ 327 LND and a Peugeot 607 Car with Registration No: AY 651 APP which belonged to Mr. George Igbinoba and Mr. Ahmed Tiamiy respectively.
A one-count charge was yesterday preferred against him for allegedly receiving stolen property contrary to Section 427 of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Laws of Lagos State, though he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The particular of offence stated that "Alhaji Hammani Tidjani on about September 25, 2003 in Lagos Island in the Lagos Judicial Division did receive a Toyota Corolla Car with Registration No: CQ 327 LND property of George Igbinoba knowing same to have been stolen".
The second charge wherein the accused person was accused of stolen a Peugeot 607 Car with Registration No: AY 651 APP was later withdrawn by prosecution counsel, Mrs. Rotimi as a result of irregularity in citing the appropriate law that supported the amendment she prayed the court to make.

Posted by Publisher at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)

Uwais to Ehindero: You Can’t Represent Police in Court

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Muha-mmadu Lawal Uwais, yesterday stopped the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, from appearing as counsel in a criminal case filed by Lagos State against one George Osahon and others.

From Lillian Okenwa in Abuja, 02.24.2005

Lagos had preferred criminal charges under Decree 20 of 1984 for miscellaneous offences at the Federal High Court but the Court prevented the police from appearing as prosecutor of the case.
The Federal High Court had ruled that under Section 56(1) of its rules, Police cannot appear as counsel in Court. The decision was also re-affirmed by the Appeal court.
It was on this premise that the Acting IGP came to the
Supreme Court on the basis that there was subsisting judgment of the Appeal court in the case of Olusemo Vs. Inspector General of Police which says police lawyers can appear in Court but not in wig and gown.
When the case came up yesterday, Ehindero announced his appearance but almost immediately, Chief Justice Uwais who presided said the IGP can only appear in Court without being robed and that he cannot be seen to be arguing the case.
According to the CJN the decision of the Appellate Court on Olusemo’s case was still binding on the police and until it is set aside or overruled, it remains.
He however said the Police could engage the service of a private legal practitioner to prosecute the case adding that the case could not proceed because the matter, which is constitutional in nature, requires the panel of seven justices.
Besides Justice Uwais said the case would not be heard because the Attorney General of the Federation and the President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that were meant to appear as friends of the Court (Amici Curia) to give their opinion on the matter were not present.
He ten said the Court would invite them to submit their arguments on the issue.
The suit was then adjourned to April 21.

Posted by Publisher at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)

ASUU President Commends Lecturers over Strike

National President, Aca-demic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Dr Abdullahi Sule-Kano has expressed satisfaction with the compliance of its members across the country.

From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja, 02.24.2005

In a chat with THISDAY yesterday, he said he was pleasantly surprised at the compliance even with schools that had started exams already.
The ASUU President stressed that despite the optimism expressed by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Peter Okebukola that Nigerian Universities would be ranked among the first two hundred in the world next ranking,
it would not be possible because universities are ranked in accordance with the quality of Research they do.
"Research and Experimental Development is the basis on which a country increases its knowledge pool, obtains the required knowledge for scientific-technological development. A major indicator of how well a country performs in Research and Experimental Development is the level of national expenditure on Research and Development.
The NUC Executive Secretary need to find out how much of Nigeria’s national resources is spent on Research and Development. The NUC Executive Secretary has the facts. He should compare the
figures with the level of national expenditure in countries whose Universities have high world-ranking, he will discover that the truth is that with the abysmally low level of funding higher education in Nigeria, the amount of funds spent on Research and
Development, it makes no sense expecting that the best University in Nigeria could compete with the best in the US, Canada, or Britain.
"The amount of money that the US government pumps into MIT alone yearly for Research is higher than the total amount for all Nigerian Universities in ten years!", he said.

Posted by Publisher at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

Nigeria expands Aids drugs help

Nigeria plans a drastic increase in the number of people living with HIV and Aids that receive anti-retroviral drugs, the health minister says.

Currently 14,000 Nigerian get subsided drugs but this year the number will rise to 100,000, Eyitayo Lambo said.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, began providing anti-retrovirals in 2002, through 25 treatment centres.

But they still only meet the needs of a small fraction of the estimated four million HIV-positive Nigerians.

Mr Lambo said he hopes the increased provision will be partly funded by the UN's Global Fund and the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Council today decided that we should scale up the treatment [...] to 100,000 HIV-positive patients this year," Mr Lambo said.

Under the programme, the state subsidises the cost of generic versions of the drugs, made in India, reducing the monthly cost of treatment to about $7 per patient.

Mr Lambo said that by 2007 Nigeria hopes to have 350,000 people on the programme.

Last year the country unveiled its first plant to manufacture affordable generic anti-retroviral drugs, built with funds from Nigerian expats living in the US.

Posted by Publisher at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)

Country profile: Nigeria

After lurching from one military coup to another, Nigeria now has an elected leadership.

But it faces the growing challenge of preventing Africa's most populous country from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.
Political liberalisation ushered in by the return to civilian rule in 1999 has allowed militants from religious and ethnic groups to express their frustrations more freely, and with increasing violence.

OVERVIEW

Thousands of people have died over the past few years in communal rivalry. Separatist aspirations among some groups have been growing, prompting reminders of the bitter civil war over the breakaway Biafran republic in the late 1960s.

The imposition of Islamic law in several states has embedded divisions and caused thousands of Christians to flee. Inter-faith violence is said to be rooted in poverty, unemployment and competition for land.

The government is under pressure to improve the economy, which experienced an oil boom in the 1970s, but which has been severely undermined by corruption and mismanagement.

The former British colony is one of the world's largest oil producers, but the industry has produced unwanted side effects. The trade in stolen oil has fuelled violence and corruption in the Niger delta.

Nigeria is keen to attract foreign investment but is hindered in this quest by security concerns as well as by a shaky infrastructure troubled by power cuts.

FACTS

Population: 127.1 million (UN, 2004)
Capital: Abuja
Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles)
Major languages: English (official), Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa
Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
Life expectancy: 51 years (men), 52 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Nigerian naira = 100 kobo
Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa, rubber
GNI per capita: US $320 (World Bank, 2003)
Internet domain: .ng
International dialling code: +234

LEADERS

President: Olusegun Obasanjo

Mr Obasanjo won a second term in April 2003, gaining more than 60% of the vote in Nigeria's first civilian-run presidential poll for 20 years. But opposition parties rejected the outcome, citing allegations of vote-rigging.

Born in 1937, Mr Obasanjo is an ethnic Yoruba from the south-west of Nigeria. He joined the army in 1958 and came to prominence in 1970 as the officer who accepted the surrender of Biafran forces in the 1967-70 civil war.

Mr Obasanjo began his first leadership stint in 1976 after the assassination of Brigadier Murtala Mohamed. In 1979 he earned the distinction of becoming Africa's first modern military leader to hand over power to civilian rule. Renouncing politics, he then returned to his home state to set up a pig farm.

In 1995 he was jailed for his part in an alleged coup plot against military dictator Sani Abacha, but was set free three years later by new military leader General Abubakar.

He became a civilian head of state in 1999 in elections that followed a transition programme started by Gen Abubakar. Mr Obasanjo set up an investigation into human rights abuses under military rule, released political prisoners and began a crackdown on corruption. But critics have accused him of failing to halt spiralling violence and religious and ethnic clashes.

Mr Obasanjo has been praised for improving Nigeria's poor infrastructure but has been criticised over his general handling of the economy.

On the world stage, he helped to engineer a common plan for Africa's economic recovery - the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad). He is an enthusiastic advocate of the scheme, whether among leaders of G8 nations or business heads.

A key player in the Commonwealth, Mr Obasanjo reluctantly supported Zimbabwe's suspension over political violence in 2002. He has vowed to do eveything he can to bring Zimbabwe back into the fold.

Foreign minister: Oluyemi Adeniji
Finance minister: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

MEDIA

Nigeria's media scene is one of the most vibrant in Africa. State-run radio and TV services reach virtually all parts of the country and operate at a federal and regional level. All 36 states run their own radio stations, and most of them operate TV services.

The media regulator reported in 2005 that more than 280 radio and TV licences had been granted to private operators. However TV stations in particular are dogged by high costs and scarce advertising revenues.

Radio is the key source of information for many Nigerians. Television viewing tends to be centred more in urban areas, and among the affluent. International radio broadcasters, including the BBC, are widely listened to.

There are more than 100 national and local newspapers and publications, some of them state-owned. They include well-respected dailies, popular tabloids and publications which champion the interests of ethnic groups. The lively private press is often critical of the government.

Media freedom improved under President Obasanjo. But restrictive decrees remain in force; in 2004 rebroadcasts of foreign radio stations were banned and concern was expressed over a proposed media law.

Citing high levels of violence, the media rights body Reporters Without Borders has said Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in Africa for journalists.

The press

The Guardian - influential, privately-owned national daily
The Champion - Lagos-based daily
Daily Times - Lagos-based government daily
New Nigerian - government daily, separate editions in Lagos and Kaduna
Daily Trust - Abuja-based daily
Abuja Mirror - daily
Post Express - daily
Vanguard - Lagos-based, widely-read daily
This Day - widely-read Lagos-based daily
Newswatch - weekly news magazine
Tell - weekly news magazine
Television

Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) - state-run, operates national and regional stations
Degue Broadcasting Network (DBN) - commercial
AIT - commercial, broadcasting in Lagos and Abuja and via satellite
Minaj TV - commercial, serves eastern Nigeria
Galaxy TV - commercial, serves western Nigeria
Channels TV - commercial

Radio

Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) - state-run, operates "Radio Nigeria" stations in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, Enugu
Voice of Nigeria - external service
Ray Power - commercial, operates music-based and speech-based networks
News agency

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) - government-owned

Posted by Publisher at 01:44 PM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2005

Bomb explosions rock Kaduna

•Cause panic
•Gov, Army speak

FOR over two hours yesterday, earth-shaking explosions rocked the relative serenity of Kaduna.

MATHEW OGWUCHE, Bureau Chief, Abuja, ACHILLEUS UCHEGBU, Asst. News Editor, and FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE

Subsequently, panic only reminiscent of that witnessed during the religious upheavals in the city in the past gripped residents who ran helter skelter, apparently in the belief that an army mutiny was underway.

Competent sources told Daily Champion last night that the blasts started from the Army’s central armoury in Dallet Barracks in the city about 5.00 p.m.

The incident appears a replay of the 2002 Ikeja military cantonment bomb blasts as yesterday’s explosions in Kaduna were said to involve high calibre bombs and other military armament.

It was learnt that the explosions lasted till about 7.00 pm.

Casualty rate was unknown as at press time, but it was believed that many people may have been killed and even more injured in the resultant stampede in the city.

Daily Champion gathered that the explosions sparked off huge fires which engulfed some buildings in the barracks and later spilled over into adjoining buildings.

A concerned Gov. Ahmed Makarfi, alongside the head of the military task force, which contained the situation, Brig. Gen. Ehindoye, later addressed a press conference to assure residents of their safety.

Gov. Makarfi reportedly said the situation had been brought under control and sued for calm in the state.

The military task force comprised personnel of the Airforce, Army, Fire Brigade and the Police.

The course of the explosion was unknown as at press time.

It would be recalled that over 1000 lives were lost in Lagos on January 27, 2002 when people running away from bomb explosions that rocked the city got trapped in the canal at Oke-Afa, near Ejigbo.

The fateful Sunday night had been just another weekend until about 5.30 pm when sudden explosions that shook parts of Lagos emanated from the Ikeja military cantonment.

There were initial permutations by troubled Lagosians of war or mutiny as cause of the blasts.

As residents ran for dear lives, mostly from Ajao Estate and Mafoluku areas of Oshodi, they headed for Ejigbo, via Oke Afa where many perished in the dark murky waters of the canal.

They were later given mass burial.

Posted by Publisher at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)

3,700 lobby for 12 cabinet posts in Edo

AS pressure mounts on Gov. Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State to reconstitute his cabinet, no fewer than 3,700 people are lobbying to make the list.

VINCENT ADEKOYE , Benin

Interestingly, there are only 12 vacant positions to be filled.

Apart from the heap of applications that daily stare staff of the Governor’s Office in the face, a source told Daily Champion that over 1,650 complimentary cards from highly placed personalities from all over the country, have been sent to the governor to lend support to candidates who had earlier applied.

Chief Igbinedion had removed all his civil commissioners, Secretary to the State Government, and Chief of Staff, in a major shake up which took place few hours to last Christmas.

The governor had after the New Year break told newsmen that he would take extra care in reconstituting the cabinet due to the need to get technocrats and seasoned professionals into the last lap of his administration.

Few weeks later, the governor appointed the former governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Mr. Lucky Imasuen as his new Chief of Staff thereby creating more suspense for the applicants.

Report said pressure is being mounted on the governor daily from friends, political associates, business partners and other categories of indigenes of the state, to consider their candidates for the plum jobs.

The development has therefore prompted the beefing up of security around the governor and his daily schedule kept as secret as possible.

Visitors to the governor’s office are now being properly screened to detect anyone who may want to smuggle any fetish item to the office.

When contacted, the governor told Daily Champion that he is taking his time to ensure that capable hands are brought in to the government.

"I want to leave lasting legacy at the end of my tenure and this is why people should bear with me. I will ensure that those capable of moving the state forward, those who will help share my developmental vision and those who will take delight in building the state are brought in as civil commissioners."

Posted by Publisher at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)

‘Scrap weak states’

AS the national conference resumes next week to forge the way forward for Nigeria, eminent banker and chairman ACB International Bank Plc, Prof. Green Nwankwo has canvassed the immediate slashing of the number of states and the devolution of powers.

COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Abuja

These, he noted, should form the path to true federalism in the country which he also described as operating the worst type of unitarism.

Prof. Nwankwo spoke at the inauguration of the Senator Ibrahim Mantu Annual Lecture on Good Governance, Peace and Democracy.

Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, who was at the event, described Mantu, who turned 58 yesterday, as a bridge builder.

In his paper titled: "Good Governance, Ethics, Justice and Peace as Vehicles for Achieving Sustainable Democracy and National Peace," Prof. Nwankwo warned that "meaningful economic growth and development will continue to elude the nation until a true federal structure of government is restored."

According to him, "our federal structure has been negated by over-centralisation in the centre such that we are in effect, operating the worst type of unitarism."

Prof. Nwankwo said that some of the states which are currently economically unviable should be reduced to the status of provinces with revived powers and responsibilities.

According to him, some of the weak states should be regrouped or their numbers reduced to make them stronger, adding that the present structure where most of the states and local governments can hardly pay salaries, much less undertake development, is definitely a very costly luxury the country can ill afford in the mega-conglomerate of the 21st century."

The respected banker noted that the current practice where the states or councils cannot undertake significant developmental projects or decisions without clearance from the Federal Government is in itself a unitary system.

Besides, he said, for Nigeria to achieve true federalism it must free itself from the shackles that hitherto constrain her growth.

Prof. Nwankwo also said that for peace and political stability to be restored in the land, government should reconcile the aggrieved with justice "through an inclusive fence-mending administration that assures everybody that there is always another day."

Also, Chief Wabara described Senator Mantu as a true Nigerian and a bridge builder, adding that more peace could be achieved in the land if all Nigerians are given a sense of belonging.

Wabara spoke even as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, (UNIABUJA), Prof. B. Ohiare challenged the elite to promote peace and programmes that would unite the country rather than divide it.

Prof. Ohiare lampooned those he called "ethnic gingoists and religious fanatics" and called for attitudinal change in order to move the country forward.

Posted by Publisher at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)

Union Bank set to raise capital base

WITH its tentacles now extended to the United Kingdom, management of Union Bank Plc announced on Tuesday night that it would soon hit the capital market for recapitalisation.

ERASMUS ALANEME, Abuja

The bank while introducing to Nigerians its latest subsidiary, Union Bank U.K. Plc said in Abuja the recapitalisation move was not informed by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) deadline as its target will "be miles away from the recommended N25 billion."

Speaking during the event, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Godwin Oboh explained that the banking sector regulatory authority in London had embarked on subsidiarisation of banks in United Kingdom which means that Union Bank must move along.

He said the bank which commenced operations in London as the U.K. branch in 1983 with five million pounds and a staff strength of 12 persons had at 2003 grown to over 300 million pounds with the staff strength being over 40.

The Chief Executive noted that "the incorporation of the Union Bank U.K. Plc as a full-fledged subsidiary last year was informed by the need to transform it into an international institution as well as position it to face challenges of banking in the U.K.

"The incorporation of the U.K. subsidiary bank has strategically positioned and empowered it to serve its teeming customers better and to offer full banking services in efficient and effective competition with other U.K. banks, drawing on the strength of many years experience of the parent company.

"With the parent company’s proven records for its banking expertise, achieved through integrity and professionalism, investors are confident that Union Bank U.K. Plc will grow and expand to other parts of the U.K." he added.

Furthermore, he urged Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity of the services of the bank in the U.K. because they will get not only good services as provided by any other banks in the U.K., but better services as it will be in a position to understand the peculiar needs of Nigerians, promising that in a matter of months, Nigerians will not see any need to bank with any other one in the U.K. but Union Bank U.K. Plc.

Oboh stated that Union Bank had for years remained one of the best banks in Nigeria and that it would work to be in a position where no other bank in the country can match it, saying "it will within the next few months go to the market for capitalization which will definitely be far from N25 billion.

The new bank has Mr. Walter Mbah, who was the General Manager of the London branch as its pioneer managing director.

Posted by Publisher at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)

Bank manager arrested over drug deal

SHOCK ripped through the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday as a 40-year-old female senior bank manager of a first generation bank, was paraded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

LUKKEY ABAWURU

Also paraded were a 60-year-old man and 23 others.

Briefing newsmen at the airport, NDLEA Special Area Commander for the zone, Alhaji Abdullahi Danburam said 20 of the suspects were caught exporting the illicit substances while five were nabbed importing same.

A total of 19.965 kilogrammes (kg) of cocaine and 4.990 kg of heroine were seized from the suspects, Alhaji Danburam said.

It was gathered that the bank official was recently elevated senior manager after having put in over 14 years service.

She looked pensive at the press conference and refused to speak to newsmen. The other accused on his part, said he will be 61 tomorrow, and was accused by the NDLEA of ingesting about 1.6 kg of cocaine before he was picked up.

Danburam who did not disclose the detailed identities of all the suspects, said they were arrested while smuggling hard drugs through the airport.

He stated that "the drug couriers have continued to employ ingenious modes of concealment and are becoming more adventurous in their illicit drug business, considering the volume of arrests, in recent times; we therefore intend to enhance our operational capabilities and intensify our search operations on intending passengers."

The commander said two of the suspects were recently released from prison custody after serving undisclosed jail terms in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and Pakistan respectively for alleged drug trafficking.

Some of the suspects who spoke to Daily Champion blamed the biting effect of government’s harsh economic policies for their choice of trade.

They, however, regretted their involvement in the illicit trade and cautioned others to shun the business.

Posted by Publisher at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

Senate denies querying Wabara

SENATE yesterday denied ever querying its president, Chief Adolphus Wabara, or other principal officers for attending last Monday’s inauguration ceremony of the national conference.

COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Abuja

Several national newspapers (not Daily Champion) ran banner headlines on the alleged query yesterday.

Senate Leader, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, in a point of order yesterday on the floor of the legislative chamber, said that there was no time any senator or the entire Senate queried the Senate President and others for attending the inauguration.

According to him, the inauguration was a national assignment and was not only attended by Chief Wabara but by others in government.

Senator Tafida who was visibly worried about reports of the alleged query, said that attendance at the event was never part of the discussion at the closed door session on Tuesday.

Reports in many newspapers yesterday spoke of many senators frowning at the presence of Wabara and others at the inauguration of the national dialogue.

Some of the reports mentioned hot exchanges and near exchange of blows during the closed door session in the Senate, but Senator Tafida dismissed the accounts as incorrect.

Posted by Publisher at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)

Okorie explains APGA’s pact with CNPP

NATIONAL Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, yesterday explained why his party broke ranks with the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, (CNPP) on the National Political Reform Conference, saying APGA was not bonded to the coalition.

VINCENT EGUNYANGA, Abuja

He also described his clearance for the conference as a sign of greater things to come and said he bore no grudges against his rivals in APGA.

Chief Okorie, who has been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as APGA’s delegate to the conference, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that a national conference was in the party’s manifesto.

APGA, he added, believed that such dialogue would help Nigerians resolve the contradictions in the federation.

Chief Okorie pointed out that APGA has not ceded its registration to CNPP by entering into a coalition with the other opposition parties.

"CNPP cannot decide our position," he said.

The APGA leader, however, added that at no time did CNPP agree to boycott the confab.

He claimed that the general agreement was that those who want to attend were free to do so.

He explained that the ticket to participate in the conference was given to APGA and not CNPP.

On his detractors in APGA, he said he has declared an amnesty for them following the roles they played to destablise the party.

While not stating categorically that these members of the APGA National Executive will reclaim their earlier positions in the party, Chief Okorie, however, said reconciliation is necessary for APGA to grow to face the challenges ahead.

Posted by Publisher at 11:28 AM | Comments (0)

HIV/AIDS: FG okays N756m for drugs

GOVERNMENT yesterday approved N756 million for immediate supply of 20,000 slots of anti-retroviral drugs for the treatment of persons living with the dreaded Human Immuno deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

LERE OJEDOKUN, Abuja

It also announced upward review in the number of patients enjoying subsidised Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) from the current 14,000 to 100,000 as part of strategic HIV/AIDS prevention initiative for the year.

Health Minister, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC), said the supply contract was given to three multi-national pharmaceutical companies.

They are Rambaxy Nigeria Limited which was awarded 10,000 slots at a cost of N378 million, Strite Vital Nigerian Limited, 6,000 slots for N226.8 million and Worldwide Commercial Ventures Limited 4,000 slots costing N151.2 million.

The minister while explaining that the council needed President Olusegun Obasanjo’s anticipatory approval to step up the on-going fight against the pandemic, noted that government was spending $280 (about N45,000) annually per HIV/AIDS patient.

What a patient paid, he said, amounted to N12,000 representing 70 per cent subsidy.

Posted by Publisher at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

Stella Obasanjo sets confab agenda for women

FIRST Lady, Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, yesterday in Benin tasked women to seek the universal education for girl child as their main agenda at the on-going National Political Reform Conference.

VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin

She said that, "it is no more a secret that once women are educated, they are able to negotiate their way through life".

Mrs. Obasanjo stated this at the opening of the Second Edo Women National Conference held in Benin, the state capital.

The well attended conference was covered by the wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Eki Igbinedion as a way of advocating the emancipation of women in the state.

The first lady told her audience that, "women should therefore seek the kingdom of education fight and I believe all other things will be added unto us.

"Our priority at the confab therefore, should be to think of how to spread education to our daughters".

She called on women to wake up and show more interest in politics saying that, "the task of building a state is far too important to be left in the hands of men alone.

In his address the state Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, called on women to increasingly show knowledge seeking behaviour if they are to improve the quality of their lives and that of the wider society.

The conference was attended by women politicians and political office holders from the state.

Posted by Publisher at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)

Why we suspended Emelumba, Ogbu —Imo House

LEADERSHIP of Imo State House of Assembly yesterday defended the House decision to suspend two of its lawmakers, Hons Mbadiwe Emelumba and Ngozi Ogbu last week over bribery allegation, insisting that the suspension followed due process.

EMMA OGU, Owerri

It insisted that the two legislators collected various sums of money from two council chairmen and their suspension was the general decision of the House which has nothing to do with 2007 governorship race.

The House position came against the backdrop of barrage of counter allegations levelled against the Speaker of the House by the suspended lawmakers who claimed that they were given summary trial and suspended without being allowed to defend themselves.

The lawmakers further alleged that the Speaker has in less than two years in office squandered about N190 million meant for the assembly and that they were being purnished because of their support to Senator Ifeanyi Araraume gubernatorial ambition in 2007.

At a joint press briefing in the assembly complex on Wednesday chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr. Emma Dike and his counterpart on Local Government Affairs, Chief Jasper Ndubuaku stated that the case of the two lawmakers was decided at the executive session of the House while the Speaker merely announced the decision of the members on the floor of the House.

Dike castigated the lawmakers for taking their suspension as personal matter with the Speaker saying that it was the usual practice in the House that decision of executive session will be announced on the floor of the House by the Speaker.

He noted that the two lawmakers did not embark on the verification exercise in the local governments alone but were accompanied by other lawmakers who also testified on the matter.

The lawmaker representing Orlu constituency further explained that the House took the action against the duo because those on visitation to local government were duely warned not to receive gratification from the council chairmen.

According to him "Hon. Emelumba and Ogbu were found guilty of collecting money from the chairmen of Nwangele and Owerri municipal councils respectivery.

Posted by Publisher at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)

2007: N. Assembly receives draft electoral bill from INEC

NOTICED lapses and challenges of the 1999 and 2003 general elections informed the draft electoral bill sent to the National Assembly by the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC).

JYNE UCHE-UKONNE, Umuahia

Chairman of the Commission, Sir Abel Guobadia who stated this at a seminar in Umuahia, Abia state yesterday said he expected greater challenges ahead in the build up to the next general election sin 2007.

He pointed out that the only way for the commission to succeed was to be focussed and confront the challenges with honesty and courage so as to meet the desires and aspirations of the people.

The INEC Chairman said the theme of the seminar, "Successful electioneering Process in Nigeria – The way forward" organised by INEC, Abia state chapter was timely.

He explained that the proposed bill which is the product of wide ranging consultations seeks to consolidate all relevant statues pertaining to the electoral process as they govern election into area councils, state assemblies, both houses of the National Assembly and the offices of governors and their deputies as well as for the President and the Vice President.

Posted by Publisher at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

NIGERIA: Surgeons launch drive to cure incontinence caused by difficult pregnancies

"Fistula Fortnight", a campaign to end the painful and embarrassing childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent, has kicked off in northern Nigeria this week.

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Wednesday that 94 women had undergone surgery in the first two days of the drive.

典here痴 no nice way to talk about it. They (the mothers) leak urine or faeces, or both,・and that results in their being ostracized by their families and the rest of society," said spokeswoman Kristen Hetle. 擢istula is unpleasant to talk about, but easy to cure.・

Although fistula was wiped out 100 years ago in Europe and the United States, the World Health Organisation estimates that more than two million people are living with the condition in developing countries, with up to 100,000 new cases being added each year.

"These figures are based on the number of women seeking treatment and are likely to be gross underestimates," UNFPA says.

Fistula is a condition is often associated with child brides, whose birth canal is not yet fully developed to cope with the pregnancies that usually follow soon after marriage.

The end result is several days of obstructed labour. The baby dies in about 95 percent of cases, and the lack of blood flow to the mother's pelvic tissues causes holes in her internal organs, allowing urine and faeces to seep out.

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of fistula in the world, with an estimated 800,000 women living with the condition and 20,000 developing it each year, according to UNFPA figures.

The condition can be cured by reconstructive surgery that is relatively straightforward. But in the operation costs about US$300 on average and that is well beyond the means of most women who suffer from fistula.

Fistula is most common in the mainly Muslim north of the country, where girls as young as 12 years are married off. They often become pregnant before their body has fully developed and this frequently leads to complications at childbirth. Fistula is less common in the south, where women tend to marry at a much later age.

Fatima, who comes from the northern state of Kano, was 14 when she married and she fell pregnant soon afterwards.

的 was in labour for six days. For six days I did not pass stool or urine," Fatima, who eventually gave birth to a stillborn baby, told experts at UNFPA. "When the urine finally came, it came non-stop. That's when I knew I had a problem.・

"Urine, the oppressor of the world"

Even though sufferers try to keep clean, the smell of urine or faeces is hard to eliminate and many are stigmatised by the community and ostracised by their family members.

"The whole community rejected me,・Fatima recalled. 的 didn稚 go out at all. Anywhere I went, they laughed at me.・BR>
In Jos in Plateau state, fistula victims from the Hausa ethnic group have composed a song to deal with the problems they suffer, entitled 'Urine, the oppressor of the world', according to Leonard Wall, a professor at the Washington University in St Louis.

"My husband threw me out because I was leaking. If this sickness 'catches you' they'll carry you out and throw you away too," is how the song ends.

It is in northern Nigeria that the latest UNFPA campaign is focused.

Four volunteer doctors from the United States and Britain have teamed up with 24 Nigerian counterparts to treat hundreds of women at four hospitals in northern Nigeria over the two weeks.

All those who are treated have access to specialist nurses after the operation, as well as social workers on hand for counselling.

展e hope that the 詮istula Fortnight・will help to heal wounds and renew hope for hundreds of women suffering from fistula in Nigeria,・Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the head of UNFPA, said in a statement. 的t is one step to help address the tremendous backlog of patients and get care to those in need.・

Reconstructive surgery, even years after the pregnancy, can cure the condition and treating sufferers is crucial, campaigners say.

But so too is preventing women developing the condition in the first place and that means improving maternal care and allowing women with complicated labours the possibility of a Caesarean section.

UNFPA launched a campaign to end fistula in 30 endemic countries in Africa, the Arab states and South Asia in 2003. The Nigerian drive started on 21 February and runs to 6 March.

Posted by Publisher at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)

NIGERIA: Obasanjo opens constitutional debate, rules out secession

President Olusegun Obasanjo opened a conference to draft changes to the constitution on Monday with a warning that delegates should not question the fundamental unity of Nigeria.

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

The National Political and Reform Conference is not designed to dismember or disintegrate Nigeria,・Obasanjo told the 400 delegates assembled in the federal capital Abuja.

典he conference is about designing the most appropriate and relevant institutional mechanisms for managing our diversity and differences,・he added.

Obasanjo is a retired army general who fought as a military officer against the attempt by the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria to form the breakaway state of Biafra in the 1967-1970 civil war.

He said in his opening speech that the main aim of the present conference on constitutional reform was 鍍o strengthen the oneness and unity of Nigeria・

The delegates have all been appointed by Obasanjo or nominated by Nigeria痴 36 state governors - 28 of whom belong to the president's ruling People痴 Democratic Party (PDP).

They have been given three months to produce a new draft constitution.

Nigeria is Africa痴 most populous country, with more than 126 million people.

The large Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo tribes dominate the political scene. However, Nigerians are split into more than 250 ethnic and language groups.

Overlying this diversity is a deep political fault line that runs through the country, dividing the largely Muslim north from the predominantly Christian and Animist south.

For much of its history since independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria has been rocked by ethnic, religious and political upheavals, including the civil war that prevented the oil-producing southeast from seceding as an independent state of Biafra.

In recent years there have been strident calls from different regions of the country for political reforms.

The inhabitants of the oil-rich Niger Delta are demanding more access to oil revenues controlled by the federal government. Meanwhile, other ethnic and interest groups have demanded the devolution of more powers from central government to the regions.

Many critics of Obasanjo have boycotted the present constitutional conference, protesting that it is stuffed with the government's own nominees and has been barred from discussing certain contentious issues such as secession.

A coalition of opposition and pro-democracy groups have vowed to hold a parallel conference later this year to which delegates will be elected rather than nominated.

Obasanjo, whose party was widely accused of rigging the 2003 general elections to secure a second term in office, dismissed the initiative as 砥npatriotic strategies for precipitating crises.

Posted by Publisher at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

NIGERIA: Plateau state IDPs face daunting obstacles to return to "home of peace and tourism"

Throughout Plateau state in central Nigeria, colorful billboards urge people to "give peace a chance", to "stand united" and to "restore Plateau the beautiful".

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

However, almost one year after spiraling violence between Christians and Muslims left more than 1,000 people dead and over 200,000 others displaced, many of those who fled are still too scared to return to the "home of peace and tourism", as this picturesque hilly state is officially known.

A six-month, state of emergency was imposed in Plateau by President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 2004 to stop the indiscriminate slaughter of mainly Muslim cattle herders by Christian farmers and retaliatory attacks by the Muslims, which were equally bloody and horrific.

Yet the state of emergency was lifted in mid-November. Many fear the lifting of exceptional security measures could presage a slide back into the bloody cycle of revenge attacks. Worse still, people fear that such killings could spread to other parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 126 million inhabitants.

It would not be the first time.

The massacre of several hundred Muslims in the small town of Yelwa in southern Plateau state last May, sparked deadly reprisals in Kano, Nigeria's second largest city, 350 km to the north. Yelwa's Muslim majority went on the rampage against Christians from the south of the country.

The destruction wrought in last year's clashes is still plain to see in a string of towns and villages in and around Yelwa, where the violence reached its climax.

In Yelwa itself, life remains grim. The Nigerian Red Cross reported at least 600 Muslims were killed in the town during one particularly bad fight in May 2004. This incident finally triggered the imposition of a state of emergency.

Several mass graves in both the Muslim and Christian areas of the town attest to heavy losses on both sides over a period of intermittent skirmishing during the preceding four months.

According to an assessment mission led by the European Commission's Humanitarian Office in July 2004, up to 80 percent of houses in Yelwa we